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Galaxy Note 9 may not get on-screen fingerprint sensor
Galaxy Note 9 may not get on-screen fingerprint sensor
It looks as if the upcoming Galaxy Note 9 may not sport a fingerprint reader underneath the screen after all.
According to KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via AppleInsider), who previously speculated himself that the phone would have the sensor, Samsung is postponing the feature due to technical difficulties.
An embedded fingerprint scanner that reads your prints through the display has been rumored to come to Samsung's Galaxy phones for awhile. In December 2016, there was speculation that the Galaxy S8 would have it (instead, it featured a fingerprint sensor on the back). Suspicion continued for the Note 8, but that phone ended up having a scanner on the back, too. Now that the current Galaxy S9 flagship phone sports the same design, we're continuing to wait for Samsung to adopt the new tech.
The KGI analysis reported that Samsung may be skipping this feature for the Note 9 because current ultrasonic and optical sensing solutions do not "meet Samsung's technical requirements." Samsung may include the feature in another phone in the future though, possibly on the next Galaxy S phone at the earliest, according to Kuo.
Currently, we've seen only one phone with an under-display fingerprint reader. Known as the Vivo Apex, the phone also allows two fingerprints to be read at the same time for extra security. Vivo unveiled the Apex at MWC 2018 as a concept phone, but it was reported on Thursday that it will go into production mid-year.
If Kuo's prediction about the Galaxy Note 9 is true, it 'll mean that Samsung will have to find another way to differentiate the Note 9 from the Galaxy S9. CNET's Jessica Dolcourt came up with six ways that the Note 9 could still beat the Galaxy S9. Perhaps we'll see one of these ideas come to fruition.
Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Galaxy S9 review : Two steps forward, one step back
MWC 2018 : All of CNET's coverage from the biggest phone show of the year.
10 best phones with facial recognition: iPhone X, Note 9, LG G7 and more
10 best phones with facial recognition: iPhone X, Note 9, LG G7 and more
Pretty much every phone can use your face (as well as your fingerprint) as a key. But some biometric unlocking is also more secure, faster, or just a better experience overall.
Phones like the iPhone X, Galaxy Note 9 and LG G7 use biometric information to unlock your device, like your unique eye and facial pattern. Many people find it more convenient or more novel to use face unlocking versus their fingerprint. The iPhone X and Oppo Find X have done away with the fingerprint reader altogether, and rely solely on face unlocking using infrared light to map your mug.
Testing out Apple's FaceID.
CNET
At a time when phones are pushing into the $1,000 price tier, having cutting-edge software like secure face unlocking can bolster the argument that one phone is more technologically advanced than another.
Although face unlocking has existed as far back as 2011, with Google's face unlock feature in its Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS and Samsung Galaxy Nexus phone, the feature was easy to bypass. Today, Samsung phons like the Galaxy Note 9 offer secure iris scanning alongside Google's face unlock tool and a third method, a combination of the two to unlock phones faster and more accurately (but not necessarily more securely).
Apple's method, called FaceID, uses an infrared camera, a depth sensor and a dot projector to map out 30,000 points on your face and create an artificial 3D scan. FaceID is secure enough to use for digital payments through Apple Pay.
The majority of Android phones these days don't have this level of face unlocking, and don't integrate the feature with digital payments. But some are following in Apple's footsteps. Oppo uses a similar system for the Find X, and Xiaomi announced a similar infrared method in a recent phone. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 processor, which supports infrared mapping technology with 50,000 infrared dots, we can only expect more Android phones to better improve their face unlock feature in 2019.
In the meantime, check out our top phones that have facial recognition and let us know in the comments what you think about this technology. Do you like using it or do you prefer a fingerprint reader or PIN instead?
