Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G flip smartphone review

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G is the new incarnation of the foldable smartphone from the Korean company.
Compared to the first attempt (Galaxy Z Flip), everything has improved here, from the screen film to the unfolding mechanism.
At the same time, the price has significantly decreased. All the details are in our full review of the novelty.

Main specifications of Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G (model SM-F711B)

SoC Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G, 8 processor cores (1×Cortex-X1 @2.84 GHz + 3×Cortex-A78 @2.42 GHz + 4×Cortex-A55 @1.80 GHz)
GPU Adreno 660
Operating system Android 11, One UI 3.1.1
Foldable display Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 6.7", 1080×2640, 426 ppi, 120 Hz
External display Super AMOLED, 1.9", 260×512
RAM 8 GB, internal memory 128/256 GB UFS 3.1
No microSD support
Nano-SIM support (1 piece)
Networks 2G GSM, 3G WCDMA, 4G, 5G
GPS/A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BDS, QZSS
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
Bluetooth 5.1, A2DP, LE
NFC
USB (2.0) Type-C, USB OTG
No 3.5mm audio output
Cameras 12 MP + 12 MP (wide-angle), video 4K @ 60 fps
Front camera 10 MP
Proximity and light sensors, magnetic field, accelerometer, gyroscope
Side fingerprint scanner
IPX8 protection
Battery 3300 mAh, charging 15 W, wireless charging
Dimensions 166×72×6.9 mm (86×72×17.1 mm when folded)
Weight 183 g

Appearance and usability

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G comes in a thin small box, as Samsung, following Apple's example, has stopped including charging accessories in the package.

The design of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G is, by today's standards, unique, although the "flip phone" form factor was once one of the most popular in mobile phones.
But now it is not just a phone, but a smartphone, and its main technical feature is not in the foldable body, but in the flexible screen that folds inside.

Undoubtedly, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G is far from the first attempt to make a smartphone a "flip phone." In this case, it turned out so well that orders and sales of the model greatly satisfy the company. The device is indeed neat: small, tidy, fits perfectly in any pocket, and feels good in hand. But the main thing is that it looks fresh and not beaten up, which is now a key factor for many affluent people. Especially against the backdrop of modern smartphones that look like twins.

When folded, the smartphone is certainly not thin, which should be taken into account. But otherwise, there are no significant complaints about ergonomics. It is quite possible to open it with one hand, and close it back as well. The crease at the bend of the screen is, of course, present, but it is not annoying. There are also small edges around the display—a completely forgotten moment that unexpectedly surfaced here.

Additionally, a protective film is applied over the flexible polymer coating of the display, which is prohibited from being removed. And this is also not annoying at all. There is an understanding that all of this can only work together now and in no other way. So it does not raise any complaints.

The materials of the body are extremely worthy: the panels are finished with the latest Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, and the side frame is made of durable aluminum (Armor Aluminum). The smartphone does not slip in the fingers, and fingerprints on the glass panels with a grease-repellent coating are hard to leave and are quickly wiped off.

As for the sore question of hinge durability, the developer claims that "the Z Flip3 has passed rigorous tests, confirmed by Bureau Veritas, proving its ability to withstand 200,000 folds over 5 years of standard smartphone use."

The fingerprint scanner is embedded in the power button on the side, there is no memory card slot, and the 3.5mm audio output is absent.

The front camera is hidden behind a round cutout in the screen matrix, but it occupies a place right in the middle at the top.
The LED notification indicator is displayed on the external panel with a small screen, this area is highlighted with darker glass.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G smartphone is available in several colors: beige, black, green, and lavender can be purchased immediately, while ordering from the official store allows you to choose from three more options (white, gray, and pink). The body has protection against water and dust according to the IPX8 standard (submersion for 30 minutes at a depth of up to 1.5 m).

Screen

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G is equipped with a flexible AMOLED display (Super AMOLED) with a diagonal of 6.7 inches and a resolution of 1080×2640. The screen of the novelty has received a new protective film, which is 80% more wear-resistant than in previous models. The physical dimensions of the screen are 65×158 mm, and the pixel density is 426 ppi. The width of the frame around the screen is 4 mm on the sides, 4 mm at the top, and 4 mm at the bottom. The screen supports a refresh rate of 120 Hz.

The external screen has become four times larger than that of the first Galaxy Z Flip. On it, for example, you can check the weather and control the music player. And, of course, the current time and incoming events are displayed on it in Always On mode. Widgets are also available for the small screen. If you tap a notification on the external screen, you can fully respond by opening the smartphone.

The surface of the large folding screen is made of plastic. However, its surface is relatively resistant to scratches—at least I couldn't scratch it with a fingernail. The surface of the flexible screen is glossy and slightly uneven across the entire area, and there is a pronounced crease at the bend. However, this practically does not affect the image if you look at the screen more or less perpendicular to its surface. A protective film is applied to the screen, the removal of which is prohibited, meaning it is part of the screen. It looks a bit untidy that this film almost reaches the edges of the display area in some places. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-reflective properties of the main screen are better than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo where white surfaces are reflected on the turned-off screens (left - Nexus 7, right - Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G, which can be distinguished by size):

The screen in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G is slightly darker (brightness in the photos 102 vs. 105 in Nexus 7) and does not have a pronounced tint. The two reflected objects on both screens of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G are very weak, indicating that there is no air gap between the layers of the screens. Due to the fewer boundaries (like glass/air) with significantly different refractive indices, screens without an air gap look better in conditions of intense external illumination. The film on the large screen apparently has lyophobic (grease-repellent) properties, so fingerprints are significantly easier to remove and appear at a slower rate than with regular glass.

In the case of the large screen, when displaying a white field across the entire screen and with manual brightness control, its maximum value was about 415 cd/m² under normal conditions, but in very bright light, it increases to 800 cd/m². It should also be noted that in this case, the smaller the area of white on the screen, the brighter it is, meaning the actual maximum brightness of white areas will almost always be higher than the stated value. As a result, reading the screen during the day in sunlight should be at an excellent level, and the dark theme not only saves battery charge but also contributes to better readability of information on the screen in high lighting conditions. The minimum brightness value is 1.6 cd/m², meaning the reduced brightness level allows the device to be used without problems even in the dark. Automatic brightness adjustment works based on the light sensor (located under the screen near the top edge and to the right of the center). The operation of this function depends on the position of the brightness adjustment slider: the user can try to set the desired brightness level in the current conditions. If everything is left at default, then in complete darkness, the auto-brightness function reduces brightness to 9 cd/m² (a bit dark, but acceptable), in conditions of an artificially lit office (about 550 lx) it sets to 110 cd/m² (normal), and conditionally under direct sunlight it increases to 800 cd/m² (to the maximum, and needed). The default result satisfied us, but for the experiment, we tried to lower the brightness in complete darkness - moving the slider slightly to the left resulted in the following values for the three conditions mentioned above: 4, 120, and 800 cd/m² (which was needed). It turns out that the auto-brightness adjustment function works adequately and allows the user to some extent to customize its operation to individual requirements.

In the case of the large screen, at any brightness level, there is significant modulation at a frequency of 240 Hz.