Galaxy S22 Deals: Up to $1,000 Off at Best Buy, $900 Off at Samsung and More

Galaxy S22 Deals: Up to $1,000 Off at Best Buy, $900 Off at Samsung and More

The Galaxy S22, S22 Plus and S22 Ultra are the latest models in Samsung's flagship lineup of phones -- though it did just announce its new folding Z-series phones, the Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4. The S22 and its kin are successors to both the previous-gen S21 phones, as well as Samsung's now-discontinued Note series, which has been replaced by the new S22 Ultra. This generation of Samsung phones scored a top spot on our list of the best phones for 2022, and right now, you can pick one up at a bargain. We've rounded up some of the best S22 deals and promotions currently available -- as well as some other details about Samsung's latest phones -- below.

The Galaxy S22, S22 Plus and S22 Ultra all feature several major camera improvements, including larger pixel sensors and Adaptive Pixel technology for improved nighttime photography and videos. There's an improved portrait mode, as well as a new auto framing feature that can detect and track up to 10 people in order to capture everyone in a photo clearly.

However, it's the Galaxy S22 Ultra that made the biggest splash. Samsung's top-of-the-line phone introduces the S Pen to the S series for the first time, paying homage to the now-canceled Note.

Richard Peterson/CNET

The S22 Ultra also features significant camera upgrades, including Samsung's largest pixel sensor ever, as well a number of raw photo tools for more comprehensive editing, and an advanced Super Clear Glass lens for smoother and crisper nighttime videos without flares. 

We'll take a closer look at all the details for each of the three flagship Galaxy S22 models and show you the best Galaxy S22 deals across the internet and in stores.

What colors does the Galaxy S22 come in?

Both the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus are available in phantom black, phantom white, green and pink gold. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a slightly different lineup: phantom black, phantom white, green and burgundy.

How much does the Galaxy S22 cost?

The three models of the Galaxy S22 are available in various storage configurations. US pricing for each model starts at:

• Samsung Galaxy S22: $800
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus: $1,000
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: $1,200

Both the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus are available in 128GB and 256GB storage options with 8GB of RAM, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra will also add in options for 512GB and 1TB with up to 12GB of RAM.

Be sure to check out all the Galaxy S22 deals below.

Best Galaxy S22 deals

You might have missed the preorder offers, but most carriers and retailers are offering some stellar deals on these Galaxy S phones, especially if you've got an older device you're looking to trade in. We've rounded up the best Galaxy S22 deals that you can shop for right now.

We will continue to update this page as new offers become available, so keep checking back if your carrier or preferred retailer is not listed below.

Samsung's site is the obvious place to buy the newest Galaxy S22 phones, because it offers all the device configurations and has multiple payment options. Samsung offers carrier and unlocked models so you can choose between buying the phone outright, through carrier payments or financing it through Samsung, depending on your preference.

As of right now, Samsung isn't offering any straightforward discounts, but you can save big with an eligible trade-in. Trading in your older phone, tablet or smart watch, including cracked or damaged devices, will save you up to $700 on the S22 and S22 Plus, or up to $900 on the S22 Ultra.

All models are currently available, though the Samsung exclusive color variants are out of stock at the moment. 

If you don't want the headache of navigating carriers, plans and installment payments, you'll want an unlocked phone that you can purchase outright. You can save $100 on the base model S22, $200 on the S22 Plus or up to $160 on the S22 Ultra. Just not that discounts jump around quite a bit between different colors and configurations, so be sure to double-check before purchasing. All three models are currently in stock, though you will find a few select configurations that are currently unavailable. 

This time around, AT&T is getting far more aggressive with its trade-in offers on the Galaxy S22 devices. The carrier is matching Verizon's offer from last year and is accepting select phones in any condition as a trade-in. If you have any Galaxy Note, S or Z Series phone from any year, you can get $800 off the Galaxy S22 devices, even if your trade-in is broken or doesn't turn on. Trading in other phones or devices can still save you hundreds, but their condition will factor into the estimated value. 

With this promotion, you can get the base Galaxy S22 for free via qualifying installment plan credits. The credits take place over a 36-month period, and if you cancel service before the 36 months is over you'll have to pay the remaining balance. This means that you could technically pay as little as $0 for the Galaxy S22, under $6 per month for the Galaxy S22 Plus and about $11 per month for the S22 Ultra, but be aware that credits begin 90 days after purchase and require that you pay all taxes and associated fees on the retail price up front. 

