Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 vs iPhone 13: After 2 months, the verdict is…

It has been two months since the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 went on sale. Samsung’s most affordable foldable phone continues carrying its clever pricing to fend off the new iPhone 13. We covered the iPhone 13 Mini sometime ago and while the improvements left us impressed, it is hard to ignore the fact that the iPhone 13 range is not unlike its previous iteration. That’s not the case with the Galaxy Z Flip 3.

I have been using the Galaxy Z Flip 3 as my primary phone after getting done with the iPhone 13 Mini and safe to say, it has kept my interest intact. It isn’t as much of a utility master as the Galaxy Z Fold 3 but when you consider its starting price of INR 84,998, this is a very fun smartphone to use. There are some caveats too.

Galaxy Z Flip 3: The lovely bits after 2 months

Just to clarify, the Z Flip 3 has seen some lighter days when I was attending other smartphone reviews. However, this is where my main SIM card has stayed for the most time. And these are the reasons why I did so.

- The folding form factor is a boon while venturing outdoors. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 obediently stays in trouser pockets in its folded state, even while riding my motorcycle/scooter.

- In a dusty and polluted Noida, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 has seen some rough days. Dirt, grime, sweat: the Z Flip 3 has survived all that with ease. And, the soft folding display protection cover has so far resisted fingernails as well as micro scratches.

- The 120Hz AMOLED display is lively. Be it a boring feed of Twitter filled with bickering experts, or fancy sneak peak into the lives of Bollywood celebs, everything looks bright and active on this display.

- This is a fast phone by all means and so far, I haven’t seen it huffing and puffing for breath. It runs all my office apps (Gmail, WhatsApp, Darwinbox, and others) flawlessly. I have even subjected this to occasional gaming and the phone has never disappointed.

- I like the cameras on the Z Flip 3. The iPhone 13 cameras are good but mostly return dull photos. The Z Flip 3 boosts colours slightly and brightens up enough to make social media ready photos. Most of my relatives and friends often preferred the Z Flip 3’s photos over that of the iPhone 13’s.

- Lastly, it looks fun. My matte black version looks stealthy but I had prefer the colourful versions that had liven up the work desk.

Galaxy Z Flip 3: The not-so lovely bits after 2 months

- Battery life (You probably saw this coming). The phone barely holds on to its charge on busy days (calls, photography, browsing, and music streaming) and makes me carry a power bank if I venture out. On the lighter WFH days, it can stay alive for the whole day with 30 percent remaining but by the next morning’s alarm, I start getting the low battery prompts. And this is all without AOD.

- The charging is too slow for a 2021 flagship-grade phone. Samsung could have introduced the 25W charging on this one to reduce the waiting times. Wireless charging is convenient but good for only when it rests on the work desk charging pad.

- The Cover display is small and does miss crucial notifications. Samsung needs to figure out a better way to serve notifications on this tiny 1.9-inch display. Also, the functionality is limited; the Moto Razr 5G lets you make calls, open apps and even reply to messages -- none of that here. The Z Flip 3’s Cover Display acts mostly like a smartwatch display.

Verdict after 2 months

Despite all its shortcomings, I enjoy using the Galaxy Z Flip 3. It brings the fun back to smartphones, even though at the cost of certain conveniences. It’s still fast, has nice cameras, the flex mode camera potential, and killer looks. Most importantly, you can fold it shut like the good old days of those charming flip phones. The iPhone 13 isn’t as much fun unless, of course, you prefer the iOS ecosystem.