Most phones need to hit a certain mark in testing before the design ends up in your hands. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 go through the same durability tests, and the company has chronicled them in a sort of tame torture test video.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 are, of course, the fifth generation of Samsung’s experimental-foldable-turned-hit phone. By nature, they would seem to be pretty fragile.
The glass interior screen itself is incredibly thin, which is necessary for it to conform to repetitive bends as it opens and closes. The hinge also has to perform well, holding the phone’s two ends together at all times.
By year number 5, Samsung has built up enough of a reputation for users to trust just how tough these phones are. In Samsung’s latest – and very familiar – video, the company shows off a series of durability tests that the Galaxy Fold 5 and Flip 5’s design goes through prior to getting the stamp of approval.
First off, a chamber of 6 Galaxy Z Flip 5’s is shown with each phone secured to its own vice. The test is meant to gauge the reliance of the foldable’s screen and hinge, as a robotic arm suction cups itself to the outside of the device and rotates 180 degrees. The same setup is shown with the Galaxy Z Fold 5, which each Fold 5 going through several test cycles.
We can safely assume that this test runs for long periods. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 was released with a rating of 200,000 folds before issues may occur. The latest Fold 5 and Flip 5 test video indicates that nothing has changed there, and the foldables are rated to the same 200,000 folds.
The next – and most entertaining – test is the tumble test, which simply sets a Flip5 or Fold 5 in a rotating chamber. The brutal durability test is meant to showcase the device’s ability to withstand bumps and tumbles, which translate into everyday bruises we tend to let our phones endure.
The Fold 5 and Flip 5 come with an IPX8 rating, which means it can withstand being submerged in water for some time. That’s showcased in Samsung’s IPX4 and IPX8 tests, which show the phone submerged slowly and then sprayed rather violently with a rotating array of hoses. Neither test results in a failed result, though Samsung wouldn’t likely let that make the final cut.
Samsung Galaxy Fold 5 and Flip 5 then go through an environmental testing chamber. Details aren’t given about what conditions the chamber is set to in the video, but they can test pressure and altitude parameters to simulate varying conditions.
The drop test is straightforward and showcases the foldable situated on a table that releases them in an instant. The video specifically shows the Fold 5 and Flip 5 hitting their corners on a floor maybe six feet away. The result is little to no damage, which is comforting.
The last two for the Galaxy Fold and Flip are meant to discern general usage durability, with an S Pen drawing test that likely takes the device through long cycles and a steel ball drop test that gives engineers a good idea of what the screen can handle in terms of pressure.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 are set to be pretty nice refinements of the previous generation, with the Flip 5 sporting a much bigger external screen. The pre-order phase is currently open with boosted trade-ins. The Z Fold 5 will set you back about $1,799 with a free storage upgrade, and the Flip 5 goes for $999.
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