How do you make something that’s already unique, innovative and killer even better?

Add in 5G.

Samsung have recently released the 5G variant of their folding glass flip smartphone – the Galaxy Z Flip.

Without pouring over the specs of the phone all over again, as we did that here the small clamshell smartdevice is one of two foldable devices from the smart-tech company.

To round it up though, the Galaxy Z Flip 5G is powered by a Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865+ processor coupled with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage.

The rear camera lens array in comes in at a total of 24MP (x2 12MP) and the selfie camera at 12MP.

With a slightly bigger than 1 inch multi-display on the rear of the device which doubles as a notification center and rear view-finder for the camera – the Galaxy Z Flip can be folded in to a ‘L’ shape, sat on a flat surface and become the ultimate content creator and vloggers smartphone – as the opened 6.7 inch AMOLED display places the camera view and controls in split screen.

Adding 5G and a new matte colour finish speeds things up online measurably. Not only with general browsing and video calling over social apps – it’s also perfect for online gaming.

Call of Duty Mobile on 5G keeps you running and gunning without the data lag and is able to handle voice chat aswell as fast and ferocious action simultaneously and flawlessly.

Fornite and PUBG was also flawless, not a drop or a lag.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5G is a unique small form factor device that hearekkens back to the days of clamshell mobile phones.

It’s all screen, powerful enough to multi-task on, play on and the ideal smartphone for social media creators.

The post Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Samsung are at the forefront of innovation and the rise of the flexi foldables.

Pretty much owning this new smartphone niche the smartdevice manufacturer recently released the Galaxy Z Flip. A compact versatile Android mobile that almost hearkens back to the craze of clamshell phones.

A 6.7 inch all screen device boasts 256GB internal storage and 8GB RAM with camera smarts and more, and connects with your Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Watch eco-system.

But this is not a smartphone review – we already did that HERE.

Nope – this is to see whether the flagship foldable has got game.

Being small in stature doesn’t necessarily mean that both casual and hardcore mobile gamers should snub it.

Having the Galaxy Z Flip with me for a couple of weeks I was able to put it through it’s paces from Arcade to the more serious and resource intensive FPS.

The screen on the Galaxy Z Flip has a bit of a lipping bezel around it – and while this is minimal I expected that this may get in the way of on-screen touch controls. It doesn’t at all.

To kick things off I started out nice and easy and played a couple of classic arcade games.

Either on-screen control or coupled with a external bluetooth controlpad they played flawlessly, (with the latest updates to both iOS and Android smartphones are able to wirelessly connect to an Xbox controller). I expected this though, as asides from the vivid graphics the simplistic retro games don’t gobble up too much data-crunching to run.

Battery power was less impacted by my Arcade gaming aswell. The Galaxy Z Flip purports to have an all day battery. It does, for most users – but I had a few instances where it got close to dying before my day was over – and one of those factors was… Call of Duty Mobile.

The free-to-play pint sized version of Call of Duty is a FPS game that is as social as it is competitive in play.

A couple of hours of fierce battle and shooting chomped a fair bit of the Galaxy Z Flip’s juice. From a full charge to just under half – two and a half hours play.

So how do other high end games fare on the Z Flip?

PUBG is always a favourite. I expected some lag on the Galaxy Z Flip throughout play, my expectations were not met. No LAG whatsoever.

Also surprising was the minimal impact on battery level after a two hour session.

Same said for (almost) everyone’s fav – Fortnite.

While i’m not a huge Fortnite gamer, personally, it’s a widely played title with casual and serious gamers and mobile eSport players.

Fortnite fared well, very much the same as PUBG did. No lag, no connection drops or game stutters. It did chew more battery than PUBG did though, I’d say roughly 1/3 more with the same amount of play time.

Mobile gaming, the Galaxy Z Flip ultimately impressed.

It’s a smartphone that does not look as though it could be a serious competitor in the mobile gaming market – hence why I was keen to see how it performed.

With the 5G variant about to release real soon we should expect connectivity to be even more savvy and snappy.

