Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Review: 48 hours later
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is one of the few phones I’ve been truly excited to review, mainly because it is so different from anything else I’ve ever tested. It marks a bold departure from the familiar and a splashing entry into a completely different device category – the category of foldable smartphones.I’ve been using the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip for over 48 hours already, and here are the impressions I’ve gathered so far. This article will be expanded regularly as I spend more time with Samsung’s foldable phone, so be sure to check back next week for the latest updates.
Design: futuristic but frustrating
Apparently, drawing attention is one thing the Galaxy Z Flip is really good at. Soon after its arrival at the office, there was already a line of people wanting to see it in person. Guys were intrigued, but it was the girls who absolutely loved it. I can’t say that I’m surprised. The Galaxy Z Flip is clearly designed to be a fashion accessory, and the purple color looks gorgeous. By the way, fun fact: did you know that it’s common for women’s jeans to have front pockets that are fake or too small to be practical? When folded, the Galaxy Z Flip becomes super compact and fits easily into small pockets, without sticking out – a prime reason why this form factor will appeal to women.
But while the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip looks stunning, I can’t say that I find its design very practical. For starters, having to unfold the Galaxy Z Flip all the time gets annoying quickly. It’s a two-hand action – unless you’re fine with grinding your nail against that fragile screen every time you flip the phone open. Perhaps a spring-loaded, button-activated mechanism would have been nice having.
The folding mechanism has been working well so far, but I’ve noticed that the Galaxy Z Flip does not close completely shut. As a result, dust and pocket lint gathers between the display’s two halves. The raised plastic border around the display makes it difficult to clean – another minor annoyance.
The Galaxy Z Flip does not close completely shut
Then there’s the problem with weight distribution. The phone is very tall and feels top-heavy which makes every-day use less comfortable, especially with a single hand.
The fingerprint reader appears to be identical to the one on the Samsung Galaxy S10e. It is embedded in the power button mounted on the right side. It works, but it is neither reliable nor comfortable to use.
Another issue I’ve noticed is that the vibration motor is kind of weak. I’ve already missed a couple of notifications simply because I didn’t feel the phone vibrating in my pocket.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip photos
Display: foldable yet fragile
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip has a 6.7-inch foldable AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2636 by 1080 pixels. It looks great overall, as do all of Samsung’s premium displays nowadays, but the crease in the middle can be mildly distracting. It is noticeable during the day, when there’s plenty of ambient light to expose it. In the evening, however, the crease becomes less visible – to the point that I completely ignore it.
The crease on the Galaxy Z Flip’s display is there, but it’s not too big of a deal
What’s a much more serious issue is that the display on the Galaxy Z Flip is anything but durable. There’s a layer of super-thin glass in the display assembly, but it’s covered by a layer of plastic for protection, so plastic is what your fingers actually touch. I can already see three small dents and one scratch mark in the display, even though I’ve been treating it with care at all times. Welcome to the future!
After just two days of use, the Galaxy Z Flip already has dents in the screen
Another issue I’ve noticed: touch sensitivity could have been better. Every once in a while, my taps would not register even though I’d most definitely tapped the screen.
Is the Galaxy Z Flip the phone of the future?
It’s been only two days since I started using the Galaxy Z Flip, but my enthusiasm is already fading. The reason is that behind the flashy, foldable design stands an underwhelming phone that solves one problem but creates ten more.
Sure, you could argue that I’m not the kind of user the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is made for, and that’s probably true. But then who is the Galaxy Z Flip for? And is this really the phone of the future, as Samsung implies, or just a fancy toy for rich people to show off?
These are the questions I’ll try to answer in the coming days as I explore the Galaxy Z Flip further. In the meantime, feel free to leave your questions below, and I’ll try to answer as many of them as I can. Stay tuned!