Newsletter
Out of the many, many devices that Samsung announced today at Unpacked, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 had the biggest upgrade. There’s two big changes or the Galaxy Z Flip 5 this year, and that’s the hinge and the new Flex Window (Cover Display).
We have spent about an hour using it, at a hands-on event ahead of Unpacked. So we’re able to give you some first impressions, but unfortunately, we won’t be able to do a full review just yet. That will be coming soon, however. But for now, here’s our first impressions of Samsung’s latest Galaxy Z Flip 5.
The new Flex Window is a game-changer
While some might claim that Samsung’s move to this larger display on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, was a response to Motorola doing this on the Razr+ a few months ago – it’s not. This was in the works for quite a while, likely close to a year ago. But it’s still great to see it here.
Now, unlike the Razr+, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 does not include the cameras on the front display. There’s a cut out that goes around them. And it kind of looks like a manilla folder that’s upside down. Definitely giving you a pretty unique looking front-display. Even with the many other flips on the market, this is still going to stand out.
This is a 3.4-inch display, that is almost a square, but not quite. Now with this display, you’re able to see your notifications better, see other information like your calendar, weather and much more. Samsung currently has about 12 widgets available for the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s Flex Window. With more coming in the future. It’s a pretty good experience so far with the Flex Window. Though, we’ll have to wait and see how good it is in day-to-day usage.
The hinge is a huge upgrade
While it’s honestly a much larger upgrade on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 than on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, it’s still a big deal here. That’s because, it did not actually make the Flip 5 any lighter. Though it was already fairly light, comparable to other 6.7-inch phones.
However, the new hinge does allow it to fold completely flat now. That’s going to help with dust and water resistance, and do more to protect the folding display. And it also is going to make the Galaxy Z Flip 5 look a lot cleaner.
The hinge does feel like it’s easier to open now, compared to previous Galaxy Z Flip models. And that’s likely due to it being smaller this year. Though it does still feel pretty strong, for using in Flex Mode. So it can still sit at virtually any angle and be used for all sorts of things. And of course, you still get that satisfying thump when you close it, like the old-school flip phones had.
This new hinge is still made of aluminum, so it not only has a premium design, but it’s also pretty durable. Of course, we did not do a durability test during our hands-on time, but the Galaxy Z Flip has always been fairly durable. Maybe less so than a regular 6.7-inch phone like a Galaxy S23 Plus, but still pretty good.
Samsung’s new Flip cases
Samsung has a load of new cases available for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 this year, and that includes the Clear Gadget Case, FlipSuite case, Flap Eco-leather case, and Silicon Case with Ring. While we didn’t get to see these on the actual Galaxy Z Flip 5, we did get to see them in all of their colors.
In the picture above, you’ll see the Galaxy Z Flip 5 cases below, and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 cases above. With the new Silicon Case with Ring on the right side. Which looks pretty cool. It’s going to be a really great case for those that do have trouble holding onto these larger devices, though at this point, this is just a regular-sized phone. But it’s also great that it comes in multiple colors, and color-matches the Galaxy Z Flip 5 – that mint one looks really good.
There will be more cases for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 as there always is, as it is one of the more popular foldables on the market. But if you want the best experience on a foldable, then the first-party cases from Samsung is going to be the way to go.
Should you buy the Galaxy Z Flip 5?
So the big question, as pre-orders open today is, should you buy the Galaxy Z Flip 5? Obviously, it’s tough to answer that question after just an hour of using the device. However, there are some things that we do know about it. Since it does run on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, we know performance won’t be an issue here. Battery life also should not be much of an issue here. So the real questions here are about the Flex Window and the new hinge.
If you do really want a foldable that folds flat, then by all means, grab the Galaxy Z Flip 5. Or if you want to be able to get stuff done on that front display, again, grab the Galaxy Z Fold 5. But if you’re still on the fence, then you might want to hold off a bit before you grab it. And wait for some full reviews to come out to be sure it’s the one you should buy.
Pre-orders are open now, and the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s MSRP is still $999 (despite some rumors of a price hike this year). Though you can likely get it even cheaper at different carriers and retailers.
Buy the Galaxy Z Flip 5 (Samsung)
