As seen in the numerous rumours and leaks leading up to Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event, there aren’t many changes to this year’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 when compared to last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 4. The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is easily overshadowed by the smaller and more accessible foldable, the Galaxy Z Flip 5, which has received more notable upgrades. This year’s Galaxy Z Fold 5, focuses on the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, and a new hinge design meant to reduce the sharp crease that’s visible on the outgoing Fold and Flip models. I got to spend about an hour with Samsung’s latest productivity powerhouse and here are my first impressions.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 brings many such refinements, which includes bringing down the weight of the device from the current 263g, to 253g. When folded, the new device is now slimmer by 2.4mm. This is possible thanks to the new hinge design. Samsung claims that apart from making the inner display’s fold look less prominent, the hinge is also more durable to shocks when dropped. The new device is also IPX8 rated like the previous model.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5’s design appears very similar to the previous model despite packing a new hinge

The two halves of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 now sit nearly flat against one another when folded, as there’s only a minor gap and is not as evident as on the Galaxy Z Fold 4. The reduced gap means that its overall thickness when folded is also less, making the Galaxy Z Fold 5 feel slimmer to hold and not as chunky as the previous model.

During my brief hands-on time with the device, I found the hinge to have the same resistance as the Galaxy Z Fold 4 model. It’s still stiff enough to be held at an angle of your choosing and for use with the various Flex-mode related software features.

The rest of its design from the bezels around the 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED cover display, to the inner 7.6-inch QXGA Dynamic AMOLED flexible panel appear very similar to the previous model. Both displays seem identical to the previous model, but the main display has a higher peak brightness of up to 1,750 nits, which is about 30 percent brighter than the previous generation. This should make outdoor viewing on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 a lot better than the previous model.

The crease on the main display is still quite noticeable on the Galaxy Z Fold 5

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy, which is a slightly customised version of the standard processor. Just like with the Galaxy S23 series, Samsung claims that the new chipset brings several noticeable improvements to the phone’s performance, image quality and battery life.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is available in three storage variants, all of which come with 12GB of RAM. There’s a base model with 256GB of storage, one with 512 GB of storage, and a top-end model with 1TB of storage. Samsung says it has also included a bigger vapour cooling chamber which it claims will help provide sustained performance when playing demanding 3D games.

The gap between the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5’s two halves has reduced but is still noticeable

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 runs Samsung’s One UI 5.1.1 with Android 13, and comes with some added features and improvements. It can now also open apps in floating windows that should help with multitasking. One can now use two fingers to copy and paste data between apps, by holding one finger on the item (in the Gallery app) and using the other to access the second app. Samsung now also lets users access up to four recent apps in its taskbar, located at the bottom of the main display.

Like the Galaxy Z Flip 5, the camera hardware on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 also remains similar to its predecessor. There’s a 50-megapixel primary camera, 10-megapixel telephoto camera with 3X optical zoom, and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera. Selfies are handled by two cameras — a 10-megapixel camera on the cover display and a 4-megapixel camera under the folding display.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 offers the same cameras as the previous model

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is powered by a 4,400mAh battery, which again is the same as before. It can be charged using a cable at 25W, or wirelessly at 15W.

Samsung has also announced a revised S Pen for the Galaxy Fold 5. It’s called the S Pen Fold Edition and it has a slimmer design which is 40 percent slimmer than the one used for the Galaxy S23 Ultra. However, the phone does not have a dedicated silo for it which means it will have to be carried separately or with the optional folio case.

Unlike the smaller Galaxy Z Flip 5, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 upgrades can mainly be described as refinements. Whether they add to the phone’s overall value and if it is worthy of an upgrade over the already excellent Galaxy Z Fold 4, is something we know after we have reviewed it.

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Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4 was a big upgrade over the Galaxy Z Flip 3. It managed to turn, what was a more fashion-forward foldable, into a very useful and practical smartphone with major improvements to its cameras and battery life. With the new Galaxy Z Flip 5, Samsung has added even more features to the mix. There’s now a bigger cover display with its own widget-based interface, a new processor and improvements to the cameras. I got to spend some time with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 at the Galaxy Unpacked launch event, and here are my first impressions.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5’s overall design has not changed by much and it still offers an IPX8 rating for water proofing. However, look closely and you’ll quickly notice the expanded glass on the front that manages to hide a large 3.4-inch, Super AMOLED 60Hz display underneath. This new larger display has a resolution of 720 x 748 pixels (306ppi). Tapping on it wakes up the oddly shaped display which resembles a folder icon from Windows or Mac OS.

