Elder readers may perhaps remember the first flip mobile phones, with a physical keyboard at the bottom and a screen for messages and calls at the top; by folding the screen, you’d get a device nearly half the size of a standard phone that could more easily fit into a pocket. Since Samsung began introducing devices with foldable screens, they’ve been flirting again with this idea – is it possible to make a modern flip phone? And does it even make sense? The answers to these questions come from the fifth generation of the Galaxy Z Flip phone.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 This is already the fifth generation of Flip phones, but we must admit that it’s the first one we’ve encountered – somehow, the Fold has always been in focus because it simply provides double the screen space when unfolded. The Flip has a different idea; the phone’s screen when opened is practically the same size as other contemporary mobile phones, but when folded, the device becomes significantly smaller. This has several interesting implications; for instance, one of the more significant ones is that when the device is folded, the main camera system faces you directly, essentially giving you much stronger selfie cameras than usual. On the other hand, there are also some negative aspects; unfortunately, on this model as well, the fold in the middle of the inner screen is pronounced, and you can see it when the device is off or when you look at it from certain angles.
However, I must admit that even though this was initially quite a negative aspect for me, while using the phone, I mostly forgot that the fold even existed. A crucial aspect of the Flip 5 model is the improved hinge around which the screen opens, completely closing the phone so that no dirt can enter, as was the case with previous models. Additionally, it has been simplified compared to previous generations, so it should theoretically be more durable. The model we received was in a pastel greenish color, and other available colors include pastel purple, beige, and black.
Looking at the technical specifications of this phone, they fall into the flagship category, primarily due to the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which is currently among the best on the market. When combined with 8GB of RAM and optional 256GB or 512GB of storage, it’s clear that this is a serious phone on which everything runs extremely fast. The main screen is a Dynamic AMOLED 2X type with a diagonal of 6.7″ with a refresh rate of 120Hz and HDR10+ support. The only somewhat downside is the slightly smaller battery with a capacity of only 3700 mAh, but in combination with the new and more efficient processor, it lasted the whole day in practice without any issues, and there are options for fast charging up to 25W (50% in 30 minutes) and wireless charging. Another excellent feature, especially considering that this is a flip phone, is that it now has an IPX8 water resistance certification, capable of withstanding up to 30 minutes in water at a depth of 1.5m. The Flip 5 supports only one nano SIM card from the provider, but also an eSIM, and the memory cannot be expanded with additional cards.
The real innovation in the fifth generation of Flip models is what Samsung calls the Flex window, namely the screen located on the external side of the phone with a diagonal of 3.7″. This is not a new feature on flip phones; some of the older models even had that “external” screen, and the Flip 4 also had some attempt at it. However, the size and quality of this screen are what completely change the way you’ll use the Flip 5. Specifically, the screen is large enough, and Samsung engineers have created good enough support so that you can have so-called widgets on it that can work with applications, allowing you to quickly check notifications, calendar, weather forecast, fitness statistics, maps, and more.
Moreover, it fully functions as a normal phone screen, so, for example, you can respond to a message without opening the phone, as the keyboard appears on it – it’s of similar width to the internal screen, so typing is almost the same. When we think about it a bit more, it’s possible that the good behavior of the otherwise small battery was partly due to the fact that the smaller screen was used much more than we initially predicted. You can further customize the Flex external screen, change backgrounds, or even try to play with the phone’s Labs options and adapt applications that weren’t originally intended to run on it; it seems like Samsung has just begun to develop this technology further, and we can expect more interesting things through updates in the future.
However, this is just the beginning of the adventure because the main advantages come when you realize that you can directly activate the camera module through it. In this way, you practically take a selfie with the main camera while having an excellent screen for framing. Not only that, but you can also easily shoot a selfie video of yourself and a friend, with complete control over the frame at any time. An interesting option is to place the phone on a table in a semi-open state, turn on the external screen, set the frame, and then move to take a picture with friends; you practically have a mini tripod for the camera thanks to the specific shape of the phone and hinge. The main camera system consists of one normal lens and one ultra-wide, as well as an LED flash next to them. The pictures it takes are truly excellent, especially in night mode, while it’s possible to record videos even in 4K 60 fps resolution, and the main camera also has optical stabilization. It’s worth noting that there’s also one internal selfie camera beneath the main screen, but it’s assumed that it would only be used for video calls, for example. It’s also interesting that the Flip 5 is designed to work together with the Galaxy Watch 6 smartwatch, so you can even use the watch to check the frame and take a photo or start recording video.
Are we returning to the era of flip phones? The Flip 5 is no longer just a technology demonstrator for foldable screens but is now a phone with its own applications, especially for those who love taking pictures or videos of themselves because it’s practically tailor-made for that thanks to the large external Flex screen. Of course, this phone isn’t for everyone because it has a high price, and many people are now accustomed to having everything on the screen immediately without having to open the phone. However, for those who want to use the phone differently, we can say that the Flip 5 truly revolutionizes how a phone is used and that this can be very useful for certain user groups. In this sense, we’re extremely pleased that Samsung isn’t resting on its laurels and is bringing fundamental changes from generation to generation, not just cosmetic ones; we’ve just seen something that fundamentally changes the way a phone is used and the paradigm of mobile phones.
