What you need to know
- Samsung launched its Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Tab S9 family of tablets, and Galaxy Watch 6 today.
- The new Galaxy devices have launch-day offers, such as trade-ins, and many of them come with other perks like Microsoft 365 and YouTube Premium.
- Many Surface Duo owners are looking for a new foldable since Microsoft has seemingly abandoned the Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2.
Samsung unveiled a plethora of devices at its Galaxy Unpacked event earlier this year. The Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Watch 6 family, and Galaxy Tab S9 family all refresh specs across the board and feature refined designs. We’ve seen quite a bit of buzz about the hardware, and some members of our team have even placed preorders. The wait is finally over, as the new Galaxy devices start shipping today.
While Samsung’s phones and tablets run Android, they complement Windows well. A large number of PC users have Android phones, and Samsung and Microsoft have worked to bring those two kinds of devices closer together. Some Phone Link features are exclusive to Samsung hardware and a handful of Microsoft apps come preinstalled on Samsung phones.
Like all Android phones, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 work with Microsoft’s suite of applications. Both the Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 come with four free months of Microsoft 365 Basic. In addition to that Microsoft-centric perk, the phones are bundled with four months of YouTube Premium and two months of Adobe Lightroom.
Galaxy Z Fold 5
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the multitasking machine you need. It’s perfect for work, play, and everything in between.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 builds on four previous generations of Samsung foldables. It features an outer display for regular phone use and a foldable screen that lets you use the device as a tablet. It has an improved hinge over the Z Fold 4 and runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy.
The 7.6-inch AMOLED display is built for multitasking and spanning content across the entire screen, though you’ll get some letterboxing depending on the aspect ratio of videos you watch. S Pen cases for the device are slimmer, as is the pen itself.
Overall improvements to the hinge and processor make the Galaxy Z Fold 5 a good entry point for those new to foldables, though Android Central’s Nicholas Sutrich says it’s arguably not worth upgrading if you already have the Z Fold 4.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 starts at $1,799.99. You can save up to $1,000 with an eligible trade-in.
Galaxy Z Flip 5
The new Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the latest foldable from Samsung, featuring a prominent cover display that lets you get more done without opening the phone. The Z Flip 5 also comes with a new flagship processor, a streamlined hinge design, and improved cameras.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 received a bigger upgrade than its folding sibling. The Z Flip 5 has a Flex Window that’s dramatically larger than its predecessor’s. It also runs on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, which “performs like a champ,” according to Android Central’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 review.
impressive cameras, a sleek design, and water resistance round out an all-around impressive foldable from Samsung. It’s earned high marks from reviewers, many of which focus on the larger Flex Window.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is also a vertical foldable, meaning it flips shut into a tiny rectangle that’s easier to fit into a pocket. You can then open it up to look like a “normal” phone. There are other clamshell flip phones from Motorola, OPPO, Vivo, and other companies, but the Z Flip 5 has the fastest processor in the category.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 starts at $999.99. It also has trade-in offers, but they max out at $600.
Galaxy Tab S9
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Series
With an IP68 rating, 120Hz OLED display, waterproof S Pen with just 2.9ms latency, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip with top-tier performance, and extra battery capacity, the Galaxy Tab S9 is a significant step up compared to the Tab S8.
There are several Galaxy Tab S9 tablets available starting today. The lineup starts at $799.99 for the base-model Galaxy Tab S9, but you can also opt for the Galaxy Tab S9+ or Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. The flagship Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra features a massive 14.6-inch AMOLED 2x display with a refresh rate of 120Hz. It also runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy that ships in Samsung’s flagship phones.
I broke down all of the Galaxy Tab S9 models when Samsung announced them last month, so make sure to check out the full specs before picking one up.
Launch offers for the Galaxy Tab S9 series are different than those of Samsung’s phones. You can get a free Book Cover Keyboard that turns the tablets into a laptop when you purchase a Tab S9 or Tab S9+.
Galaxy Watch 6
The new Galaxy Watch 6 is the latest smartwatch from Samsung, sporting a faster processor, more RAM, and the latest Wear OS 4 software with tons of new features. It also has a bigger screen to enjoy all your apps with and connects seamlessly to your Galaxy smartphone, like the new Z Flip 5.
Lastly, Samsung unveiled a pair of smartwatches in the Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic stood out because it brought back the popular rotating bezels that were removed with the previous generation.
You can get up to $250 off the Galaxy Watch 6 or Galaxy Watch 6 Classic with an eligible trade-in. That’s a considerable discount considering the smartwatches start at $299.99.
