Samsung Galaxy Z Flip: 6 Months Later, Barely A Scratch [Into The Fold Episode 4] By MrMobile [Michael Fisher]

- A portion of this video is sponsored by LastPass. If you'd told me that by the summer of 2020, the new motorola razr would be all but gone from the public consciousness while its Samsung look-alike would be winning hearts and minds, well, I'd have said that's about as likely as Microsoft trying to buy TikTok. But the razr's early quality control issues and Verizon exclusivity conspired to compound a competitive edge that Samsung already enjoyed. By most metrics that matter, the Galaxy Z Flip is just the better phone. And over the past few months, I've seen more and more of my early adopter friends snap it up. Not wanting to rest on its laurels, Samsung recently updated the Z Flip with 5G, new Silicon, and the new paint job whose close resemblance to that of a 24th century tricorder has absolutely nothing to do with me dropping 1500 strips of latinum on it.

I've carried that new model for about a week and the earlier one for six months. So on this episode of Into the Fold, we'll answer the twin questions of how well it's aged and how it became the Goldilocks foldable. (upbeat music) Let's hit the 5G model first, huh? I wasn't wild about this color initially, but there is a plus side to this new finish. It's matte instead of glossy, which means that not only is it impervious to fingerprints, it also lacks the death wish of the prior model, which would practically leap from any surface that wasn't perfectly level. Yeah, check out this very scientific tilt test to see what I mean.

On your mark, get set, go. Oh! Doesn't get any more definitive than that. That finish even covers the outer display whose pixels pick up a minor frosted glow as a result. And while the phone's edges maintained their glossy finish, Samsung has gone to the trouble of pulling some of the exterior color onto the inner rails. A nice detail that goes a long way toward minimizing the screen's apparent bezel.

The display itself now features a factory-applied screen protector. I hate its cheap rubbery feel under the thumb and it holds onto fingerprints as readily as the exterior finish shrugs them off, but I've decided to leave it in place for now for reasons that by the end of this video will become clear. Now let's talk about just how unnecessary this version of the phone is. Folks, I never in six months felt that the first Galaxy Flip was underpowered with its Snapdragon 855+, So the addition of the 865+ has made absolutely no difference to me. Near as I can tell, it's only here to enable 5G, which also doesn't really matter.

No flavor of 5G is gonna make much of a difference to your day-to-day until it reaches maturity. So with the two principles selling points of the newer model basically eliminated, I'd say if you're interested in the Z Flip, you're better served by buying the launch model I purchased back in February. How has that older one held up over the past half a year? Well, on the durability front, there's almost nothing but good news, which I'll share at the end of the video. But the six months have compounded some of the annoyances I pointed out at launch. Take the tiny cover display.

I knew it was never gonna get bigger, but I thought software updates might at least temper its annoyances. It still times out before letting me read a whole text message, I still can't customize it in any way, and it still doesn't tell me my signal strength, which for me is just as important as a battery meter. The Z Flip is still very much a phone that demands a smartwatch. And we're in the same boat when it comes to the flex mode. Don't get me wrong, it's very cool that you can split YouTube, Camera, Gallery, or Duo across the top and bottom halves, but six months later, YouTube, Camera, Gallery, and Duo are still the only apps that you can so split.

I've taken a using it in what I call faux flex mode where the app is still full screen, but I bend the phone anyway, and you know, actually this is surprisingly handy. Being able to prop the screen at an angle so I can track an inbound food delivery, or keep an eye on notifications while doing other work, or just bend it to the contour of my face when I'm on the phone. And while I don't often use it as a tripod because I carry a mobile tripod anyway, it is handy if you don't, as Isa Rodriguez demonstrates here. That leaves camera, battery, and finishing up our convo on durability. All of which we'll get to after a quick word from my sponsor.

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Put your passwords on autopilot. Click the link below and start using LastPass today. Thanks to LastPass for sponsoring this segment. Let's get back to the video. As far as the battery is concerned, folks, there's nothing new to report here.

