Galaxy Z Flip 5G pre-orders open, but you may want to hold off

Samsung today opened pre-orders for a new version of its foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Z Flip. This new model doesn't change a whole lot from the original, but it is outfitted with 5G capabilities. So, if you live in a place where your carrier is already offering 5G (or will be soon at any rate), this could be worth considering assuming you can handle the phone's steep price tag.

The expensive price tag isn't the only thing working against the Galaxy Z Flip 5G at the moment, either. We're now less than one week out from Samsung's next Unpacked event, in which the company is expected to announce a number of new phones. Chief among those phones is the Galaxy Note 20, which will serve as the company's fall flagship.

Still, the Galaxy Note and the Z Flip are two very different phones, and if you're looking for a foldable device and not a more traditional smartphone like the Note, this is probably a safe buy, right? Well hold on, because while the next Galaxy Note will undoubtedly be the star of Samsung's show, it probably won't be the only phone on display. We're also expecting Samsung to announce the Galaxy Z Fold 2, another foldable smartphone and the successor to the original Galaxy Fold.

So, even if you're in the market for only a folding smartphone and no other form factor, you should still probably hold off on the Z Flip 5G pre-order for at least a week so you can see what Samsung announces at Unpacked on August 5th.

If you do decide to buy right away, then know that the phone you're getting is almost exactly the same as the original Galaxy Z Flip, only it uses a Snapdragon 865 Plus 5G, which includes the modem needed to tap into 5G networks. The Galaxy Z Flip 5G is available unlocked and in two colors – Mystic Bronze and Mystic Gray – from Samsung's website for a not-insignificant $1,449.99, and seems to be shipping out by the end of next week.