When it comes to the foldable clamshell design, the third time is a charm. The ideal form factor for the devices we have come to love and use every single day is the one that initially seemed to be an homage to a relic of another time.
The idea of flip phones isn't just for a few wealthy customers anymore, as it has dropped the price to $999 and is even trying to woo younger people with attractive accessories that make the Z flip 3 hip to be square.
The third-generation clamshell foldable is not the only style that is nailed down by the company. Important features that people have come to expect from a modern smartphone are finally available on foldables like the Z Flip 3 and the Z Fold 3. Water resistance, stereo speakers, a screen that doesn't scratch easily, and more durable materials are all necessary for mass-market adoption.
The first snap of the day, the last snap of the day, and the last snap of the day are just some of the things that can be experienced with the SAMSUNG Z GALAXY FLIP 3. It's an oddly cathartic experience that phone users have forgotten in the age of black mirrors that all look and operate nearly identically. It is a much simpler design than the Fold 3 since it does not change the way you use the phone when it is open or closed. It took me no time at all to fall in love with the phone and, as our review unfolds, I think you will understand why.
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All major retailers and carriers will be able to sell the new device from August 27. The first major foldable to achieve a sub-$1,000 price point is the new phone from SAMSUNG. If you score a deal with your carrier of choice or have other phones to trade in to, it's easy to get the phone for a few hundred dollars.
You can personalize the phone in a way that other phones don't, if you buy the custom version of the Z Flip 3. The front and back panels can be changed from a choice of about half a dozen different colors. The frame can be changed with a choice of two colors.
The Z Flip 3 cases created by the company will make it look even better than the out-of-the-box style. Unfortunately, almost nothing comes in the box alongside the phone, continuing the trend of offering little other than the phone with a purchase. You will find the phone, a cable, and some manual in a small box.
The best deals for today are from the SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FLIP 3.
| Category | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 11, One UI 3.1.1 |
| Cover Display | 1.9 inches, 260x512 (302 ppi) resolution, AMOLED |
| Inner Display | 6.7 inches, 22:9, 2640x1080 (425 ppi) resolution, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz refresh rate |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 888 |
| Memory | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB or 256GB |
| Expandable Storage | No |
| Rear Camera | 12MP, ƒ/1.8, 1.4μm (wide-angle) 12MP, 2.2, 1.12BC;m (ultra-wide). |
| Inside Camera | 10MP, ƒ/2.4, 1.22μm |
| Security | Side-mounted fingerprint sensor |
| Battery | 3300mAh15W Fast Charging10W Wireless Charging 4.5 watt reverse wireless charging |
| Dimensions | 86.4 x 72.2 x 17.1mm (folded) 166 x 72.2 x 6.9mm is unfolded. |
| Weight | 183g |
| Water and dust resistance | IPX8 |
| Colors | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Gray, White, Pink |
I would be foolish to start with describing how much I have missed flip phones. I started my cell phone journey in high school with a brick of Nextel, but I have never gotten over how great it is to close the lid. The industry lost the plot when the industry began with a phone that also had a keyboard.
Even if you buy a case with a cover that closes, flipping the phone open and closed feels amazing. The hinge built into the phone is important to the experience, and it is sure to turn heads no matter where you go. It is amazing how pocketable a flip phone is, a stark contrast to modern phones that are too tall to fit in some pockets.
If you can believe it, that smaller form factor means you won't have to give up flagship-level specs. Even if they are not the best you can get, it has the same top-tier processor and amazing 120Hz display as the S21, and great cameras, even if they are not the best you can get.
The Z flip 3 is a level of chic design that foldables of the past could never do. The cover display is one of the biggest physical changes between this year's model and the last, and it helps to highlight that with a dual-tone look.
The screen on the front of the Flip 3 is four times larger than the one on the Z, making it more useful. The display is too small to perform regular tasks.
Despite the unique form factor, Samsung packed in the best processor, 120Hz display, and water-resistance that you'll find in its other flagships.
The cover display is only a partial improvement over the Z Flip 5G, but the hinge is a 100 percent improvement. The Z Flip 3's hinge is tight enough to be useful at any angle when placed on a surface.
It is easy to fold the phone at any angle between 30 and 150 degrees and set it on a surface for use. Taking pictures from weird angles is the best way to take pictures, while the more acute angles are the best for video calls or multitasking. It is difficult to pick up the phone from a table or other surface when it is open, but having the phone closed or in Flex Mode makes that task much easier.
