Samsung has shown off its two latest folding phones, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3. Which one should you buy? We found out.
There was a time when a bendy phone really wasn’t a good thing — Bendgate, anyone? But Samsung has changed the rules, and the two most impressive phones in the world right now are a pair with a big ol’ bend in the middle of their main displays. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 are here, and they’re rewriting the rules. If you want to sample the future, then Samsung’s latest phones are your best pick for a new phone. But of course, there being two means there’s a choice to make, so should you buy the Galaxy Z Fold 3 or the Galaxy Z Flip 3? Thankfully, these two are very different phones in a lot of ways, and we’re going to explore both of them and their differences. This is easily the most important category to go into for both of these phones, as the folding mechanism is probably the most exciting element for any buyer. While both phones share a lot of similarities, there are a lot of differences to be had too. The Fold 3 is the larger of the two devices, by a large stretch, thanks to its book-like fold. Unfolded, it sports a 7.6-inch AMOLED display, running a 2,208 x 1,768 resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate. The size of it can’t be understated — it’s a tablet-sized display hidden within a phone. The cover screen is a 6.2-inch AMOLED 120Hz panel with a 2,268 x 832 resolution. It’s narrower than a regular phone but still very clear, colorful, and everything you’d want from a phone screen. The Flip 3 takes a different approach to the folding formula with a clamshell fold. The inner display is a 6.7-inch 2,640 x 1,080 AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s not as wide as the Fold 3’s screen and is definitely a more regular phone screen (aside from the bending), but it’s clear, crisp, and colorful. The cover screen is much smaller, being more keyed toward notifications and basic information, like the weather. It sports a 260 x 512 resolution and measures just 1.9 inches. Aside from the strong physical differences, the two devices are somewhat similar. Both have an IPX8 rating for water resistance, stronger Gorilla Glass Victus glass, and an improved hinge that’s even better at keeping out the small particles that spelled disaster for the first Galaxy Fold. So on paper, the Fold 3’s larger screens and bigger specs mean it wins, right? Well, not really. While the Fold 3’s tablet-like display is excellent and very useful once you get used to it, it means the phone is basically as thick as two phones when folded. That’s technically also an issue for the Flip 3, except the Flip 3 comes with a smaller footprint when folded, which will attract those who don’t want as large a phone in their pocket. The phone’s ability to shrink down and transform into a more regular size is as strong a selling point as the Fold 3’s massive display, and we think the two are at loggerheads. Picking between the two styles is going to be a personal preference.
