Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 in the test: The foldable future is now ready for everyone
RRP $ 1,000.00
“The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is the first foldable smartphone that most people should buy. It's compact, powerful, and durable, and costs about the same as its competitors. It's also really fun to use. "
advantages
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Really compact
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Water resistance increases durability
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Nice screen
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Innovative, eye-catching design
disadvantage
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One day battery life
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Features are missing from the cover screen
Foldable smartphones have a reputation of fragility, compromise, and cost that many people dismiss as expensive toys for the most avid early adopters. the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 banishes this reputation thanks to a more robust case, a smaller design and above all a lower price.
Samsung considers both the Z Flip 3 and its bigger sister phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 3, to be mainstream devices. But is that really true? Yes it really is.
Living with the foldable Z Flip 3
Take your regular mainstream smartphone, like the Galaxy S21 + or OnePlus 9 Pro, and imagine folding it in half when you're done. This is the Galaxy Z Flip 3. It is not the first phone of its kind, but it is the first to win and deserve mainstream attention due to various improvements over the previous models. It is therefore important to understand the benefits it brings to everyday life and the difference between using it and the Z Fold 3.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
They may both fold up, but Samsung's two new foldable smartphones are very different from each other. The Z Fold 3 is about having a bigger screen in a full-size phone, while the Z Flip 3 is about having a full-size screen in a smaller than ordinary phone. Unlike the Z Fold 3, it is not designed to be used when closed and is based more on portability and comfort than on increased productivity.
Living with the Z Flip 3 isn't really that different from life with any other smartphone with a 6.7-inch screen until you finish it and put it in your pocket. Folding the phone up, somewhat reminiscent of a flip phone from the 1990s or a makeup compact, is satisfying, different, and actually fun. The action is not old. You do it without thinking about it, such as clicking the tip of a pen, and sometimes you just pick up the phone and open it when you don't really need it. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a tactile, friendly, and interactive piece of mobile technology.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
When closed, the 4.2-inch Z Flip 3 is a little more than half as long as it is open, but at 17.1 mm, more than twice as thick. However, at 183 grams it is light. Due to the reduced footprint, it takes up less space in a bag or pocket, but is still noticeable due to the thick housing. When folded, it sits comfortably and naturally in your hand, especially if you have small hands. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is really all about comfort and it makes it possible to live much more comfortably than other large, modern smartphones.
However, I've often left the Z Flip 3 open at home, which feels strangely wrong. Why? You can't do anything useful with the phone when it is closed because the cover screen isn't as useful as it should be. This underscores that the Z Flip 3's folding design is about portability, not ease of use. But not closing the flip is a bit like telling Placido Domingo not to sing.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Many people probably envision the larger Z Fold 3 – a regular phone that turns into a tablet when they think of folding smartphones. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is not like that at all. It's a 6.7-inch smartphone that folds into a less awkward one than other similarly sized, non-foldable models. If you've ever thought that “modern phones are just too big” but never want to miss out on the big screen experience, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is the phone for you.
draft
Samsung highlights the increased durability as one of the main reasons the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is ready for the mainstream audience, and that's right, but another reason is the emphasis on fashion, style, design and fun. The Z Fold 3 introduces tech before design, but the Z Flip 3 turns this on its head with an equally fun folding movement, a choice of colors, eye-catching accessories, and a delicate and stylish minimalist design. It reminds me of electric cars like the Honda E, which carefully blends modern tech with cool retro design elements to create broad appeal.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
My test model is cream with a silver frame and it is one of a total of seven combinations. Each phone is two-tone, with the colored glass panels coordinated with a black glass camera module and a contrasting housing color. There are a number of fun silicone cases available with straps or rings to attach the phone to a bag or lanyard. This depth of personalization really suits the fun nature of the Z Flip 3.
Samsung used a tougher new aluminum called Armor Aluminum for the construction, along with stronger flexible glass over the screen, and gave it an IPX8 rating for water resistance. It makes the Z Flip 3 more durable than previous versions. It feels that way too. There's no flex where it shouldn't be, solid construction, and no obvious gaps around the hinge either. The sleek glass case makes the phone quite slippery and it slides out of loose pockets or over some surfaces. However, the chassis offers enough support so that it does not slip out of your hand.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Magnets keep the phone securely closed, the unfolding movement is gentle and almost noiseless, and it clicks into place when fully opened. The opening and closing of the Z Flip 3 is satisfactory and tactile, and the action feels solid and high quality. Opening the Z Flip 3 initially took more force than expected, but after about a week the hinge loosened. However, it will always be two-handed as the hinge has enough resistance to hold the phone open at any angle.
