So, before moving to the price and availability, let’s take a quick look at the key specs and features of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: Key Specs and Features
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the third iteration in Samsung’s tablet-style foldable series. It brings several pioneering features to the foldable phone segment, including an under-display camera and IP rating for water resistance.
Display
The device packs a 6.2-inch AMOLED cover (outer) display with a resolution of 2,268 x 832p and supports a 120Hz refresh rate. It also supports HDR10+ and comes with Gorilla Glass Victus protection on top.
Upon unfolding the device, you will find a bigger 7.6-inch AMOLED panel with a resolution of 2,208 x 1,768p and support for a 120Hz refresh rate. It also features HDR10+ support, Gorilla Glass Victus protection, and 16 million color-support for an immersive viewing experience.
Cameras
Now, coming to the USP of the device, Galaxy Z Fold 3 comes with a front camera sensor that is embedded under the display to offer a truly bezel-less look when unfolded. Although yesterday, Xiaomi unveiled the Mi Mix 4 with an under-display camera, the Z Fold 3 is the first Samsung device to feature this camera technology.
So, as you can imagine, there will be no notch, no punch-hole cutouts, and no bezel to house the front camera on the inside, It will reside under the 7.6-inch display that has been specially developed by the company’s display wing. It comes with wider gaps in between the pixels near the front camera section to enable it to pass more light to the camera sensor. Although the camera is invisible to the eye when the device is viewed from afar, taking a closer look will reveal a slight outline of the 4MP under-display selfie camera. At the back, the device features a triple camera setup with a primary 12MP sensor with f/1.8 aperture, a 12MP ultra-wide lens with an f/2.2 aperture, and another 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.4 aperture. Both the primary and telephoto lens also support Optical Image Stabilization (OIS).
Internals and Battery
Under the hood, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 packs the flagship-grade Snapdragon 888 SoC that comes integrated with the Adreno 660 GPU. The processor is paired with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. As for the battery, Samsung has fitted a 4,400mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging inside the device. It also supports Qi wireless charging and reverse wireless charging to juice up compatible accessories such as Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Watch, and more.
IP Rating, S Pen Support, and Other Features
Turning to another USP of the device, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 comes with IPX8 rating for water resistance. So, it can withstand 1 meter of water pressure for up to 30 minutes. This is a significant feat for the foldable category of products as they come with intricate hinges, holes, and other inlets for water to easily enter the internals. So, an IPX8 rating could be a pretty useful and attractive feature for potential buyers.
Plus, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 also supports the S Pen due to the lack of a Galaxy Note device this year. The company even introduced an exclusive series of S Pen for the Fold 3 – S Pen Fold Edition and S Pen Pro. Both of them come with a retractable pro tip that limits the force to prevent damage to the primary display of the Z Fold 3. The former only works with the Z Fold 3 while the S Pen Pro variant works with all S Pen compatible devices. Moreover, the device comes with a pair of stereo speakers, dual 5G SIM support (including eSIM support), Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6, and precise GPS functionalities. It comes in three color options, namely, Phantom Black, Phantom Green, and Phantom Silver, and runs One UI 3.1 based on Android 11 out-of-the-box.
Galaxy Z Fold 3: Price and Availability
Coming to the price of the device, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is priced starting at $1,799 (~Rs 1,33,630) for the base 12GB + 256GB variant. The device will be available to buy in select markets, including Korea, the USA, and Europe, starting from August 27. Customers who pre-order the device will also get a free year of Samsung Care+ service for their Galaxy device.
