Samsung has managed to surprise us every festive season and in 2021 it brought to us the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3. It is one of the most promising devices from the banner. It is finally here after almost four years of speculations and various prototypes in the foldable screen ranges. Best for Him Team
Ergonomics
Except for a tiny design adjustment to the back camera module, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 looks quite identical to its predecessor. When unfolded, this phone is slightly smaller than its predecessor, and the overall weight is slightly lower at 271g (vs 282g), but it’s still quite hefty when folded, and the two parts don’t lay flat against one another, leaving a gap when closed.
In comparison to the previous generation, Samsung claims that the chassis is now made of stronger aluminum material. I appreciate how the matte finish on the frame and glass back panel contrasts nicely with the glossy hinge and outside display.
The foldable 7.6-inch AMOLED display, which boasts a better resolution of 2,208×1,768, as well as HDR10 playback and a 120Hz refresh rate, is the primary appeal. More crucially, Samsung claims to have employed a tougher ultra-thin glass (UTG) over the AMOLED display, implying that it would last longer.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3’s under-display camera is a brand-new innovation. Samsung’s adoption of such young technology in its most costly smartphone is a little shocking, yet here we are. The aim is to give the user a continuous view of their material, and when it works, it looks fantastic. However, because of the low pixel density in the circular area above the camera, it is easy to determine where it is if your attention is focused. It is easy to spot against light backdrops, and the camera is fully visible even when the screen is turned off. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a stripped-down device. Only a SIM eject tool and a USB Type-C cable are included in the box.
Software and Specifications
Samsung has not let loose on the specifications of Galaxy Z Fold 3. You get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC, as well as plenty of RAM and storage. In India, the phone supports a total of 16 5G bands. Face recognition with either of the selfie cameras (internal and external) or the fingerprint sensor embedded into the power button can be used for authentication. The Galaxy Z Fold 3’s battery is somewhat smaller than the previous model’s at 4,400mAh, but it still supports 25W fast charging. Most USB-PD chargers up to or higher than 25W should be able to fast charge the Galaxy Z Fold 3. You do not need to buy a Samsung-branded charger.
An IPX8 water-resistant rating is one of the major upgrades, implying that this phone will be far more durable in everyday use than the previous generation, or any other foldable for that matter. Keep in mind that the ‘X’ in the rating indicates that it has not been certified to be dust-proof, so you will still need to be cautious.
Prices and Release Date
Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold 3 this year in the last week of August. The galaxy Z Fold 3 has a base price of 1,33,700/-
The price ranges upto 1,49,999/- INR in the 256GB storage with 12 GB RAM. Other than this, we have an upper variant in the price range of 1,57,999/- INR. It has a storage capacity of 512GB along with 12 GB RAM.
We suggest that the base variant of 1,49,999/- is a more fruitful investment as it has every single feature of the upper variant; the only difference is the storage capacity.
Why Should you buy it?
I found that the under-display camera on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 impresses with its ability to disappear when you’re viewing content on other apps. It becomes a great feature to look out for as it provides you a bigger screen while working.
For working outdoors or on projects, the 7.6-inch display is easier to view and work on, as the panel gets up to 30% brighter. The cover display now has a 120Hz refresh rate which is the USP of the screen display. It becomes a quick way to refresh and relapse between applications.
I really appreciate the Taskbar feature, which lets you pin your favorite apps to the side of the display. This feature basically saves time and hassle between juggling your favourite application. It’s just like Windows. However, you have to dig in the Labs setting to turn this on.
There’s no getting around the fact that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a thick phone when closed. You will definitely notice this phone-tablet combo when it’s in your pocket. But what do we think about a prominent bulge in the pocket?
It’s good to see that more apps have been optimized for the Galaxy Fold 3, including Spotify, Gmail, Chrome and TikTok which everyone liked.
S Pen with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 support is a great addition but we wish that we were not charged for this necessity.
The overall camera quality is very good from the Galaxy Z Fold 3, with it taking sharp and colorful images for the most part but the 4MP camera is not something we are very fond of.
The Galaxy Z Fold’s 3 battery life could be better. The foldable lasted under 8 hours on our web surfing test, while other flagships last 10 hours or more.