Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Launch and Preorder
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is now available, but its availability is limited. While the device is sold out at Samsung and they’re only taking preorders for their February 21st restock, you can still order one from AT&T, Sprint, or Ultra Mobile with a reasonable turnaround time of 1 to 2 weeks.
| Samsung | AT&T | Sprint | Ultra Mobile | |
| Release Date | 2/14/2020 | 2/14/2020 | 2/14/2020 | 2/14/2020 |
| Availability | Out of stock, Feb 21st restock | Limited availability online and in-store | Limited availability online and in-store | Available |
| Outright Pricing | $1,380 | $1,379.99 | $1,380 | $1,499.00 |
| Monthly Pricing | TBA | $46/month for 30 months | $57.50/month lease for 18 months | $62.46/month for 24 months via Affirm |
| Shipping Turnaround | TBA | 1-2 weeks | 1-2 weeks | 1 week |
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip vs. Other Foldable Phones
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip isn’t the first foldable smartphone on the market, but some might argue that it’s the best yet. The Samsung Galaxy Fold was released last year, and it was a bit of a flop due to design and durability issues, but those issues seem to have been addressed in this device. Another recently released foldable smartphone is the Motorola razr, which sports a beautiful design, but it lacks the internal specs you might expect from a $1,500 smartphone. Take a look at the chart below for a more detailed comparison of these three devices.
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip | Samsung Galaxy Fold | Motorola razr | |
| Full Screen Size | 6.7" | 7.3" | 6.2" |
| Open Dimensions | 6.59” tall x 2.9” wide x 0.28” thick | 6.33” tall x 4.64” wide x 0.27” thick | 6.77” tall x 2.84” wide x 0.27” thick |
| Closed Dimensions | 3.44” tall x 2.9” wide x 0.68” thick | 6.33” tall x 2.48” wide x 0.61” thick | 3.71” tall x 2.83” wide x 0.55” thick |
| Pixel Density | 425ppi | 362ppi | 373ppi |
| Main Screen Material | Glass | Plastic | Plastic |
| Folded Screen Material | Glass | Glass | Plastic |
| Frame Material | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Camera(s) | 12MP wide 12MP ultrawide | 12MP wide 12MP telephoto 16MP ultrawide | 16MP |
| Front Camera(s) | 10MP wide | 8MP wide 10MP wide | 5MP wide |
| Video Capture | 4K at 30/60fps | 4K at 30/60fps | 4K at 30fps |
| Processor | Snapdragon 855+ | Snapdragon 855 | Snapdragon 710 |
| Battery Life | 3,300mAh 36 hours of talk time | 4,380mAh 32 hours of talk time | 2,510mAh 24 hours of talk time |
| Storage | 256GB | 512GB | 128GB |
| RAM | 8GB | 12GB | 6GB |
| SIM | Nano-SIM, eSIM | Nano-SIM, eSIM | eSIM |
| Operating System | Android 10 | Android 9.0 | Android 9.0 |
| Fingerprint Sensor | Side mounted | Side mounted | Front mounted |
| Charging | Fast charging 15W, Wireless, PowerShare | Fast charging 15W, Wireless, PowerShare | Fast charging 15W |
| Headphone Jack | No | No | No |
| Colors | Mirror Black, Mirror Purple, and Mirror Gold | Space Silver, Cosmos Black, Martian Green, and Astro Blue | Noir Black and Blush Gold |
| Launch Price | $1,380 | $1,980 | $1,500 |
Better Design and Durability
The new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip smartphone boasts an all-new Flex Mode, which transforms its expansive 6.7-inch display into a device that’s about the size of a credit card (but thicker). Samsung’s design innovation does more than just make the phone more compact; it completely changes the way people use the smartphone.
When left open at a 90-degree angle, its new Hideaway Hinge enables it to stay open for effortless multitasking, allowing it to operate a bit more like a mini laptop. It’s perfect for hands-free video chatting, taking effortless selfies, and each screen can run a different app at the same time. Samsung even worked with YouTube to ensure that their app was fully supported so you can watch videos on the top half of the screen while using the bottom half to text, email, or browse the internet.
The sleek mirrored body comes in mirror black, mirror purple, and in some locations, mirrored gold. The front and back displays are made of a Super AMOLED glass, and the body is a durable aluminum. It is important to note that there is a very small gap between the upper and lower screens when the device is closed, which is a result of the robust Hideaway Hinge.
More Functionality and Flexibility
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip comes with everything you would expect to see in a flagship device, even though it’s not a flagship smartphone, including:
- A 3,300mAh battery that can outlast a heavy day of use, offering 36 hours of talk time.
- A Snapdragon 855+ processor and 8GB of RAM that can run multiple apps without slowing down.
- Ability to capture video in 4K at 60fps.
- Dual rear 12MP wide and ultrawide cameras to take beautiful images (it even shoots quality images and video with its 10MP front-facing camera).
- A side-mounted fingerprint sensor, so your device will stay secure but easy-to-access.
- 15W fast charging, wireless charging, and PowerShare, so you can easily charge wireless devices with your phone.
- Super AMOLED glass display, which improves its overall feel and usability (the Galaxy Z Flip is the only foldable device that uses this type of display).
One of the coolest features of the Galaxy Z Flip is that Samsung made it incredibly flexible. You can use it fully open as you would any other smartphone, like a laptop in Flex Mode, and it even functions while fully closed.
Fully Open
When your device is open, the Galaxy Z Flip operates like any other Samsung Galaxy smartphone. The screen size increases from a 1.1-inch display to a 6.7-inch high-resolution display that’s perfect for HD streaming, gaming, getting some work done on the go—or a little bit of each.
It’s important to note that a small crease in the middle of the screen can still be seen and felt while using the device when it’s fully open. While the issue has not yet been solved for any foldable phone, it’s less prominent in the Galaxy Z Flip compared to its predecessors.
Flex Mode
If you choose to use the Galaxy Z Flip at a 90-degree angle (Flex Mode), then your 6.7-inch display will suddenly transform into a split-screen that can run two apps at a time. Unlike other foldable devices, the hinge is stiff, so you can position and tilt the screen at any angle that you want.
Fully Closed
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip continues to impress, even when it’s closed. Though, to ensure that talk time is maximized (36 hours), its outer display size was sacrificed in favor of a larger battery. Thus, the external display is only 1.1 inches wide. However, it still shows important information like caller ID, battery life, the time, and it can even act as a viewfinder for selfies (if you have excellent eyesight).
Is It Worth It?
Motorola might have trademarked the “flip phone” term, but it looks like Samsung’s on its way to perfecting it for the smartphone. Instead of using a plastic overlay on the screen, the Galaxy Z Flip’s display is all glass, which gives it a far superior look and feel to all other foldable smartphones. While the bump on the fold still exists, it’s much improved upon from other designs.
The Hideaway Hinge is different than any other device because it was also designed to stay open at a 90-degree angle or any other angle (up to 180-degrees), like a mini flexible laptop. As a result, the reinforced joint leaves a small gap between the two screens when folded. It’s a small price to pay for its superior multitasking capabilities.
While the phone is pricy, it’s cheaper than its predecessor, the Galaxy Fold, and its competitor, the Motorola razr. So, if you’re in the market for a smart flip phone, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip looks like your best bet.