I can’t remember the last time this much attention has been paid to a Samsung Galaxy product line. At the same time, Samsung’s Unpacked events are advertised, marketed, and covered in the media heavily, but most normie users aren’t paying that much attention. That wasn’t the case for the Z Flip3 and Z Fold3 launch; all eyes were on Samsung that day.
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I say that because I’ve had friends and family, who never keep up with technology in any form, randomly ask me about the new folding devices. Their curiosity was evident, and they were eager to know what the Z Flip3 and Z Fold3 would be like and if they were the future. My wife’s uncle is in his late 60’s and he pre-ordered the Z Fold3 without question. That speaks to the fact that this launch wasn’t just for us tech raging nerds and the normies took notice.
Sadly, Samsung left us out of the rotation for review units of the Z Flip3, Z Fold3, and the Watch 4. Like Apple, they tend to focus on influencers and YouTubers when it comes to their mobile division. Generally, I don’t purchase devices for review. If a company can’t send, I skip it. But in the case of these devices, I had to get my hands on at least one of them.
So I ordered the Z Flip3 and used the Samsung credit to get a deep discount on the Watch 4, which is coming next week. These are just a few of my thoughts in my first 48 hours of using the Z Flip3 as my main device. I put these in bullet point form because this isn’t intended to be a review. I rarely give insight to devices I review until my actual review comes out. But these devices are something different, for once, and I felt it would be beneficial to those who want some insight into them. You can watch my initial unboxing below as well.
My first 48 With The Z Flip3
- No wall charger is not a big deal to me, but I understand some may dislike this choice by Samsung.
- I still doubt that fine dust, sand, and dirt won’t damage the internals or hinge mechanism. Time will tell.
- The punch hole camera doesn’t bother me. I’m okay with Samsung leaving the under-screen camera feature to the Z Fold3. But I get why some may be upset.
- You can see the crease. Straight on, it’s not an issue but angle the phone any which way, and it is there. It is unavoidable.
- The fingerprint sensor is slightly too high. This is also unavoidable because the location it should be is where the hinge is. I have been able to get used to it quickly; it just takes a bit of muscle and memory training.
- If you hate fingerprints and smudges, you will get irritated with this display. It collects them instantly and makes it look like you’re rubbing your snot all over the display. Also unavoidable due to the display material. I’m not too fond of it, but I can accept it.
- Battery life is not stellar. I can get through the day with moderate use and no charging, but heavy users may find this battery too small. You can mitigate the drain, but you have to be intentional with that.
- I love the high refresh rate adaptive feature. I’m Glad Samsung included that.
- The cameras are great. No complaints so far. I don’t find the front display as useful as many YouTubers and influencers have said it is. But then, I’m not someone who is taking selfies all day.
- Flipping this open and closed is oddly satisfying. I am stil curious to see how the crease holds up over time. It’s still an unknown.
That’s it for now. Stay tuned for my full review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 in the next few weeks. Right now, I think this is the foldable to beat, the king of the hill. It’s also the one most people should buy. The price is right and more accessible than the Fold3, and I think it has a better chance of surviving normal day-to-day use.
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