Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip3 brings back the classic clamshell phone with a foldable screen
Samsung is bringing back the flip phone — again. The tech giant today announced that it’s rolling out the latest version of its clamshell-style, foldable-screen smartphone, the Galaxy Z Flip3 5G. Available for pre-order Aug. 11 and on sale Aug. 27 for $999, the Flip3 offers a slimmer design, and, thankfully, a more durable body to keep its flexible screen safe.
The Android-powered Z Flip3 is the follow-up to the Z Flip and Z Flip 5G. There was no Z Flip2, so why call the newest one the Flip3? Only Samsung knows.
The biggest and most welcome change to the Z Flip3 is that its display is now 80% stronger than prior generations of the foldable, and it’s finally, mercifully, water resistant.
The original Z Flip was an incredibly slick statement piece of a phone when it rolled out in 2020. But its hefty price tag of $1,380 made it feel like a big risk to purchase, especially considering the phone wasn’t water resistant and its screen was so delicate that Samsung had to include a warning in the box.
So, that increased screen durability and water resistance are absolutely huge, as is its significantly lower $999 price point.
Samsung didn’t just improve the Z Flip3’s durability, though. It also added a larger front-facing display. Rather than the incredibly small 1.1-inch front screen found on the original Z Flip, Samsung has equipped the Flip3 with a 1.9-inch panel.
Now, you’ll be able to read message previews, and control your music from the screen. You’ll also still be able to shoot photos with the main screen closed by using the rear cameras and the front screen as a viewfinder like the original Z Flip.
Speaking of the phone’s cameras, the Z Flip3 gets largely the same kind of ultra-wide and wide-angle lenses found on the Z Flip.
Inside, the Z Flip3’s 6.7-inch screen now gets a 120Hz refresh rate, meaning things like scrolling through apps and some games should look far smoother.
One of the more interesting aspects of Samsung’s foldable phones is it’s Flex Mode, which lets you use the top half of the screen to display content, and the bottom half to control it. Think watching a movie on the top half, and having the playback controls on the bottom.
The feature only works with certain apps, so you’ll have to test them out as you use the phone — but it’s still something that could prove rather useful.
As far as performance goes, the Z Flip3 gets an 8-core processor, 8GB of RAM and your choice of 128GB or 256GB of storage. You’ll also, as the Flip3’s full name suggests, get access to 5G networks for fast speedy web connectivity.
While the Z Flip3’s design is a bit out there for mainstream phones, you’ve got to give it to Samsung for continuing to try to push smartphone design in new, exciting directions. At $999, the Z Flip3 could also prove to be more of a success with consumers who want something more than the average phone.
How many people actually go out and buy a Z Flip3, however, will be the true test of whether these designs are here to stay.
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