Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 Long-Term Review – Leave the Laptop – Get the Cannoli and the Fold3
The third incarnation of the original Galaxy Fold, the Samsung Galaxy Fold3 is a vastly more refined successor that retains the same innovative form factor of its progenitor but makes it vastly more practical for day to day use. After toting it around for several months, here’s our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 long-term review where we share our findings on how their uber foldable handles over an extended period of time.
Galaxy Z Fold3 Long-Term Review – Chic Cruiser
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After upgrading over from a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, the tall, narrow yet somewhat thick form factor of the Galaxy Z Fold3 took some getting used to on account of the added weight and thickness. Even so, they’ve shaved the dimensions down slightly from its predecessor the Fold2 enough that it’s noticeable when compared side by side.
It took several weeks to get used to the new weight and form factor of the Galaxy Z Fold3, especially retraining muscle memory to get used to where all the buttons are a swell as the fact that I had the additional option of unfurling the main display when I needed to multitask or view full sized documents.
Weight and new form factor aside, one of the most welcome upgrades that Samsung added in the Galaxy Z Fold3 was its enhanced durability and IPX8 water resistance, both of which made using it as a daily carry device vastly more practical rather than having to coddle it around like a Fabergé egg.
Granted, it lacks dust proofing and seeing the amount of lint and dust bunnies in my pockets, it may well be a concern down the line but the ability to shrug off splashes, rainwater and continue ticking even after 30 minutes immersed in a meter plus of freshwater is fantastic; more so seeing the recent deluge of rainstorms that Malaysia has been encountering of late.
They’ve also made the main display more resistant to nicks and general use, more so for the fact that it’s also the first Galaxy Z Fold series device to support an S Pen stylus. The front cover touchscreen also gets sheathed in Gorilla Glass Victus for added durability. The chassis has also been beefed up with the use of their own proprietary Armor Aluminium compound which adds a significant measure of nick resistance and durability.
Samsung extensively tests the durability and toughness of the Galaxy Z Fold3 even on the factory floor to ensure that its IPX8 and foldable screens meet the mark for quality.
Thus far, my test sample of the Galaxy Z Fold3 has remained pristine with normal use though I’ve also taken the added precaution of slapping on a third party casing.
Perhaps the only major quibble here in regards to its form factor and design is that the Galaxy Z Fold3 lacks an integrated stylus well which means that if you invest in an optional S Pen accessory, you don’t have a convenient place to store it on the phone.
Samsung does manufacture a flip-style case with an S Pen sheath though I haven’t been able to acquire one for field testing as yet to ascertain its practicality. Hopefully future incarnations will have a stylus well baked in.
That quibble aside, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is still viable as a daily carry phone seeing as you’re toting around a smartphone and a tablet hybrid in a compact form factor. Another indirect perk is that it’s also immediately recognisable the moment you whip it out of your pocket as there’s almost nothing else like it bar the more lifestyle oriented Galaxy Z Flip3 and the recently released Oppo Find N.
Galaxy Z Fold3 Long-Term Review – Flex Mode, Display and Performance
Samsung has managed to make the Galaxy Z Fold3 a more practical device especially for multitasking and it showed when I added it to my daily workflow. Typically, I need to tote around a laptop when covering media events and whatnot and this is typically the case if an event is particularly intensive with a lot of text to write but for more sedate press conferences and events, the Fold3 offers plenty of screen real estate and performance that lugging a heavy laptop isn’t necessary.
The main cover screen is serviceable for browsing through websites, Facebook and answering texts though the tall, narrow nature of the display means there’s a higher tendency for typos as well. When serious work needs to get done, there’s always the main 7.6-inch display and that in itself is fantastic for reading ebooks.
Our The Galaxy Z Fold3 long-term review also showed that it’s great for gaming too and is arguably one of the best gaming phones available with its massive display and compact dimensions.
The large 7.6-inch main display and the ability to display up to 3 windows or apps simultaneously onscreen makes multitasking a delight.The Fold3, is still compact enough to comfortably use two-handed in lieu of a traditional laptop or tablet while offering enough of a virtual keyboard to type on and enough space such that I could slap up our email client, a Chrome browser window and Google Docs to hammer out a story onsite.
Editing photos on the phone was a trifling task as well especially for live photo ops. While the built-in rear triple cameras on the Fold3 aren’t as powerful as that on the other Samsung 2021 flagship, the Galaxy S21 Ultra, they’re still an order of magnitude more powerful than the majority of other flagship phone cameras out there with great detail and colour rendition.
Away from more hectic events, the Fold3’s Flex mode also proved to be exceptionally handy for video calls and also for watching movies on Netflix or YouTube too in lieu of a stand though to get the best experience, you’ll likely need to get a casing with a kickstand so that you can use the full dimensions of the main display.
If something requires even more screen real estate, the Galaxy Z Fold3 also has another ace up its sleeve with DeX mode as it’s able to Miracast or pair up to a display via a HDMI cable to offer up a desktop style interface.
This isn’t exactly a new feature and has been around since the Galaxy Note8 but its inclusion here means that it can function as a laptop with the provision of a wireless mouse and keyboard. It’s not something I use very often but comes in very handy as a backup and also for minimalists.
Overall battery life after testing it for this extended duration of time would be considered fair though it’s also highly dependent on how you use the Fold3.
In my case, I tend to primarily use the front Cover display for most tasks and only unfold the main display when reading long articles or when typing out work related material. This comfortably lasts me most of the day.
If you’re a power user and need to tote around multiple devices, our Galaxy Z Fold3 long-term review has proven that their uber foldable is a multirole workhorse that can take over tablet duties and, to some extent, aspects of a laptop too.
More traditional users will appreciate the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s form factor, powerful cameras and design but the Galaxy Z Fold3’s multitasking versatility in a single form factor is heads and shoulders above the competition.
Galaxy Z Fold3 – Own It Now
If you’re especially keen to buy one, Samsung is kicking off the last episode of their AgenZy web series ‘Own It Now’ on Samsung Malaysia’s YouTube channel here with the chance to purchase the Fold3 and Flip3 at a 25% discount with special additional merchandise for exactly 3 hours starting at 8PM to 11PM 31st December 2021.
For these 3 hours, you can get the following deals:
3-Hours Limited Time Offers:
- Get 25% OFF the Galaxy Z Flip3 5G + Limited Edition Tassel
- Get 25% OFF the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G + Limited Edition S Pen Sleeve
- Get 25% OFF the Galaxy Buds2
- Get 25% OFF the Galaxy Watch4 & Watch4 Classic
For more details on this limited time promo check out their official page at https://shop.samsung.com/my/agenzy-25-promo/
You can also check out our prior Galaxy Z Fold3 guides below as well as our first hands-on and review below.
Galaxy Z Fold3 Hands-On – https://hitechcentury.com/galaxy-z-fold3-5g-first-look/
Galaxy Z Fold3 Review – https://hitechcentury.com/samsung-galaxy-z-fold3-5g-review-malaysia/
Galaxy Z Fold3 – Here’s why the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 is your perfect work partner – https://hitechcentury.com/galaxy-z-fold3-5g-is-your-perfect-work-partner/
Galaxy Z Fold3 – Here’s 6 Amazing tips and Settings for New Owners – https://hitechcentury.com/galaxy-z-fold3-tips/
Galaxy Z Fold 3- 4 Power User Tips and One Secret Trick You Need to Know –
https://hitechcentury.com/samsung-galaxy-z-fold3-power-user-tips/
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