Let’s Talk About The Galaxy Z Flip 3
Love the phone, hate the name.
I think the Z Flip 3 looks really good. The way the outside display melds in with the camera modules, gives the device a very futuristic vibe. The design reminds me of something. It reminds me of the Mini Cooper. Despite loving the design though, I don’t think anyone should buy the Z Flip 3 now.
Before going into more detail, here’s a fun fact. For the Z Flip, Samsung used a PET based plastic to protect the foldable screen. Did you know that is the same plastic used in soda bottles?
There are several problems with the Z Flip 3.
Durability
Despite Samsung claims that the flexible display is 80% tougher, I still don’t think it’s durable enough for most people. Foldable screen will break eventually. That’s a fact. So that is not the issue. The issue is will it last for the entire lifespan of the device.
For me, a device’s lifespan is about 3 to 4 years. I highly doubt the display on the Z Flip 3 will last that long. I guess that’s why Samsung has included 1 free display replacement with the Z Flip 3 (if you pre-order the device). You are almost expected to change the screen if you intend to use the Z Flip 3 for more than a few years.
Battery Life
The Z Flip 3 is equipped with a 3300 maH battery. The capacity is fine if the display of the phone is running at 60hz. But the Z Flip 3 is running at 120hz. This means that the display consumes more power. It also means that the SOC will have to work harder to produce all those frames. This further increases battery consumption.
I predict that for better battery life, most people who get the Z Flip 3 will use it at 60hz. The percentage of people doing this will increase as the battery ages. Because then it’ll hold even less power. At which point, a battery replacement would be required.
Selfie Camera
There’s a punch hole style selfie camera inside the Z Flip 3. This is fine now but it’ll get outdated very quickly. We are beginning to see more and more under display cameras. Even Samsung itself has begun dabbling in the technology. Case in point, the Z Fold 3.
Yes, one could argue that the under-display selfie camera’s don’t produce good selfies. But if you want a really good selfie just use the outer cameras. They are much better and you can even use the outer display as a viewfinder.
SOC
The Z Flip 3 is equipped with the Snapdragon 888. The 888 is based on ARMv8. ARMv8 is nearly 10 years old at this point. Not too long ago, ARM just announced ARMv9. According to ARM, with ARMv9 you can expect better security, much faster AI and up to 30% performance uplift.
Apple, Samsung and Qualcomm are all expected to release chips based on ARMv9 in 2022.
Conclusion
I love the design and form factor of the Z Flip 3. So it pains me to say that if you don’t have to buy a phone right now, you should probably wait and buy the next generation Z Flip. You’ll get a phone that’ll last longer. A phone that won’t get outdated as quickly as the Z Flip 3.