It’s super styley, small enough to fit in to any pocket and a rather unorthodox but fully capable smartdevice to take out for some serious gaming battles either online, offline, casual or hardcore.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip – it’s the tiny gaming super-phone you never expected it to be.

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The post Mobile Gaming on Galaxy Z Flip appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Today, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. introduced the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, a device that pairs the statement-making smartphone with the lightning-fast speeds of 5G to continue inspiring all-new mobile experiences.

With 5G networks expanding across the globe, people are now experiencing the impact 5G can have on the mobile experience, helping them share more, play more, and do more, faster.

“At Samsung, we continue to put the power of 5G in millions of consumers’ hands. We continually demonstrate our commitment to make 5G more accessible to more people,” said Dr. TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to bring next-generation speed and connectivity to the Galaxy Z Flip which further expands our portfolio of 5G devices, empowering consumers with meaningful experiences to help them do more of what they love.”

The Galaxy Z Flip introduced a stylish and compact form factor that reinforced Samsung’s ongoing commitment to expanding the foldable category. Now with 5G, the Galaxy Z Flip 5G can bring blazing-fast speeds to the palm-sized foldable device, making it easier than ever to stay connected with followers, friends, and family.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5G is the first device in Samsung’s Galaxy line-up to feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus 5G Mobile Platform. This new platform maximizes the power of 5G with revved up performance to deliver faster and more efficient on-device processing with sharper imagery through improved graphics rendering.

 The Galaxy Z Flip 5G brings the speed of 5G without added bulk, solidifying the device as one of the most stylish and compact 5G foldable smartphones available. Samsung added the components necessary to bring 5G connectivity to life while maintaining the Galaxy Z Flip’s sleek, bold form factor for ultimate portability. The Galaxy Z Flip 5G comes in two new premium colours including Mystic Grey and Mystic Bronze, all encased in glass with a haze finish that is soft to the touch while minimising fingerprints.

Since the Galaxy Z Flip first launched in February 2020, consumers have enjoyed using its revolutionary form factor to express themselves in new, imaginative ways—doing more, hands-free. Since then, Samsung has continually updated the experience for users to more easily capture, view, communicate and share content with friends and loved ones. You can now get the best of the Galaxy Z Flip experience the upgraded features with the Galaxy Z Flip 5G.

• Flex mode – Easily and simultaneously view and control content with the Galaxy Z Flip’s custom-built user experience, which utilises its unique forward folding form factor. When the device is free-standing, the display automatically splits into two 4-inch screens so you can view content on the top half of the display, and control on the bottom half.
• YouTube with Flex mode – With Flex mode, enjoy watching your favourite YouTube channel hands-free. While streaming on the top half of your device, you can also browse, read descriptions, and comment on the bottom half. Plus, enjoy four months of YouTube Premium with your Galaxy Z Flip 5G for an uninterrupted experience.
• Camera Update with Flex mode – Now it is even easier to shoot from higher and lower angles with the Galaxy Z Flip. Whether you want to capture low-angle action videos or vibrant birds-eye photos of your meal, simply double-tap in Flex mode to switch the camera’s preview window from the top to the bottom half of the device.
• Multitasking – Effortlessly multi-task with Multi-Active Window by using the Multi-Window Tray to drag and drop the apps you want to use.
• App Pair – Seamlessly open and access two apps at once using App Pair in the Multi-Window Tray, so when you are ready to share photos with a friend, your Gallery and Messaging apps will open simultaneously.
• Multi-window Tray – The Multi-window Tray is now part of a more robust Edge Panel integration, for added convenience, providing access to more apps.

 The Galaxy Z Flip 5G will be available in Mystic Grey and Mystic Bronze in select markets starting August 7th, 2020.

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The post Introducing Galaxy Z Flip 5G appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

If you haven’t got on to the foldables bandwagon yet due to pricing it might just be time to flip in to it.

Samsung released their newest smartphone model Z Flip at a more reasonable pricing tier and boasting a 6.7 inch foldable display in a compact design.

So compact infact that when folded the squared smartphone is around the same length as a credit card.

