The Galaxy Z Flip’s 6.7-inch foldable glass display screen stands up by itself.
Angela Lang/CNET
Wow. I’ve simply completed utilizing the Galaxy Z Flip, the foldable flip telephone Samsung introduced on Tuesday in San Francisco, and I can already say this telephone is one thing particular. I do know, I do know, I say that about all of the foldable telephones I exploit for the primary time. Each is exclusive, and appears to construct off the final. But the $1,380 Galaxy Z Flip has two essential distinctions that blow me away — and that sign that the $1,499 Motorola Razr is in hassle.They each come right down to the display screen’s sturdiness and adaptability. The Z Flip has the world’s first foldable glass display screen and the highest of the telephone can arise by itself at most angles. It does’t damage that the Z Flip’s display screen would not audibly creak if you open it. I attempted that out on three totally different demo items.Compared to the Razr, the Z Flip additionally prices $119 much less and packs in additional options — like two 12-megapixel cameras and a 10-megapixel inside digicam, relatively than the Razr’s single 16-megapixel lens.

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Galaxy Z Flip is the primary telephone with foldable glass

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The Galaxy Z Flip goes on sale Feb. 14 in Mirror Purple (yasss), Mirror Black and in choose nations, Mirror Gold. That glass physique actually is mirrored, too — these fingerprints construct up quick. It’ll price $1,380 within the US and £1,300 within the UK. Australian pricing is TBA, however the worth converts to $AU 2,054.Read on for what it is like to make use of the Galaxy Z Flip, how the hinge works and all the professionals and cons I observed in my 40 minutes utilizing the clamshell foldable up to now (10 minutes in a single demo room and 30 in one other).Z Flip’s glass display screen might be killerSamsung demos the Galaxy Z Flip on stage at Samsung Unpacked.
GIF by Mike Sorrentino/CNET
What’s it like to make use of a foldable glass display screen, as an alternative of a plastic show?It could be too quickly to inform, however I instantly observed that the display screen crease appeared much less pronounced than I’ve ever seen it. I may nonetheless see mild reflecting off of it on the bend, and will really feel a slight dip once I ran my fingertip intentionally over the midline. It’s actually extra delicate than on the Galaxy Fold.I tapped the glass too, and listened, however did not hear that telltale clink. Must be as a result of it is ultrathin. Navigation felt clean in my temporary time with the machine, and so did the floor.Since the very first first peep about foldable telephones, glass has been the holy grail of foldable screens: Thin sufficient to fold with out breaking, however offering a simpler protect to the fragile OLED show beneath than a sheet of plastic. The hope is that an ultrathin foldable glass may also deflect scratches and water injury. The query we nonetheless should reply is that if and the way it will break if you inevitably drop it.
A giant deal: The display screen stands up on its ownIn addition to foldable glass, the Z Flip’s second distinction is the truth that the hinge is sturdy sufficient for the display screen to face upright by itself with out slowly closing or opening.I pushed and pulled the higher portion of the display screen at each angle from the bottom, and it wasn’t till the very backside or very high of that arc that the telephone both opened absolutely or else snapped shut, assisted by magnets on the corners.A self-supporting display screen has been excessive on my listing for the reason that first foldable telephone prototypes we have seen, particularly when you can view a picture or video on the highest portion whereas typing or doing one thing else on the underside. On a taller, narrower design just like the Z Flip, you will get the comfort of watching a video hands-free, although the clip itself will really feel pocket-size in comparison with the 7.3-inch Galaxy Fold, which you’d watch completely unfolded.
Samsung has additionally partnered with Google (particularly YouTube) to make its app break up into two parts when the Z Flip bends. The thought is to observe YouTube movies on the higher display screen whereas studying feedback on the underside. I wasn’t in a position to take a look at this, as a result of YouTube wants an replace for that to work, however I used to be in a position to see the impact on the digicam app. A row of controls seems on the underside and the picture retreats on the highest.We’ll want extra apps to reap the benefits of the potential to see how effectively it really works in the actual world.How lengthy will the Z Flip display screen actually final?Samsung says the Galaxy Z Flip’s display screen will final 200,000 flips with out injury, or about what you’d get after 5 years of use. This determine speaks to the wear and tear and tear on the display screen and hinge ensuing from opening and shutting the machine repeatedly.That’s the identical rated variety of makes use of because the Galaxy Fold, which CNET examined final October on a machine known as the FoldBot. That take a look at, which was meant to be an approximation and never a scientific ultimate phrase, lasted for 120,000 folds. Meanwhile, the Motorola Razr lasted simply 27,000 folds on the identical machine. (CNET features a disclaimer concerning the outcomes and Motorola has likewise issued a press release to problem the FoldBot’s outcomes.)All of that is to say that we do not know but how lengthy it would actually final in the actual world, or much more importantly, what sort of environmental injury from water, moisture, mud, sand and odd objects like fingernails and keys the display screen and hinge mechanism can maintain. We do know that Samsung has included fibers contained in the hinge space that may work like nostril hairs to assist lure or filter out mud and particles.

