We test each phone in real world scenarios, focusing on its features, design, performance, cameras, battery life and overall value. We document our results in an initial examination which is periodically updated when there are new software updates, or to compare it with new phones of competitors such as Apple, Samsung, Google and OnePlus.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 has largely the same camera material as the Z Flip 4. But the new chip provides image processing improvements.
Photography
Photography is a major objective for most phones these days, so we take photos and videos of various subjects in a variety of parameters and lighting scenarios. We are trying all the new camera modes, such as the newspaper video that made its debut with the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, or the Photo Editor Magic Editor which was launched with the Google Pixel 8 series.
Battery life
The battery test is carried out in various ways. We assess how long a phone lasts for a typical day of use and note how it works during more targeted sessions of video calls, media streaming and games. We also carry out a video reading test, such as a simple and reproducible measure of the lifespan of the pure battery, which is not always included in the initial examination but sometimes added later in an update.
Performance
We use comparative analysis applications to measure the performance of each phone, as well as our own anecdotal experiences using the phone for our examination. The most notable are what graphics and animations look like. Are they smooth? Or are they late or stammering? We also examine the speed with which the telephone changes between the horizontal and vertical orientations, and how fast the apple apps open and is ready to take a photo.
Emergency SOs could be one of the most important features to go out on any phone this year.
We perform heavy processor tasks such as modification of photos, export of videos and games. We evaluate if a more recent version of a particular phone includes enough features for it to be worth upgraded from older models.
Read more: How to test the phones
