Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

Supposing a user actually has a regular need of a larger display, doesn’t want to regularly carry more than one device, and doesn’t mind sacrificing durability in the process, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is as good an option as can be. For anyone whose uses and needs are a little more flexible, the flexibility of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will just be an expensive party trick.

2021 does feel like the year where foldable phones tip over into the mainstream, though I’m not sure it’s the Galaxy Z Fold 3 which does that. The smaller, more affordable Galaxy Z Flip 3 pairs the eye-catching flexible screen tech with what I think is a more obvious pitch: it’s a full-sized phone when it’s open, and half that size when it’s closed. Demand for a full-sized phone that expands into a small tablet seems like it would be smaller.

It’s a well-made, impressive piece of tech that has benefited from years of R&D, but it suffers from an identity crisis by attempting to be two things at once. Does that mean the world should give up on foldable phones altogether? Absolutely not. As components get smaller, the Fold could one day be thin and light enough with much improved software that might make it useful in all its modes. But for now, despite all the progress Samsung has made, the Fold 3 is still not ready for the mainstream.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the first foldable phone that we recommend to people who would normally call themselves ‘early adopters’, yet held off on buying last year’s Z Fold 2 for good reason. Those fence-sitters will be swayed by the new Z Fold 3’s S Pen support, greater durability and water-resistance in an otherwise familiar-looking foldable design with unchanged cameras. It’s still mighty expensive, and therefore not for the average consumer, but it starts at a slightly lower price than its predecessors, making it ideal for those who've been looking to buy into the form factor but have been waiting on the sidelines.

These folding phones are still expensive playthings, and they're not quite a must-have for anyone. But I did enjoy my time using both. They finally feel polished, and I think you'll get some real utility out of either if you decide to make the investment.

The Galaxy Note might be a no-show, but the revamped Z Fold 3 5G is more than worthy of taking its place.

It’s still an awkward thing to carry around and use one-handed, and it’s still super expensive. The tradeoffs just don’t seem worth it. Then again, once upon a time we all said the same thing about the tradeoffs for big-screened phones like the Note. For a small sliver of tech-savvy people who know what they’re getting into, I could actually recommend the Z Fold 3. But for most people, as good as it gets is still not good enough.

Samsung brought everything I wanted to see in this version of the Galaxy Fold, so I had to purchase one and put my money where my mouth is. I ended up selling my iPhone 12 Pro Max and 11-inch iPad Pro to pay for the Z Fold 3. I acknowledge that battery life is not that great, and as much as I use my phone, especially with the new S Pen functionality, I must charge it up during the day. That's a trade-off I'm willing to make to enjoy the many other benefits of the Z Fold 3. Nice work Samsung, now let's improve the battery life and also try to get better camera hardware in the Z Fold 4.