The standard Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 models come with a glossy-finish rear panel

Samsung’s approach to the cover display’s design on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is very different compared to Motorola’s more radical design for the same. The cover display on the Flip 5 has some really thick bezels on the top, left and right sides with a cutout at the bottom which completely avoids the LED flash and the two cameras.

The inner display on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 has not seen much of an upgrade. It seems to be the same 6.7-inch full-HD+ Dynamic AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate in a 22:9 aspect ratio. It still feels a bit cramped when browsing through content vertically. However, the aspect ratio of this main display keeps its footprint quite compact compared to other foldables such as the Oppo Find N2 Flip. The phone’s weight is the same as before (187g) but is slimmer when folded (by 2mm) thanks to the new hinge mechanism.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a new hinge mechanism which is said to have better resistance to drops and shocks

According to Samsung, the new hinge is more durable when subjected to drops or shocks and also allows for the zero-gap design between the two halves of the clamshell when folded shut (apart from reducing the display’s crease).

Samsung has gone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy in the Galaxy Z Flip 5, which is a customised version of the standard chipset just like on the Galaxy S23 series which launched earlier this year. Samsung claims that the new chipset brings improvements to image quality and battery life.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be offered in two storage variants. The first with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage and the second with 512GB of storage, which is an improvement over last year’s model which had a 128GB base variant.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 shows no gap between the two halves when folded shut

The phone follows Samsung’s recent trend with the standard Galaxy S23 series and offers the same camera hardware as on the previous Galaxy Z Flip 4. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a 12-megapixel primary camera with dual pixel PDAF and OIS with an 83-degree field of view (FOV). The ultra-wide camera offers a 12-megapixel sensor with a 123-degree FOV. Selfies are handled by a 10-megapixel camera.

The phone’s battery capacity also remains the same at 3,700mAh, along with 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging as before.

The software is where things have changed, but primarily for the cover display. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 runs One UI 5.1.1 with Android 13. The Galaxy Z Flip 5’s Flex Window is basically a bigger version of its previous display, but it comes with a lot of added functionality.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5’s Flex Window cover display cannot run full apps

As observed from previous leaks, it is indeed a widget-based interface. There’s a widget for most native apps, but I could not spot any from Google during my brief hands-on time. One can place calls from the call log widget, check the weather, and even reply to notifications with a full keyboard, which is a big leap from the previous implementation, which used voice input for sending out replies.

The cover display cannot run full apps like on the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra (Review) which seems like a big missed opportunity for Samsung, but we will reserve our final opinion for the full review. The Flex Window also has quick toggles (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc) and comes with Samsung Pay support. Samsung has also added the ability to show one’s boarding pass at the airport from the outer display itself, thus reducing the need to open the phone. A neat trick which Samsung has included is Multi-Widget view, which basically uses the pinch gesture to give a zoomed-out view of all the active widgets in the cover display.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5’s success depends heavily on the practicality of its new cover display and how frequently it reduces the need to unfold the main display. Our eyes are also on the new chipset which gives Samsung a natural edge in terms of performance over the competition, but we have to use it more to see if there is any improvement with imaging quality and battery life as well. There’s more to come in the full review.

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Realme has only released two tablet computers since its 2018 debut. The Realme Pad 2, the company’s second tablet, has some performance and aesthetic upgrades over its predecessor. It also includes cellular connectivity, distinguishing it as a unique product in the sub-Rs—20,000 tablet market, dominated by inexpensive tablets deficient in this capability. Faster charging and a display with a 120Hz refresh rate are also included. More significantly, the software has been optimized for a wide-screen experience, and the base model also includes 6GB of RAM. But to produce a tablet at such a low cost, did Realme make any compromises? Can it genuinely outperform the recently released Redmi Pad in terms of value? Let’s investigate.

