Samsung’s fold phones have gained in popularity recently. And Samsung has always been the undisputed leader in the field. And all of these have culminated in the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Z fold 3, which has just arrived. It is currently priced at $ 2398 in Singapore.
Let us compare it with its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Z fold 2, now available at $ 2332 in Singapore.
Cheaper if you get this from us RED WHITE MOBILE 🙂
Is it worth going for the latest Samsung Galaxy Z fold 3?
There were many fans of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, which came in last year.
And when the brand recently unfurled the third-generation luxury foldable smartphone, the question immediately flung into my mind, much like all other Galaxy fans, is it a worthwhile upgrade? It is only recently that we are still getting familiar with the Galaxy Z fold 3.
But still, let us directly compare the two and explore whether it is worth switching over to the latest Galaxy Z fold 3 if you are already using its predecessor. Or if you are planning to buy any of the two which is better.
So, in terms of price, if you compare the Galaxy Z fold 3 with the Galaxy Z fold 2, you would realize that you don’t have to pay a whole lot extra. Here it is worth noting that the Samsung Galaxy Z fold 3 is cheaper at launch. Yet it is still quite expensive.
You must also note that following the launch of the latest version, it is more likely than its predecessor in some time would be available at a knock-down price. So, given that, would it still be worth investing in the latest version? Let’s compare it feature-wise.
Samsung Galaxy Z fold 3 Design
- Dimensions
I found that in terms of design, not much has changed with the Samsung Galaxy Fold 3. If you have been following the latest trends in the field, you would know that the Galaxy Fold 2 on its launch was unique.
In terms of size, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is slightly smaller compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. The latest model is about half of a millimeter thinner and measures at about 6.4 mm if you are to unfold them. And it is also about a millimeter shorter. And measures at 158.22 mm.
- Weight
In terms of weight, the latest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is marginally lighter, weighing just 11 grams less than its predecessor. But it is still relatively heavy at a weight of 271 grams if you compare it with some of its mainstream peers in the category.
So, neither dimension-wise nor weight-wise is it a significant improvement over the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2.
Samsung Galaxy Z fold 3 Water resistance
But when you consider design, one imposing feature addition in terms of the design which makes the Samsung Galaxy Z fold 3 over the Samsung Galaxy Z fold 2 is that it will survive water immersion much more.
Theoretically speaking, if it were immersed in water that is 1.5 meters deep and kept there even for thirty minutes, it would survive. On the other hand, its predecessor is not water-resistant, and thus this is what makes it stand out.
The hinge system of the later version is also stronger. The materials used here are stronger, and the tolerances are higher. For the displays, too, tougher materials have been used for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. So much so that it has enabled here the inclusion of the S pen compatibility. In my opinion, this was a significant omission in the earlier model.
Samsung Galaxy Z fold 3 Display
Talking of a display comparison, the brand has not done something very new for the dual display. If you are to look, the headline component of the display is the same in either model.
You also have the Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2 X display, which is pretty much the same as it was earlier. Both have the same refresh rate of 120 HZ as well. I found out that the display is equally significant and vibrant as in the previous model. But in my opinion, both lacked pixel definition.
The selfie camera punch hole on the interior display of Z fold 2 has been replaced with an under-display camera in Z fold 3 which reveals itself only when you want to use it!
Secondary External Display
Coming to the Secondary external cover display, which, as you might know, gets used pretty much like any typical smartphone when the device is folded up, the display resolution is almost the same. It is 832 X 2268 of the Z Fold 3 compared with the previous Z Fold 2’s Screen resolution of 816 X 2260. The latter version has only a minor improvement.
But the Cover display of the latest model has a 120 Hz refresh rate. It is what brings it to par with similar Android Phones in this category. And as already mentioned here, the support of the S pen support is also something that was much needed, and the predecessor did not have it. Another point I noted in terms of the screen of the Galaxy Z fold 3 is that it is also protected by Gorilla Glass, which makes it tough and reliable.
Samsung Galaxy Z fold 3 Camera
Again, there is not much of a change in terms of optics if you compare the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 with that of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. This I speak about the Camera on the rear side of the device. However, here again, if you consider the price you are paying, this is a slight letdown, in my opinion.
