Along with the development of technology and innovation, the design of smartphones will always change from time to time. Similarly, its software is constantly improved to ensure that a smart device can support whatever the needs of customers and attract their interest to own it. Folding phones used to create a worldwide phenomenon when almost all mobile phone manufacturers used to have at least one model of folding mobile phones in their product line. The folding phone trend then slowly disappeared with the existence of touch screen smartphones without any keyboards. Back then, it was common knowledge it was impossible for a smartphone with a full touch screen to be folded without causing damage to its screen.
Still, no one ever thought that the folding phone trend is now re-emerging. What we all thought was impossible in the old days has been made possible by Samsung with the launch of their Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and Samsung Galaxy Fold previously. ABI Research, the technology intelligence expert, forecasts that smartphone shipments with some type of foldable, flexible, or rollable display will start picking up steam as early as 2020, with growth to reach 228 million in 2028.
Still, no one ever thought that the folding phone trend is now re-emerging. What we all thought was impossible in the old days has been made possible by Samsung with the launch of their Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and Samsung Galaxy Fold previously. ABI Research, the technology intelligence expert, forecasts that smartphone shipments with some type of foldable, flexible, or rollable display will start picking up steam as early as 2020, with growth to reach 228 million in 2028.
On 11 August 2021, Samsung has launched the two newest foldable phones at the Galaxy Unpacked 2021 event, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G and Galaxy Z Fold3 5G. Innovation is the main sales key for this folding smartphone, guided by the goal of renewing the lifestyle of consumers in their daily lives. Previously, we at ZulYusmar.com has been giving the chance to unbox the new Galaxy Z Flip3 5G, and after more than a week of using the smartphone, we will now bring you thru our review on the fabulous and stylish Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G.
Design: The New Experience of Folding Smartphone
By design, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 still carries a clamshell. However, Samsung made changes to the appearance of the first generation, which was released last year. As a result, the Galaxy Z Flip3 doesn't just offer new technology. Instead, using it provides a unique experience that you haven't felt on conventional phones. Holding it when in its closed position is so comfortable in hand. Due to its sleek and compact shape, the Galaxy Z Flip3 is easy to store in a suit pocket or even in a clutch bag. Like its brother Galaxy Z Fold 3, the material and hinge system of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 feels so solid. We were so not afraid to close it hard.
Samsung still places a fingerprint button integrated with the power button and the volume rocker button on the left side of the body. But, most importantly, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is IPX8 certified. As a result, we can use this phone to create content in the pool without worrying about it being damaged by water ingress.
If you were blown away by the technology of the first-generation Z Flip foldable phone, wait until you experience the cutting edge of the Z Flip3. Although at first glaze, not much has changed compared to the previous generation. However, the user experience on the Z Flip3 is more pleasant than the Z Flip.
Previously, the Z Flip cover screen could only display a line of writing because of the small screen size. This time, the cover screen on the Z Flip3 has more diverse functionality. For example, you can view notifications that appear, read messages, and can even be used as a viewfinder when shooting selfies! You can also "make" the cover screen automatically into a mirror. And if you want to shoot or shutter, press the volume button on the side of the body. The Flex Mode feature also allows users to make video calls without holding the phone with both hands.
Just keep the device on the table and bend the phone screen at an angle of 90 degrees, then the phone can "stand up" without using a stand. At first glance, Flex Mode reminds me of the Nintendo 3DS.
The user experience isn't the only thing that's improved. The device also comes with reinforced durability on its hinges, screen, and aluminium frame. So really, the Galaxy Z Flip3 completely removed the previously present concerns on the Z Flip in 2020.
Display: AMOLED Display with Refresh Rate of 120 Hz
The 2X Dynamic AMOLED display panel used by the Galaxy Z Flip3 was originally introduced on the Samsung Galaxy S20 Series. The number 2X shows that the screen panel also supports a refresh rate that is twice the normal, which is 120 Hz. Compared to the 60 Hz refresh rate, users can feel that the screen movement is smoother—especially when scrolling on Instagram, Twitter, reading articles, and playing games that support high refresh rates.
When unfolded, the screen size has not changed compared to the previous generation, which is 6.7 inches at a resolution of 1080 x 2640 pixels. Regarding the screen quality, the Galaxy Z Flip3 is not much different from Samsung's flagship phones that have been released so far. You can expect a bright, colourful display.