All three Galaxy S22 models are available now and ship for free, with most colors and configurations ready to ship right away.

If you're a current Verizon subscriber or someone looking to make the switch to Verizon, there are some great discounts you can take advantage of. Both new customers adding a line, and current Verizon subscribers upgrading their current line can save up to $800 on any S22 model with an eligible trade-in and activation on a qualifying 5G unlimited plan. Those adding a new line will also get a $200 Verizon gift card. You can also save $800 on a second S22 phone when adding another new line of service, and like the trade-in deal, new customers will also get a $200 Verizon gift card. 

You can even trade in broken or damaged phones, as long as the battery is intact, which is something that the carrier started doing last year. That means that you can get the S22 for free, and the S22 Ultra for as low as $11 per month. The discount will be applied via monthly bill credits, so you can't get this offer when you purchase the phone outright. It's also worth noting that Verizon is now using 36-month terms instead of 24-month terms, so you'll want to make sure that works for you before placing your order.

And if you're looking to buy a new smartwatch, Verizon is also offering up to $150 off a new Galaxy Watch 5 or Watch 5 Pro with the purchase of any Android smartphone and activation on any data plan. 

All three models are currently available with free two-day shipping.

Best Buy now offers support for Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile upgrades and new lines both in-store and online, which means you can take advantage of some of the great carrier offers available at the moment. If you're looking to trade in a device, you can save up to $1,000 through Verizon or AT&T, or $690 through T-Mobile.

There is also a somewhat misleading deal available on unlocked models of the S22 Plus and Ultra. Supposedly, you'll have to choose same-day activation through one of the qualifying carriers to get the $100 discount, which essentially defeats the purpose of an unlocked phone. However, you can get the same deal when you choose the "activate later" pricing option. Best Buy also has its own trade-in program where you can save up to $900 by trading in select Samsung, Apple, or Google phones. 

T-Mobile usually goes all out for new phone releases with some pretty sweet deals for new customers and current ones alike. This time around, T-Mobile has two deals available: one for those with Magenta Max and one for those without.

Customers who are on Magenta Max plan are able to get any S22 model for free by adding a new line of service on your existing Magenta Max Plan. Those not on a Magenta Max Plan can save up to $400 by adding a new line of service on any qualifying plan. Customers on any qualifying rate plan can also save up to $400 when trading in an eligible device. 

T-Mobile currently has all three models available, though select colors and configurations are currently backordered or out of stock.

Boost Mobile is offering new and existing customers an excellent deal on Galaxy S22 devices. For a limited time, the carrier is offering a nice discount that brings the base price of the 128GB Galaxy S22 down to only $500, $300 off the usual price. You can also save $400 on the S22 Plus and Ultra, dropping the price down to just $600 and $800 respectively. 

Since Boost Mobile is a prepaid carrier, you will need to buy the phone outright, but at this pricing it's well worth it. All three phones are currently in stock, though you can only get the 128GB models with a limited selection of colors. 

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Samsung's New Z Flip 4, Z Fold 4 Are Partially Made From Recycled Fishing Nets

Samsung's New Z Flip 4, Z Fold 4 Are Partially Made From Recycled Fishing Nets

What's happening

Samsung's new Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 are the first folding phones from the company to be made partially with recycled fishing nets.

Why it matters

Samsung's efforts are part of a broader effort by several tech companies to build products more sustainably.

What's next

Samsung, Microsoft and Apple are likely to continue investments into sustainability, with various pledges to become either carbon-neutral or to increase use of recycled materials.

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 will include components made from repurposed fishing nets, marking a first for Samsung's foldables. It builds on Samsung's previous efforts, following its decision to incorporate such materials into its Galaxy S22 lineup earlier this year.

The announcement came during Samsung's Unpacked event on Wednesday, when it revealed the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 as well as the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. All of the new devices include some components made from repurposed materials. More than 90% of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are made from recycled parts. 

