After many rumors and leaks, Samsung finally introduced the next king of its foldable smartphone lineup in the form of the Galaxy Z Fold3. The new flagship comes with a set of improvements over past generations. The technology behind the foldable screen is finally maturing in endurance and resistance. Therefore, the display will come with S Pen support and also has a selfie camera underneath. The new foldable comes with top-notch specifications and may have the potential to fill the gap left by the Galaxy Note series. Without further ado, let’s dive into the specifications of the new foldable king.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 specifications
A gorgeous folding display with a camera underneath
Let’s start with the most shining part of foldable smartphones – the foldable display. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 comes with an inner folding display and an external secondary display. The inner display is the big star featuring a 7.6-inch diagonal. It’s a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with an adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate. Now Samsung has implemented an under-display camera in this unit. Therefore, the new Z Fold3 is the company’s first smartphone to bet in the new revolutionary concept. Unfortunately, Samsung is not making much buzz about this technology. At least not as the Chinese gang.
The new UTG display is 80% stronger than the Galaxy Z Fold2 and offers 29% more brightness than the predecessor.
This UDC (Under-Display-Camera) has just 4 MP of resolution. However, it has the largest 2.0µm pixels of all cameras on board and comes with a bright f/1.8 aperture. Worth noting that this camera is mostly intended for video calls while you’re using the inner display. After all, for selfies purposes, the device has a 10 MP camera in the punch-hole cover screen with an f/2.2 aperture.
The cover screen retains the 6.2-inch diagonal and uses Gorilla Glass Victus. The big upgrade is that this time around, the display has a 120 Hz refresh rate.
S Pen support
The Z Fold3 inner display offers support for S Pen. Users can pick the S Pen Fold Edition or the S Pen Pro. Both styluses are specially engineered retractable Pro tips with force limit technology. It ensures that the Z Fold3’s main screen will be protected and you will feel safe while using the stylus.
The device lacks a proper slot for the S Pen, for that reason Samsung will be selling a special case for carrying the S Pen with the phone.
Performs like a flagship
Under the hood, the Galaxy Z Fold3 comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC. Note that this isn’t the Plus variant, just the regular one. However, it still stands as one of the best flagship SoCs in the market. In terms of connectivity, the new foldable is capable of offering both Sub6 and mmWave 5G networks support. The flagship processor is paired with 12 GB of RAM and 256/512 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The device comes with Android 11 OS and One UI overlay. Apparently, the new version of the software will bring certain enhancements in the multi-tasking department especially with certain apps developed by Microsoft.
A not-so-revolutionary camera setup
Although Samsung is doing some of the most impressive cameras out there, it still does not find a reason to put it on its own flagships. That said, the Galaxy Z Fold3 offers basically the same hardware as its predecessor.
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The device has a triple 12 MP camera setup. There is a 12 MP unit with an f/1.8 lens and a 1/1.76″ sensor size. The secondary unit is a 12 MP f/2.2 ultrawide module with 1.12µm pixels while the tertiary sensor is a 12 MP f/2.4 telephoto sensor with a tiny 1.0µm pixel size and 2x zoom.
The main camera setup offers Dual Pixel AF and Optical Image Stabilization. The telephoto shooter has gained Optical Image Stabilization as well. The back panel is now covered by a Gorilla Glass Victus coating.
A strong build with an IPX8 rating
The Galaxy Z Fold3 comes to exorcise and the past ghosts in the foldable lineup. Samsung wants to prove to everyone that its foldable smartphones are durable, especially after the initial fiasco in the lineup. The company brings an Armor Aluminum Frame which is more durable than any other aluminum frame it has even brought. The protective panel over the internal screen is toughened and will withstand more abuse.
Interestingly, the Z Fold3, while a durable smartphone is more compact than its predecessor. The device is also lighter at 271 grams (This is amazing when you consider that the build resembles a mini Notebook). Unfortunately, the battery capacity has been reduced to 4,400 and the fast-charging still tops at 25 Wired charging. There is also 11W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 – Pricing and Availability
The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 will be sold in three different colors – Phantom Black, Phantom Green, and Phantom Silver. The device comes with 256 GB and 512 GB of Internal Storage in Europe. The devices will retail at €1,799 or £1,599, respectively. Pre-orders are already open, the sales will start on August 27. The device is expected to cost less in India.
