Samsung Galaxy Z Flip review. Unveiling Features, Performance, and Design.

The Galaxy Z Flip held the foldable phone throne until the Galaxy Z Fold 2 arrived. Despite its clever design, with a price of $1,380, it’s challenging to endorse this phone over conventional flagships such as the iPhone 11 Pro and Galaxy S20 Plus.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G is a remarkable example of technological advancement in the realm of smartphones. Building upon the success of its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Flip 4, this folding phone introduces a new level of convenience and style to the market.

Price: $1,299 (LTE), $1,199 (5G)

Screen (open): 6.7-inch Super AMOLED (2636 x 1080)

Exterior screen: 1.1-inch Super AMOLED (300 x 112)

CPU: Snapdragon 855 Plus

RAM: 8GB

Storage: 256GB

Cameras: 2 12MP (main: f/1.8; ultra-wide: f/2.2) rear/10MP (f/2.0) front

Battery: 3,300 mAh

Size (open): 6.6 x 2.9 x 0.28 inches

Size (folded): 3.4 x 2.9 x 0.61-0.68 inches

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip has achieved what the Galaxy Fold couldn’t: Pocket-friendliness when closed.

Unlike the original Fold, the Galaxy Z Flip opens vertically like a flip phone, resembling the Motorola Razr. Its 6.7-inch display includes ultra-thin glass for a polished look. When closed, it’s compact and fits comfortably in hand.

Is the Galaxy Z Flip the ultimate foldable contender? Does its price tag justify its features? Our review investigates.

The evolution of Samsung’s folding phones has been quite remarkable, leading up to the latest Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G. This cutting-edge device builds upon the successes of its predecessors, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Flip 3, by introducing advanced features and design improvements.

The incorporation of a cover screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 5G offers users quick access to notifications and basic functions without fully unfolding the phone.

With its sleek form factor and innovative folding mechanism, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G is the pinnacle of modern smartphone engineering, solidifying Samsung’s position as a pioneer in the realm of folding phones.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G, much like its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Flip 4, is a testament to Samsung’s innovation in the smartphone market.

With a powerful configuration featuring 8GB of RAM and a capacious 256GB of storage, the Galaxy Z Flip 5G ensures seamless multitasking and ample space for your files. When the phone is open, its impressive specs come to life, providing a smooth and responsive user experience.

Beyond assessing the Galaxy Z Flip’s merits, its enticing aspect is the price. At $1,380, it’s reasonable for a foldable.

Initially priced at $1,380, the Galaxy Z Flip dropped $600 from the Galaxy Fold’s launch. It’s also more affordable than Motorola’s $1,500 Razr. Additionally, the price has decreased further, now available at $1,299.

The Galaxy Z Flip is available at AT&T, Best Buy, and Samsung. The focus now shifts to the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, an updated version released after our initial Galaxy Z Flip review. It boasts a more potent Snapdragon 865 Plus processor with a 5G modem and enhanced multitasking features. Initially priced at $1,499, the Galaxy Z Flip 5G has been reduced to $1,199, aligning with the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s cost.

Setting it apart, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip’s design features a horizontal hinge, differing from the Galaxy Fold’s vertical hinge. Samsung asserts it can withstand 200,000 flips.

We haven’t extensively tested the hinge on the Z Flip, but it seems pretty robust. (As per JerryRigsEverything on YouTube, the Galaxy Z Flip’s display reacts more like plastic than glass during durability tests.) We accidentally dropped the phone on a hardwood floor, and the hinge, outer case, and display remained unharmed.

The Z Flip’s hinge thwarts dust with a fabric layer, unlike the Galaxy Fold’s issues. Samsung has learned from past mistakes.

The Galaxy Z Flip’s 6.7-inch open screen features ultra-thin glass, a change from typical plastic protection. The display’s durability appears promising, offering a more refined feel among foldable devices.

Mirror Black and, in select regions, Mirror Gold are alternatives. Initially favoring Mirror Gold, Mirror Purple’s subtle lavender glow appealed over time.

The Galaxy Z Flip uses a full-HD+ display, 2636 x 1080 pixels resolution—sharper than the Razr’s screen.

While watching Netflix or playing PUBG Mobile, the AMOLED’s inky black conceals the crease. Although a visible crease is undesirable on a $1,380 phone, the Z Flip’s bend is less prominent than the Razr’s substantial crease.

The Galaxy Z Flip features a colorful display. In Vivid mode, it covers 200.8% sRGB. For context, Galaxy S20 Plus covers 224.4% sRGB.

Color accuracy has room for improvement. In Vivid mode, Z Flip’s Delta-E is 0.31, better than S20 Plus’ 0.36. However, iPhone 11 Pro Max ranks best with a Delta-E of 0.28. The Z Flip’s Natural mode yields better accuracy at 0.21.

The Galaxy Z Flip’s video experience is enjoyable, despite its 21.9:9 aspect ratio being narrower than usual. Compared to the Galaxy S20 Plus’ 20.9:9 ratio, the distinction is noticeable.

In the No Time to Die trailer, details remain clear even in darker scenes. Dolemite Is My Name’s vibrant costumes are faithfully represented on the phone’s screen.

