Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review: The best foldable phone just got better
Our Verdict
The Milky way Z Fold three is all-time foldable phone withal, with a more durable design and Southward Pen support, and the multitasking features are even better. You demand a case to store the stylus and the cameras are not upgraded, just overall the Milky way Z Fold 3 is a bang-up choice for power users.
For
- More than durable, h2o resistant design
- Dual 120Hz displays
- Due south Pen support
- Improved multitasking features
- More optimized foldable apps
Against
- Still pricey
- Camera hardware non upgraded
- No Southward Pen or charger included
- Beefy when airtight
- Battery life could be better
Tom's Guide Verdict
The Milky way Z Fold three is best foldable telephone yet, with a more durable blueprint and S Pen support, and the multitasking features are fifty-fifty better. You need a case to store the stylus and the cameras are not upgraded, but overall the Milky way Z Fold iii is a bully option for ability users.
Pros
- +
More than durable, h2o resistant design
- +
Dual 120Hz displays
- +
S Pen support
- +
Improved multitasking features
- +
More than optimized foldable apps
Cons
- -
Still pricey
- -
Camera hardware not upgraded
- -
No S Pen or charger included
- -
Bulky when closed
- -
Battery life could be better
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: Specs
Price: $1,799 (256GB), $1,899 (512GB)
CPU: Snapdragon 888
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 256GB, 512GB
External display: 6.2 inches (2268 x 832) 120Hz Adaptive
Internal brandish 7.6 inches (2208 ten 1768) 120Hz Adaptive
Rear cameras: 12MP wide (f/ane.8); 12MP ultrawide (f.2.2, 123-caste FOV); 12MP telephoto (f/two.4, 2x optical zoom, 10x digital zoom)
Front camera: 10MP (f/2.2)
Under-brandish photographic camera: 4MP (f/ane.eight)
Bombardment: 4,400 mAh
Charging: 25W (charger not included)
Size: 6.2 10 ii.vi x 0.56 to 0.62 inches (airtight); vi.2 ten v x 0.25 inches (open)
Weight: ix.55 ounces
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 might just win over foldable phone skeptics. Samsung addressed some of the durability concerns. The brandish, for case, is upward to 80% tougher, and the whole phone is water resistant. Want to do more with a massive seven.half-dozen-inch screen? There's S Pen support, plus an nether-display camera to brand for a more immersive display.
Think foldable phones cost too much? Well, nosotros can't aid you much at that place. This sequel is still pricey at $1,799, but at least it's $200 cheaper than its predecessor at launch. If you're looking for a truly affordable foldable, the new $999 Samsung Milky way Z Flip iii is a ameliorate bet. (For a deeper comparison, come across our Milky way Z Fold 3 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 3 face-off.)
Other notable Galaxy Z Fold 3 upgrades include a brighter display and enhanced multitasking features, complete with a Windows-like taskbar. However, the battery life could exist better, the blueprint is even so quite bulky, and Samsung should have included the S Pen.
While this foldable remains a niche device, our Milky way Z Fold three review shows that Samsung has refined the best foldable phone yous tin can buy, making it an excellent choice for power users who desire a phone and tablet in one gadget.
Galaxy Z Fold iii review: Quick pros and cons
- The under-display camera on the Galaxy Z Fold three impresses with its ability to disappear when you're viewing content. Still, the 4MP resolution is not great for selfies.
- The principal 7.6-inch display is easier to view outdoors, as the panel gets upward to thirty% brighter. The cover display now has 120Hz refresh rate.
- I really similar the Taskbar feature, which lets you lot pin your favorite apps to the side of the display and follow y'all to whatever app. It'southward just like Windows. However, you have to dig in the Labs setting to plow this on.
- There's no getting around the fact that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a thick telephone when closed. You will definitely observe this telephone-tablet combo when information technology's in your pocket.
- It's good to meet that more than apps have been optimized for the Galaxy Fold 3, including Spotify, Gmail, Chrome and TikTok.
