It’s been a good year so far for folding phones; OPPO’s Find N2 Flip was well-received and now the fifth generation of Samsung’s folding phones continues to push the world towards a ‘foldie’ future.
The Galaxy Z Flip5 is a flip phone with a practical second screen while the Galaxy Z Fold5 continues to refine its tablet in a pocket routine, complete with physical and software enhancements.
The hinge on the Fold5 has always been a point of contention for detractors and a minor complaint for Samsung’s users but now that has been fixed with the all-new Flex Hinge along with a sleeker case thickness–Samsung’s sleekest and lightest Fold is more appealing than ever. The Flip5’s secondary screen is perfectly comfortable for typing out texts, which is perhaps the best demonstration of its usability in both configurations.
Shown here alongside the Fold4, the new Fold5 has no gap–a vast improvement.
A slimmer Fold
The new Fold5 returns with another attempt to coerce us with the promise of a tablet in your pocket or purse–just kidding, it’s still a bit large for pockets but it’s considerably slimmer than its predecessor. With the Slim S Pen case attached, the Fold is still relatively compact and you get to enjoy the perks of the S Pen stylus as well.
The Fold5 has been updated with the latest Snapdragon 8 gen 2 processor and a new cooling system that Samsung says dissipates heat more intelligently, which reduces lag and improves performance while undertaking intensive tasks like gaming.
We were assured that the crease will be significantly diminished on the retail units.
The 6.2” cover screen functions like a regular phone but it comes into its own when fully opened (7.6”). The peak brightness of the Dynamic AMOLED panel has been increased by over 30% to 1750 nits, which improves visibility under bright sunlight and visual quality for video content.
But what makes the Fold5 an actual productivity tool is its multitasking capabilities. Complementing the large immersive screen is a suite of features: Taskbar lets you switch between frequently used apps (up to four) while Hidden Pop-up lets you run apps like videos in the background while chatting in a window. The enhanced drag and drop lets you easily move content across screens and apps alike.
Almost two phones in one
You get effectively ‘1.5’ screens with the Flip5.
But this time around, it might be the Flip5 that’s somewhat more interesting. The Flex Window, or second screen, is 3.78 times larger than the previous edition, so you can use it to display widgets for on-demand information, or as a quick shortcut to use supported apps like YouTube without having to flip the phone open–the Flip5 can You’re able to display a full QWERTY keyboard onscreen, so you can even text replies.
While Samsung has opted not to offer bespoke customisations for the Flip this year, users can still personalise their Flip5 through the use of NFC art cards that will display a matching background picture on the Flex Window as well.
With a ‘full-sized keyboard, you can fire off quick replies without opening up your phone.
And with the large Flex Window, the Flip5’s twin rear cameras (wide and ultrawide) come into their own. Aside from hands-free photography from multiple angles, Dual Preview helps the subject see themselves and make adjustments accordingly. If you pair it with a Galaxy Watch, you have the added benefit of being able to zoom in on your subject, and activate the shutter remotely as well.
Pre-orders
Prices for the Flip5 start from SGD1,498 (256GB) while the Fold5 starts from SGD2,398 (256GB). Pre-orders start on 26 July 2023, while physical units will be available starting 11 August 2023. The Galaxy Z Flip5 is available in Mint, Graphite, Cream, and Lavender while the Galaxy Z Fold5 comes in Icy Blue, Phantom Black, and Cream.
