Nubia’s affordable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 rival gets an imminent global launch date
The Nubia Flip 5G could be the first ‘cheap’ foldable phone
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ZTE subsidiary Nubia (aka the name behind some of thebest gaming phones) debuted itsbudget-friendly foldable, the Nubia Flip 5G, atMWC 2024, and now we’ve got a better idea of where (and when) the upcoming phone will launch.
Nubia itself has confirmed that the Flip 5G – which is known in selected regions as the ZTE Libero Flip – will officially launch in Europe on April 9 as part of a global reveal event. Set to kick off at 7am ET / 4am PT / 12pm BST, this event will presumably play host to a pricing and release date announcement, since we’ve already handled the Flip 5G in-person.
At MWC 2024, Nubia teased that the Flip 5G will be available in Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia for the local equivalent of $599, though pricing could vary with different specs in different markets. There’s a good chance that the phone will ship in the US, too, albeit at a later date (and potentially through third-party retailers rather than Nubia itself). An Australian release seems unlikely, though.
The Flip 5G now has adedicated pageon Nubia’s website, and UK shoppers can currently get £20 off by signing up to the company’s mailing list (you’ll also be entered into a free Nubia Flip 5G giveaway for your troubles).
As for what we already know about the device, the Nubia Flip 5G sports a 6.9-inch folding AMOLED display (1188 x 2790) with a 120Hz refresh rate, as well as a versatile external display that can function as a camera, a calendar, a stopwatch, and more.
Under the hood, the Nubia Flip 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s mid-range Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset, and a 4,310mAh battery with 33W fast charging. For comparison, theSamsung Galaxy Z Flip 5boasts an objectively faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, but that phone will set you back an almighty $999.99 / £1,049 / AU$1,649 (its 3,700mAh battery is significantly smaller, too).
On the cameras front, Nubia’s upcoming foldable is equipped with a 50MP wide lens, a 50MP telephoto lens and a 16MP selfie camera. Again, for comparison, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 sports a numerically lesser 12MP wide lens, 12MP ultra-wide lens and 10MP selfie camera, though the superior processing power ofSamsung’s latest flip-style foldable could see it outperform the Nubia for image quality.
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That said, the Nubia Flip 5G boasts an impressive suite of specs for its as-yet-announced $599 price tag; it’s all-but-certain to be half the price of the Galaxy Z Flip 5, but it’s much more than half the phone. As for whether the Nubia Flip 5G will earn a spot on our list of thebest foldable phones, the jury is out, but it could well end up being thebest cheap phoneof its kind. Roll on April 9!
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Axel is TechRadar’s UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site’s Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion.
Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.
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