Take a look at the performance of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4, and find out why it is a foldable computing + gaming powerhouse!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 : Flagship Class Performance!
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 runs on the most powerful mobile SoC available for Android devices – the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1.
Fabricated on the latest 4nm Samsung process technology, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 boasts a powerful Adreno 730 GPU as well as eight processor cores in a triple-tier architecture :
a Cortex-X2 prime core running at up to 3.2 GHz,
three sustained-performance Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.5 GHz, and
four energy-efficient Cortex-A510 cores running at 1.8 GHz.
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is a higher-binned version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC that powers the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Its Cortex-X2 prime core runs at 3.2 GHz, instead of 3 GHz, while its Adreno 730 GPU runs at 800 MHz, instead of 720 MHz.
On paper, this is about as powerful as it gets in 2022, but let’s take a look at how it actually performs!
We first tested the Galaxy Z Flip4 using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Work 3.0
Z Flip 4
Z Flip 3
S22 Ultra
S21 Ultra
Note20
Ultra
Mobile Platform
SD 8+ Gen 1
SD 888
SD 8
Gen 1
Exynos
2100
Exynos
990
Performance Score
14429
13317
12860
12535
10523
Web Browsing
12097
11637
10442
10185
8865
Video Editing
7387
7762
7444
6336
6232
Writing
17593
15316
15471
15247
11112
Photo Editing
31762
25357
30177
37847
30789
Data Manipulation
12523
11938
9691
8310
6825
Unsurprisingly, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is about 8% faster than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 used in the Galaxy S22 Ultra, and the Snapdragon 888 used by the Galaxy Z Flip 3.
It’s a nice boost, but you won’t actually notice the difference. For certain, it will easily handle anything you throw at it, whether it’s just posting your latest Instagram pictures or editing a 4K video.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 : Gaming Performance
For gaming, we tested the Galaxy Z Flip4 using 3DMark, with these results :
3DMark
Z Flip 4
S22
Ultra
Z Flip 3
Note20
Ultra
Note
10+
Device
SD 8+
Gen 1
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 888
Exynos
990
Exynos
9825
Sling Shot Unlimited
10690
11094
9248
8026
3327
Wild Life Unlimited
11144
9106
3952
4504
3288
Wild Life
Extreme
Unlimited
2636
2220
1174
1387
528
When it comes to less strenuous games (Sling Shot), the higher-clocked Adreno 730 GPU had no effect, but when we switched to Wild Life, we saw a 19% to 22% boost in performance.
For certain, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 will crush any game you throw at it, but the Galaxy Z Flip4’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 gives you more performance headroom.
It also shows that you don’t really need expensive “gaming smartphones”. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 will easily handle any game you want to play.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 : Overall Performance
We then tested the Galaxy Z Flip4 using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
AnTuTu
S22 Ultra
Z Flip 4
Z Flip 3
S21 Ultra
Note20
Ultra
Device
SD 8 Gen 1
SD 8+ Gen 1
SD
888
Exynos
2100
Exynos
990
AnTuTu Score
889167
856357
696767
624411
522735
CPU
203090
205939
206228
166290
146783
GPU
402617
362669
242573
258995
215205
Memory
146002
135707
133586
120805
89376
UX
137458
152042
114380
78321
71371
The AnTuTu benchmark tells a slightly different story. The higher-clocked Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 pretty much performs as fast as the standard Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 – with a slight 3.7% performance difference.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 is about 23% faster than the Galaxy Z Flip 3, and a whopping 37% faster than the Galaxy S21 Ultra!
But note that its temperature jumped by over 10°C! At peak performance, the Galaxy Z Flip4 can get quite toasty!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 : Performance Summary
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 is a svelte smartphone when unfolded, and yet super compact when folded. You would not expect performance to be a key selling point.
In fact, I expect Samsung to tune down the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 for better battery life. But somehow, Samsung kept its performance high, while improving its battery life in the Z Flip4!
In other words – you can have your cake and eat it too. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 is not just a fashion statement in your hands, it’s a computing and gaming powerhouse in a compact form factor.