- S Pen support is a cracking addition but we wish Samsung didn't accuse extra for this accessory.
- The overall photographic camera quality is very good from the Milky way Z Fold iii, with it taking sharp and colorful images for the about part. But the iPhone 12 Pro is meliorate.
- The Galaxy Z Fold's three bombardment life could exist ameliorate. The foldable lasted under eight hours on our web surfing examination, while other flagships last 10 hours or more.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review: Release date and cost
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 was released on August 27. The Milky way Z Fold 3 has a starting price of $1,799 for the 256GB model, and the 512GB version costs $1,899.
Check out our best Galaxy Z Fold 3 deals page for all the biggest discounts, and you might as well find our guide to the best Samsung Milky way Z Fold 3 cases helpful. If you practice pick upward a Galaxy Z Fold iii, brand certain to check out what we think is the showtime app you should install on your Samsung Galaxy phone.
- Galaxy Z Fold three deal: AT&T merchandise-in - New and existing customers get the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G for up to $1,000 off with eligible trade-in
Galaxy Z Fold 3 review: Design and durability
The Milky way Z Fold three adds a lot of in the manner of durability, fifty-fifty if information technology'southward still on the beefy side.
Correct off the bat, you'll be glad to know that the new Galaxy Z Fold is IPX8 water resistant, which means it tin withstand being in up to 1.v meters of h2o for up to 30 minutes. I doubt virtually people will dunk this foldable, but it'south good to know information technology tin can handle everything from splashes to rain.
Unfortunately, we are non able to test water resistance on our review sample, simply we have purchased a Milky way Z Fold iii and volition put that unit to the examination and update this review. Only note that the Z Fold iii is non dust resistant, and so I wouldn't feel comfy bringing this foldable to the beach.
To further fortify the Galaxy Z Fold 3, its stronger Armor Aluminum body and Gorilla Glass Victus brandish are designed to resist scratches and drops. Last but not to the lowest degree, Samsung claims that the Z Fold three employs a new protective PET movie that when combined with "optimized" primary screen layers results in a fourscore% more durable screen.
If that isn't enough to convince you that the Z Fold 3 yous're thinking of buying will be safe, take a look at the best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold iii cases you tin get for additional peace of heed.
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 measures half-dozen.2 x 2.6 10 0.56 to 0.62 inches when airtight and half dozen.2 x five x 0.25 when open. And information technology weighs 9.five ounces. Compare that to half-dozen.2 x two.6 x 0.66 inches (closed), half-dozen.two 10 v x 0.27 inches (open up) and nine.9 ounces for the Galaxy Z Fold 2. All the same, this is way thicker and heavier when closed and so near phones, so you'll feel information technology in your pocket.
The Milky way Z Fold 3 comes in 3 chief colors: Phantom Blackness, Phantom Green and Phantom Silver. I'one thousand a fan of the silver because it pops most.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review: Displays and audio
The Galaxy Z Fold three in one case over again features two displays: a vi.ii-inch OLED embrace display and a 7.6-inch main screen that'southward revealed one time you unfold the device.
Both panels offering a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and I experienced smoothen scrolling and overall performance during my hands-on time with the phone.
The resolution for the interior screen is the same as before at 2208 x 1768 pixels, but the adept news is that the new display is rated to be 29% brighter than before, cheers to new Eco display engineering.
The Milky way Z Fold 3's principal display looks pretty stunning, and a big reason for that is a new under-brandish photographic camera. Instead of having to stare at a notch or punch hole, the UDC on the Galaxy Z Fold iii is nearly invisible, especially when you lot go full screen on content similar photos and videos. When the display is night, say on the home screen, yous tin can make out the tiny hole, but it'southward not that noticeable.
Unfortunately, the Galaxy Z Fold 3'southward display averaged 422 nits of brightness in our lab testing. That's okay but nearly half what the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra turned in (821 nits), and the iPhone 12 Pro Max also hit a relatively high 654 nits.
