Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

Once again, Samsung has released a folding phone. While last year’s Galaxy Fold opened up to the size of a small tablet, the new Galaxy Z Flip is a phone that you can fold in half – just like the old flip phones of the early 2000s.

It’s also a good deal cheaper than the Galaxy Fold – but given that it’s still a fairly whopping £1,299.99, is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip worth the price? Here’s everything you need to know.

At a glance

Availability and price

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip was officially launched on February 14th, but it might still be tricky to get your hands on one. Stocks are limited – in China, it sold out within 9 minutes of going on sale. You might be able to get a handset through Samsung’s website or at Samsung Experience Stores across the country. In London, it’s also available at Harrods and Selfridges.

The Galaxy Z Flip isn’t cheap, currently retailing at around £1,300. However if you’ve already got a recent phone, trading it in could save you up to £450.

Design and display

The most notable feature of the Galaxy Z Flip is its folding screen – it works by using a special ultra-thin glass that bends just like plastic, but without the plasticky feel of earlier folding phones. When unfolded, the screen works seamlessly – but there is still a faintly noticeable crease along its middle.

However, there are already reports of the fragile glass breaking after being dropped from very short heights – so take care.

In addition to the main folding 6.7 inch screen, the Galaxy Z Flip also features a second screen on the cover you can use while the phone is folded. It’s much smaller, at 1.1 inches and with a resolution of 300x112 – but you can use it to receive notifications, check the time or your battery level, or even use the selfie camera.

The phone comes in three colours – purple, gold, and black. There’s also a special Thom Browne edition, decorated with the designer’s logo and red, white and blue stripes.

Camera and features

The Galaxy Z Flip features two rear camera lenses – a 12MP wide-angle camera alongside an ultra-wide lens with a 123-degree field of vision, also 12MP.

That does mean it lags some way behind some of Samsung’s other models, such as the Galaxy S20 – which features four cameras, including a 108MP wide-angle lens and a 48MP telephoto lens for a 100x high-resolution zoom. However, its folding form does give you some new photo opportunities – for instance, you could use the folding section as a tripod for long-exposure night shots.

Unlike the S20, the Galaxy Z Flip also isn’t compatible with the new 5G standard. But it does have some nifty features – with the phone half-folded, you can use two apps at once.

Tech specs

The Galaxy Z Flip uses the Snapdragon 855 Plus – a boosted version of the chipset powering the Samsung Galaxy S20.

On the flipside, it features a 3,300mAh dual battery – a shade under the S20’s 4,000mAh cell size. And unlike many recent phones, it’s not waterproof.

Other technical features include:

• 8GB RAM
• Wireless charging
• 7nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor
• High AOP mic