Galaxy Z Flip 5: Sorry Fold fans, but this is the year of the compact folding phone, said Samsung

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Galaxy Z Flip 5: Sorry Fold fans, but this is the year of the compact folding phone, said Samsung

While Samsung’s brand new tablet-style Galaxy Z Fold 5 is expected to have some notable shortcomings compared to the new leader in the foldable hardware department, the Honor Magic V2, the same doesn’t apply to the Galaxy Z Flip 5 - at least if the latest leaks and rumors are to be believed.

While the same can’t be said about the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s rumored list of upgrades, the compact Galaxy Z Flip 5 is shaping up to be the best folding phone in the category of clamshell foldables, which would (still) be a huge honor for Samsung, and a great reason to celebrate if you are a Flip fan!

Now, you might say: “Hold on, wasn’t the Galaxy Z Flip always the best clamshell foldable on the market?”, to which I’d say… It depends. If reliable support and an excellent software experience alone can make a folding phone “the best”, then yes - the Galaxy Z Flip 4 already is the best phone in its category.

However, I’d argue class-leading software experience and support need to be packaged in an appealing, up to date hardware that makes the “new” phone look “new”, OK? At the end of the day, I’ve said it many times, and I’ll say it again - people choose a new phone based on what they see and how it feels in their hands.

Well, luckily, a teaser video of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 shared by Samsung on Twitter (attached below) seems to confirm that the new clamshell foldable is finally getting to a point where it’s almost perfect! Like for real! No kidding. The “almost” part is the camera on the Flip 5, of course, but let me explain why 2023 might be the best year to buy a Galaxy Z Flip over a Fold.

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Samsung finally (almost) fixed it! Gapless Galaxy Z Flip 5 with amazing cover screen means 2023 is the best year to buy a Flip

As I alluded in the intro, the hardware of the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 5 is finally expected to match the class-leading software of the compact foldable, which is a real (and main) reason to be excited about this phone and pre-order it if you’ve always wanted something compact and big at the same time!

That’s because a teaser video shared by Samsung seems to confirm the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will now be able to close completely shut, which shouldn’t only make it feel noticeably thinner than its predecessors but also, more protected against accidental damage due to dust and small particles. That alone is a major selling point over the Galaxy Z Flip 4 if you ask me but there’s more…

Of course, the other major upgrade is one we found out about months ago (thanks to leaks), and that’s the massive 3.4-inch cover screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, which is now rumored to be even more functional than some might have expected. A series of Twitter leaks talk about a plethora of widgets specifically designed for the cover screen of the Galaxy Z Flip 5. Examples include Weather, Photos, Wallet and Music widgets, which should make controlling your Galaxy Z Flip 5 without opening it a breeze.

I’m sure Samsung has more surprises in store when it comes to the new cover display of the Flip 5 but we haven’t heard about them just yet. One that’s easy to guess is that the much larger cover screen will now make taking photos and videos with your primary cameras much easier than before. In fact, this could make the Flip 5 one of the best phones for taking selfie photos and videos on the market.

Familiar camera limitations might be the only thing that makes the excellent Galaxy Z Flip 5 feel like a non-flagship

Speaking of cameras, that’d be the reason I say the Galaxy Z Flip 5 might end up being “almost perfect”, instead of outright “perfect”...

As far as the camera system on the Flip 5 goes, we haven’t seen/heard about any real upgrades to the hardware, which means I expect to see an identical 12+12MP camera setup on the back - just like on last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 4.

It goes without saying, this means the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will still fall behind “normal” flagships when it comes to camera performance, and even behind the larger Galaxy Z Fold 5, which is expected to have a 50+12+10MP setup on the rear (just like the Fold 4), including a 3x zoom camera that the Flip 5 (still) won’t be getting.

That being said, don’t underestimate the power of “computational photography” upgrades on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 over the Flip 4. In fact, I’m sure upgrades to image processing in combination with the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip can make photos and videos taken by the Galaxy Z Flip 5 noticeably better. That’s because we’ve seen that happen before with the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S23, as well as many other phones that don’t include upgrades to camera hardware.

Galaxy Z Flip 5 or Galaxy Z Fold 5: Sorry, Fold fans but 2023 is the year of the Flip - the best Samsung foldable?

Considering the fact that Samsung’s folding phone software experience is the best in the business, and that the company makes one of the most reliable foldables around (likely thanks to the years of experience it has), the new gapless hinge and massive cover display could easily make the Galaxy Z Flip 5 one of the best (if not the best) clamshell foldables available today. And that’s despite new competition from Motorola, Oppo, Vivo, Honor, and Huawei.

But here’s my “hot take”... I actually think the Galaxy Z Flip 5 won't only be the best clamshell foldable on the market in 2023, but it’d also be the better buy compared to the tablet-style Galaxy Z Fold 5! Why? Well, the answer is quite simple…

Considering what the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 lacked in hardware upgrades, and the current competition on the foldable market (which is more focused on tablet-style foldables), the Galaxy Z Flip 5 looks much more complete and impressive to me than the larger Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Perhaps next year could be the year of the Fold, but this year, the Flip 5 might be the best Samsung foldable to buy, largely thanks to the fact that it isn’t expected to face the same level of competition the big Fold 5 will get from the likes of the Google Pixel Fold, OnePlus Open, and Honor Magic V2. Moreover, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will continue to be the far more attainable Samsung foldable thanks to a much more accessible price, which should be nearly half that of the big Fold 5.

Finally, sure - this isn’t an apples to apples (or Samsungs to Samsungs) comparison. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be the foldable to buy if you want a light and compact phone that easily fits in your pocket, and even if you’re someone who wants to use their phone less. On the other hand, the Fold 5 will maintain its image of a “power user/powerhouse” device for those who spend more time on their phone/tablet.

So, sure… There’s an audience for both the Flip and the Fold. But still, a win is a win, and the way I see it… the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is about to become the best Samsung foldable this year, and that’s a great thing! Or perhaps you can prove me wrong, Samsung?

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Martin, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, brings a unique blend of humor and insight to his work. His fascination with smartphones began with a Galaxy Young and evolved through a series of trades and upgrades, making him a self-proclaimed smartphone nerd. Martin's content often combines current analysis of market trends with historical references and future predictions. Whether it's a deep dive into technical issues or a first-person commentary on industry events, Martin's articles are designed to inform and engage. His critical perspective is driven by genuine curiosity and a desire to keep readers informed, not by any corporate sponsorship.