Samsung Flip vs Fold Phones: Which One Is Best?

When you think of a flip phone, your mind might conjure an image straight out of the early 2000s — a compact mobile device with a clamshell design, a small screen, and a push-button keypad. Remember T9 texting?

Thanks to Samsung, the flip phone is making a comeback, and these sophisticated new devices are not your mother’s flip phone. Since releasing their first modern, foldable flip phone in 2019, the Galaxy Fold, Samsung has released a new Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip every year in late summer or early autumn.

The unique design of the Flip and Fold phones appeals to users looking for more versatility and novelty than slab-style smartphones can offer. But these foldable phones can be easy to confuse — Which one flips and which one folds? Which way does it flip or fold?

We’ll break down all the differences between Samsung’s Flip and Fold phones, share specs for the latest devices, and help you decide which phone is right for you. Want to find some great phone deals? Check out our free, unbiased Phone Deal Finder to find the best prices on your next Samsung Flip or Fold phone.

What’s the Difference Between Samsung Fold Phones and Flip Phones? 

In short, Samsung’s Flip line offers a more traditional, customizable smart flip phone with a compact form factor and a smaller price point. The Samsung Fold line provides a more premium experience. Although it comes in at a higher price point, the Samsung Fold is more powerful — we’ll compare exact specifications in a bit.

All Samsung Flip and Fold devices have an innovative hinge and a foldable, flexible glass display that can bend without being damaged. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 — and previous iterations of the Galaxy Z Flip — has a horizontal hinge that makes the phone function much like a traditional flip phone. When folded, the Galaxy Z Flip5 is a pocket-friendly 3.35 inches tall, but when unfolded, the main screen is a 6.7-inch 1080p OLED panel. 

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, on the other hand, has a vertical hinge that makes it open and close like a book. When unfolded, the Galaxy Z Fold5’s main screen measures 7.6 inches. This size makes the Fold ideal for multimedia, graphic-intensive gaming, and productivity tasks that require a lot of screen real estate. When folded, the Fold5’s cover screen measures 6.2 inches.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5: Specs

Here’s how the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5 compare across a variety of specifications: 

Price

There is a significant price difference between the Samsung Fold and Flip phones. The Galaxy Z Flip5 starts at $999, and the Galaxy Z Fold5 starts at $1799. Why the big difference? You’ll see as we detail more specs — the Galaxy Flip is a powerful device, but the Galaxy Z Fold5 is a standout device in a class of its own.

Chipset and OS

Both of the latest Galaxy Z-series phones feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, an upgrade from the previous Gen 1 version. All Z-series phones run on the Android operating system.

Cameras

The Galaxy Z Flip5 sports a dual rear camera system with 12-megapixel main and ultrawide sensors. At the same time, the Z Fold5 boasts a more versatile triple-lens rear system featuring a high-resolution 50-megapixel main sensor, accompanied by 12-megapixel ultrawide and 10-megapixel telephoto lenses.

Battery

The Galaxy Z Fold5 boasts a slightly bigger 4,400mAh battery, but the Galaxy Z Flip5’s 3,700mAh battery is more than enough to power the phone’s smaller display all day.

Screen Size and Refresh Rate

Because both phones fold (or flip), they each feature multiple screens. As we mentioned above, the Galaxy Z Flip5 has a 6.7-inch display when flipped open and a 3.35-inch display when closed. The Z Fold5 boasts a 6.2-inch front display and a huge 7.6-inch screen when folded open — that’s the size of a small tablet!

Both devices’ screens feature refresh rates up to 120Hz, providing a smooth and vibrant viewing experience.

Storage and RAM

The Samsung Flip and Fold phones both offer 256GB of internal storage in their base model and a 512GB option. The Galaxy Fold5 also comes with a 1TB option for those who want extra storage space. The Galaxy Fold5 also has more processing power for running processor-intensive apps, with 12GB of RAM compared to the Flip5’s 8GB.  