Indian Realme Pad 2 cost

The Realme Pad 2’s base model costs Rs. 19,999 in India and comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The most expensive model costs Rs. 22,999 and has 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Since LTE connectivity is an essential feature on both models, the older model’s more excellent price is more than justified, especially considering the additional improvements it provides.

Realme Pad 2’s look

There are two finishes for the tablet: Inspiration Green and Imagination Grey. As one can see, Realme is aiming both of these products at young consumers. The unit we received for evaluation in a brilliant green color looks pretty appealing, even though I found its design and material selection somewhat reminiscent of Oppo’s Pad Air.

The Realme Pad 2 has a chassis with a polycarbonate insert that occupies about a quarter of the back surface and a metal frame with flat sides. The considerable camera module is attached to one end of the plastic band, which spans the whole top half of the gadget (when held horizontally) and includes the frame.

All antennas required for radio transmission are conveniently concealed beneath the insert. Although noticeable, the camera bump does not protrude very far and does not cause the tablet to wiggle when placed on a flat surface.

Due to the basic design approach, there are no joints or antenna gaps. Thus, it feels rather premium and relatively compact (7.2mm). The four-speaker grilles’ perforations, which likewise seem understated and understated, are another feature I appreciated. Realme’s software interface blends beautifully with the enormous 11.5-inch LCD screen’s thin bezel all around and rounded corner cuts.

The Realme Pad 2 lacks additional accessories, just like the previous version. It’s still being determined why the Pad doesn’t even sell a simple kickstand folio cover, but this does suggest that the company only intends for its tablet to be used as a media consumption tool. I always had to hold the tablet at an angle to watch the content or navigate via its interface because there wasn’t an available case or stand. With a weight of 518g, holding this tablet at the necessary angle gets tiresome, especially when viewing movies or television.

Software and specifications for the Realme Pad 2

For some time, various low-cost devices have been using the 6nm MediaTek Helio G99 SoC, which powers the Realme Pad 2. The Redmi Pad, which is this device’s main rival, is also on the list of gadgets. Wi-Fi AC, Bluetooth 5.2, support for several LTE bands, and the typical satellite global positioning systems are among the communication technologies.

To plug in headphones, there is no headphone jack available. However, you receive a SIM card tray with slots for a SIM and a microSD card that can hold up to 1TB of data. The tablet’s 8,360mAh battery may be topped with the included 33W charger.

I was also taken aback that there was no secure biometric authentication on a tablet priced less than Rs. 20,000. Like the previous version, the Realme Pad 2 lacks a fingerprint reader, making 2D face unlock the only way to access the tablet without entering a passcode. While this isn’t a safe way to open a personal device, it did function well in all but complete darkness.

Three apps can be displayed at once on the Realme Pad 2.

The software interface of the Realme Pad is an enhancement over the earlier model. It is not a ‘light’ or simplified version of the conventional Realme UI interface that can be found on its entry-level devices, including the prior design.

The brand-new Realme Pad 2 receives the complete treatment with all the customization options one would anticipate from its smartphones and a few more. This features a bottom dock that displays recently launched and pinned apps running in the background. Although this dock isn’t available anywhere in the interface or can be called up over third-party programs, its utility is restricted to the home screen.

The Realme Pad 2 included just one preinstalled third-party program (Facebook), which can be removed, in contrast to most other Realme devices and tablets in this price range.

This tablet-optimized version of Realme UI has full touchpad functionality (under Additional Settings) with full support for gestures one would do on a standard trackpad despite no officially authorized peripherals. There are also the standard features, such as the ability to run two apps in split-screen mode while another app is launched in a pop-up window, allowing for the simultaneous display of three apps.

Realme Pad 2 functionality

This tablet allows for effective multitasking. I ran five Chrome tabs concurrently while the YouTube app was split-screening clips side by side. The system handles opening a floating window while executing all of this fine, with some slowness when drawing lengthy web pages.

I liked the aspect ratio of this large display regardless of the tablet’s software performance, which was suitable for a cheap tablet. It is excellent for content consumption and has enough space to run two split-screen apps simultaneously.

