Z Flip 5 Hinge vs Z Flip 4 Hinge
With the last generation of Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Hinge, we have not seen a lot of improvements that you could highlight. In fact, it remained to be the same as ever it was. However, Samsung realized that it needed to change – so with the new generation, we noticed an improved Z Flip 5 Hinge. So, here’s how it compares to the older one and find out how it is beneficial with the new implementation.
Z Flip 5 Hinge vs Z Flip 4 Hinge
The Older Hinge in the Z Flip 4
Let’s call the Z Flip 4 Hinge, the conventional Hinge. With that phone, we are all aware of the gap that you could get something stuck in between and for many, the existence of the gap just annoyed the heck out of them. However, there’s a reason why. Now, the hinge on the older one, as soon as the phone folds, stays in a flat orientation, thereby creating a gap. Now, this means that the display bends in a way that indeed leaves some stress and strain on it.
But the Z Flip 5 has a much more rigid hinge that holds better in certain angles, which is something few people prefer. The other downside to the older hinge is that the longevity isn’t quite there as it’s limited to 30,000 folds.
The New Hinge in the Z Flip 5
The Flex Hinge in the Z Flip 5 has a different design entirely. Now, mechanically it still follows the same technique, however, this time the hinge goes to the end, which creates an angle and makes the display fold with a teardrop curvature. Now, despite the new hinge folding in such a manner, which now makes the phone close flat doesn’t mean it’s all solved. Remember the rigid structure of the Z Flip 4 Hinge? With the Z Flip 5, the hinge feels a little loose when you open and close because of the smoother motion.
This means a one-hand operation to unfold the Z Flip 5 is most definitely possible. Oh, and another thing, the longevity of this specific hinge has surpassed the Z Flip 4 numbers by a lot – now at 200,000 folds. And the Flex Mode, where you can position the phone in certain angles – well now the phone can hold things securely as long as it’s in the range of 75 degrees to 115 degrees.
And if you feel like the phone isn’t straight, well, that’s because when you open it wide, it ranges from 178.5 degrees to 181.5 degrees. Now this will vary if you use third-party accessories which may limit the range of motion.
Why is the Crease still around?
Now there’s a reason why the phone is called “fold” for a reason and unfortunately, the crease is here to stay. This is because of the hinge implementation and if you noticed, the display is relatively fixed and doesn’t have any mechanism to make it move like the early Moto Razr. In fact, even they have moved away from that design to make more practical devices. So, is the crease here to stay? Yes. Will it ever go away? Probably not anytime soon – because if that happens, it would be at the risk of affecting the Ingress Protection of the phone. I hope to see Dust resistance with the next generation of Foldables.
I hear a Sound, Should I be Worried?
There are components of the hinge that work during folding and unfolding the phone and the sound you hear is due to the tolerance and the friction caused by those parts. Therefore, you will get that slight noise or Samsung also calls it the “sensation of Snagging.” This sound can also be produced by the flexible PCBs and the display itself.
So, worry not – it’s not a defect.
What to expect in the future?
Personally, I am looking forward to seeing how Samsung is going to take things a step further with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 – not just with the hinge but with the display and the overalls. For all we know, the phone has peaked and one can only hope for something exciting but knowing how their phones have been in the past, we might get another incremental upgrade. You can read our review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 here.
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