Samsung’s new foldable is here! Over the last few years, they’ve been paving the way with their unique flipping and folding phones. They combine the best parts of a phone and a tablet – mashing them together into one super handy hybrid. With the Galaxy Z Flip 5, Samsung have really gone all out. There are loads of snazzy new features including a large cover display and a completely redesigned hinge. Sounds good, right? Let’s take a closer look…
Larger cover screen
The first thing you’ll notice when you look at the phone is the larger cover screen. The previous versions had a small rectangular outer display. This one, called the Flex Window, fills almost the entire front of the phone when it’s shut. And it doesn’t just look the part. It also means you can do a whole lot more without having to unfold it. Now that’s smart.
Obviously, there’s all of the stuff you’d expect to see on there - the usual widgets and notifications for weather, time and what not. But it can also run full apps on there. Yes, really. There’s a curated list of apps you can check out that are all optimised for this screen, including YouTube, WhatsApp, and Spotify.
It’s got some fun options for customisation too. You can give it a personal touch by changing the colour scheme, adding a video wallpaper, or swapping out the look of the clock face. Plus, it lets you fill it with your favourite widgets – giving you quick and easy access to your go-to bits and bobs.
Overhauled hinge
The hinge has also seen some big changes. There’s a clever new water-drop design which means the phone now shuts completely flat. So, there’s no longer a gap between the two halves when it’s folded. It’s a satisfying solid block now, which not only looks better, but also makes it slimmer when folded. It fits neatly in your pocket and should stop dust and muck from getting onto the inner display.
It uses less moving parts as well, so technically there are less ways it can go wrong. Samsung say this should help it to last longer, with the phone rated for 200,000 folds. That’s a whole lot of folding. So, you won’t have to worry at all about its durability long-term.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
This is up there as one of the most powerful Android phones you can get at the moment. And that’s all thanks to its internal tune-up with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. There’s plenty of power inside to make it a perfect daily driver, with more than enough oomph for all your everyday smartphone tasks.
FlexCam
This makes it easier than ever to get that perfect Insta-ready selfie, whichever camera you use. You don’t even need to open the phone either. There’s a camera shortcut for the Flex Window, so you can snap away while it’s closed.
Flex cam lets you use the hinge to your advantage and find the perfect angle. Plus, it’s great for group shots - just stand it up and take hands-free pics that fit everyone in the frame. And if you have the Galaxy Watch6, you can even control the camera remotely while you strike a pose.
Durable design
It’s well protected against accidental drops, knocks and scrapes. An ultra-tough combination of an Aluminium Armour frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 provides plenty of protection.
On top of that, the IPX8 rating means it can sit in shallow water for up to 30 minutes. No need to panic if you drop it in the bath or the pool!
Let us know if you’re a fan of foldables. What do you think of the Galaxy Z Flip 5? Sound off in the comments below.