The metal frame of the Z Flip 3 is rock-solid, thanks to the armor aluminum, which is surprisingly light, especially when compared to the heavy Z Fold 3. It's just a little bit heavier than a S21 and a little bit lighter than a S21 Ultra. The well-built nature of the Flip 3 is further solidified by the sturdy hinge.
Gorilla Glass Victus is the real deal. After 2 weeks of use, I don't have a single scratch anywhere on the phone.
The Z Flip 3 has a shiny surface. Over the years, I have derided the improvements made to Gorilla Glass, but Victus is the real deal. I have been using this phone without a case for two weeks and it has no scratch on it. The new screen protectors on the larger inside display are made of the same material as the glass and don&t scratch easily at all. Since repairs aren't cheap and you won't want to break it if you can help, that's great.
The display has to fold inward so that it doesn't break. That might be an obvious physics fact, but it also creates a horizontal crease in the middle of the display. The crease is noticeable and could drive some people crazy if they looked at it or rubbed their finger over it while scrolling on social media. The crease is not something that I notice when I look at the device straight on, but it is something that you will need to know before you jump in.
The Z Flip 3 is finally water-resistant with an IPX8 rating, which is a big improvement over the previous version. That means you can take it to the pool and snap some great pics or get super super-mo diving videos without having to worry about ruining your foldable, unlike all previous foldable generations. You could irrevocably damage the hinge if you take it to the beach.
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While the phone has small raised bumps on the inside corners to keep it from closing completely, it doesn't have any raised edges on the back. While it is nice to have a phone without a giant camera hump that makes it wobble on a table, this completely flat, shiny back brings back memories of another phone.
If you place the Z Flip 3 on a flat surface that is not level, expect it to slowly move off the edge when you least expect it. This problem is completely alleviated by putting a case on it.
Flipping the phone open and closed isn't just cathartic, it also makes the device pocketable; a trait not common to modern smartphones.
Stereo speakers are possible through a combination of a larger earpiece in the top of the display and a standard speaker on the bottom of the phone. The speakers are slightly quieter than the Fold 3, but have less distortion at higher volume. This is an improvement over the single speaker found on the Z Flip 5G.
The OneUI 3.1 is based on Android 11 and is an identical experience to what is found on phones like the S21 Flex Mode is a handy feature that is wrapped around the concept of a folding phone.
Flex Mode is not just a way to take silly pictures with the phone. It is more useful than that, especially with the latest software additions from the company. The Z Flip 3 ships with OneUI 3.1, which includes a feature to force apps into Flex Mode when the phone is not in use.
Flex Mode makes it easy to keep up with chats, multitask apps, or just to pick it up from a desk.
There are apps on the top half of the screen that take on a square aspect ratio. The bottom screen is mostly used for quick settings like adjusting the brightness but, generally, isn't something you'll use a lot. One of the best use-case scenarios for the bottom half is the camera, which slides up to the top half of the display and the rest of the controls onto the bottom.
This setting might be hidden in the labs of the company, but they were wise enough to schedule a notification that will show up in the first few hours of use to let you know that this feature exists. This isn't a more obvious or prominently featured feature. It is incredibly useful if you find yourself keeping up with chats in apps like Discord, waiting for a text message to come in, or just want to have a video playing at their desk while they work on their computer.
If you want to run two apps at the same time, you can always use the standard split-screen view. You can always change the aspect ratio of the phone by rotating it.
The slide-out shortcut tray on the right edge of the phone is enabled by default. The screen space on the Fold 3 makes it a bit awkward to pin it. I could imagine a world in which users could pin a shortcut row to the bottom of the phone, similar to what you would find on a desktop PC.
The small cover screen on the flip phone can be useful in reducing the amount of time it takes to open a flip phone, but that use is limited. I found this screen to be most useful for four things: checking the time, glancing at incoming notifications, controlling media, and toggling between vibrate, silent, and ringer modes. If you want to reply to anything, you will have to open the display, which is not a keyboard or voice reply feature.
The clock can be scrolled through to see a number ofWidgets, including a timer, alarm, calendar schedule, a step counter, and weather. I didn't find any of theseWidgets useful in my time with the phone.
The cover display is a huge improvement over last year's model but, ultimately, still limited in usefulness.
When the phone is closed or open, the front cover display can be used as a camera viewfinder. The easiest way to open the camera is double-clicking the power button, but the display is a little awkward for this feature. The aspect ratio is the problem, not the size of the display.
The narrow display on the phone will cut off a large portion of the image. The display was usable for this function, but its difficulty made it impossible for me to take a picture other than to test it. I like that you can swap between photo and video modes with the help of a left and right switch.
