After we could see and touch the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, we got the device for a few days. Is this finally a fully-fledged foldable smartphone? Or is the Flip, like the Galaxy Fold, more of a proof-of-concept? Read our verdict in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip review.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
List price € 1500, –
Colors Black, purple
OS Android 10 (One UI 2)
Screen 6.7 inch AMOLED (1080 x 2636) and 1.1 Super AMOLED (112 x 300)
Processor Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (1x 2.95 Ghz, 3x 2.41 Ghz & 4x 1.78 Ghz)
RAM 8GB
Storage 256GB (non-expandable)
Battery 3300 mAh
Rear cameras 12 and 12 megapixel
Front cameras 10 megapixel
Connectivity 4G (LTE), Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi, GPS, NFC
Format 167.3 x 76.6 x 7.2 mm (open) and 87.4 x 73.6 x 17.3 (closed)
Weight 183 grams
Other E-sim, clear cover, data cable, USB-C earphones, 25 W travel adapter
Website www.samsung.com/nl 7 Score 70 
- Pros
- Device folds very nicely
- Handiness
- Design
- Negatives
- Screen is fragile
- Specifications less for this price
- Cameras not great
- price
2019 should be the year of the foldable smartphone. Unfortunately, that was a bit disappointing. The Samsung Galaxy Fold launch went a little less smoothly than expected and the Motorola Razr launch was postponed to 2020. Could this be the year of the foldable smartphone with the arrival of the Motorola Razr and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip?
Design
First of all, we need to talk about the foldable design. This device immediately arouses interest and catches the eye anyway. We used to see a device that could be folded much more often. The top of the device was reserved for the screen, while at the bottom you could find the physical buttons for the control. Today this design has become somewhat unusual. Where we now see that devices are only getting bigger and bigger, the interest in a folding phone is secretly stirring up. I was therefore addressed several times in public by people who were curious about what exactly I had in my hands.
In terms of looks, the Flip is fine, I think it looks very sexy. Folded it is a handy model that fits perfectly in your pocket. Yes, it is indeed a lot thicker than the current smartphones. For the sake of fairness, that’s not a clincher for me.
Folded shut, a 1.1-inch AMOLED screen is incorporated on the back of the Flip. You can view the date and time via this screen. In addition, various notifications can be seen via the screen, for example WhatsApp and Facebook messages. You can also operate your music player via the small screen. This screen comes into its own when you have the device folded shut on your table or desk. Do you receive a notification? Then take a quick look at the screen to see if you consider it relevant enough to open the device.
However, have you secured your device with the fingerprint scanner? Then you must first unlock your phone if you want to review previously delivered messages. This is not very convenient. The fingerprint scanner is incorporated on the right side of the device. About in the middle, just below the fold. The scanner is placed next to the volume control.
It is now generally known that the Flip at the back is sensitive to fingerprints. This was certainly the case with the tested device. It is also the case that the ultra-thin glass of the screen is prone to damage. It’s fairly easy to accidentally leave some scratches on the screen with your nail. Samsung likes to show off the ultra-thin folding glass, but it is not yet as strong as the glass of the other devices. This makes sense, of course. There have been plenty of media statements about the durability of the hinges. The future must show how resistant the hinges are to the regular opening and closing of the appliance. It must also become clear how dust-resistant those hinges actually are.
Clicking the device feels very nice. Opening the device feels a bit unnatural. After all, we are used to a straight smartphone. I have not been able to open or close the Flip in a smooth movement, for this you really need two hands.
Performance
Looking at the specifications, the flip is a great device, but not super. There are plenty of smartphones that offer much more in terms of specifications. The S20 Ultra, for example, has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset. The Flip contains an 855+. In addition, there are smartphones with screens that run at a much higher resolution. Don’t get me wrong, the Flip’s 6.7-inch 1080 x 2636 screen does a great job. The image is sharp and clear. For the rest, apps run smoothly. The internal storage of 256 GB is ample (unfortunately not expandable). 8GB of RAM is also fine.
An advantage of the foldable screen is that a number of applications get a nice application. This makes video calling a lot more intuitive. The top screen shows the other caller, while the bottom screen can be used to rotate the camera or mute the microphone. Thanks to the fold, you can safely place the Flip somewhere and still be in the picture. Extremely useful for video calling.
Viewing photos while editing the photo on the top screen also works very well. In addition, while taking a video or a photo on the bottom screen, you can already see the preview of newly created videos and photos. Many of these options are a nice touch, but feel like a gimmick.
I initially thought that battery life would be a big blemish for the Flip’s user experience. This is not so easy. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip can be charged wirelessly and the device comes with a moderate 15 watt fast charger. The Flip went fine with me for a day, but no more than that. It takes about two hours to fully charge the Flip’s 3300 mAh battery.
Camera
Especially the camera is lacking. The device has two cameras on the back. A 12Mp primary camera and a 12Mp ultra-wide camera. The device is fine with shooting a simple photo, but you cannot expect an ultra-sharp zoomed photo from the Flip. Night mode is doing its best, but I wouldn’t have too high expectations of camera performance when there is little light.
While using the selfie camera, you will come across another feature of the Z Flip. The small screen on the front can present a small preview image of the selfie camera. So you could theoretically take a selfie even better. After all, you can use the better front camera for shooting your selfie. However, the screen is a bit too small, so you cannot work very accurately.
Software and updates
In terms of software, the Flip doesn’t do much crazy. Just like the regular S20 line, the device runs on Android 10 with One UI 2. In addition to some applications through the Flex Mode then. The Flex Mode makes it possible to use the folding screen with some apps (as described above). The interface then changes to an appearance that lends itself to the division of the screen. At the top the display of the image, at the bottom the control. As we are used to from Samsung, we can count on at least 2 years of update support. The device does not support 5G, but that is not necessary for now.
Conclusion
The fact that you can fold the Flip is at the same time the strength and weakness of the smartphone. The design is very nice, the device looks beautiful. The open and close of the device feels nice and once closed the device is easy to transport in your pocket. The appearance is actually the most interesting thing about the device. The specifications and especially the camera are not great. The Z Flip has the hardware of a flagship device from last year, with the look of yesteryear. The asking price of 1500 euros is simply not justifiable for everyone. On the one hand, it is great that Samsung dares to step outside the box with this device, on the other hand, this is a smartphone that is not for everyone.
Do you have 1500 euros for a smartphone purely because the appearance appeals to you? Then I would say go for it. Don’t you have that? Then there are more powerful and better smartphones on the market that cost a lot less. Although the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip remains a sexy piece of technology.
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