Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 hands-on review

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 with world-first under-display camera on a foldable is official. We've been trying it out

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
(Image: © Basil Konfli/Digital Camera World)

Early Verdict

While the cameras around the back are nothing new, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 showcases plenty of world firsts, not least of all that under-display selfie camera which we haven’t seen on any mainstream smartphone before. Add to this the fact it’s hardier than past foldables and includes S Pen support, and we’re inspired with more confidence in the future of foldables than ever before.

Pros

  • +

    Feels solid and premium

  • +

    IPX8 water-resistant

  • +

    Added pen support

Cons

  • -

    Pen support for inner screen only

  • -

    No new camera hardware

  • -

    Expensive given camera specs

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Samsung has done the unthinkable with the Galaxy Z Fold 3, it’s created a folding smartphone with pen input and water resistance, and we've had some hands-on time with both it and the new Galaxy Z Flip 3 – which are undoubtedly the best fold phones and best flip phones we have seen so far.

So why are pen input and water resistance such a big deal on folding smartphones? Let’s start with pen input. Folding screens are more delicate than traditional alternatives, they're made of soft, bendable plastic, though Samsung also uses a glass material on its Z Fold 3. The notion of prodding a flexible phone display with a pen would have been enough to send shivers down our backs just a few weeks ago. 

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Basil Kronfli

Basil Kronfli is a freelance technology journalist, consultant, and content creator. He trained in graphic design and started his career at Canon Europe before moving into journalism. Basil is also experienced in video production, independently running the YouTube channel TechEdit, and during his time at Future, he worked alongside the Digital Camera World team as a senior video producer.