Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G MORE PICTURES

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G

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I bought both my wife and I a Z-Fold 3. This is a very good phone. It is fast and is a very sturdy build. The screens are crystal clear and sharp. The sound is great. The only issue we have both had, everyone wants to see it.

    Dr. Stephen Strange, 13 Sep 2021Good to read that. So that is the crux of discussion. Indiv... moreVery true, Agreed! But I would want to be off Google for good.

      NeoGul, 10 Sep 2021It's a good thing for you that you get value for your ... moreGood to read that. So that is the crux of discussion. Individualize the requirement and preferences with possible long term perspective. And then one should buy any gadget. You are happy for your decision and I am happy for mine.

      I am bit scared about Chinese company as, just like google they are also having controls and apps that pick your data and hackable primary apps from company themselves.

      I know at the end of day, all are same. Only thing, it is personal decision to trust whom.

        just buy an tablet

          NeoGul, 12 Sep 2021"Smart Eye" technology has been on very cheap TCL... moreyes, and the other example I gave (; apple implementing displaymate editors' recommendation for front and rear cameras to correctly white balance), I believe has been implemented in recent Samsung devices as well.
          the example of 'smart eye', you may note- I did NOT say was a Samsung exclusive, just that I acknowledge the ways in which phones chew threw batteries is 'ever evolving' (and NOT the same on all devices)..

          but I wouldnt let the notion of 'generations' creep into the argument.
          so I do not know enough about the harmony OS- I see some mentioning no 'play store' support (which makes sense at a couple of levels); so many of my purchases wouldnt be usable on the alternative OS device..

          this is like the windowsCE vs palmOS / SymbianOS arguments where people often stuck to one ecosystem (familiarity AND utility), and Microsoft took themselves out of the market when win phoneOS7+ dropped all support to win phoneCE 6 and below....

          many tens of thousands of apps simply became unusable/unsupported..

          now if someone gives me a backdoor guide for how to reimplement play store software (not via the playstore) as a business owner who moght have security requirements on my device, that would not interest ME in the slightest.
          as a child wanting my phone to be a toy/entertainment device, my music player of choice for 'on the fly DSD conversion' (onkyo HF player), requires an unlocking code..

          I might be able to get this presently 2+years out of date/unsupported software to work using 'other methods' but the time investment to use a new platform is significant and many will not consider it..
          (like when everyone states that using macOS is too difficult, I find I have never once had to look up a guide even if I am totally unfamiliar with the product, where as -as a thirty odd year IT veteran, it took me two weeks of reading lots of guides to get a grasp on how to use iOS.

          I like alternative Operating Systems.
          I support a market with choices.
          As for why NeoGul gets crazy different battery runtimes between android and harmony devices is no doubt in part to setup, that they state 'they shouldnt have to touch', so perhaps we need to tell the tech companies whether we want 'all the fruity features' turned On by default (or Off by default)..
          For those scared of config menus and setting up a device, makes sense to leave everything On for them, knowing that those who can navigate the 'Cog' menu, can ultimately deactivate many of the value adding features.

          If we are arguing which large heavy phone has the lowest battery draining 'out of box state' (possibly due to lack of innovative software options or a fully rounded included software package), then I have learned from NeoGul that the Mi mix fold is an option to consider (and that it runs a 'non google' harmony OS).

          if NeoGul was to want to contribute to this conversation in a more objective way we might even be able to learn whether the antennas in one device are having to push more power (out the back of the phone mostly, in Samsungs designs), or whether the two way antenna as used by EVERY OTHER HARDWARE DEVICE is allowing the alternative Phablet an easier time (less power to antenna) to communicate the constant data that this user is using...

          I think Samsung are a horribly mislead tech co who are the masers of spec sheet manipuation. (horrible due to standard consumer practices of pushing consumers forward and ceasing security updates needlessly on platforms as they run out of contract time).
          I wouldnt buy any of their products in general as I vote with my wallet.
          reality is, as a parent, my devices will wind up in the hands of my children,.. the lowest SAR devices are typically Samsung and so that makes them a contender for my communications products.

