Is affording a foldable screen smartphone becoming an accessible luxury?

Don’t freak out anymore. If the smartphones with foldable screens launched a little over two years ago could still cool down by their very high price and their fragility, the new Galaxy Z Flip 3 that Samsung unveils in this fall is rather reassuring. Launched from 1,059 euros *, the price of a high-end smartphone, it also fills the main shortcomings of its rivals by being resistant. It is thus sold 500 euros less than its predecessor. Would luxury become accessible?

Past the “wow” effect …

Galaxy Z Fold, or Z Flip (Samsung), Razr 2020 (Motorola), Mate Xs (Huawei), Mi MIX Fold (Xiaomi) or even the roll-up screen mobile prototype X2021 (Oppo): we have seen them all pass ( even tested), but none of these soft-screen smartphones was entirely convincing. And for good reason. After the “Wow” effect of the mobile terminal whose Oled screen folds in half, we had to face the facts: these devices were still overpriced (around 2000 euros), but also very fragile. With its new Z Flip 3, Samsung seems to have fully realized the public’s reluctance in the emerging flexible-screen smartphone market that the South Korean manufacturer nevertheless considers to be the future of mobile telephony.

Beautiful on the outside, good on the inside

5G, clamshell, with a foldable 6.7 ” screen (in 21: 9 aspect ratio), the Galaxy Z Flip 3 takes care to post an acceptable selling price for a decidedly high-end smartphone. No more selling a kidney or leaving two minimum wage on the table to afford it. From 1059 euros, it can start on the same line as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, Apple’s iPhone 12 Pro or the Oppo Find X III Pro. And seduce.

With its little gray, cream, green or lavender face, it is indeed a beautiful object. Measuring 1.5 cm thick when folded (for 7.2 cm wide and 8.6 cm long for 183 g), the device appears almost boldly with a varnished back cover of rare elegance. And its coating does not catch fingerprints too much.

At the front, placed to the left of the photo sensors, Samsung has placed a 1.9 ” / 4.8 cm screen that can display the time, notifications, weather, be used to control music, even serve viewfinder to take a selfie. Much more convincing the small screen of the first Z Flip, which measured only 1.06 ” / 2.69 cm and was virtually useless …

Flex Mode for videos and calls

Unfolded, the Z Flip 3 imposes an unusual format (16.6 cm long) but reveals an Oled screen with striking contrasts. With an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, it’s playing in the big leagues. The center fold is barely visible and only remains slightly visible when the displayed image is dark, or when viewing the screen from a certain angle. Small problem: if it allows an easy handling, its elongated format requires the presence of small black bands on the sides when watching a video in 16: 9 format.

Counterpart: the Flex Mode offered by Samsung. Thanks to it, it is possible to place the smartphone slightly folded on a table and to take advantage of the upper part of the screen for a video or a call, while occupying its lower part with another activity, such as consulting its social networks or reading its emails. Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 processor, the Z Flip 3 is a racehorse that doesn’t disappoint.

Photo and video in the viewfinder

If some smartphones are increasing the number of photo sensors to go further in their services (or, for some, to make a splash by baiting the barge), the latest toy from Samsung is content with two rear photo sensors of 12 megapixels, one wide angle (f / 1.8), the second ultra wide angle (f / 2.2). And that is enough.

The images we took turned out to be very decent for typical use. Portrait mode (also available for 10 megapixel selfies) allows you to adjust the effect Bokeh (the artistic blur at the back of the subject). A little more not new but appreciable. And the video is not left out, the Z Flip 3 can shoot up to 4K at 60 frames / second.

Shocks, immersion: he resists!

Samsung finally scores points on the resistance of its smartphone. Covered with Gorilla Glass Victus protection, its back cover would offer an increased resistance of 80%. For its part, the terminal hinge is made of reinforced aluminum. Asked by 20 Minutes, the manufacturer ensures that it withstands at least 200,000 openings. That is the equivalent of a hundred openings per year, for five years.

But above all, the Z Flip 3 is waterproof, a first for a foldable smartphone. With the IPX8 standard, it can withstand immersion up to 1.50 meters for 30 minutes. There remains the question of dust or small grains of sand that could enter the hinge …

Autonomy: its real weak point …

Downside (but of size): the battery of the smartphone. Where its builder seems to have wanted to tick all the boxes to twist the necks of the haters of the first Z Flip, Samsung rolls out the red carpet to critics about the autonomy of its Z Flip 3. With a battery of 3300 mAh only, the terminal will not pass the course of the day of intensive use. Another regret: the box of the mobile does not contain a power supply, but only a USB-C / USB-C cable. At a time when most competitors, such as OnePlus and its OnePlus Nord 2 or Xiaomi and its Mi 11 Ultra provide fast, even ultra-fast chargers with their terminals, this concession on the altar of economies of scale is somewhat task for a device with undeniable seductive potential.

* 1059 euros (128 Go/6 Go) ; 1159 euros (256 Go/6 Go).