Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Flexing the 'flex window'

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Samsung has launched its fifth generation of flip phones - Galaxy Z Flip 5. This smartphone comes with the biggest upgrade ever — in terms of the cover screen. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 also comes with a new integrated hinge module which makes the device slimmer when folded. But these upgrades come with a new price tag. Are these upgrades worth the price? Find out in the full review.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Variants and price

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is available in two storage variants and the good thing is that the base variant now starts with 256GB storage as compared to 128GB in the Galaxy Z Flip 4. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is available in 8GB + 256GB and 8GB + 512GB RAM and storage variants. They are priced at Rs 99,999 and Rs 1,09,999 respectively. The smartphone is available in four colour variants - mint, cream, graphite and lavender. Here I am using the mint colour and 8GB + 256GB variant of the device.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Design

The first thing that one can instantly notice is the gap-less design of the Galaxy Z Flip 5. There is no noticeable gap in the fifth generation of this flip device by the South Korean tech major. There are several other flip phones available in the market, but the built quality of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 not just looks superior but it is durable as well. And I am saying this because the device slipped from my hand on an elevator of a mall on the first day of my usage and rolled down at least 8-9 steps before I could pick it up. It did receive a tiny abrasion but the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is functioning properly and there are no significant scratches on the frame — which is built of aircraft-grade armor aluminum.

The cover display, which is the biggest in the Galaxy Flip smartphones ever, has two small camera rings. They are not too protruding and look cool. Also, I think the volume rockers will be a little out of reach for people with small hands while using the device unfolded. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 has round edges and which makes the folded device very comfortable to hold in hand while making video calls and clicking photos.

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Coming back to the gapless design of the Galaxy Z Flip 5, the new hinge makes the device slightly thinner and it looks aesthetically more pleasing. However, the crease at the centre of the inner display is still visible and you can feel a wavy bump in the screen. The device can handle water with its IPX8 rating but it still doesn't have protection against dust.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Display

This is really one area where Samsung has done major changes. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 now comes with a 3.4-inch super AMOLED large display as compared to an almost 1.9-inch screen in the last generation. The outer screen, or "flex window" as called by Samsung, is not just 3.78 times larger but offers more usability than ever before. It supports a refresh rate of 60Hz and scrolling through different widgets and notifications feels smooth.

This lets users access useful information without unfolding the device. From watching YouTube videos or using Google Maps, users can do most of the things needed on a daily basis from the cover screen. There are multiple widgets that let you check the weather, control music, track your step counts and much more. You can even select apps that you want to access on the cover screen and I think it will encourage users to be more mindful of using the device and helps reduce screen time — something most of us are now struggling to achieve. However, users currently have access to only a handful of apps that work on the cover screen, adding some more apps could have made it more useful.

When unfolded, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 reveals a 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED display which offers an adaptive refresh rate of 120Hz. The screen is vibrant and sharp and content consumption on the device is fun. However, the screen has a 22:9 aspect ratio and therefore most of the content you will consume on this device is likely to have black bars on either side. The stereo speakers are decently loud and retain details even at full volume.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Performance and software

The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip for Galaxy. This is a powerful chip that lets users multitask very comfortably. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is not a gaming device but I played games like BGMI and Asphalt 9 and the device didn't lag even once. Overall, the device delivers snappy performance in all circumstances. However, it does get slightly warm during intense gaming. But the good thing is it cools down very quickly.

Those who want to answer phone calls without unfolding the device can do so by using the bottom speaker. To use the earpiece, you will have to unfold the device.

The smartphone runs on Android 13 with OneUI 5.1.1 on top. This offers a clean user interface with very little bloatware. Samsung has promised five years of security patches and four years of major OS updates. So the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is going to stay up-to-date for a really long time.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Battery and charging

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 comes with the same 3,700mAh battery as present in the fourth generation of the device. But there are some improvements in the battery thanks to Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. It can last for an entire day if used moderately.

The smartphone supports 25W fast charging and can easily take 90 minutes to charge the device from zero to 100 per cent. I think 25W is rather slow for a smartphone that will cost around Rs 1 lakh. Also, buyers will not get an adapter in the box.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Camera

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a dual camera setup on the cover screen. Both these sensors are of 12MP but one of them is for regular shots and the other for wide-angle clicks. The camera clicks good images in daylight as well as in low-light conditions. Portrait mode works well and offers a decent bokeh effect and edge detection.

For selfies, it has a 10MP camera. But most users will not use it frequently to click selfies as the main cameras are quite easy to use and produce better results.  

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Verdict

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 definitely comes with the biggest upgrade ever. The large screen is quite useful and can help users reduce screen time. The performance is snappy as it has a capable chip. But it has no official protection against dust and also comes with just 25W fast charging. Overall, it offers a complete package for those looking to buy only a flip phone.