Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
Announced August 11, 2023
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Strong
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a refined clamshell foldable that features a larger, more functional cover screen and a gapless hinge design. While it offers a fun and compact user experience, the device still faces compromises regarding camera performance, battery life, and the persistent visibility of the display crease.
Weighted from 59 reviewer scores
Pros
- Gapless, fold-flat hinge design
- Flagship-tier performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Excellent software support and update policy
- Versatile and large cover screen
- Compact, portable form factor
Cons
- Average battery life and slow charging speeds
- Mediocre camera hardware lacking telephoto zoom
- Limited or unoptimized cover screen app functionality
- Visible and tactile display crease
- Lack of official dust resistance
- Launch price $999 (USD)
- Main camera 12MP f/1.8 + 12MP Ultrawide
- Video 4K 60p
- Display 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED 120Hz
- Chipset Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy 8GB
What the Reviewers Say
All 59 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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- PetaPixel 6/10
Image quality is simply not up to the standard of today’s $1,000 phone, and were it not for the foldable design, the Flip 5 would be a flipping disappointment by that metric.
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Honestly, the truth is that I think this is the best folding phone on the planet for the most people right now.
- The Verge 8/10
Being able to declare an absolute category winner is rare in the smartphone space. But in the case of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, it’s actually quite easy: this is the best flip-style folding phone you can buy.
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The Flip 5 is no longer the only folding-screen flip phone in town, with good rivals from Oppo and Motorola available. But it is the best on the market, and a more interesting alternative to a standard premium phone.
- Android Authority 9/10
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is Samsung's thinnest and most refined clamshell yet. It still has the best hardware around, and the new Flex Window opens up a world of possibilities once you've tackled all of Good Lock's quirks.
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If you’re in the market for a foldable flip phone, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the most well-rounded choice. It’s super fast, has stellar hardware, and is more useful than ever.
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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a big improvement on the Z Flip 4 with a larger cover display, improved performance and a gapless fold, but with increased competition in 2023, it's not quite as tempting an option as it once was.
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The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a step towards realizing what’s possible from compact, clamshell foldables. It isn’t perfect; its camera hardware isn’t what we’d hope for given the phone’s price, and it struggles to stay cool when hot-spotting and wireless charging.
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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is an excellent phone for people looking to carry a 6.7-inch handset that takes up as little space as possible, as well as anyone simply looking for something fun and different.
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Despite being the most refined expression of Samsung’s clamshell foldable to date, the Z Flip 5 also marks the first time it's felt as though Samsung has had to play catch-up in a category it has, for the longest time, defined.
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The collective improvements may not be a giant leap for foldables, but they're enough to propel the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 back into the conversation with its longer battery life, more usable Flex Window and outstanding cameras.
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The Z Flip 5 is the best flip-style foldable on the market, even if questions over durability still linger.
- Digital Trends 8/10
This is the best Galaxy Z Flip Samsung has ever made, and it’s probably the folding flip phone most people should buy.
- CNET 8.6/10
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 further proves that phone-makers are getting closer to answering the question of why foldable phones are useful in the first place. The new cover screen goes a long way in reaching that goal.
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There aren't many flip phones around, but there's no question that Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip5 is currently the best flip phone you can buy now.
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The Galaxy Z Flip 5 may not be a big upgrade in terms of power, but the phone gets the upgrade that matters with the large 3.4-inch cover screen. While Samsung's implementation isn't perfect, it gives users less reason to open their phones and is a joy to use when fully set up.
- Android Police 9/10
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is Samsung's best version of its most accessible foldable phone yet. This year's Flex Window adds a ton of new functionality to an already successful design.
- PhoneArena 6.3/10
[T]he Flip 5 definitely feels like the safer choice in many aspects, so it will probably remain the top seller amongst flip phones, but it's definitely not alone in that space anymore and Samsung needs to do better if it wants to keep the crown.
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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a really great foldable smartphone, and really the only reason why it did not get a full 5-star rating on this review, is because of the cameras.
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We are starting to say this every year, but if you don’t already own a Galaxy Z Flip and want a foldable flip phone, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the one to get.
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The gapless folding design is finally here, so the handset no longer looks like a prototype - it's sexier this way but also simply more compact.
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[T]he Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 is a good upgrade to the Galaxy Z Flip4 mainly due to the improved outer screen, and better hinge design, even though there is no change in display, camera or battery.
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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.
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[I]t's still a lovely product, and I think the one thing or two things it really needed, one, number one, folding flat and being a little bit thinner and having a much more functional outer display, at least they're here.