Even in the latest Galaxy Z Fold 3, you are getting the 12 MP Set up on the device’s rear. In terms of picture quality, you can have some type of decent shots. But if you compare the camera quality is nothing even close to what the Samsung Galaxy 21 Ultra has to offer. To be more specific with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 has a 12 MP f/1.8 primary Camera. To go along with the same, you have the 12 MP f/2.2 ultrawide camera. You would also have the 12 MP f/2.4 telephoto camera, which is capable of 2x optical zoom, which is nothing out of the ordinary.
When it comes to the Selfie Camera, you might know that the Galaxy Z Fold has a forehead-mounted selfie camera. In the latest version, this has been done away with to be replaced with a novel-in-display solution. When active on the right side, you would find a rather humble 4 MP f/1.8 camera on the screen. The quality of this Camera is far below that of the 10 MP Galaxy Z Fold 2 camera.
However, the only saving grace in the latest model is that you can use the primary Camera for clicking selfies that cover displays as a viewfinder. Therefore, in this case, the role of the traditional selfie camera is not that important. Apart from this, if you want a conventional selfie snapper, you could easily have the same on the cover screen itself, which is the standard 10 MP on either phone.
An additional feature of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is recording videos in 8 K resolution, which its predecessor cannot.
Samsung Galaxy Z fold 3 Specs and Performance
Processors
Processor wise if you check, you will find that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 has been provided with the Snapdragon 888 chipset, which is a shade higher than that of the Galaxy Z Fold 2, which has the Snapdragon 865 chipset. Since both the phones are also backed up with 12 GB RAM, both are adequate to carry out complex tasks and should be equally fast.
However, if you directly compare the two processors, you would find that the Snapdragon 888 is about 15 % better than the Snapdragon 865. Though it might be only a marginal performance improvement, when integrated with the 660 GPU, you would have an enhanced performance of up to 35 %, which is substantial, in my opinion.
Internal Storage
In both the phones, the basic models both have versions that have internal storage of 256 GB. It is the standard storage in most advanced smartphones and something which I would not complain about. But if you want to have a higher internal storage capacity, you could opt for the ones with 512 GB, which are, of course, available at an enhanced price. Speaking of storage, though, one drawback is that there is still no support for the micro-SD card. This should have been made a part of the latest Galaxy Z Fold 3 model, but it is still lacking.
Battery
The battery is one of the critical elements of choosing any smartphone, and the Galaxy Z fold series is no exception. One surprising factor which grabbed my notice is the new version has shrunk the battery capacity a touch lower to 4400 mAh compared to the 4500 mAh which the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has.
One logic for the marginal reduction is that since the processor in the latest model is faster, the need for power would be less. In testing, I found that the old version could survive a whole day when the 60 Hz refresh rate was used. But with an increased refresh rate at 120 Hz, the battery dropped to the red rather quickly.
Keeping in view that the cover display of Galaxy Z Fold 3 runs at 120 Hz, with a slightly reduced power, I am pretty concerned about the prospects of the battery life that we would have from it. If you check the charging options, they remain the same. It is 25 W in case of the wired and 11 W for the wired charging.
Verdict & Final Thoughts
In my opinion, now that the Samsung Z Fold 3 has just been launched, to conclude whether to upgrade it from the Samsung Z Fold 2 may be too early to say.
In general, if you look, there have been some improvements on the Samsung Z Fold 3 for sure. But if we are to check you design-wise, there is hardly much difference between the two. Coming to the performance part, the most impressive up-gradation has been in terms of the external display. It has received a full of 120 Hz upgrade, as is expected of any advanced smartphone in the current scenario.
On the other hand, the processor has seen only a marginal improvement. But in either version, the Camera has been instead a bit disappointing. The same could have been upgraded significantly. However, the same was not done.
But one essential which I, along with many Galaxy Phone lovers, are pleased about is to see the S Pen finally taking its place in the latest version. Another mentionable improvement in the form of the build is the hinge area, which has been made stronger, which is much desirable. The fact that it is much more water-resistant than its predecessor is also worth taking note of.
On the other hand, some serious concerns remain about battery life. It is one factor which, in my opinion, you need to take a close look at before you decide to buy the Samsung Z Fold 3. But one good thing I noted is that the exorbitant price of the latest model has been reeled up a bit.
So, all in all, there are specific improvements that have been made to the Samsung Galaxy Fold 3. The fact that it is available at an attractive price is also quite tempting. But it may be too early to say whether it would be a good buy or not.
And whether you are having the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2, you should upgrade to the latest or not. In my opinion, you have to weigh the pros and cons and decide depending on your priorities. But in my opinion, it is best that you can wait for a little before you take a final call.
Check out: Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Review
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