Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 buyer’s guide: Everything you need to know

Samsung Galaxy Fold 3 side by side Eric Zeman / Android Authority At this point, Samsung owns the foldable marketplace. Although we ’ ve seen a handful of other companies launch foldable phones, none of them can match Samsung ’ s breadth of options, software corroborate, and lastingness. This all culminates with the party ’ second latest flagship foldable, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. Comparing the inaugural Galaxy Fold against this newest z Fold 3 is like looking at a crude prototype and the veridical finish intersection. Samsung has fixed numerous problems that have plagued its foldables over the by few years, made many refinements, and ( finally ! ) dropped the price.

In this Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 buyer ’ mho guide, we ’ ll give you all the information you need to know about Samsung ’ s new foldable flagship .
See also: The best foldable phones you can get

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 at a glance

Samsung Galaxy Fold 3 rear in green Eric Zeman / Android Authority Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold 3 on August 11, 2021, during the summer version of its online-only Galaxy Unpacked event. As with previous Galaxy Z Fold devices, the Z Fold 3 has two states : a fold country which works like a “ normal ” smartphone, and an blossom state that works like a tablet. The device unfolds like a book .
See also:  Our original Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review at heart, you ’ ll find a foldable display. This time around, though, Samsung says the display is 80 % stronger which should keep the interior looking better for longer. You ’ ll besides find, for the first time on a Samsung device, an under-display selfie camera in the top right of the unfold expose. This should make your know more immersive when using the phone in its unfold mode. Despite all the upgrades to this new foldable, it ’ mho actually cheaper than any previous model. It starts at $ 1,799 / €1,799 / £1,599 for the model with 256GB of home storehouse. Granted, that ’ s placid not cheap, but that ’ s importantly cheaper than any telephone of this kind from the sword. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 was released for sale on August 27 .
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 $ 1,799.99 at Samsung

Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 worth buying?

If you want a foldable earphone, you don ’ t have besides many options. But the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the best choice you can get in terms of the overall experience. even if it weren ’ t the best foldable in terms of arrant spectacles, the Z Fold 3 will have the most handiness, the most software accompaniment and optimization, and a higher level of lastingness than any other foldable out there. obviously, the device is silent very, very expensive. At $ 1,800, this international relations and security network ’ t the kind of device you buy on an impulse. If you ’ ra excited about the foldable marketplace, though, this is going to be one of the best — if not the best — options .
Related: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 reappraisal — A ticket foldable but no Note surrogate Keep in mind that Samsung besides launched a smaller, less mighty foldable call on August 11 : the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3. That phone starts at $ 1,000, which is a fortune less than this telephone. That could allow you to get into the world of foldables without causing you to miss a rip requital. finally, it ’ south worth mentioning that there will not be a Galaxy Note call this class. If you are used to spending a distribute of money on Samsung ’ s best-of-the-best smartphone in the second half of the year, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is that earphone. It even supports the S Pen ! There won ’ t be anything else of this quality for the rest of 2021 .

What reviewers are saying about the Galaxy Z Fold 3

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 with S Pen stylus Eric Zeman / Android Authority Our own Eric Zeman thought the Galaxy Z Fold 3 was a better foldable than its predecessors. Eric specifically praised the more full-bodied fold display, water-repellent invention, and addition of S Pen subscribe. He did however feel that the earphone ’ south television camera operation was middling, battery life wasn ’ triiodothyronine perplex, and that it was calm bulky and awkward to hold when opened. Eric noted the $ 200 price cut compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 2, but felt that the price however remained besides high for most consumers. This is particularly noteworthy given the aforesaid complaints about camera quality and battery life .

What other reviewers from around the web think

  • Engadget‘s Cherlynn Low praised the foldable screen, camera quality, and S Pen support in her review. But she criticized the “narrow” external screen and the heft compared to other devices. She reckoned that the device tries and fails to be both a tablet and a phone, and that it’s therefore not quite ready for mainstream consumers just yet.
  • Patrick Holland of CNET praised the Galaxy Z Fold 3 when using it as a tablet, while also pointing to S Pen support, water resistance, and various software improvements as positives. But the reviewer criticized the smartphone experience, battery life, and price tag. He concluded by saying that he wasn’t actually sure who this device was for.
  • Mark Spoonauer of Tom’s Guide said the device looks like the best foldable yet, praising the durability, water-resistant design, S Pen support, and multitasking features. But he also bemoaned the price tag, the lack of camera harwdare upgrades, endurance, and bulk when closed. In any event, Mark lamented the lack of foldable competition.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 specs

