Foldables are thought to be the future or at least the next step towards the future with rollable devices in a more advanced form. But for now, putting together a foldable device and getting it to the market is a big challenge and Samsung accepted it. 

Working on this idea, Samsung launched their first-ever folding touch phone, the “Galaxy Fold” back in 2019. Although it was not a huge hit because of the vulnerable hinge and a quite prominent crease, it presented Samsung with an opportunity to learn and research to make foldable phones a reality. 

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One of such phones along the line was the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, which presented a revolutionary flexible display that left all the tech geeks in awe. However, Samsung did not stop there (which is obviously the reason they are the largest smartphone manufacturer). Working on the Z flip cultivated new ideas in the minds behind the device, and approximately more than a year later, Samsung has now rolled out its successor, the new and reborn “Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3”.

Flipped But Reimagined

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So, a flip is a phone that can fold onto itself. But we had the flip phones more than two decades ago, what makes these phones so special? Because no one thought that touch glass screens were flexible, let alone bendable. With Samsung using layers of plastic and ultra-thin glass to achieve this in the Z Flip, they introduced a hideaway hinge for the bending. It allows multiple angles for the bending, and is claimed to work flawlessly over 200,000 flips. This roughly translates to more than five years of usage. 

This clearly shows the effort Samsung has put in on the hinge because that’s what a foldable device relies on. On the way to make foldables a reality, there were two main concerns for Samsung:

  • They had to ensure that the hinge does not make the phone bulkier and is neither to hard nor too loose, rather somewhere in between.
  • Secondly, they had to devise a folding mechanism that does not let in particles of dust and sand. This would seriously compromise the reliability of the hinge.
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How were these two objectives achieved? Well, Samsung tells us that they made use of a newer technology, the Dual CAM Mechanism of the Hideaway Hinge. The novel, progressive folding experience is made practical by the ridge-shaped dual CAM mechanism. The Galaxy Z Flip and Z Flip 3 both can unfold, close, and stand on its own at various angles thanks to this ground-breaking technology. Furthermore, the Hideaway Hinge and the Flips are also small enough to nestle in the palm of your hand thanks to the precision-crafted dual CAM mechanism.

They also placed magnets within the hinge in both the Flip phones, making sure that when folded, the device stays that way and does not open up unnecessarily. This is was all till the previous Z Flip.

 With the new Z Flip3, Samsung has introduced a further refined hinge that has tiny brushes inside it. These not only keep the dust out; Samsung has also succeeded in getting an IPX8 water-resistant making it the most reliable hinge on any foldable on the market today.

Sleek Design and Sensational Feel

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Samsung has always had the best-looking phones which felt amazing to hold. Their amazing colors, looks and aesthetics are one of the few major things that make people go crazy and spend more than a thousand bucks just on a phone! The Z Flip has a back glass featuring Gorilla Glass 6 whereas the newer Z Flip 3 boasts the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, providing much more protection to falls and scratches than ever before. 

The aluminum ring in both the phones provides you a premium feel unique to Samsung’s phones. When folded, the body-colored hinge reappears to reveal the Samsung logo beautifully carved across it. These is not much change on this aspect of both Z Flip and Z Flip 3 and both the phones look absolutely spectacular in the hand. 

The Displays – Vivid and Colorful than ever before

Alright, we have our Flips and we know they have two Displays, one on the outside to see the time and notifications while the other main internal display, a 6.7” inch full HD Super AMOLED which is a sight for the eyes. 

The main screen never really had a problem even in the older Z Flip apart from the very visible crease in the center. However, an improvement that was made in the Z Flip 3 is a 120 Hz display that has been optimized for a better experience and a better battery performance.

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Now some people made a fuss about the dangers of 120 Hz on the battery health but let’s not forget, its Samsung we’re talking about. Samsung knew higher refresh rate meant higher power consumption, so they made a pathway around that just as it did with the S21 Ultra. 

The 120Hz display is adaptive which means the screen is able to switch to different refresh rates, from 10 Hz when there is not much movement on the screen to 120 Hz when you are playing your favorite PUBG Mobile.

Samsung has been very kind to the public opinion on the original Z Flip’s small outer display. The minute cover screen did not have much of an application was limited to showing time only. In the Z Flip 3, Samsung has made the outer screen much bigger to almost 1.9 inches. The increased size now makes much more sense for the display and is housed in the black portion on the top with the cameras. Thus, adding to the elegance of the design as well.

The Core Upgrade- The New Chipset

Samsung flagship, by default, means that it will feature the latest chipset out there. At the time of its reveal, the Galaxy Z Flip featured the 7nm Snapdragon 855+ which was amazing. A new iteration means a new chipset. Resultantly, the Z Flip 3 comes with a 5nm Snapdragon 888 5G. 