Samsung's efforts are part of a broader movement by consumer tech companies to offset the mounting pile of global electronic waste their devices inevitably contribute to by giving back to the environment. Only 20% of e-waste is dealt with appropriately, according to the World Economic Forum, while much of the rest ends up in landfills. Sourcing more materials from sustainable channels may not fix the world's electronic waste problem. But it does give tech companies the opportunity to contribute to solving other environmental issues in the process of building their own new gadgets.

More from Samsung Unpacked

Samsung's new foldables include components made from repurposed fishing nets.

Samsung

For Samsung, that issue is "ghost nets," or fishing nets that are no longer in use and have been abandoned in the ocean. The World Wildlife Fund describes them as a "major contributor to the ocean plastics crisis," saying that 268 tons of nets, ropes and other materials were found in the Baltic Sea in a single 2015 mission. 

As for specifics, the side key bracket on the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4, as well as the Fold 4's display connector cap, are made from discarded fishing nets. But there are several other parts inside each phone that are made from other post-consumer materials. For the Z Flip 4, such components include the upper antenna bracket, upper and lower brackets of the speaker module, display connector cap, receiver deco and inner part of the side key. The upper case of the Z Fold 4's top speaker, the inner part of its side key as well as its long and short connector to connector brackets are made from post-consumer materials, according to Samsung.

One of the major challenges with creating components from recycled fishing nets is ensuring these parts are durable enough to work properly in a variety of conditions. Phone parts must be designed to survive various extreme weather conditions in all areas of the world where Samsung devices are used, says Pranveer Singh Rathore, materials R&D manager for Samsung. That's particularly true of foldable phones like the Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4.

"They are a unique design, and with that comes a fresh set of challenges," says Rathore, in reference to Samsung's foldable phones. "The internal parts are different. The sizes are different. The way they are supposed to perform is different."

Certain components in new Samsung products like the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Watch 5 are made from recycled materials.

Samsung

Samsung is far from being the only company investing in more sustainable ways to build new products. Microsoft pledged to become carbon-neutral, zero-waste and water-positive by 2030, and it launched a computer mouse made with 20% recycled ocean plastic last year. Apple is making the latest iPhone SE with low-carbon aluminum and wants to eventually only use recycled and renewable materials in its products and packaging. 

But the industry is likely far from creating a phone completely from recycled materials, says Rathore. 

"I personally think that it should be possible in the future," he said. "But when, I don't know."

Read more: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch: What to Know About the Floating Islands of Trash

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Best gadgets of IFA 2020

Best gadgets of IFA 2020

The coronavirus pandemic might mean that the IFA 2020 tech show, usually held in Berlin every year, is mostly being held as a series of online events, but that doesn't mean there aren't as many neat new gadgets being launched. I've swapped a German beer for a strong coffee and a creaky press conference bench for my lumbar-supporting office chair to bring you the hottest products of the show. 

I'll be updating this article throughout the week, swapping in any new launch that deserves recognition for being particularly cool. Make sure to bookmark this page and come back to see what's new.

First shown off a couple of weeks ago, and demonstrated more fully at Samsung's online event this week, the Z Fold 2 is the second generation of the company's flagship folding smartphone. With a bigger exterior display and a less intrusive notch for the interior camera, this model addresses various issues we had with the first-gen Fold. 

It doesn't come cheap, with a $2,000 price tag, but it's packed with top-end tech, including 5G connectivity and multiple cameras.

Read more: Galaxy Z Fold 2 ongoing review: 5 of the foldable phone's best new features so far

Samsung

Now that movie theaters are a masks-on affair, those of you looking to bring the cinema experience to your living room will want to pay attention to this. Samsung's new projector, called The Premiere, is the first HDR10 Plus-certified projector, which the company says means it's extremely bright and vivid. Together with its 4K resolution and up to 130-inch size, it should be able to provide an extremely immersive experience for your movies. It's a short-throw projector too, meaning it can sit right up against the wall it's projecting onto, rather than having to put it on a stand on the other side of the room.

Read more: Samsung's The Premiere 4K ultra-short-throw laser projector goes up to 130 inches

Neato

The D10 sits at the top of Neato's new lineup of robot vacuum cleaners, featuring laser-guided navigation to avoid obstacles in its path, as well as a high-efficiency particulate air filter. Why? Because a HEPA filter can kill, Neato says, up to 99.97% of allergens, making it great for people with sensitivities to dust or other airborne particles. 

