VIDEO First impressions of Samsung Galazy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3. Foldable phones are here to stay

When the two Samsung phones appeared, they changed the way we look at smartphones. But the first generation was, from my point of view, experimental. There were terminals that proved it was possible, but they were at the beginning of the road. If Flip, the smallest device that folds vertically, jumped a year and today is, in fact, the second generation, Fold also had a number "2".

And last year I called him "the king with a plastic crown." But the evolution could already be seen. Fold 3 and Flip 3 from 2021 are already mature phones that no longer feel like experiments. Fold is a powerful business and lifestyle device, a replacement for the Note range, and Flip is a device that can be easily put in your trouser pocket, in your purse and can become an exceptional lifestyle accessory.

We got our hands on these two phones and with their official presentation we can give you our first impression. Clearly not definitive, but at least informed.

Design Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a device that keeps the same line as in previous generations, but refines it. The phone has a thickness of 16 mm in the thickest area and 14.4 mm in the thin area when folded. Although the thickness is similar to that of the previous generation, the closing angle is more elegant and the hinge looks better. The phone also weighs a little less than the previous generation, which is 271 grams compared to 282 grams. Although it still feels like a heavy terminal, it's okay.

At the back you have the triple camera, and at the front you have the secondary screen. Let's call it the TikTok screen, because we're not talking about a small screen, but a very capable and vertical one, which has 6.2 inches, but about it a little later. On the "Cover" screen, as Samsung calls it, you also have a selfie camera, so you don't open the phone to take good pictures.

Once you've "stretched" the phone or "unfolded" it, as you might say, you're given a relatively strange orientation by the 7.6-inch screen, 22.5:18, a bright screen that hides a second selfie camera. PE margins have remained the traditional frame for Fold, but it is much more discreet this year and fits very well. I've always used the expression "cheder", but I don't think many people know what it means. But the frame has become discreet, plus Samsung has prepared a collection of covers that look relatively interesting.

It's a device that doesn't look awkward and even if you still see that crease in the middle of the screen, I feel that it will simply become a feature that we will get used to in the years to come until it disappears at some point.

Fold 3 is business, it's serious, once you put the covers on it it's not just a gadget, it's a very serious accessory. The covers are interesting, made of leather, and some also have support for S Pen, a novelty for this year that we will discuss more.

How's Flip? Let's see.

Z Flip 3 is the foldable pocket device. It's in the style of those phones that I had or envied when I was younger and I didn't know there would be smartphones. The device is one for those who are interested in style, for those who do not want to have a huge phone in their jacket pocket or event purse.

The folded phone has a height of 86.4 millimeters, and when opened 166 millimeters. Its weight is 183 grams. We see directly a double camera and a very small screen, 1.9 inches, a screen where you can see some notifications, the calendar, you can launch a voice recording or even open the camera for a selfie.

The phone is made of Gorilla Glass Victus glass on the back and comes in several shades of color, some absolutely spectacular, such as purple or cream. It is water resistant and is surrounded by a frame and an aluminum hinge.

Once opened, the phone has a very high 6.7-inch screen, a 22 by 9 orientation, and the screen also hides a front camera. Its thickness is 17.1 millimeters at the thickest point of the hinge and 15.9 millimeters at the thinnest part.

If we were to divide these phones into two categories, Fold 3 is the business device, ultra flagship, while Flip is in the lifestyle of the flagship lifestyle. I think it's a great device, the vivid colors match it perfectly, you can put it in a small purse, in a discreet pocket. Flip is the younger device, while Fold 3 is more for the melancholic after a serious PDA.

But beyond the fact that this year's devices look much better, they are also very powerful, with an advantage for Fold 3, of course. And even if we haven't had a chance to test them yet, let's see what they know how to do on the screens, but also what their technical performance is.

Screen and technical performance

Samsung Galazy Z Fold 3 has a 6.2-inch HD + Dynamic AMOLED "Cover" screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. It's impressive, especially when compared to the other generations of Fold, especially the first one, where the screen was more of a joke. This is basically a solid, standalone screen that can be used without any problems for most of the day without having to unfold your phone.

