The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a large cover screen, a new hinge, and finally folds flat when you close it. But is it worth $1,000? We found out in our review.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 should be a perfect foldable flip phone. Why? The pitch from Samsung is a pretty simple one. It kept everything that worked so well for last year’s Flip, made the cover screen much more useful, added a new processor, and created a hinge that lets the Flip 5 fold completely flat when it’s shut. And, yes, the price is exactly the same.
So, is the Z Flip 5 perfect? It’s really close, but not quite. This is the best Galaxy Z Flip Samsung has ever made, and it’s probably the folding flip phone most people should buy. It’s also a phone I’ve thoroughly enjoyed using — even if a couple of things about it have been a bit frustrating along the way.About our Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 review
This review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 was first published on August 3, 2023, after I (Joe Maring) used the phone for a week in the U.S., connected to T-Mobile’s 5G network. It was updated on August 12 to account for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 becoming widely available for purchase.
Digital Trends’ senior writer Andy Boxall then revisited the Galaxy Z Flip 5 at the end of October 2023, after using the phone for 10 days in the U.K. to see how the phone had changed and if it was still one we recommend. You can find his comments in a dedicated section directly below. Andy then went back to the Galaxy Z Flip 5 for a few weeks in June 2024, and the review has been updated throughout. For a closer look at our review process, see our guide on how we test phones.Revisiting the Galaxy Z Flip 5
I bought a Galaxy Z Flip 5 over a Galaxy Z Fold 5 because I felt there was more reason to do so in terms of technological advancement and innovation. The bigger, more useful cover screen was the primary reason, and I haven’t been disappointed by it at all — but I also haven’t found it to be transformative. It’s very useful for certain apps, but not for all, despite there being a way to use practically any app on it. It’s perfect for messaging apps and navigation, but I’m never going to watch YouTube on it.
That’s how I felt in October 2023, but things took an unexpected turn when I went back to the Z Flip 5 again in 2024. I found using the outer screen too fiddly and time-consuming, even for the basics, and I simply left the phone open when it wasn’t in my pocket or bag. Essentially, I used the Z Flip 5 as if it didn’t “flip” at all, ignoring the one thing that makes the phone special. Despite this, I still like the convenience of a clamshell folding phone, and it’s refreshing not to really notice that I’m carrying around a 6.7-inch phone.
I’ve continued to find the battery a disappointment, though. With moderate use (approximately three hours of screen time per day), plus a little gaming, the battery is down to around 25% by late evening. It can’t manage two days of use at all, and even light use in 2024 sees the battery finished by the middle of the second day. The Z Flip 5 lags behind non-folding phones of a similar size and price, especially with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 proving so efficient. Regarding the camera, I found it does perform better than the one on the Galaxy Z Flip 4, and I do like the photos it takes, However, it does lack an optical zoom, which is becoming more commonplace, and I do miss it.
The build quality is great, plus the hinge remains quiet and smooth after many months. I chose one of Samsung’s exclusive colors — matte blue — which disappointed me by unexpectedly including legal text on the back and has then gone on to pick up an unsightly scuff as well. I’d recommend just buying one of the standard colors, which don’t have legal text on the back. The glossy finish should avoid scratches and scuffs better, too. That said, I’m still pleased I went for the Z Flip 5 over the Z Fold 5, mostly due to how easy it is to live with from both a performance and convenience perspective.
Our original review of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 continues below.Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: design and hinge
Yes, the cover screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a big deal, but there’s another important update that’s not quite as obvious — and that’s Samsung’s new hinge. Samsung calls it the “Flex Hinge,” and compared to hinges on previous Z Flips, the Flip 5 is able to fold completely flat when it’s folded shut, so no more unsightly gap. Not only is it more aesthetically pleasing, but it also makes the Flip 5 a bit thinner than the Flip 4 when shut — going from 17.1mm at its thickest to just 15.1mm.
Although the gap on the Galaxy Z Flip 4 never bothered me personally, having the Flip 5 eliminate it is still great to see. It makes the phone feel a bit more complete, and while a difference of 2mm in thickness doesn’t sound drastic, it does make the Z Flip feel more pocketable than ever before. It also stops dust and lint from collecting underneath the two folded sections quite so easily.
There’s something else you’ll notice about the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s hinge, and that’s how it feels a bit looser compared to previous generations; Samsung admits as much on its website! But don’t take this to be a bad thing. The Z Flip 4 always felt a bit stiff to open, even after weeks of use. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 feels much smoother from day one, and even without the gap, I find the phone very easy to open and close. And the best part is that the smoother movement doesn’t make the hinge feel any less sturdy. (You can still prop the hinge up at virtually any angle.)
It’s also worth mentioning that the Z Flip 5’s hinge feels noticeably better designed than the one on the Motorola Razr Plus. Motorola’s flip phone makes more noise when being opened, and if you gently rub the two halves together when closed, you can feel and hear them moving against each other. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 exhibits no such quirks, and while it remains to be seen how either phone holds up after months of regular use, I wouldn’t be surprised if Samsung’s phone withstands the test of time more reliably.
That consensus also boils down to the rest of the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s design. Coming from the Razr Plus, there are so many little things that just feel better on the Z Flip 5. The power and volume buttons are sturdy and don’t wiggle when you push on them. The vibration motor (while not incredible) feels nicer and doesn’t make an unpleasant sound. The speakers sound louder and fuller. The IPX8 rating, while not useful for dust-proofing, allows the Z Flip 5 to survive water splashes and submersion just as well as the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or iPhone 15 Pro.
These are all little things on their own, but when you add them all up — combined with Samsung’s outstanding new hinge — it results in the Galaxy Z Flip 5 being the most well-constructed flip phone foldable I’ve used to date.Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: cover screen
Okay, okay — now we can talk about the Z Flip 5’s cover screen. The short story is that it’s a very big upgrade and can do just about anything you’d like. The longer story is … well, it’s a bit more complicated. Specs-wise, the Z Flip 5’s cover screen is a Super AMOLED panel and measures 3.4 inches. The resolution is 720 x 748, it has a 60Hz refresh rate, and it’s covered with Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
On a technical level, it pales in comparison to the 1056 x 1066 resolution and 144Hz refresh rate of the Razr Plus cover screen. The Z Flip 5 still looks sharp enough to my eyes, and I don’t notice the 60Hz refresh rate as much as I thought I would. I wouldn’t say I’ve been unhappy with the quality of the cover screen (it’s extremely colorful and gets super bright), but Samsung certainly could have done a lot more here.