Read more: Neato's latest and greatest robot vacuum cleans up with a HEPA filter

Acer's new Spin 7 notebook, which converts to tablet, uses Qualcomm's second-generation 8cx chip for PCs. 

Acer

Acer Spin 7 with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2

Acer's two-in-one laptop is the first device running the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 platform. Unveiled during Qualcomm's virtual launch, the platform promises multiday battery life as well as 5G connectivity -- both of which will be useful for working on a laptop on the move. 

The Spin 7 itself has a 14-inch display which can swivel all the way around to function as a tablet and comes with a Wacom stylus for drawing or note taking. There's no pricing or availability yet, but we expect to hear more in the coming weeks.

Read more: Acer Spin 7 is the world's first Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 laptop

Asus

It's not just Qualcomm with new silicon to show off. Intel unveiled its latest Tiger Lake processors too, and Asus was quick off the mark to shove them inside its new Zenbook Flip S. Intel boasts huge boosts in speeds for word processing, video editing and online game streaming over its previous generation, while also supporting the latest Thunderbolt 4 and Wi-Fi 6. All of this will be welcome in the new Flip S, which -- much like the Spin 7 mentioned above -- can fold around on itself to be both a laptop and tablet. 

Read more: Asus ZenBooks and Vivobooks go 11th gen all the way

JBL

JBL's previous waterproof Clip speakers are friends to anyone who loves to sing along to their favorite tunes in the shower. The new model has an updated design and a battery life of up to 10 hours. There's still a built-in carabiner clip, which makes it super easy to hang from your soap dish while you're belting out the chorus to Taylor Swift's Shake It Off.

Read more: JBL's new headphones and Bluetooth speakers add battery life and wireless charging

Nvidia's latest graphics card series promises increased performance for 8K, 60 frames-per-second gaming, as well as improved ray tracing capabilities for realistic lighting and shadows. Fortnite has already shown off a demo that takes advantage of the new tech, as has upcoming RPG Cyberpunk. Plus the $499 RTX 3070 sounds like a real steal.

Read more: Nvidia launches GeForce RTX 3090, 3080 and 3070 with Ampere

Lenovo

This two-in-one, laptop-tablet hybrid sits at the top of Lenovo's Yoga range, sporting a soft-touch leather-clad lid, updated keyboard and a massive touchpad that's seamlessly embedded into the glass palm rest. Other upgrades over previous versions include the latest Intel chips, improved audio from the soundbar in the hinge and improvements to its included stylus.

It'll be available in 14- and 15.6-inch varieties, the latter of which can be specced up with up to a 10th-gen Intel Core i9 HK-series processor and discrete Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q, plus up to 16GB of memory and 2TB SSD storage.

Read more: Lenovo Yoga 9i gets rid of traditional touchpad, slaps leather on its lid

Want to see just how browned those cookies are getting? With LG's new oven, you simply knock on the glass door to see inside. The gas or electric range ovens also have air fry modes to crisp up your chicken real nice.

Read more: Just knock to see your food inside LG's air-fry-equipped range

Blink has two new home security cameras.

Amazon

Setting up home security cameras can be a real chore when it comes to trailing power cables everywhere. Not so with the new Blink cameras by Amazon, which have optional battery packs that claim up to four years of battery life. The cameras are available in indoor and weatherproof outdoor versions, and have a $3-a-month subscription for cloud storage of your recorded footage.

Read more: Amazon's new battery-powered Blink security cameras promise to last 4 years

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Here's One Feature Samsung Could Use to One-Up Apple

Here's One Feature Samsung Could Use to One-Up Apple

Samsung's next big phones expected to be revealed at its Unpacked event this week are rumored to be its best foldables yet, with improved cameras, new hinges and slimmer designs. But as the holiday shopping season approaches, the feature Samsung should lean on is a price cut.

Samsung has driven high sales with two-for-one offers and generous discounts when trading in old devices. That goes for both its pricey Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Flip devices that go for as much as $1,800, as well as its Galaxy S smartphones, which start at $800. 

The way Samsung charges us for its phones is a stark contrast with Apple, which largely holds firm on its prices even through discount seasons like Black Friday, only allowing discounts from carriers or retailers. 