The main screen is 7.6 inches and has a QXGA + resolution of 2208 x 1768 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. They feel solid, "glassy" we could say, it's very fast and has an excellent brightness. It can be a very good screen to share tasks, to have different functions on at once, or if you want to analyze a table in Excel, for example. It's cool for Netflix or YouTube, too, but the problem is that most of the content isn't right for this screen, so you'll have two huge black edges up and down. And if you "pinch to zoom" to put the video on full screen, you won't see much.

The phone has a Snapdragon 888 5G processor for top performance, 12 GB of RAM and 256 or 512 GB of storage. The battery is a cause for concern, although it is large compared to those on traditional phones, 4,400 milliamps, but at this size it could be only a day, if you add the 5G in the game.

Because the Fold 3 is practically a replacement for the Galaxy Note, it has support for the S Pen, Samsung's stylus. But beware, Samsung's recommendation is not to use older styluses, because those have a thinner tip and can damage Fold's screen. For this phone there is the S Pen Fold Edition, which has a slightly thicker tip and is vaguely retractable, so that when you press it you don't damage the screen. It's still ... fine technology, so be careful if you buy this S Pen phone.

For the latter, which is even smaller than the others, there is a special cover to put it in. It makes the terminal quite large, but it's a plus of productivity.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 has 8 GB of RAM like last year, but it comes in two versions, 128 GB and 256 GB, this being an advantage for those who do not want to spend too much money on the device.

The processor inside is a 5-nanometer Snapdragon 888 5G, a very powerful processor that will withstand both gaming and browsing and multitasking.

The battery has 3,300 milliamps and I don't expect it to have amazing everyday performance, but the advantage would be that you can use the secondary screen as a kind of smartwatch, where you can see notifications and calls without opening the main screen.

The main screen of the Z Flip 3 is 6.7 inches and is Full HD + Dynamic AMOLED with 22 by 9 orientation. The refresh rate is 120 Hz, which I find spectacular. I already said that it is a mandatory condition for any top phone at the moment.

In use, the screen looks solid, it doesn't feel plastic anymore, it's very bright, the only problem I can identify is that it's a little more glossy than a regular screen, so you might have problems in the sun.

The secondary screen is more at the accessory level, a place to read notifications and be able to see some elements of productivity. It is 1.9 inches, it is bigger than the first generation, which was only 1.1 inches and looks very good.

Where Samsung has theoretically improved things is when it comes to cameras. Let's review them briefly.

Photo cameras

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 has a triple camera on the back. The main camera has 12 megapixels and an F 2.2 and is ultra wide. We also have a 12 megapixel wide camera with dual pixels, autofocus and optical image stabilization. Samsung has also equipped the phone with a 12 megapixel telephoto camera with F2.4 and 2X optical zoom.

The cover screen is 10 megapixels and offers a wide angle. We also have a 4 megapixel display camera for selfies or video conferencing. This is a new and interesting feature, because this room is almost hidden. Let's be honest. It's not perfectly hidden, but it's technically under the display. When the screen is white you will see a circle in that area with a checkered texture, and when the screen is black the camera is barely visible.

The first impressions were reasonably good, with interesting results, but we will have to test before we give our opinion as if we knew.

Z Flip has fewer top features in the rooms, but they do not disappoint. On the back, the cameras can also be used for selfies when the terminal is folded. We have a 12 megapixel ultra wide camera and a 12 megapixel wide one. Basically, when you have your phone folded you can open the camera and see a preview on the small screen. The front camera has 10 megapixels.

Before the final conclusions we usually put the pros and cons. But this time, because we are talking about a hands-on and we had about an hour to make an impression, I will review some details about the two foldable phones from Samsung.

Some impressions about Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 after a first hands on

Conclusion

What can I say after the first impression with Fold 3 and Flip 3? Well, there are no more experimental phones. Samsung has reached an early maturity with these handsets and they are well positioned in the area where it was before Notes. Yes, they are still inaccessible phones for many. They can be a holiday replacement for a laptop or tablet and productivity devices during the day.

Personally, the only thing stopping me from buying a Fold or a Flip is the price. It's true that I've never spent more than 4,500 lei on a phone, so I'm not necessarily in the target audience. But if you are an entrepreneur, a businessman who wants to impress, a content creator or a man always on the road, there are interesting alternatives.

I know there will be many who will tell me in the comments that I am crazy, how to spend 10,000 lei on a phone. But let's be serious, those who can afford to give more to a Tesla just for innovation and coolness. Make money on gaming laptops and other expensive devices.