Most of the big changes Samsung made this year are related to the design and lastingness of the telephone rather than sensitive spectacles. still, Samsung did make some significant inner upgrades. Check them out in the postpone below :

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
Displays Exterior:
– 6.2-inch AMOLED
– 120Hz refresh rate
– 2,268 x 832 resolution at 387ppi
– Gorilla Glass Victus

Interior:
– 7.6-inch AMOLED
– 120Hz refresh rate
– 2,208 x 1,768 resolution at 374ppi
– Foldable display covering

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
RAM 12GB
Storage 256GB or 512GB
UFS 3.1
No expandable storage
Power 4,400mAh dual-battery
25W wired charging
10W wireless charging
4.5W reverse charging
No charger in box
Cameras Exterior rear:
– 12MP wide, 1.8μm, OIS, Dual Pixel AF, ƒ/1.8
– 12MP ultra-wide, 1.12μm, ƒ/2.2
– 12MP telephoto, 1.0μm, OIS, 2x zoom, ƒ/2.4

Exterior front:
– 10MP ƒ/2.2

Internal UDC:
– 4MP, 2.0μm, ƒ/1.8

Audio Stereo speakers
Dolby Atmos support
No 3.5mm headphone port
SIM Dual nano-SIM tray
eSIM support
Biometrics Side-mounted capacitive fingerprint sensor
Software Android 11
One UI
Dimensions and weight Folded dimensions:
– 158.2 x 67.1 x 16mm (measured at hinge)

Unfolded dimensions:
– 158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4mm

Weight:
– 271g

Colors Phantom Green, Phantom Black, Phantom Silver

Samsung is serious about foldable durability

Samsung Galaxy Fold 3 in the hand open Eric Zeman / Android Authority When Samsung launched the original Galaxy Fold, it was a catastrophe. early revue units broke cursorily and people immediately noticed dust, lint, and other small particles ended up underneath the screen door. In a panic, Samsung demanded all the phones be returned and delayed the launch. A lot has changed since then. The Galaxy Fold that made it to store shelves was stronger than the initial review model. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 refined things even more. nowadays, with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung is boasting an IPX8 evaluation for the earphone .
Required reading: Everything you need to know about IP and ATM ratings The “ 8 ” in the IPX8 evaluation means this phone is water-repellent. It can be submerged in up to 1.5m of water system for up to 30 minutes and survive. The “ X, ” though, means that this call is not rated against upstanding particles, such as dust and lint. We asked Samsung about this and it explained that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 actually allows dust and water to enter the earphone. Inside, however, there are protections in station to prevent the body of water from hitting any of the internal components. This is what allows the “ 8 ” military rank. Since dust physically enters the phone, though, it was not able to earn a rat against it. Samsung is confident that its “ brush hinge ” mechanism and early protections put in space will prevent hearty debris from ruining the device. regardless, this is the first foldable on the grocery store with any kind of IP rate. That should set some hesitant buyers at ease .

S Pen support and the two new S Pens

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Black folded on table with S Pen Samsung Another beginning for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is S Pen support. This is the first foldable to support the function of a stylus. previously, the inside displays of foldables were besides delicate for stylus. In order to give people options when it comes to their stylus, Samsung is offering two unlike models. The S Pen Pro is similar to the S Pen you ’ five hundred find with a high-end Samsung pill or last year ’ second Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. It has Bluetooth capabilities, gesture support, and other high-end functions. It starts at $ 100 .
This is the first gear meter a foldable device has worked with an S Pen. meanwhile, the S Pen Fold is specifically catered to the Galaxy Z Fold 3. It doesn ’ t have Bluetooth or gesture support and is slender, lighter, and shorter than the S Pen Pro. It ’ second besides cheaper at $ 50. With either choice, you get an S Pen with a softer, rounder tip off that makes it safer for use with a foldable display. They both besides feature retractable points that weaken if you apply excessively much pressure. This should help preserve the life of your foldable display. unfortunately, your purchase of a Galaxy Z Fold 3 does not include either S Pen. They are sold individually .