It is no surprise why the Galaxy Z Flip4 is arguably the hottest smartphone Samsung introduced in 2022!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 : Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 comes in four colour options, as well as a special Bespoke Edition :
Graphite – legacy colour
Pink Gold – new colour
Blue – new colour
Bora Purple – their signature colour this year
These are the available models and launch prices for the Z Flip 4 :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
If you are using the Galaxy Z Flip3, you may be wondering – how different is the new Galaxy Z Flip4 smartphone?
In this article, I will share with you the key differences… and similarities between the two foldable smartphones!
Galaxy Z Flip4 vs Z Flip3 : How Different Are They?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 builds upon the excellent Galaxy Z Flip3 from last year, offering an improved version of the compact foldable smartphone.
If you are comparing both devices side-by-side, it’s really hard to tell them apart… because Samsung essentially retained the same design.
When folded, the Galaxy Z Flip4 is slightly (1.5 mm) shorter, and imperceptibly (0.3 mm) narrower than the Galaxy Z Flip3.
When unfolded, the Galaxy Z Flip4 is even more alike the Flip3 – just 0.8 mm shorter and 0.3 mm narrower. If you don’t compare them closely, you might not be able to tell them apart!
They both have very similar weights too – the Galaxy Z Flip4 coming in 4 grams heavier at 187 grams, instead of 183 grams for the Galaxy Z Flip3. Again, you can’t really tell them apart.
Most of the upgrades in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 are internal… and out-of-the-box.
4nm Processor
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 naturally has a newer and more powerful processor than the Galaxy Z Flip3.
Manufactured on the more efficient 4nm process technology, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is the fastest processor money can buy in 2022.
But the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 used in the Galaxy Z Flip3 is no slouch, and you would be hard-pressed to tell their performance apart, outside of benchmark scores.
Main Camera Changes
Samsung retained the same 10 MP front camera, and the same dual camera setup at the back from the Galaxy Z Flip3 :
a 12 MP Dual Pixel camera, with f/1.8 aperture, and
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with f/2.2 aperture
Larger Capacity
Samsung is also offering a larger 512 GB internal storage capacity option for the Galaxy Z Flip4. This will be useful for those who need additional storage for photos, videos or documents.
Bespoke Edition
Samsung will also offer a special Bespoke Edition for those who want to customise their Galaxy Z Flip4 smartphone.
The Bespoke Edition is only available with 256 GB of internal storage on the Samsung website, and requires 3-4 weeks to deliver, as each unit is custom-made.
Samsung Care+
The biggest upgrade, I would argue, is the new Samsung Care+ warranty, which you can purchase or obtain for free as part of the pre-order offer.
With Samsung Care+, you get 2 years of device warranty including THREE (3) protective film replacements for the Main Display.
The device warranty itself covers repairs for accidental damage (including liquid damage), as well as device replacement if it cannot be repaired. Talk about peace of mind!
Galaxy Z Flip4 vs Z Flip3 : Specification Comparison
Here is a table I created to make it easier for you to compare the two models:
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Most of the upgrades in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 are internal… and out-of-the-box.
4nm Processor
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 naturally has a newer and more powerful processor than the Galaxy Z Fold3.
Manufactured on the more efficient 4nm process technology, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is the fastest processor money can buy in 2022.
But the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 used in the Galaxy Z Fold3 is no slouch, and you would be hard-pressed to tell their performance apart, outside of benchmark scores.
Main Camera Changes
Samsung retained the same triple camera setup from the Galaxy Z Fold3 with the same design and lenses, but changed two of their sensors.
Samsung upgraded the 12 MP main camera with a 50 MP sensor, while reducing the 12 MP telephoto camera to just a 10 MP sensor.
Larger Capacity
Samsung is also offering a larger 1TB internal storage capacity option for the Galaxy Z Fold4, albeit only on their website.
This will be useful for those who need additional storage for photos, videos or documents.
Samsung Care+
The biggest upgrade, I would argue, is the new Samsung Care+ warranty, which you can purchase or obtain for free as part of the pre-order offer.
With Samsung Care+, you get 2 years of device warranty including THREE (3) protective film replacements for the Main Display.
The device warranty itself covers repairs for accidental damage (including liquid damage), as well as device replacement if it cannot be repaired. Talk about peace of mind!
