The first flip foldable from Nubia is remarkably affordable, making it more available to more potential buyers. However, you’ll find that the Nubia Flip 5G has fewer important features than comparable Samsung and Motorola models. Nevertheless, the Flip 5G continues to be a great low-cost flip phone option.
The Nubia Flip 5G marks the introduction of a new class of phones, one that may well be the finest affordable phone of the year in addition to being one of the best foldable phones. However, you have to wonder if users, or even the available tech, are prepared for this merging of two categories.
Undoubtedly, this is a compelling offer. Nubia will offer you a foldable phone that is about half the price of a Google Pixel 7a and is comparable in numerous aspects to the Galaxy Z Flip 5, Motorola Razr 2023, and Motorola Razr Plus. However, several essential luxury features like an ultrawide camera, a flagship-caliber chipset, and a lengthy promised slate of updates are sacrificed in order to save money on the Nubia Flip 5G.
For those who looking for the best flip phone experience, you should definitely acquire one of the aforementioned models, or hold off till you have a Galaxy Z Flip 6 or Razr Plus 2024. If, however, that isn’t within your means, the Flip 5G is available to you, providing an experience that is currently unmatched by any other phone in its price range.
Nubia Flip 5G review: Price and Availability
Global sales of the Nubia Flip 5G begin on April 23, although pre-orders for the device won’t open for UK consumers until April 29. However, the pricing of this phone is what makes it interesting.
The Nubia Flip 5G’s starting pricing of $500/£500 is comparable to that of the Pixel 7a, Galaxy A55, or OnePlus 12R. More significantly, you’ll save $200/£300 compared to the Moto Razr 2023, which is the next least expensive foldable. Although the Flip 5G comes in a $700/£700 version with extra memory as well, this phone’s cost is mostly what makes it appealing.
Nubia Flip 5G review: Design and display
Even though the Nubia Flip 5G is far less expensive than other foldables, it feels every bit as amazing when you first take it up. The matte finishes on the metal frame and glass back panels make the phone more comfortable to handle and prevent smudges even after hours of use.
Although the bright yellow color of our review unit is appealing, the renders we’ve seen also show off the Nubia Flip 5G in lilac and black.
A circular bump with a metal border on top of the phone houses the two primary cameras and an external display that is roughly the size of a smartwatch screen, measuring 1.43 inches in diameter. This bump dominates the design. As we shall see later, it is less symmetrical and smaller than what is seen on the Motorola Razr Plus or the Galaxy Z Flip 5, but it is just as versatile.
In contrast to the incredibly smooth articulation of the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s display, the Flip 5G’s hinge has a less sophisticated movement that feels almost gritty to use, shattering the impression of luxury. Thankfully, Nubia has done an as fine job as Samsung internally at minimizing display creases. The wrinkle won’t go away if you swipe your finger across the screen, but I never felt as though it got in the way of my use of the Nubia Flip 5G.
The 6.9-inch FHD OLED panel used in the Nubia Flip 5G’s main screen has an adaptive refresh rate of 120Hz (but, for some reason, the screen’s display rate is set to 60Hz by default). Additionally, 2160Hz PWM dimming is available for this screen to lessen eye strain. While this functionality is rare on mainstream Android phones in some regions of the world, it is becoming more and more frequent on Chinese devices.
The Flip 5G’s display measures about 7 inches in diameter, making it bigger than the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and identical in size to the Motorola Razr and Razr Plus 2023. Comparing the 3.4- and 3.6-inch outside screens of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Razr Plus to the Nubia’s cover display, it is noticeably smaller. It is also smaller than the 1.5-inch outer strip of the Razr 2023.
Nubia Flip 5G review: Specs
| Starting price | $499/£499 |
| Outer display | 6.9-inch FHD OLED (2790 x 1188) |
| Inner display | 1.43-inch diameter OLED (466 x 466) |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz inner, 120Hz outer |
| Outer cameras | 50MP main, 2MP depth |
| Inner camera | 16MP selfie |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 |
| RAM | 8GB/12GB |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB |
| Battery | 4,310 mAh |
| Charging | 33W wired |
| Software | Android 13 with MyOS13 |
| Open size | 6.69 x 2.97 x 0.28 inches (170.0 x 75.5 x 7.0mm) |
| Closed size | 3.45 x 2.97 x 0.59 inches (87.6 x 75.5 x 15.0mm) |
| Weight | 7.35 ounces / 208 grams |
| Colors | Sunshine Golden, Cosmic Black, Flowering Lilac |
Nubia Flip 5G review: Performance
| Nubia Flip 5G | Galaxy Z Flip 5 | Motorola Razr 2023 | Motorola Razr Plus 2023 | |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 |
| Geekbench 6 (single-core/multicore score) | 1,074 / 3,074 | 1857 / 5,115 | 1,053 / 3,053 | 1,817 / 4,635 |
| 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited (score / average fps) | 833 / 4.99 | 3,010 / 18.03 | 826 / 4.95 | 2,763 / 16.57 |
| Adobe Premiere Rush time to transcode (mins:secs) | 1:44 | 0:42 | 1:47 | 0:44 |
The Flip 5G is powered by a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip, which Nubia selected. Though it is a lower-grade chip than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 found inside the Galaxy Z Flip 5, it is the same chip seen in the Motorola Razr 2023. It lags behind the Razr Plus’s Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 as well.