Editors' note, Aug. 23: This piece was originally published on July 18 and is updated continuously.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Sarah Tew/CNET
The newly announced Galaxy Note 9 is a big, beautiful phone with top-tier specs including a massive battery and an updated S Pen that doubles as a wireless remote. The phone has several biometric options that users can choose from to unlock their Note 9. In addition to the fingerprint reader and iris scanner, you can use Google's less secure facial recognition technology common to Android phones. Samsung also offers a combination of iris scanning and face unlock, called Intelligent Scan, which isn't secure enough for mobile payments, but is often faster and more accurate than iris scanning alone. Read CNET's review of the Note 9.
Apple iPhone X
Apple Phone X
Sarah Tew/CNET
Apple's iPhone X uses one of the more sophisticated and fastest methods of facial recognition. It's not completely impenetrable, however, and it doesn't work smoothly 100 percent of the time. But it works notably better than most. Read CNET's review of the iPhone X.
Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S9 (left) and S9 Plus
Sarah Tew/CNET
Just like the Note 9, the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus have a handful of biometric methods for screen unlocking, including secure iris unlocking, and the unique Intelligent Scan. The phones also have wireless charging, a water resistant design and come in blue and purple. Read CNET's review of the Galaxy S9.
LG G7
LG G7
Josh Miller/CNET
The G7 ThinQ is waterproof, has an AI camera that gives your photos a boost before you snap them and a secondary wide-angle rear camera. Like its more high-end counterpart, the V35 ThinQ, both have face recognition. Read CNET's review of the LG G7.
Motorola Moto G6
Motorola Moto G6
Josh Miller/CNET
The Moto G6 is proof you don't need to spend a lot for face unlock. It has a near-stock version of Android 8.0 Oreo, decent dual-rear cameras and its battery charges fast. It's also remarkably affordable at $249, £219 and AU$399. Read CNET's review of the Motorola Moto G6.
OnePlus 6
OnePlus 6
Known for making phones with high-end specs at a more affordable price tag, OnePlus continues to carve a name for itself in the Android phone space. Its latest OnePlus 6 flagship, which packs a 6.28-inch screen, dual rear cameras and a Snapdragon 845 processor, employs one of the fastest face unlock technology we've ever experienced. Read CNET's review of the OnePlus 6.
Oppo Find X
Oppo Find X
Angela Lang/CNET
The Find X's beautiful and unique design mean you'll need to pop out the phone's camera in order to use its secure 3D face scanning. Oppo's supplier boasts a 0.0001 percent false recognition rate and payment-level authentication. You'd think that this would mean it takes slightly longer to unlock the phone, but it takes less than a second from the moment you swipe up with the display turned on. Read CNET's review of the Oppo Find X.
Huawei Honor 7X
Huawei Honor 7X
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
As another affordable phone, the Honor 7X from 2017 features a 5.93-inch display, a depth-sensing 16-megapixel camera that can take portrait photos and a quad-core processor. But don't let the mid-range specs fool you; Huawei is known to boast about its face unlocking technology, saying that the feature in its more recent Honor 7C and 7A works faster than Apple's FaceID. Read CNET's preview of the Huawei Honor 7X.
Xiaomi Mi 8
The Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition
James Martin/CNET
Though not well-known outside countries like China and India, Xiaomi has garnered a reputation for making high-quality phones for much less than other popular flagships. In June, it released the transparent Mi 8 Explorer Edition. It's the first Android phone to feature the iPhone X method for face unlock, employing 30,000 infrared points on the face. Read CNET's preview of the Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition.
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Samsung Galaxy S21 FE review: A great $700 phone that comes at an awkward time
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE review: A great $700 phone that comes at an awkward time
This story is part of CES, where CNET covers the latest news on the most incredible tech coming soon.
Between the Galaxy S20 FE's success and the deluge of leaks we saw beforehand, the Galaxy S21 FE may be one of Samsung's worst-kept secrets. A follow-up to Samsung's previous midrange Galaxy S phone, the new S21 FE starts at $700 and launches on Jan. 11. Despite being $100 cheaper than the regular Galaxy S21, it has the same processor and comes with a larger screen, a triple-lens camera and support for both versions of 5G. The S21 FE checks all the boxes most people would expect from a modern phone. The performance is snappy, it takes great photos and can last for a long time on a single charge.
