If you intend on getting the very best phones that money could buy, you’re often looking at the stuff around the $1,000 range. Apple’s upcoming flagship isn’t too far away at this point, which is why it’s worth looking at an iPhone 15 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 face-off. These two flagship caliber phones will compete at about the same price, but they’re far more different than you may think.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 launched not too long ago, and in our review, we said it packed the biggest upgrades we’ve seen to date in the series. That’s mainly because of the added utility of its Flex Window outer screen, better camera performance, and its longer battery life — proving to us that it’s one of the best foldable phones around.
Meanwhile, the rumors continue to ramp up as we anticipate Apple to unveil its new iPhone 15 series sometime at a September Apple event. With the iPhone 15 Pro specifically, it’s shaping out to be a powerhouse complete with an updated premium design, USB-C connection, a brand new Action button, upgraded camera sensor, and much more. Consumers may be more inclined to stick with the Phone 15 Pro, especially if the rumor of Apple hiking up the price of the iPhone 15 Pro Max does turn out to be true.
In this iPhone 15 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 battle, we’ll explore how these two phones stack up against each other.
iPhone 15 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: Specs
iPhone 15 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: Price and availability
Rumors have alluded to a September 12/13, 2023 date for when Apple’s expected to hold its annual fall iPhone event. That’s when we’ll probably get our first official look at not only the iPhone 15 Pro, but also the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, and 15 Pro Max. If that’s indeed when Apple will have its event, then we’ll more than likely see the iPhone 15 Pro released the following week on September 22/23.
As for pricing, this is where things get dicey because there have been rumors indicating that Apple would be increasing its price. At the very least, it’s possible that we might see an additional $100 premium to it, which would make its starting price $1,099.
Foldables are no doubt more expensive than the average smartphone, but it’s refreshing to see that Samsung has kept the Galaxy Z Flip 5 at the same $999 price point. Given how it has that cool factor for being a folding phone, its value is further backed by its excellent performance and utility. It was initially introduced on July 26, 2023, then subsequently released on August 11, 2023.
iPhone 15 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: Design and display
These two couldn’t be any different from one another. One of the biggest things you’ll have to decide on when considering these two flagships is whether you prefer a traditional slate or a foldable phone. Since there are more moving parts involved with the Galaxy Z Flip 5, its durability over time could be questioned.
Samsung improved the Z Flip 5’s design in many ways to assure us that it’ll hold up for a long time. For starters, it features a brand new gapless hinge design that actually makes the two halves of the phone flush against each other when it’s closed. It feels incredibly sturdy too, with its metal meets glass construction. And yes, it still offers some water resistance protection thanks to its IPX8.
Another aspect about their designs to think about is the utility that flip-style foldables offer. Not only is the Z Flip 5 compact and easier to stow away when it’s closed, but we found its various Flex Modes extremely useful. For example, we love how we can simply place it on a flat surface and watch a video without having to prop it up. Even better, we can take selfies using the better rear cameras — instead of being forced to use the inferior front-facing camera that you’d normally use with a standard slate smartphone.
The iPhone 15 Pro will more or less have a similar design language as before, but Apple’s refining it in a way that it’ll probably feel like the more premium feeling device. That’s because it’s tipped to have a sturdier titanium alloy frame and a return to rounded edges for better ergonomics. Other design changes rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro include a new Action button that could be programmable and switching from Lighting to USB-C.
If last year’s iPhone 14 Pro is any indication, we suspect that the iPhone 15 Pro will continue to offer an IP68 rating, which means it’ll be designed with dust and water resistance. That’s the extra peace of mind you’ll have in the event you accidentally take a dunk into the pool with the iPhone still in your pocket.
One expected change we’re excited for with the iPhone 15 Pro is that it might have smaller bezels. Leaks suggest that Apple’s trimming the bezel down to 1.55mm, which would be a substantial improvement over the 2.1mm bezels on the iPhone 14 Pro right now. That should be welcome if Apple doesn’t change anything else with its expected 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display.
There’s still room for improvement with the OLED panel’s brightness; the iPhone 14 Pro peaked at 1,448 nits. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5’s 6.7-inch FHD+ (2640 x 1080) Dynamic AMOLED 2x display delivered an even more blinding rating of 1,504 nits in our testing.
