Nubia Flip 5G Review: The Flip Side on a Budget

Fashionable flip telephones have by no means appealed to me for one easy motive: the value. I by no means noticed the purpose of spending flagship cash on a foldable that usually has digicam downgrades in comparison with equally priced basic slab handsets.  

In the end, there’s a flip telephone on sale for a mid-range worth. Certain, it doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles like the newest Galaxy Z Flip telephone. However in the event you’re merely after that folding know-how however have been held again by these eye-watering prices, the Nubia Flip 5G could be sufficient to transform you to the flip facet.  

Design & Construct 

• Three colors
• 209g
• No waterproofing

For those who’re an enormous fan of 2000’s tech, the Nubia Flip 5G will probably be proper up your road. It folds in half, that means it’s smaller to carry and put in your pocket. It’s a godsend for girls’s denims, the place sometimes telephones find yourself protruding of the highest, making them fodder for thieves.

This telephone makes use of waterdrop hinges and seems virtually gapless – I can slip my fingernail in, however in any other case, it closes with no hitch. It measures 7mm thick when closed shut, which is certainly not the slimmest foldable available on the market. Nevertheless, the retro-inspired design works with its barely chunkier nature. It’s additionally on the heavier facet at 209g, although nonetheless lighter than many non-folding telephones.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

I examined out the Sunshine Gold color. It is a shimmering impartial end, which is ideal in the event you’re a fan of a clear aesthetic. Nubia additionally gives the telephone in Cosmic Black and Flowing Lilac, which additionally have that contact of sparkle.  

It’s created from Starlight AG etched glass with an aluminium body. Regardless of the fabric, it’s not tremendous slippery and fairly strong. I had a number of (unintended) drops and the Flip survived with no scratch.

The amount rocker and energy button sit on the right-hand facet of the Nubia Flip 5G, with the USB-C port on the underside. There’s additionally help for dual-SIM included.  

The outer show is impressed by a vinyl file, and positively stands out from competitor telephones, giving this handset a particular design. The one notable Nubia branding is on the oblong hinge on the rear of the telephone.  

Haptics are fairly weak and flimsy, with no possibility to alter the energy of them: they’re both on or off. Biometrics are a deal with, as face recognition works each with and with out glasses, and fingerprint recognition (by way of the sensor constructed into the purple energy button) has all the time been profitable.

Watch out about utilizing the Nubia Flip 5G round water, although, as there’s no IP score for water and dirt resistance. It’ll in all probability survive being caught within the rain or a visit to the seashore, however you may’t make certain of that.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

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Screens & Audio system 

• 6.9-inch AMOLED predominant show
• 1.43-inch OLED outer show
• Stereo audio system

There are two shows to mess around with on the Nubia Flip 5G. Let’s take care of the primary, interior one first.  

When unfolded, the Flip 5G sports activities a 6.9-inch AMOLED display with a decision of 1188 x 2790 and 95.4% screen-to-body ratio. This has as much as a 120Hz refresh charge, however you too can go for 60Hz, 90Hz and Auto, which switches between these figures. Nevertheless, there’s no LTPO tech to permit it to drop beneath 60Hz and save battery life when not wanted.

The show is created from plastic, and you’ll really feel a distinction between this and a glass display. Swipes aren’t as easy, and faucets really feel spongier. Alas, that’s one of many pitfalls of a folding gadget. On its web site, Nubia claims that it’s going to final over 200,000 folds, although.

Indoors, the display is sweet for movies and watching Netflix. Nevertheless, it doesn’t maintain up beneath vivid daylight. I received lots of glare, and even the utmost brightness wasn’t fairly sufficient to have the ability to view my messages with out squinting. Granted, I did transfer to it from the telephone with the brightest show available on the market – nevertheless it’s value noting. 

We additionally want to speak concerning the crease. Sure, it’s there and it’s noticeable. You’ll be able to really feel the ridge in the course of the display, and whether or not you’ll see it or not is determined by the angle. For instance, from this photograph beneath you’d barely even be capable to inform it is a folding telephone.  

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

The outer show is a 1.43-inch OLED, with a thick bezel and a decision of 466 x 466. The round form is a departure from what we’ve seen from different flip rivals, and while it doesn’t maximise on house it doesn’t essentially must, because it has restricted capabilities, which I’ll discuss extra within the software program part beneath.