Galaxy Z Fold4 vs Z Fold3 : Specification Comparison
Here is a table I created to make it easier for you to compare the two models:
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The HUAWEI P50 is now available for pre-order in Malaysia, and the P50 Pro is now cheaper!
Take a look at the HUAWEI P50 and P50 Pro deals for Malaysia!
HUAWEI P50 + P50 Pro : Ultimate Photography Smartphones
The P50 and P50 Pro are HUAWEI’s latest photography-oriented P-series flagship smartphones. Let’s take a quick look at their key features!
True-Chroma Displays
The HUAWEI P50 Pro comes with a large 6.6-inch True-Chroma display, with a resolution of 1228 x 2700 pixels. The P50 has a slightly smaller 6.5-inch True-Chroma display, with the same resolution.
They both use an OLED panel with a wide P3 colour gamut, with a higher maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz (P50 Pro) or 90 Hz (P50), and a maximum touch sampling rate of 300 MHz.
These True-Chroma displays also boast a 1440 Hz PWM dimming control, to reduce eyestrain, and allow for comfortable viewing experience in low-light conditions.
Protected From Water!
Both HUAWEI P50 and P50 Pro smartphones are IP68 water-resistant, so they are safe from water splashes and immersion in up to 1.5 metres of water for up to 30 minutes.
Flagship Performance!
Both HUAWEI P50 and P50 Pro smartphones are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 4G mobile SoC, which is kept cool by a 3D Graphene Liquid Cooling System.
Cameras Delight!
Both HUAWEI P50 and P50 Pro smartphones come with a 13 MP punch hole camera in the front. It has a decent f/2.4 aperture.
The HUAWEI P50 Pro’s key selling point is its massive quad camera setup that consists of :
a 50 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture,
a 40 MP monochrome camera, with f/1.6 aperture,
a 64 MP 3.5X periscope telephoto camera, with f/3.5 aperture, and
a 13 MP wide-angle camera, with f/2.2 aperture.
The 40 MP monochrome camera complements the 50 MP camera by adding detail to the images it captures – what HUAWEI calls XD Optics with enhanced XD Fusion Pro technology.
The HUAWEI P50 has a triple camera setup that consists of :
a 50 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture,
a 12 MP 3.5X periscope telephoto camera, with f/3.4 aperture, and
a 13 MP wide-angle camera, with f/2.2 aperture.
66W HUAWEI SuperCharge Capable Battery!
Both smartphones support 66W HUAWEI SuperCharge technology for really fast charging, while the Pro version also supports 50 watt wireless charging, as well as Wireless PowerShare.
Stereo Speakers With Histen Technology
Both smartphones come with stereo speakers, with HUAWEI Histen technology which allows you to customise sound effects for different scenarios.
The HUAWEI P50 is available in the Golden Black and Cocoa Gold colours, while the Pro version is available in Silver Blue, Golden Black and Cocoa Gold colours.
Prior to launch, HUAWEI only provided us access to the Golden Black and Cocoa Gold colour options. Take a look at this colour comparison, and tell us which colour you prefer!
HUAWEI P50 + P50 Pro : Price + Deals
The HUAWEI P50 is priced at RM 2,999 (about US$682 / £546 / A$962 / S$935), with pre-order freebies of worth RM1,000 :
HUAWEI FreeBuds Lipstick
HUAWEI Mobile Services (HMS) Rewards
The HUAWEI P50 Pro was originally priced at RM 4,199, but was just reduced to RM 3,699 (about US$842 / £674 / A$1,186 / S$1,153). Every purchase will come with a free HUAWEI Band 6 worth RM219!
Here are some online purchase options for your convenience :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
HUAWEI just launched the Mate Xs 2 foldable smartphone in Malaysia! Here is what you need to know!
HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 Coming Soon To Malaysia!
The HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 was just launched in Malaysia, and will be here shortly! Here is what you need to know about HUAWEI’s latest flagship foldable smartphone!
Ultra-Thin, Ultra-Flat Foldable Device!
The HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 uses industry-first lightweight materials to achieve a lighter and thinner body that only weighs 255 g and just 5.4 mm thick.