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The Z Flip 3 performs admirably in any situation, as you might expect from a top-tier device. I never experienced lag, stutter, or hesitation when running demanding apps. The new 120Hz refresh rate on the inside screen means it will look as fast and smooth as it feels, delivering another substantial improvement over the Z Flip 5G. You can always drop the refresh rate if battery life becomes a concern, but there is no downplaying how fantastic 120Hz feels.
The Z Flip 3's battery life isn't the best according to all of the reports I've seen so far. The Z Fold 3 was similar in this respect. The battery in the Flip Z 3 is small, but not large. The S21 has a 4,000mAh battery, while phones like the 5a have 4,680mAh.
The 3,300mAh battery inside the Z Flip 3 was enough to last me through the day. I use my phone to chat with friends, take photos, and browse social media while I am working, and I have music playing over my speakers all day long. I don't tend to be able to reach more than 3-4 hours of screen on time with any device, no matter what I'm doing or using.
The battery is just fine for average use, but power users will have problems, especially with the slower 15W charging speed.
If you are someone who uses their phone for long periods all day long, you will run into times where you need a top-up to make it to the end of the day. The Flip 3 only supports a maximum of 15W wired charging, which means it will take somewhere in the range of 2 hours to fully charge that battery from 0-100%.
When the Flip 3 and Fold 3 were announced, they didn't have any camera hardware upgrades from the previous generation of foldables, which was wrong. The Flip 5G had the last of a telephoto lens, which meant it was always going to be a little blurry.
Without a telephoto lens, zooming in more than 2-3x results in a very unattractive image.
The Flip 3 was able to pull off some serious magic thanks to a software upgrade that took old camera hardware and made it feel brand new again. We've seen this time and time again with the software experience on the phones, which have essentially used the same camera sensors since 2015. It is a slogan that goes something like "work smarter, not harder" and is definitely on board.
The bad should be out of the way first. It's pretty bad with no telephoto lens. Even though the viewfinder has buttons for zooming in up to 10x, zooming further in than 2x will result in a very undetailed image. It is possible, but you will never get a good photo or video from it.
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The camera is unparalleled in its execution on a more consistent basis than I can ever recall seeing from a Samsung phone before the Galaxy S21.
The inside front-facing camera is difficult to use in less intense lighting. I am not entirely sure why the way the camera is used in these situations results in blurry photos because the shutter needs to stay open longer, which results in blurry objects if they move.
It seems like the front-facing camera tops out at ISO 640 in most situations, which is silly. When things get really dark, it ramps that up to a maximum of ISO 3200, but I think it needs to be a bit more aggressive when movement is detected.
Outside of those two situations, the camera is more consistent in its execution than I have ever seen from a phone. Many of the best camera features of the Pixel, like multi-frame capture, automatic image replacement, and toast notifications, are now built into the software of the company.
One example of excellent automatic image replacement took place after I got in the car. My son showed me the large Goldfish he got when we picked up lunch. While I snapped the shutter a second too early to get the shot that I wanted, the camera software at SAMSUNG was smart enough to know that I was trying to line up his eyes with the top of the fish. When I clicked into the gallery to see the picture, I saw that it had been replaced with an image I wanted, and the post-processing work began.
Samsung's camera software was smart enough to realize that I took the shot too early and automatically replaced it with a better one.
Night mode is automatically enabled when detected conditions fall below certain light level thresholds. The result is a feeling of reliability that I have not seen in previous versions of the phone, as night mode was enabled exactly when it was needed, with clear indicators on the viewfinder to hold the camera still for a few seconds while the phone took the number of photos needed to make.
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Portrait mode is just gorgeous and doesn't seem to suffer from the harsh edge calculations of other phones.
I love portrait mode on this device. Many times, phones look for objects and apply a harsh blur around them in order to mimic a very shallow depth of field that some cameras have. Sometimes beautiful but sometimes inaccurate, the result is missed edges that stick out like a sore thumb. The method of the company is much softer than that, and it results in images that don't often have incorrect edge calculations.
Super slow-mo video can be seen at a maximum of 960FPS, while 4K video can be seen at 60FPS. Both of these have been standard fare for a few generations now, and all of them perform as well as consumers have come to expect. The Z Flip 3 is no exception to that rule, as it has excellent video quality.
If you really need 8K video recording, the S21 series still allows for it, just as you'll find with the photo experience. 8K recording isn't something that most people care about, but it is still a notable improvement over the Flip 3.
When it comes to foldable phones, there is no one else. The RAZR might have been refreshed with a 5G model last year, but it doesn't seem like a better option than the Z flip 5G. Both of these phones were more expensive and had worse cameras than last year. If you want a foldable but don't want to worry about the features, you can get a second-hand one for a good deal and get your flip on, but it's a tough sell when compared to the Z Flip 3.