It should come as no surprise that the Nubia scores similarly to the Razr 2023 but lower than the two more potent foldables. Even while the difference between the Nubia and these other foldables is difficult to overlook in the CPU and GPU tests, you also need to take into account how much less expensive the Nubia is overall—the chipset is one of the most expensive parts and a clear area where Nubia can save expenses.
Similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Moto Razr Plus, Nubia ships the Flip 5G with 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage by default. For an additional $200, you can also purchase a variant with 128GB of storage and 12GB of RAM.
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Nubia Flip 5G review: Camera
A 16MP internal camera for selfies is included in the Flip 5G’s restricted camera loadout, along with an external 2MP depth camera and a 50MP primary camera.
The 16MP internal camera is the one you’ll probably utilize the most when taking selfies. The Nubia Flip 5G’s picture appears flat and lifeless, possibly because we’re using a Samsung phone—which is renowned for its highly saturated images—as a point of comparison.
Compared to its competitors from Samsung and Motorola, who also have ultrawide cameras, that is a smaller range of sensors. Despite the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens, the Nubia’s 50MP sensor does allow for a 2x lossless digital zoom for some additional versatility.
Nubia Flip 5G review: Battery and Charging
The Nubia Flip 5G has a larger battery capacity than any of its competitors, including the Galaxy Z Flip, which has a much smaller 3,700 mAh battery.
However, it doesn’t appear that the Nubia foldable makes the most of the additional room. After watching a YouTube video for three hours, the battery life dropped by 32%. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 drained by 25% on the same test, a significant enough difference to imply that Samsung is making better use of its battery and benefits from having a smaller display. (The Z Flip 5’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is likewise well-known for its excellent power management.)
Featuring 33W charging and a suitable charger included in the package, the Nubia Flip 5G appears to be a more compelling option than its competitors. Thankfully, in this instance, the performance and the numbers line up. After fifteen minutes, the Nubia Flip 5G was charged to 40%, thirty minutes to 73%, and forty-seven minutes to 100%. With a 25W charger, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 can reach 52% battery life in 30 minutes, while the Razr Plus can reach 66% with a 30W system.
The Z Flip and both Razrs have wireless charging functionality, which is sadly absent from the Nubia Flip 5G. Given the price of the Nubia Flip 5G, you might be able to overlook its absence, but it’s still a useful feature.
Nubia Flip 5G review: Special feature and Software
It’s strange to see the parent firm ZTE’s MyOS 13 running Android 13 on the Nubia Flip 5G. The only reason this software is comparable to what its rivals offer out of the box is that they were just introduced a year ago. If the Nubia Flip doesn’t receive an Android 14 upgrade soon, it will undoubtedly be out of date when the newest Samsung and Motorola foldables hit the market later this year.
With the Flip 5G, Nubia hasn’t gone all in on foldable features, but there’s enough to set it apart from other Android phones. When the phone is partially open, you can split the screen between two apps or launch some in a different layout. This is especially helpful for the camera app, as it provides the crucial front screen preview feature, which allows your subjects to see how they seem before you press the shutter.
You can still see your notifications on the cover screen of the Nubia Flip 5G when it is locked and closed. You can also swipe between many app widgets and shortcuts. However, there isn’t a keyboard shortcut for rapidly responding to messages or a fast settings access. Like other flip foldables, the Nubia Flip 5G lacks the ability to run third-party apps on the cover screen, which makes it difficult to try to keep the phone covered while attempting to accomplish simple activities.
If nothing else, using the cover screen won’t need you to rotate the phone into a certain orientation. The ability to use the Nubia’s exterior display either way—upside down or upside down—may be its greatest quality-of-life feature, since it makes it simpler to check information regardless of how you take the phone out of your pocket or bag.
We don’t think the Nubia Flip will receive many Android updates in the future. Not even ZTE’s priciest phones are guaranteed to receive regular upgrades, so you may discover that some apps begin to act strangely or even stop working altogether.
If you want to extend the life of your phone, this is definitely something to think about.
CONCLUSION
The aim of being the most affordable foldable you’ve ever seen is accomplished by the Nubia Flip 5G. However, this phone doesn’t offer many other amazing features beyond its pricing.
Though saving money for a Motorola Razr or Razr Plus, or a Galaxy Z Flip 5 would yield a more refined experience, this might be the phone you’ve been eyeing if you’ve been fascinated about foldable phones but are hesitant to spend nearly $1,000 on one. The upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 6 might change things, but if Samsung’s phone costs the same as the Z Flip 5, the Nubia is still a great deal for a foldable phone when you trade performance, photographic prowess, and a few foldable-specific features.
Even though the Pixel 7a and Galaxy A55 aren’t foldable, you might want to think about whether you’d be better off with one of those phones for the price. Nevertheless, I’ve had a terrific time trying the Nubia Flip 5G, which more than makes up for all of its shortcomings and restrictions.
