Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G vs Z Fold3 5G: The Ultimate Foldable Showdown

Samsung's foldable revolution continues with the Z Flip3 and Z Fold3. Both offer unique form factors and premium features, but cater to different needs. Choosing between them can be tricky, so we've broken down everything you need to know in this comprehensive comparison.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Z Fold3 offers a larger, more versatile display and faster charging, making it ideal for productivity and media consumption. The Z Flip3 shines with its compact, pocketable design and stylish appeal, perfect for those prioritizing portability and a unique aesthetic. The Fold3 wins on features, but the Flip3 is more accessible.

PHONES
Phone Names	Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G	Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 78, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66 - Europe
5G bands	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 66 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
Speed	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA	2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 78, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA

Launch
Announced	2021, August 11	2021, August 11
Status	Available. Released 2021, August 27	Available. Released 2021, August 27

Body
Build	Plastic front, glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame
Dimensions	Unfolded: 166 x 72.2 x 6.9 mm Folded: 86.4 x 72.2 x 15.9-17.1 mm	Unfolded: 158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4 mmFolded: 158.2 x 67.1 x 14.4-16 mm
SIM	Nano-SIM + eSIM	Nano-SIM + eSIM
Weight	183 g (6.46 oz)	271 g (9.56 oz)
	IPX8 water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised)	IPX8 water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus support

Display
Resolution	1080 x 2640 pixels (~426 ppi density)	1768 x 2208 pixels (~374 ppi density)
Size	6.7 inches, 101.5 cm2 (~84.7% screen-to-body ratio)	7.6 inches, 179.9 cm2 (~88.8% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak)	Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak)
	Cover display: Super AMOLED, 1.9 inches, 260 x 512 pixels	Cover display: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 6.2 inches, 832 x 2268 pixels, 25:9 ratio

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)	Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
Chipset	Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)	Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)
GPU	Adreno 660	Adreno 660
OS	Android 11, upgradable to Android 14, One UI 6.1	Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1

Memory
Card slot	No	No
Internal	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM	256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
	UFS 3.1	UFS 3.1

Main Camera
Dual	12 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm	-
Features	LED flash, HDR, panorama	LED flash, HDR, panorama
Single	10 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide), 1.22µm	-
Triple	-	12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 12mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm
Video	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@60/240fps, HDR10+	4K@60fps, 1080p@60/240fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	HDR
Single	10 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide), 1.22µm	4 MP, f/1.8, 2.0µm, under display Cover camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm
Video	4K@30fps	4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS

Sound
3.5mm jack	No	No
35mm jack	No	No
Loudspeaker	Yes, with stereo speakers	Yes, with stereo speakers
	32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG	32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG

Comms
Bluetooth	5.1, A2DP, LE	5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG	USB Type-C 3.2
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
	Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified)	Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support

Battery
Charging	15W wired 10W wireless 4.5W reverse wireless	25W wired 11W wireless 4.5W reverse wireless
Type	Li-Po 3300 mAh	Li-Po 4400 mAh

Misc
Colors	Phantom Black, Green, Lavender, Cream, White, Pink, Gray, Thom Browne Edition, Bespoke Edition, Wooyoungmi Edition, Dream White	Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Green, Thom Browne Edition, Wooyoungmi Edition
Models	SM-F711B, SM-F711N, SM-F711U, SM-F711U1, SM-F711W, SM-F7110	SM-F926B, SM-F926B/DS, SM-F926U, SM-F926U1, SM-F926W, SM-F9260, SM-F926N
Price	€ 279.00 / $ 208.04 / £ 215.00	€ 453.57 / $ 367.74 / £ 449.99
SAR	-	0.73 W/kg (head) 1.22 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	0.86 W/kg (head) 1.58 W/kg (body)	1.04 W/kg (head) 1.44 W/kg (body)

Tests
Battery life	Endurance rating 69h	Endurance rating 75h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)	-
Loudspeaker	-25.8 LUFS (Very good)	-25.6 LUFS (Very good)
Performance	AnTuTu: 596866 (v8) \| 682223 (v9) GeekBench: 3441 (v5.1) GFXBench: 40fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)	AnTuTu: 635918 (v8), 752218 (v9) GeekBench: 12719 (v4.4), 3239 (v5.1) GFXBench: 38fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G

Compact and pocketable design
Stylish and unique aesthetic
Excellent outer display for quick tasks
More affordable than the Z Fold3

Smaller battery
Slower charging speed
Less versatile camera system
Smaller overall screen size

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G

Larger, more versatile display
Faster 25W wired charging
More versatile camera system with telephoto lens
Excellent for multitasking and productivity

More expensive
Larger and heavier
Can be less pocketable

Display Comparison

The Z Fold3 boasts a significantly larger 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X inner display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, offering a tablet-like experience. The Z Flip3 features a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X outer display with a 120Hz refresh rate, perfect for quick tasks and social media. While both displays are vibrant and smooth, the Fold3's size provides a clear advantage for multitasking and content creation. Both have excellent brightness, with the Z Flip3 measuring 935 nits and the Z Fold3 at 922 nits.

Camera Comparison

The Z Fold3 has a triple-camera system (12MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto) offering more versatility. The Z Flip3 has a dual-camera system (12MP wide, 12MP ultrawide). While the Fold3's telephoto lens provides optical zoom, the Flip3's compact design makes it more convenient for quick snapshots. Image quality is excellent on both, with vibrant colors and good detail.

Performance

Both phones are powered by the Snapdragon 888 5G chipset, ensuring smooth performance for demanding tasks and games. While the performance is largely identical, the Fold3's larger screen and potential for more simultaneous apps might slightly strain resources under heavy load, though this is rarely noticeable in real-world use. Both offer ample RAM for seamless multitasking.

Battery Life

The Z Fold3 has a slightly larger battery and an endurance rating of 75h, compared to the Z Flip3's 69h. The Z Fold3 also supports 25W wired charging, significantly faster than the Z Flip3's 15W. Both offer 10W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging.

Buying Guide

Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G? Users who value portability, a unique design, and a more affordable foldable experience. It's great for those who want a stylish phone that easily fits in a pocket. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G? Power users, multitaskers, and those who want a tablet-like experience in a foldable form factor. It's ideal for productivity, media consumption, and gaming.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Z Fold3 more durable than the Z Flip3?

Both phones have improved durability compared to previous generations, but the Z Fold3's hinge mechanism is more complex and potentially susceptible to wear and tear over time. The Z Flip3's simpler design might offer slightly better long-term durability.

❓ Which phone is better for gaming?

The Z Fold3 is generally better for gaming due to its larger screen and more immersive experience. However, both phones offer powerful performance and can handle most games smoothly.