Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs. Z Fold 2: is it worth the upgrade?

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1. Resistance and screen technology
2. Camera set
3. S Pen support
4. Comparison of technical specifications
5. Availability and pricing
6. Conclusion: is it worth the upgrade?

Resistance and screen technology

The new generation of the Z Fold series is more resistant, as Samsung has brought the IPX8 certification that guarantees the device's protection against water. This means that the Z Fold 3 can be submerged in up to one and a half meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes without serious consequences. The same does not happen with the Z Fold 2.

Doing so, however, was not an easy task, especially since the folding mechanism requires each side of the device to be connected by cables. And these cables need to have a certain flexibility to allow the screen to fold and, at the same time, they need a protection between their connections capable of preventing water from entering. And the solution found by Samsung in this case was truly elegant.

In an interview with the channel The Vergethe engineers said they chose to use a liquid that turns solid when exposed to air to protect the wire connections on the circuit board, all of which happens when the devices are assembled. This way, the cables and their inputs are sealed, thus offering water resistance without compromising the bending mechanism.

A little easier, however, was sealing other parts of the device, such as the hole for the front camera, for example, which uses double-sided tape as protection.

In addition to water resistance, the Z Fold 3 also has protection against dust ingress, however, this protection is not certified, which is why we have an “X” instead of a “6” in the IPX8 rating.

According to explanations from Samsung engineers, to keep dust out of the folding mechanism, the solution was to improve the technology Sweeper (the brush used in the previous generation), adding nylon bristles less than a millimeter wide to the caps. This technology already existed in previous models, but has been improved in this new generation.

Still regarding the durability of the Galaxy Z Fold 3, hinge tests, verified by Bureau Veritas, showed that the lubrication of the device's folding mechanism can withstand 200,000 times of folding movement. In practice, this means that the Z Fold 3's hinge can last up to 5.5 years opening and closing an average of 100 times a day.

Samsung is also using a new aluminum alloy it developed in-house called Armor Aluminum, which it claims is 10% stronger than the one found in the Galaxy Z Fold 2.

Finally, the new generation's screen has undergone considerable optimization compared to the previous model, which has increased its level of durability and, as a bonus, optimized energy consumption.

Now, the series' display has a layer for the Wacom digitizer with support for the S Pen, another for the OLED screen, another for the Ultra Thin Glass, a protective polymer layer and, finally, the new “stretchable PET” (Polyethylene terephthalate) protection positioned on the surface which, according to the manufacturer, is 80% stronger than that of the Z Fold 2. In addition, we have Gorilla Glass Victus for protection against falls.

In terms of durability and screen technology, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is significantly better than the Galaxy Z Fold 2. The quality of the materials is superior, we have had a significant development of the folding mechanism and screen construction, as well as optimization against dust ingress and water resistance certification.

Of course, all of this has also made repairing the foldable more complex. So even if you have an extended warranty from Samsung, getting your phone repaired after the warranty has expired can be a headache.

Camera set

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 has a set of three 12 MP rear cameras: wide-angle (f / 1.8), ultra-wide-angle (f / 2.4) and telephoto (f / 2.4) with optical image stabilization (OIS). On the front, we have a 10 MP camera and, on the main screen, that is, with the device open, a 4 MP sensor below the display pixels dedicated to video conferencing. on the cover screen it is also the same.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 doesn't differ much in terms of cameras, as it was also built with a set of three 12 MP cameras each: wide-angle (f/1.8), ultra-wide-angle (f/2.2), and telephoto (f/2.4) with digital image stabilization (EIS). Regarding the Z Fold 2's front cameras, we have the same 10 MP (f/2.2) sensor on both the front and main screen.

In 2020, our biggest criticism of Samsung's second-generation foldable was its camera module. According to my colleague Antoine Engels, who tested the model at the time, “the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is Samsung's flagship par excellence, but it's shy when it comes to photography for a device ultra-high-end. We don't have any 64 or 108 megapixel sensors.”

So, on paper, the triple camera module of the second and third generations of the Fold series are very similar. With the exception of the image stabilization of the telephoto lens and, of course, the front camera of the main screen. In this sense, the highlight is the construction of the front camera notch of the Z Fold 3, which can now be hidden under a relatively small number of pixels. As we can see in the image below:

Without properly testing the Galaxy Z Fold 3, we can only base our judgment on what we see in the camera specs of each model. And, overall, the Z Fold 2's camera module didn't do badly in our 2020 test, but it also didn't reach the excellence expected of a premium flagship. Therefore, it's quite likely that the Galaxy S21 Ultra will continue to be Samsung's smartphone with the best camera this year.

S Pen support

If we didn't have any surprises regarding the camera set, those who purchased the Galaxy Z Fold 2 in 2020 will certainly be excited to upgrade due to support for the S Pen in 2021.

For the first time in the Galaxy Z series, we have the ability to use the foldable phone with the Stylus pen in conjunction. This means that the S Pen’s capabilities are now optimized for the foldable screen, thus enhancing the multitasking offered by the large screen. Thus, applications that support dual-screen use can now offer a more immersive experience with the foldable screen and the stylus.

To this end, Samsung has developed two options: the S Pen Fold Edition and the S Pen Pro. Both models have a retractable tip that limits the force exerted on the Z Fold 3's main screen, preventing possible damage. According to Samsung, latency is even lower, which makes the writing and drawing experience more realistic.

The use of the S Pen is limited to the main screen of the Z Fold 3 and, as it is an exclusive feature, it has no reference in previous models.

Comparison of technical specifications

The Galaxy Z Fold line has received a series of improvements, however, Samsung has kept much of what we saw in the second generation in the third generation. Proof of this is the comparison of technical specifications below.

Two relevant highlights regarding the internal components of these two devices appear in the change of processor, in which the Z Fold 3 appears with a significant upgrade. However, the Z Fold 2 has a slightly larger battery capacity. Here, you can check the technical specifications of each device to choose between the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 2:

Availability and pricing

The new Galaxy Z Fold 3 still has no release date or known price in Brazil, Samsung only has a page dedicated to pre-registration for people interested in the device.

In the global market, the Z Fold 3 has been available since August 27, with a suggested starting price of US$ 1,799. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 can be found in national retail stores starting at R$ 13,999.

Conclusion: is it worth the upgrade?

Considering only the improvements from one generation to the next on paper, I would say that the upgrade from the Z Fold 2 to the Z Fold 3 is justified: more resistant construction and screen, IPX8 certification, support for S Pen and optimizations in the camera module and more powerful processor.

If you're thinking about upgrading to the Galaxy Z series, the best option is the Z Fold 3 right now, not only because of the new foldable's extras, but because Samsung is also offering a pretty interesting promotion when exchanging your current device for the new Fold 3. (Unfortunately, we don't know if this will be valid for Brazil yet).

Investing in the Galaxy Z Fold 2 would only be worth it if the price were considerably reduced, which is unlikely to happen any time soon given that Samsung's focus is on boosting sales of the third generation of the Galaxy Z series.