Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Review

Samsung’s new $ 1,799 Galaxy Z Fold 3 folding phone will launch on Friday. I wasn’t impressed with the first two models, but after testing it for two weeks, I love it. There are still too many compromises for most people (especially the battery life and the thickness of the phone when it’s off) and it’s expensive. But I am increasingly convinced that Samsung is into something.

Samsung folders had a rocky start. The first model was delayed after breaking the units sent to the reviewers. The second version was much better. This year’s Z Fold 3 adds more refinements – it’s more durable, water-resistant (but not yet dust-resistant) and supports a pencil for the first time. It also costs $ 200 less than last year’s model.

Samsung seems to be seriously betting on folding phones to find a market. It will launch two sizes, including this one and the Galaxy Z Flip 3 model, which looks more like a normal phone that folds in half.

As was the case with the large screen Galaxy Note, which was one of the first large screen phones with stylus, it is established in a new market long before Apple. By improving your screens year after year, you can have them ready to sell to other phone manufacturers. As prices continue to fall, Samsung will be ready if consumers decide that this is the next big trend in phones.

Here’s what you need to know about the new Galaxy Z Fold 3.

I like Samsung to experiment with fun designs. Many of the latest advances in phones have been in incremental improvements in network speed, camera quality and displays. But the design of the phone has remained relatively similar since Samsung first introduced large-screen “phablets” with its Note series in 2011. (Now these large screens are standard: the screen of the current iPhone Mini d ‘Apple is actually bigger, at 5.4 inches, than the first Galaxy Note, which measured 5.3 inches.)

I enjoyed being able to sit on the couch at night and take a small tablet out of my pocket, instead of looking for my iPad and waiting for it to take over. The software is also improving a lot. Google Chrome, for example, lets you touch tabs like you would on a traditional tablet or computer.

You can force apps like Instagram to resize and use full screen, something you weren’t able to do last year. And I liked that I could run multiple applications side by side or in multiple windows. It’s convenient to chat with friends in one app, have Twitter open by your side, and watch a movie floating above all else.

Samsung also improved the durability of the phone. With new changes to the screen and protector at the top, the durability of the combined screen is now 80% greater than before. There is still some bending when you press the screen, but it is much better than the first version, which seemed too weak. Samsung also made the phone IPX8 waterproof, which means you won’t have to worry about rain damage, but you’ll still need to avoid taking it anywhere you can. enter dirt or dust on the hinge and behind the screen. So far I have had no problems.

I also like that you can start doing something on the front screen and then keep doing it on the bigger inner screen. So if you search for a cafe on Google Maps on the outside screen, for example, and then open it, you’ll see a huge Google Map waiting for you. It works well for movies, if you want to start one with your phone open on your desktop and then keep watching it on the bigger inner screen.

This is Samsung’s first folding phone with compatibility with its S Pen. The company did not introduce a new Galaxy Note phone this year, but chose to add support for its stylus to the Galaxy Z Fold 3. But, you have to buy a special version of the $ 49.99 S Pen with a tip to retract do not press too hard on the screen. Plus, there’s nowhere to store the pen, so you just have to put it in your pocket or buy a $ 79.99 case with pen storage.

It works well, despite the fold in the middle. I wish it worked as S S did before, with the option to control the media or the camera shutter with the S Pen button. Instead, it’s best to simply navigate the screen, draw, or write notes. I found it very useful to sign the occasional document.

Ultimately, I really like that this phone is so different from anything else out there, and that (yet) I haven’t had to worry so much about it getting damaged. It’s just fun. But it’s definitely not for everyone and there are still a lot of price commitments.

The Galaxy Fold 3 has two major drawbacks: the thickness and the battery life.

It’s still fat, even folded closed. Still, the outside screen still looked a bit small when I tried to send emails. I made more typos. So I came across the bigger screen most of the time.

Unfortunately, it takes a lot of power to keep the 7.6-inch screen running. I found I almost had four to four and a half hours of screen time with a charge, which isn’t too much. I fully charged it, then browsed Airbnb to find a place to be on vacation, and two hours later the battery was at 50%. It will last much longer if you don’t use this big screen, but that’s almost the whole point of the phone. It charges pretty quickly, but you’ll want to keep a battery or at least a charger in your bag.

Plus, yes, there’s still a fold in the middle of the screen. It’s annoying for a couple of days, but it starts to mix and it’s hard to see when you look directly at the phone with the brightness on. I think Samsung needs to get rid of wrinkle before it becomes mainstream. Most people accustomed to traditional phones will probably be discouraged.

The cameras are fine and you have many options, such as a wide angle, zoom and an ultra wide angle lens to fit more people in one plane. But they are older cameras that were first introduced two years ago, so you get outdated technology instead of the best and latest cameras that Samsung introduced in its S21 phones earlier this year. These cameras would have been added to the cost.

Speaking of cameras, there is a new camera under the screen on the big screen. Samsung’s goal was to make the black camera less visible and work in some cases, such as when you watch movies. But you will no doubt see the camera if you look for it; it looks like a confusing pixel screen. Samsung had to make sacrifices for that. It’s inferior quality, so selfies aren’t as sharp as they could be. You can still use any of the other four sensors to take selfies, but you must turn off your phone to use them.

I have some other questions with the phone. The speakers look a bit watertight compared to other flagship phones, for example. And, despite the increased durability, I’m still afraid to break this phone much faster than it would be a regular flagship.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is not yet for regular people. But it’s a great phone for gadget geeks who know what they’re training at.

The previous models did nothing for me, as I was worried about the damage caused by the water from the rain or that the screen would break again. But it is very convenient to have in your pocket a tablet for reading, movies, emails and more. That said, I’m a geeky gadget, this is the kind of new and fun technology for which I live and know the risks and rewards.

Most people are even better off buying one of Samsung’s other high-end phones, such as the Galaxy S21 or Galaxy S21 Ultra, which are even longer lasting, have better cameras, a longer battery life and much more. They just don’t work like tablets.