The Nubia Flip 5G contains stereo audio system with help for DTS: X encompass sound. The audio is surprisingly punchy and clear. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t depend on it for any ground-breaking cinematic sound.

Specs & Efficiency 

• Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor
• As much as 12GB RAM
• As much as 256GB value of storage

The Nubia Flip 5G runs on a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor, the identical chip seen within the Motorola Razr 40 and the Honor 90. That is paired with both 8- or 12B RAM and 128- or 256GB value of storage.  

It is a mid-tier Qualcomm chip, and efficiency is about according to what you’d count on from a telephone of this worth. It’s nippy sufficient for day by day duties and switching between apps, however not the handset for demanding video games and heavy-duty apps. It’s additionally a bit sleepy when first booting up.  

That is all mirrored in our benchmarking scores, with the Nubia Flip reaching related scores to the rivals talked about above.

Nubia Flip 5G benchmarks

As you may see, it’s eclipsed by the Galaxy Z Flip 5, however that’s one of many trade-offs when choosing a less expensive handset.  

The Nubia Flip 5G has all of the connectivity choices you want, with help for Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6E, NFC and 5G (if the identify didn’t clue you in already). 

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Digicam & Video 

• 50Mp predominant digicam
• 2Mp depth digicam
• 16Mp selfie digicam

Cameras on the Nubia Flip 5G aren’t fairly as robust as different mid-range rivals at this worth, however compromises have been all the time doubtless at this worth.

The primary digicam is a 50Mp snapper, which additionally comes with an accompanying (and barely disappointing) 2Mp depth sensor. You get the choice to shoot in both 26mm or 50mm focal lengths, and you’ll digitally zoom as much as x10. However there’s no telephoto lens, so no optical zoom.

See a comparability of the 2 totally different focal lengths beneath:

Photographs taken in vivid daylight carry out the very best. Textures have some pop, and shadows are precisely recreated. Nevertheless, like different cheaper telephone cameras, this gadget tends to blow out some tones, particularly vivid colors. Hotter tones even have a little bit of a yellow tinge to them.

One of many key advantages of utilizing a flip telephone is you could primarily use the extra highly effective rear digicam with a selfie window, so you may see what you’re doing. You’ll be able to see the way it captures the effective fur on the kitten on this snap: 

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Nevertheless, this entrance display is sort of delicate to oblique swipes. For instance, I had the telephone in my pocket and didn’t contact it for about 20 minutes. I then seen that the telephone felt radioactive sizzling, and after I took the handset out I noticed {that a} video had began recording – most certainly the telephone jostled towards my leg and someway activated the digicam.

With no OIS (optical picture stabilisation), the Nubia Flip 5G isn’t robust sufficient to seize shifting topics simply, and its efficiency is diminished indoors. Evening mode does carry particulars, however effective traces can seem tender and blurred.

Portrait mode has a robust bokeh impact by default, however this may be adjusted accordingly. There’s no wide-angle digicam onboard as you’ll discover on the Razr 40, neither is there a devoted macro mode (although I’m not as valuable concerning the latter). 

The 16Mp inside digicam captures a very good stage of pores and skin element, however the portrait impact is fairly darn poor. I took a number of photographs, and each single one ended up blurring a few of my hair. For those who’re utilizing this digicam, I’d persist with the usual mode.

I’m additionally (but once more) begging telephone corporations to cease placing the dystopian ‘magnificence’ filter on cameras robotically. This blurred out my freckles and made me appear like I used to be carrying extra make-up than I used to be. It perpetuates the concept filters are wanted to look engaging, and it completely shouldn’t be on the digicam as normal.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

For video, the Nubia Flip 5G can file in 1080p at each 30fps and 60fps. You may as well go for 720p or 4K, however these codecs solely file at 30fps. There’s additionally a characteristic built-in to stabilise towards shakes, although this does go away a little bit of a bizarre and compelled end.

Battery life & Charging 

• Day and a half battery life
• 33W charging
• No wi-fi charging

The Nubia Flip 5G boasts a 4310mAh battery, which is larger than the cell within the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.  

