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The new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a key feature that is arguably going to be the deciding factor for many: a cover screen that takes up most of the folded front panel.
This is what sets it apart from other smartphones, and why this review will focus primarily on that.
The Z Flip 5 has a 3.4-inch cover display, up from the previous two generations’ tiny 1.9-inch screen with limited functionality. It now folds completely shut, with no gap, and thus attracts less dust than before.
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When the Z Flip 3 first came out in South Africa, its R21 999 price tag surprised many. It felt like the tech was becoming more “affordable”, given the cost was similar to a non-folding flagship.
Samsung kept the same price for the Flip 4, but along with a bigger cover screen on the Flip 5, comes a bigger price tag: R29 999.
A full display on the cover of a flip phone is still a novelty in South Africa, with the nearest option being the Oppo Find N2 Flip at the same price. It has a vertical 3.26-inch display, which takes up two-thirds of its front, making it a direct competitor, with the Motorola Razr+, which is not available in SA.
Using the Flex Window
The 3.4-inch display, referred to as the Flex Window, has a 60Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 720x748 pixels. I found its 1600 nits of brightness suitable for outdoor use in direct sunlight.
I took it on my travels and hikes and it ended up being my most used display outdoors for checking notifications and using the rear cameras – more on that below.
Samsung lets you access a few apps natively on Flex Window, but the third-party app CoverScreenOS lets you view all. I’ve used it on the Find N2 Flip, and though buggy, the freemium version offers great functionality.
Despite having access to all apps on Flex Window with CoverScreenOS, its size and ratio offered a superior landscape viewing experience for an app like YouTube vs. banking or social media apps.
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For apps that required lengthier typing, I used the main display because as nice as full keyboard support on Flex Window is, the display is limited because it is taken up by the whole keyboard. As such, replying to a WhatsApp felt like there was no context.
I also loaded my bank cards on Samsung Pay, which pulls up the card in full view when you’re ready to pay, thus minimising the need to flip open the phone.
Having used the Flex Window extensively, I would have preferred more granular controls for it, like being able to adjust the resolution or font size to something smaller as the Gmail app, for example, appears too large.
A tripod camera experience
One of the features Samsung punted on the Flip 5 was the phone doubling up a tripod, making it appealing to content creators.
Waving your hand to trigger the shutter is not just a party trick; I found it useful for taking regular or wide-angle shots, portraits, and videos while facing you but using the rear cameras.
The phone can be propped up in multiple angles, given its sturdy hinge so shooting content this way was a breeze, which meant the official selfie-cam became redundant.
The dual rear cameras are 12MP + 12MP and the selfie cam is 10MP, but the rear offers optical image stabilisation and auto-focus, which makes it better to use all the time.
The Find N2 Flip offers the same experience but has a Hasselblad 50MP + 8MP rear camera and a 32MP selfie cam.
Multitasking on the main screen
While Flex Window lets you interact with a smartphone in a refreshing way compared to phones from over the last decade, the main 6.7-inch display also has something to offer, though not unique to this model.
It has multi-window support for certain apps, so you can open Gmail and Instagram together, viewed in split screen mode dragging how big you want each app to be. Multi-window kicks in through additional floating window support for up to five apps.
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Getting used to this takes some time, which can be done from the “Recents” button for all open apps. You can also choose opacity for floating windows to still see what you’re working on.
Final thoughts on the Z Flip 5
The Z Flip 5 is a fun phone to use, and it’s apparent that Samsung is taking user feedback to improve the experience. People wanted a bigger cover screen to do more, and now they have it.
Given that it is a Samsung, you can expect snappy performance from its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, eSIM support, and the promise of four years of Android software upgrades and five years of security updates.
The cameras may not be on par with the Samsung S Series – there is no telephoto lens, but you’re not buying a folding phone for the camera.
The Z Flip 5 is the best flip phone to buy right now when compared to the Find N2 Flip and not just for its large display. If you look at the whole package for its R29 999 price point, you’re getting a water-resistant phone and the promise of four years of Android upgrades.
In an age where consumers are holding onto smartphones for longer, the Z Flip 5 does appeal, though it’s impossible to speak for its hinge durability down the line.
