Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 - Very Nearly Almost There

It feels like the foldable phone market has suddenly become rather mainstream.

Just a few years back, foldables were seen as overpriced, almost experimental devices reserved only for early adopters with too much spare cash to splash around. Now the technology has been steadily refined and the market has expanded and matured.

In fact, I know people who are onto their second or even third foldable handset - they've obviously been impressed enough with the advantages and innovations to ignore any limitations or durability concerns.

Foldables are here to stay; in fact, recent trends in some markets suggest it may not be too long before phones with bendy screens overtake the more traditional models - certainly in the upper price-range anyway.

Samsung has been leading the charge from the start and of course the 2023 Z-Series devices continue to impress.

In New Zealand, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 is currently available in Mint, Graphite, Lavender and Cream, with a Blue variant as an online-only offer, stock dependant. This year's colours are not bright and zany but more subtle tints. I've been sent the Mint version to review and its glass-backed rear panel is such a pale green it's almost white. The metal rails around the edge of the device are also coloured ever-so-faintly to match.

All this will tie in nicely if you opt for a new-realease Watch6 model to go with your flip - of course, you can also match up a clock face to display on both devices if you wish.

Because you spend a lot of time unfolding and re-folding the Z Flip5, its shiny surfaces definitely collect up plenty of finger smudges - although there's a pretty natty range of cases available to help potect the phone, including options with rings and stands attached for easy gripping and more display options.

Speaking of display options, probably the most notable upgrade on this year's Flip is the preview screen or "Flex Window" - it's received a significant size bump up to 3.4-inches - now covering one half of the outside surface (camera lenses excluded).

This is a good news / bad news story - although mostly good. A screen of this size is now genuinely useful - previously, the small external display was good for glancing at a notification or two but not much else. Now we can click on those notifications to expand previews from security or doorbell footage or read messages and emails.

Swipe the other way and access any cover-screen widgets you've selected - perhaps your calendar or weather forecast.

But the biggest headline is there are now apps that function pretty much normally on the "Flex Window" as well. However, this is where the bad news comes in; frustratingly there are currently only six apps officially optimised to work on the Z Flip5's outer display; Google Maps, Google Messages, Samsung Messages, Netflix, WhatsApp and YouTube. 

I'm hoping this is merely a temporary limitation and in time all developers will have Flex Window versions of their apps. For example, being able to access the loyalty cards you have stored in your Google Wallet without opening the phone seems like a no-brainer. Surely it won't be long before we can use the outer screen in much the same way we can with the much larger and more full-featured Z Fold external display.

I keep reading about third-party apps that are supposed to bring full app access to the Flex Window and I've tried a couple but none of them work anything like as well as the native, pre-installed cover apps so I think I'll wait for more of the real deal.

At least the bigger screen on the Z Flip5 now means we can make full use of the primary camera array to shoot selfie pics and video. Thanks to the significantly larger Flex Window we can now access many more features and settings. While this rear-facing (and yes, sometimes front-facing) dual-lens setup is a significant upgrade from its preceding generations, I have to admit I was a little disappointed to discover the two lenses are both 12MP and there's still no 50MP main shooter like you'd find on other Samsung flagships.

Still, you do get a reasonable quality 10X digital zoom and I really don't have too many complaints about the quality of the photos and videos I've been shooting. One UI 5.1.1 (soon to be 6 in an impending update) is my favourite phone O.S. and it brings with it some excellent camera features on this device, like Auto Focus, Super Steady digital stabilisation and Auto Framing to keep you front and centre in every shot.

I can't really tell you much about the 10MP selfie-cam inside because I've hardly used it. There's really no need when you can opt for the main shooter in combination with the Flex Window to preview your vids and pics.

Oh yeah - that's right; there's an internal screen as well. The Z Flip5 unfolds to a very useful 6.7-inches and as you may have heard, it now folds completely flat, with no gap at all close to the hinge. This is 2023's other major development - no gap means no more pocket fluff all over the screen every time I flip it out. There's still a visible crease you can feel but as I've discovered with all foldables I've used, it's something you get used to quickly then forget all about. In fact, I have to laugh at how much I now take folding screen technology for granted.

Features like Flex Mode - which divides an optimised app into two halves - perhaps video on top and controls below - just seem like every-day operation now. This is as it should be - although the Z Flip5 is a remarkable feat of tech design, it's good to not be continuously worried about durability and limitations. These days there really aren't many limitations.

IPX8 water resistance, Corning Gorilla Glasss Victus 2 on the Flex Window and back cover and Armour Aluminium frames ironically make this phone more hard-wearing than many "normal" handsets.

In saying that, there's always room for improvement and with this phone that means disappointing battery life. It's not terrible - I can get through a long, breakfast radio day on a single charge - but it certainly won't get through two. Happily, the Z Flip5 does charge wirelessly, although I've found my lower-wattage car cradle won't do the job. Only a higher powered Qi charging pad will suffice.

What you do get is the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy processor - this is the same super-chip that powers all Samsung's other premium handsets so this thing runs like a bullet.

That's why overall, I feel like 2023 is the year the Flip evolved into a genuine flagship. The camera experience has improved just enough to move it into that category, the high end chip is almost unrivalled and the new plus-sized Flex Window is a million times more useful than before - or at least it will be once there's a full suite of apps optimised to run on it.

I've always found the Flip fun to use - right from the first generation. Now with this year's upgrades, it's not just fun, it's a fully-fledged work tool too.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5.

Oppo Reno10 Pro - Looks Great but Ultimately Unremarkable

I still remember the first time I tried an Oppo phone. I'd gone from hardly having heard of one to setting one up and using it in a matter of minutes. That's not even an exaggeration - one thing Oppo has always prided itself on is making the switch from other phones as seamless as possible, then offering some of the fastest charging times around to get you going pretty much straight away.