          I have little interest to go to bat for multinational corporations (without remuneration); that doesnt cease the Fold series being a varied Android experience that some/many will absolutely love.
          They are certainly not for everyone, mostly due to lack of ruggedness that most phones (since the Note7) have been built towards (ie less physical buttons/things that can go wrong), and with the Fold3 getting an Ingress protection rating, and the nicer tactile inner screen, the products are evolving towards users expectations.

          once I had a Note, for productivity I couldnt imagine being without spen support..
          for many users the discussion (/debate) ends there..
          the cusom samsung apps and spen support is enough for many users to have a full experience.

          the Notes app (samsung) is fantastic and 'out of box' allows pdf markup and all sorts of benefits, and a truly secure platform where a user can have fingerprint unlock for private files.
          when I was a security officer a few years back, having all my pincodes 'on me' and on a trusted platform (mostly chinese apartment blocks), I ran out and bought a Note device (lowest SAR/spen/knox).

          The Fold is a superlative experience
          As YoGabbaGabba says "try it, you 'might like it'!"

            WhiteDragem, 12 Sep 2021Features: Some of Samsungs features are actually really co... more"Smart Eye" technology has been on very cheap TCL and Chinese phones for a very long time.
            Let's get past the stage of excuses and be realistic. Like I said, if Samsung bakes it for you then go with it. I find other companies giving me value for my money.

              NeoGul, 12 Sep 2021Tweaking and tweaking just to conserve battery shows a huge... moreFeatures:
              Some of Samsungs features are actually really cool, and they offer added functionality to many users. And ARE optional.
              As an example the ‘keep screen awake when I am looking at it’ is huge to many users. When I first read about the feature coming to phones I thought ‘thats great’; some users will not need to dive into setup constantly to change usage habits in different scenarios..
              Some of these features that the big companies bring are ‘gamechanging’ and requested by the the most knowledgeable in the industry: as an example- when Apple started using front and rear cameras to implements a colour and brightness adjustment that correctly matched white balance and brightness to the environment that the user was in.
              Combined with Apple having the lowest reflectivity, productivity on the devices is not nearly as fatiguing as majority of ‘other products’ on the market.
              Spec sheets and marketing do not show many of the aspects that make products expensive.
              Unless we understand ‘whats going on’ ; it can be hard to factor in value/appreciation to the ADDED FEATURES.

              So, clearly these products are NOT equal: your ideals may not be others: the phone you say is objectively better is significantly larger and heavier (in a world of tech where smaller and lighter COST more)
              67 watt fast charge sounds like a battery replacement will be due within two years (certanly for a power user such as yourself who rips through power),..
              and
              much of the improved runtime you are describing (vs a note 8 @ 2 hours and a fold2 @5 hours of use from full charge) is likely from the Harmony OS, so ‘saying you are not turning off any features‘, vs what the Android is doing by default AND with Samsungs improvements; there is simply differences between the products.

              I do note, having been around the internet since there wasn’t an internet (sysop to a few BBS, ‘back in the day’).. as the internet has evolved it becomes clear to recognise that subsets of people are simply not seen’,.. the classic example being when people are happy with a product they are simply happy being elsewhere and USING it.

              The fact that we have you writing so many posts in threads that are NOT the product that you keep posting about,.. I have to question what the agenda is. (?)

              On the first three or four posts I read of yours’: telling me how much you like/prefer a different product to the one THIS THREAD is about, I took it as you being a compassionate sort who volunteers their time to help others’.
              But having witnessed the constant dismissal of aspects of this product that you appear to not see (or care for) whilst highlighting the same points over and over again (about the one YOU LIKe MORE),.. it does make me wonder.
              Logically it suggests Samsung hurt you (I think you’ve given posts that suggest this might be so (expensive screen replacement as an example), OR, you work / rep for the company that you are promoting.

