REVIEW: Galaxy Z Fold3

Until recently, the idea of ​​folding a cell phone and putting it in your pocket was practically unthinkable. But now this is possible. O Galaxy z fold3 is the third handset in the premium line of Samsung with folding screens that very much fulfills its intended function, in addition to taking the world of folding devices to another level.

Design

O Galaxy z fold3 it is almost entirely made of screen, with part of the device's body made of a very beautiful and elegant aluminum. This is also where its three cameras are located, in a small bulge that makes them well marked. With the device closed, we only have two buttons: an on and off button, which is slightly further inside the product, which prevents it from being pressed by mistake, and a volume button. On the other side are the entries for up to two SIM cards.

At the bottom is located the USB-C input, used to charge the device or connect it to the PC, in addition to one of the sound outputs. Finally, on the top edge we find the other sound output of the device.

Right off the bat, something left me with mixed feelings about the product: the weight. O Galaxy z fold3 weighs about 270 grams, and when using it with the screen closed, with only the auxiliary screen, it seemed excessively heavy, almost uncomfortable to use. Here are photos of it on top of the packaging for comparison.

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Interestingly, when I actually opened it and used it the way it was designed, it was almost as if I had put on a glove that fit my fingers perfectly. Even though it is large, with a 7,6-inch screen, its size is between a large cell phone and a tablet, and for my hand, which is not small, it was possible to use it wonderfully.

Fabric

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The screen is the main star of the Galaxy z fold3. The cell phone has two of them, an auxiliary one that can be checked with the cell phone closed, and an open one. The difference in quality between the two is remarkable. The auxiliary is only 6,1 inches with a resolution of 2268 x 832 pixels. Meanwhile, the main one has a total size of 7,6 inches with 1768 x 2208 pixels, 2x Dynamic AMOLED display, with 120Hz refresh rate and protection. Gorilla Glass Foods.

At first, as soon as I picked up the device, I was a little afraid to close the , after all, this was my first experience with a folding screen. But, with time, the fear disappeared and you could see the size of the care given to the canvas, and bending it became commonplace. Another very noticeable thing is the fingerprints when using the device. They are easily marked, but do not interfere with use, only being seen when we turn off the screen.

O Galaxy Z Fold3 has over 16 million colors and a density of 372 ppi (Pixels per inch, pixels per inch in direct translation), that is, watching a movie or series is a fascinating experience. Especially if we need to use some other application, then just put it on floating screen and solve what you have to solve before continuing watching.

Particularly, I used the secondary screen very little. She was useful to me to quickly answer something on some social network and play a song, otherwise I only focused on the exquisite main screen. That doesn't mean she's bad, though; it's only overshadowed by the big screen, for obvious reasons, especially for a first-timer like me.

Audio

One of the most striking features of the Galaxy z fold3 is the presence of two audio outputs on the device. They are located on what would be the top and bottom of the cell phone, respectively, and thanks to that we have a greater immersion, whether watching a series, a movie, listening to music or playing games.

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Still, I need to mention the presence of technology Dolby Atmos which drastically modifies the audio quality. In the panel above, it is possible to activate or deactivate this function, and the brutal difference it makes is impressive. Everything gets cleaner and louder. It's almost like watching a movie or listening to music on television.

The volume provided by the outputs is louder than the cell phone I use in my daily life, a Galaxy S9 Plus, but a little lower than a television. That is, you can put on some music or watch a movie and be totally immersed. During my tests, I watched several episodes of Person of Interest, which has a lot of shootings, and I didn't feel any difference compared to the TV here at home.

As there is no P3 input, the headphone inputs, the solution is to use headphones that Bluetooth. In this case, the power of the audio is in charge of the device used. In my case I tested it with a JBL headset and I didn't feel any difference between the Galaxy Z Fold3 and my Galaxy S9 Plus.

