Take out the Galaxy z flip 3 out of the box and think, how do I count this device? Because there is nothing really that resembles it and with which it can be compared. You could do it with your older generation, but it wouldn't make sense. So, to answer whether it is worth it or not, let's see the concept and my experience of using a foldable phone.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, video analysis
The concept: fold to gain comfort
Samsung currently offers two models of folding phones that are similar in that of opening and closing, but they are focused for very different users. On the one hand, there is the Z Fold 3 that seeks to give you a larger screen for productivity issues and other uses when you need them without having to resort to a laptop or tablet. In addition, this year it offers support for the S Pen and that multiplies the possibilities.
On the other is this Galaxy z flip 3 and the idea that he proposes is that of a phone that takes up little space in your pocket, but that does not imply sacrificing a screen with a size like the one you would have in most current smartphones.
That second device is what we are going to talk about today. Of him and his design that is the main value and attraction of the Galaxy Z Flip3. What's more, if you value to what extent it is worth buying or not, only this design can convince you that you want it. If not, for many extras and advantages, some disadvantages could weigh more heavily on you and you end up giving it up. Still, let's go in parts.
Physically it is a phone with a very high quality of materials and construction. It's a real delight to hold in your hand and now it's finally waterproof. That does not mean that you can submerge it, but if you have a mishap with liquids you will not have to worry. I wouldn't do the test anyway. Continuing with the physical section, the device comes in various color combinations.
The one that we have analyzed in particular with that beige and black tone is very elegant, a small piece of luxury that can only be blamed for being a fingerprint magnet. But that is no longer a surprise for practically anyone who has used a terminal with a glass back.
Regarding the details, the phone in general is quite clean and the only thing you will see on its edges are the volume control buttons and the power button where the fingerprint reader is. This fingerprint reader that it will no longer surprise anyone by location to work fast and well.
So now the only important element that remains is on the outside: the second screen. This has grown in size in this generation and that is good, because now you can interact and consult much more information in a simple way thanks to the widgets that it offers and that allow you to display data such as the calendar, received messages, notifications, etc.
Regarding the folding mechanism, we only have to congratulate Samsung. It's still noticeable, especially with the screen off, but once it's on, and unless there's a strong reflection, it's not even noticeable. That at a visual level, another thing is when you slide your finger on the screen.
When you are interacting with the phone, logically you notice a jump in the middle of the screen, but it is something obvious for which there is still no effective solution, even though Samsung has managed reduce the bend radius.
However, it is the price that must be paid for having this type of solution. But once you are clear about it, you accept it and stop thinking about it, it is not a problem and the experience begins to be much more comfortable. As long as the use you make of the terminal is not very intensive. Or what is the same, do not be every two by three with the phone in hand, because opening and closing can be somewhat uncomfortable. As much or more as entering the unlock code instead of resorting to the fingerprint reader or facial unlocking.
High-end performance
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is much more than a high-end phone due to its design and folding system, it is also due to its technical sheet. And it is that this device has specifications that have nothing to envy to the proposals of the high end of the brand itself and its competitors.
For starters there is the processor, a Snapdragon 888 with 5G connectivity. So, little to say in this regard. With all kinds of applications it behaves great, even demanding games. Of course, I don't think this is the phone that I would buy if what I want to do mainly is play games.
This good performance is also achieved with the combination of 8 GB of RAM and two options of 128 and 256 GB storage. The storage capacity is not much, but again it is adequate for the actual use that such a device would have. In addition, it is not that the one that includes series is not enough.
Regarding the screen, beyond being foldable, the panel used by Samsung offers an image quality similar to what we are used to with its most recent proposals such as the Galaxy S21 family. Vivid colours, deep blacks, a good level of brightness,... a screen that is enjoyable and that also offers a 120 Hz refresh rate.
In the same way it happens with the sound, here it may be a bit at a disadvantage with other options, but in general they sound good with all kinds of content. But surely when you are going to use it for music or movies you will resort to headphones.
And to bring things to a close, the battery itself is its main weak point. with a pile of 3.300 mAh It is the weakest section to be a high-end phone. It is logical that in order to maintain a size like this and be able to house the entire folding system, etc., it is necessary to reduce its dimensions. So, you have to take into account that it may run out sooner than what you could bear with a Galaxy S21, for example.
In general terms and considering only performance, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 meets what is expected of a high-end terminal well. The battery is the weakest section, but in the end it all depends on the type of use you make of the product in your day to day. Other phones like the iPhone 12 Pro can also suffer from this and no one thinks that for this reason it is not worthy of being high-end.
It is not a Galaxy S21, but at the photographic level it looks like it
The cameras are for many of us an important section and for me in particular what most attracts my attention from any phone. But from the beginning it was clear to me that here I had to relax my expectations. Because, as I have said, the value of the terminal is its design and folding system.
Even so, photographically I would have thought that it would be up to the Galaxy S21. And I'm not saying it isn't in almost all situations, but it's not exactly the same performance in my view.
In this terminal you will have three cameras. The front and the two of the main or rear camera. The first with the use of the external screen is less important in this phone, although the performance is not bad. And of the other two, well, practically the same. With two 12 MP sensors and angular and wide-angle lenses, the capabilities are quite versatile alongside a well-rounded application.
With a little knowledge you can get very good catches. And in night photography I personally liked what it is capable of. You only have, as I say, control the exposure in the highlights so that everything is as you are really seeing it in real life.
Is the Galaxy Z Flip 3 worth it?
As I said at the beginning, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a phone that is not easy to judge, because there is no clear reference or direct competitors as to what the proposal entails in general terms. That's why I think it's difficult to say if it's worth it or not.
For the price, although it may seem high, it seems to me that it is very good if you take into account that you are not with a prototype that seeks to draw the future but with a real product that already brings that future to the palm of your hand.
The fact that you can go with such a small phone is amazing. Although sometimes your heart skips a beat thinking that you could have left it somewhere because you don't even feel it in your pocket. Also, if you are not one to consult the phone excessively every few minutes, with the external screen it is fine and when you open it you continue to have the same experience as always.
The "problem" or reason why I would not bet on it, is the use you make of a smartphone. I said before that opening and closing every two by three is more annoying than having to enter an unlock code or pattern on any phone instead of using biometric security systems.
If you add to that the battery, which can be somewhat fair, the result is a proposal that is once again intended for an audience that is clear that it wants to already have a foldable. Because the rest of us can continue using current smartphones, which will also be somewhat cheaper if you don't need to have the latest processor, screen, etc.
In any case, the decision is yours, the time that I have been using it has seemed impressive to me and I would love that more brands are encouraged to make their own proposals, see how the layers evolve to take advantage of these folding templates, etc. My summary would be that I want it and I don't want it in equal parts.