This week, Samsung has a chance to make a change. 

Read more: Samsung, the Galaxy Z Fold and Flip Could Be Even Better

Samsung is planning a large product reveal event, called Unpacked, for Wednesday, Aug. 10, during which it'll announce its newest foldable smartphones. The two devices, expected to be called the Galaxy Fold 4 and Galaxy Flip 4, aren't going to appeal to the masses like the Galaxy S line of devices, in part because they cost so much.

But price is where Samsung could make a difference. Despite offering more discounts, in recent years Samsung has lost market share to Apple at the top of the phone market -- the so-called premium segment where 7 of every 10 $800-and-up phones sold globally are iPhones. And in the lower-priced models, where the Galaxy S competes with the standard iPhone at around $600 and up, sales have actually begun to decline around the world, per a recent Canalys report.

Though Samsung's Unpacked event on Wednesday will focus on foldables, it also serves as Samsung's big product release just before Apple announces its expected iPhone 14 series of phones in a few weeks. Unpacked represents Samsung's chance to make a big impression ahead of Apple's own event, and any deals could make a difference. 

It'll already be hard to convince people to buy any new phone this year with rising inflation and a looming recession. Our collective confidence in the economy has fallen through the floor, with one survey from the University of Michigan finding consumer sentiment is at its lowest point in at least 70 years. 

Historically prices for many of these phones have stayed mostly the same over the years. Starting price for Samsung's Galaxy S and Apple's latest iPhones typically sit between $700 and $800, so it's unlikely Samsung would break from that model.

Still, if Samsung were to introduce a price cut for all its phones, effectively driving the price down to what it actually charges us through those special deals rather than the sticker price, it could potentially "change the equation," said Bob O'Donnell, an analyst at Technalysis Research. But convincing Apple users to switch to Android will take more than just a price cut. 

"There are people who will never give up iOS for a variety of reasons -- green bubbles being one of them," said O'Donnell. "They're not going to change, as cool as [foldables] may be, until they can have [iOS.]"

The Z Flip folds up to take up half the space of a normal phone, while the Z Fold expands to have twice the screen size.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Apple and Samsung's premium horse race is an iOS vs. Android battle

Over the past decade, there's really only been two phone-makers worth paying attention to outside China. One is Apple, the other is Samsung. Apple's iPhone gets praised every year because of its industry-leading software and powerful chips. When CNET Senior Editor Patrick Holland was thinking of a headline to sum up his glowing review for images he took with the iPhone 13 Pro last year, he ended up with "Damn, these cameras." 

Samsung often positions itself as the alternative, offering sleek designs without all the Apple baggage like requiring you to use its App Store or having to deal with iMessage. It's also often the lower-priced option whenever you walk into an AT&T, Verizon or T-Mobile store.

To be sure, people are buying as many iPhones as ever, said Tim Cook during a July conference call discussing Apple's latest financials. And other premium brands aren't feeling the squeeze of a shrinking economy just yet.

While Apple has pulled ahead in the premium smartphone race in recent years, both companies have been at each other's throats for a lot longer than that. The companies have traded blows in big ad campaigns, like Samsung mocking Apple for removing the headphone jack in 2016. Apple for its part has accused Samsung of stealing its designs, including in a worldwide years-long court battle that ended in a 2018 settlement.

Most other phone-makers have rarely been able to compete. LG lost money before leaving the phone game in 2021, while Microsoft gave up when its Windows Phone OS lost to Apple's iOS and Google's Android in 2017. Google gets good reviews for its Pixel phones, few people buy them, and the phones have a negligible market share, which Holland calls "a conundrum."

"Maybe that's a failure from Google's marketing, limited carrier relationships in Pixel's early days, the dominance of Apple and Samsung in the US or just that people don't trust the search company with their data," Holland said.

Which is a long way of saying that Samsung is Apple's only real competition outside China. Samsung sells more phones globally than any other manufacturer, though the majority of those are midrange and budget A-series phones. 

One of Samsung's current obstacles is convincing iOS users to switch. They aren't having trouble converting the Android faithful to try out their Galaxy S phones, which this year featured a stylus, larger screen and better cameras. Even its pricey folding devices are catching on, somewhat -- making up an astonishing 36% of the premium Android phone market, according to IDC research director Nabila Popal. 