The Z Flip 3 is cuter than any smartphone can really be, it feels extremely solid and well made, and it's a phone that will make you smile when you see it lying around. It's also been expertly crafted with some wonderful little touches like the domed glass around the camera module, the logo stamped into the hinge that disappears when the phone is opened so it doesn't have branding, and the built-in fingerprint sensor, and the small, sleek power key. With the Galaxy Z Flip 3, fashion meets technology and that's just right.
Screens
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 has two screens. On the front of the closed phone is the cover screen, a small 1.9-inch Super AMOLED panel with 260 x 512 pixels. When open, you will see a 6.7-inch screen with 2640 x 1080 pixels and 120 Hz Dynamic AMOLED with an aspect ratio of 22: 9.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Yes, there is a crease on the open screen, but it is imperceptible when the screen is active and viewing and is barely noticeable when you slide your finger up and down the screen. Having the phone and apps in dark mode helps when you can still see the crease and it bothers you. Dust and lint are more of a nuisance as it seems to collect a lot more than other screens, especially when the phone is closed and in your pocket. Particularly noteworthy is the redesigned screen protector, which has a much more glass-like texture than older versions.
The main screen is bright and detailed, the 120Hz refresh rate is wonderfully smooth and effectively reduces eye strain, and the video performance is up to usual Samsung standards. The vibrant and colorful door music video by Kwon Eun Bi shows the high contrast and bold colors but looks less natural than the iPhone 12 Pro's screen. Compare it to the Galaxy S21 + and there is almost nothing separating them other than a little more glare and reflection from the S21 + glass.
The screen of the Z Flip 3 is excellent when open. Closed, it's not that good. The cover screen is one of two downsides to the phone, and it's all because the software doesn't take full advantage of its capabilities. The title screen is interactive, and you can swipe left to see music controls, weather, voice recorder, and a selection of other customizable widgets. Swipe right and you'll get a vertical list of notifications that show a lot of details when you tap them and have the option to interact with them too.
However, the notifications are not visible like a normal always-on screen. The cover screen clock also doesn't have the option to show icons for notification. So if you miss them when they show up on the screen for a split second, you need to wake up and swipe the screen. Keep the Z Flip 3 open and you will see a normal Samsung Always-On screen with notification icons.
It gets worse because the deck screen isn't very responsive. It requires you to physically press the power button to wake it up, it doesn't always respond when you wake it up and then takes a few swipes too long to respond to a swipe, adding to the time it takes for notifications to appear . You can't activate the camera from the cover screen either, so you'll have to open the phone. It's disappointingly simple, and it also drives me to keep the phone open when I expect to do things on a regular basis.
camera
The Galaxy Z Flip isn't a camera superstar like the Galaxy S21 Ultra, but its capabilities are similar to the Galaxy S21. There are two 12-megapixel cameras on the back, one of which is a wide-angle camera, and both have optical image stabilization (OIS). There is dual-pixel autofocus on the main camera, HDR10 + and video recording with up to 4K resolution at 60 frames per second, but no telephoto camera or 8K video recording. At the top center of the screen is a 10 MP camera for selfies.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
It's a good camera for everyday photos and, if the situation is right, it can get some outstanding shots. There is some evidence of overhaul, however, and the software-controlled portrait mode isn't as good as it should be. On the positive side, I took several insect photos on flowers (don't ask, it's just a coincidence that I took so many) and they turned out really very well, all without much intervention from me, which is exactly what I want . The autofocus system is smart and is exactly what really helped.
On sunny days the colors are too saturated for some, but I like the pop that Samsung has built into the camera and the white balance is good too. In most situations, the balance and dynamic range remain constant when switching between the main and wide-angle cameras. Photos are not as good when the light is poor and it is difficult to show details in shaded areas.
The autofocus system is intelligent and accurate.
Samsung's image processing can sometimes be seen at work. For example, look at the scene with a wire stretched across a pond and you can see tons of edge enhancements around it that really spoil the photo. Portrait mode, front or back, is also not very accurate and gets confused by even the simplest of shapes.
The hinge of the Z Flip 3 supports the screen at every angle between open and closed and serves as a mini tripod for the camera. Angle the hinge in the camera app and the viewfinder slides to the top half of the screen, where you can use Samsung's gesture controls to take a photo without tapping a button or setting the timer with an open hand to the camera. There's a button to switch to the lower half of the screen if that works better, or if you're using the rear camera, the cover screen can also be activated to preview.
However, due to its shape, the preview only provides part of the image so it can only be used as a basic guide. The picture stays in portrait orientation unless you turn the phone over to the side that is less stable and the cover screen shows even less. It's most useful when paired with Google Duo as the video call display automatically switches to the top half of the screen so you don't have to prop the phone against anything else. However, it doesn't work with other messaging apps like WhatsApp.