Because Realme includes Widevine L1 support, I could stream and watch full-HD video content on this tablet. Although the display loses contrast at an angle, outdoor visibility is decent. Given its size and quality, the show isn’t the clearest on the market, and its MEMC high-refresh-rate system occasionally exhibits noticeable choppiness when scrolling or switching between videos and apps.

When it came to benchmarks, the tablet delivered results that were comparable to low-cost smartphones at this price point. The Realme Pad 2 got 726 and 1,975 issues in the single-core and multi-core tests of Geekbench, respectively, and 4,29,907 points in AnTuTu. In the Manhattan 3.1, T-Rex, and Car Chase test suites of GFXBench, the tablet achieved graphical frame rates of 25, 55, and 15 frames per second, respectively.

Among its rivals, the Realme Pad 2’s display is the largest but could be better.

Although the MediaTek Helio G99 is not a performance powerhouse, it is adequate for daily tasks. Despite boasting a 120Hz refresh rate display, this tablet is better suited for casual gaming than graphics-intensive games. I tried Asphalt 9: Legends, and it played perfectly well, with some little frame skipping and stuttering on the basic settings.

The sound was better than the previous model’s more straightforward dual speaker configuration, which was what I liked about the gaming and video viewing experience. The sound is unquestionably louder and more immersive than the previous generation. Additionally, the tablet supports Dolby Atmos.

A 5-megapixel back camera and an 8-megapixel front camera are both featured on the Realme Pad 2. As predicted, the primary shooter provides essential image quality with below-average detail but closer to natural colors. Even in full daylight, the textures were mainly flat. Thus, you are better off using any smartphone camera offered at this price bracket.

The front-facing camera’s selfies have bland surfaces and trim detail. This camera is better suited for video calling because it handles backdrop exposure well when recording video, which is helpful when making video calls.

A 5-megapixel primary camera is featured on the Realme Pad 2.

For a low-cost tablet, the battery life is quite good. The Realme Pad 2 completed the typical battery loop video test at 26 hours and 13 minutes. It can easily last two days with intensive use and three days with light use, which is suitable for a compact tablet, with or without a SIM card inside.

Because it now has LTE coverage, it is also a dependable road warrior that can offer continuous entertainment (for OTT apps) or connectivity (for video conversations, etc.) while moving. Its larger battery will also last significantly longer than any smartphone in your pocket.

Regarding charging, the tablet received a 33 percent charge in 30 minutes, a 62 percent charge in an hour, and a full charge in 1 hour and 36 minutes, which is decent for a tablet.

Verdict

Overall, the form and functionality of the Realme Pad 2 are identical to those of the first version. It works best when used only as a media consumption tool. Realme should have released a keyboard adapter with the tablet to use it as a portable workstation. It also cannot be used to scribble on because it does not support styluses.

The Realme Pad 2 improves upon the shortcomings of its predecessor and achieves something of an all-rounder status by adding a high-refresh-rate display, an upgraded processor, and cellular connectivity to its feature list. Finding something comparable on the market at Rs. 19,999 can be challenging. Its nearest rivals are the Redmi Pad (Review) and the Oppo Pad Air (Review), which are slightly less expensive but feature smaller displays, batteries, and no cellular connectivity.

The post Realme Pad 2 Review: A Stylish Upgrade That Covers the Basics appeared first on Review Products.

A couple of months ago, Motorola showcased its latest foldable, the Razr 40 Ultra. It had a radical-looking, futuristic design with floating cameras embedded into its near-bezelless cover display. The premium foldable instantly reinstated Motorola as a serious contender and became the challenger to Samsung’s year-old Galaxy Z Flip 4.

Despite years of having an upper hand in India, it appears that Samsung is now playing catch up this year by launching the Galaxy Z Flip 5 with a bigger outer display, which the company now calls ‘Flex Window’. But sporting a bigger cover display is only half the war won unless it’s backed up by a rock-solid software experience, which Motorola’s foldable did deliver.

So, does the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 have what it takes to retain its supremacy in the vertically folding smartphone segment in India? Let’s find out.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 price in India

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 has received a noticeable price hike over the Galaxy Z Flip 4, which was launched at Rs. 89,999. However, all of this seems justifiable given that it has the latest processor and starts with a base 256GB storage variant which is priced at Rs. 99,999. There’s a 512GB storage variant as well and it’s priced at Rs. 1,09,999.

