Samsung's new range of smartphones prove the future is foldable

Samsung’s new line-up of folding smartphones is here and once again, the tech giant has proven itself to be a leader in the foldables space.

We got to test them out for a few weeks and here’s why we think foldables aren’t just the next big thing, but are here to stay.

Mini phone, mighty innovation

The Z Flip5 may be Samsung’s smaller, more fashionable foldable smartphone but that doesn’t mean it comes short on functionality. Don’t let its fashion-forward exterior fool you into thinking this isn’t a powerful device.

The Z Flip5 is also a huge upgrade from the previous model — the chip, the hinge and the outside display are all new and each come with their own benefits.  It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which is what you’ll find inside Samsung’s S23 and S23 Ultra. 

The hinge is the most important aspect of a phone that folds (or in this case, flips) and the Z Flip5’s folding mechanism is incredibly thin. You don’t feel extra thickness bulking up at the back of the phone.

The hinge feels sturdy and you can easily use the phone in different formats — we were surprised how much we liked using it in an “L” shape. The biggest and most noticeable update of the Z Flip5 is the screen – and we’re not talking about what you see when the phone is open. 

What was a small 1.9-inch slot is now a full, square, 3.4-inch 720-pixel Super AMOLED cover screen, called the Flex Window. It’s the perfect screen for doing all the things you wouldn’t need to open the phone to do — from reading notifications to quickly checking your calendar.

It’s also customisable, which means you can choose what works best for you using a number of different widgets (which feel more like mini apps) specifically built for the outside screen. 

When you open up the Z Flip5, you’re in for a flagship experience. The 6.7-inch internal screen is fantastic and has stereo speakers to make anything you stream sound just as good as it looks.

The camera set-up is similar to the Z Flip4, with two 12-megapixel rear cameras and 10-megapixel front-facing camera. Stylish and smart, this pocketable hi-tech phone is our favourite foldable. 

Take your multitasking to the next level

Today’s smartphones are pretty much pocket PCs, and Samsung have taken theirs to the next level with the Z Fold5.

There’s something magical about Samsung’s Fold series because you think you won’t like it and that the double screen is gimmicky, but after a day or two you won’t know how to go back to using a single screen phone.

What makes the Z Fold5 different to the Z Fold4?

There is a new, more durable hinge which makes the Z Fold5 less bulky, and easy to hold (which could also be because the phone is actually lighter than the previous model).

Another detail is the Z Fold5’s battery life: it has a new, customised chip to power an even brighter display. Even after a full day of streaming high-definition videos and taking photos, the phone keeps going. If you’re using it as your primary business device, a better battery is always welcome.

Back to the Z Fold5’s beautiful 7.6-inch OLED display — what you are getting is a multitasking machine. The tablet-like display makes reading books and documents a dream (say goodbye to side-to-side scrolling), but it’s the fact that the Z Fold5 runs One UI, the same user interface as Samsung tablets, that makes it a productivity powerhouse.

This means some apps look and work better: there's a taskbar, and if you use the phone’s split screen functionality, up to three apps can be open at once and you can save this set-up for when you need it. It genuinely feels effortless. 

We tested out a few titles and they all ran smoothly — the screen remained bright and the Z Fold5 didn’t overheat.

Closed, the Z Fold5 looks and functions like a typical phone, but opening it up is where the magic happens for this multiscreen, multitasking workhorse. What’s not to love? 

This article was sponsored by Samsung.