The original Samsung Flip phones were more about novelty and curiosity, they appealed to people who wanted a small form factor smartphone that fitted into their lifestyle.

Now there is a new model, with the latest Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 earning a new label ‘Day Phone’, one that can be used all day, every day by busy people, who want quick access to messages and information without the need to carry a large smartphone similar to the 6.5″ Samsung S23 Ultra.

With the new Z Flip 5 you don’t have to open a screen to access information similar to prior Samsung Flip phones with a brand-new front facing screen delivering a host of new capabilities that were not there with prior models.
The big step up has delivered better productivity for people who want a Flip phone for business and leisure.

My wife is an interior designer and project manager, who has been using the old Flip 4, now with the introduction of the new model and access to information on the front screen, it’s delivering a whole world of difference, especially when having to access incoming information is available without having to open a display or pull out a large format smartphone.

To her, messages from suppliers to confirm pricing or specifications are a key part of her job and having that information available on a small screen where the text is clearly legible and easily accessible saves time.

Take for example a search for lighting for a new house or windows frames and you end up having to scroll through pages of a database, to find not only the right product but the specifications to fit the product.

What you get with the new Flip 5 is fast processing of data, very clear images because of the high quality display screens used in the Z Flip 5 as well as excellent video playback that can be easily watched while you do something else, because of a new range of accessories introduced by Samsung that allow the new smartphone to be mounted vertically or horizontally via a new mount on the back protection case.

The interior screen is 6.7″ 2640 x 1080 120Hz OLED while the small 3.4″ delivers a 720 x 748 60Hz OLED display. You also get an always on capability with the Samsung display.

Everything is an easier with the Fold 5 than in the past when the screen had to be opened to access the bulk of information one needed.

Using the new Flip 5 not only eliminates the need to open the device until you really have to it also provides the ability to set up a whole list of handy widgets that suite or busy lifestyle.

Messaging to suppliers is made easier with both emails and messages scrollable on the new front screen you can also quickly access a calendar which can be configured in various formats to suite your own convenience.

You also get notifications and alerts direct to the small screen along with images.

In the marketplace Samsung is now battling it out with the new Motorola Razr 40 Ultra and both devices have a new front facing screen that are set to take Flip foldable devices to a new level.

Basically, what has happened is that human functionality has played a part in the new design with both screens now delivering better productivity than their predecessors.

The notion of a bigger screen should have been considered for the original design, but this was not the case, and it did not hurt sales.

When you compare the Flip 4 and Flip 5 together there are other big differences other than the screen.

The Flip 5 feels better in the hand and the gap in the middle with the Flip 4 has gone with the new 5 coming together in a more compact way.

The big difference now is that they close flat with no visible gap between the two halves near the hinge when closed.

This has been achieved with the introduction of a new droplet-style hinge with the Z Flip 5 feeling and looking a lot sleeker than past models.

The side rails are a flat, polished aluminium that looks smart and feel sturdy as a premium device should.

On one occasion I dropped the device half expecting a dent or even a broken display. Neither happened and despite a good inspection there was no dent indentations.

I also found out that after taking it skiing in a snowstorm that it’s resistant to full immersion in wet damp snow, which is pretty good for a device with big moving display screens.

Because of the design there’s no guarantee against dust intrusion but I doubt whether this is going to be an issue.

Compared to the Flip 4 the Flip 5 closes a lot tighter and this improves the look and feel of the device.

What the Flip 4 did have was a fold display problem after just six months of use, but this is a separate story.

The real standout with the small screen is the range of apps you can download to the small screen.

To set these up you need to go to the Google Play Store and download additional apps, it’s well worth it.

The Z Flip 5 has a small 3,700mAh battery but despite this my wife still got a good day’s work out of the device with enough battery left for evening functions.

The real power that this device delivers is because of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 which is the same chipset used on the S23.
It’s clearly noticeable when you are using heavy processing apps.

I was also impressed by the lack of heat build-up which I had expected in a device of this size especially when it housed a top end Qualcomm process.

The base model Z Flip 5 comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage — a bump up from the Flip 4, which started at 128GB.

The device also charged quickly due to the 25W wired charging.

At full stretch, the battery lasted over 30 hours from normal day use.

longer than the Flip 4 but it is likely you will still need to charge it nightly.

A full charge takes about 90 minutes.

When I charged via wireless it was slower, but it pumped juice into the device quickly with the 15W wireless charging delivering via my Cygnett wireless charger.

Camera

If you want really good happy snaps or images for work such as a designs or objects for a job, the camera rig delivers good quality images and really good videos.

The Flip 5 has two 12-megapixel cameras on the outside below the front display, and a 10MP selfie camera at the top of the inside screen.

What I did notice was that the images were a lot better than the Flip 4 with superior software coming into play to enhance the images especially when shooting night shots.

Where this device really worked was when one shot video, especially when shooting in different or difficult light conditions.

Missing is an optical zoom capability.

Images below shot with Samsung Galaxy Z 5 in Sydney.

A big addition to both the Samsung Flip and Fold is an updated flex mode panel.

So, what does this mean?

Using the built in controls you are able to configure the device to use it in an L-shaped laptop mode.

All you do in this mode is tap the screen to move the video to the top half of the screen, and the flex mode panel displays a thumbnail image and customisable controls.
My wife found this beneficial when playing a physical exercise video.

Another standout delivered by Samsung this time round is the range of covers especially the one that comes with an easy to configure stand that allows you to easily view the screen in vertical or horizontal mode. This is ideal for people who want to carry on working while watching a video.

What Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 delivers is refinement of an evolutionary communication device. It’s a massive improvement on earlier models and I suspect we will see a lot more refinement over the coming years as the whole concept of Flip and foldable smartphones evolve.

The fact that you now have a device that is small and easily fits into a pocket and can be hooked up to buds is a big plus for people who hate having to carry a smartphone in their hand when exercising.

The maturity of this device comes into full play when being used as a day phone. The small screen delivers new ways of interacting with your phone and when coupled with all the other benefits that come with a Samsung device, you really do have a device that’s ideal for work play and leisure.

Conclusion
Evolution is a wonderful thing.

Things just keep getting better and better especially as it appears that Samsung has listened to owners of previous model Flip phones wanted, and then delivered what consumers really need especially when a lot of their key users want the best leisure and pleasure device with a business mode thrown in.

Better design and functionality are what the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 delivers.

It’s now a serious day phone that delivers functionality equal to a big smartphone, in a compact format with the standout being the new front screen.

New meaningful functionality especially for those mundane tasks such as reading messages without having to open the device are now available from the palm of your hand.

This is a mature foldable Flip phone with the Z Flip 5 delivering a new look due to the much-improved hinge and a screen that should have been in their earlier models.

The large display screen on the outside totally changes the functionality from the old model to the new.

You can still see the crease and in 12 months’ time we will know whether Samsung has been able to fix problems found with the Flip 4 model.
And this is still the weakest point of this device.

The battery delivers a good day’s work before the need for a top up, and the camera performs as good as a lot of other smartphone cameras in the market with the exception of the Samsung S23 Ultra which has a stunning camera rig.
If compact and smart is your thing, this has it all and the front screen is a good reason to buy the Galaxy Z Fold 5. The battle now is between archrival Motorola and the new Samsung offering with both devices being similar.

Cons
I am still concerned as to whether the fold across the screen is going to hold up. Yes, Samsung has a new hinge but if the Z Flip 5 goes the way of my wife’s Flip 4 the screen folding issue is still going to be a problem.

Rating 9/10