Thanks to its New Falcon Wing Design, the HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 offers an ultra-flat form factor for a foldable smartphone. Using the industry’s first Double-rotating Falcon Wing Hinge, the hinge’s movement and screen are precisely synchronised through the fixed-length linkage control.
Tougher Foldable Smartphone!
The HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 employs their first 3D Fibreglass Design, giving it excellent strength and fracture toughness.
It also adopts the industry’s first Composite Screen, as well as unspecified high-performance materials, offering a shock absorption barrier that protects against drops, crushing or impact.
True-Chroma Camera System
The HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 features a new True-Chroma Camera System that comprises of :
a 50MP True-Chroma camera,
a 13 MP ultra-wide angle camera, and
an 8 MP telephoto camera.
Its cameras uses the HUAWEI XD Fusion Pro True-Chroma Image Engine to capture true-to-life colours in P3 full colour gamut, together with the 10-channel Multi-Spectrum Sensor.
Smart Multi-Window
The HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 offers an improved interactive experience, thanks to the new dynamic folding visual effect and upgraded Smart Multi-Window capability.
Its Split-screen Function lets you maximise its large display with multitasking capabilities, enabling collaboration and interaction between different apps.
You can use two apps in parallel, and it even comes with a Swipe Gesture for easier access and control of floating windows.
66W HUAWEI SuperCharge!
The HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 features the new 66W HUAWEI SuperCharge capability, letting you recharge its battery to 90% in just 30 minutes!
In addition to the higher power input, its battery has a parallel charging structure to allow for 15% faster charging speed for its slim 4600 mAh battery!
HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 Specifications In Malaysia
Specifications
HUAWEI Mate Xs 2
Display
OLED panel
– 6.5 inches folded, 1176 x 2480 pixels
– 7.8 inches unfolded, 2200 x 2480 pixels
– up to 120 Hz refresh rate
– up to 240 Hz touch sampling rate
– 1440 Hz PWM dimming
Protection
NA
OS
EMUI 12
Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 4G
CPU
1 x Kryo 680 Prime core (2.84 GHz)
3 x Kryo 680 Gold cores (2.42 GHz)
4 x Kryo 680 Silver cores (1.8 GHz)
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
HUAWEI just unveiled their P50 Pro smartphone, and here is our hands-on preview and colour comparison!
Find out if this is the smartphone you have been waiting for!
HUAWEI P50 Pro : Hands-On Experience!
HUAWEI just introduced another photography-oriented P-series flagship smartphone – the P50 Pro!
In this preview, you will take a look at HUAWEI P50 Pro’s key features and a colour comparison…
6.6-inch True-Chroma Display
The HUAWEI P50 Pro comes with a large 6.6-inch True-Chroma display, with a resolution of 1228 x 2700 pixels.
Its OLED panel offers a wide P3 colour gamut, with a 120 Hz maximum refresh rate, and a maximum touch sampling rate of 300 MHz.
It also boasts a 1440 Hz PWM dimming control, to reduce eyestrain, and allow for comfortable viewing experience in low-light conditions.
Protected From Water!
The HUAWEI P50 Pro is IP68 water-resistant, so it is safe from water splashes and immersion in up to 1.5 metres of water for up to 30 minutes.
Flagship Performance!
The HUAWEI P50 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 4G mobile SoC, which is kept cool by a 3D Graphene Liquid Cooling System.
It also offers plenty of memory and storage, with two variants :
8 GB of RAM with 256 GB of storage, or
12 GB of RAM with 512 GB of storage.
The Power + Volume control buttons are on the right edge
Cameras Delight!
In the front, the HUAWEI P50 Pro has a 13 MP punch hole camera, with a f/2.4 aperture.
The front 13 MP punch hole camera
The HUAWEI P50 Pro’s key selling point though is at the back, where it has a massive quad camera setup that consists of :
a 50 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture,
a 40 MP monochrome camera, with f/1.6 aperture,
a 64 MP 3.5X periscope telephoto camera, with f/3.5 aperture, and
a 13 MP wide-angle camera, with f/2.2 aperture.
