Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G Review

Design

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G, released in 2021, presents a foldable design, measuring 158.2mm in height, 128.1mm in width, and a slim 6.4mm in depth when unfolded. The device weighs 271g, reflecting its robust build and foldable nature. The phone incorporates a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for secure access. Color options include Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Green, and special editions like the Thom Browne Edition and Wooyoungmi Edition.

Display

The device boasts two displays. The main, foldable display is a 7.6-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a resolution of 1768 x 2208 pixels and a pixel density of 374 ppi. This screen offers a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and a peak brightness of 1200 nits. The secondary, external display measures 6.2 inches and is a Super AMOLED with a 21:9 aspect ratio, a resolution of 832 x 2268 pixels, and a pixel density of 390 ppi. This screen also benefits from a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support. Both screens are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus and feature aspects like a hole-punch notch, always-on display, and multi-touch capabilities. The foldable display also supports S-Pen functionality.

Performance

The Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is powered by the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G chipset (5nm). The CPU is an octa-core configuration, featuring 1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55 cores. An Adreno 660 GPU handles the graphics processing. The device offers 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, with options for 256GB or 512GB internal storage. The Antutu benchmark score using version 10 is approximately 898,700. There is no SD card slot available. The device does not incorporate any active cooling system or gaming buttons, but the audio experience is enhanced by Dolby Atmos and stereo speakers.

Camera

The Galaxy Z Fold3 5G features a triple rear camera system. The main camera is a 12MP Sony IMX555 sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and 1.80µm pixel size, complemented by a 13MP wide-angle lens using a Sony IMX258 sensor with f/2.2 aperture and 1.12µm pixel size, and a 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.4 aperture and 1.00µm pixel size providing 2x optical zoom. The front-facing selfie camera is 10MP with a Sony IMX374 sensor, an f/2.2 aperture and 1.22µm pixel size. Notably, there is a 4MP internal front camera hidden beneath the display, using a Sony IMX471 sensor with an f/1.8 aperture. The rear camera system is capable of 4K video recording at 60fps with HDR and EIS, as well as 1080p at up to 240fps. The camera system includes optical image stabilization (OIS), dual LED flash, autofocus with both PDAF and LAF, and features like HDR, night mode, and panorama. DxOMark scores are 120 for the main camera, 129 for photo, and 105 for video; the selfie camera scores 83 overall, with 79 for photo and 89 for video.

Battery Life

The phone is powered by a 4400 mAh Li-Polymer battery, supporting 25W fast wired charging and 15W wireless charging. The device also supports 9W reverse wireless charging and bypass charging. The battery is non-removable.

Software

The Galaxy Z Fold3 5G launches with Android 11, and is upgradeable to Android 15. It includes standard Android features, and various Samsung customizations.

Connectivity

The device supports Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with dual-band, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, and Wi-Fi MiMO capabilities. Bluetooth 5.2 LE includes A2DP, AVRCP, DIP, HFP, HID, HSP, LE, MAP, PAN, OPP, PBAP/PAB profiles and APT-x support. GPS capabilities encompass GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, and Galileo. The phone accommodates Dual SIM Dual Standby using Nano SIM + eSIM. It offers extensive 5G and 4G LTE band support as well as 3G and 2G network compatibility. It utilizes USB Type-C 3.2, features USB charging, mass storage, OTG, and host capabilities.

Pricing

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G falls into the medium price range, with variants like the 12GB/512GB model having varying price points at launch across different markets, including $399.95 to $1,799.99.

Overall Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is a high-performance foldable smartphone with a unique design. Its impressive foldable display, robust processing power, and versatile camera system are highlights. However, its weight and price point may be a consideration for some. The device offers a premium experience with the flexibility of a foldable screen and robust performance for demanding tasks.