The best part about the Z Flip 5 is how Samsung improved the outer screen in a big way, by fashioning a 3.4-inch Super AMOLED to it. We’ve found it to be a tremendous boost because it can surprisingly run full apps, along with better framing for capturing selfies and vlogs.
iPhone 15 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: Cameras
By default, we suspect that the iPhone 15 Pro would inherently have an edge in the camera department because it’s rumored to boast a brand new sensor to back its triple camera system. Rumors hint at a new 48-megapixel main camera sensor that’s almost an inch across with a potential “triple-stacked” design, which simply would allow for brighter and more colorful photos. We already know that the iPhone 14 Pro is one of the best camera phones around, so it wouldn’t surprise us if the performance is elevated with the iPhone 15 Pro.
One other reason why the iPhone 15 Pro could be the better camera phone is because it benefits from a telephoto zoom lens. Even though it looks as though it’ll be the same 3x optical zoom lens as before, it would still complement its main and wide angle cameras — which would cover all the range.
In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is stuck with a dual 12-megapixel camera arrangement. It lacks a telephoto camera, but as we’ve pointed out earlier, its foldable design introduces a myriad of ways to capture photos and videos hands-free. We’ve found it especially gratifying with selfies, and even better for low light situations — something that we saw in our Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. Motorola Razr+ comparison.
For those who religiously post Instagram reels or TikTok videos, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 has the tools and utility to lure them in. However, it’ll be interesting to see if the iPhone 15 Pro can spur better results from its new cameras.
When it comes to video, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 records at up to 4K 60FPS. We’ve see how it delivers a wide dynamic range for high-contrast scenes, so that highlights aren’t overblown against the darker shadows. Furthermore, we simply love how Flex Mode transforms it in such a way that it gives us camcorder-style handling.
Video specs for the iPhone 15 Pro are still largely unknown, but we would imagine that it would still peek at 4K 60FPS. That’s unless its new silicon shows us something new.
iPhone 15 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: Performance
The iPhone 15 Pro could be the phone to introduce the world to the 3 nanometer process with its rumored A17 Bionic chip, which would usher in a new era of mobile processors. There are huge opportunities that could be unlocked with this new chip, but it should prove to be a beast in terms of performance. There’s a strong chance that it will widen the gap that the A16 Bionic powered iPhone 14 Pro has over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that powers the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
Don’t get us wrong, Qualcomm’s chip is responsive with all basic tasks, while also proving itself worthy over in the graphics processing department. We barely saw much slowdown or lag while playing intensive actions titles through both displays on the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
But despite its superb performance, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 trailed in nearly all of our synthetic benchmark tests — including rendering video with Adobe Premiere Rush. Given the iterative gains that should accompany Apple’s A17 Bionic chip, we suspect even better results out of the iPhone 15 Pro.
iPhone 15 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: Battery life and charging
Apple doesn’t need to increase the size of the battery of the iPhone 15 Pro, especially if the A17 Bionic is expected to offer better battery efficiency than its predecessor. We’ve already seen how the iPhone 14 Pro outlasted the Galaxy Z Flip 5 in our own battery benchmark test — 10 hours and 13 minutes, versus the Z Flip 5’s time of 9 hours and 53 minutes.
Bearing that in mind, it’s almost certain that the iPhone 15 Pro will beat out Samsung in the battery life department again. However, we’re eager to see if USB-C connectivity will finally give the iPhone the rapid charging it deserves. That’s because the iPhone 14 Pro is currently stuck at a slow 20W wired charging. Swapping to USB-C could finally supercharge it, which would be nice given that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a faster 25W wired charging.
Wireless charging could probably be an even match here since the Galaxy Z Flip 5 tops out at 15W wireless charging — while the iPhone 14 Pro gets the same 15W wireless charging courtesy of MagSafe. We could potentially see it increased for the iPhone 15 Pro.
iPhone 15 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: Outlook
These two couldn’t be any more different from one another. Not only are we presented with the timeless question of iOS versus Android, but they undoubtedly appeal to specific users. Since the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a foldable phone, it does present users with added utility that you won’t get with the iPhone 15 Pro. Add to that, there’s more functionality unlocked by using its external Flex Window cover screen.
Without question, foldable phones like the Z Flip 5 are appealing, but when it comes to raw performance and quality, it’s hard to overlook what the iPhone 15 Pro is expected to offer. We’ve already detailed how its predecessor is superior in certain areas, such as its handy telephoto zoom camera, longer battery life, and outstanding processing performance.
There’s no question that the iPhone 15 Pro will unleash a barrage of features when it’s announced. Seriously, it’s a flagship in every sense of the word, but the last remaining piece of the puzzle would be its price. We’re hoping it stays at the same $999 price point, seeing that it would be a compelling reason to choose it over Samsung’s foldable.