These attributes make the Galaxy S21 FE a promising option if you want a relatively affordable new Android 12 device. You won't get some of the costly extras found on more premium phones -- like a fourth camera lens, a crisper telephoto lens or a super sophisticated design -- but you're not compromising by going for Samsung's cheaper option.
However, the Galaxy S21 FE may end up feeling lost in Samsung's lineup and the broader Android phone market. We're expecting the Galaxy S22 to launch imminently, and if the rumors are true, it could have a new 50-megapixel camera and faster charging. Plus, the $600 Pixel 6 is slightly cheaper than the Galaxy S21 FE and was named one of our favorite phones of 2021. Although the Pixel 6 doesn't have the S21 FE's third camera lens, it's loaded with Google-specific features that could make it more appealing for some.
The Galaxy S21 FE feels exactly like what it is: a previous-generation phone. That's not a bad thing; after all, buying older phones can be a great way to save money. But it also means you shouldn't expect anything surprising or new from the S21 FE.
A sleek but basic design that looks a lot like the Galaxy S21
The Galaxy S21 FE has a 6.4-inch screen.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
The Galaxy S21 FE looks almost identical to the Galaxy S21 from the front. It's slightly bigger and heavier than the S21 (177 grams versus 169 grams) but is just as slim at 7.9 millimeters thick. For me, the S21 FE's 6.4-inch display and light build provide the right balance of screen space and ease of use: It's bigger than the 6.2-inch Galaxy S21 but just a hair smaller than the 6.5-inch Galaxy S20 FE, Samsung's previous-generation midrange phone.
The Galaxy S21 FE's screen uses Samsung's Dynamic AMOLED technology and has an FHD Plus resolution just like the Galaxy S21. The pixel density, or number of pixels per inch, is lower than the Galaxy S21's since the S21 FE's screen is larger, but the difference isn't noticeable. Photos, games and news articles all look sharp and bold on the S21 FE's screen. It has a flat-edge screen just like the Galaxy 21 and Galaxy S1 Plus, which I actually prefer over the pricier Galaxy S21 Ultra's slightly curved sides.
On the back, you'll find the same camera bump as on the Galaxy S21. Both phones have a matte finish that looks more elegant and doesn't pick up fingerprints as easily as Samsung's older phones (although it still does get smudgy, so you'll want to use a case). The Galaxy S21 does, however, have some design accents that make it feel like a more expensive phone, such as the glossy metallic finish on its camera module and sides.
Though it's a nice enough phone for $700, the real problem in my opinion is that Google has raised the bar for what's expected of a midtier phone. Google's $600 Pixel 6 has an eye-catching two-tone glass design with sharper corners that almost makes it feel similar to the Galaxy Note. Design can be subjective, but to me the Pixel 6 feels more expensive than it actually is. The Galaxy S21 FE is sleek and lighter than the Pixel 6, and some might find it easier to use with one hand, but it doesn't leave the same impression.
There's also an in-screen fingerprint reader and facial authentication for unlocking the device, which I generally found to be pretty reliable. You won't find expandable storage on this model as was the case with the Galaxy S20 FE, but Samsung is selling its new phone in another variant that comes with 256GB of storage (the base model has 128GB).
A big battery and solid performance
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Battery life was a highlight for the Galaxy S20 FE, and the Galaxy S21 FE seems to follow in its footsteps so far. Like the Galaxy S20 FE, the Galaxy S21 FE comes with a 4,500-mAh battery, which is larger than the regular Galaxy S21's 4,000-mAh battery.
The Galaxy S21 FE still had 32% of its battery left after a full day and a half's worth of usage. That's not too shabby, especially since I had the motion smoothness setting on high, which cranks the screen's refresh rate up to 120Hz. That results in faster scrolling but also typically means shorter battery life.
