Hands-On Review: Samsung Unveils Galaxy Z Fold5, Z Flip5, Watch6, and Tab S9

Samsung has launched its latest lineup of innovative devices, including the highly anticipated Galaxy Z Fold5 and Z Flip5, along with a trio of Galaxy Tab S9 tablets and two new Galaxy Watch6 models (or four, depending on the options). The Unpacked event was filled with excitement and groundbreaking features.

One of the most significant improvements in the new foldable smartphones is the elimination of the gap between the two halves when folded. Previous generations of foldable Galaxies had a noticeable wedge, which made them seem outdated compared to other foldable offerings in the market. With the fifth generation, Samsung has finally achieved a gapless design.

The Galaxy Z Flip5 stands out with its larger and more functional cover display, which now takes up almost the entire front surface. Interestingly, the camera notch on one side of the screen adds a playful touch, setting it apart from the cutouts found on other foldables like the Razr 40 Ultra.

Here are the key specifications for the Galaxy Z Flip5:

Body: 165.1x71.9x6.9mm, 187g; Plastic front (opened), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame; IPX8 water-resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min), Armor aluminum frame with enhanced drop and scratch resistance.
Display: 6.70" Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak), 1080x2640px resolution, 22:9 aspect ratio, 426ppi; Cover display: Super AMOLED, 3.4 inches, 720 x 748 pixels (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), 306 ppi.
Chipset: Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm): Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510); Adreno 740.
Memory: 256GB/512GB 8GB RAM; UFS 4.0.
OS/Software: Android 13, One UI 5.1.1.
Cameras: Rear - Wide (main): 12 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.76", 1.8µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; Ultra-wide: 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 1.12µm. Front - 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1.22µm.
Video capture: Rear camera - 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+; Front camera - 4K@30fps.
Battery: 3700mAh; 25W wired, 50% in 30 min (advertised), 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless.
Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Wi-Fi 6e; BT 5.3; NFC.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); stereo speakers; Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified).

Moving on to the Galaxy Z Fold5, while there haven't been any major changes to its design, it still impresses with its taller-than-ideal cover display and S Pen support, exclusive to the internal panel. The displays on both phones have been improved with increased brightness, though the noticeable crease remains a challenge for foldable devices.

Here are the key specifications for the Galaxy Z Fold5:

Body: 154.9x129.9x6.1mm, 253g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame; IPX8 water-resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min), Armor aluminum frame with enhanced drop and scratch resistance, Stylus support.
Display: 7.60" Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1812x2176px resolution, 10.8:9 aspect ratio, 373ppi; Cover display: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, 6.2 inches, 904 x 2316 pixels, 23.1:9 ratio.
Chipset: Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm): Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510); Adreno 740.
Memory: 256GB/512GB/1TB 12GB RAM; UFS 4.0.
OS/Software: Android 13, One UI 5.1.
Cameras: Rear - Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm, 1.0µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; Ultra-wide: 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 12mm, 1.12µm; Telephoto: 12 MP, f/2.4, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom. Front - Under-display: 4 MP, f/1.8, 2.0µm; Cover camera - Wide (main): 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm, 1/3", 1.22µm.
Video capture: Rear camera - 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/240fps (gyro-EIS), 720p@960fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+; Front camera - 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS.
Battery: 4400mAh; 25W wired, 50% in 30 min (advertised), 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless.
Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 7; BT 5.3, aptX HD; NFC.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); stereo speakers; Bixby natural language commands and dictation, Samsung DeX (desktop experience support), Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified), Ultra Wideband (UWB) support.

While the camera upgrades on the tablets aren't as dramatic as some might have hoped, the S9+ and S9 Ultra now feature 8MP ultrawide cameras, an improvement over the previous 6MP sensors. The standard S9, however, no longer includes an ultrawide camera. All three tablets come with Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels, a significant development from last year's LCD panel on the vanilla model. Moreover,

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Hands-On Review: Samsung Unveils Galaxy Z Fold5, Z Flip5, Watch6, and Tab S9