The screen provides an incredibly bright display even when viewed during the day under the hot sun, carrying HDR10+ technology and peak brightness reaching 1200 nits. On the other hand, Widevine L1 certification is available to enjoy Netflix and Amazon Prime content in HD. It's truly the quality of a true flagship screen.
While on the cover screen itself, it has increased from the original 1.1 inches to 1.9 inches at a resolution of 260 x 512 pixels. As previously explained, this secondary display has many functions that provide a useful interface. For example, it can be used to shoot selfies, display clock animations, display notifications, and control media players such as Spotify. Now when it comes to content creation, the capabilities of the Galaxy Z Flip3 are second to none, not even found on mobile phones on the market. In addition, Samsung provides Flex Mode, which allows you to place the Galaxy Z Flip3 stably in various folding conditions.
For example, at a 90-degree angle, users also don't need to use a tripod to support the Galaxy Z Flip3 when taking photos or recording videos hands-free. You just wave your hand from a distance and show the best pose with your free hand without having to hold the device. Flex Mode is also very useful when you have to video call without holding your phone all the time. So, you can still have your video call while doing other tasks.
You can install wallpapers in the form of moving images or GIFs so that the cover screen looks cooler. The touch screen function in the cover screen also has many functions, ranging from displaying notifications and various widgets that can be used. There are weather widgets, calendars, step counters, music player controls or Spotify and YouTube Music apps, Voice recording, and much more. To operate this screen, simply swipe left and right. You can read notifications that come into your phones, such as email and WhatsApp.
Stunning Snapdragon 888 Performance
Following in the previous generation's footsteps, Z Flip3 is also equipped with the strongest chipset of its time. If previously Z Flip came with Snapdragon 865 Plus, now Z Flip3 uses Snapdragon 888, which comes with 5 nm fabrication and Adreno 660 graphics processing card. In terms of performance, of course, this device can compete with other flagship cellphones when playing heavy 3D games or doing photo/video editing. The sophisticated processor is also supported by 8 GB of RAM, which can process applications simultaneously in the background. Then, there are two choices of storage or internal memory, namely 128 GB and 256 GB. The device we tested was with 128 GB of memory.
Snapdragon 888 itself includes eight processor cores, one of which is an ARM Cortex X1 prime core at a clock speed of 2.84 GHz. Although the clock speed is not as high as the Snapdragon 865 Plus, which has a clock speed of 3.1 GHz, Snapdragon 888 still provides superior performance thanks to a better architectural design. Accompanying the prime core are three ARM Cortex A78 cores operating at a frequency of 2.42 GHz and four power-efficient ARM Cortex A55 cores with a clock speed of 1.8 GHz.
Although this phone is not branded as a gaming phone, the Galaxy Z Flip3 does provide such fresh gaming performance, being able to run Genshin Impact at the highest graphics settings in a stable frame rate. Furthermore, all applications and games available on the Play Store are guaranteed to be devoured by this phone smoothly and lag-free without exception.
The interface used is One UI 3.1.1, which is based on Android 11. Samsung has developed this One UI friendly with folding screen smartphones. There is a new feature called Labs, which can automatically adjust the application's appearance to suit the use of folding-screen phones. If on the Z Flip3, this feature makes common applications automatically create a split screen, like a laptop, when the screen is slightly folded. The Flex Mode feature is also perfect on the Z Flip3. You can enjoy applications with the shape of a smartphone screen like a laptop, starting from YouTube, Spotify, Google Maps, and many more.
Speakers and Battery
The sound is also quite amazing with dual speakers that support Dolby Atmos. The speaker quality of the Z Flip3 is better than ever. The phone doesn't feel overheated during use for playing games, watching videos, or just scrolling through social media because it has an aluminium body and compact build quality.
Regarding battery capacity, the Z Flip3 is equipped with 3,300 mAh with 15-watt fast charging. As for the durability, we think it is durable enough for daily use, such as playing social media, games, watching videos and others.
We experimented with a 100 per cent battery position and then used it for various things. From the record of the screen on time of about 12 hours, the remaining battery is only 20 per cent, which means that it can be concluded that this cellphone is suitable for those of you who often use cellphones for various activities. Charging the battery from 20 per cent to 100 per cent takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. So the standard for middle-class phones with 15 watts of charger power. The phone also supports wireless charging and reverse charging.