Samsung's new phone comes with the same processor as the Galaxy S21, which means the US version runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888. That chip is found in other high-end phones like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the OnePlus 9 Pro, so the S21 FE should be able to keep up with those devices easily.
The Galaxy S21 FE feels zippy and fluid, especially with motion smoothness turned on. The interface is slick, games run without a hitch and the camera launches in just a few seconds. Samsung also says the S21 FE supports a response rate of 240Hz, allowing for even quicker reaction times in game mode like the rest of the Galaxy S21 series. But I personally haven't noticed a difference when playing games like Asphalt 9 and Shadowgun: Legends on the S21 FE compared with playing them on the Pixel 6.
The Galaxy S21 FE scored about the same as Galaxy S21 but higher than the Pixel 6 on Geekbench 5, a benchmark test meant to assess the phone's performance in general tasks. However, it scored slightly lower than both the regular S21 and Pixel 6 on a separate benchmark called 3DMark Slingshot Unlimited for testing graphics performance. Check out the results below.
Geekbench 5 Single Core
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
Note:
Higher scores are better.
Geekbench 5 Multicore
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
Note:
Higher scores are better.
3DMark Slingshot Unlimited
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
Note:
Higher scores are better.
A triple-lens camera similar to the Galaxy S20 FE's and S21's
The Galaxy S21 FE has a triple-lens camera.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Samsung's new phone has a triple-lens camera that's similar to the Galaxy S20 FE's camera setup. There's a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, a 12-megapixel wide camera and an 8-megapixel telephoto camera with a 30x digital zoom.
Based on my experience, the Galaxy S21 FE seems to hold its own against the Pixel 6's 50-megapixel camera and the standard Galaxy S21, but with some important differences. The S21 FE's images are rich in detail and color, and the camera performs well in different lighting conditions.
Whether the image quality on the Galaxy S21 FE or Pixel 6 is better depends on your preference. Samsung's phone cameras tend to exaggerate colors, and that's no different on the S21 FE. Some people might prefer Samsung's more colorful shots, but Google's images looked truer to their surroundings most of the time. (Note: I didn't change the camera settings on either phone prior to testing other than to adjust the Pixel's 6 crop ratio.)
Overall, I think the Pixel 6's photos provided the best balance of consistency and accuracy, but it's safe to say that both phones are capable of taking really great pictures. Photos taken on both phones looked the same in some cases, but the images below of a green bush really highlight the difference between Samsung's and Google's cameras. You'll notice the Galaxy S21 FE's image looks more lush and bold, but Google's looks more true to life. For example, you cab see notes of red near the tips of the leaves in the Pixel 6 photo below. They aren't even visible in the Galaxy S21 FE's image.
A photo of a plant taken on the Galaxy S21 FE.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
A photo of a plant taken with the Pixel 6.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Check out the gallery below to see more photo samples from the Galaxy S21 FE and Pixel 6.
The bigger difference between these phones is in the photography features they offer. The most notable distinction between the Pixel 6 and Galaxy S21 FE is that Samsung's phone has an 8-megapixel telephoto lens in addition to a 12-megapixel wide and ultrawide lenses. The Pixel 6, by comparison, just has two lenses: a 50-megapixel main lens and a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens. As a result, the Galaxy S21 can achieve closer zoom shots with up to a 30x digital zoom, while the Pixel 6 provides a 7x zoom.
Both the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 FE have triple-lens cameras, but the telephoto lens on the regular S21 has a higher-resolution sensor (64 megapixels versus 8 megapixels). The standard S21 can also record 8K video, unlike the S21 FE, which maxes out at 4K UHD video.
At first, I didn't notice much of a difference in the quality of zoomed-in shots when comparing images taken on the Galaxy S21 FE and Galaxy S21, as I noted in an earlier version of this review. But the more I've spent use the Galaxy S21 FE, the more I've noticed this discrepancy. While both phones produce similar images when photographing objects like street signs, the Galaxy S21 was able to capture more detail in other scenarios. Take the photos below, both of which were captured at a 10x zoom. You'll notice the bush's branches have more texture and detail in the Galaxy S21's photo than the S21 FE's.
