1/10
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G was launched in India recently. Follow-up to the Galaxy Z Fold 2 from last year, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 brings key improvements on the durability front including a new water-resistant design, upgraded hardware with S-Pen support, and an under-display camera for a more uninterrupted viewing experience in tablet mode. The cover screen has also received an update with faster refresh rate. There’s a lot to talk about here, and while we will speak in depth about it in our full review, here’s a quick look at the ‘folding’ phone, its design, specs, features, and other details. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
2/10
Samsung claims the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the most durable foldable yet, which is a tall claim no doubt, though there is also some merit to it. There are three improvements that Samsung is highlighting this year. All in all, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a story of refinement showing how Samsung is committed to this new and unique form factor. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
3/10
The biggest USP of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is that it is IPX8 certified which makes it water resistant. This means you can submerge it in up to 1.5m of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. This also makes it an engineering marvel. For a foldable with a prominent hinge, this is a rare feat, something that we will be testing out more extensively in the coming days. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
4/10
The body of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is made almost entirely out of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus while the main camera unit has Corning Gorilla Glass DX for protection. The outer frame is made of something that Samsung is calling ‘armour aluminum’ which is said to be 10 percent stronger than the material used on the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Samsung also claims its folding screen is now 80 percent more durable with a new protective film and redesigned structure. More on this in our review. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
5/10
The inner folding screen in the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is 7.6-inch QXGA (2208×1768 pixels) dynamic 120Hz AMOLED, like the Galaxy Z Fold 2, but it has an upgraded 4MP under-display camera this time. To be clear, this is different from Xiaomi’s tech that it is using in the Mi Mix 4. The cover screen in the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is meanwhile also switching from a 60Hz to a dynamic 120Hz, keeping the size (6.2-inch) same as last year. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
6/10
In a first, Samsung is also bringing support for its S-Pen stylus to its foldables with the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Of course, to be able to achieve this on a flexible OLED screen, Samsung had to design an all-new stylus. There are two, in fact. One called the S Pen Fold Edition works exclusively with the Galaxy Z Fold 3. The other called S Pen Pro works with other compatible Samsung phones as well including the Note series, S21 Ultra, Tab S7 FE and more in addition to the Galaxy Z Fold 3 letting you switch between multiple devices with a dedicated button. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
7/10
Under the hood, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 system-on-chip paired with 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB storage. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
8/10
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 has the same triple cameras as its predecessor, which is a combination of 12MP main, 12MP ultrawide-angle, and another 12MP telephoto. The camera on the cover screen also stays the same, which is10MP. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
9/10
Battery capacity has taken a slight hit with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 packing a smaller 4,400mAh battery (the Galaxy Z Fold 2 had a 4,500mAh battery). There is fast wired and wireless charging support. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
10/10
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 starts at Rs 1,49,999 for a version with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. A version with 512GB storage will set you back by Rs 1,57,999. It will be up for pre-booking starting August 24 through September 9 on Samsung.com and across leading retail stores. As a pre-booking offer, Samsung will be offering customers either an upgrade voucher of Rs 7,000 or HDFC Bank cashback of up to Rs 7,000 using credit and debit card. Customers will also be eligible for free 1-year Samsung Care Plus accidental and liquid damage protection worth Rs 7,999 on pre-booking the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Shipping starts from September 10. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a very important phone for Samsung. There is no Galaxy Note happening this year, Samsung has confirmed, which means that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 also has the added responsibility to take the baton from the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and take charge as the company’s new high-end premium offering for the remainder of the year and near future. Watch this space for our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 in the days to come. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)