Processor

with the chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G , which has a processor octa-core, with 1 x 2.84 GHz Kryo 680 + 3 x 2.42 GHz Kryo 680 + 4 x 1.80 GHz Kryo 680, absolutely everything runs as smoothly as possible. It's even satisfying to jump from one app to another, given how quickly everything happens. Even when we have two or more applications active at the same time, there are no stutters or crashes.

The cell phone did not heat up at any time and absolutely no performance failures occurred. In one of my tests, I left YouTube open in windowed mode, Twitter on one side and Chrome open on the other, and they all continued without the slightest sign of choking. Out of all the cell phones I've used, this is easily the best performing device I've ever had the pleasure of using.

By way of comparison, when I try to have Spotify playing a song, Twitter at the top of the screen, and Chrome at the bottom, my Galaxy S9 Plus always takes that almost a second longer before taking any action. already in Galaxy z fold3, this did not happen during testing.

Interface & Apps

The user interface of Galaxy z fold3 It's quite large and fully customizable. In addition, it is possible to place all applications in folders and have quick access, if necessary. One of my most pleasant surprises was browsing the internet using Chrome. Once again I need to quote the screen size. It makes navigation seamless, making pages the perfect size.

In most applications there was an adaptation to the screen aspect ratio, as in Twitter, YouTube, and others. But on Instagram, there was an unusable banner on both sides. That is, they are like dead zones, and no command can be used there, either to move to the next photograph of the feed or like a post.

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One thing that shocked me was its use in games. Instead of squeezing everything on a regular cell phone screen, the field of view is much larger and is much more enjoyable to play. As stated above, it's the perfect size for a cell phone, without the hype of a tablet. In games like Free Fire, it's almost like an extra perk.

In addition, using the Galaxy z fold3 No. Xbox CloudGaming da ecosystem it's almost like playing a handheld video game. The image is totally excellent and perfectly sized — in addition to the sound outputs that work perfectly and manage to give the necessary immersion feeling.

Memory & Storage

What makes the Galaxy z fold3 make it an excellent device is the huge amount of RAM available, with a total of 12 GB. This makes transitioning between applications as graceful as possible, as well as making games run at their best.

The device is available in two versions in Brazil, one with 256 GB of internal space and another with 512 GB. Particularly, the 256 GB one satisfied all my needs, but it's always good to keep in mind what the cell phone will be used for. Only one although to be highlighted here is the impossibility of adding extra memory cards, that is, you will be “stuck” with the choice you made at the time of purchase.

Connectivity, networks and accessories

One thing I really missed was a headphone jack, the famous P3 — even though it's a movement that started in the iPhone 7, and arrived at Samsung from the Galaxy S20. This makes the user obliged to use bluetooth headphones, or else use headphones that have the USB-C input, which is also used to recharge the device's battery. It is located on the underside of the device, and in addition, there are also the other common connections, such as NFC, GPS and PC synchronization.

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O Galaxy z fold3 is now compatible with some models of S-Pen, and has one that was designed for the device itself, called S-Pen Fold Edition, whose models are the Basic and the Pro. However, it is an accessory, and is not included in the package that comes with the cell phone, being necessary to purchase the pen separately.

Finally, the device is now ready to connect with the upcoming 5G technology, whose auction has already been held by the Federal Government. As for the download rate, the cell phone still has a maximum capacity of 7500 Mbps while the upload reaches up to 3000 Mbps.

Battery

O Galaxy z fold3 It has a 4400mAh battery that really lasts all day. During my test, I used it during working hours and also in leisure time, watching YouTube videos, surfing the Internet, answering messages from colleagues and also playing games.

It took approximately 12 hours of use, and the battery held up well, with about 30% of the charge remaining, which surprised me a lot. Always with the lighting above half of the available, with the volume practically at maximum, that is, putting the little monster to work.

Durability

As stated above, at first I was terrified by the resistance of the folding screen. If we only consider what we see, it seems to be a very fragile glass, however, with use, this sensation disappears and you can see that the Galaxy z fold3 It has an excellent quality screen.