The Galaxy Z Fold 3's speakers are quite powerful and delivered clear and loud sound while listening to Spotify and when making calls. The sound tin can get a bit muffled when you stand the Z Fold 3 on a desk (one of the speakers is on the lesser) only overall the audio is solid from this foldable phone.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review: Softwares and special features
The Galaxy Z Fold three Is a multitasking powerhouse. Cheers to the Multi-Active Window feature, yous can run two apps side by side (dragging and dropping content between them) or sew to three apps at once. And now the enhanced App Pair feature lets you create shortcuts for two apps later in the same way you lot had them open.
Don't experience like constantly swiping in from the correct side to open the Edge Panel to see these and other apps? Samsung added a new Taskbar characteristic that lets yous switch between apps on the wing; it just sits there on the right side of the display, similar to the Windows taskbar. To become the Taskbar to work, I had to dig into the Settings bill of fare and activate Samsung Labs, which most people won't know how to do.
Once activated, the Taskbar is a great addition. I love that I can quickly glance at how many notifications I might have in Slack, for instance, then quickly switch to that app. Or I can quickly open my favorite App Pair: Gallery and Messages.
Samsung Labs tin can also force apps that are non optimized for foldable displays to work in Multi-Active Windows mode. For case, I could park Netflix on the left side of the display and continue watching Outer Banks while keeping an middle on messages on the right side of the screen.
Another cool feature is elevate and split. For example, if you're in the Samsung browser and you lot're looking at items on Amazon, you lot can simply drag one over to the correct to open a new window. That way y'all tin can wait at the details on i product while comparing other products on the left. Other apps that support this characteristic including Samsung Message, MS Role, 1 Notation and more.
When you fold the Galaxy Z Fold three like a laptop, a number of apps support Flex mode, which puts the content upwards elevation and controls on the bottom portion on the display. This works in YouTube and the Camera app, and I also used it during a hands-gratuitous Google Meet video phone call. You lot tin even force Flex style to appear in apps, only I'd rather see more developers just encompass the feature.
Samsung is also working closely with tertiary-party developers to scroll out more apps that work natively with the Galaxy Z Fold iii. These include Snapchat, TikTok, Netflix, Spotify and YouTube. For example, when you're using Spotify, you'll see the Now Playing window on the bottom left side and the residual of the discover bill of fare on the right side, making it easier to multitask.
Simply my favorite optimized app for the Galaxy Z Fold three is Chrome. I like being able to see all my tabs at the meridian and motion them around, just every bit I would on the desktop.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review: Due south Pen
Given that I've e'er found using a stylus on even the biggest phablets cramped, it's refreshing to see Samsung add together South Pen support to a 7.6-inch foldable telephone. At that place's merely more than room to take notes, sketch or mark up documents without needing to constantly zoom in.
But right away, at that place's an issue with the Galaxy Z Fold three's Due south Pen back up. While the stylus will piece of work with the foldable telephone, information technology's not included, nor is there a built-in slot for the stylus like at that place is with Galaxy Notation models. Instead, the S Pen is an accessory that you buy separately on top of the $1,799 you lot're already spending on your phone. If you want a fashion to store the pen, you'll demand a specially designed case, which is another purchase.
Yous've got two Southward Pen options — the $49 S Pen Fold Edition and the $99 Southward Pen Pro. The latter offers Bluetooth connectivity for supporting features like Air Gestures and other remote control capabilities. The Southward Pen Fold Edition is merely a writing instrument, albeit 1 that's been specially designed with a collapsible tip to work with the Galaxy Z Fold 3'due south screen.
We tested the S Pen Fold Edition, and information technology's a proficient sturdy stylus in a uniform black. Nosotros struggled to find the S Pen'southward button at times, and that's unfortunate since you'll demand to press that button to activate features similar off-screen memo or quick note. Just hovering the pen over the Galaxy Z Fold 3'southward active screen summons upward the Due south Pen menu, though, giving you access to various tasks you can perform with the stylus.