Galaxy S21 FE
The Galaxy S21 FE has a lower-resolution telephoto lens than the regular Galaxy S21.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Galaxy S21
The Galaxy S21's telephoto lens has a much higher resolution than the Galaxy S21 FE's.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Hardware aside, each phone comes with its own array of shooting modes and software. The Galaxy S21 FE, unsurprisingly, has a lot in common with the regular Galaxy S21 in this regard. You'll find familiar modes like Single Take, which lets you capture multiple images and video clips with a single press of the shutter button, Super Slow-Mo video and Night Mode, among others.
You can also record video with the front and rear cameras at the same time on the Galaxy S21 FE. But this feature is more limited than the Galaxy S21's Director's View; you can't toggle between the three rear lenses when shooting in this mode as you can on the Galaxy S21.
Google, meanwhile, has a few software-based tools that make its device stand out. One of my favorites is Face Unblur, which, as its name suggests, can capture sharp images of peoples' faces even when there's movement in the scene. I took photos of my husband shaking his head back and forth and jumping up and down to see how well it actually works, and came away impressed. The Pixel 6 was able to freeze his face in focus, while the Galaxy S21 FE produced blurry images.
Galaxy S21 FE
The Galaxy S21 FE isn't very good at freezing moving subjects in frame when taking photos.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Pixel 6
The Pixel 6's Face Unblur feature can freeze moving subjects to avoid blur. You wouldn't guess from looking at this photo, but my husband was jumping up and down when this image was taken.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
The bottom line
The Galaxy S21 FE is launching just before we're expecting to see the Galaxy S22.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
There isn't much to say about the Galaxy S21 FE other than that it's a solid phone for $700. It's another sign that the definition of a high-end phone is starting to change as once-premium features like 5G, borderless displays and multilens cameras begin trickling down to more affordable devices.
That being said, I'd recommend waiting until Samsung announces the Galaxy S22 lineup before making a decision. Samsung typically launches its new Galaxy S phones early in the year, and rumors suggest the next generation could come with a 50-megapixel camera and faster charging. Even if you don't need those upgrades, you might as well wait so that you can make a more informed choice.
I'd also suggest considering the $600 Pixel 6 before you make a decision. Samsung's phone has an extra telephoto camera lens for better zoom shots, and it's also lighter than Google's phone. But the Pixel 6 has a more distinguished design and Google-specific goodies like the ability to have Google Assistant screen spam calls and wait on hold for you.
Pixel phones also typically get Android software updates more quickly than phones from other smartphone makers, and Google typically creates exclusive features just for Pixel phones. Since the Pixel 6 is the first phone to run on the company's own Tensor chip, we'll probably see even more of that down the line.
But Samsung's phone has a big advantage: it supports both sub-6GHz and millimeter-wave versions of 5G. The situation is a bit more complicated with the Pixel 6, as only certain carrier models support both versions. What's more, the versions that support both also tend to cost more, as my colleague Eli Blumenthal reports.
If you're the type of person who would rather buy last year's phone at a discount, the Galaxy S21 FE is probably for you. That being said, you should consider which features matter to you most. Both phones have great cameras, but if you take a lot of zoomed-in photos you might be better off with the Galaxy S21 FE. However, if you like the idea of having Google Assistant screen your calls and want to get the latest Android features right away, the Pixel 6 is the way to go.
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Galaxy Z Fold 3 review: A refined foldable in search of a purpose
Galaxy Z Fold 3 review: A refined foldable in search of a purpose
Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 at the same time. But of the two, the $1,000 Z Flip 3 has a familiar design that's based on clamshell flip phones that have been around for decades. It folds in half from a 6.7-inch phone down to a square that's roughly the size and thickness of several coasters stacked. Meanwhile, the Z Fold 3 costs $1,800, with a futuristic design closer to something you'd see in a sci-fi movie or TV show like Westworld. The latter folds open from a regular phone, into a 7.6-inch square tablet and lacks the same "love at first sight" appeal as the Z Flip 3.