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Let’s be clear, Snapdragon 855+ is a spectacular processor even today but a flagship means the best available everything of the time so here are the improvements you are looking forward to in the Z Flip 3:

  • Improved AI support: The sixth generation Qualcomm AI Engine has an AI accelerator that has astonished every one with its 26 TOPS performance.
  • 5G is the future: Both chipsets are 5G compatible and will provide the best performance but the 888 provides further enhanced connectivity and speed with better power management.
  • Unmatched Speed and Stamina: The Snapdragon 888 claims a 30 percent increase in performance and 35 percent increase in graphics along with better optimization for a longer a battery life so you will probably go home chicken dinner with a Z Flip 3 in your hands.

Gram Lovers, This one’s for you

You love to make snaps, share stories and let everyone see where you went today. Good, colorful and high-quality pictures and videos are what make us snappers happy. And as with all the flagship and top end devices, Samsung never holds back in the camera department.

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The older Z flip did not have much to boast about in this regard, with only having a 10 Megapixel front camera that supported face ID. In the rear camera department, it had two lenses of 12 Megapixel each, one being the primary while the other being the ultra-wide camera. However, there was the use of the back camera for selfies which seemed somewhat interesting and futuristic. Of course, that was more or less ruined by the tiny display.

The Z Flip 3 however knew that in order to make everyone happy, the camera department needed to be boosted. It comes with a 12 Megapixel front camera which utilizes the latest of Samsung software to take selfies that are more vibrant and eye catching. As one turns the phone over, we still find two lenses, but they are much better at performing their duties than the one their predecessors had. 

With the main primary camera having a 48 Megapixels primary and 12 Megapixels Ultrawide lens, Samsung has made the critics of this futuristic device quiet. With the latest camera software and AI abilities, the pictures genuinely feel to come from the top-of-the-line mobile phone camera. 

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As also was the case with Z Flip, the Z Flip 3 can also utilize the rear end cameras for selfie purposes when the phone is folded.  This time, the bigger screen provides a better service as a view finder than the elder Z Flip. The selfie kings and queens are surely going to get their phone worth each and every dollar!

Daily Life Force of your phone, or as some would call it, The Battery

You must be wondering, how well do the Flip phones do throughout the day, and how much screen time do they offer? Well, the Galaxy Z Flip housed a powerful 3300 mAh Lithium-ion battery, which on fairly normal usage, provided a battery timing of a little over one day.

On the other hand, the newer Galaxy Z Flip 3 has packed within itself, a strong and long lasting 4100 mAh Lithium Polymer battery. With greater battery capacity and batter power management, even having more power consuming features is not an issue. Optimization of the high-refresh rate capabilities and other features has enabled the Z Flip 3 to last about two days on a fully charged battery for an average smartphone user.

The eco-friendly solution, a charger less phone

The original Galaxy Z flip had a charging brick of 15 Watts, called as adaptive fast charging by Samsung. This phone was rolled out at a time when selling the accessories of a phone separately was considered absurd, let alone the charger. However, with Apple doing this with the iPhone 12, selling the charger separately to make the box smaller, Samsung simply followed suit. The S21 series did not have a charger in the box and same has been done with the Z Flip 3. You have to use one you already have or buy one separately.

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Apart from that, the Z Flip supported 15W fast charging which has been upgraded to 25W on the Z Flip 3. This is far too less if we consider the likes Oppo and Xiaomi boasting up to 100W fast charging. But it is Samsung after all. Wireless charging is another feature that you might miss if you are used to that so that’s a bummer.

Folding Phones, a thing for the future

The Z Flips are small when folded, easy to hold and do not fall out of your pockets. When folded, the inner main screen is very less likely to be damaged in case of any fall from your hand and overall, they are simply cute. 

Some people may argue that neither the Galaxy Z Flip nor the Galaxy Z Flip 3 are the spec kings of their time. Well, this is because they are not supposed to be. Both these should be perceived as a step towards a better generation of smart devices. 

The original Z Flip was smartly priced at $1200. The Z Flip 3 further takes it down to $1100 for a 12GB RAM, 256GM storage version. This clearly conveys that Samsung wants people to switch to foldables asap.

Should you buy one and if you should, which one?

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If you are the lad who likes to test exciting stuff, these are made for you. However, we would recommend going for the Z Flip 3 that outperforms its predecessor in every aspect and has a dashing screen on the back.

Overall, the Z Flip 3 has paved way for a lot of new opportunities and created a new venture for all the smartphone makers. While being priced under the 1000-dollar mark, people are surely going to be all over the place to have a piece of this wonderous technology!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do Z Flip and Flip 3 break at the hinge?

The hinges in the both these phones are surprisingly reliable. You are not going to break it simply because your child tried to fold it the wrong way.

2. Should I buy a used Z Flip or a new Z Flip 3?

We do not expect a used Z Flip to be surprisingly cheaper than the Z Flip 3 and the new model has better features to offer at a competitive price of $1100. So, better to go for the Z Flip 3.

3. Does the Z Flip 3 screen scratch?

Yes, being inherently plastic, both screens on the Z Flip and Z Flip 3 are prone to scratches from car keys and pointy finger nails. It is better if you keep it with a little care.

4. Does the Z Flip 3 come with an S-pen?

No, the Z Flip does not come with an S-pen. However, it does support a specially designed S-pen for Samsung’s foldable devices that you can purchase separately from Samsung.