I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I miss the days when it seemed like mobile phone manufacturers weren’t afraid to try designs for the sake of it. Now, I understand that content consumption and available technology shape the way phones look, but roughly since the first iPhone in 2007, things have looked basically the same. Fortunately, technology marches ever forward, and now flip phones are well and truly back. At the front of the pack is Samsung’s Flip 5, which we now have the pleasure of reviewing. So are folding screens ready for primetime? We get to find out.
Design: 4/5
The Samsung Flip 5 is the quintessential flip phone, and a further refinement of the flip concept. It folds neatly into about an even square, and everything you touch is either glass or metal, so it feels every bit a premium device. The main display is a flexy 6.6-inch panel that’s a little narrower than most phone displays, and the outside screen packs a massive and very crisp 3.3-inch panel under Gorilla Glass Victus. Aside front he cover screen, there are also two cameras that protrude significantly from the rest of the flat plane of the outside, and a single camera flash that sits.
Hardware: 4/5
The phone packs an octa-core processor that runs at a max clock speed of 3.36GHz, and 8GB of RAM. The main screen runs at a refresh rate of 120Hz, at 2640 x 1080 pixels, while the cover screen runs a sharp 720 x 740 pixels. The main cameras both have 12 MP sensors, and can record videos at 4K, 60 FPS. The Flip 5 can also record slow motion footage at an impressive 960 FPS in full HD. The phone is also IPX8 rated, so it can take being submerged in about 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes, though given the hinge, it doesn’t have a rating against dust ingress. Powering all of this is a 3,300 mAh battery.
Something that should be mentioned is that while the Flip 5 is a dual-SIM phone, it only has one physical SIM slot, so keep that in mind should you have multiple lines you need to use consecutively.
User Experience: 4.5/5
The Flip 5 has been my daily driver since I got the phone, and the first thing that I feel I have to say is how slippery the thing is. I am firmly a part of team no case, and while the phone does feel amazing, it can be as slippery as a bar of soap. I haven’t dropped it yet, but there have been some close calls. The metal sides and extremely flat back really want to slide out of your hands–consider yourself warned.
The next most important thing to cover is the hinge. It’s very solid, and keeps the phone at essentially any angle you open the device to. This is very convenient when setting the phone on a table and paired with the always-on display, so you can stay on top of any notifications that might pop up without the use of a stand. It’s a small thing, but half-open and on my desk is the default mode when I’m at home now. The hinge has been redesigned to close perfectly flat, and as such produces an extremely satisfying clap when closed, just like the clamshell phones of old.
It’s easy to dismiss the Flip 5 as a fancy gimmick, and while there are some things that are still there from earlier versions, such as the crease in the middle of the main screen, it’s clearly much more refined, though this feels as much due to the software as the hardware.
The external screen for one, brings so much more functionality than before. While it’s limited in functionality out of the box, some extra software from the Samsung app store unlocks the cover screen for any app. It’s not perfect, but for quick tasks such as short replies, a quick search, or maps, you won’t even need to flip the phone open. This is all the better for battery life too, as with regular use, it just barely makes it to the end of the day for me, and that’s without constantly having to power up the main screen.
The camera is acceptable by 2023 standards. It’s capable of taking decent snaps, but it’s easily outclassed by the current lineup of flagship devices, though those tend to break irreparably when you try to fold them in half, so it’s all pros and cons.
In my opinion though, the main feature isn’t even a feature at all. It’s the fact that the cover screen lets you choose when to open the device up and commit to the full-screen time sink. Checking a notification on a regular phone can quickly spiral into doomscrolling, so being able to check notifs, dismiss or see to them as needed, and put the phone away is a great way to stay focused on other things.
Value: 3.5/5
The Flip 5 isn’t for everyone particularly given the PHP65,000 price tag, but if you’re looking for a device that’s handier than most in terms of both function and size, and you’re not afraid to still be an early adopter, it’s really a great device, and my favorite phone in a seriously long time.
Specifications:
- Display: 6.7-inch primary display with 1080 x 2640 pixels resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, 3.4-inch cover display with 748 x 720 pixels resolution and 60Hz refresh rate
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, octa-core with up to 2.84GHz clock speed
- Camera: 10MP front camera with f/2.4 aperture, 12MP + 12MP rear camera with f/1.8 and f/2.2 aperture, 10MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 aperture
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 256GB or 512GB, no SD card slot
- Battery: 3700mAh with 25W fast charging and 15W wireless charging
- OS: Android 13, One UI 5.1.112
What’s Hot:
- Great form factor
- Large, highly usable outside screen
- Solid build quality
What’s Not:
- Price
- Cameras are just ok by 2023 standards
- Middling battery life
Bottomline:
While it might not be for everyone, it’s THE flip phone for good reason.
Reviewed by Ren Alcantara
Also published in GADGETS MAGAZINE November-December 2023 Issue