The 40 MP monochrome camera complements the 50 MP camera by adding detail to the images it captures – what HUAWEI calls XD Optics with enhanced XD Fusion Pro technology.
Long Battery Life
The HUAWEI P50 Pro comes with a large 4,360 mAh battery, which promises to last a full day of use.
On top of that, it supports 66 watt wired fast charging, with 50 watt wireless charging. Very fast indeed!
Stereo Speakers With Histen Technology
The HUAWEI P50 Pro comes with stereo speakers, with HUAWEI Histen technology which allows you to customise sound effects for different scenarios.
It will be available for retail sale in Malaysia, starting 22 January 2022.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just unveiled another Fan Edition smartphone – the Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G990)!
Take a look at the new Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, and find out why it’s such a great bargain!
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE : What You Need To Know!
Samsung just unveiled another Fan Edition smartphone – the Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G990), which promises to offer a great bargain for their fans!
It basically offers the best features of the Galaxy S21 series, with the same premium design, at a very attractive price point.
Let’s take a look!
120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display!
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE does not skimp on its display, which is an awesome Dynamic AMOLED 2X display!
It has a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and a 240 Hz touch sampling rate in its Game Mode.
Protected From Drops + Water!
Its Dynamic AMOLED 2X display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus – the toughest glass ever used on a Galaxy smartphone!
On top of that, the Galaxy S21 FE is IP68 water-resistant, so it is safe from water splashes and immersion in up to 1.5 metres of water for up to 30 minutes.
Flagship Performance!
Samsung didn’t skimp on performance either – the Galaxy S21 FE is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G mobile SoC!
It comes with 8 GB of RAM, and either 128 GB or 256 GB of storage. Make sure you choose the storage option you need, because it does not support additional storage through microSD card.
Cameras Delight!
In the front, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has a high-resolution 32 MP selfie camera, with a wide f/2.2 aperture.
In the back, it has a triple camera setup that consists of :
a 12 MP main camera, with a Dual Pixel sensor, and f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP wide-angle camera, with f/2.2 aperture, and
an 8 MP 3X telephoto camera, with f/2.4 aperture
Long Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE comes with a large 4,500 mAh battery, which supports 25 watt wired fast charging, and 15 watt wireless charging.
It also supports Wireless PowerShare, which allows it to recharge your wearables and other smartphones wirelessly.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is available in four colour options, from left to right – Graphite, White, Olive and Lavender.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
72.2 mm wide
86.4 mm tall
15.9 mm to 17.1 mm thick
Unfolded
Dimensions
72.2 mm wide
166.0 mm tall
6.9 mm thick
Weight
183 grams
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Unboxing + Contents!
The new Galaxy Z Flip 3 is Samsung’s third-generation Flip device, featuring not only a large foldable 6.7-inch display, but also IPX8 water resistance!
As a Samsung ultra-premium smartphone, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 comes in a premium two-tone black-grey box, with these items inside :
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 smartphone
Quick Start Guide
USB-C to USB-C data and power cable
SIM tray ejection pin
Unfortunately, it does not come with a fast charger in-the-box, or an USB-C to 3.5 mm audio adaptor. Not does it come with any USB-C earphones…
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 boasts a large 6.7-inch Infinity Flex display, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel that has a 120 Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1080 x 2640 pixels.
In case you are wondering – the crease is visible if you view it from an angle, and you can feel it if you run your finger over it. But after using it some time – you will forget it’s even there.
The display is large and really beautiful – with excellent resolution, colour gamut and brightness. And it folds into a really compact device about the size of a pager – if you are old enough to remember what that is!
Its foldable display has a new protective film made from stretchable PET, and newly-optimised display panel layers that are 80% more durable than the Z Fold2 display. It is now certified to withstand folding at least 200,000 times!
If you are new to foldable phones, you will be really tentative about folding it. But over time, it will become really natural – you won’t even think twice about folding it before shoving it down your pocket.
But while the Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) can withstand a lot more folding, you must still take care not to SCRATCH it. Avoid putting it together in your pocket or handbag with hard objects like coins, another phone, etc.
You also need to remember to fold it once you don’t need to use the main display. Don’t worry – even if you fold it a 100X a day, it should last 5.5 years!