The Z Flip does have a wider than other Galaxy phones screen bezel, this naturally is to protect the edging of the foldable screen but they have done an outstanding job at the folded width where it is only millimetres chunkier than your present day flagship device.

On the sides of the mirror finish casing are the volume toggle buttons and an indented power button that also acts as a super slim and super quick fingerprint scanner for unlocking the device when unfolded.

Need to see if you have any notifications when folded? Samsung thought of that too.

The 1.1 inch display is touch recognizable and will wake up at a double tap. A small swipe across will let you know what notifications you have and you can even read a small excerpt from an email or message.

This tiny but informative display also acts as the dual 12MP rear camera view when the Z Flip is closed. Double tap the power button and boom you can take breathtaking selfies in compact mode.

Unfolded the screen will initially act as one long scroller. But you can multi-window halving the screen split at the almost invisible fold crease with one app on top and one below. Stream Netflix while replying to emails.

Using the front 10MP camera and bending the Z Flip into an ‘L’ shape will split the screen at the fold crease with the camera buttons on the lower part and camera view on the top. Perfect for vloggers, bloggers and content creators.

Inside however the specs are moderate.

Storage comes in at 256GB and the dual SIM tray does not allow for a microSD expansion. I place this down to a spacial requirement being the Z Flip is indeed one of the most compact smartphones to date.

Memory (RAM) is only 8GB. Enough for most but given the content creating capabilities of this device bumping it up to 12GB would have been ideal.

To make up for the RAM shortfall is a powerful 855 Snapdragon processor which will see you multitasking like a pro and snapping pics using all of the available modes (now even better with the recent update for Samsung phones porting over camera functionality from the S20 devices).

Taking in the OS, camera specs, hardware and features the Z Flip is very much a mid range S10 or S20 that is able to fold.

The screen itself is a flexible ultra-thin full HD AMOLED at 2636 x 1080 and the fingerprint magnet casing a hard plastic.

Opening and closing the Z Flip is a two handed affair, no it’s not like the flip phones from the days of yore so you can’t you be like a secret agent and flip your phone open with a flick of finger.

The Z Flip felt alot more robust than the first Samsung Fold. Perhaps inpart that is due to its compact size – but I did not feel as though I had to put on kid gloves while using it as my main everyday smartphone.

The 3,300 mAH battery life was not so good.

The Z Flip can last a day and I suspect that for those less busier than me it would get you through a full day through to late evening.

I would begin running on empty anywhere from 5pm or on a good day around 9pm from a full charge at 6am. It is wireless charging and powershare capable – but missed out on the 5G boat.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is an exciting phone to use and one of the best uses of a foldable screen so far.

It does slightly lack on the inner specs but makes up for this with the innovative folded UI (User Interface) tweaks and the novel rear clock / notification / camera view built in to the more than compact body.

The Z Flip is a beautiful innovative variation within the Foldable range of Samsung flagships, designed in and out for all fitting in the palm of your hand flipped open or closed.

My pick of the best foldable smartphone, so far, in 2020.

The post Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The Galaxy Z Flip, a new, statement-making foldable smartphone from Samsung will became available to pre-order in New Zealand on Friday, 27th of March 2020.

Galaxy Z Flip is bold and stylish – designed for those who see cutting-edge technology as a way to express themselves. Engineered with first-of-its-kind foldable glass, Galaxy Z Flip literally bends the laws of physics, and features a 6.7-inch display that folds into a stylish and compact form factor that fits in the palm of your hand.

Designed with an innovative hideaway hinge and custom-built UX, Galaxy Z Flip provides elegant new ways to capture, share and experience content – all hands-free. From its stylish design to its flexible camera experience, Galaxy Z Flip opens up a new decade of foldable mobile innovation.

“At Samsung, we were encouraged by the excitement for the Galaxy Fold. Galaxy Z Flip is an important next step as we look to build the foldable category by bringing to consumers a new form factor, new display and most importantly, a new kind of mobile experience,” said Dr. TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “With Galaxy Z Flip’s unique foldable design and user experience, we’re redefining what a mobile device can be, and what it enables consumers to do.” 