Above all else, Oppo has always emphasised its camera capabilities ahead of all other features. The first time I encountered a periscope lens, it was on an Oppo. The first time I took a professional-looking group selfie (complete with Bokeh effect) was with an Oppo. For a long time Oppo referred to its own handsets as "Camera Phones" rather than "Smart Phones" - that gives you some indication of where the design priorities tend to be focussed. Pun intended.

Although there will be no "flagship" Oppo handset this year in New Zealand from the top-of-the-line Find X series, if the previously released Find N2 Flip wasn't quite what you were looking for, Oppo now has something else for you to try.

In recent years, Oppo's premium Find X handsets have been standouts for me in terms of physical design so I was most relieved to discover the 2023 Oppo Reno10 Pro has continued the trend. While other manufacturers seem content with flat displays, sharp, thick edges and smudge-prone glossy glass backs, the Reno10 Pro sets itself apart in almost every aspect of its physical design. 

Oppo calls this look the 3D Curve - both rear panel and front display meeting together at the sides to form the narrowest of bezels. (Just 1.57mm in fact) The handset is light, yet easy to hold, thanks in no small part to the matte finish of the back cover - a totally unique, almost sparkley effect that catches the light from every angle yet resists fingerprints and other gross greasiness.

The rear camera module is also eye-catchingly unusual with its three lenses contrasting with a CD-like metallic finish. This is a phone unashamed to set itself apart on the meeting table.

Flip it over and you reveal a 6.7-inch curved OLED display encompassing 93 percent of the available surface with a centrally located punch-hole for the selfie-cam.

Historically Oppo ships its handsets with factory-fitted screen protectors and that's the case here too - although I don't understand the benefit of applying a screen protector that isn't anything like as hard-wearing as the screen it's supposed to be protecting. Within just a few days of normal use, this extra layer was littered with small scratches - something I just haven't seen on any other handset for ages. The Reno10 Pro's display is covered by AGC Dragontrail Star 2 glass as opposed to the Corning Gorrilla Glass we see more often on other phones. I don't know much about the Dragontrail product so for now I'm keeping the protector in place.

Durability aside, the screen is bright and clear with a 120Hz refresh rate that can be dialled back either manually or automatically to save on power consumption.

Speaking of which, as usual, the Reno10 Pro ships with its own SuperVOOC charging brick - 80W fast charging and I do mean fast; Oppo claims just 28 minutes for a full charge and from what I've seen that seems about right. Unfortunately - and this is typical for Oppo - they seem to think super-fast charging speeds are a substitute for wireless charging which is a philosophy I've never agreed with. I hate having to plug and unplug my phone - especially recently as I've been recovering from a broken shoulder and a lot of these sorts of actions have to happen one handed. I don't know if you've ever tried to remove a tiny USB-C plug from its port with one hand but it's a challenge. Oppo has often made wireless charging the first "premium" feature to go when stepping down in price from its high-end offerings and this annoys me. It may be of no consequence to you though, so read on.

In terms of real-world battery life, I've been somewhat underwhelmed. The 4,600mAh battery is large enough and I've certainly had no issues getting though a whole day - usually with 50-60 percent charge intact. However, this still isn't as good as other mid-to-upper range devices I've used recently.

This may be partly due to the chip running everything, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G. While it provides a solid, reliable user experience, this is not the latest or greatest Snapdragon SoC out there. This is another area where the Reno10 Pro proves to be not quite as "Pro" as some of 2023's genuine flagships. Bear in mind I'm pretty fussy about phone performance - I usually get to try out the very best of them. As a result I've found using the Reno10 Pro is smooth and fast - but not glaringly so. There's still plenty of oomph for most games and functions, thanks partly to Oppo's RAM expansion technology which can utilise unused ROM storage to beef up the already pretty beefy 12GB of physical RAM. Oppo also has plenty to say about the Reno10 Pro's cooling system and I certainly never felt it warm up while I was using it.

But as I pointed out right at the top, more often than not an Oppo phone is more camera than phone and the Reno10 Pro is a classic example. The rear-facing array features a 50MP main shooter, a 32MP telephoto portrait camera and an Ultra-Wide lens - these all combine for some very detailed, true-colour shooting. Special mention has to made of that telephoto lens - a first for any Reno-series device. Not only does this mean genuine 2 X optical zoom but it brings other benefits to your shots like higher light intake and more noise reduction.

Personally, I like a phone camera I can just point and shoot with - without having to fiddle with too many settings. This is what the Reno10 Pro provides - although those expert pro settings are there if you want them.

Things like low-light photos just work - quickly too. Check out these two shots - one using Night Mode, one just clicked without any adjustments. Good luck if you can pick which one is which - I think they both look great.

However, it's the 32MP selfie-cam that probably steals the show - Oppo phones always take great selfies (and shoot great selfie vids too) but the options here in terms of effects and filters are at a whole new level. Thanks to the front-facer's auto-focus abilities, that split-focus Bokeh effect is now effortless. I've never looked so good on a phone screen... and that's saying something.

If photo and video performance is a priority for you, the Reno10 Pro should definitely be on your shopping list - at NZ$1,099.00 this is a handset that comes in hundreds of dollars under other phones with similar premium camera arrays. It won't match some of those high-end options in terms of sheer power or battery life and it doesn't charge wirelessly - but it does charge in mere minutes and in my opinion, it's probably the best-looking and best-feeling phone I've used so far this year. Excellent value and pretty too.

Click here for more information on the Oppo Reno10 5G.