A more in-depth have a look at the Z Flip’s glass show and crease.
Juan Garzon / CNET
Little hazard of repeating Galaxy Fold errorsThe Z Flip’s glass display screen is predicted to bypass the Galaxy Fold’s greatest early vulnerabilities, like injury as a result of stress. But the Z Flip additionally avoids confusion as a result of there is not any hole between the thick plastic bezel and the display screen for a fingernail to slip into (or any mud).Samsung additionally carried over the plastic T-caps (as I name them) that match into the perimeters of the hinge. The goal of those is to bolster the world, which might be extra vulnerable to gunk getting caught beneath the show and inflicting bulges or inner injury. This is a carry-over from the Galaxy Fold redesign.What the outer display screen is sweet forProbably 95% of the time, you will use the Z Flip open. That’s as a result of the quilt show is a mere 1.1-inches on the diagonal. That would not provide you with a lot room for something however the smallest notification icons that roll out ticker messages if you faucet them. You’ll see issues like a Wi-Fi icon, a missed name and different notifications, and the alarm.You may also use it as a viewfinder for taking a selfie, or faucet a button on the within for another person to see their face earlier than you snap the shot. It simply appears too small, squat and vast to essentially be efficient.I assumed the Motorola Razr’s 2.7-inch outer show was tiny, nevertheless it at the very least lets you choose canned message responses and use voice instructions. The Galaxy Fold, in the meantime has a 4.6-inch cowl show that allows you to do every little thing that Android can do, however which is just too small to comfortably kind on. I by no means thought I’d miss it.There’s a tiny air hole concerning the width of a pair enterprise automobiles or a bank card. You can see the sunshine by means of it, however general, that is a powerful achievement for foldable glass.
Juan Garzon/CNET
Camera, battery life, fingerprint readerForty minutes is not a very long time to check out a tool, so I did not get a lot likelihood to take photographs and analyze them. But I do like that the Z Flip has two essential cameras. I wind up utilizing wide-angle mode greater than I ever anticipated. It’s particularly helpful for making selfies look extra pure, and for bringing backgrounds into the scene.Battery life can also be one thing I’ll hold an in depth eye on. The Z Flip has two battery cells that work in tandem to fill a 3,300mAh capability. That’s typical for the foldable telephones we have seen up to now. The Flip is sufficiently small that the capability may final a complete day, however twin batteries are recognized for being much less environment friendly than a single cell.I’m additionally curious how simple the fingerprint reader will likely be to make use of. It’s built-in into the ability button on the Z Flip’s proper aspect and has a flat floor, identical to on the Galaxy Fold. You double press it to launch the digicam, as you’d on different Android telephones (the Z Flip makes use of Android 10). When it is closed, the fingerprint reader is on the highest of the display screen sandwich, with a complete different aspect of the display screen slightly below it. It feels a bit bizarre, and I ponder if it will get in the best way in any respect when utilizing the telephone, or is that this is only one extra characteristic to get used to.Galaxy Z Flip specsThere’s much more of the Galaxy Z Flip to discover, particularly because it compares to the Motorola Razr foldable flip telephone. CNET will evaluate the machine as quickly as we will.Galaxy Z Flip versus Motorola Razr

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

Motorola Razr

Display measurement, decision

Internal: 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED; 2,636×1,080-pixels / External: 1.1-inch Super AMOLED; 300×112-pixels

Internal: 6.2-inch, foldable pOLED; 2,142x876p pixels (21:9) / External: 2.7-inch glass OLED, 800×600-pixels (4:3)

Pixel density

425ppi (inner) / 303ppi (exterior)

373ppi (inner display screen)

Dimensions (Inches)

Folded: 2.99 x 3.44 x 0.62 ~ 0.68 in / Unfolded: 2.99 x 6.59 x 0.27 ~0.28 in

Unfolded: 6.8 x 2.8 x 0.28 in / Folded: 3.7 x 2.8 x 0.55 in

Dimensions (Millimeters)

Folded: 73.6 x 87.4 x 15.4 ~17.3 mm / Unfolded: 73.6 x 167.3 x 6.9 ~ 7.2 mm

Unfolded: 172 x 7 2 x 6.9mm / Folded: 94 x 72 x 14mm

Weight (Ounces, Grams)

6.46 oz; 183g

7.2 oz; 205g

Mobile software program

Android 10

Android 9 Pie

Camera

12-megapixel (wide-angle), 12-megapixel (extremely wide-angle)

16-megapixel exterior (f/1.7, twin pixel AF), 5-megapixel inner

Front-facing digicam

10-megapixel

Same as essential 16-megapixel exterior

Video seize

4K (HDR 10+)

4K

Processor

64-bit octa-core

Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 (2.2GHz, octa-core)

Storage

256GB

128GB

RAM

8GB

6GB

Expandable storage

TBD

None

Battery

3,300mAh

2,510mAh

Fingerprint sensor

Right aspect

Below display screen

Connector

USB-C

USB-C

Headphone jack

None

None

Special options

Foldable show; wi-fi PowerShare; wi-fi charging; quick charging

Foldable show, eSIM, Motorola gestures, splashproof

Price off-contract (USD)

$1,380

$1,499

Price (GBP)

£1,300

Converts to £1,167

Price (AUD)

Converts to $AU 2,054

Converts to AU$2,183