The Galaxy Z Flip 5: Samsung's Latest And Greatest Foldable Phone

Samsung has recently unveiled its new foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Flip 5, at its Galaxy Unpacked event. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the successor to the Galaxy Z Flip 4, which was launched in 2022. The new phone features some significant improvements and upgrades over its predecessor, such as a larger cover screen, a more durable hinge, a faster processor, and 5G connectivity. In this article, we will give you our hands-on review of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and tell you why it might be the best foldable phone of 2023.

Design and Display

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 looks very similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 4, with a clamshell design that folds in half. However, there are some noticeable differences in the design and display of the new phone. The most obvious one is the size of the cover screen, which has been increased from 1.1 inches to 3.4 inches. This means that you can do more things on the cover screen without opening the phone, such as checking notifications, controlling music, taking selfies, and even browsing the web.

The cover screen also supports widgets that you can customize and access with a swipe. You can also use the cover screen as a viewfinder for the rear cameras, which are still a dual 12MP setup with a wide-angle and an ultra-wide-angle lens. The cameras can record 4K videos at 30 or 60 frames per second, and also support HDR10+ and optical image stabilization.

The main display of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a 6.7-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with a resolution of 1080 x 2640 pixels and a refresh rate of 120Hz. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus+, which is said to be more scratch-resistant and drop-resistant than the previous generation. The display also has a punch-hole cutout for the 10MP selfie camera, which can also record 4K videos at 30 frames per second.

Another improvement in the design of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the hinge mechanism, which has been redesigned to be more durable and water-resistant. The hinge now has a waterdrop shape that reduces the gap between the two halves of the phone when folded. The hinge also has an IPX8 rating, which means that it can withstand immersion in water up to 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. However, this does not mean that the phone is fully waterproof, as it still has openings for speakers, microphones, and charging ports.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 comes in four colors: Mint, Graphite, Cream, and Lavender. If you order directly from Samsung, you can also choose from four exclusive colors: Gray, Blue, Green, or Yellow.

Performance and Battery

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which is a 4nm octa-core processor with a maximum clock speed of 3.2GHz. The chipset also has an Adreno 740 GPU and an integrated X65 modem that supports both sub-6GHz and mmWave bands for 5G connectivity. The phone comes with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. There is no option for expandable storage via a microSD card slot.

The battery capacity of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is slightly lower than that of the Galaxy Z Flip 4, at 3700mAh instead of 3800mAh. However, Samsung claims that the battery life is improved due to the more efficient processor and display. The phone supports fast wired charging at up to 25W, fast wireless charging at up to 15W, and reverse wireless charging at up to 4.5W. The phone also supports Samsung Pay via NFC and MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission), which allows you to use your phone as a credit card at any terminal that accepts magnetic stripe cards.

Software and Features

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 runs on Android 13 with Samsung’s One UI 5.1 on top. One UI is Samsung’s custom skin that adds some features and tweaks to enhance the user experience on its devices. Some of these features include Dark Mode, Edge Panels, Bixby Routines, Samsung DeX, Knox Security, and more.

One UI also optimizes the software for the foldable form factor of the Galaxy Z Flip 5. For example, you can use Flex Mode to split the screen into two parts when you fold the phone at an angle. This allows you to use one part as a stand and the other part as a display for watching videos, video calling, taking photos, etc.

You can also use Multi-Active Window to run two apps simultaneously on the main screen or drag and drop content between them. You can also use App Continuity to seamlessly switch between the cover screen and the main screen without losing your progress.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 also supports Samsung’s ecosystem of devices and services, such as the Galaxy Buds, the Galaxy Watch, the Galaxy Tab, SmartThings, and more. You can easily connect and control your devices with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and access your data and settings across them.

Conclusion

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a remarkable foldable phone that offers a unique and versatile user experience. It has a sleek and stylish design, a large and smooth display, a powerful performance, a decent battery life, and a rich software experience. It also has some drawbacks, such as the lack of water resistance, the limited storage options, and the high price tag. However, if you are looking for a foldable phone that can fit in your pocket and stand out from the crowd, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 might be the one for you.