Performance, software and battery
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G processor (whether you are in the US or the UK as there is no Exynos powered model this time around) with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. Android 11 with One UI 3.1.1 is installed. This makes it identical to the Galaxy S21 range and one of the highest quality smartphones you can buy today.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The performance is excellent, all apps run smoothly, and there are no compatibility or formatting issues that sometimes occur with large-format folding smartphones. The Z Flip 3 is also a great gaming phone, although it can get quite warm. When playing Asphalt 9: Legends, the wide display really comes into its own and the stereo speakers ensure a lot of volume and punch. However, the area on the back around the camera module is where heat is generated. It's never too hot to touch, but it's definitely noticeable.
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is not designed to increase productivity enormously, but it has Samsung's usual multitasking mode which is easy to use. Just slide the sidebar and drag the apps you want to the main screen where they will be stacked vertically and you can use two at the same time. The title screen gets its own Z Flip 3-specific settings menu, where you can choose between different wallpapers and change the widgets that appear when you slide across the screen.
Now we come to the other major disadvantage of the Z Flip 3 – the battery. It's a 3,300 mAh cell and just doesn't have the power to compete with its peers. Even if you stay at home and the phone is connected to Wi-Fi, the battery won't last much longer than a full day, especially if you play a few games or watch videos. Go out into the world with a 4G or 5G connection, use the phone normally, take a few pictures and you may have a hard time getting to the end of the night. I used the phone connected to a Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, but even on the days I didn't, the battery was still around 25% after a normal day.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
If you consider yourself a heavy user, the Z Flip 3's battery will be an issue. The phone supports wired charging at 15 watts and wireless charging at 10 watts, so there is no super-fast OnePlus-like fast charging system to fall back on. After the Z Flip 3 didn't actually have to carry a battery around with it for years or suffered from battery fear on a day, the Z Flip 3 unfortunately brings some of that back and is at odds with its futuristic design.
Price and availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 costs $ 1,000 for the 128GB model and comes in cream, phantom black, green, or lavender colors. However, if you order directly from the Samsung online shop, there are three other exclusive colors: gray, white or pink. In the US, a 256GB Z Flip 3 costs $ 1,050. In the UK, the 128GB Galaxy Z Flip 3 costs £ 949 or £ 999 for the 256GB model.
Our opinion
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is the first foldable smartphone with real mainstream appeal, largely due to a price point that keeps it competitive against other high-end non-foldable models. It has the power you need today, a good camera, and a nice minimalist design with the best party trick in mobile tech to top it off. It hits the spot in terms of durability too, and while it's not dustproof, the water resistance will really help overcome fears that it's too fragile for everyday use.
Durability is then no longer a serious compromise, but a new one has raised its head and that is battery life. Two days of moderate use are really achievable with most smartphones today, and most are equipped with 4,000 mAh plus cells. The battery life of the Z Flip 3 is almost from another time. The cover screen isn't as helpful as it could be either, but Samsung may address this in a future software update.
What are the thoughts on the Galaxy Z Flip 3? Samsung has taken a Galaxy S21 + in a practical way and designed it with a hinge, making it more portable and convenient to carry. If you are looking to buy the S21 + or a similar phone, then you should also pay attention to the Z Flip 3. To recommend a folding smartphone in this way consolidates the place of the Z Flip 3 in the mainstream.
Is there a better alternative?
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 stands on its own if you're specifically looking for a phone that folds in half to shrink. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 does something similar, but fulfills a different need. If you want a phone that is bigger than a "normal" phone when you open it, you should look in its direction.
His competition comes from the usual suspects. For $ 1,000, check out the OnePlus 9 Pro, the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, or with the right deal, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. All of them offer not only exceptional performance and beautiful screens, but also better and more versatile cameras and much longer battery life. But they don't fold away when you're done with them.
How long it will take?
The Armor Aluminum increases durability by 20% over other aluminum, according to Samsung, and the IPX8 rating means the phone was tested at a depth of 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. The X means the phone is not dustproof, and since the water resistance is freshwater, not seawater, the phone may not be able to enjoy the beach very much. Time will tell how the screen and flexible glass will react to prolonged use, but Samsung has used a new material for the screen protector that is more resistant to fingerprints and scratches.
The foldable design of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 makes it as modern as phones can get.
Samsung is offering a free year of Samsung Care + with the Z Flip 3, which kicks in after the main one-year warranty and covers accidental damage from drops and offers a cracked screen repair for $ 249. After the first year, it costs $ 13 per month and can be canceled at any time. In terms of technology and software, it is now state-of-the-art, and Samsung delivers three years of Android software updates and four years of security updates.
The foldable design of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 makes it as modern as phones can get, and with the durability improvement and extended warranty, plus 5G and an eSIM option alongside the standard SIM, the phone will easily serve you for three years or more.
Should you buy it?
Yes sir. It's the foldable smartphone that ordinary people can feel safe and confident about buying because they know that not only are they not compromising by opting not to buy a non-foldable phone, but they are embracing the future of phone design today.
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