Unfolded

There is nothing quite like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G, literally. If the Fold was an experiment, the Fold 2 a refinement, then the Fold3 has turned out to be almost perfect.

This top-of-the-line phone — quite expectedly — leaves many other flagships miles behind in terms of performance. But for me, the display stands out above all its other features. The 7.6-inch stunning display is legible even under the glaring sun. Yes, the screen inside still sports the crease where the phone folds, but while it is bothersome at times, it is not a nuisance.

A display this appealing needs an equally exciting camera that can complement it and make the entire package fascinating. And the phone delivers. The Fold3’s triple-camera setup pays attention to colours and detail. It also houses a 4MP under-display camera (when unfolded) mostly for video calls and a 10MP one on the cover screen but the rear camera captured the best selfies.

Powered by the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor and paired with 12GB of RAM, there was no task where the Fold3 stumbled. It ran power-hungry games like Call of Duty Mobile and Asphalt 9: Legends seamlessly, without heating up and with no stutter. Multitasking comes naturally to the Fold3, with its multi-window function supporting three apps simultaneously.

But all these features come at a price: battery backup. I was sceptical if the 4,400mAh battery would last through the day, but I was astonished to see it last even after dinner time.

The Fold3 is IPX8 certified, which makes it water-resistant, but dust continues to remain its kryptonite. If only Samsung adds dust resistance and finds a way to spread out the keyboard on the cover screen of the Fold3, then it would be difficult to beat this phone in the near future.

At Rs 1,49,999 for the starting variant, I find the Fold3 — surprisingly — worth my money.