First Impressions: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5

Samsung has been a pioneer in the foldable phone category. As early as IFA 2011, it was showcasing folding screens, culminating in the arrival of the first foldable smartphone in 2020. However, it was the Galaxy Z Flip line, more so than the Galaxy Z Fold, that has truly propelled the category forward. It evokes nostalgia for old-school clamshell flip phones like the Moto Razr, which has prompted some responses from the original smartphone inventors.

Yet, the Flip is the undisputed leader of folding phones, not least because it is more affordable than the exorbitantly priced Fold. The new Galaxy Z Flip5, for instance, is priced at a cool Rs 99,999 for the base model with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. While this is a significant sum, it's also a significant phone.

The design remains largely unchanged, yet there are subtle differences. The most notable changes come in the form of the new teardrop-shaped "flex hinge". This allows the phone to fold perfectly, leaving almost no gap between the two folded sides. According to Samsung, this also reduces the risk of damage from dust particles, as the folding screens are very thin and can be cracked by a speck of dust.

However, there is still no rating for dust resistance. It is an IPX8 rated phone, which implies excellent water resistance, but no dust resistance. The screen unfolds to a 6.7” radius. It's a dynamic AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, which is excellent for any task. However, the crease is still quite visible, something that Samsung’s rivals have managed to minimise.

From the side, the result is that there is no “V” shaped gap. From the back, it's all screen, as the outer display now has a 3.4” radius. It's also an AMOLED screen, albeit with a lower resolution. You can accomplish a lot without even opening the phone.

In fact, through the Samsung Good Lock app, you can run all the apps on the small 3.4” display, which takes up most of the space, just weaving around the twin camera modules and flash. This is where I believe the Moto Razr excels, as its cameras are housed almost like a hole punch, with screen surrounding the cameras, resulting in a slightly larger screen.

Samsung also allows the use of the Samsung virtual keyboard on the device, but Gboard cannot be used on the outer screen. The cameras are the 12-megapixel sensors from the previous model, but thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, there is a new image processing pipeline offering enhancements and a new lens coating to eliminate lens flares.

This phone feels very fluid and fast, thanks to the Snapdragon chip designed for Samsung’s flagship Galaxy phones. OneUI may not be the most aesthetically pleasing UI, but Samsung has reduced the bloat and it is incredibly stable. The promise of software updates extends to 4 years, with an additional 5 years for security updates.

This phone also comes with Samsung Knox, which will prove useful in a corporate environment. The overall build of the phone is also stellar. It has armour aluminium with polished rails which looks all very premium.

There's a lot to appreciate about the Galaxy Z Flip5, as it appears to be a comprehensive update. However, Samsung certainly faces some competition this year. We will continue testing this device and provide a more in-depth review in due course.