Samsung’s popular folding screen foldable phone now has a larger outer screen in its fifth generation, making it even easier to use, while still maintaining a stylish look with a sleek design that leaves no gaps when closed.
The new Z Flip 5 costs £1,049 ($999/AU$1,649), £50 more than last year’s model. It also comes with double his initial capacity of storage and a number of small but meaningful upgrades. There’s no question that folding technology still commands a premium price, with prices similar to high-end Android and iPhones.
The Flip 5 feels like a gorgeous piece of technology and is more sophisticated than previous versions. The new hinge allows the two halves of your phone to close flush on one end without leaving any gaps, which looks great and prevents pocket lint.
In contrast to the wedge shape and gap of flip 4 (left), flip 5 (right) closes flat and flush. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The new design also makes the phone thinner and slightly reduces the size of the screen crease, similar to the one seen on the Oppo Find N2 Flip. You can still feel the indentation in the center of the fold and see it in the glare of light, but it is usually not noticeable during use.
The large 6.7-inch screen is great: bright, crisp, smooth, and responsive. Samsung says the screen is 25% more durable than previous models, but it’s still made of softer materials than traditional phones, so it needs to be handled more carefully to avoid scratches. That’s what it means.
A big new 3.4-inch cover screen on the outside of the phone is the standout feature. It shows the time, notifications, and other types of information typical of a regular cell phone’s always-on display. There’s also an eight-button quick settings panel for toggling Wi-Fi and other bits, which is useful but annoyingly not customizable. When you have a notification, you’ll see a retro little red dot. There are many ways to customize the look of your display with different designs, images, and animations.
Spotify’s cover screen mini player is great (top left), with widget options like calendar, weather, and timer, as well as apps like Google Maps and YouTube (bottom right). Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The cover screen also has a collection of useful widgets, and you can also access a full keyboard to reply to messages and run a handful of apps like WhatsApp without opening your phone.
specification
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Main screen: 6.7-inch FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED Infinity Flex display (425ppi)
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Cover screen: 3.4 inch AMOLED
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Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 2nd generation
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Ram: 8GB
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storage: 256 or 512GB
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operating system: One UI 5.1 based on Android 13
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camera: Dual 12MP rear, 10MP front
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Connectivity: 5G, nano sim+esim, wifi6E, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, GNSS
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water resistance: IPX8 (30 minutes at a depth of 1.5 meters)
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Folding dimensions: 84.9×71.9×15.1mm
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Unfolded dimensions: 165.2×72.2×6.9mm
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weight: 187g
Comfortable performance and 1-day battery life
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