Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. 4: The new cover screen is everything

They made the small screen way bigger!

If you needed a one-sentence summary of what changed between last year's Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and this year's Z Flip 5, announced at the Galaxy Unpacked event in Seoul today, that just about covers it. OK, it's maybe a bit reductive, but the obvious selling point of Samsung's new clamshell-style foldable phone is its larger outer display.

Of course, there's more to bite into than just that notable upgrade. Here are the ways in which Samsung upgraded the Z Flip 5, now available for pre-order, over 2022's Z Flip 4.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. Z Flip 4: Specs

Aside from the aforementioned beefed up cover display, the new Z Flip phone is very similar to the previous model. In case you haven't used one before, it's a lot like an old flip phone. By default, the Z Flip stays closed with a small outside display to show you notifications and whatnot. When you open it up, however, it becomes something closer to a regular-sized smartphone, and you can use it that way to your liking.

Here's how the specs compare between the two phones:

Z Flip 5

• 3.4-inch outer display with 60Hz refresh rate

• 6.7-inch inner display with adaptive 120Hz refresh rate

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor

• 8GB RAM

• 256GB or 512GB storage

• 3,700mAh battery

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

 

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Z Flip 4

• 1.9-inch inner display

• 6.7-inch inner display with adaptive 120Hz refresh rate

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor

• 8GB RAM

• 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage

• 3,700mAh battery

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 (128GB)

 

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The big standout is, again, that expanded cover screen. On the Z Flip 4, it was mostly useful for reading notifications or checking the time. On Z Flip 5, it supports widgets, a full-sized QWERTY keyboard, access to settings like WiFi and Bluetooth, and can even show your friend a preview of the photo you're about to take of them. It's night and day between the two.

Don't discount the new processor, either. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is newer and more powerful than what was in Z Flip 4, meaning the new phone should be better at gaming, among other things. General performance improvements and perhaps even more efficient battery life could be in store for those who upgrade or jump into the Galaxy foldable line for the first time with Z Flip 5.

Oh, and the hinge now allows the Z Flip 5 to close completely flat instead of leaving a bit of air like it did before.

Camera

In terms of camera specs, Samsung didn't overhaul anything between Z Flip 4 and 5:

Z Flip 5

• 10MP selfie camera

• Rear dual cameras: 12MP ultra-wide and 12MP wide angle lens

Z Flip 4

• 10MP selfie camera

• Rear dual cameras: 12MP ultra-wide and 12MP wide angle lens

Without directly testing the two phones side-by-side, it's hard to say if the Z Flip 5's cameras are better than its predecessor's. Megapixel counts don't dictate everything, of course. But if you were looking for seriously souped up cameras from the Z Flip 5, you might have to wait another year.

Price

Last year, the Z Flip 4 started at $1,000. This year, the Z Flip 5 starts at the same exact price of $1,000.

While that's still not "cheap," it's one of the most affordable foldables on the market at this point. It's certainly more agreeable than the $1,800 Z Fold 5. Unlike the more incrementally upgraded Z Fold 5, however, the Z Flip 5's new cover display might make it a worthwhile investment for someone who already owns a Z Fold 4.