Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Galaxy Z Flip 3: what’s the difference?

Our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Galaxy Z Flip 3 comparison is here to help you out if you are looking for one of the best foldable phones. While both devices have foldable screens, these phones are quite different when it comes to price, screen size, cameras, battery life, specs, and more.

Here is the gist. As you’ll see in our Galaxy Z Fold 3 review, this $ 1,799 device is a phone and a tablet at the same time, going from a 6.2-inch handset to a 7.6-inch slate, making it makes it ideal for working and playing. It’s especially useful for running multiple apps at once, and it supports the S Pen so you can write directly on the screen.

Our Galaxy Z Flip 3 review reveals a more affordable and accessible option, starting at $ 999. It has a 1.9-inch cover screen for checking information on the fly or taking selfies and a 6.7-inch main screen. Its main appeal is that it folds up into a compact design to easily slip into a pocket, and the fact that you can use its laptop-like Flex mode for video calls and other applications. Just beware of the short battery life.

Our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Galaxy Z Flip 3 comparison recaps all the changes to Samsung’s latest foldable phones to help you figure out which one is right for you.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Galaxy Z Flip 3: Specifications

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs. Galaxy z flip 3

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is quite expensive at $ 1,799 for the 256GB model, and that goes up to $ 1,899 for the 512GB version.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip is the most affordable foldable phone to date with a price tag of $ 999 for 128GB of storage. The 256 GB version costs $ 1,099.

Design and screens of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 3

If you are looking for something compact, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is for you. It has a 1.9-inch cover screen (4x the size of the original Z Flip) and a 6.7-inch 120Hz main screen. It folds to just 3.4 x 2.8 x 0.63-0.67 inches when closed and it weighs only 6.5 ounces. You will hardly feel this foldable phone in your pocket.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a phone beast because it can double as a tablet and its main screen spans 7.6 inches. Another plus: There is a new camera under the screen that disappears when not in use, so you don’t have to look at a punch hole, The outer screen remains 6.2 inches, but the good news is that both panels now have refresh rates of 120Hz.

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is available in a wider range of color options. You can choose from Cream, Green, Lavender, and Phantom Black. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is more conservative with its three colors: Phantom Black, Phantom Green and Phantom Silver.

Samsung has increased the durability of both phones, thanks to a stronger Armor aluminum casing, up to 80% more durable display, and IPX8 water resistance that should survive splash and rain.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 cameras vs. Galaxy Z Flip 3

There are some really big differences between the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 cameras. The Z Fold 3 has a triple rear camera setup that includes 12MP wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses. Optical zoom is 2x and digital zoom is 10x.

Additionally, the Z Fold 3 has a 10 MP selfie camera on the front, as well as a 4 MP sub-screen camera in the upper right corner of the 7.6-inch display. The latter is best used for video calls because it is not very sharp.

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 packs two 12MP cameras: a wide-angle lens and a 12MP ultra-wide lens with a 123-degree field of view. On the front is a 10MP selfie camera. Unfortunately, you don’t get a telephoto zoom with the Flip.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 software vs. Galaxy Z Flip 3 and special features

If you like to multitask, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the best choice for you. The Z Fold 3 lets you run up to three onscreen apps at a time, and it also works with third-party developers to optimize their apps for the Fold 3’s big screen. Microsoft Office, Snapchat, Netflix, Spotify , YouTube, and TikTok are just a few of the improving apps.

The Z Fold 3 is also the first foldable phone to work with the S Pen, so you can take onscreen notes, draw, and more. You can choose from the Galaxy Z Fold S Pen Edition ($ 49) to get the beefier Bluetooth-enabled S Pen Pro ($ 99). You can also get a case with the included S Pen for $ 79.

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 has its own features, starting with its 1.9-inch cover screen. This touchscreen lets you interact with several widgets, including weather, notifications, and music playback. Moreover, you can take photos and videos using the cover screen just by pressing the power button, which is convenient for selfies.

Another advantage of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is the Flex mode. A number of apps take advantage of the foldable screen to show content at the top and controls at the bottom, like the Camera app and YouTube. And more are on the way. We also love that you can use Flex mode to make hands-free video calls, allowing you to perch the Z Fold 3 almost anywhere like a mini tripod.

However, note that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 also supports Flex mode, making it the most versatile phone overall.

Performance of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 3

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 are powered by the same Snapdragon 888 processor, so you should expect similar performance. However, the Z Fold 3 has more RAM with 12GB, while the Z Flip 3 has less with 8GB. So the Z Fold 3 might be a bit better at running multiple apps at once.

In the Geekbench 5 benchmark, for example, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 scored 2,984 points in the multi-core portion of the test, compared to 3,418 for the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

The Z Fold 3 also has a storage advantage, as it comes with a standard 256 GB. You can also choose a 512 GB model. The Z Flip 3 has 128 GB with a 256 GB option.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Galaxy Z Flip 3 battery life and charge

There are very big differences here between the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3, both in terms of autonomy and charge. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 packs a dual 4,400mAh battery, so it should be able to last all day. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 has a considerably smaller 3300mAh battery.

In Tom’s Guide’s battery test, the Z Fold 3 lasted 7 hours and 52 minutes, which is okay but shorter than the handsets on our best battery life list. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 lasted a lot less than 5:43.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 also has an advantage when it comes to fast charging, with the ability to support 25W charging. Meanwhile, the Z Flip 3 peaks at just 15W. Keep in mind that none of the phones come with a charger, so you’ll need to purchase one if you don’t have a USB-C charger handy.

In our testing, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 jumped to 44% in 30 minutes, while the Galaxy Z Fold 3 jumped to 47% in the same amount of time.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 3: Conclusion

Overall, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 cater to very different target audiences. The Z Fold 3 is for power users who like the idea of ​​having a phone and tablet in one device and are willing to pay extra for that versatility. And Samsung now rewards your sticker shock with S Pen support, a more durable design, and improved multitasking features and apps.

However, we wish the Z Fold 3 had a built-in S Pen. For that we may have to wait for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 rumor. A slimmer design would also be nice.

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is all about style and fun, and its $ 999 price tag is very tempting for those who have ditched the foldable phone revolution. You have to compromise compared to other flagship phones in terms of cameras and battery life, but it might be worth it for you.