Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 3 is the company's attempt to make foldable phones fashionable. When open, the phone looks like any other flagship Android device – albeit with a slight horizontal glow in the middle of the screen that reveals its signature feature. When closed, the phone works like a smartwatch, with a small screen that sends notifications and contains a few widgets.
Like the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung has made the new Flip the most attractive yet and of all the foldable phones available.
Design
When open, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 has a 2640 x 1080p 6.7-inch display with a notch at the top for the 10MP f/2.4 selfie camera . Unfortunately, the phone is too heavy (at 183g) to open with one hand, but it can easily be closed with one finger.
Samsung says the phone is "designed to be opened with two hands" to improve its sturdiness, and that the rigidity supports "a free-stop folding experience so it can stay open in a range of points from open to closed".
When the phone is closed, meanwhile, notifications appear on the 260 x 512p 1.9-inch screen. Double-tapping the screen brings up a customizable clock, and swiping right cycles through widgets.
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A nifty feature is found by tapping the home button (which is also a fingerprint scanner) on the right, which activates the phone's main camera. The small screen then becomes a viewfinder for photos, and like the Galaxy Z Fold 3, raising a hand will activate a timer. This is definitely faster than opening the phone and taking a selfie, and it's a good way to use the superior cameras.
Samsung has improved the Galaxy Z Flip 3's durability between versions, so it will now survive in water, but the phone doesn't have a dust rating.
Display
The main OLED screen is very similar to a standard smartphone, with strong colors and a good level of detail. While the crease in the middle of the screen is visible and felt, it doesn't hinder the use of the phone at all. Like the notches, it's soon forgotten after a day or two of use.
Performance
Inside the Samsung Flip is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space, as well as 5G support. Using the device, applications open quickly and smoothly, without errors or lags.
Battery life
Samsung Flip has a 3300 mAh battery, which the company claims should last up to 13 hours on wifi and 12 hours on mobile internet.
Cameras
The two 12MP lenses on the back of the Samsung Flip – one standard wide and one ultra-wide – do the job adequately, but Samsung hasn't upgraded the camera hardware to the latest version of the foldable. Colors are bright and punchy enough with sharp enough detail to make most people happy. These will be photos that many will want to post on Instagram or Twitter right away, without the need for editing.
However, it feels like many will miss the telephoto lens and areas where smartphones improve significantly, such as low-light photography or in difficult lighting conditions.
This is probably the biggest trade-off buyers will have to make when choosing a Samsung Flip.
Verdict: Samsung Flip
The Samsung Flip is the most compelling case for foldable phones we've seen yet, and one that's easier to use for a lot of people.
There are some issues though – software, battery life and camera – that keep the device from feeling like a premium end product.