Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 now on sale in India: 5 reasons to buy

Last month saw the launch of two highly anticipated foldable smartphones from Samsung, with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 taking the spotlight. Unlike what the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is to the Galaxy Z Fold 4; the Galaxy Z Flip 5 brings a host of upgrades and improvements over last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 4. Yes, you read that right. Because, while the most apparent change appears to be the exterior cover screen, it is the amalgamation of subtle refinements that truly distinguish the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 as a compelling leap forward.

In this article, we give you 5 reasons to buy the Galaxy Z Flip 5, so that you can decide whether you should upgrade to the new model from the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Furthermore, for those contemplating a new smartphone acquisition and have a proclivity towards foldable devices, this article may help you in making an informed decision. Now, without further ado, let’s dive in.

1. New and large cover display

Quite literally, the biggest change in the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the external 3.4” cover display, which is a 60Hz Super AMOLED panel. But, it is not just the size of the display that’s increased, in fact, it’s the added functionalities that make it quite a meaningful upgrade. With the Galaxy Z Flip 5, you can now have a variety of full-screen widgets on the cover screen, which are more like mini apps.

In fact, 6 full-fledged are already optimised and supported to run on the 3.4” screen including WhatsApp, YouTube and Google Maps. Now, we won’t say that the cover screen might make you ditch the large inner display, but having the option to use messaging apps, check photos in the Gallery, or even play a game for fun is very handy on the cover screen, and overall, the 3.4” display has to be the best and biggest update to come to the Galaxy Z Flip line since launch.

2. Flex hinge

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 employs a brand new hinge mechanism, dubbed Flex hinge. This is basically a teardrop design hinge. So, with this new hinge, first of all, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 has zero gaps in between, which also makes the phone slimmer than the Galaxy Z Flip 4, and Samsung also claims that the new hinge is also more durable than before. Now, one of the common complaints about the Galaxy Z Flip 4 was that dust and debris easily swept inside because of the gap in between, and because of that, the screen protector came off near the crease, and that didn’t look nice. However, with the Galaxy Z Flip 5, because of the zero gap design, the Flip 4 issue shouldn’t be a problem for the larger picture.

3. Brighter inner display

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 also has a tall 6.7” 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, just like the Galaxy Z Flip 4. And while both displays are vivid, punchy, vibrant and sharp, the only differentiating factor between the two, and also a meaningful differentiating factor, is the higher 1750 nits brightness on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs 1200 nits on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. So, while the indoor usage experience of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 might be somewhat similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 4, the higher brightness is something that really enhances the overall usability of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 while using outdoors.

4. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 + double the base storage

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC for Galaxy, which also powers the flagship Galaxy S23 series. In comparison to the Galaxy Z Flip 4, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 brings significantly improved performance and efficiency, something that you’d expect from a top-tier smartphone. But that’s not all. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 also features faster and double the base storage over the Galaxy Z Flip 4, meaning, there’s now 256GB UFS 4.0 storage along with an option of 512GB storage as well, for people who desire more.

5. Good Lock

While Good Lock isn’t exactly a feature of the Galaxy Z Flip 5, it really unlocks the true potential of the large 3.4” cover screen. For the unaware, Good Lock is a phone customisation app that’s only designed to work exclusively on Samsung phones. It is available for download on the Galaxy Store. So, with the help of the MultiStar extension on the Good Lock app, anyone who has the Galaxy Z Flip 5 can run all the available apps on the phone to the cover screen.

So, while Samsung currently only lets you run just 6 apps natively on the Flip 5, if you want to unlock the true potential of the 3.4” display, the Good Lock customisation app is a good option to explore. But, do note, not all apps will be fully optimised to take advantage of the folder-like shape of the outer screen, so that’s one limitation that you will have to put up with. But, again, having the option is still a great thing, eh?

Summing up

Coming back to the question — should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 as a brand-new purchase? Or should you even think of upgrading from the Galaxy Z Flip 4? Yes and yes! You see, this is because, while the other foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a great phone, but, it is still somewhat of an incremental upgrade over the Galaxy Z Fold 4. And also, the Galaxy Fold 5 is still very expensive.

But, when you compare the Galaxy Z Flip 5 with the Galaxy Z Flip 4 or even older Samsung Flip phones, the 3.4” inch screen on the outside is a huge addition, and it’s a practical and usable addition. Plus, the zero gap design, better durability and, not to mention, the refreshed hardware make the Galaxy Z Flip 5 probably the best flip phone money can buy right now.