© Lemon squeezer
« Join the Flip Side ». During the conference presenting its new folding smartphones, the president of Samsung Mobile enthusiastically invited us to join the folding side. Well brought up as we are, we accepted his invitation.
It's been a week since we replaced our main phone with the Galaxy Z Flip5, a new folding flip smartphone from South Korea. On paper, Samsung seems to have corrected everything that was criticized about previous generations.
New hinge, new larger external screen, new chip… Samsung presents its Z Flip5 as its best folding smartphone for the general public, as efficient as it is elegant, as breathtaking as it is compact. The future already here.
It has now been five years since the promise of a new kind of product was presented to us, without ever really convincing us, beyond the technical prowess. Nor the public for that matter. The folding smartphone market remains a niche that attracts geeks, wealthy people, or both. Last year, the Galaxy Z Flip4 came a little closer to a model designed for the general public. Samsung has not hesitated to bludgeon consumers with advertising campaigns that it has the secret to.
In 2023, the Galaxy Z Flip5 is supposed to mark a turning point. That of maturity. A successful bet ? After a week of use, we are able to reveal to you the tops and flops of this Galaxy Z Flip5.
| Galaxy Z Flip5 | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | NC |
| Weight | 187 g |
| Waterproofing | IPX8 |
| Screens | Internal: Dynamic AMOLED 2X 6.7'' OLED 6.7'' (2640 x 1080 pixels) HDR 10+ Max brightness 1200 nits Coverage DCI-P3 External: Super AMOLED 3.4'' (748 x 720 pixels)/Gorilla Glass Victus+ |
| Audio | No 3.5mm jack Two stereo speakers Tuned by AKG |
| Puce | Snapdragon 8 Gen2 |
| Storage | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB |
| RAM | 8 or 12 GB LPDDR5X |
| Battery | 3700 mAh |
| Recharge | 25W fast charging (charger not included) Wireless charging 10W |
| Biometrics | Fingerprints (under power button) |
| Camera | – 24 mm wide angle (f/1.8 ) with 12 MP sensor (1/1.76″, 1.8µm), Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
– Ultra wide-angle 123° (f/2.2) with 12 MP sensor (1.12 µm) |
| Front camera | 26mm wide angle (f/2.4) with 10 MP sensor (1.22 µm) |
| OS | Android 13 + One UI 5.1.1 |
| Connectivity | 5G Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2×2 MIMO Bluetooth 5.3 Ultra Wideband chip NFC |
| DAS | NC |
| Colors | Graphite, sea green, cream, lavender< /td> |
| Release date | August 11, 2023 (pre-orders July 26, 2023) |
| Price | From €1 199
|
Its new external screen
© Lemon squeezer
© Lemon squeezer
Let's start with what we see first. Yes, the main improvement of the Galaxy Z Flip5 over its predecessor is its external display. 272% larger than that of the Galaxy Z Flip4, the external screen stretches to 3.4”. Like Motorola's Razr40 Ultra, the Galaxy Z Flip5 is more often operated directly from the external screen.
Samsung has optimized its in-house applications as well as Google applications and those of some partners so that they adapt to this screen. It’s a shame that he didn’t think of offering a function allowing you to force the display of any application on this screen. Because as it stands, the whole thing is a little cheap and removes all the interest from such a comfortable slab.
© Lemon squeezer
© Lemon squeezer
However, we enjoy checking our notifications on the fly, looking at upcoming appointments on our calendar, checking the weather or even controlling our music without having to open the device. This larger screen also makes it possible to further improve the photo experience (we will come back to this).
Thanks to the cutting-edge technologies used by Samsung (OLED panel, Full HD display and so on), the external screen is just as successful as the internal screen, which is breathtaking. In our opinion, it is the key element that previous generations were missing for the folding clamshell format to take on its full meaning. Thus, the Galaxy Z Flip5 is undoubtedly the model of maturity.
Its impeccable design
© Lemon squeezer
© Lemon squeezer
© Lemon squeezer
© Lemon squeezer
He also owes this maturity a lot to his new hinge. Samsung corrects one of the aesthetic defects most cited by critics: the gap between the two sides of the internal screen when folded. Thanks to a new teardrop hinge, this gap no longer exists. Placed, the Galaxy Z Flip5 is therefore perfectly flat. The other side of the coin: the fold on the internal screen is a bit more visible. We can't have everything right now.
This new feature contributes to the impeccable aesthetics of this flip smartphone. If the Razr40 Ultra caught our eye, the Galaxy Z Flip5 completely won us over. Clad entirely in glass, it shines with its elegance and its always very well chosen colors (our sea green model is our favorite).
© Lemon squeezer
© Lemon squeezer
Thin and light, the Galaxy Z Flip5 fits in any pocket, any bag and can be forgotten. In the hands, it is comfortable even if its 21:9 ratio once opened will not please everyone.
So, yes, everything is not perfect. For example, we regret the absence of certification against dust, as on all folding smartphones. But the IPX8 certification (up to 1.5 m in fresh water for 30 minutes) reassures and further reinforces this impression of maturity.
The Galaxy Z Flip5 is beautiful. More than a simple technological product, it wonderfully embodies and assumes its status as a fashion product. Almost luxury.
Its performance
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Who says new generation says new chip. The Galaxy Z Flip5 inherits this year the best SoC from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. No need to dwell on futile technical data, the Galaxy Z Flip5 class among the most efficient smartphones on the market.
It can therefore run all the most resource-intensive applications and games and take on a significant workload thanks to the 8 or 12 GB of integrated LPDDR5X RAM.
We therefore have nothing to criticize the Galaxy Z Flip5 in terms of performance other than a rapid tendency to heat up, especially during somewhat long gaming sessions. A defect that we already observed on the Galaxy Z Flip4, mainly due to the very thin chassis of the phone. The new cooling system therefore does not really correct the problem.