Is the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s camera good?

Samsung Galaxy Fold 3 camera closeup Eric Zeman / Android Authority For all intents and purposes, the television camera hardware in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is identical to that of the Galaxy Z Fold 2. other than some minor refinements ( and a redesign outside faculty ), the systems are basically the same. Our commentator Eric Zeman felt that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 camera experience was a mix bulge. He noted that images shot via the rear cameras were identical good but not excellent. Those looking for 8K video recording or bang-up long-range zoom will besides need to look elsewhere, as the telephone offers 4K/60fps commemorate and a 2X telephotograph lens respectively. Samsung besides offers two ways to take selfies, namely via the out screen ’ mho selfie television camera and the main display ’ s under-display selfie television camera. The early television camera offered “ decent ” results but the latter shooter was worse. “ Shots are noisy, soft, and demonstrate odd color and white balance, ” Eric said of the under-display selfie camera, stressing that it plainly doesn ’ t take very dependable shots .
See also:  Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vanadium Galaxy Z Flip 3 camera gunfight

Samsung did, however, update the room you compose shots with the Galaxy Z Fold 3. The camera app itself is now good suited to use in the phone ’ south unfolded express, with the controls and finder laid out individually across each half of the expose. All in all, Eric says effigy quality in general is an upgrade over the Galaxy Z Fold 2. But those wanting the best television camera experience should consider the Galaxy S21 Ultra .

How is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 battery life?

Samsung Galaxy Fold 3 slightly folded Eric Zeman / Android Authority Samsung actually shrunk down the double battery system of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 as compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 2. It ’ s alone 100mAh smaller, but that ’ s still a shrink. This was necessary to make the Galaxy Z Fold 3 thin and lighter ampere compared to last class ’ second model. however, Samsung contends that this decrease in battery capacity has little to no effect on battery life. The caller says you should see the like battery biography with the Z Fold 3 as you saw with the Z Fold 2. therefore how does the Galaxy Z Fold 3 compare ?
See also:  The best android smartphones with the best battery life Our commentator noted that he broadly enjoyed total screen-on time of about five hours when chiefly using the foldable display. He besides found that the earphone would last for a day when using both screens, with about ~20 % juice remaining semen bedtime. deoxyadenosine monophosphate far as blame goes, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 has a maximum charging speed of 25W. It besides can wirelessly charge at a maximal speed of 10W. There is no charger of any kind in the box, though, so you ’ ll need to use a charger you already own or buy a raw one from Samsung. Eric found that charging with a 25W USB PD PPS charger took 90 minutes from empty. That ’ s not great compared to rival devices on the market .

How is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 performance?

Samsung Galaxy Fold 3 open with case Eric Zeman / Android Authority Inside the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, you ’ ll find the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 paired with 12GB of RAM. Although the Snapdragon 888 Plus is technically lake superior, an SD888 with that much RAM should be more than enough office for the Galaxy Z Fold 3. This is indeed the event according to our recapitulation, with Eric noting that multitasking and dragging content between app windows was a very politic know. He besides said that demanding games ran fine here .

Phone software and updates

Samsung Galaxy Fold 3 in case with buds 2 Eric Zeman / Android Authority Samsung now offers three years of Android upgrades and four years of security patches for all its major releases. obviously, that includes the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. Since the telephone ships with Android 11, you can expect Android 12, Android 13, and Android 14 to come in the future .
Related:  hera are all the Samsung devices eligible for three major Android updates Do keep in judgment that the stable launching of Android 12 should happen entirely a month after this earphone ’ second launch. Considering that, it ’ mho potential Samsung won ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate count Android 12 as one of the Z Fold 3 ’ s three upgrades. As such, there ’ s a possibility the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 could besides see Android 15 — we just can ’ metric ton guarantee that. careless, Samsung has been setting the barroom for Android updates over the past few years. You can rest assured that your Galaxy Z Fold 3 will get plenty of after-purchase support .

Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Galaxy Z Fold 2: What’s new?