In addition, Samsung also provides a protective cover that can greatly increase the durability of the device. Finally, the cell phone has an IPX8 rating, that is, the device can stay under fresh water for up to 30 minutes. Particularly, I tested it only with a few splashes that did not affect its functionality.

Even with all this, I still recommend taking extreme care with the product. As it effectively has three screens (the front and the folding ones), a drop, depending on the height, might not be very cool.

Cameras

As there are, technically speaking, two front cameras, I will divide my experience in two parts: first, talking about the camera located on the secondary screen; and then on the camera located inside the device.

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The external front camera has a resolution of 10MP, with an aperture of F2.2, while the internal camera has only 4MP with an aperture of F1.8. It is located below the screen, on the upper right side – there is no cutout for the camera, making better use of the screen by applications. Both can take good pictures, but they don't come close to the main camera.

The crown jewels here are the three rear cameras: a telephoto, a wide and an ultra-wide. They have apertures of F1.8, F2.2, F2.4, respectively, and bring with them an autofocus technology with image stabilization.

Whether up close or far away, the Galaxy Z Fold 3's camera can capture absolutely everything. All the photographs are very beautiful and, even when zooming, available between 2x optical or up to 10x digital, despite being a little blurry, they are very cool. The cell phone cannot capture an image in macro mode — however, when using the magnifying glass, it is possible to take photos very close to the objects, without losing quality.

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Thanks to the auxiliary screen, it is possible to see in real time what the frame of the rear camera is, so we can place everything that is relevant in the photo without having to keep rotating the screen all the time to check the result. This can be especially well used when recording more significant moments, such as weddings and other events, as the people to be clicked will be able to follow in real time what is being captured.

Of all the cell phones I've ever used, the Galaxy z fold3 it's certainly the best in photo quality; whether during the day, at dawn or during the rain, the cell phone can make great records, without losing quality.

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For video recording, the cell phone can capture 4K, with up to 60 frames per second. And you can also record slow motion videos, with up to two options: 960fps at 720p or 240fps at 1080p.

One hell of a Phablet

With the growth of cell phone screens, and also with the existence of Tablets, it was necessary to create a term that approached the devices that fall between these two categories. And thanks to the combination of both, the phablet was born. Typically, the phablet can have dimensions ranging from small, at 5,5″ inches, to large, at 7″ inches or more. Your package may contain a Stylus pen, but this is not a prerequisite.

O Galaxy z fold3 can be considered in this category, since its size, with 7,6″ inches open, does not allow it to be considered a tablet, and larger than common cell phones — as well as the well-known Galaxy Note line, which currently has the Galaxy Note20 e Note20Ultra.

Conclusion

Without considering the price, which is a little steep for Brazil, I would say with confidence that the Galaxy z fold3 It is the best phone ever made by Samsung. Its screen is wonderful and delivers every detail with immense fidelity. In addition, its large size, but without the exaggeration of tablets, is perfect for those with large hands. At first, doubling your screen is a little scary, but over time, we see that it was made for this and it takes the bump well.

Your camera is certainly one of the best ever made and using it for work or play is an immense joy. If you can afford one, you will certainly not regret it, as everything it promises is delivered. One last addendum here: your package doesn't come with a charger or headset, so it's good to have them on hand if you need them.

O Galaxy z fold3 is available in two versions in the Samsung store: the 256 GB for BRL 11.519,10 in up to 12 installments of BRL 1.066,58 without interest, and in the 512 GB for BRL 12.419,10 in up to BRL 1.149,91 without interest.