Using a flashlight, the Galaxy Z Flip measured 677 nits’ brightness, not as bright as the Galaxy S20 Plus (847 nits). However, it’s a significant improvement over the Galaxy Fold’s 552 units. Despite this, daylight use required max display brightness to comfortably view camera controls.

The internal display isn’t the only one; a 1.1-inch Super AMOLED panel outside shows notifications. It also presents the date and time, eliminating the need to open the phone.

Doubts surrounded the exterior panel’s utility, placed left of the dual cameras. However, it offers various functions: a mini viewfinder for closed Z Flip selfies. Press the power button twice for the viewfinder, and snapshots with a volume button. While only a sliver of your face is visible, it’s a clever way to avoid opening the phone for selfies.

Upon using the Galaxy Z Flip, its solid and sturdy build stands out. Despite its compactness, it’s robust. The substantial outer case requires effort to open; one hand steadies while the other lifts the screen—no swift wrist flicking like classic flip phones.

Comparatively, if you’ve used the Motorola Razr, this might not concern you much. Motorola’s flip phone has a weak build, is challenging to open, fragile after drops, and its display lifts from the chassis when closing due to design issues. None of these apply to the Galaxy Z Flip.

Unlike the creaky Razr, the Z Flip opens and closes silently. The free-stop hinge lets you set the flexible display angle and it stays in place. This feature is helpful for hands-free selfies or video chats.

Flex mode, activated by opening the Z Flip into an L-shape, splits screen actions. In Flex mode, the top screen section acts as a viewfinder, while the bottom displays controls. For instance, using the camera app dedicates the top to a viewfinder and the bottom to the shutter button and menu options.

Google optimized YouTube for the Z Flip; videos appear on top, and comments are below. Clever use of its design. Enhanced with more apps supporting Flex mode.

The Z Flip has fewer lenses than the S20 series but still delivers impressive results. Samsung’s computational photography rivals Apple and Google, ensuring satisfying camera performance.

The Z Flip captures the steak dinner decently, reproducing plate colors. However, the iPhone 11 Pro Max photo is warmer and offers richer textures on elements like homemade potato chips and salad lettuce leaves.

The Z Flip captures the steak dinner well, showcasing plate colors. However, the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s version is warmer and displays more textures, like homemade potato chips and salad lettuce leaves.

The Z Flip captures a broader view without switching to the ultra-wide-angle lens. This reveals more surroundings, though a noticeable bend appears in the perspective.

The Z Flip’s Night mode competes well with others, though activating it requires navigating More options.

The iPhone 11 Pro Max captures balanced night shots, automatically adapting. It handles glare from nearby street lamps well.

The Z Flip captures mural details: trees on the right, a house on the left, unlike the iPhone.

The Z Flip and iPhone 11 Pro Max handled the statue photo similarly. Z Flip offers better palm tree color. The iPhone’s version darkens the trees excessively.

The statue photo tests Z Flip’s ultra-wide-angle lens. The result is pleasing, with a broader view. The colors are vibrant, though iPhone’s sky patches are more captivating.

Samsung omitted Snapdragon 865 in the Z Flip but opted for the next-best chip.

The Z Flip uses Snapdragon 855 Plus from 2019, not the 865. This means no 5G. Still, it’s fast with 8GB RAM. For 5G, choose Galaxy Z Flip 5G with Snapdragon 865 Plus.

Samsung’s foldable scored 2,689 in Geekbench 5 multi-core test. OnePlus 7T scored 2,759, Galaxy Fold 2,619.

Expect Z Flip’s performance to be similar to 2019’s flagships. Newer phones with newer chips perform better. Galaxy S20 Plus scored 3,076.

Graphics tests show Z Flip competes with last year’s Snapdragon devices, and lags behind newer flagships. In the GFXBench Aztec Ruins Vulkan test, Z Flip and Galaxy Fold scored similarly at around 1,048 frames. Galaxy S20 Plus scored 1,319 frames, outperforming both foldable devices.

Samsung also ensures that their devices, such as the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, consistently push the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of mobile technology.

The Z Flip holds a 3,300-mAh battery, fitting for its foldable design. The Razr’s small 2,510-mAh battery affected its battery life. The Razr lasted only 6 hours and 4 minutes for our battery test.

The Z Flip lasted longer than the Razr but isn’t a marathon runner. It averaged 8 hours and 16 minutes in four battery tests. It outperformed Motorola’s foldable by two hours but fell short of the smartphone average by 90 minutes. The Galaxy Fold lasted 10 hours with a larger 4,380 mAh battery.

The Z Flip offers fast charging, relatively speaking. After 30 minutes, it reached 43% battery. The S20 Plus hit 55% at the same time, aided by its 25-watt charger compared to the Z Flip’s 15-watt charger.

Samsung phones, like the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, showcase the company’s commitment to innovation and user experience. Not only does the Galaxy Z Flip 5G boast a stunning design, but it also incorporates cutting-edge features like wireless charging, making it a true standout among smartphones.

The Galaxy Z Flip supports multitasking with Android 10’s Multi-Active Window feature. You can select apps for split-screen use, although it’s limited to two apps. This differs from the Galaxy Fold, which allows three apps due to its larger screens.

Certain apps perform better in Multi-Active Windows. Playing demanding games while multitasking might not be ideal. The feature works in both portrait and landscape modes.