The category-defining Galaxy Fold began the foldable era. Now, Galaxy Z Flip is shaping it for a new decade. As the first device in the Z series, Galaxy Z Flip introduces a new device portfolio that reaffirms Samsung’s commitment to leading the category, and leveraging technologies and form factors to create foldable experiences that will surprise and delight in the years ahead.

Galaxy Z Flip’s compact, stylish design is created for those who see technology as a way to express themselves. And all of the innovations that go into Galaxy Z Flip ensure they can do so.

Designed for ultimate portability, Galaxy Z Flip folds into the size of a wallet, so you can easily fit it in your pocket or bag. When closed, it is a stylish, compact palm-sized device. When opened, its screen size nearly doubles to reveal a stunning 6.7-inch display. With its stylish colour palette, sleek rounded corners and forward fold that closes with a satisfying snap, Galaxy Z Flip is sure to turn heads.

Galaxy Z Flip features an Infinity Flex Display with Samsung’s proprietary bendable Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG), making it slimmer with a sleek, premium look and feel that has never been seen with a foldable device before. The cantered in-display cut-out also means there’s no notch and no distractions, with Samsung’s first-ever 21.9:9 ratio, so you can enjoy even more of your favourite content.

Galaxy Z Flip’s Hideaway Hinge is a work of engineering art. It’s backed by a dual CAM mechanism – small but sophisticatedly designed to ensure every flip and fold is smooth and stable. Galaxy Z Flip can stay open at a range of angles, like a laptop screen. The Hideaway Hinge system also integrates Samsung’s new sweeper technology, which uses nylon fibres crafted by micro-height-cutting technology to repel dirt and dust. 

Galaxy Z Flip is built for the modern, on-the-go lifestyle. Now you can do more, from multiple angles – hands-free. This unique foldable experience is unlike any other smartphone on the market today.

When Galaxy Z Flip unfolds, it can stay open at virtually any angle, unlocking opportunities for selfies that show more of the world around you and expressive video chats with Google Duo – all hands-free. 

Samsung worked closely with Google to design One UI with Flex mode – a custom-built user experience for Galaxy Z Flip’s unique forward folding form factor. When the device is free-standing, the display automatically splits into two 4-inch screens so you can easily view images, contents or videos on the top half of the display, and control them on the bottom half. Easily watch and navigate YouTube – stream on the top while searching for other videos, reading descriptions and writing comments on the bottom. 

Galaxy Z Flip literally stands on its own so that you can capture more, on-the-go – from timed group shots to vivid night time content. You can create contents for your social media feeds from the best angle, hands-free – no tripod needed. Capture stunning Night Hyperlapse videos or vivid low light shots with Night mode – no flash needed.  Just open your device and place it on a table. When closed, quickly capture one-handed high-quality selfies using the rear camera without unfolding. You can also enjoy seamless video recording with a 16:9 ratio that’s perfect for uploads to social media platforms. 

Whether the Galaxy Z Flip is closed, standing upright or open, never miss a text, call or reminder. When closed, check the date, time and battery status at a glance on the cover display. Get real time notifications so you can easily answer a call without unfolding or respond to a text by simply tapping the notification and unfolding your Galaxy Z Flip.

Seamlessly multi-task with the Multi-Active Window – simply open the Multi-Window Tray to drag and drop the apps you want to use. Scroll through an article on the latest fashion looks on the top half while shopping for your favourite pieces on the bottom.

As a Galaxy device, Galaxy Z Flip brings the Galaxy ecosystem into its brand-new foldable experience. It boasts flagship-level performance and features across camera, display, battery, security as well as premium services like Samsung Health, Samsung Pay, Samsung Knox and more.

The Galaxy Z Flip will be available to pre-order from Samsung, Harvey Norman, Noel Leeming and JB Hi-Fi from Friday, 27 March 2020. It will be available in-store from Friday, 3rd April 2020.

The post The Future Changes Shape: Express Yourself with Galaxy Z Flip appeared first on Shane the Gamer.