Samsung has already reached the third generation of the Fold series, with large diagonal foldable phones, tablet replacements and somewhat ultrabooks, if we consider the productivity and Flex Mode functions. In 2021 Z Fold 3 replaces the Galaxy Note, with stylus support, and after making a comparison between Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 5G, now we make one between Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 2.
It's a battle of the giants, the most relevant foldable phones of the moment, and on the eve of Black Friday you're probably wondering what choice to make. We have tested both and now we have conclusions, arranged in the form of a top 5 reasons why the new model is superior to the one from 2020.
Context:
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 debuted in August 2020, as a significant upgrade for the Galaxy Fold, which had launched as a pioneering high-risk pioneer, being the first in the segment, with some shortcomings assumed. His successor corrected most of the shortcomings and brought a stronger hinge and screen, as well as features closer to the idea of a 2020 flagship.
In August 2021 came Galaxy Z Fold 3, with some welcome extras, which seem to be born from the feedback of the public and the press after Z Fold 2. Warning: the two phones still have in common and I think here in particular the diagonals, the resolution, the 120 Hz refresh rate of the main screen, the rear camera and the external selfie, which are largely the same, but also the speakers, batteries, RAM and storage.
To separate them we have the 5 points below:
Top 5:
1. Stylus support and extra productivity
2021 is the year without Galaxy Note and after we received stylus support on Galaxy S21 Ultra, now we have something like this on Galaxy Z Fold 3. Z Fold 2 does not support stylus, not having that corresponding digitizer panel layer. In our case we used an S-Pen Pro, an advanced stylus that even has a button that switches between Z Fold and use in tandem with another device. Basically with that button you could switch between Z Fold 3 and a Galaxy Note 20 or an S21 Ultra.
We are dealing with a large stylus here, similar to that of a Galaxy Tab S6 or Tab S7, but one with very low latency and which perfectly mimics the experience of a pencil or pen on paper, only this time on screen. Charges via USB-C with a low connector. Thanks to it, this Z Fold 3 allows you to take notes, to draw, to take screenshots with cutouts, but also to control the navigation and the camera through gestures.
You can gesture in the air for commands such as Back, Home, Recents, Screenshot, or switch between camera functions and start video recording or remote photo capture. These are the Air Actions we know from the Note 20 Ultra. The S Pen Pro has a battery life of 16 days and can even be found with Smartthings if lost. It supports 4096 pressure levels and has a peak of only 0.7 mm, which does not harm the foldable screen even after hours and days of writing. It easily retracts that tip when it touches the phone screen for a lower pressure.
The connection to the phone is made via Bluetooth and also has the role of displaying video previews and pictures when you raise its tip on them to a few millimeters. There is also the variant of an S-Pen sold with the diary cover for Galaxy Z Fold 3 and which in turn offers the same functions of handwriting (with handwriting recognition), drawing with multiple pens, screenshots and much more.
2. Extra strength, IP certification
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 has in addition to Z Fold 2 extra resistance and I refer here first to water resistance, through the IPX8 certification received. This means that it can survive a dive to a depth of 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. It has seals against liquid ingress and also benefits from Gorilla Glass Victus scratch protection, both on the front and on the back (when closed).
Samsung also used Armor Aluminum in the body of the phone, an ultra-tough aluminum version that is more resistant to harsh everyday contacts than the metal on the Galaxy Z Fold 2.
3. The external display has a higher refresh rate
Samsung offers an upgraded external screen (Cover) on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 compared to the Z Fold 2 and I am referring here to the 120 Hz refresh rate, where the predecessor had only 60 Hz. With this increased refresh rate we scroll more smoothly on Instagram, Facebook, websites and mailing lists, but we also have a plus in gaming.
I tried Call of Duty Mobile and felt extra fluid and easy to move and frame rate more generous on the Z Fold 3 than the Z Fold 2. It's a more enjoyable gaming experience even without opening the big screen.
4. Selfie camera under the screen
Samsung launched the selfie camera under the screen with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and here we have a 4 MP camera hidden under the large, foldable panel. It is very well disguised, so it is hardly visible on a light background and is not detectable too much on a dark image. This helps a lot to immerse yourself in games and movies on the main screen, compared to Z Fold 2 which had that fixed "cut" hole in the interface of your game or in the image of the movie being watched.
In addition, it is not a bad selfie camera at all for the state of the art. It takes clearer pictures than the ZTE Axon 20, the first selfie screen phone we tested and the first on the market. I like the colors and in the sun it beats with another camera phone under the screen, Xiaomi Mix 4. It's a good start for Samsung.
5. Price at the beginning
Just like the comparison between Z Flips, we also get to the wallet. So, I have two items in front of me right now: Price and Availability Z Fold 2 in September 2020 and Price and Availability Galaxy Z Fold 3 in September 2021. I chose the best offer and I see that at the debut of evoMAG Z Fold 2 it costs 9,699 lei, and Z Fold 3 was 7,639 lei.
A difference of 2000 lei in favor of the new model and its bringing in a less stratospheric area than the first and second generation folding ones. Even now the differences between the two phones are a few hundred lei, the newest being a little more expensive than the older one, it's true, but with a newer CPU, superior screens and all the above benefits.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 vs. Video Comparison Galaxy Z Fold 2
conclusions
The fact that in September you could buy a Galaxy Z Fold 3 with 2000 lei cheaper at the beginning than its predecessor is a great thing. We also received extra productivity through the stylus holder, but also the resistance to harder use and contact with liquids or even leaking into the water. Packed with a new processor, a Snapdragon 888, a selfie camera under the screen, for a more immersive main screen and an external one with an increased refresh rate for smoother scrolling on Instagram and more advanced gaming.
It is clear that if you are looking for a foldable way to perform productivity tasks, but also to stop for entertainment, Galaxy Z Fold 3 is an inspired choice, even compared to Z Fold 2, which it surpasses at least these 5 chapters above.