Is The Samsung Z Flip 5 Still Worth The Price?
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Before the smartphone boom two decades ago, flip phones were some of the most popular devices out there. Fast-forward, and you can still buy a flip phone today, but they're not popular choices people pick instead of a smartphone. Among the handsets listed for use with their most-promoted post-paid plans, most flip phones seem overpriced at $200 or more. Spending that amount on the finest in the technology of 20 years ago doesn't make much sense.
However, a different kind of flip phone has emerged in the past few years. These new devices are foldable smartphones, and they often include extra touches that make them better resemble old-school flip phones when closed. One of the most prominent foldable smartphones is Samsung's fashionable Galaxy Z Flip series. They're pricy, starting around $1,000.
If you're interested in buying a foldable smartphone, this time of year is particularly tricky to decide if they're worth buying, as new ones are rumored to arrive in a few months. So let's look at the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, how it compares to rumors about the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 6, and how it stacks up to its competitors.
Trade-in promotions for the Z Flip 5 are still pretty good
If you need a new phone and the Galaxy Z Flip has caught your eye, the good news is that there are still favorable trade-in deals for buying one. The terms vary by the vendor or carrier, of course, but trade-in bonuses have largely remained steady even though the Galaxy Z Flip 5 has been on the market now for more than half a year.
Samsung's web store is offering up to $500 in trade-in value towards the phone that starts at $999.99, which isn't bad on its face, but is less than what some carriers will give you.
Verizon is offering up to $1,000 for your current phone, and it seems you can trade in something as old as the Galaxy S20 from 2020.
T-Mobile, as usual, has deals that vary by the plan and if you add a new line. The promotions with minimal strings attached aren't great, but for those on or switching to the Go5G Next or Go5G Plus plans, the carrier is offering $1,000 back (either outright or as an "On Us" promotion) for 2019 flagships forward regardless of if you add a new line or not.
Finally, AT&T has its own $1,000 trade-in promotion, as well.
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 isn't expected to feature huge upgrades
It doesn't look like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 will be much of an upgrade over last year's model, based on leaks and unconfirmed rumors so far.
On April 17, someone submitted benchmarking results for a "Samsung SM-F741U" to GeekBench and Tom's Guide pointed out that, following the model number convention for previous Galaxy Z Flip models, the benchmark results were probably for the Z Flip 6.
Based on the GeekBench report, the guts of the latest Flip are similar to that of the Galaxy S24. If that's the case, it's likely Samsung included a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU with an Adreno 750 GPU, meaning the biggest changes will likely be power efficiency and graphics performance. Unless Samsung releases multiple SKUs of the Z Flip 6 in the United States, then the phone will likely have 8GB RAM, the same as last year.
Everything else rumored about this year's model as clear as the GeekBench data. The rest of what's circulating traces back to the fairly credible Twitter tipster, @TheGalox_, who claimed in March that the Z Flip 6 will have a bigger external display in folded mode than its predecessor. The Z Flip 6 will also reportedly sport an eight percent bigger battery that should hopefully help offset the bigger display's power drain.
There's plenty of Android flip phone competition
If you want an Android flip phone and aren't particularly married to getting it from Samsung, there are plenty of options. Depending on where you look, some are priced comparably to the Z Flip 5, while others are priced at a few hundred dollars less.
The most high-profile competition comes from Motorola, which reintroduced the Razr branding for the modern Android flip phone in 2019. The flagship Razr as of writing is the Razr Plus, which SlashGear editors praised for its build quality, battery life, and eye-catching design. It's comparably priced to the Z Flip 5 at $999.99, but available for less from some resellers. Amazon has it unlocked for as much as 30 percent off, as does Best Buy, while AT&T has it for 89 percent off with a three-year commitment. T-Mobile offers the device for 25 percent off plus its usual flagship trade-in bonuses.
There's also a step-down Razr 2023 for a $699.99 MSRP plus comparable sales and promotions if you look around.
SlashGear's editors scored the Razr Plus an eight out of ten, and our Razr 2023 review gave the midrange model a seven out of ten. The biggest complaint with the Razr Plus was its connectivity issues. Elsewhere, Tom's Guide named the Razr Plus the best flip-style foldable phone while Android Police called it the best flip phone, period.
Motorola isn't the only competitor, though
Most of the other foldable Android smartphones on the market aim for the same kind of design as the Z Flip 5's more expensive counterpart, the bigger Z Fold 5, but there are a couple of notable exceptions. The only one officially available in the United States with proper domestic carrier coverage is the budget friendly ZTE Nubia Flip 5G, which retails for $499 and started shipping in April 2024. Its Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset positions it as a competitor to the Razr 2023, which is powered by the same chips.
With only the American version having just shipped, there's just one detailed review from Tom's Guide. The publication gave it 3.5 stars out of five, noting its "incredible value" at $499 for a "Galaxy Z Flip-like experience," though Tom's Guide was worried about a lack of promised software updates. Trusted Reviews was bullish on the international version of the phone, as was the UK-based Expert Reviews.
A different Android flip phone that's only available internationally but is notable as CNET's pick for the best flip phone with a telephoto camera is The Oppo Find N3 Flip. Other reviews are mostly positive, which helps explain why it made the list. But, as Android Central points out, one big drawback is that the phone doesn't have an IP rating for water and dust resistance. For a phone that costs over $1,000 to import via an Amazon seller, that's a big red flag.
What should you do?
Taking all of the above information together, where you should go from here depends on your priorities.
If you're a Samsung loyalist, waiting for the Z Flip 6 to launch depends on what you're looking for. If you can't wait and are fine with foregoing a bigger external display, then there are enough good deals to make the Galaxy Z Flip 5 a reasonable choice. If you're in no rush and the oncoming changes appeal to you, it's likely that carriers will offer similar promotions for the Z Flip 6 in August.
If you just want an Android flip phone and aren't set on Samsung, that expands your horizons a bit. If you're not trading anything in, but rather are operating on a smaller budget, then Samsung might not be the best choice. The Motorola Razr 2023 and ZTE Nubia Flip 5G seem like good mid-range alternatives and the Razr Plus has better non-trade-in sales than the Z Flip 5 despite the comparable retail price.
Overall, if you're an active mobile gamer or the bigger external screen rumors speak to you, then you might want to wait. Otherwise, you have options, including trading in for the Z Flip 5.