Best Flip Phones of 2023
The flip phone, once considered a relic of the past, is making a surprising and fashionable comeback. Emerging from the shadows of obsolescence, flexible-screen flip phones are experiencing a resurgence in popularity, capturing the attention of both nostalgia seekers and those looking for a refreshing departure from the ubiquitous slab-style designs.
And while these animals were very rare in the smartphone jungle, nowadays you can spot one in the wild almost daily. What is the best flip phone, though? Samsung paved the way with its Galaxy Z Flip series, and Motorola capitalized on the nostalgia around the RAZR moniker, but there are other players from the Far East threatening to steal territory.
In this article, we will focus on the flip phone in the modern age and meticulously list and classify all the species out there. Here we go!
The best flip phones in 2023, a summarized list:
Honorable mentions:
That's a tough question. It really depends on what you're looking for in a phone. If you like to be at the forefront of smartphone technology and you don't mind paying extra, then yes. Furthermore, there are now really affordable flip phones such as the Motorola Razr (2023), allowing you to test the experience without robbing the bank.
The folding technology has been around for many years now, and most of the concerns have been dealt with. The hinges companies use are designed to withstand around 200,000 folds, which is 5 years of heavy use. However, you should be careful and not abuse these hinges. They might be tested in lab conditions but a tad of attention goes a long way. Be wary of dust and dirt slipping between the hinge and the display, as this can break the screen and render it unusable. All in all, flip phones are durable, but not as durable as their more rigid non-folding cousins.
Several generations ago, the battery life of flip phones used to be slightly lower than that of regular flagship phones. Nowadays, though, most flip phones come with 4,000 mAh or bigger batteries inside, and the battery life is comparable to that of a similar compact flagship phone. At the end of the day, it all depends on the use scenarios. The nature of flip phones allows them to be used without flipping them open, which can conserve battery life.
Normally, yes. Flip phones have to be slimmer and lighter to incorporate the hinge and to be able to fold without being too thick. This calls for some compromises, mainly in the camera department. Most flip phones come with a dual camera setup consisting of a main and ultrawide cameras. However, we're starting to see models with three cameras on the back and flagship-grade sensors and lenses. So the answer to this question is “it really depends on the model.”
In this article, we will focus on the flip phone in the modern age and meticulously list and classify all the species out there. Here we go!
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5—the most popular flip phone out there
- Motorola Razr Plus—the best cover display on a flip phone
- Oppo Find N3 Flip—the best camera on a flip phone
- Huawei P50 Pocket—the most stylish flip phone
Honorable mentions:
- Motorola Razr/Razr 40 (2023)—the most affordable flip phone
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
The most popular flip phone out there
PhoneArena Rating: 8.2/10
Samsung once was at the forefront of foldable smartphone technology, and even though in recent years the company lagged behind a bit, the latest Galaxy Z Flip 5 rectifies most of the issues with previous models. It has a bigger and more usable cover screen, the latest Snapdragon processor, and now closes almost without a gap.
Granted, the
Z Flip 5 is not yet at the level of usefulness of the Motorola Razr Plus, but the company is getting there through third-party support for the cover display widgets. It's neck and tie between these two, and Samsung fans might want to grab the Z Flip 5 for the familiar OneUI experience and the longer software support—four full years.
Read More: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip review
Motorola Razr Plus
The best cover display on a flip phone
PhoneArena Rating: 8/10
There are two main things that annoy people when they try a flip-fold phone for the first time. One, obviously, they need to flip the phone open, and two, the main display is tiny and you can't do a lot on it. The Motorola Razr Plus takes care of the second one and mounts a serious challenge to the veterans on the foldable market, such as the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
This phone has the largest and most usable cover screen in any foldable of this form factor. The 3.6-inch front screen offers a lot of bells and whistles—you can type on the full-sized keyboard, call someone, launch an app, watch a video, and do pretty much everything you need to do without opening the phone. Which takes care of the first issue from above.
Further down the specs sheet, the Razr Plus offers a bright and vivid 6.9-inch main display with a 165Hz refresh rate, a flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, a hefty 3,800mAh battery, and two decent cameras on the back. What's not to like? Take notes, Samsung!
Further down the specs sheet, the Razr Plus offers a bright and vivid 6.9-inch main display with a 165Hz refresh rate, a flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, a hefty 3,800mAh battery, and two decent cameras on the back. What's not to like? Take notes, Samsung!
Read More: Motorola Razr Plus review
Oppo Find N3 Flip
The best camera on a flip phone
PhoneArena Rating: TBC
Fodable phones are great and all, but there's been a compromise going on for generations now—the camera. The thing is, to make the flip phone thin and light, you need to sacrifice a few things, and the camera is often the first to go. Well, not anymore, because Oppo has launched the successor to its popular and very well-received Find N2 Flip model.