              I don’t actually believe you HATE or LOVE technology...
              I do see passion for the parts that you know a good deal about as you have a high use case for the products.
              What we need to do though, if you wish to prove helpful to the thread, is learn WHY the differences exist... Is it an antenna design that makes one product have much easier (power sipping) access to the cell network... Do you use the screens at equal brightness (the fold3 is 1200 nits MAX vs the 900 nits MAX on the ‘fold’ you use...)
              Your comms software must be set to check with servers every minute; and I am guessing it all goes through the cell tower. It is likely that the larger tablet you use has an antenna design that uses less power/is more visable to the tower with less power required, and as Samsung are the only manufacturer I know of that don’t fire the antenna with equal power to the front and back of a phone (thereby hugely lowering SAR measurements to the human using it/making a vastly more ‘health conscious’ device),.. doing so could easily mean that the Samsung products might have a harder time constantly pushing data (eg 1 minute checks on emails accounts that I am guessing you have set in your alternate email software), and these things add up...


              If I had the choice between 120hz vs 60hz, I’d definately take it. The high refresh rate OUTER SCREEN on the product you prefer would be near useless to me.. (I use the outer screen for media selection mostly, but sure, quite a few ‘lists’ where the height is more than enough (at 24:9 ratio),.. and the 27:9 ratio that you say is ‘better’, even if a high refresh rate, wouldn’t make it any better (to me)... (sure the lists would move smoother when I scroll, but the lion share of time where I am critically looking at the Phablet is on the ‘big’ screen.
              Sure yours IS bigger.. (wider/fatter/taller AND heavier), but in the world of phones that isn’t necessarily a good thing.

              I like threads filled with discussion and a mix of cold hard objective facts and a lil sweet cheery user subjective opinion.
              Both devices can exist side by side. Not an issue.
              I love the build quality and form factor of the Fold series. The hinge feels great to wrap the fingers around when holding it as a phone. Ergonomics like this haven’t existed in awhile...
              Sure its’ heavy, and might be without an SD card slot (micro or otherwise); but such stuff can often prove hectic when having to give support to the product. (eg 4k high refresh rate video requires fast storage media, and Android OS will default to using added storage pretty easily and could lead to lots of failed video recordings (and a busy support department).
              I do not think this is the main reason we do not have micro SD card expansion (like the Note 10+ still gives),..

              If anyone thinks I am a brand fan (maybe- Nintendo), I am not.
              I came to this thread to try and rip samsung for deciding to pull essential bluetooth codecs from their devices (in an attempt to make their samsung buds seem better), and this is anti consumer and a poor practise.

              I have been a fan of OLED screens and devices, and the infotech geek in me loves to play with tech toys.
              OF which I feel the Fold series is exceptional.

              If we want to talk ‘value’ then that argument gets heated quickly, as that 67watt fast charge big battery is a battery replacement waiting to happen, and a user could easily argue that they replace phones every two years and it isn’t an issue.
              Except for our planet- that cannot afford junk and cheap parts constantly going to landfill.
              Its why we still have (and use) a Note 4 and a Note 7.

              Ideally I like to buy long term reliable products that hold their value and can be serviced.
              The Fold series is getting closer to mainstream AND hitting those targets - with the improved ‘tougher’ inner screen (can now use s-pens), the ingress protection and evolution of the aspects that bring this tool together.

              Is an f1 car objectively ‘better’ for ANY GIVEN DRIVER?
              no- no way- it is undrivable on many surfaces, and requires a skill set beyond standard.
              is it faster and would win a poll vs a suburu sedan? (sure),.. but what if the poll was regarding driving comfort/reliability / economy (fuel) / or passenger capacity.

              Hence why I enjoy Neos’ post- as we are given software use scenarios and why a bigger screen tablet is preferable (to them!).

                WhiteDragem, 12 Sep 2021Another 'battery life is issue' post.. Not try... moreTweaking and tweaking just to conserve battery shows a huge failure and reminds me of the Note 8 battery where some users were claiming 8hrs SOT - whereas I was barely getting 2 and half hours.

