The Galaxy Fold 3 is a big update defined by lots of small improvements.
Sarah Tew/CNETThe Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is just plain weird, and that's not bad. It costs $1,800, which is a lot but is $200 less than the Galaxy Z Fold 2. It weighs less than the previous Fold but still significantly more than a Galaxy S21 Ultra or iPhone 12 Pro Max. It has a beautiful fit and finish, even more so than the Z Fold 2, but frustratingly attracts smudges from your fingers and hands (at least the black version I'm testing does). When it's folded open it's a fun tablet, but when closed it's an awkwardly shaped phone.
The initial Galaxy Fold never overcame questions about its durability. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 was largely about earning our trust and proving that a $2,000 folding phone could work in the real world. With all those things now behind us, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 lives on a different plane of questions. It exists between a state of being a potentially amazing S Pen tablet and being a heavy, cumbersome phone.
Compare that with the Galaxy Z Flip 3, which has a form factor that works exceedingly well opened or closed. As I enter my fourth day testing the Z Fold 3, philosophical questions about the Fold's form factor are coming at me left and right. I'm still in awe of the amazing technological improvements Samsung has made. There are a bunch of subtle upgrades and features that'll never make it into a headline, but deserve to. I'm working toward a final, in-depth review, but for now here's my ongoing diary of life with the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a big update made up of many small improvements
Like the Z Flip 3, the Z Fold 3 feels more cohesive. The folding screen, the hinge and the body feel more like a single, uniform piece. With previous Folds, I was always aware of the different parts of the phone, especially the way the screen interacted with the hinge. But that's largely gone, and I believe that's because of this new material Samsung uses called Armor Aluminum. It's metal that's reinforced with an internal structure made from a different metal. Think of it like using rebar in concrete for buildings. It makes the phone lighter, but you can feel the strength of that material throughout the phone. It gives me the confidence I get using a regular phone.
Samsung also made minor nips and tucks to the body and the hinge, which make the device more comfortable to hold. The hinge head doesn't stick out as much and the camera bump is less bulbous and dominolike.
The screen still has a crease, which doesn't bother me in the slightest. I know the crease is a sticking point for a lot of people, including some of my colleagues at CNET. But the screen has a new protective layer, which feels nice but collects finger smudges like a detective on Law and Order: SVU.
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 reclaims its screen real estate
When I first picked up the Z Fold 3 and had its main screen open for a while, a subtle effect took place. I felt really immersed in the screen. After thinking about it, I realized there wasn't a notch or a hole-punch cutout that drew my eye away. The screen is void of any visual distractions, which is nice.
At certain angles, you can make out the octagon shape of the under-display camera on the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
Sarah Tew/CNETSamsung's first under-display camera is the reason behind this newly discovered screen tranquility. When the screen is off, you can see the "hole" where the camera is. But when the display is on, the camera is covered by screen elements. There's just fewer of them, which allows the camera to capture photos through your display. Think of it like looking out a window that has blinds. Sometimes when the screen is on you can see this shiny stop sign shape on the top right side of the screen. But even that isn't too distracting. It just blends in.
The under-display camera isn't going to win any photography awards. In my initial tests, photos taken with the cover selfie camera and the main camera looked better than those from the under-display camera. The difference is really noticeable in photos taken when I was indoors under dim lighting.
In my case, the only selfies I take are for phone reviews, and the benefits of having a "noise-free" screen outweigh the image quality of that camera. Also, Samsung says the camera works well for video chats, which I look forward to trying out.
I'm only a few days into trying out the Galaxy Z Fold 3, and my full impressions will be coming in a future review.
Watch this: Galaxy Z Fold 3: Our first look at Samsung's newest foldable
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