Smartphones & Tablets | February 29, 2024
Foldable phones have ceased to be exclusive territory for Samsung and its Galaxy Z Flip. Little by little, more manufacturers have joined a segment that, despite everything, has not quite caught on with the average user, mainly due to their high prices, although that may be starting to change. This is the foldable phone that brings the price below 300 euros, a foldable with a brand that until recently had some presence.
The foldable in question is the ZTE Libero Flip, a phone that will go on sale in Japan on February 29th with a price of 39,800 yen (244.81 euros at the current exchange rate) if purchased with a reservation until the day of its launch. Those who purchase it after it hits the market will be able to buy it at its official price, which is a little over 385 euros, still a very competitive price among the foldable phones available today. At the moment, it is not known if ZTE will make it available for sale, where it has been losing presence in recent years.
Among the main features of the ZTE Libero Flip foldable phone, its OLED screen of 6.9 inches with a resolution of 2790 x 1188 pixels stands out, which is slightly larger than that of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, which is 6.7 inches. As can be deduced by its price, it is not a high-end phone, and its processor is a Qualcomm Snapdragon from the 7 series.
One of its most characteristic features, however, is on the exterior, as it has a round screen with a diameter of 1.43 inches and a resolution of 466 x 466 pixels. This module is designed to accommodate various phone widgets for more convenient use, although it can also be used as a camera for taking selfies.
The photographic section of the ZTE Libero Flip consists of a main 50-megapixel camera, with a specific two-megapixel depth lens that is somewhat more accessory, and the aforementioned 16-megapixel selfie camera, parameters in line with the entry-level and some examples of the current lower mid-range. The operating system is Android 13 with a configuration of 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage.
The battery of this phone also exceeds the performance of the Galaxy Z Flip5, the current reference in this segment of smartphones, as it reaches 4,310 mAh, while Samsung’s latest clamshell foldable stays at 3,700 mAh. The charging of the ZTE Libero Flip can be up to 33 watts via the USB-C port it features.
Regarding connectivity, the Libero Flip features Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, two wireless connection standards that have been established for years, but still very reliable today, ensuring stability and speed at the same time.
Finally, one of the weaknesses of ZTE’s new foldable phone that also needs to be highlighted is its limited water and dust resistance, as it has an IP42 rating, so light rain could end up damaging it. That, and the fact that it is thicker and heavier than the Galaxy Z Flip5, are the main drawbacks to pay for such a reduced price as the one offered by ZTE in this foldable phone that will generate a lot of talk in 2024.