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[I]t's such a unique prospect that if you like it, there's a good chance you're gonna love it, and if you love it, you're gonna be willing to overlook a lot of other things to make it work.
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The larger exterior display is a delight to use, there's plenty of power under its hood, battery life is brilliant and the overall experience is a truly great one. If you're considering "joining the Flip Side", we suspect you won't go back.
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[T]his updated 2023 version has been refined to such a degree that I’m now confident to say that foldables are finally worth considering, especially if it’s something you had initially dismissed.
- SlashGear 8/10
Ultimately, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 won't likely win over slab phone users who need a relatively rugged phone, but for fans of foldables, it's a highly attractive device that gets a lot of things right.
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This fun and feature-packed phone isn’t quite perfect, but the Galaxy Z Flip 5 nails the flip-style brief better than any rival.
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If you’re looking for the straight-up best Android phone money can buy, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is not it. But if you’re okay with a very good Android phone that can fold into a very compact size and happens to be very cool, you’ve found the right device.
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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a fun folding flip phone that breaks the monotony of glass slab smartphones and is a great choice if you want a smaller phone in your pocket. But there are several compromises here, from the outer screen to battery life to camera quality.
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Samsung's latest rendition of its clamshell foldable is fun, but the Z Flip 5 could use better app integration and cameras.
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By adding a larger external display, buffing the processing power, and creating a more durable design, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 fixes most of its last-gen woes and remains the best flip-style phone you can buy today.
- EFTM 94%
It’s a yes from me. Love this phone, despite those minor quirks.
- CGMagazine 9/10
Almost every aspect of the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 has been improved or refined somehow. This year is certainly worthy of being a daily phone for most people as long as they aren’t overly rough on their devices or want something different from what most people carry.
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The Z Fold series may feel more like the future of phones, but the Z Flip 5 makes enough small improvements to be a worthwhile investment for someone who just wants a foldable.
- MakeUseOf 8/10
The Galaxy Z Flip5 refines its clamshell design with a more durable hinge and larger cover display while offering solid but not groundbreaking performance; however, it falls short in battery life and camera capabilities.
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[T]hose gripes aside, if you do want something that's incredibly dinky to fit inside of your pocket and a very slick bit of hardware indeed, well, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is well worth considering.
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Okay, so Flex mode is a major go.
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Whenever I review a foldable smartphone, I make one thing clear: you have to *really want* *one* before dropping what is an awful lot of money on such a device.
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I personally love this phone. I love its pocketability and its form factor.
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[T]he real big differences between this and last year's model is that much larger display on the outside and also the fact that the hinge holds flat [...]
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The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is an awesome phone.
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[I]t's a pretty decent package, premium on the outside and premium on the inside.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 is one of the best phones in the foldable market, and if you want to make the jump, you’ll get the most fine-tuned experience available today. If you’re willing to try a new way of using a smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 is the device for you.
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The Flip continues to be one of my favorite foldables, and no one can blame the company for largely sticking to its guns here, but remaining competitive in the future may require a renewed look at the emerging landscape.
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I think anyone looking to get the Z Flip 5 should just get it if they've not gotten a foldable yet, or even if they are upgrading from something like the Z Flip 4.
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The Flip is growing up, showing a design maturity that arguably makes this model far more practical than its predecessors were, and that largely begins with said cover screen.
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Personally, I'm still a fan, and I always get asked why I like it so much.
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[T]he Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 may just be the best phone for you.
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I'm sure that if you pick up one of these, you understand what you're in for, but what I will say is don't buy this phone if you are too comfortable with a straight slab smartphone.
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The Z Flip series has never been about the best display, camera, or battery life; it's more of a phone that can be ultra compact and has a lot of fun and unique features, and with the bigger cover screen and new software, Samsung made some pretty good improvements in those [...]
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To recap my experience with the Galaxy Z Flip 5, it's been fantastic. There's not really any downsides to this phone other than the price, but like I said, those deals do exist.
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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 is currently the top of the flip side right now.
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Where it falls short is the lack of dust resistance, which I believe should've been resolved by now [...] Other than that, Samsung has almost crafted, truly the perfect clamshell!
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Now that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 has been released, I can truly say that it's in a class of its own.
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If you’re searching for a unique smartphone experience that combines innovation and aesthetics and is supremely pocketable without losing on flagship features, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 could be worth your consideration.
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It's rare to see so much refinement and improvement year over year in today's smartphone market, but Samsung has managed to do just that with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, and it's safe to say this flip will continue to be found in the palm of my hand for the foreseeable future.
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You see, this phone is fantastic with shortcomings here and there, but what trumps it all is the experience, the novelty, the different lifestyle you get with this phone.
