Right off the bat, Samsung’s Z Flip is the best foldable smartphone you can buy. The bigger question is whether this a smartphone that you should spend over a lakh of rupees on? And that’s what this review will aim to answer. That may not be an easy task, given that it’s tough to compare this device with other flagship devices that cost close to a lakh or over a lakh. And that includes Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10+ or S20 Ultra or the iPhone 11 Pro twins. Because there’s one thing that sets this device apart, a foldable display.
Samsung calls it Flex Mode, it’s the one reason we believe that this device is worth checking out. Over the last few years we haven’t seen too many radical new takes on the smartphone, foldable displays have changed that over the past few months. Samsung’s Galaxy Fold and the new Moto RAZR are among the devices that Indian consumers have access to, but both these feature a plastic OLED display. The Z Flip boasts of a new cutting edge ultra-thin glass display in a unique clam shell form. Once folded, it can slip into the tiniest pockets or the inside pocket of your jacket. It’s certainly delicate and I must confess I used it more carefully than some of the other review devices that we’ve tested recently. The fold or the crease is less obvious than the Fold too. But most of all, it feels much lighter and nicer in your hand.
The Z Flip comes with a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED display (1080 x 2636 pixels) with a unique 21.9 : 9 aspect ratio. There’s also a 1.1-inch cover display that’s useful to check alerts and the time; you don’t have to keep flipping open the phone all the time. The display is great for binge watching but the best thing about is it’s handsfree capabilities. Whether you’re on a Video call or clicking a selfie, you can leave it on a surface (and not worry about holding it) thanks to Flex mode. The 10MP selfie cam shoots sharp selfies while the dual rear cam also features a 12MP ultra-wide lens. This cam is probably in the same league as last year’s S10+. It shoots stellar images in lowlight. Battery life is decent, we managed a whole day with a mix of camera, calls and some video consumption. The 3300 mAh battery comes with 15W fast charging that’s not as zippy as the S20 flagships.
Most times, concept devices don’t always deliver in practical day to day usage. It’s what sets the Z Flip apart. This is only Samsung’s second foldable but it’s more than just a concept device. Whether I was typing a furiously fast response to an email or indulging in intense gaming like PUBG, this device didn’t let me down. It’s powered by a Qualcomm 855+ processor coupled with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of Internal Memory. The device notched up an impressive 439523 on our AnTuTu benchmark test suggesting that it can fulfil your need for speed. If you’re one of those Prosumers who is always keen to experience cutting edge tech, the Z Flip is an interesting proposition and one that’s not just work in progress.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip costs Rs 109,999 and is available in Mirror Gold, Mirror Black and Mirror Purple colour options.
