Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip 5 alongside the Z Fold 5, each the latest improvement on the brand's series of foldable handsets.
But how different is the newest addition to the Samsung flip phone family and is it worth upgrading to the Z Flip 5 or sticking to your Z Flip 3 or Z Flip 4?
To get started here are each phone's specs:
| Galaxy Z Flip 3 | Galaxy Z Flip 4 | Galaxy Z Flip 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main display | 6.7-inch | 6.7-inch | 6.7-inch |
| External display | 1.9-inch | 1.9-inch | 3.4-inch |
| Rear Cameras | 12MP + 12MP | 12MP + 12MP | 12MP + 12MP |
| Front Camera | 10MP | 10MP | 10MP |
| Processor | Snapdragon 888 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| Storage | 128GB - 256GB | 128GB - 512GB | 256GB - 512 GB |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB |
| Water-Resistance | IPX8 | IPX8 | IPX8 |
| Battery | 3,300mAh | 3,700mAh | 3,700mAh |
| 5G | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Z Flip 3 vs. Z Flip 4 vs. Z Flip 5: Price
When it comes to price the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the most expensive at launch. It's available from $1,649 with a 256GB storage capacity. For comparison, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 both launched at $1,499, but that was for a 128GB model.
The 256GB Galaxy Z Flip 5 is however priced identically to what the 256GB Z Flip 4 would set you back last year.
If you're thinking about picking up the Z Flip 5, there are several exciting pre-order offers. This includes free storage upgrades, a bonus Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro from Optus, and $500 trade-in credit from Telstra and Vodafone.
Compare the cheapest Z Flip 5 plans from each provider below. We're only showing plans for the 512GB model due to the free storage upgrade from 256GB during the pre-order period.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 plans
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 5G 512GB Plans
|
Telstra
$84 Essential Upfront Mobile Plan
$151.04/mth
Min. cost $1,922.96
Link not supplied
|
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 5G 512GB Plans
|
Telstra
$84 Essential Upfront Mobile Plan
$125.36/mth
Min. cost $1,922.96
Link not supplied
|
Z Flip 3 vs. Z Flip 4 vs. Z Flip 5: Camera
The Z Flip 3, 4 and 5 share a similar camera array including two 12MP rear cameras and a 10MP front-facing camera. Thanks to a small but notable sensor change photos taken with the Z Flip 4 are slightly better than the Flip 3.
We should see the same incremental change in the Flip 5 which is adding AI-powered image signal processing to help reduce noise and enhance details and colours. We'll reserve final judgement for when we've gone hands on.
Z Flip 3 vs. Z Flip 4 vs. Z Flip 5: Design
Design-wise the Z Flip 3 and Z Flip 4 are largely the same. The Z Flip 4 is slightly narrower but both share a 6.7-inch main display and 1.9 external display.
The Z Flip 5, however, has shaken things up. By adding a whole 1.5-inch, the external display of the Z Flip 5 now stands at 3.4-inch making it just over half the size of the main display. This allows you to use widgets more effectively and to reply to texts without unfolding the phone.
The Z Flip 5 also features a new no-gap hinge, which means it folds entirely flat. The Z Flip 4 and Z Flip 3 both have a small but visible gap when they're closed. Samsung has also reduced the Z Flip 5's crease and made the phone ever so slightly thinner.
Z Flip 3 vs. Z Flip 4 vs. Z Flip 5: Performance
Each new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip phone has seen an improvement in performance with a new, upgraded processor, and the Z Flip 5 is no exception with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. We'd expect any difference in performance to be most notable when it comes to more demanding tasks, however, like gaming.
Each phone in the Z Flip range comes with 8GB of RAM. While the Z Flip 3 has storage capacities of 128GB and 256GB and the Z Flip 4 went up to 512GB, and Z Flip 5 eschews the smaller 128-capacity option.
Unlike the Samsung Galaxy S-series of phones, there's no microSD slot on these phones so you'll have to be sure of how much storage you want.
Samsung offers four years of operating system updates and five years of security updates. This means the Z Flip 3 will still be eligible for an update to Android 14 when it releases later this year and eventually Android 15. The Z Flip 4 will be able to update to Android 16, while The Z Flip 5 will be able to be updated to Android 17.
Z Flip 3 vs. Z Flip 4 vs. Z Flip 5: Battery
The battery is another aspect that sees a further divergence between the Z Flip series of phones. The Z Flip 3 has the smallest battery of the three at just 3,300mAh. Our reviewer found that they rarely got more than three hours of screen time per charge from it.
The Z Flip 4 and 5 feature a larger, more powerful 3,700mAh battery. On the Z Flip 4 this was a noticeable improvement and with a more efficient processor in the Z Flip 5 we should see further enhancements.
Should I upgrade to the Galaxy Z Flip 5?
If you're still using a Z Flip 3 then upgrading to the Galaxy Z Flip 5 should result in noticeable improvements in battery life and performance.
However, if you're running with a Z Flip 4 it could be worth waiting and seeing how much better the larger display and camera technology is in the Z Flip 5.
Dylan Crismale
Digital Content Editor
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