The phone is available in four main colours – Mint, Graphite, Cream and Lavender. It is also available in three special edition finishes – gray, blue and green – which sport a matte-black frame. I received the 256GB variant in the Mint finish for review.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 design

As pointed out in our first impressions article, not much has changed in terms of visual appeal between the new Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the previous Galaxy Z Flip 4 models. The new device feels slimmer and more compact when folded thanks to its new hinge. The gap closer to the hinge which used to let in dust on the Galaxy Z Flip 4 no longer exists and it also makes the phone appear aesthetically pleasing, with both halves folding flat against one another.

A major visual change is on the front half of the clamshell. The smaller window which hid the cover display of the previous model has now been expanded to accommodate a much bigger cover display. When folded and with the display powered down, it makes the phone appear like a short, chunky slab of black glass with a flattened metal border around it.

But power on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the cool-looking aesthetics disappear as you are greeted by some abnormally chunky borders on all sides with a weird folder-like cutout at the bottom to avoid the cameras and the accompanying LED flash unit. Indeed, this is quite the contrast compared to the radical cover display design of the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra.

The placement of the rest of the components on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 hasn’t changed and remain the same as on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Thankfully, Samsung’s new hinge does not deprive it of its IPX8 rating which gives the phone credible water resistance against splashes of water, and is far better than the Razr’s IP53 rating that’s better with dust but offers basic protection against water.

So, does this new hinge in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 reduce the crease on the main folding display? Not really. According to Samsung, the new hinge is supposed to be less prone to damage from drops and that it allows the device to appear slimmer when folded. The crease seems to be as intrusive as on the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and the resulting groove still feels out of place.

Motorola and Oppo have done a better job with their hinge designs reducing the groove on their respective folding displays, but this comes at the cost of a lesser IP rating. As for the sturdiness of the inner display, it remains as robust and damage resistant as the previous one, which is best in class. Samsung’s display aspect ratio also remains as narrow as its recent models, so typing still feels a bit cramped when compared to the broader display of the Oppo Find N2 Flip.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 specifications and software

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 follows a formula which is very similar to its Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ models launched earlier this year. This means that its core hardware changes are limited to a new processor which is expected to bring qualitative improvements in performance, battery life, and imaging. This year, that processor would be the top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy (a tweaked version of the standard processor), which fortunately for Samsung, has not been utilised in any of the clamshell foldable devices launched in India this year.

Communication standards include Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth version 5.3, NFC, support for the usual global positioning systems and a Type-C USB port with USB 3.2 (Gen 1) support. The device is powered by a 3,700mAh battery with 25W wired charging support, but Samsung does not include a charger in the box. The device also offers wireless charging at 15W.

The new Clear Gadget Case accessory has a smartly designed pop-up ring which can be removed if not needed

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 ships with One UI 5.1.1 which is based on Android 13. At the time of writing this review, the phone was running the slightly outdated May 1 2023 security patch. The software is typically Samsung and One UI, with plenty of customisation options on the main screen and the new Flex Window as well.

Samsung has a number of card-like cover screen layouts (like a watchface on a smartwatch) that are quite customisable. You just have to remember that none of these cover screen designs (and respective buttons or indicators in them), save for the camera button, are interactive. For example, tapping on the pending notifications icon or a battery icon will not take you to the notifications area or the battery section. I found most of these designs to be purely cosmetic and not practical, requiring you to swipe through the long list of native widgets or just open up the main display to get what you seek.

The core idea behind the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra’s practical cover display is not the fact that it can run full apps on it, but because it has a full-blown phone on the outside as well. Upon receiving a notification, you can simply swipe to expand it. This shows additional content and a set of action buttons (delete, reply, archive etc. for email apps) which lets you deal with a notification without getting into the app itself.

Notifications from messaging apps can either be dismissed or replied to using the new cover display keyboard

Samsung’s Flex Window misses out on this really important aspect. Swiping downwards or long-pressing a notification does absolutely nothing. Your only means of dealing with a notification is to either swipe it to dismiss it or tap to open it, which opens up a small card with truncated information depending on the app and whether it’s supported by Samsung.