But getting Apple faithful to leave their blue bubbles may be very difficult.

"I personally think Apple consumers are just so glued to Apple with brand loyalty and the ecosystem that they're used to," Popal said. "As great as foldables are, it will not be the driving factor to convert an iOS [user] to Android and Samsung."

Read more: When I Switched to iPhone, Blue iMessage Bubbles Made My Friends Far Too Happy

The other big factor is awareness. Even three years after the first Galaxy Fold arrived in early 2019 and a fourth version coming soon, they haven't been sold in enough numbers. "You still don't see many [foldables] in the wild," said O'Donnell. And one of the best ads for any technology is when you see a happy customer actually using it in your family or walking down the street.

"When people do see [a foldable], if that's their thing, they're still knocked out, they're like this is crazy, this is incredible," O'Donnell said. 

Foldables will grow from 8 million sold in 2021 to 25 million sold in 2025, IDC predicts.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Unfolding the future

This year, rumors suggest Samsung's Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 are only getting rudimentary improvements for their screens and cameras. The same happened last year, but the big upgrade was in affordability, with discounts dropping the Fold's price below $2000 and the Flip's down to roughly the same price as other premium smartphones. But then Samsung started offering even more discounts afterward, with two-for-one deals across its product line. 

The message was clear: Samsung still has an opportunity to introduce another price drop, which would put them in better competition with cheaper premium handsets, and make them much more attractive to people today.

For its part, Apple doesn't seem concerned enough about foldables to rush out one of its own. Instead, Apple's stuck to its well-worn plan of annual improvements, including for its upcoming iPhone 14, which is rumored to include a smaller front-facing camera notch, better battery life and a new always-on display.

Prices, meanwhile, are likely to remain the same if not increase along with inflation, like they did last year. This creates the opening for Samsung, both with its mainstream Galaxy S phones and its foldables alike.

"I feel that foldables are at a tipping point, the brink of a breakthrough, where it's just a matter of a bit more time before they just explode," Popal said. 

Maybe the price could help make a difference.

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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.

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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.

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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

	Galaxy Z Fold 3	Galaxy Z Fold 2	Galaxy Fold
Display size, resolution, refresh rate	External: 6.2-inch AMOLED (2,268x832 pixels); internal: 7.6-inch AMOLED (2,208x1,768 pixels)	External 6.2-inch AMOLED (2,260x816 pixels); internal: 7.6-inch AMOLED (2,208x1,768 pixels)	External: 4.6-inch AMOLED (1,680x720 pixels); internal: 7.3-inch AMOLED (2,152x1,536 pixels)
Pixel density	387ppi (external) + 374ppi (internal)	386ppi (external) + 373ppi (internal)	362ppi (internal screen)
Dimensions	Folded: 67x158x16mm (hinge) ~14.4mm (sagging); unfolded: 128x158x6.4mm	Folded: 68x159x16.8mm (hinge) ~13.8mm (sagging); unfolded: 128x159x6.9mm (frame) ~6mm (screen)	Folded: 63x161x15.7mm ~17.1mm; unfolded: 118x161x6.9mm ~7.6mm
Weight	271 grams	282 grams	276grams
Software	Android 11	Android 10	Android 9
Camera	12-megapixel (ultrawide), 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (telephoto)	12-megapixel (wide),12-megapixel (ultrawide), 12 megapixel (telephoto)	12-megapixel (wide), 16-megapixel (ultrawide), 12-megapixel (telephoto)
Front camera	4-megapixel (under display), 10-megapixel (front cover)	10-megapixel (main display), 10-megapixel (front cover)	10-megapixel (main display), 10-megapixel (front cover), 8-megapixel (3D depth)
Video	4K	4K	4K
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888	Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Storage	256GB, 512GB	256GB	512GB
RAM	12GB	12GB	12GB
Fingerprint reader	Side	Side	No
Battery	4,400 mAh	4,500 mAh	4,380 mAh
Special features	Foldable display, 120Hz refresh rate (front cover and main display), water-resistance, S Pen support, 5G	Foldable display, 120Hz refresh rate (main display), wireless charging support, 5G	Foldable display, Power button, wireless charging, fast charging
Price (USD)	$1,800 (256GB)	$2,000	$1,980

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