How durable is the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G? Here’s 4 ways Samsung’s latest foldable is tougher than ever
The third generation Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is currently the most sophisticated foldable phone in mass production with the hardware and performance to match its somewhat lofty price tag, but just how durable is the new Galaxy Z Fold3 5G?
At present, the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is the world’s first IPX8 water-resistant foldable phone alongside its sibling the Galaxy Z Flip3 5G.
How durable is the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G? We share 4 ways that Samsung has enhanced their latest foldable phone to significantly enhance its toughness and durability as welll as water resistance too
That’s not all as Samsung has introduced a number of innovative materials and a revamped design that makes it more durable and tougher than its predecessors. Here’s 4 ways Samsung’s latest foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is one of the most durable foldable phones that money can buy.
#1 Tougher Armour Aluminum Chassis on Galaxy Z Fold3 5G’s hinge and frame
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In order to enhance the durability of the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G, Samsung has patented and created an entirely new aluminium alloy that they’ve dubbed as Armor Aluminum that they’ve incorporated into the frames and hinge housing.
This next generation Armor Aluminum alloy used in the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G has been rated to be the strongest aluminium material used in smartphones today and is harder and more durable, thus minimising the chances of it getting scratched or dented. According to Sun-ho Cho, chief engineer at Samsung Advanced Labs, the new Armor Aluminum is 10% tougher than the usual aerospace-grade aluminum frames used in smartphones.
Hwang Changyoun from Samsung’s Advanced CMF (Colour, Material, Finish) Lab sharing more about the properties of Armor Aluminum
In a live demonstration, Hwang Changyoun from Samsung’s Advanced CMF (Colour, Material, Finish) Lab took a block of Armor Aluminum and then knocked it straight into a block of conventional aerospace-grade aluminum, the stuff typically used in most smartphones.
How durable is the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G? A Samsung representative smashes a chunk of Armor Aluminium against a brick of aerospace grade aluminum and the former came out none the worse for wear while the latter got a visible nick.
While it didn’t come out nick free, the Armor Aluminium block was certainly in far better condition than the conventional aluminum block. The end result? The Galaxy Z Fold3 5G makes for a less worry free experience for owners. This Armor Aluminum alloy has also been incorporated into the hinge cover and frame of the Galaxy Z Flip3 5G as well to make it as durable as the Fold 3.
#2 Tougher Gorilla Glass Victus on Galaxy Z Fold3 5G backplate and front display
The Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is lavished with the toughest Gorilla Glass currently in the market for both the exterior 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz display and on the back cover as well where the camera is located. As icing on the cake, the lens cover on the triple rear camera is also armoured with Corning Gorilla Glass DX.
The front display and backplate of the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G are sheathed in Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
According to Corning, Gorilla Glass Victus has massive improvements in drop and scratch resistance. It has been rated to survive drops onto hard, rough surfaces from up to 2 meters while also enduring scratches at 7-10 Newtons versus standard issue aluminosilicate at 2-4 Newtons in the Knoop Diamond Scratch Test. The Galaxy Z Fold3 5G’s slimmer sibling, the Galaxy Z Flip3 5G also features Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back cover.
#3 More durable Galaxy Z Fold3 5G main display
One of the biggest concerns with prior generations of the Galaxy Z Fold series was how durable the main display was against scratches. Unlike its predecessors, the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G’s primary 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display (22.5:18) Infinity Flex Display is designed to be compatible with an S Pen stylus which means it has to be able to withstand the prodding and poking of a pointy object – the S Pen itself along with the usual finger nicks and whatnot.
To address the need to not only make it tougher and compatible with an S Pen, Samsung revamped the design of the display and how its layers are organised. Layered on the bottommost layer is a dual-digitiser and controller for interactivity with the S Pen stylus followed by an OLED panel sheathed in Samsung’s Ultra Thin Glass (UTG), followed by a layer of polymer.
Layered on top of all this is a new stretchable Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer that offers 80% tougher resistance than the earlier Galaxy Z Fold2 screen to fingernail nicks and, of course, the S Pen.
Made of the same material in a variety of consumer products, the PET layer on the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G’s main 7.6-inch Infinity Flex display has been rated to survive over 200,000 folds which is equivalent to about opening and closing it 100 times a day for over 5 years in a row. The fact that the main Infinity Flex display also has an ultra smooth 120Hz refresh rate makes it a triumph of engineering.
#4 IPX8 Water Resistance
According to Samsung, the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is rated an impressive IPX8 for water resistance, making this the world’s first water resistant foldable phone alongside the Galaxy Z Flip3 5G.
What this means is that the phone is able to survive in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes which allows it to easily survive a drop in the pool or getting caught in the rain without damage.
They’ve also coated the internal workings of the hinges with an anti-corrosive coating and lubricating agents to ensure that they don’t rust and that it continues performing well for years to come.
How durable is the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G? It’s actually rated IPX8, allowing it to survive in 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes
One thing to note though is that the X in the IPX8 rating means that it’s not dustproof which means taking it to the beach or a construction site may not be the wisest option but getting a foldable phone to be water resistant is already quite an achievement.
So how durable is the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G really?
To share just how thoroughly they test their smartphones, Samsung shared an in-depth behind the scenes video showing a gruelling battery of tests that are effectively a siege perilous for the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Flip3 5G. The phones are subjected to immersion in water, extremes of temperature as well as constant folding and unfolding of the main display to simulate years of constant usage in the span of days.
To wit, the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G has a chassis that’s 10% tougher with the use of Armor Aluminum in its construction, an 80% tougher main display with the use of a new PET layer on top and has IPX8 water resistance which makes it one of, if not the most durable foldable phones currently available in the market which makes it something that users can wield with confidence.
You can also check out our prior in-depth features of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G below to discover more about their premier foldable phone:
Galaxy Z Fold3 5G First Impressions
6 Amazing Galaxy Fold3 5G Tips and Settings for New Owners
8 Reasons Why the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is your Perfect Work Partner
At present, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is available for sale in Malaysia at Samsung’s official online store with the 256GB version retailing for RM6,699 and the 512GB version retailing for RM7,099. For a closer look and to purchase the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G, you can check out Samsung’s official online store, authorised retail partners as well as their official Samsung Shopee online store and Lazada online store.
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