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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is designed to fold it and make it smaller. Samsung claims to make durability improvements on this phone, including a stronger body and frame. Moreover, it looks like a stylish phone which can also fold itself. Simply, this smartphone is a show-stealer by any definition of a folding smartphone.
The previous Galaxy Z Flip was a beast in itself. Now, the improved version of Galaxy Z Flip 3 is even better. Its major improvement includes a lower price, a more beefed-up design, a larger cover display, and 2021 specs.
Samsung really stepped up in the right direction in terms of price and color. The Z Flip 3 might be the first foldable phone aimed at a mass audience that has a chance of living up to such hype.
The biggest criticism for foldable smartphones is that their prices are too high. So, they are very expensive and unaffordable. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 improves that with a lower starting price of $1,000 (£949, AU$1,499), which is $450 cheaper than last fall’s Z Flip 5G. That makes the Z Flip 3 cost the same as a Galaxy S21 Plus or an iPhone 12 Pro. Moreover, $1000 for a foldable phone is a bargain. Tell me, how often do you see foldable phones going around $1000 in the market?
Samsung wants this phone to reach a higher audience. Some proofs are that the Z Flip 3 comes in seven different colors: cream, green, lavender, or phantom black. Samsung also has three exclusive colors that are only available on its website: gray, white, and pink. The colors give the Z Flip 3’s square “drink coaster” design a contemporary, fun feel.
If a variety of colors and a lower price aren’t enough to get more people interested, the improvements Samsung made to the Z Flip 3’s durability and software could help it take a significant step away from being a “niche phone” and one that more people use as their daily driver. Preorders are open now, and the Z Flip 3 launches on Aug. 27. Samsung also created a number of cases specifically for the Z Flip 3 that add pizzazz, more grip, or a strap.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Specifications
AVAILABILITY
Officially Announced: Aug 11, 2021
Scheduled Release: (Official) Aug 27, 2021
DISPLAY
Size: 6.7 inches
Resolution: 2636 x 1080 pixels, 22:9 ratio, 425 PPI
Technology: Dynamic AMOLED
Screen-to-body: 84.79 %
Features: 120Hz refresh rate, Folding inside the device, HDR support, Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor
Front cover display: 1.9 inches, 260 x 512 pixels, AMOLED
HARDWARE
System chip: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SM8350
Processor: Octa-core, 2840 MHz, Kryo 680, 64-bit, 5 nm
GPU: Adreno 660
RAM: 8 GB LPDDR5
Internal storage: 128 GB (UFS 3.1), not expandable
Device type: Smartphone
OS: Android (11)
BATTERY
Capacity: 3300 mAh
Charging: Fast charging
Max charge speed: Wired: 25.0W
CAMERA
Rear: Dual camera
Main camera: 12 MP (OIS, Autofocus)
Second camera: 12 MP (Ultra-wide)
Video recording: Yes
Front: 10 MP
DESIGN
Dimensions: 6.54 x 2.84 x 0.27 inches (166 x 72.2 x 6.9 mm)
Folded: (72.2 x 86.4 x 15.9 mm)
Weight: 6.46 oz (183.0 g)
Materials: Back: Glass; Frame: Aluminum
Resistance: Yes; IPX8
Biometrics: Fingerprint (touch)
Colors: Phantom Black, Cream, Lavender
CELLULAR
5G: n2, n5, n25, n41, n66, n71, n260, n261, SA, NSA, Sub-6, mmWave
LTE (FDD): Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(AWS-1), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700 a), 13(700 c), 14(700 PS), 18(800 Lower), 19(800 Upper), 20(800 DD), 25(1900+), 26(850+), 28(700 APT), 30(2300 WCS), 66(AWS-3), 71(600)
LTE (TDD): Bands 38(2600), 39(1900+), 40(2300), 41(2600+), 46, 48(3600)
UMTS: Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 8(900)
Data Speed: LTE-A Pro Cat 20 (2000/150 Mbit/s), HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s
SIM type: Nano SIM
MULTIMEDIA
Headphones: No 3.5 mm jack
Speakers: Earpiece, Multiple speakers
Features: aptX, aptX-HD
Screen mirroring: Wireless screen share
Additional microphone(s): for Noise cancellation
CONNECTIVITY & FEATURES
Bluetooth: 5.1
Wi-Fi: 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac; Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot
USB: Type-C (reversible), USB 3.1
Location: GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, Galileo, BeiDou
Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Hall (for flip covers), Barometer
Other: NFC
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 with a larger cover screen
The tiny pill-shaped cover screen on the earlier Z Flip and Z Flip 5G was useless for anything more than seeing the time or battery life. By contrast, one of the favorite features of the Motorola Razr and Razr 5G is the Quick View display on its case. You can do pretty much anything without opening the phone up. The Z Flip 3’s cover display is four times larger than the Z Flip’s pill screen, so now you can actually read your notifications instead of just part of them.
The new screen can show four lines, with the option to scroll down to see longer notifications. You can also check your emails and group chats, all without flipping open the Flip. There are six widgets that will work on the cover screen. Among them, you can check the weather or your step count and use Samsung Pay. The cover screen and rear glass are now made with Gorilla Glass Victus, which Samsung says is 50% more durable than the Gorilla Glass 6 on previous models.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 water resistance
The metal frame and hinge on the Z Flip 3 are made up of a new material marketed as Armor Aluminum. According to Samsung, it’s 10% more durable. Like the Z Fold 3, the body of the Z Flip 3 is rated IPX8 for water resistance, which means that it can survive under 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. I should note that there isn’t any rating for dust resistance.
Galaxy Z Flip 3 has 120Hz adaptive refresh rate screen
When you do flip the phone open, the main screen greets you with a new protective film which Samsung says makes it 30% more durable than the original Flip. The new screen also has a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate that should make scrolling through content, gaming and animations look smoother. That’s a big upgrade. The Z Flip 3 also gets stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos.
On the inside of the phone is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset with 8GB of RAM and either 128 or 256GB of internal storage. It has the same dual battery setup as the Z Flip 5G and also supports 15-watt fast-charging — despite not coming with a 15-watt charger, or any charger for that matter. The Z Flip 3 has wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.
Galaxy Z Flip 3 cameras
The Z Flip 3 has three cameras. There’s a 10-megapixel selfie camera housed in a hole punch cutout in the main screen and two cameras on the outside cover: a main 12-megapixel wide-angle camera with optical image stabilization and a new 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. Unlike the Z Fold 3, the Flip doesn’t get an “under-display camera.”
Galaxy Z Flip 3 flex mode
In terms of software, the Z Flip 3 runs Android 11. Samsung does say that it added functionality into the software to support the phone’s shape. Flex-Mode, which debuted on the original Flip, lets you position the phone like a mini laptop and show an app on the top half and the controls for that app on the bottom half.
The Z Flip 3 now has more apps that can take advantage of Flex Mode. I’m excited to see how improvements to multitasking work and if the software made the same strides as the hardware.
At the end of the day, the Z Flip 3 represents a significant step forward for bringing foldable phones to the mainstream. Samsung seems confident that the Z Flip 3 is a “ready for prime time” mass-market device and one that people can count on as a regular phone. We’ll see.
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