Nubia Flip 5G – Review

One of the downsides of modern flip phones has been their price tags. It may not have all the bells and whistles associated with a foldable, but the Nubia Flip 5G is for anyone who wants to access foldable technology without the eye-watering costs. The foldable devices in the market come with the same price as that of a flagship device, which can be quite a turn off. Therefore, it is good to see a flip phone that actually has a mid-range price.

Design and Build

The Nubia Flip 5G is a great device for anyone who likes 2000’s tech. You can fold the phone in half, which means it is easy to put in your pocket. It has waterdrop hinges and seems almost gapless. When closed, the phone is about 7mm thick, which means it is certainly not the slimmest foldable in the market. But, its chunkier nature goes along with the retro-inspired design. It also weighs 209g, which makes it heavier than other foldables, but lighter than many non-folding phones.

The phone is available in three colors, which are Sunshine Gold, Flowing Lilac and Cosmic Black. Nubia has opted for an aluminum frame and Starlight AG etched glass. The good news is that it is not a slippery device and proves to be quite robust. The right-hand side is where you will find the power button and volume rocker, while the bottom has the USB-C port. Dual-SIM support is also included.

A vinyl record inspires the outer display and stands out from competitors due to its distinctive design. The rectangular hinge on the back of the phone has the Nubia branding. Haptics tend to be flimsy and you cannot adjust their strength. But, biometrics are impressive, as you can use fingerprint recognition built into the power button, or face recognition.

Screen and Speakers

When you unfold the Nubia Flip 5G, you get a 6.9-inch AMOLED screen that has a 1188 x 2790 resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate. The display is plastic, which means you do not get the same experience as a glass screen. It is good for Netflix and watching videos, but it does have a noticeable crease. While you can feel the ridge, it might not be visible at all times due to the angle.

A 1.43-inch OLED screen makes up the outer display, with a thick bezel and a 466 x 466 resolution. It has a circular shape, which is different from competitors. Stereo speakers are added that support DTS: X surround sound. They deliver clear and punchy audio.

Specs and Performance

A Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor powers the Nubia Flip 5G, which is paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. You can also go for the model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. This Qualcomm chip falls in the mid-tier range and offers decent performance. It is fast enough for everyday tasks and switching between apps, but the handset has not been designed for heavy-duty apps, or demanding games.

As far as connectivity is concerned, the Nubia Flip 5G comes with all the options you could possibly want. It has support for Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC and 5G.

Camera

The cameras of Nubia Flip 5G are not as good as other mid-range competitors, but there have to be compromises given the price tag. A 50Mp snapper serves as the main camera and there is also a 2Mp depth camera. Pictures taken in bright daylight are downright excellent. There is also a 16Mp selfie camera included.