5 reasons I am more excited about the Galaxy Z Flip 5 than the Razr+, and you should be too

Samsung doesn't have to do much to ensure the Galaxy Z Fold 5 remains the best big-screen foldable in the U.S. this year. It is true the competition is heating up with newer book-style foldable like the Google Pixel Fold, but they're unlikely to pose a threat to Galaxy Z Fold 5 in the U.S. market in the foreseeable future. The Galaxy Z Flip 5, however, is treading dangerous water as it faces a severe threat from the Moto Razr+, which is already up for grabs in the U.S. Many are even riding the Moto Razr+ hype train and writing off the Galaxy Z Flip 5 already, due to the lack of significant design changes besides the cover display.

Contrary to popular belief, I am here to tell you that Samsung's Galaxy Flip phones are here to stay. Motorola may have shaken things up to pull Samsung out of its comfortable spot in the clamshell foldable space, but the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is shaping up to be a tough contender. I, for one, am really excited about the Galaxy Z Flip 5, and here are a few reasons why I am more excited about the Galaxy Z Flip 5 than the Moto Razr+, and you should be too.

1 Newer chip for more firepower

All the rumors are pointing towards the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 being powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. It's likely to be the same custom variant called the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy that's also powering the Galaxy S23 series phones, which offers a small performance uptick, along with a couple of other changes. But even if it's the regular Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, it would still pack more punch than the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor. You may not notice a huge difference between the two with regular day-to-day usage, but the Flip 5 with the newer chip is going to yield better performance. I am not the one to chase benchmark numbers, but I'd choose the one which is a bit more future-proof with more performance headroom, especially when I am paying the same price.

The phones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset are also known to offer reliable battery performance. The newer chip, being more power-efficient, could pay huge dividends in the battery department and turn the tides in favor of the Galaxy Z Flip 5. It's not likely to have significantly better battery life compared to the Razr+, but its rumored 3,700mAh battery unit should be at par with the 3,800mAh unit inside the Razr+ for all-day battery life.

2 Samsung's unmatched software support

Samsung, as you probably already know, is second to none when it comes to software support, except for the Apple iPhone. It has set a benchmark by promising four years of new OS updates and up to five years of security updates for its flagships. It's a standard that many other phones out there try to meet or exceed, and the Flip 5 is likely to receive the same software treatment as well. After all, it's powerful enough to keep up for all those years with a capable chipset and a decent amount of RAM.

The Moto Razr+, in case you're wondering, is promised to receive only three major updates and up to four years of security patches in its lifetime. It's better than what you get with many other devices out there, but it's not on par with Samsung's top-notch support. Samsung is also known to be more reliable when it comes to delivering timely and — most importantly — stable updates to its devices, so I'd pick the Flip 5 over Razr+.

3 Samsung DeX support

Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5 is also rumored to gain DeX support, essentially making it the smallest Galaxy device to support it. This is great news for someone like me who often connects their phone to a monitor and turn it into a desktop computer to work on the go. I use DeX mode a lot, and I really hope Flip 5 supports it. DeX isn't a replacement for a desktop or a laptop, but it's enough for me to get through most of my work on a daily basis. Being able to connect a monitor and a couple of compatible accessories to set up shop to get some work done is something I'd never be able to do with the Razr+. I don't expect this to be a deciding factor that would make you want to pick one over the other, but it's features like these that make Samsung flagships versatile and allows them to offer more value.

4 Samsung's cover display looks better

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is all but confirmed to have a bigger cover display. It's rumored to sport a 3.4-inch panel with a generous 720x748 resolution, making it a significant upgrade over its predecessor's 1.9-inch cover screen. It comes to personal preference, but I like the folder-shaped cover display seen in the leaked renders that are making rounds on the internet over the one you get on the Razr+. I appreciate Motorola's effort to wrap the display around the camera sensors and the flash module, but I just think it's obtrusive. It's one thing to wrap a display around a small selfie camera cutout that sits flush on the panel and a completely different thing to wrap around two massive protruding camera modules.

The cutouts also end up blocking UI elements in some apps, which can be quite annoying. You could prevent that by forcing the application to occupy less active display areas and minimizing them to more of a rectangular panel, but that just makes it look similar to the one on the Galaxy Z Flip 5. Call it personal preference, but the leaked design for the cover display on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 looks cleaner, and I definitely see it looking better in the real world. However, it remains to be whether Samsung will allow us to use all the applications on the cover screen or limit.

5 Bespoke edition

One of the biggest draws of the Galaxy Z Flip 4, at least for me and many people who I knew bought the phone, was that it's the only Samsung phone with a Bespoke Edition. Being able to put together a multi-colored smartphone that stands out from the rest is a lot of fun. I also think it gives good bragging rights when you want to use your phone without a case. It's only a bonus addition to this particular list, but I really wish more manufacturers allowed you to customize the look of their phones, especially the high-end ones. Motorola could've used the new Razr launch as the perfect opportunity to bring back Moto Maker, but I'll save this rant for a different post. I am hopeful for a Galaxy Z Flip 5 Bespoke Edition this year with some new colors and combinations added to the Bespoke Studio.

The most exciting Galaxy Flip phone in years

There's no denying that Motorola has done an excellent job of delivering a completely refined foldable experience with the Razr+ from the Razr 2022, which didn't even come to the US. It's currently the best clamshell foldable you can buy in the U.S., and I certainly don't see it fazing out in popularity after Flip 5's launch. That being said, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting Samsung phones, and I truly believe it'll warrant a recommendation over Moto's flagship foldable. In addition to the points mentioned above, I am also expecting Samsung to improve other aspects of the phone, including the cameras, One UI's Flex mode, and more.

Not to mention, Samsung is also likely to have some exciting launch offers like last year, making the new clamshell relatively easier on your wallet. You can already save $50 simply by reserving your unit, and it'll be interesting to see how much it ends up costing. If you're just as excited about the Galaxy Z Flip 5 as I am, then be sure to hit the link below to reserve your unit for free and be among the first ones to grab it with a $50 discount.