Just like the Galaxy Z Flip 4, if you receive a notification from a messaging app, tapping on it reveals the whole message in a small card with a ‘reply’ and a ‘clear’ button at the bottom, followed by a list of predefined quick replies. However, you now have a pop-up keyboard on the cover display to type out custom replies if you tap on the ‘reply’ button on the Galaxy Z Flip 5.

If you receive a notification from any other app category, tapping on the notification will expand to show a card with truncated information (part of the email in plain text), below which will be a ‘clear’ button to dismiss the notification. This is basically a dead end and all you can do next is open the phone to read or glance through what’s actually present in that notification, which can get very annoying.

Now there is a third category of notifications which are to do with supported third-party apps. These would include the ones available in the Labs feature (which is still in beta) and lets you launch and view a handful of apps on the cover display itself. The problem with this is that tapping on a notification from this supported app will directly open the app.

Unsupported apps like Slack do not scale well and need to be restarted from the main display

WhatsApp for example will bypass the standard ‘reply’ and ‘clear’ buttons treatment and directly open the chat window of the related conversation on the cover display itself. While this sounds exciting and fun, it does get quite tiring, because you have to keep jumping in and out of apps from the notifications area when dealing with such notifications.

To a casual user, these three categories of notifications can get extremely irritating because you have to keep in mind which app can reveal usable information (card with a reply button) and which cannot (a simple card). After dealing with this for a few days, I decided to just open up the main display to handle notifications from the drop-down tray like on a regular candybar smartphone.

Currently, the cover display only lets you launch a handful of apps. It isn’t enabled by default and has to be enabled in the Labs section. This includes Google Maps, Messages, Netflix, WhatsApp and YouTube. According to Samsung, these apps have been optimised to run on the outer display, claiming that more apps will be added in the future.

The cutout to the left of primary camera is solely used by the media player and opens the wrong widget (stock market) when tapped

The implementation works just fine for these supported apps and can help with getting things done without opening the main display. The cover display also supports app transitions from cover display to the main display, letting apps adapt on the fly to the tall aspect ratio of the main display.

However, unlike the Razr, this cannot work the other way around as apps can only transition from the cover display to the main one and not vice versa (or when you fold the phone).

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 performance

While the cover display’s interface is disappointing in its current state, the main display’s software interface of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 performs quite well. There is no sign of stuttering or lag with One UI running flawlessly despite packing in some bloatware and third-party apps. Thankfully all of these third-party apps can be uninstalled, but it is a bit disappointing that a phone this expensive comes with them out of the box.

As for benchmarks, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 performed as expected. The phone managed a score of 12,87,359 points in AnTuTu and 1,998 and 5,176 points in Geekbench’s single and multi-core tests respectively. These scores are easily the highest figures we have seen coming from a clamshell foldable smartphone till date.

Gaming performance was quite good and better than expected. While I wasn’t satisfied by the Galaxy Z Flip 4’s touch sampling rate when playing games like Call of Duty Mobile, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 does a lot better in this area. Yes, the phone does heat up a bit when running it at ‘Very High’ graphics and ‘Max’ framerate, but performance did not take a hit even after 30 minutes of competitive gaming.

The clock face widgets offer plenty of customisation but aren’t practical

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5’s 3.4-inch outer Super AMOLED display has a standard 60Hz refresh rate but feels smooth in terms of operation. There’s a 6.7-inch full-HD+ AMOLED folding panel inside with a 120Hz refresh rate and its of the LTPO variety, so it can drop its refresh rate down to 1Hz when required to save battery life. Both displays produced saturated colours at default settings, but showed excellent sunlight legibility when viewed outdoors. The main display also supports HDR10+ playback and the dual speakers make for an immersive multimedia experience when watching movies or playing games.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 lasted a good 16 hours and 45 minutes when put through our video loop battery test, but daily usage figures are a bit concerning. With regular use which involved scrolling through several social media apps, two email accounts on sync, about 30 minutes of camera usage, 30 minutes of gaming and an hour of video streaming and a few calls, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 was down to nine percent at six in the evening after being unplugged from the charger at 7am, which isn’t great even for a foldable.

