Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 vs Galaxy Z Flip4: Should you upgrade?

Samsung announced its new set of foldable Android smartphones earlier this week with the Galaxy Z Fold5 and the Galaxy Z Flip5. While we see upgraded specifications including a new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset on both phones and a few design changes, the new Fold5 and Flip5 may just be the smallest iterative update over last year’s Fold4 and Flip4.

While there are new features and specifications to talk about, the question is, are there enough new changes to warrant for the new prices? We already pit the Fold5 against the Fold4, but in this blog, we’ll be looking at the new clamshell Flip5 and whether it changes enough for users to upgrade.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 vs Galaxy Z Flip4: What’s changed?

If you place the Flip4 and the Flip5 on a table next to each other, and both the phones are in their folded state, the big difference between the two is pretty easy to tell – the new, larger cover display on the Flip5. The Flip5’s 3.4-inch 720×748 pixels panel is much larger than the Flip4 tiny 1.9-inch outer display.

All that extra screen lets users do a lot more, straight from the outer screen. Checking notifications is easier, but you can now also quickly reply to them on the Flip5, thanks to the larger display supporting a full QWERTY keyboard as well. While you will still be opening the phone for major tasks, the larger outer display gives you more options, always a plus point.

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Besides the display, the Flip5 also features the new, more compact hinge design that we also see on the Fold5. This new hinge lets the phone be slimmer and fold completely flat, leaving no gap around the hinge for unwanted particles to get in between the two halves. Unfortunately, neither of the two flipping phones have a dust-resistance rating yet and are stuck with IPX8 water resistance only.

Under the hood, the Galaxy Z Flip5 also packs the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which provides performance boosts over the Flip4’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. Although, the average user may not be able to immediately pinpoint the difference between the two phones in the performance department. More storage, however is a plus point you do get with the Flip5, which now maxes at a 512GB variant.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 vs Galaxy Z Flip4: What hasn’t changed?

Pretty much everything apart from the outer display, the new hinge, and the faster chipset, remain the same on the Flip4 and the Flip5. This includes the 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED display panel on the inside, the 3,700mAh battery, the 10MP front camera and the 12MP+12MP (main+ultrawide) rear camera.

Both phones also have a capacitive fingerprint sensor on the side – no under-display scanner here – that lets users unlock the device when folded and when opened up. The Flex Mode feature that lets you lock the hinge at 90-degrees and set the phone up on its own stand to take pictures or for video calls, is also present on both devices.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 vs Galaxy Z Flip4: Should you upgrade?

As you have probably understood above, the Galaxy Z Flip5 has few but important changes over the Flip4. While an upgrade from the Flip4 to the Flip5 will not really make sense unless you really want that larger outer display, both devices still make great foldable smartphones for first-time users in the segment.

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If you’re getting yourself a first folding phone, neither the Flip4 nor the Flip5 will disappoint you. Remember though, that the older Flip4, which launched with Android 12 will have one lesser Android update moving forward compared to the Android 13-bearing Flip5. Also factor-in the deal you’re getting on both phones before you make a choice. A stellar deal on the Flip4 will save you plenty of money that you may not want to put in the Flip5 just for a bigger outer display.