Support 5G Connectivity and WiFi 6
The presence of 5G connectivity on mobile phones is certainly an advantage. Unlike the previous generation present in two versions (LTE and 5G), this time, you are only presented with 5G connectivity with high and stable download speeds. On the other hand, the Galaxy Z Flip3 also offers other connectivity such as NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, and WiFi 6, making the internet network faster and more stable. Whether you're downloading or playing games online, you'll experience quicker internet when connected to a router that supports WiFi 6. IPX8 certification
Water-resistance is another advantage of the Z Flip3, which is also a big leap in folding screen smartphone technology. Yes, this phone is IPX8 certified, which means it can be water-resistant to a depth of 1.5 meters with a duration of 30 minutes. This is the first waterproof technology in a foldable smartphone that surprised gadget watchers because Samsung managed to solved the problem. When tested, it is true that the Z Flip3 is waterproof and can be operated with the difficulty of the screen squeezing itself due to water pressure.
The thing to note is that after being submerged in water, the phone must be completely dry if you want to charge the battery afterwards. There will be a warning if the phone has not dried properly, especially in the USB Type-C port.
Camera
Coming to the camera section, which is one of the questions asked by Galaxy Z Flip3 enthusiasts. The rear camera specifications of this smartphone use wide and ultrawide lenses, each measuring 12 MP. This camera is capable of recording videos Up to 4K 30/60FPS. For shooting in normal mode, the photos tend to get a high dynamic range with colours that are over than the original. While the colour contrast is presented quite well and looks lit. For better results, you can activate HDR mode or AI features.
The ultrawide camera has decent results, even approaching the main camera. However, the difference in resolution is certainly visible. In addition, the detail of the photo object is somewhat reduced because it looks wider, likewise, with a slightly narrower dynamic range. The portrait camera can adjust the level of blur in the background before taking a picture. There is also AI that can be used to beautify the results of selfie bokeh photos. How about the Night Mode? The Z Flip2 camera can capture brighter photo objects at night or when the light is dim. The algorithm also seems to work well at reducing noise. As a result, you don't have to wait for tens of seconds to process the image until it's finished.
The selfie photos are quite good because you can take pictures with the rear camera with the same quality. Meanwhile, a dedicated selfie camera is on the main screen measuring 10 MP and can record videos up to 4K 30/60 fps.
Although the resolution is only 10 MP, the photos are quite good when in sufficient light conditions. Likewise, the skin tone that can be produced is quite precise. Taking pictures with the front camera can also be optimized with the HDR mode. Just set it up in such a way, what kind of selfie do you want to capture.
Z Flip3 rear and front camera video recording can take up to 4K 60fps resolution. In addition, the presence of OIS makes the video more stable without cropping effects that make the image look weird. The Director View feature on the Z Flip3 camera will suit those of you who are diligent in producing video content. The sound captured is also satisfactory but still not optimal. You can use additional microphones with TWS Bluetooth, such as the Galaxy Buds in Pro Video mode.
Conclusion
Samsung is one of the bravest smartphone brands when it comes to innovation. It can be seen with their newest product, Galaxy Z Flip3 5G, one of the first folding screen smartphones with a waterproof feature.
Another plus, this phone has a front screen which is very useful for people who are a bit lazy to open the main screen just to read email and WhatsApp to take photos and record selfie videos. The existence of this
front screen also makes the design of the Z Flip3 even cooler. This phone also supports 5G networks in Malaysia. It can be seen from the network settings, which provide settings to capture 5G signals by default. Of course, this cellphone will be very useful in the future if 5G is evenly distributed in Malaysia.
The prospect of folding phones in the future will continue to increase along with technological developments. This can be seen from the improvements brought by the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3, which comes with a more robust body and a practical user experience. In addition, the presence of a large secondary screen on the cover can also be used to display a line of sentences and equipped with a more solid and diverse functional side. This has also generated a lot of enthusiasm for folding phones.
Thanks to the Flex Mode, users can easily do many things, from video calls to creating content, without the hassle of installing a tripod. The main thing is that this phone is waterproof so that it reduces worries when using it. Furthermore, the colour choices provided by Samsung are very attractive and will be liked by young people, especially with cute accessories. We also think that those in 80's and 90's generations will definitely love this Galaxy Z Flip 3 because it brings a nostalgic feel to their first phone. Seeing what Samsung has to offer on the Galaxy Z Flip 3 really makes you fall in love.