The Milky way Z Fold 3's expansive 7.six-inch canvas offers aplenty space to jot down a quick note — just hold that push button on the S Pen and tap the screen to showtime writing things down. If the screen is turned off, all yous take to do is press and concur the Southward Pen button and tap the screen to create an off-screen memo.
Other S Pen-powered features include productivity boosters such as Screen Write (a markup feature), Smart Select (pull text and pictures out of other apps) and translate (where you lot can tap words to find out what they hateful in different languages). Other features similar Live Message — where you tin can capture an image and add together text and doodles — or AR Putter for superimposing your drawings over real-globe objects are less about productivity and more than about fun.
Note that you lot can just employ the S Pen on the Galaxy Z Fold 3's principal screen. The cover display doesn't support input from the stylus. This seems like an oversight, as if you desire to jot down a quick notation, perchance you lot don't want to carp with unfolding the device.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review: Cameras
There'south actually not much new to report on the camera hardware forepart with the Milky way Z Fold 3, with the exception of the nether-brandish camera. But Samsung has brought some of the all-time photographic camera features over from the Milky way S21 Ultra, including Single Take (Dynamic Video) and Manager's View (for using the front and back cameras at once). Other highlights include rear camera selfie and a Capture View Style that lets you lot encounter your photos on the left and your live preview on the right.
The rear cameras once once more include a trio of 12MP lenses: an f/one.8 wide-angle shooter, an ultra-wide f/2.two camera with a 123-degree field of view, and a 12MP telephoto camera. Based on our photo comparisons, the Galaxy Z Fold iii takes colorful and mostly sharp photos. But information technology's a step backside the iPhone 12 Pro in terms of details and more realistic hues. And you miss out on the zooming power of the Milky way S21 Ultra.
You can see in this shot of portulaca flowers that the Galaxy Z Fold three is capable of delivering vibrant colors, though the details could be a flake better in the petals when I zoomed in. I slightly prefer the contrast offered by the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
In this portrait, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 does a by and large fine job with the bokeh result, blurring out most of the groundwork, though the leaves on the right side are fairly pronounced. My blue shirt really pops, and there's a skillful amount of detail in my hair, but my skin tone is a bit washed out, with the iPhone 12 Pro offering a warmer and more than realistic take.
In one case again the Milky way Z Fold 3 produces a colorful shot hither of diverse peppers, offer saturated hues of green, orangish, xanthous and ruby. And this time the detail remained adequately potent as I zoomed in on the sign and even the stickers on some of the produce. It'south nearly a draw with the iPhone 12 Pro Max, though once more the added contrast gives Apple'southward phone a slight border, and the oranges are a scrap richer.
In this beach scene y'all can encounter that the Galaxy Z Fold iii struggles to deliver the same amount of detail and subtlety equally the iPhone, especially when information technology comes to the translucence of the water, the variations in sunlight and the bark in the tree on the right side.
With Night way engaged, I compared the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy S21 Ultra, and the Fold has an border with more realistic colors. The S21 Ultra'southward shot is brighter simply has an orangish tinge to it.
To test out the Galaxy Z Fold three'due south selfie capabilities I used both the 4MP under-display camera and 10MP front end camera, and it'due south no contest. My face looks blurrier and washed out with the UDC photo, and my hair, shirt and the surrounding grass merely expect better with the 10MP camera. For more on this UDC see my Milky way Z Fold 3 under-display photographic camera test results.
It's as well bad that you get just a 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom with the Galaxy Z Fold 3. The Galaxy S21 Ultra, for example, packs dual telephoto lenses with 3x and 10x optical zoom, and that telephone'south Space Zoom (digital) goes up to 100x.