The main reason could be down to my reduced cover screen usage (mentioned in the software section), which would have been a great way to save on battery life, if done right.

When plugged into a 61W USB PD charger, the phone managed a 26 percent charge in 30 minutes and took a good 2 hours and 14 minutes to complete the charge, which is very slow compared to the competition. Thankfully, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 still retains its wireless charging capability, which is good for trickle charging when the phone is not being used.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 cameras

With the Galaxy Z Flip 5, Samsung has for the third year in a row, maintained a similar camera system as its predecessor, bringing no new upgrades save for what the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC’s ISP can deliver. The camera hardware remains unchanged over last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 4, which was not too bad to begin with.

There’s a 12-megapixel primary camera with OIS, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 10-megapixel selfie camera which is embedded into the main folding display. The camera interface is similar to what one can find on any Samsung smartphone, save for the fact that the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s primary camera can also be used as a selfie camera. While this is possible on the Galaxy Z Flip 4, the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s larger cover display makes using this mode and framing photos a lot easier. The bigger cover display also makes it possible to snap photos using the rear cameras in tent mode.

The cover display can be used as a viewfinder for framing the perfect shot (using the main cameras) when used as a stand in tent mode

Overall image quality remains very similar when compared to the previous model. The primary camera captures sharp-looking photos in daylight with the typically saturated colours we are used to from Samsung’s smartphones. Details, although sufficient, are still on the lower side and far from the superior imaging capability of the similarly priced Galaxy S23.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 daylight camera samples from its primary camera

Samsung’s Scene Optimiser is switched on by default and I kept it on for most of this review as the images weren’t drastically enhanced (slightly saturated colours and warmer tones) when compared to the standard photos. Portrait photos captured using the same camera also came out just fine with decent edge detection, but the subjects often came out a bit overexposed and at times with clipped highlights.

The ultra-wide camera captures average photos in daylight but these images are low on resolved detail, especially in the shadows.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 selfie camera samples

Selfies captured in daylight come out sharp and clear with good edge detection in Portrait mode. However, the primary camera does a far better job at this with much better details and definition, which is why I would strongly recommend using it instead of the selfie camera.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 low-light camera sample from the primary camera

In low light, the primary camera manages good details when using the auto-night mode (enabled by Scene Optimiser) or the dedicated Night mode. Just like the daylight photos, dynamic range comes up a bit short especially in the shadows. Street-lit scenes have average details and appear a bit oversharpened with crushed blacks in the shadows. The primary camera also has trouble locking focus in dimly-lit scenes, so the resulting photos come out soft, especially when using the Night mode.

Unlike the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5’s camera setup does not include a macro mode. However, the primary camera can focus on objects as close as 10-15cm and the results look just fine.

4K 30fps recorded videos appears average in terms of details, with decent colour saturation but underexposed shadows. Stabilisation is not a problem when shooting at these settings either. 4K 60fps videos showcase a steady framerate but come out shaky. HDR10+ videos recorded at 4K 30fps did not look great even though it managed better detail in the shadows. Low-light video lacked noise, but this led to flattened or blotched textures.

Verdict

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 manages better image and video capability than the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra. But neither should be purchased for this reason alone as both are quite average compared to the competition. If you seek good camera and video quality, the Samsung Galaxy S23 is a much better choice, minus the folding tricks.

Between the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, I would pick the Razr because of its well-optimised cover display experience, which is currently second to none. Motorola’s MyUX software experience also remains unmatched in terms of minimal bloatware and additional apps, and is also closer to a Google Pixel-like software user experience. Then, there’s the fact that the Razr 40 Ultra also looks so much better with its slick design and that radical-looking cover display.

Where Samsung does stand out is when it comes to overall performance, optimisation and image quality. We’ve compared the Oppo Find N2 Flip with the Galaxy Z Flip 4 previously and Samsung did come out on top back then as well. However, its main standout feature isn’t as useful as I expected it to be. If you own a Galaxy Z Flip 4, I’d recommend sticking with it for now.

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