We try every aspect of a new phone from the battery and processor to the cameras.
We try every phone with real-world scenes dedicated to features, design, performance, camera, battery life and overall value. We document our findings in a preliminary review of the update -update when there are new software updates or to compare against new phones from phones from competitors such as Apple, Samsung, Google and OnePlus.
Photography
The photo is a key focus for most phones these days, so we take photos and videos of different topics in different settings and lighting scenarios. We are trying any new camera modes such as 4K 120fps slow motion mode dedicated to the iPhone 16 Pro or the Add Me Photo tool launched with the Google Pixel 9 series.
Battery life
The battery test is carried out in different ways. We check how long a phone takes on a typical day of use, and remember how it is performed during the more focused session of video calls, media streaming and playing. We are also conducting a video -playback test, which is not always included in the preliminary review and added later to an update.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 mainly has the same camera hardware as Z Flip 4. But the new chip brings some Image processing improvements.
Performance
We use benchmarking apps to measure performance, next to our own anecdotal experiences using the phone for our review. On the particular note is how graphics and animations look. Are they smooth? Or are they caught or stuck? We also look at how fast the phone is moving between the horizontal and vertical orientation and how fast the camera app opens and is ready to take a picture.
We perform tasks that are heavy processor such as editing photos, exporting videos and playing games. We check if a newer version of a particular phone includes enough features to make it worth upgrading from older models.
Read More: How are we trying the phones