The Oppo Find N3 Flip expands on the idea of a do-it-all flip phone with a great cover display and a Hasselblad-branded main camera. The Find N3 Flip might just be the first flip phone with a triple camera system, we're talkig about real camera, not depth sensors or other excuses for increasing the camera count.
There's a 50MP main camera, a 48MP sensor under the ultrawide lens, and a dedicated 32MP telephoto snapper with optical zoom! The phone also comes with a Dimensity 9200 chipset, 12GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage, both upgrades from the memory specs of its predecessor. The 4,300 mAh dual battery and fast 44W charging are carried over.
The Oppo Find N3 Flip expands on the idea of a do-it-all flip phone with a great cover display and a Hasselblad-branded main camera. The Find N3 Flip might just be the first flip phone with a triple camera system, we're talkig about real camera, not depth sensors or other excuses for increasing the camera count.
Huawei P50 Pocket
The most stylish flip phone
PhoneArena Rating: 8.5/10
Let's not forget that flip phones were designed to look like a makeup compact (also called a flapjack). Of course, we can't say that a certain smartphone model is girly anymore, but we can say that the Huawei P50 Pocket is a very stylish device that our author Iskra (who happens to be a girl) liked very much.
It's an exercise in vanity to some extent, but in a world where smartphones are so similar and sometimes plain boring, we're all for little panage. The Huawei P50 Pocked has a great screen, a very capable camera system, and fast wired charging.
On the negative side, this phone comes with an older Snapdragon 888 chipset and without 5G capabilities, and, of course, it doesn't have Google Services onboard. This thing looks pretty, though.
It's an exercise in vanity to some extent, but in a world where smartphones are so similar and sometimes plain boring, we're all for little panage. The Huawei P50 Pocked has a great screen, a very capable camera system, and fast wired charging.
On the negative side, this phone comes with an older Snapdragon 888 chipset and without 5G capabilities, and, of course, it doesn't have Google Services onboard. This thing looks pretty, though.
Read More:Huawei P50 Pocket review
Honorable mentions
Motorola Razr/Razr 40 (2023)
The most affordable flip phone
PhoneArena Rating: 8/10
When Samsung dropped the price of the Galaxy Z Flip line under $1000 all hailed that move as the first break for the foldable phones into the affordable category. Now, we can argue whether $999 is affordable but the fact of the matter is that it drove the market forward. Now, several years later, we have the first actually affordable flip phone-the Motorola Razr 40 (known just as the Motorola Razr (2023) in the States).
The Motorola Razr is just $699, which is cheaper than a lot of non-folding flagships out there. Granted, the phone is midrange all-over, but you can taste that flip experience without breaking the bank. It's a great gateway into the flexible-display smartphone world, and if you really like it, you can upgrade to a more capable and expensive one after a year or two.
The Motorola Razr is just $699, which is cheaper than a lot of non-folding flagships out there. Granted, the phone is midrange all-over, but you can taste that flip experience without breaking the bank. It's a great gateway into the flexible-display smartphone world, and if you really like it, you can upgrade to a more capable and expensive one after a year or two.
Read More:Motorola Razr (2023) review
Are flip phones worth the additional cost?
That's a tough question. It really depends on what you're looking for in a phone. If you like to be at the forefront of smartphone technology and you don't mind paying extra, then yes. Furthermore, there are now really affordable flip phones such as the Motorola Razr (2023), allowing you to test the experience without robbing the bank.
Are flip phones durable enough?
The folding technology has been around for many years now, and most of the concerns have been dealt with. The hinges companies use are designed to withstand around 200,000 folds, which is 5 years of heavy use. However, you should be careful and not abuse these hinges. They might be tested in lab conditions but a tad of attention goes a long way. Be wary of dust and dirt slipping between the hinge and the display, as this can break the screen and render it unusable. All in all, flip phones are durable, but not as durable as their more rigid non-folding cousins.
Is the size and shape of flip phones a factor in battery life?
Several generations ago, the battery life of flip phones used to be slightly lower than that of regular flagship phones. Nowadays, though, most flip phones come with 4,000 mAh or bigger batteries inside, and the battery life is comparable to that of a similar compact flagship phone. At the end of the day, it all depends on the use scenarios. The nature of flip phones allows them to be used without flipping them open, which can conserve battery life.
Are there any differences in camera quality between flip phones and traditional phones?
Normally, yes. Flip phones have to be slimmer and lighter to incorporate the hinge and to be able to fold without being too thick. This calls for some compromises, mainly in the camera department. Most flip phones come with a dual camera setup consisting of a main and ultrawide cameras. However, we're starting to see models with three cameras on the back and flagship-grade sensors and lenses. So the answer to this question is “it really depends on the model.”
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