                Say I experienced a very similar timing on the Fold 2. Reality is that with the Mi Mix Fold, I'm getting EXACTLY the same battery life I would get from a slab phone with 5000mah. This is not about OEMs claiming a longer battery life,this is about a user experiencing a better battery life - and the heating issue simply doesn't exist here .. AT ALL.

                My businesses setup won't allow me leave my email app; SPARK offline, everything App remains as built and purposed (thats the essence of investing over $1500 on a phone - a cost thats above my 2020 13" Pro (touchbar). I don't and won't make excuses for OEMs anymore - it's either worth my dollar by being useful or it's worth the trash can.

                  WhiteDragem, 12 Sep 2021actually 3days16hours WITH 9Hours50minutes screen on time a... morewith ‘the flipside’ to my quoted Fold runtime being my older Samsung Note 10+

                  checking my Note (the device I use as a phone/modem), shows how much power is lost to ‘network standby’, and constant notifications and leaving lots of battery draining settings engaged...

                  Samsung Note
                  2days7hours used, 1h51m screen on time..
                  VS
                  Samsung Fold
                  3days16hours used, 9h51m screen on time..
                  BOTH devices 13% battery remaining

                  the Note has a massive capacity microSD card installed and I live in a very poor cell reception zone (I get network droppouts and missed calls/call drops).. but these numbers show that end users usage habits/phone setup will vary any given runtime significantly.
                  Add cell tower reception and bands used (and data amount being pulled/pushed), and it becomes near impossible to know just how overserviced any given user will be..
                  ‘overserviced’?! -yes... The battery in my Fold lasts so well that I am never worried about only getting a day of use. (same can be said for the Note I use).
                  Due to my lack of care putting the phone/fold on charge every day (/or even every second day), I have had moments where I used the wireless charging power share feature to top one device up.. (was camping and web browsing at 2am)
                  I didn’t need to wirelessly topup the device but I wanted to test the feature.
                  Given my car has chargers, every workplace has chargers, and leaving a phone on a wireless charging plate at a slow charge pace will recharge a device fully overnight; I truly do not see what the issue is.
                  I agree that phones exist with more juice in them, but beyond encouraging recharges at the ‘day and a half’ mark, the benefits are academic / theoretical for most people, as this tool/toy has enough for long roadtrips and practical daily usage.

                  I know the can of worms is opened now and all the ‘road warriors’ may want to chime in about how the battery isn’t enough for them (especially if they forget to charge it, as some use to qualify their argument), but I would say that for people considering one of these Phablets, battery life is probably NOT the metric to compare vs other prospective devices.
                  Unless battery life is ALL that matters, then I suggest you read up about how cell structures/materials and sizes matter more than the quoted capacity, and so does chipset (eg apple arm cpus SIP power) and so an iPad will always win a battery war ‘in real world’ use scenarios..

                  I did say that power users know who they are/their useage needs. If they claim battery is poor, they should qualify whether they are using any/all phone features (including special Samsung features/vanilla android features that may lead to faster battery drain) and what their biggest power draws typically go to... (eg network/cell reception, data throughput, screen on time, or processing loads).

                  for general usage and typical human consumption the battery is overkill; allowing ALL features to be left on AND users never having to worry about battery remaining.

                  I have never used the ‘power saving modes’ in Samsung products, but the xperia xz required rebooting the device if I used its’ “super stamina mode”. super stamina mode could take a phone with 3% power and keep it useful for hours.... Samsung power saving modes likely could prove of benefit to anyone who has a ‘heavy use”/unusually heavy use day..

                    actually 3days16hours WITH 9Hours50minutes screen on time according to battery app.

                    still well above 10%, and will be placed on a charger NOW

                    (good battery maintenance is to charge when battery cells are not hot, and aim to charge when power gets down to 20%, and if suitable, taking off charge once it gets above 80%...)

