Seemingly as part of today's Unpacked Part 2 and Galaxy Z Fold2 festivities, Samsung has dropped the price of the original 4G LTE Z Flip by , bringing the phone down to a still-expensive $1,299. There's one other perk, though: Samsung is also giving folks a free leather case if they pick one up — another $80 value.

$1,300 is still a lot of money for a phone — that's "ultra" flagship pricing and as much as you'd spend for the latest Galaxy Note20 Ultra, except you're getting last year's specs. That means a Snapdragon 855+, 1080p 60Hz screen, 3,300mAh battery, and an older camera configuration. Samsung is also offering a leather case, another $80 value, for free with your purchase, for a limited time.

Really, there are a lot of reasons on paper to say no to the Z Flip, even at this new price. But it's the cheapest way to get a folding-screen phone right now, and if you can stomach the cost, it's a pretty great phone, even without 5G. Most of the time, it's the phone I put in my pocket when I have a choice.

I love this phone, but the price tag is no joke. 

At $1,300, this isn't exactly a screaming deal, but it is the least expensive way to get an early look at what folding phones have to offer, with a real and tangible discount.

Buy: Samsung