Concretely, this is not really a handicap on a daily basis, the Galaxy Z Flip5 being intended to be a versatile smartphone and not a gaming specialist. For hardcore gamers, other models, notably the Galaxy Z Fold5, are more recommended.
Its photo quality has barely improved
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As one could imagine from reading the technical sheet (the Galaxy Z Flip5 retains the same two 12 Mpxl sensors as its predecessor), Samsung is resting on its laurels in terms of photography. The only technical change in the program: a front sensor a little larger than that of the Z Flip4. This is little. Too little.
Samsung may claim that the new chip makes it possible to perfect the algorithms and thus improve photographic quality, but this is not the case. So, in all configurations, it is difficult to tell the difference between a photo taken on the Galaxy Z Flip5 and one captured on the Galaxy Z Flip4.
Ultra wide angle
Big angle
2x zoom
4x zoom
10x zoom
Ultra wide angle
Big angle
Ultra wide angle
Big angle
Portrait
Generally speaking, the photos are very decent, both day and night, even if Samsung still tends to force the color saturation a little. The portraits are also of good quality. But like the Z Flip4 last year, the Z Flip5 never reaches the level of a premium model.
We understand the space constraints that forced Samsung not to integrate a telephoto lens, but we understand less why the manufacturer did not push the engineers to obtain a result as successful as with a Galaxy S23.
© Presse-citron
This small disappointment is offset by a unique photographic experience, made possible by the folding format of the Z Flip5. This year, the larger external screen allows you to further push the limits of creativity.
Thus, you can position the Z Flip5 almost anywhere thanks to the Flex View, shoot remotely (you can trigger by displaying your palm with his hand facing the screen), or shoot videos with original angles. The flexibility of the Galaxy Z Flip5 therefore also extends to the practice of photography and video, for our greatest pleasure.
Its autonomy is too short and its charging too slow
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Technically, the Galaxy Z Flip5 has the same tools as its predecessor: a 3 700 mAh battery, wired charging of 25 W maximum (said to be fast but not really) and 10 W wireless charging. The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, announced as less energy consuming, promised on paper better autonomy.
This was all the more likely as Samsung chose to integrate a larger external screen, thus avoiding opening the phone with each interaction. A good way to save energy, the screen being one of the most demanding components. After all, Motorola was able to optimize its Razr40 Ultra so that it happily gets through the day of use, so why not Samsung ?
It was a great misfortune for us to be so optimistic. Because the autonomy of the Galaxy Z Flip5 is just as disappointing as that of its predecessors. Reaching the day of use for the most connected among you will be difficult. For versatile use, we can hope to reach this psychological threshold, but no more. The autonomy is therefore not catastrophic but remains very average. In any case, very far from what we expect from a smartphone designed to be carried everywhere.
We could have consoled ourselves with the charge announced as “fast” by Samsung. Unfortunately, the absence of a charging block in the box (for pseudo-ecological reasons) as well as the charging power limited to 25 W ends up finishing us off. Allow 40 minutes to recover 50% energy, more than 1 hour 15 minutes to reach 100%. For a 3 700 mAh battery it's… very… slow.
Its high price
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Last year, the Galaxy Z Flip4 was launched at a price of 1,109 euros. But for this price, Samsung offered 128 GB of storage. To afford the 256 GB model (the minimum available for the Galaxy Z Flip5), you had to pay 1 169 euros.
Available from 1 199 euros, the Galaxy Z Flip5 only increases by 30 euros.A contained increase to the extent that most manufacturers (including Samsung on its Galaxy S range) tend to inflate by justifying it with inflation.
However, we regret the price positioning of the Galaxy Z Flip5, which we still consider too expensive, for several reasons.
Firstly because after five years of existence, the prices of folding smartphones have not fallen, quite the contrary. However, investments in R&D and the reuse of numerous components allow manufacturers to reduce costs. This is all the more true for Samsung which, thanks to its semiconductor branch and its Display division, charges its competitors for its technological innovations (the Razr40 Ultra from Motorola, for example, has a Korean flexible panel).
Then because the developments compared to the previous generation are not legion. Apart from a larger external screen, the chip update and a new hinge, the Galaxy Z Flip5 has everything a Galaxy Z Flip4.
© Presse-citron
Some will say that these innovations undoubtedly required investments in R&D. It's true. But concretely, the experience is not really earth-shattering compared to that offered by a Galaxy Z Flip4. Samsung improves the technique but not the use (apart from the more comfortable external screen). However, at the time when the Galaxy Z Flip5 is released, the Galaxy Z Flip4 is priced almost in half.
It's difficult to hide our enthusiasm for this Galaxy Z Flip5. Samsung confirms its know-how by delivering its most advanced folding flip smartphone to date. Its advantages come from its new, larger screen, which completely changes everyday use.
The new hinge also allows the Korean to correct one of the most important aesthetic defects of previous generations. Add to that still breathtaking screens, top-notch performance and a still-fun photographic experience.
Despite everything, the Galaxy Z Flip5 still suffers from some weaknesses which could automatically disqualify it given its XXL price (1,199 euros all the same). Its autonomy, first of all, is far from what we expect from such an expensive model, the photo quality has only just been improved compared to the previous generation and the charging system is very slow (and Samsung does not provide not the charger).
These flaws might be acceptable if the price of the Galaxy Z Flip5 did not reach these heights, or if it was the only model available. However, the Galaxy Z Flip4 is almost half the price and offers (apart from the external screen and the hinge) the same experience.
Above all, Motorola hit hard with the Razr40 Ultra, a folding flip smartphone sold at the same price when it was released. Enough to make the choice difficult.