                    Ive a bigger post on battery use waiting to clear moderation,.. but just wanted to share some usage numbers from an unbiased user.

                      Another 'battery life is issue' post..

                      Not trying to open a can of worms here (I get many many days of use, but then I'm not connecting to cell towers, turn on wifi when I am using it, dont have email updating/checking unless I request phone to do so, have turned off sensors to check if its in a bag, and allow double tap screen to turn off but not 'On', and none of the swipe hand over screen to capture/ leave screen on when I'm looking at it type stuff)(in fact there were so many things that were samsung exclusive features AND android OS features that all consume battery life, in less than a 'trickle' kind of way once we factor them all together..)..

                      but quite simply; the first few days of use Android is working really hard to take note of a users usage habits and patterns AND downloading and updating tonnes of stuff.
                      its why phones get hotter than they typically ever will in that first day of use, and why battery run time, initially, isnt in alignment with what the product WILL ACTUALLY GIVE.

                      Also, a few charge cycles seems to get batteries working better, and most of my wireless charge devices give noticeably longer runtimes when charged properly 'via a cable'.

                      Not sure if my penchant to not use fast charge helps, but most devices I fast charge give less run time too...

                      and its been a thing for years that cell tower reception levels makes a big difference to battery drain, especially once 4G networks started to roll out.

                      A quick glance at battery: I am three days, sixteen hours since last charge. 15% battery remaining. (estimating 7.5hours left)

                      Today I have written many posts using the onscreen keyboard (usually would use a bluetooth keyboard), brightness is set correct for the room...
                      Ive watched 4k chewyoobes' clips, sent emails, and done some light image editing and other posts.

                      Over the last few days I have done a lot of chromecasting, and enjoyed some hi res audio/ music via bluetooth (LDAC 990).

                      I have had one day runtimes from this Fold, but in both instances it was 'first day of use' where android had A LOT of updates to perform, and Samsung security updates/ restarts included.
                      The reason I know this is 'a thing' is the second time I setup this phone (believing it was compromised), was the only other time I had a 'one day' runtime.

                      In order to get only a day from it requires six-eight hours of web browsing, and some light gaming (eg guild of dungeoneering)(that kills battery when OLED screens render mostly white light).
                      I have no problem imagining that lots of users who may crank the brightness to really high, and render video clips (streamed via cell towers) with loud volume (the speakers are very nice!), could kill it in less than eight hours...
                      To me 'eight hours' is a business/work day.
                      In eight hours of work I would take a break (lunch?), and even as an office worker I wouldnt want to spend a full eight hours directly in front of a screen.. (watercooler moments beckon).
                      In the 'real world', these phones have enough power to get a task done.
                      Given ability to charge superquickly *(fastcharge), ability to disable screen (DEX/desktop useage), and do things like wireless charging... most users should NEVER HAVE A PROBLEM.

                      Power users know who they are, and can have car chargers for quick top ups, or a desktop stand (with qi charge)..
                      Sure it doesnt quite give the ten hours that an iPad typically measures of screen on time,.. all my screen on times hover just below the ten hour mark- that being said, I don't save screen power by running at lower resolution like Samsung gives as an option..

                      tl:dr
                      first day of use- cpu drain is massive (and battery might not be broken in fully)
                      so many config settings that can massively extend run times
                      cell tower reception can be a high drain on battery life to maintain, and so most users will have very different battery life cases

                      There might be products out there claiming longer run times, but these Samsung phablets have the right amount for majority users and use case scenarios. (with power users knowing their unique requirements and having options to suit)

                        Juan, 10 Sep 2021Is a question of principles I have lived in a communist co... moreAnd I respect that 100%

                          • J
                          • Juan
                          • QrS
                          • 10 Sep 2021

                          NeoGul, 10 Sep 2021It's a good thing for you that you get value for your ... moreIs a question of principles
                          I have lived in a communist country for 19 y and I lived in other countries including Soviet Union and others that do not exist anymore.
                          So:
                          Nothing from China, absolutely not!!!!
                          South Korea, Yes absolutely yes !!!

