Just love it

The Galaxy Z Flip was the best foldable phone, at least until the Galaxy Z Fold 2 came along. As clever as the design of the Flip is, at a still-high $1,380, it’s hard to recommend this phone over more traditional flagships like the iPhone 11 Pro and Galaxy S20 Plus.

Snapdragon 855 Plus is plenty powerful, Ultra-thin glass aids durability, Compact design when folded, Less expensive than other foldables

Subpar battery life, Exterior smudges easily, Still pretty pricey at $1,380

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is the flip-phone-style foldable smartphone with a 6.7-inch display that collapses in half. Its novelty will turn heads, but so will its extraordinarily high price. It now comes in 4G LTE or 5G, each with durable thin glass that makes it feel more durable than the Moto Razr foldable.

Neat folding concept; Cool splitscreen UI; Durable flip design;

Incredibly expensive; Cover Display is tiny; First-gen limitations

If you aim to make a decisive fashion statement while seeking one of the most compact phones that money can buy, the Galaxy Z Flip is your best bet with its ultra-compact clamshell design that unfurls into a massive 6.7-inch phone with respectable hardware and cameras.

The Z Flip is certainly the most appealing foldable around, but until the price drops it will remain a niche product

Not the Galaxy Fold; Dual form factor; Performs like a Samsung flagship

Screen durability remains to be seen; 5G upgrade costs more

Great design; Nippy performance; Novelty factor;

Front screen too small; Main screen is fragile; Mono speaker;

The easiest foldable to recommend thanks to excellent design, despite its sky-high price and 2019 internals.

Great design; Nippy performance; Novelty factor

Front screen too small; Main screen is fragile; Mono speaker

When it comes to real-world recommendations, the Galaxy Z Flip is our top foldable pick. Unlike the Huawei Mate Xs or Motorola RAZR, its screen isn’t exposed or sliding, so is less prone to damage. Meanwhile, the durable Gorilla Glass clamshell protection on the outside is as hardy as we need it to be. While the Flip doesn’t pack the utility of a phone that turns into a tablet, like the Galaxy Fold, when it comes to wow-factor, the Z Flip still has it in spades. Is it worth the hefty asking price? Definitely not if you want maximum bang for buck; but if you can afford it and crave a compact clamshell that unfurls into a full-screen smartphone, it’s the only phone worth considering right now.

Great design; Nippy performance; Novelty factor;

Front screen too small; Main screen is fragile; Mono speaker;

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip isn't perfect, but Samsung has nailed the foldable form factor, making it a joy to use

The Galaxy Z Flip is the first foldable phone that I really think you should buy - if you can afford it. It's not perfect - the camera, battery, and fingerprint sensor all have their flaws - but Samsung has nailed the form factor, making the Z Flip a joy to use.