This is because Samsung's phone/tablet hybrid design is still inherently new compared to the tried-and-true flip phone motif the Flip 3 embraces. The Z Fold 3 is actually a wonderful tablet, but when it's folded up it has the same hefty appeal as an air conditioner remote control.
Like
120Hz cover screen
Water resistance
Wonderful tablet experience
S Pen is a blast to use
Software improvements for multitasking and Flex Mode
Don't Like
Battery life lasts about a day
Weird, heavy phone when closed
$1,800 is still expensive
Despite its complicated allure, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a remarkable showcase of technology and innovation. Pretty much anytime I open the phone in public, there is someone with a dumbfounded look on their face. For the price, you get nearly every high-end feature one would expect in a flagship Android phone. And for $1,800, you better. The few compromises Samsung did make, like having B+ cameras instead of A+ ones, aren't deal breakers and stand as further reminders that the Z Fold 3's high price tag is because the phone folds in half.
Throughout my time with the Z Fold 3, I kept asking myself why the tablet even needs to fold in half? Or is there a better way to design a tablet that folds down to the size of a phone? As much as the Z Fold 3 has improved over its predecessors, it's still largely a concept in search of a purpose. And I couldn't escape that underlying conundrum. Yet if you want a tablet that can fold up and fit into your pocket, the Z Fold 3 certainly deserves your consideration. It's the second best foldable phone Samsung has made to date, with the best one being the more practical Galaxy Z Flip 3.
Galaxy Z Fold 3 storage and pricing
US
UK
Australia
Galaxy Z Fold 3 256GB
$1,800
£1,599
AU$2,499
Galaxy Z Fold 3 512GB
$1,900
£1,699
AU$2,649
The Z Fold 3 has nearly all the refinements you could ask for, but it still feels like it's missing a purpose.
Patrick Holland/CNET
A stronger, lighter and thinner Fold
The Z Fold 3 takes on the same design and form as the Z Fold 2, albeit with a bunch of improvements. For some, the best improvement might be the $200 drop in price from the $2,000 the Z Fold 2 cost. Most of the phone's upgrades are more iterative, small touches that add up to a more refined package overall.
For instance it's lighter than the previous Fold, which I noticed as soon as I picked it up. But it's still one of the heaviest phones I reviewed this year. It's thinner and more svelte than the Z Fold 2, but still one of the bulkiest phones I have ever tested.
It seems more durable. Obviously, I only had a couple of weeks with the Z Fold 3, so I can only be hopeful that the improvements I noticed span the life of the phone. The metal in the frame and hinge is reinforced and you can feel that extra tensile strength when you hold it, fold it and interact with it. The folding screen, hinge and body feel more like a single uniform whole instead of being separate features. The 7.6-inch main screen still has a crease but it doesn't bother me in the least. You could nitpick it if you want, but the iPhone's notch is far more of an eyesore.
The Gorilla Glass Victus-clad cover screen now has a smooth 120Hz refresh rate that matches the main display and looks lovely. The Z Fold 3 has water resistance and can be submerged up to 1.5 meters (about 5 feet), which is truly remarkable for a folding phone.
Using an S Pen on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a blast
One indication that Samsung is confident about the Z Fold 3's durability is that it sells a sharp pointy stylus for you to use on the screen. It's as if Samsung is saying, "We're no longer worried about your fingernails making indentations on the main screen. Go ahead and try out an S Pen."
In my time using the S Pen with the phone, the screen looks just like it did when I took it out of the box. And that's on top of all the times I folded and unfolded it, shoved it in the pockets of my jeans and threw it in my backpack along with whatever else was in there.