The price of the Z Fold 3 is very much in line with the price of the Z Flip 3. The Z Fold 3 isn't the phone for you if you don't like big phones. If you want a bigger foldable, you can get a bigger battery, bigger screens, S Pen capability, and a better camera on the back. It isn't as good as the S21 in terms of camera prowess, but it is better than the Flip 3.
If you're looking for a phone that has some of the best cameras on any phone, the Z Flip 3 can be had for the same price as the S21 Ultra, but with a substantially upgraded camera experience. You won't be able to fold the phone closed, but it does feature support for the S Pen, which is always an added bonus.
You should buy this.
You want a flip phone again.
There is a nostalgia factor to flip phones. Many of us grew up with them and loved how useful the hinge was. You can get that form factor without sacrificing the modern experience.
You want a phone that is cutting-edge.
The Z Flip 3 is a cutting-edge device. The Z Flip 3 is a phone that feels great, has great cameras, and is water resistant.
You are tired of the same old things.
The Z Flip 3 recreates the modern phone experience in a number of ways. It is more than just a fresh coat of paint, it is an entire paradigm shift into how a phone looks and is used. It will turn heads and keep you in awe for a while as you unfold that display.
You should not buy it.
You need a long battery life.
Power users will struggle to get through a full day of use with the Z Flip 3. You could get frustrated with the Z Flip 3 if you combine the average battery size with sub-average charging speed.
The best cameras are needed.
The camera hardware on the Z Flip 3 is limited because of the improvements that have been made to the camera software. The Z Flip 3 uses a few 10MP and 12MP sensors with no optical zoom, which is similar to phones like the S21 Ultra. They are not bad, but they are not the best.
You live on the beach.
When compared to the Z Flip 5G, the Z Flip 3 improved almost every area of the hardware, but it didn't add dust protection at all. That means that the phone's health is in danger if it is thrown onto the sand or dirt at the beach. The phone isn't great for these scenarios and maybe a few cases will help with that.
It is amazing to think that foldables have matured so quickly. Two years ago, the Z Flip 3 was a very small product, but now it is one of the best foldables on the market. The Z Flip 3 is a foldable phone that fits in your pocket, unlike the giant phone trend of the past few years. It also goes against the grain by offering a small phone, but one with cutting-edge specs that make almost no compromises, all for a great price.
If you sign a contract or trade in your old phones, you can get a Z Flip 3 for just a few hundred dollars, which is a lot less than the price tag. Power users should look elsewhere if they don't want to be driven crazy by battery life concerns, as people who find themselves zooming in with their phones might want to consider another phone. The Z Flip 3 is an amazing alternative to the best flagships of the year, if you don't fit into either of those categories.
The GALAXY Z FLIP 3 was one of the most exciting phones of the year. The form factor of the phone made it easy to pocket, making it the most likely to become mainstream. The Z Flip 3 is the fourth-fastest selling phone in the history of the company, according to Counterpoint research.
The OneUI 4.1 update was released just one month after the launch of the S22, while the OneUI 4 update was released in early December. Even including more niche foldable phones, the rapidity with which it is able to keep its enormous range of smartphones updated is nothing short of impressive.
Since launch, there have been few flip exclusive features. The cover screen launcher was added to the Good Lock utility in February. Full apps can be run on the outer screen of the launcher.
It was one of the things we wanted to see added to the Flip 3 because the screen could be large enough for some tasks. Most apps won't scale nicely to this screen, which is the only problem with the current implementation of the concept. The aspect ratio is fine, but it is so small that most apps are useless on it.
After finally getting the ability to use the cover screen more, I think it's best to leave it to a very small subset of custom apps. It's not worth using that way for most of the time, and it's best kept for notifications and other quick actions.
My biggest concern with the phone was software features. Those were great from the start and anything new is just the icing on the cake. I was most worried about the phone's long-term dependability after opening and closing it, and dropping it a lot over the past few months.
I haven't seen any damage to this phone. My wife has been using it every day since it came out in August of 2021. I know that the phone has fallen out of a bag or off the table before, but it looks as good as it did when she got it. No cracked glass, no nasty dents or pockmarks in the display, and no sign of the glass in the hinge showing wear and tear at all.
The Z Flip 3 is an excellent phone that holds up as well as it did the day I first reviewed it. The battery life could be better, but it's not terrible and the convenience of the experience makes up for it, especially for people looking for a small phone that will fit comfortably in a pocket or bag.
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