Technical specifications

chipset/Processor	Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm)
Processor Speed	2.84GHz, 2.4GHz, 1.8GHz
Processor Type	Octa Core
GPU	Adreno 660
Size (Main Screen)	191.9mm (7.6″ full rectangle) / 188.9mm (7.4″ rounded corners)
Resolution (Main Screen)	2208x1768 (QXGA+)
Technology (Main Screen)	2X Dynamic AMOLED
Color Depth (Main Screen)	16M
Size (Secondary Screen)	158.2mm (6.2″ full rectangle) / 156.0mm (6.1″ rounded corners)
Resolution (Secondary Screen)	2268 x 832 (HD +)
Technology (Secondary Screen)	2X Dynamic AMOLED
Color Depth (Secondary Display)	16M
Rear Cameras (Multiple) - Resolution	12.0 MP + 12.0 MP + 12.0 MP
Rear Cameras (Multiple) – Aperture	F1.8, F2.2, F2.4
Rear Cameras - Auto Focus	Yes
Rear Cameras – Image Stabilizer	Yes
Rear Cameras – Zoom	2x Optical Zoom, Up to 10x Digital Zoom
Internal Front Camera - Resolution	4.0 SM
Internal Front Camera - Aperture	F1.8
Internal Front Camera - Auto Focus	No
Internal Front Camera – Optical Image Stabilizer	No
Rear Camera – Flash	Yes
External Front Camera - Resolution	10.0 SM
External Front Camera - Aperture	F2.2
External Front Camera - Auto Photo	No
Video Recording Resolution	UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) @ 60fps
Slow motion	960fps@HD, 240fps@FHD
RAM memory (GB)	12 GB
Total Internal Memory (GB)	256 GB / 512 GB
Chip Number	Dual-SIM
Chip Type (SIM Card)	Nano-SIM (4FF), Embedded-SIM
Chip Slot Type	Chip 1 + Chip 2 or eSIM
Adjustable	2G GSM, 3G WCDMA, 4G LTE FDD, 4G LTE TDD, 5G Sub6 FDD, 5G Sub6 TDD
2G GSM	GSM 850, GSM 900, DCS 1800, PCS1900
3GUMTS	B1 (2100), B2 (1900), B4 (AWS), B5 (850), B8 (900)
4G FDD LTE	B1 (2100), B2 (1900), B3 (1800), B4 (AWS), B5 (850), B7 (2600), B8 (900), B12 (700), B13 (700), B17 (700), B18 (800), B19 (800), B20 (800), B25 (1900), B26 (850), B28 (700) 32), B1500(66), B3(AWS-XNUMX)
4G TDD LTE	B38 (2600), B39 (1900), B40 (2300), B41 (2500)
5G FDD Sub6	N1(2100), N3(1800), N5(850), N7(2600), N8(900), N20(800), N28(700), N66(AWS-3)
5G TDD Sub6	N38(2600), N40(2300), N41(2500), N77(3700), N78(3500)
USB Interface	USB - Type C
USB version	USB 3.2 Gen 1
Location	GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS
Headphone Connector	USB Type-C
MHL version	No
Wi-Fi	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax 2.4G+5GHz, HE160, MIMO, 1024-QAM
Wi-Fi Direct	Yes
Bluetooth version	Bluetooth v5.2
NFC	Yes
UWB (Ultra Wideband)	Yes
PCSync	Smart Switch (PC version)
Sensors	Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyroscope, Geo Magnetic, Hall Effect Sensor, Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor
Dimensions (HxWxD, mm)	158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4
Dimensions Folded (HxWxD, mm)	158.2 x 67.1 x 16.0-14.4
Weight (g)	271
stereo sound	Yes
Video Playback Format	MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM
Video Playback Resolution	UHD 8K (7680 x 4320) @ 60fps
Audio Playback Format	MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, DFF, DSF, APE
Price	256GB for R$ 11.519,10 and 512GB for R$ 12.419,10 at the official Samsung store

See also:

Is OZ Fold3 too big for you? How about checking the Galaxy Z Flip3 5G? And, to know everything about the technology universe, keep an eye here on Showmetech.

https://www.showmetech.com.br/review-galaxy-z-flip3-5g-samsung/