Is iPhone 15 Pro or Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 better?

iPhone 15 Pro is Apple's new and greatest phone yet and it has quite a few nifty improvements over its predecessor, which introduced Dynamic Island and changed the face of the iPhone.

It's available at the same $999 price point as the Galaxy Z Flip 5, Samsung's fifth-generation flip phone that, in addition to being a head-turner, is also very practical for its own reasons. Compare these two phones and see which one you should buy.

Design and durability

Is iPhone 15 Pro or Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 better? Picture 1

1. iPhone 15 Pro : 146.6 x 70.6 x 8.25 mm; 187 grams; IP68 dust and water resistant
2. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : When unfolded: 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm; When folded: 85.1 x 71.9 x 15.1 mm; 187 grams; IPX8 waterproof

The iPhone 15 Pro is shorter, narrower, and thicker than the Galaxy Z Flip 5, but because the Galaxy Z Flip 5 can fold in half, it is much easier to carry in comparison and can stand on its own at many different angles. The iPhone is rated IP68 for water and dust resistance while its rival has an IPX8 rating, meaning it lacks dust resistance.

 The highlight of the iPhone 15 Pro is the new titanium body that is both lighter and more durable than the stainless steel used on previous iPhone models. The aluminum material on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is not inherently weak, but when placed next to titanium, it cannot compare.

Of course, the iPhone's screen still has Ceramic Shield, while the Flip 5 uses fragile ultra-thin glass protected by a thin layer of plastic on the main screen and Gorilla Glass Victus + on the outer screen (also known as Flex Window). ).

The iPhone 15 Pro (along with the rest of the iPhone 15 line) has finally moved to USB-C after using the Lightning port since the launch of the iPhone 5 in 2012. In case you didn't know, USB-C is good than most Lightning ports are in every respect, so this is certainly a welcome change.

Also, don't forget that the iPhone only has an e-SIM for US buyers; and Flip 5 has a physical SIM card slot.

Screen

Is iPhone 15 Pro or Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 better? Picture 2

 iPhone 15 Pro

1. 6.1-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display
2. ProMotion 120Hz
3. Resolution 1179 x 2556; 461 PPI
4. Maximum brightness 2,000 nits

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

1. Main screen:
   1. 6.7-inch foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X display
   2. Refresh rate 120Hz
   3. Resolution 1080 x 2640; 426 PPI
   4. Maximum brightness 1200 nits
2. External monitor:
   1. 3.4 inch Super AMOLED screen
   2. Refresh rate 60Hz
   3. Resolution 748 x 720

If you want a larger screen, the Flip 5's 6.7-inch main screen will serve you better than the iPhone's 6.1-inch screen. And if you're among those who are actively trying to limit your smartphone use, the Flip's 1.9-inch external display can be a joy to use.

Both devices have LTPO panels and can reduce the refresh rate from 120Hz to 1Hz depending on your usage to save battery. However, the iPhone can get brighter at 2000 nits, which is more useful for outdoor use.

Camera quality

Is iPhone 15 Pro or Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 better? Picture 3

iPhone 15 Pro

1. Main camera 48MP f/1.8
   1. Sensor-shift OIS
   2. 4K video recording at 60FPS; 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (FoV 120 degrees)
   3. Macro photography; 12MP f/2.8 telephoto lens, OIS, 3x optical zoom
2. Front camera:
   1. 12MP f/1.9, PDAF,
   2. Record 4K video at 60 frames per second

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

1. Main camera 12MP f/1.8, OIS, 4K video at 60 fps
2. 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera (FoV 123 degrees)
3. Front camera: 10MP f/2.2, 4K video at 30 frames per second

The iPhone 15 Pro shares the same camera system as its predecessor - it's the $1199 Pro Max model that has a new periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, not the Pro model.

That means all the camera differences we saw when comparing the iPhone 14 Pro and Galaxy Z Flip 5 still apply. The iPhone 15 Pro has a 48MP main sensor so it can take higher resolution photos and also has a 12MP telephoto lens for portrait photos that the Flip 5 lacks.

That said, the Flip 5 is capable of taking higher quality selfies if you fold the phone and use the main camera as a selfie camera. When doing this, the external display will act as your viewfinder.

 You can learn about the camera differences between iPhones and Samsung phones if you're curious about how each handles your images and their unique color profiles.

Processor

Is iPhone 15 Pro or Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 better? Picture 4

1. iPhone 15 Pro : A17 Pro 3nm; 6-core GPU
2. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : 2nd generation Snapdragon 8 for 4nm Galaxy; Adreno 740 GPU

The A17 Pro chip on the iPhone 15 Pro once again sets the standard for smartphone power, so much so that Apple plans to bring console games to the iPhone soon.

While the Galaxy Z Flip 5's Galaxy-specific Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip isn't as fast, it packs more power than most people will need.

Note, however, that the A17 Pro is manufactured using a 3nm process, meaning it will be more power efficient than the 4nm chip on the Flip 5. Combine that with the iPhone's highly optimized software and you're looking at a device that can easily last more than a day.

RAM and memory

1. iPhone 15 Pro : 8GB RAM; Storage capacity 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB
2. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : 8GB RAM; Storage capacity 256GB/512GB

Both devices have 8GB RAM, but since the iPhone has excellent RAM management, the 8GB RAM on the iPhone 15 Pro will be able to keep more apps in memory without closing them. This means you can quickly switch between different applications without waiting for them to reload.

iPhone 15 Pro starts with 128GB of internal memory and gradually increases to 1TB. As for the Flip 5, you only get two storage variants: 256GB and 512GB. You can check how much storage you need if you're not sure.

Battery and charging capabilities

Is iPhone 15 Pro or Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 better? Picture 5

 iPhone 15 Pro: 3650mAh ; 20W wired charging and 15W MagSafe wireless charging; 7.5W with Qi wireless charging

1. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : 3700mAh; 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging, 4.5W reverse wireless charging

Thanks to highly optimized software and the 3nm A17 Pro chip on the iPhone 15 Pro, the small 3650mAh battery should still deliver significantly better battery life than the slightly larger 3700mAh battery on the Galaxy Z Flip 5.

However, if you use the external display on your Flip 5 more often than the main display, this battery life gap will be smaller because the external display uses less power. But if you want your phone to last longer, you should definitely choose the iPhone 15 Pro.

The only saving grace for the Flip 5 in the battery department is that it has reverse wireless charging, which you can use to charge your headphones or smartwatch via your phone.

Kareem Winters

Update 13 October 2023