Supcase Galaxy Z Fold3 Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case review – Potent Protection meets Effective Design

The somewhat unique design of foldable phones makes the design of casings for them a somewhat complicated task but casing purveyor Supcase have managed to crack the formula with their ultra tough case for the Galaxy Z Fold3 which is also available for the Fold4. We managed to get a sample for field testing and you can check out our findings in our Supcase Galaxy Z Fold3 Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case review where we put it to the test!

Supcase Galaxy Z Fold3 Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case review – Build and Design

For the uninitiated, the Galaxy Z Fold3 is a foldable smartphone that has a front-facing touchscreen and a larger folding primary display with the whole design folding inwards like a book. 

Unlike a conventional casing for a smartphone which doesn’t require moving parts, designing a case for a foldable phone is an interesting engineering challenge as you have to not only protect the rear, you also have to find a way to protect the front touchscreen without obscuring the display. 

That’s not all as you also have to protect the hinge mechanism as any direct hit or dent on the hinge will likely damage the phone. Oddly, many third party designs just ditch protecting the hinges to make their designs simpler to manufacture.

In the case of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3, things get even more complicated as it features support for an optional S Pen stylus. Unlike earlier Galaxy Note series phones that had a built-in stylus well, there’s no internal space to store the S Pen in the Galaxy Z Fold3. This necessitates an external storage solution or a case that supports one. Combined, all these make engineering and manufacturing a casing for a foldable phone a logistical nightmare. 

Fortunately, the Supcase Galaxy Z Fold3 Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case manages to address all these problems and more in one surprisingly efficient design.

Done up in a combination of TPU, polycarbonate and rubber, our Supcase Galaxy Z Fold3 Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case review sample comes in two separate pieces with one portion containing the hinge protection mechanism while the other is designed to snap on to the front display.

While our review unit comes in black, it can also be acquired in green, blue, red and silver too. The backplate itself is precisely cut to fit the measures of the Galaxy Z Fold3 and has a faux metal stamped backplate that has a built-in kickstand and a slightly raised lip to protect the triple camera array. 

The corners have also been reinforced to withstand edge-on impacts. On that note, the Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Cases have been rated to survive up to 20 feet drops which is an impressive feat by any measure of the word. It also features a cut-out for the fingerprint reader/power button and rubber overlays for the volume rocker too.

Supcase Galaxy Z Fold3 Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case review – The side has a cutout for the fingerprint reader/power button and rubberised overlays for the volume rocker.

Much like Supcases’ other Beetle Pro cases, the kickstand itself is non-removable and also doubles as a handgrip which is incredibly useful seeing the large dimensions of the Galaxy Z Fold3. 

Where many casing designs simply neglect protecting the hinge of a foldable phone or just implement stopgap measures, Supcase has gone the whole hog and armoured the hinge with an impressive slab of protective plate that can shrug off impacts; on paper, the case is officially rated for MIL-STD-810G levels of toughness so it’s able to survive a waist-high drop to the floor unscathed.

The hinge portion of the case also features a recess for the S Pen stylus too which makes for surprisingly efficient engineering. Amusingly enough, the chunkiness of the hinge also enables it to act as a stand of sorts though the Galaxy Z Fold3 cannot lay flat on a table.

Up front, Supcase has implemented an elegant solution that does not compromise functionality or ergonomics. The front portion of our Supcase Galaxy Z Fold3 Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case review sample is lined with matte TPU and frames a transparent integrated screen protector. 

In terms of build quality, our Supcase Galaxy Z Fold3 Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case review sample is exceptionally well finished with a sturdy, reassuring heft and feel.  Unlike cheaper designs that need a strip of tap on the sides to get it to stick, this example from Supcase fits like a glove without it wiggling or wobbling in any way.

Supcase Galaxy Z Fold3 Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case review – Performance

Assembling and getting our Supcase Galaxy Z Fold3 Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case review sample attached to the phone proved to be exceptionally easy and did not require any complicated tools or adhesive tape and everything precisely snapped into place.

When fully assembled, the case is somewhat on the chunky side of things on account of the thicker, tougher hinge design that just out for about half an inch or so from the side of the case. This makes pocketing it a concern for some users but the benefits in protection are well worth the trade-off in its size.

Over the course of several months of use, the case did not disappoint. The rear kickstand makes watching movies and working on the phone with an external keyboard and mouse a more pleasant task. The kickstand also doubles as an effective handgrip especially when using the phone unfolded to read or to take shots seeing the weight of the Fold3.

The front screen protector is relatively scratch resistant and is officially rated to support S Pen usage. Unfortunately we didn’t have a sample at the time of writing to field test this aspect of the display though touch input was unimpeded and visibility wasn’t an issue without any glare.

Should you buy the Supcase Galaxy Z Fold3 Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case?

The Supcase Galaxy Z Fold3 Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case encompasses multiple features typically seen separately in competing designs. At USD$89.85 (about RM396), it does not come cheap but it is well worth what you pay for. On top of absurdly tough drop resistance, the case has a kickstand, a slot for an S Pen stylus and a built-in screen protector too.

Aesthetes who aspire to a slimmer design or a much lighter case may take offence at the somewhat large size of the case but for those who are looking for peace of mind to protect a phone that costs as much as a laptop, this case will not disappoint. 

Supcase Galaxy Z Fold3 Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case review sample courtesy of Supcase. To purchase, please visit https://www.supcase.com/products/galaxy-z-fold3-unicorn-beetle-pro-rugged-case-with-s-pen-holder-black