The Z Flip is still a one-day smartphone if you're careful. It won't die before dinner, like my razr sometimes does, but neither will it last through my midnight Kindle session like the fold can. Oh, and in my week-long testing, the 5G model has been no different in this regard, which is a relief and a surprise. The 5G model does bring the new version of One UI though, which affects camera processing in areas like night mode, not always for the better. But ultimately as Max Weinbach pointed out, it doesn't matter much.

This phone isn't a camera-forward device, it just needs to be good enough for Instagram and casual shooting, and it more than fits that bill. The only thing I routinely miss is a telephoto lens, but that omission is more than made up for by the excellent ultrawide. Finally, the evergreen question when it comes to foldables: How durable is it? Well, this phone has created arguments both for and against foldables. On the against side, one of Max Weinbach's five, yes, five Z Flips, has developed a cluster of dead pixels near the hinge for no reason. And fellow YouTuber Innolso's Z Flip developed a dead pixel after an unfortunate run in with a pair of pliers.

I'll link his video below. On the for foldable side, maybe you're familiar with Quinn Nelson, aka SnazzyQ on Twitter. I asked Quinn why he bought a Z Flip, why he chose it over some other foldable, and why he treats him the way he does. This is what he had to say. - All right, you got me.

I purchased the Galaxy Z flip because it was shiny and new. But I really found myself to love this form factor because while volumetrically it's the same as any other smartphone, I find it much more easy to pocket and put inside of bags. This square size comes in handy. As for why I abuse it, well I want it to dispel the rumor that these phones were fragile because I felt that they weren't at least initially. Since then, I've actually found them to be maybe perhaps even more durable than your average smartphone.

These things really are tough. - Thanks Quinn. While I haven't had the heart to abuse my Z Flip, I have made a point of treating it like a normal phone. So I carry it naked with no case. I wipe its screen off on my shirt when it gets dirty, nothing special.

And when I'm in a rush, I sometimes toss it into pockets or bag bays with other items. And on top of that, I usually flip it open with one hand Admiral Kirk style. And as of yet, there's no cracking or creaking, no deformations or damage. The only signs of wear are a few scratches on the display where I presume a thumbnail dug in on one of my openings. On the whole, it held up wonderfully.

The Galaxy Z Flip launched amid a sea of uncertainty surrounding foldable smartphones, and six months later it's emerged as the most accessible of every one launched to date. As my friend Russell Holly put it, it's unique compared to any other phone he's likely to use. And it's also one of the few phones that can become truly small on demand. And save your tweets. The argument that it's added Z depth somehow counteract its reduced height when closed does not hold water.

Use one and you'll see what I mean. It's still too expensive for most folks but with phones like the Galaxy Note20 Ultra costing just as much, there's nothing wrong with deciding that you'd rather pony up that premium for a unique design that's fun to use, rather than pure power or productivity. And because it's high time I stopped talking. I think the quote of the day has to go to Ryne Hagar at Android Police who bought his Z Flip to review and to "Prove that foldables were stupid. It turns out they are actually the future.

" Couldn't have said it better myself. This video was produced following six months with the Galaxy Z Flip and a little over a week with the Z Flip 5G. Both were purchased from Samsung, which was given no copy approval rights or early preview of this content but was asked to provide comment on some of the issues I pointed out. I'll drop those comments here if the company responds. And folks, a quick note on my usage, I daily drive the Galaxy Fold and use the Z Flip on weekends and weeknights, which I alternate with the motorola razr.

What that means is that my devices don't have as much usage as a true single daily driver user does. There's not much I can do about that, I'm just one guy, but I wanted you to know. Check out the other episodes of Into the Fold on YouTube and please subscribe to theMrMobile so you don't miss my forthcoming coverage on the Galaxy Z Fold2 coming soon. Until next time, thanks for watching, and if you can't stay home, then at least stay safe and remember to wear a mask while you stay mobile, my friends.

Source : MrMobile [Michael Fisher]