The Samsung Z Flip 3 is a “cheap” foldable with a starting price of $999 and a 6.7-inch FHD+ inner display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Although the Flip 3’s outside display is four times larger and more robust than its predecessor, we are concerned about how long it will last due to its 3,300 mAh battery.
Would the decreased cost convince more people to switch to foldable phones? Because to its IPX8 water resistance, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is also more durable than its predecessor. The phone itself features Samsung’s new Armor Aluminum shell, Gorilla Glass Victus on the exterior display, and a screen that is 80% more robust. In conclusion, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is more durable than the original Z Flip, though we still wouldn’t drop it.
Review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3: Price and Release Date
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is currently accessible. The 8GB/128GB base configuration costs $999; a 256GB option is also available for $1,049.
Moreover, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip 3 Bespoke Edition, a personalized phone priced at $1,099. There are 49 different color combinations that can be used for the frame, front, and back. Also, you may enroll in the Custom Upgrade Care plan, which enables you to exchange your Flip 3 for a different color scheme whenever you like. A year of Samsung Care+ is also included. To get started, simply navigate to the Custom Studio(opens in new tab).
Review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3: Design and robustness
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 3 was designed with durability in mind. A new film has made the screen 80% more durable than the screens seen on the Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Flip 5G. The 1.9-inch outside display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, while Samsung used their Armor Aluminum material to build the phone’s frame. Improved scratch resistance is provided by all of that, particularly for the cover display.
The cover display is likely the feature that has changed the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s design the most. That’s four times as big as the 1.1-inch outside strip of the Galaxy Z Flip, so you’ll see a lot more data than before.
There are four color options for the Galaxy Z Flip 3: Cream, Green, Lavender, and Phantom Black. During our hands-on, the lavender really caught our attention, demonstrating the Flip 3’s emphasis on aesthetics. Moreover, Samsung will only make available Gray, Pink, and White hues on its website. The Cream variant, which I’m testing, is exquisite in its subtlety. Considering how slippery the original Galaxy Z Flip was, the smooth finish is also very appealing.
Overall, Samsung slightly trimmed down the Flip 3. When fully expanded, the original Flip had dimensions of 6.6 x 2.9 x 0.28 inches and 3.4 x 2.9 x 0.61-0.68 inches. The new phone is slightly slimmer and taller even though it weighs the same. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is undoubtedly a marvel of contemporary engineering when combined with the increased durability.
Review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3: Displays
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 has a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display when it is opened up. The 120Hz refresh rate and 2640 x 1080 resolution allowed for an incredibly attractive viewing experience. With the Flip 3, scrolling was incredibly smooth, showcasing Samsung’s actual display ability.
I was immediately smitten with the Flip 3’s improved cover display compared to the original Flip. You can use it to interact with several important phone features (and more if you modify it) without having to open the device, making it highly useful and adaptable. It’s by far my favorite Flip 3 feature, excluding folding itself.
The internal screens of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 reproduced 76.4% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and 102% of the sRGB color space. That is actually less saturated than the 115.6% sRGB rendering on the iPhone 12 Pro. However, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 has inferior color accuracy than the iPhone 12 Pro, with a Delta-E score of 0.32 as opposed to 0.28. In this test, zero is ideal.
Performance
Since its release, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 hasn’t slowed down. It came equipped with the same Snapdragon 888 chipset as the Galaxy S21 series from Qualcomm. I never had any lag or stuttering as I went about my daily activities, and the processor still operates like a hot knife through butter. These models come with 8GB of RAM and a choice of 128 or 256GB of internal storage. Although it’s less than the 12GB on the Galaxy Z Fold 3, it’s still more than adequate for daily work.
Under a high load, I noted that the Galaxy Z Flip 3 gets warm, yet there is never a slowdown in response. If you use a lot of electricity, you might notice the temperature more, but after a while of idling, it normally goes away. The battery life under a high load is more of a problem, but we’ll address that issue in a moment.
upgrades and software
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 came pre-installed with One UI 3.1 and Android 11. Even while Samsung’s skin isn’t the lightest in the world, it is packed with more functionality than you could possibly need. I frequently used the Edge panel to launch apps, and Samsung’s optimization for the folding display makes the experience better overall. For instance, the camera app raises the image preview above the fold while increasing the amount of space available for settings and options on the bottom half. One UI feels like it was designed for the foldable rather than being merely placed on top thanks to ingenious tweaks like this.
The customization choices in Android 12 are endless, and Samsung’s support is on par with the best of them. There are widgets for almost anything, and you can alter your color scheme to match your wall covering. Sometimes, Samsung’s personalized app icons are almost too similar to the background, but that’s the charm of having a variety of color schemes. I frequently change my wallpaper, but I haven’t come across any that the software has trouble with.
Cameras
There is no doubt that the Galaxy Z Flip 3 has good cameras. In actuality, the pair of 12MP lenses can certainly catch the majority of what you require. With Samsung’s vivid color profile, the wide and ultrawide selections catch a lot of detail. Also, you have access to useful tools like slow-motion video, pro mode, and night mode. Even the 10MP punch hole selfie camera holds its own, however using the rear cameras for selfies with the preview window is more enjoyable.
We can put the lack of room for the cameras’ movement on Samsung’s decision to partially enlarge the exterior OLED panel. Samsung has updated its back camera arrangement on recent flagships, and the results are amazing. The 50MP wide-angle lens of the Galaxy S22 series replaces the 12MP wide-angle lens and has a bigger sensor (1.56 inches vs. 1.76 inches on the Galaxy S21). The Galaxy Z Flip 3 has a 1/2.55-inch sensor, in contrast.
Conclusion
Samsung preserved some of the most restrictive features from the first Galaxy Z Flip models, but the crucial improvements to the Galaxy Z Flip 3 in 2021 put it in front of the competition. More use cases than ever are available thanks to the external display, and the gadget has enough power to keep up thanks to the flagship processor. Even better, it has Samsung’s most affordable foldable pricing of $999 and an IPX8 rating.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is still the most enjoyable phone I’ve used in a while, despite its flaws. Even while it feels more sophisticated for daily usage, it never feels like “just another phone” in use. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is still fun to use and a good option to the similarly priced Galaxy S22 Plus ($999) for those seeking a distinctive experience, even with the more recent release of the Galaxy S22 series.
