Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G First Impressions: Most Stylish Gadget You Can Buy
August 21, 2021Performance: Snapdragon 888 , 8GB RAM
Main Display: 6.7-inch FHD + Dynamic AMOLED
Cover Screen : 1.9” Super AMOLED
Weight: 183g
Storage: 128 / 256 GB
Battery: 3300 mAh
Features: 4K UHD / 1080p FHD / 720p HD video recording
Rear Camera: 12 MP Ultra wide, 12 MP Wide-angle
Front Camera: 10 MP
Rating: 9/10
Price: RM 3,999.00
The marketing pictures of the Z Flip3 5G don’t do it adequate justice. In-person, the phone looks far more impressive thanks to a dual tone colour scheme and a glass-like surface texture. Compared to the original Flip, it’s prettier and more purposeful due in part to the 1.9-inch CoverScreen.
When folded, the CoverScreen can be used to view the time, swipe through multiple notifications and check the step counter. It can also function as a mirror or selfie preview window before you take a shot. That isn’t all, the CoverScreen’s wallpaper can be synced with the watch face belonging to the Galaxy Watch4 or Watch4 Classic.
Instead of having to rely on the main display’s 10MP selfie camera, you can use the rear’s 12MP wide and ultra-wide sensors to capture portrait shots of yourself. This is one advantage folding phones have over traditional ones. You have the flexibility of choosing the option that suits your needs.
Women will find the CoverScreen especially useful as it can be a substitute for a compact mirror. The display is enough to spot skin blemishes or uncooperative strands of hair that threaten to ruin your look. By quickly double-tapping the power button, the 1.9-inch screen switches from displaying the time to providing a preview of what the camera sensor sees.
The dual rear cameras are placed adjacent to the CoverScreen, and the entire section has a glossy black appearance. It helps provide an illusion of the display’s true size and allows the camera lenses to blend in well with the background. Both halves of the rear shell are covered with glass-like surfaces that lend a premium feel to the entire ensemble.
Samsung says the metal frame is made from “armor aluminum”, which is supposed to be the toughest material it has ever fitted on a smartphone. Though that might not sound very impressive, it equates to a more sturdy frame that should be able to withstand a significant amount of abuse. The same is true of the slightly improved hinge.
When unfolding or snapping the phone shut, the hinge movements feel deliberate, lending credence to the robustness of the entire mechanism. It feels significantly sturdier than last year’s phone. And the experience leads me to believe that it won’t fail in a year or two unless the phone is dropped from an elevated position.
The phone’s software is able to track the hinge’s angle very well. Opening the screen halfway with the camera app open splits the top section into a preview window while the bottom displays the camera controls. The same is true of other apps especially those that involve video playback/conferencing.
Screen size is identical to the outgoing model – 6.7 inches with a resolution of 1080P. However, the display’s plastic surface seems more uniform. Running my thumb across it reveals a smooth and even plane devoid of bumps. Mind you , there’s still a crease in the middle, it’s the point where the display folds into two. But the depression it creates seems less obvious.
The one belonging to the original Fold had telltale signs of a technology that was still in its infancy. There were subtle weaves across the screen, which is something that isn’t immediately apparent with the Flip3. It’s these minute improvements that collectively make the new phone more appealing and enticing to own.
Though said crease isn’t jarringly apparent, it does stand out when the screen displays darker images or backgrounds. The point I’m trying to convey here is that said crease hasn’t disappeared. It’s just slightly less noticeable than before.
Let’s not forget that its display has a 120Hz refresh rate, making it far more responsive than that of the Filp’s 60Hz unit Apps launch and close instantly. It responds to every touch with similar fervour to that of the S21+. The swiftness in its responses is also due to the stellar hardware underneath the screen. Unlike the Flip, Samsung didn’t hold back with the Flip3.
It has a Snapdragon 888 chipset, 8GB RAM and the option of having either 128GB and 256GB of storage. Samsung didn’t give it a ‘lesser’ chipset. The Flip3 has the same brain that is in the Fold3 and S21 Series. As such, performance is on par with the latter two. However, the perfect apples-to-apples comparison would be the S21+.
But don’t be fooled into thinking that the Flip3 is an S21+ in a fancy frock. Besides the underlying chipset and RAM, they are completely different devices. The former has two rear cameras: a 12MP Ultra-wide and 12MP wide-angle sensor. The latter also has a third camera – a 64MP telephoto, which is extremely helpful at capturing subjects that are far away.
But this won’t detract from the fact that the Flip3 is one of the coolest smartphones on the market. It folds into half the size of a regular smartphone, which allows it to enter the shallowest of jeans pockets. It also comes in 7 different colors: Cream, Green, Lavender, Phantom Black, Gray, White and Pink.
The Flip3 seems to be the most desirable phone for people with a fashion sense. Despite what some skeptics might say of its appeal, it should win over many fans, especially the ladies. Its chic exterior turns heads everywhere you go. Like a makeup accessory, it fits in well with your style and outfits.
We will be testing the Flip3 extensively over the next few days and publish an in-depth review soon.