Weight

It should come as no surprise that the larger phone, the Galaxy Z Fold5, weighs slightly more than the Galaxy Z Flip5, at 8.92 oz vs. 6.6 oz. For the sake of comparison, 8.9 oz is about the same weight as a can of beans, while 6.6 oz is closer to the weight of an avocado.

Color Options

Both the Samsung Fold and Flip offer a variety of color options. The Galaxy Z Fold5 comes in icy blue, phantom black, and cream, while the Galaxy Z Flip5 has some additional options, including green, yellow, lavender, and mint.

How Are Samsung Flip vs Fold Phones Different?

Knowing the specs is one thing, but how do you really know which phone will be better for you personally? Let’s get into some specific use cases and discuss areas where each phone is distinctly better suited than the other. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5: Design

Although they both fold, the type of fold and overall size of these two Android phones make them better suited for different tasks. While the Galaxy Z Flip5 prioritizes portability and one-handed use with its compact design, the Galaxy Z Fold5 unfolds to a larger screen – perfect for multitasking, productivity, gaming, and enjoying multimedia.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5: Gaming

Although both phones have the specs to support gaming, die-hard mobile gamers will find the Galaxy Z Fold especially suited for immersive gaming. Its screen size alone is enough to make it preferable for gaming, but it also has more RAM, reducing lag and helping games run smoothly.

The Galaxy Z Fold also supports multitasking, allowing users to split the screen and have two apps open at once, but on a smaller scale. Nevertheless, this design allows them to browse the internet or watch YouTube videos while gaming. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5: Productivity

The Galaxy Z Flip can handle typical mobile productivity tasks and has the added convenience of a small cover screen that displays reminders and notifications when the phone is folded. However, the Galaxy Z Fold is a true productivity powerhouse. 

The Galaxy Z Fold5 has been optimized for productivity apps, including Microsoft Office and Samsung Notes. The large screen enables split-screen multitasking, and unlike the Flip, the Fold is compatible with the Samsung S Pen, a stylus that lets you draw and take notes. It’s the best of both worlds — part phone, part tablet — a perfect productivity device. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5: Customization and Style

The Galaxy Z Flip has gained somewhat of a cult following among smartphone customization enthusiasts, in part because its playful design lends itself well to accessorizing. The Flip offers more color options than the Fold, and users may have an easier time finding fun accessories for the Flip. 

Samsung offers a number of colorful phone cases for the Galaxy Flip, and many third-party sellers offer playful charms, skins, keychains, and other accessories. If customization and expressing your style are important to you, the Galaxy Z Flip might be the phone for you. 

What Do Samsung Flip vs Fold Phones Have In Common?

At the end of the day, the Samsung Flip and Fold phones also have a lot of commonalities, including:

• Innovative, bendable display
• Flagship performance
• Advanced, versatile camera systems
• Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor
• Equipped with eSIM capabilities
• Long battery life

Both the Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold offer a premium experience and are among the most popular Android smartphones available today. 

What Other Flip and Fold Phones Are There?

Samsung’s foldable phones are arguably the most popular folding phones available today, but other smartphone brands are starting to hop on the flip phone trend. If you're a fan of the Pixel or the iPhone, we have good news for you.

Google released the Pixel Fold in 2023, and Apple is rumored to be developing its own version of a folding phone, the as-yet-unnamed Apple flip iPhone. Motorola offers the Razr+, an updated version of the classic Motorola Razr flip phone. If you're after an ultra-affordable, no-frills traditional flip phone, you could go with something like the Alcatel Go Flip 4.

The Bottom Line

Choosing between the Samsung Galaxy Flip and the Samsung Galaxy Fold ultimately comes down to what you want from a phone. The question of which is better, the Samsung Fold or the Flip is context-dependent, and they’re both excellent phones.

The Flip is a more compact, everyday phone with a fun flip feature and tons of customization opportunities, while the Fold is a larger, more premium (and more expensive) phone-come-phablet for gaming, productivity, and multimedia consumption. 

To find the latest deals on the Samsung Galaxy Z series and other Android and Apple smartphones, check out Navi’s free, unbiased Phone Deal Finder. We collect and compare devices and prices to find the best deals for new and existing customers across top carriers.