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold power and volume rockers David Imel / Android Authority The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is an ascent over the Galaxy Z Fold 2 in respective ways. While it would be difficult to recommend people with a Z Fold 2 upgrade to a Z Fold 3, it might just be deserving it thanks to Samsung ’ mho changes. Below are all the biggest changes for this year ’ s model :

  • Overall size/weight: The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is thinner and lighter than its predecessor. That means not only is it thinner when unfolded but also folded. This should make it more pocket-friendly.
  • Durability: Samsung earned an IPX8 rating for the Galaxy Z Fold 3. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 has no IP rating at all, which makes the Z Fold 3 much tougher than its predecessor.
  • Better/stronger displays: This time around, both the interior and exterior displays see 120Hz refresh rates (only the interior display of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 boasted this feature). Additionally, the interior display is stronger by 80%, according to Samsung.
  • Processing power: The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 under the hood. This is faster than the Snapdragon 865 Plus from last year. RAM and internal storage options remain the same, though.
  • S Pen support: Thanks to the stronger interior display of the Galaxy Z Fold 3, S Pen support is now possible. Samsung offers two models: the S Pen Pro and the S Pen Fold. See more info on this in an earlier section.
  • UDC: For the first time in any Samsung phone, the Z Fold 3 has an under-display camera (UDC). It appears in the upper right of the interior display. Fair warning, though: even Samsung admits this camera will produce sub-par images. It should be used mostly for things like video chats.
  • Battery: The Galaxy Z Fold 3 has a slightly smaller battery when compared to last year’s model. The difference is only 100mAh, but that’s not a negligible amount.

What are some good alternatives?

Huawei Mate X2 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 internal screens half open Kris Carlon / Android Authority As mentioned a few times now, Samsung dominates the foldable marketplace. If you want a foldable telephone, you don ’ t have besides many options that don ’ t have Samsung ’ s branding on the back. Regardless, here are some alternatives to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 :

  • Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 ($1,650): The most obvious competitor to this year’s foldable is last year’s. However, by all metrics, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is a weaker device when compared to the Z Fold 3 (see the previous section). Therefore, the only real advantage to getting a Z Fold 2 would be if you can find it at a very steep discount.
  • Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 ($999): If you want to enter the world of foldables but stay more near the $1,000 range, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a good option. Launching on the same day as the Galaxy Z Fold 3, the latest Flip model has a clamshell design. In its unfolded state, it has the size and dimensions of a “normal” phone but then folds down to about half that size.

Where to buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

Samsung Galaxy Fold 3 in black and silver Eric Zeman / Android Authority

  • Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 (256GB): $1,799 / €1,799 / £1,599 / Rs 149,999
  • Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 (512GB): $1,899 / €1,899 / £1,699 / Rs 157,999

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 comes in two flavors : one with 256GB of storage and one with 512GB of storage. You ’ ll have three colorway choices : Phantom Green, Phantom Black, and Phantom Silver. Pre-orders for the call opened in many countries concisely after the uncover, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. General sales for the call began on August 27, 2021. however, the foldable goes on sale in India from September 10, with pre-orders opening from August 24 .
Samsung Galaxy Fold 3 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 The first base foldable with an IP rat for water system resistance. Samsung ‘s latest foldable flagship looks a bunch like the 2020 model but boasts some fresh blueprint elements and some better specification. It besides has an IPX8 evaluation and supports the use of an S Pen, all at a lower entry price than previous years. $ 1,799.99 at Samsung $ 1,799.99 at Verizon $ 1,799.99 at AT & T Don ’ thyroxine forget that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 supports the S Pen but does not come with one in the box. The S Pen Pro will cost you $ 100 while the S Pen Fold will cost you $ 50. There is besides no charger in the box, so you might want to add one of those to your handcart, excessively .

FAQs

Q: What does the IPX8 denounce mean ?
A: The Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be safe if submerged in up to 1.5m of urine for up to 30 minutes. The rat does not make any claims towards dust/particle resistor. Q: Does the Galaxy Z Fold 3 have a 3.5mm earphone interface ?
A: No, this has not appeared on any of Samsung ’ s foldable phones to date. Q: Is there a microSD slot ?
A: No. You are locked to the two inner storage options of 256GB and 512GB. Q: How many SIM cards can the call defend ?
A: There are two physical SIM wag slots in the telephone. additionally, it besides supports an eSIM batting order. theoretically, this could allow you three different SIMs. Q: Does the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 have an in-display fingerprint detector ?
A: No. To unlock the call with your fingerprint, you ’ ll necessitate to use the capacitive detector on the side of the device .

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