The Galaxy Z Flip 5G adds to what was left behind from the original Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, which debuted this past February That phone easily outperformed other folding devices and proved to be a better design than the Galaxy Fold and Motorola Razr However, 5G connectivity was missing from the otherwise impressive spec sheet

If you're lamenting the lack of a 5G version of the Z Flip, worry no more - that's exactly what you'll find in the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, along with several other changes

Here's everything we know about the phone, including its price, availability, features, and whether the Galaxy Z Flip 2 is in the works

Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Flip 5G in July, prior to the August 5 event that unveiled the Galaxy Note 20 and teased the Galaxy Z Fold 2 The Z Flip is currently priced at $1,449, which is about $70 more [AT&T and T-Mobile sell the Galaxy Z Flip 5G It is not sold by Verizon because it does not have an antenna to connect to Verizon's mmWave-based network; Best Buy also sells the Galaxy Z Flip 5G and offers a $50 discount with activation at the time of purchase

Despite the higher price, the 5G version of the Galaxy Z Flip is cheaper than the Motorola Razr, which can only connect to LTE networks The Galaxy Z Flip 5G is also less expensive than the Galaxy Z Fold 2, which also has 5G connectivity and costs $1,999

Although Samsung has not officially said so, it is clear that the handset maker has chosen to call the new device the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, since the specifications are essentially the same as those announced in the spring, as discussed below However, it is possible that Samsung is developing a true sequel to the Galaxy Z Flip

Almost certainly The Galaxy Watch Active 2, for example, came out just six months after its predecessor, but major changes to the Galaxy Z Flip lineup will not be made until next spring at the earliest It is possible that the Galaxy Z Flip 2 will appear with different camera specs and a redesigned design (although the basic flip phone model seems to be working well for Samsung)

We believe Samsung will announce the Galaxy Z Flip 2 at the next Unpacked event for the Galaxy S30 (or Galaxy S21) in February We do not have much evidence as to what features the Galaxy Z Flip 2 might add, other than a possible camera upgrade One patent depicts several possible three-camera arrays for the Galaxy Z Flip 2, possibly adding a telephoto lens to the existing standard and ultra-wide angle lenses

Our hope is that a slightly larger outer display on the Galaxy Z Flip 2 would improve the user experience and further reduce the frequency of opening the main display It would also help with battery life, another feature we would like to see Samsung work on in a follow-up to the Galaxy Z Flip

In the current state of 5G in the US, not only do not all networks offer the exact same 5G coverage options, but not all 5G devices offer the same 5G support

Take the Galaxy S20 The initially announced version only supported 5G in the sub-6GHz band, which is the majority of AT&T and T-Mobile's 5G coverage A special version of the Galaxy S20 for Verizon's mmWave-based 5G network just debuted in June These mmWave antennas take up additional space on the phone, but space is not always plentiful in the compact design of the Galaxy Z flip

Given that the biggest benefit of purchasing a 5G device at this stage is to future-proof the device for improved 5G networks, paying big bucks for a phone with limited 5G support does not seem like a great investment And the fact that only AT&T and T-Mobile are offering this phone suggests that we will have to wait for a version that works on Verizon's mmWave-based network

The main change in the Galaxy Z Flip 5G is, as the title says, 5G connectivity But there are other changes that you should know about

5G connectivity comes courtesy of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 Plus, a new processor announced this summer; the Galaxy Z Flip 5G is one of the first phones to feature this new chipset, but Samsung has since introduced the Galaxy Note 20 lineup and the Galaxy Z Fold 2 also added this chipset, and gaming devices like Asus' ROG 3 Phone also use the Snapdragon 865

The Galaxy Z Flip 5G comes in two new colors: Mystic Bronze (first teased in the teaser video above) and Mystic Gray Previous versions of the phone had Mirror Black, Mirror Purple, and Mirror Gold

Other significant changes to the Galaxy Z Flip 5G include improvements to the foldable phone's Flex mode and multitasking capabilities For example, the top half of the Z Flip is used as a viewfinder for camera apps and the bottom half for operations; the Z Flip 5G allows users to reverse which tasks are handled on either side of the split display

As for multitasking, the phone's multi-window tray App Pair can be used to open and access two apps at once This tray has been integrated with the Edge Panel to allow access to more apps

The most surprising thing that hasn't changed in the Galaxy Z Flip 5G is the phone's battery It's the same 3,300 mAh power pack as before, which is interesting because the Galaxy Z Flip was never a long-lasting phone to begin with, even though it outperformed the Motorola Razr in our battery tests Still, the original Z Flip ran out of battery after 8 hours and 16 minutes of continuous web surfing; since 5G connectivity consumes more power, we are interested to see how the Galaxy Z Flip 5G's lifespan will fare

RAM and internal storage remain the same: 8GB and 256GB You also get the same dual 12MP cameras and 10MP selfie cam on the outside of the phone when the Galaxy Z Flip is unfolded

The 5G model weighs the same 65 ounces as before and unfolds into a 66 x 29 x 028-inch device When folded, it is more compact at 34 x 29 x 061-068 inches

Our opinion may change once we test the Galaxy Z Fold 2, but the Galaxy Z Flip goes beyond just the gee-whiz factor with its solid construction, modern smartphone specs, and foldable phone form factor Thanks to some clever uses of the screen, it was the best foldable phone we have seen to date It is also the least expensive true foldable phone on the market today, which is by no means a low hurdle, but certainly an advantage

The Z Flip 5G is more expensive, but not enough to make folding devices even more unaffordable The big question for many users will be how much they crave 5G connectivity on a foldable device If the answer is yes, the Galaxy Z Flip 5G should satisfy that demand-at least if it uses AT&T or T-Mobile wireless communications