In typical utilization, I’d say this will get me round a day and a half value of utilization. That features taking calls, snapping photographs, listening to Spotify, watching movies and having the always-on show turned on. Contemplating this gadget is powering two shows, I used to be fairly impressed.  

Charging isn’t groundbreaking, with solely help as much as 33W. The required charger is included within the field, and received the telephone to 76% from flat in half-hour. No wi-fi charging help is obtainable.  

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

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Software program & Options 

• MyOS 13
• Some apps adapt when display is flexed
• Unconfirmed variety of OS and safety updates

The Nubia Flip 5G runs on MyOS 13, Nubia’s pores and skin that’s primarily based on Android 13 fairly than the newest Android 14. It’s disappointing that there’s nonetheless no signal of an replace to the newest model of Google’s working system.

However surely, essentially the most annoying factor concerning the Nubia Flip 5G is the extreme bloatware. Some apps, like Reserving.com, may be uninstalled – however not all. I’ve a complete folder of ‘sizzling video games’, which I can’t say earns its title as a result of I’ve not heard of a single one.  

In any other case, navigation is near what you would possibly discover on telephones from Honor and Oppo. There are all of your normal Google apps, plus help for all the massive social media websites comparable to WhatsApp, TikTok, and Instagram by way of the Google Play Retailer.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

The outer show has restricted capabilities that you should use it for. This contains the digicam, a timer, voice recorder, restricted Spotify playback, climate, step depend and calendar. There’s additionally the choice to have a digital animated ‘pet’, which can attraction to youthful customers.  

You may as well rapidly learn missed notifications and messages, and even take calls with the show closed. The telephone will immediate you to open while you attempt to do one thing that requires the primary show.

Some video apps comparable to YouTube and Messenger robotically alter the format when the telephone is folded, providing you with another angle for watching movies, similar to Samsung’s ‘Flex Mode’. Sadly there isn’t the identical help for Netflix and Disney+ on the time of writing.

The folded mode may also be used to take hands-free photographs utilizing the timer, which is a pleasant contact.

The key query round this telephone is the dearth of assured software program and safety updates. A spokesperson for Nubia informed me that the workforce is wanting into this, however on the time of writing, we don’t know what number of Android upgrades it can get. That will probably be a dealbreaker for many individuals.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Value & Availability 

For those who’ve been looking for a flip telephone that gained’t break the financial institution, that is it. The Nubia Flip 5G begins from £499/$499 for the 8GB model. You may as well go for the 12GB model for £699/$699.

The telephone is offered to pre-order now within the UK and is on sale within the US.

No networks are promoting the telephone on contract, so that you’ll have to purchase it outright and pair with a SIM-only deal.

That worth is £300/$200 lower than the previous most cost-effective foldable, the Motorola Razr 40 , when it first launched. That stated, this telephone has some huge reductions on the time of writing. It’s additionally a whopping £550/$500 cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, which comes with a smaller battery.  

Take a look at our charts of the very best folding telephones and the very best mid-range telephones for extra choices.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Must you purchase the Nubia Flip 5G? 

Promoting a folding telephone for £499/£499 is a big milestone for Nubia. This worth of the Flip 5G is a lot extra accessible than many different rivals, and it’s not only a copycat of different clamshell builds, with its signature round outer show and daring colourways.  

As with all mid-range telephones, be ready to make sacrifices – the digicam is a blended bag, and the software program is just not as clear as what you’ll discover on Samsung and Motorola fashions. It’s additionally unclear how lengthy will probably be supported for.

Nonetheless, if folding tech on a price range is what you’re after, then that is the smartphone for you.  

Specs 

• Android 13
• 1.43-inch, OLED cowl show 
• 6.9-inch, 120Hz LTPO AMOLED, Full HD+ predominant show 
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 
• 8- and 12GB RAM 
• 256- and 512GB storage 
• Cameras:
  • 50Mp predominant digicam 
  • 2Mp depth digicam
  • 16Mp selfie digicam 
• 4310mAh
• 33W wired charging 
• Stereo audio system
• Facet fingerprint scanner (energy button) 
• 5G 
• Bluetooth 5.3
• Wi-Fi 6E
• GPS
• USB-C
• 170 x 75.5 x 7mm (open) 
• 209g 
• Launch colors: Sunshine Gold, Cosmic Black, Flowing Lilac