Samsung made two versions of the S Pen for the Z Fold 3: the S Pen Fold Edition, which lacks Bluetooth and costs $50; and the S Pen Pro, which has Bluetooth and costs $100. Both have a retractable tip that helps reduce wear and tear on the screen. I only got to try out the S Pen Fold Edition and I noticed that the tip rarely retracted all the way. Instead, it seems to relieve some of the pressure I put on the screen when I draw or write. There's a small arsenal of S Pen tricks such as hover to magnify, which activates when the S Pen is just millimeters away from the screen.
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the first foldable phone that supports the S Pen.
Patrick Holland/CNET
The cover screen doesn't support either new S Pen which is a bummer because there's no way to jot a quick note or a doodle without opening up the Fold. And if you have an old S Pen, you can't use it with the Z Fold 3.
As much fun as it is to use an S Pen on that giant vibrant screen, the Fold in no way replaces the inherent convenience that a Galaxy Note provides. The Fold doesn't let you quickly make a note. And there isn't a place to store the S Pen. It would be nice if you could magnetically attach the S Pen to the Fold 3's hinge in the same way you can attach an Apple Pencil to an iPad Pro. I should note that Samsung sells a bundled S Pen Fold Edition and phone case that stores it along the hinge for $80.
Under-display camera selfies and Zoom calls on the Z Fold 3
There are two, technically three, selfie cameras -- let me explain. You can take a selfie with the hole-punch selfie camera in the cover screen. Or you can flip the cover screen down, use it as a live preview and take a selfie with the main rear camera. Or you can use Samsung's first ever under-display camera, which is mostly hidden behind the main screen.
Out of the three options, the one that is the most curious is the under-display camera. The part of the display in front of the camera has fewer screen elements and translucent wiring. At certain angles or when brighter colors are on the display, you can see the part of the screen where the camera is. Think of this camera setup like looking through a window that has blinds on it.
The front-facing camera in the main display of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 (white screen) is housed in a hole-punch cut out. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 uses an under-display camera. Notice the tiny octagon shape in the green leaf wallpaper on the Fold 3's main display.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The under-display camera is only 4 megapixels, which isn't a lot, but that lower resolution helps it see through or around those screen elements. Samsung also uses AI processing to improve the image quality. I took selfies with all three options on the Fold and, no surprise, the photos from the under-display camera looked the worst. Indoor selfies look highly processed and outdoor snaps in good lighting do not look much better.
The under-display camera is intended for video calls and works fine for them. On the few video calls I made using it, people on the other end said that they didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.
I took selfies with the different cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3. From left to right, here are selfies from: the main rear camera, cover screen camera and under-display camera.
Patrick Holland/CNET
But let's go back to why there is an under-display camera. The idea is to reduce visual distractions on and around the display. There isn't a notch. There isn't a hole punch. Instead, you either see nothing (yay!) or when bright colors are displayed, you see a tiny glittery octagon that I found to be more distracting than something like a hole-punch camera. At this point, the benefit of having a screen free of visual interruptions isn't worth the tradeoffs from this under-display camera.
Z Fold 3 has B+ cameras at an A+ price
Despite all of the improvements to the phone's hardware, the cameras are one area that largely remain the same. In terms of quality and performance, they are a step behind the camera systems found on phones like the iPhone 12 Pro Max and Samsung's Galaxy S21 Ultra. These are good cameras and for most people the photos and videos they capture with them will be fine.
There are five cameras on the Z Fold 3: the aforementioned under-display camera, the cover-screen selfie camera and a triple camera array on the "back" with a main wide-angle camera, an ultrawide-angle camera and a 2x optical telephoto camera that now has optical image stabilization. In bright lighting, photos look good. Digital zoom up to 4x magnification has minimal image deterioration. If you go past 6x, photos look less stellar and have softer details. Night mode on the Z Fold 3 is solid, but compared to the S21 or S21 Ultra, images look soft. Take a look below at a few photos I took with the new Fold.