In the above photograph the Z Fold 3 delivers a shot that's nigh as good as the S21 Ultra at 10x, even if the pic is a chip too bright. Merely the Galaxy Z Fold 3 pushes much further, as you lot can run across in the above shot taken with the 50x zoom setting.
Samsung Milky way Z Fold 3: Functioning
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 proved generally snappy in our hands-on time, and that's considering it has some pretty beefy hardware under the hood. A Snapdragon 888 chip runs the show, and it'south backed by 12GB of RAM. There's also 256GB of internal storage standard, though y'all tin opt for 512GB.
In everyday use the Milky way Z Fold 3 provided swift operation, whether I was running three apps at once or racing around the track in Asphalt 9. However, I did notice some glitches at times, such as when going from the cover display to the chief display.
On Geekbench v, which measures overall performance, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 notched 3,418 on the multi-cadre portion of the test and one,107 on single core. That's on par with the the Galaxy S21 Ultra (iii,400/1,123) but well behind the iPhone 12 Pro Max (4,100/one,600).
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 wasn't as far behind the iPhone 12 Pro Max on the 3DMark Wild Life graphics test. The Samsung mustered 33 frames per second, compared to 39 fps on the iPhone.
On our video editing test using the Adobe Premiere Rush app, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 took 50 seconds to transcode a 4K video to 1080p. That'southward faster than the Galaxy S21 Ultra's one infinitesimal and ii seconds simply still slower than the iPhone 12 Pro Max's 28 seconds.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review: Battery life and charging
The Galaxy Z Fold three packs a 4,400 mAh dual battery, which is a bit smaller than the Z Fold ii'due south 4,500 mAh pack. And we were disappointed in the results of our spider web surfing battery test, which involves surfing the web over 5G on 150 nits of screen effulgence.
The Galaxy Z Fold three lasted just seven hours and 52 seconds in 60Hz display manner, and even less on adaptive manner (upward to 120Hz) at 6:35. The Milky way Z Fold two lasted a much longer x:10 and 9:05, respectively, on the same screen modes. Terminal year we used T-Mobile's network and so that may account for some of the difference. We will report dorsum with more test results.
As expected, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 doesn't include a charger, and so we used a 25W Samsung charger to exam the charge time. Afterward xxx minutes, the telephone reached 47%, which isn't bad.
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 too supports up to 10W wireless charging. You can also use the back of the Z Fold 3 to reverse wireless charge other devices up to 4.5W.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review: What about the iPhone 13 Pro Max?
Foldables are a category of their ain and Samsung is essentially the only histrion correct now. While Apple allegedly prepares its ain foldable, we can only draw comparisons to what's available correct now, and that's the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
It's a bit unfair to compare these phones in some regards due to the differing class factors, just Samsung has to convince people to buy the Fold 3. And when compared to the new iPhone, the Fold 3 falls far short in several areas. Key among these are battery life and camera quality. In fact, the iPhone 13 Pro Max has earned a spot on our best telephone battery life and best camera phones lists.
Foldables are still in their infancy, but when you lot get an arguably improve telephone for several hundred dollars less, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a tough sell in some respects. It'southward yet a groovy and novel phone/tablet and it's by no means bad, but Apple knocked it out of the park this year. The Fold 3 has trouble keeping upward in some places.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review: Verdict
With the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung retains the title of best foldable telephone, and that's not but because there'south actually no contest right now. You go a more durable design, improved multitasking and better displays for a little less coin than final time around.
The under-display camera is a step forrad in terms of blueprint, letting you come across more of the screen when not in employ. But y'all'll need to trade off some prototype quality from this 4MP shooter.
Samsung also deserves credit for working with developers to optimize more than apps for foldables. Even so, while I capeesh the S Pen back up, Samsung should accept included the stylus for $1,799. Plus, the battery life could be better and the overall blueprint slimmer.
Overall, the Milky way Z Fold 3 is a winner, but information technology's but for those users who are willing to pay a premium for a phone that can double as a tablet.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-3
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