The next generation of foldables has arrived and we’ve spent a week with them. Here’s the first part of our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review!
My favorite time of year is around August or September. It’s when I do all my tech shopping – at least for mobile that is – and somewhat coincidentally, it’s also when Samsung unveils the Galaxy Note, and/or more recently, the next generation of the Galaxy Z Fold range. For the past two years, I’ve bought the Galaxy Fold and for the years before it, the Galaxy Note. This year, we’ve got the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3, the latter of which is shaping up to be my favorite phone of the year (read our ongoing Galaxy Z Flip 3 review for more)! Unlike the Galaxy Z Flip 3 – which feels like a huge leap forward from the Galaxy Z Flip – the Galaxy Z Fold 3 brings fewer major leaps and more iterative improvements. However, when you’re starting from a product that was already the second generation and definitely damn near excellent, these iterative improvements take you to an even better place. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 has definitely stolen my heart, but equally, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a device I won’t live without. After eight days with Samsung’s new flagship foldable, here’s the first installment of our ongoing Galaxy Z Fold 3 review. Looking at the Galaxy Z Fold 3 side-by-side with the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and one thing is clear: The changes don’t feel particularly major. Yes, there are many of them, and some of them are absolutely necessary for this third-generation foldable, but none reach the mark of the true technological leap that was the Galaxy Fold to the Galaxy Z Fold 2. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 was already one of the most refined devices I’d used. For the past 11 months or so, it’s been my second daily driver and one that I haven’t had to protect in any way. It inserted itself into my life and transformed how I used smartphones, and then also made sure I wouldn’t sway towards something else by making everything else feel lackluster. In short, it was special and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 continues this trend of being special. Before we get into why, however, let’s look at all the improvements. The biggest change is in the display. It’s the same size and resolution as last year, but the change to 120Hz refresh rate makes the Galaxy Z Fold 3 an absolute joy to use. When I use any other phone that doesn’t have this refresh rate, that screen feels jarring and subpar compared to the one on the Galaxy Z Fold 3. In particular, the gorgeous main display looks even better with the highest refresh rate and is easily in a class of its own. Another particularly welcome improvement is in the durability; in particular, the IPX8 water resistance means the Galaxy Z Fold 3 can withstand being caught in a sudden downpour. Both of the previous Fold phones filled me with absolute dread at the first inkling of rain, and thankfully, those many heart-in-mouth moments will be replaced with peaceful tranquility.