The camera hardware didn't change, but the Z Fold 3 gets a new image signal processor thanks to its Snapdragon 888 chip.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Under good lighting, the Fold can capture great photos.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Notice how it handles the highlights in the clouds and the details above the windows of the cream-colored building.
Patrick Holland/CNET
There is something about the perspective of Samsung's ultrawide cameras that always gets me.
Patrick Holland/CNET
This was taken with the 2x telephoto camera.
Patrick Holland/CNET
A beautiful day yields some perfect views. Look at the highlights and shadows in the clouds.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Night mode on the Fold 3 isn't quite to the level of the Galaxy S21, but it's still impressive.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Images look bright and are mostly free of image noise, even from the ultrawide camera.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Videos are decent, but suffer from image noise in all but the most ideal of situations. Take a look at some videos I recorded with the Z Fold 3 below.
There will inevitably be some people who expect the absolute best cameras on a phone that costs $1,800. I'd argue that Samsung made a smart tradeoff to keep that price under $2,000.
Like the Z Flip 3, the Z Fold 3 is essentially its own tripod. Because of its size and flexibility you can put it nearly anywhere to capture a unique angle or perspective.
Galaxy Z Fold 3 gets multitasking right
On the inside, the Z Fold 3 packs nearly every 2021 Android spec you could want. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip and 12GB of RAM. It runs Android 11 and Samsung's One UI 3. Split-screen apps are more customizable, taking advantage of the larger tablet screen. You can put them side by side, stacked vertically or even have three. You can move each app around and resize their windows. You can also save split-screen app groupings and setups for later.
Like the Z Flip 3, the phone's settings has a section called Labs, which lets you optimize nearly any app for the screen. For example, natively Instagram shows up in a thin vertical aspect ratio with screen space on either side of the app. I went into Labs, and forced it to be displayed across the full screen, which worked well.
Multitasking is fun and customizable on the Z Fold 3. You can save app window layouts to use the same setup again.
Patrick Holland/CNET
A useful trait that the Flip and Fold share is Flex Mode. You can position either phone half open like a mini laptop. Flex Mode gets more support in One UI 3 and there are more apps that can take advantage of it. Some apps just move to the top half of the screen with system navigation and brightness controls on the bottom. Other apps, like for videos and music, place the playback controls on the bottom half of the screen. Not every app is optimized for Flex Mode, but this is a huge step up from the Fold 2. I still would like to see apps go farther and even be designed around Flex Mode. Can you imagine a game designed for Flex Mode?
Galaxy Z Fold 3 has less than average battery life
The Z Fold 3's biggest drawback is its battery life. The dual 4,400-mAh batteries are actually a tad smaller than the ones in the Fold 2. As a result, the Z Fold 3 barely makes it through a day. I imagine that has a lot to do with the combination of 5G connectivity and the fact that there are two screens that run at 120Hz. Screen-on time during my review averaged about three and a half hours, which isn't great. I am still running CNET's battery test and will update this review with the results soon.
The Fold lacks dust resistance. In my use this wasn't an issue. But I recommend being careful if you take the Z Fold 3 to the beach or on a hike or anywhere there's potential for small particles to interact with the phone. This wouldn't be a good phone for Salt BAE.
The screens and finish on the body collect finger smudges easily. I find myself wiping it clean constantly.
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 are quite the pairing. One is aimed more at the mainstream and the other at early adopters.
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A better foldable, but not the best
While I continue testing the Galaxy Z Fold 3, I still question who this phone is for exactly. A phone enthusiast might love all of the technology in the Fold, especially that folding screen. Foldable phones are still at a comparatively early stage, but the lower price offered by the Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3 compared to their predecessors shows an effort to make them more accessible. And I hope that's a trend that continues in the coming years. I still hold that most people who want a folding phone will likely want to consider the Z Flip 3 for its familiar flip-phone aesthetic, but if you want that larger tablet shape the Z Fold 3 fulfills that promise.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 specs vs. Galaxy Z Fold 2, Galaxy Fold