                            Dr. Stephen Strange, 10 Sep 2021I am basically little underwhelmed when it comes to about C... moreIt's a good thing for you that you get value for your money with Samsung. I've been a long time user as well and usually buy at availability BUT my experience with other products in the Android Market has changed my views and got me looking hard into the wastes and excesses I've overlooked over the years.

                            I'm not concerned about them being Chinese companies by origin, what I know is that they give me REAL value for my money and their practicality is 1000%.

                            The game changer for me is the Harmony OS; this will remove me from the Google dependency and privacy issues with them - I've sincerely grown very uncomfortable with Google over the years and have removed communications for my businesses from WhatsApp ENTIRELY to Telegram, which is way better for me and practical - I don't need a 3rd party App to have more up to two or more business accounts per App - Regular version gives you 3 while the X gives you even up to 10 I think.

                            Things are fast changing and technology and platforms are evolving; some focus on ripping customers off, others on selling user data. I've had to evaluate my overall business use case of mobile devices and computing platforms and have come to a stage where I would go for pure value and practicability for my money.

                            Xiaomi mi mix fold is way better than the Folds (at least my fold 2) and when it comes to upgrading, I'm going with the Huawei mate x2 4G - I'm going with Harmony OS.

                              NeoGul, 04 Sep 2021I will stick to what I have been saying that as a long time... moreI am basically little underwhelmed when it comes to about Chinese products. And Apple is possible not my cup of tea, at least in mobile genre. I have stuck to Samsung for being non Chinese company; generally opting for 3-4 month old product with mostly 30-35 percentages of discount. So what i get is, relatively value for money. My fold 1; which is 1 year old, I have purchased in local market; which 40 percent of of official listing price on Amazon. And in last 8-9 days uses, my battery shows 20 % at 11 pm; my SOT is around 3.5 hours and mobile hot spot for around 2 hours. Good enough, i feel.

                                WhiteDragem, 06 Sep 2021True that! (build quality) Whilst the lack of dust and w... moreThanks. I understood from your comment that look around for last year well built premium product in current year bargains and sells, and I have started looking for those things. And somehow, Asus is fitting nicely. I am from India, so mostly looking in to Amazon India and Flipkart. Thanks again for your advice.

                                  I think foldables (especially Z fold type foldables) would be way better if they didn't fold at all and just did something similar to the Asus padfone lineup, that would fix almost all of their current issues.

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • 3@B
                                    • 10 Sep 2021

                                    Xd why people get angry about note have sd slot ofc it will disappear like 3.5 jack

                                    When the 3.5 disappear people buy a wireless headphone thats cost like 300 dolar or more for the company not like the 50$ with wired one so why they will bring back the 3.5mm jack??

                                    And same with sd go buy a (Monthly subscription) from the company and they will get thousands in the end of the year and you still want have a sd slot just forget about it and that's not bad thing for the company

                                    And if you can't afford the wireless headphone or the subscription then don't buy a 1900 $ phone

                                    Like this phone cost 1900$ dolar anyway so people who will buy it will note have a problem with small subscriptions anyway...


                                    Stil if you can't afford it there's cheaper choices for you the company don't want you to leave and fo outside so you have the (A) and (m) series who still have the 3.5 and sd for people who can't afford the expensive choices so don't be angry with them in their (flagship) and top tier phone because semple its not for the average user like student or simple worker so they should give you care about the options its for samsung fans and business owners

                                    So sheesh stop talking about cheap things like charger in the box or sd slor or 3.5 in the high range phones who cost 1000$

                                      • R
                                      • R
                                      • vGN
                                      • 10 Sep 2021

                                      Which is the best phone fold 2 or fold 3

                                        • A
                                        • Akfa
                                        • vGN
                                        • 10 Sep 2021

                                        I love my fold 2

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