Samsung has answered the call of its flip phone competitors, announcing the Galaxy Z Flip5 at its Galaxy Unpacked event in South Korea.
After Oppo went larger with its Find N2 Flip cover display, only to be outdone by the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra’s 3.6-inch external screen, all eyes were on Samsung’s response. Instead of going for sheer size, the Flip5 is a substantial upgrade over last year’s Flip4 model, going from a 1.9-inch cover screen to 3.4 inches.
Screen expansion aside, the Flip5 also introduces internal upgrades, photography improvements, and tweaks to the build quality. Going hands-on with pre-production versions of the new phone, the change from last year’s model to the next is stark. In addition to the flip phone upgrade, Samsung also announced the Z Fold5, Galaxy Tab S9, and Galaxy Watch6 devices.
Foldables are here to stay, with Samsung Australia’s Garry McGregor, Vice President, Mobile Experience Division, eager to push the form factor forward.
“Foldables, and by extension our Galaxy Z Series, are no longer a novelty,” McGregor said “Adoption of Foldables continues to grow at pace both in Australia and around the world.”
“Building on the momentum of the previous generation, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5 provide consumers one-of-a-kind foldable experiences that open a world of new possibilities”
Z Flip5 has an overall better design than its predecessor
At first glance, you can’t help but notice the angular approach Samsung took with the Flip5’s “Flex Window” cover display. Whereas the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra has an outer screen that covers its entire top half with nearly no bezel, the Flip5 does things differently. It still covers most of the surface it occupies, albeit with an angular bezel cut-out surrounding the torch and dual-camera array. What it sacrifices in total size, it makes up for in style.
Personalisation is central to Samsung’s foldable devices, with the Galaxy Z Flip5 including more ways to use its portable form factor. On its cover screen are more wallpapers, clocks, frames, and aesthetic customisation options. Most importantly, however, is its expanded widget support. There are more supported widgets now, including third-party widgets, and you can use up to 13 at once on the outer display. Similar to smartwatches, it’s also easier to arrange widgets by pinching the screen and dragging them into place.
Another major improvement comes in the form of a full QWERTY keyboard for replying to messages without opening the phone. So, no more relying on restrictive suggested responses whenever you need to send something a little more complex.
Hinging on being a pocketable device
Many modern phones have large displays in excess of six inches. It’s great for reading and watching things but makes fitting comfortably in your pocket tough. When referring to its foldable range, Samsung regularly refers to the concept of “pocketability”. In other words, how easily a device fits into your pocket. A benefit of the Flip5 is that you still get a big 6.7-inch main display when unfolded in addition to something that tucks neatly away when not in use.
Behind this year’s compact foldable phone from Samsung is a new proprietary “Flex Hinge” technology. Immediately noticeable when placed next to a Flip4, the Flip5 actually closes flush, with no awkward gap visible. And, being a foldable, you can easily use the main camera array for selfies, using the same ISOCELL sensor as the Galaxy S23 phones.
As for durability, both the Flip5 and Fold5 use Gorilla Victus 2 Glass, said to be 20% stronger than the previous-generation material. Like last year’s model, it carries an IPX8 rating, meaning it can handle water reasonably well, although it’d be best to steer clear of dust and fine particles.
Specifications
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy |
| OS | Android 13 One UI 5.1.1 |
| Memory and storage | 8GB Memory with 512GB internal storage 8GB Memory with 256GB internal storage |
| Display | Main screen: 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz Adaptive refresh rate (1~120Hz) Infinity Flex Display (2640 x 1080, 22:9) Cover screen: 3.4-inch Super AMOLED 60Hz Display 720 x 748 306 PPI |
| Dimensions | 187g Folded: 71.9 x 85.1 x 15.1mm Unfolded: 71.9 x 165.1 x 6.9mm |
| Camera | Rear: 12MP Ultra Wide Camera F2.2, Pixel size: 1.12μm, FOV: 123˚ 12MP Wide-angle Camera Dual Pixel AF, OIS, F1.8, Pixel size: 1.8μm, FOV: 83˚ Front: 10MP Selfie Camera F2.2, Pixel size: 1.22μm, FOV: 85˚ |
| Battery | 3,700mAh (typical) dual battery 25W charging (charger sold separately) Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare |
| Durability | IPX8 |
| Connectivity | 5G LTE Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth v5.3 |
| Sensors | Capacitive Fingerprint sensor (side), Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, Proximity sensor, Light sensor |
| SIM compatibility | One Nano SIM and one eSIM |
| Price (RRP) | $1,649 (256GB) $1,849 (512GB) |
| Colours | Mint, Graphite, Cream, Lavender Samsung.com exclusives: Grey, Blue, Green, Yellow |
Z Flip5 price and release date
Pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 are live now, ahead of its Australian release on 18 August 2023. At retailers, the phone comes in four colours: Cream, Lavender, Graphite, and Mint. If you shop directly through Samsung’s website, you have four additional colours to choose from: Grey, Blue, Green, and Yellow.
Prices start at $1,649 for the 256GB model, increasing to $1,849 for 512GB of storage. We’ve rounded up the best pre-order deals available including options for purchasing outright or on a plan.
Read more phone news on GadgetGuy
Valens Quinn travelled to Galaxy Unpacked in South Korea as a guest of Samsung Australia