1.9-inch Cover Display
In the front, it has a small 1.9-inch Cover Display with a Super AMOLED panel with a resolution of 260 x 512 pixels.
This redesigned Cover Screen is 4X larger, making it easier to view notifications and messages without opening the Z Flip 3.
You will be able to check your schedule, the weather, and your daily step count with the new Cover Screen widgets. You can even coordinate its wallpaper with the new Galaxy Watch4 or Galaxy Watch4 Classic!
The Cover Display also serves as a camera preview display, letting you use both rear cameras for superior selfies! This is one of the Z Flip 3’s relatively unknown but truly useful feature.
Performance + Storage
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G mobile platform, which makes it one of the most powerful smartphones in the world.
Our review sample came with 8 GB of memory, and 128 GB of fast UFS 3.1 storage. It is also available with 256 GB of storage.
It only supports a single SIM card, with no microSD card tray. There is no option to increase storage, but generally 128 GB of storage is more than enough for most people.
Protection
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is water-resistant in up to 1.5 metres of freshwater for up to 30 minutes, but is not dust-resistant due to its foldable display and folding mechanism. Hence, it is IPX8-rated.
To protect against dust and other particles, its Hideaway Hinge has enhanced Sweeper technology, with shorter bristles.
In addition, its chassis is made with Armor Aluminium, and the Cover Display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. Its Dual Pixel main camera is also protected by Gorilla Glass with DX.
Buttons
The only buttons you will find are on the upper right side of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 – the Volume control buttons and the Power button, which doubles as the fingerprint sensor.
Pressing the Power button twice activates the Quick Shot mode, which lets you take selfies using the rear cameras with the Cover Display for preview and control.
Only One Port
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 comes with a USB Type C port, which supports USB 3.2 connectivity.
It does not come with a 3.5 mm audio jack, or a USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter in the box.
Battery + Charging
Powering all that is a 3,300 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, which supports 15 watt fast charging, and 10 watt wireless charging. It can even wireless recharge other devices, albeit at just 4.5 watts.
This is a pretty small battery, and rather slow charging speeds. On top of that, it does not come with an in-box charger. So you will have to use your old charger, or buy a new one.
Samsung flagship smartphones are notable for featuring cutting-edge cameras, but the Galaxy Z Flip 3 stayed with the last generation cameras.
In front, it uses a 10 MP punch hole camera, with an f/2.4 aperture. To be clear, this is an excellent camera. It’s just not new.
But don’t worry – you will end up using this selfie camera only for video calls, and use the better cameras at the back for your “selfies”!
Dual Cameras At The Back
In the back, it has a dual-camera system, which consists of :
a 12 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with f/2.2 aperture
These cameras are offer great image quality, even in low-light conditions – thanks to their large apertures.
As I pointed out earlier, the Cover Display lets you use these cameras for really excellent selfies. Just double-press the Power button with the Galaxy Z Flip 3 folded to activate these cameras.
This is why Samsung did not “upgrade” the front camera. These rear cameras are really the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s true selfie cameras.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Photo Samples
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3’s rear cameras may “only” have 12 MP sensors, but they are truly excellent cameras.
The cameras both offer good low-light performance, thanks to the wide f/1.8 and f/2.2 apertures. But the wide aperture also creates creates a narrow depth-of-field, so there is the risk of ending up with an out-of-focus photo.
Here are ten unedited photo samples for you to check out.
When used in the selfie mode, the rear cameras deliver Instagram-friendly square 9MP photos with a resolution of 2992 x 2992 pixels, and a file size of about 1.3 MB (HEIC format).
When used unfolded, the rear cameras deliver can be used to take 12MP photos with a resolution of 4000 x 3000 pixels, and a file size of about 3 MB (HEIC format).
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 comes with a small 3,300 mAh battery.
To test its battery life, we turned off Automatic Brightness, and set its display brightness to 50%.
Why 50%? That is actually slightly higher than the average indoor brightness level of 40% during the day, and is what we usually use in all our mobile battery life tests.
It is important to fix the brightness level, to make sure the screen brightness does not change as the ambient brightness changes.
We then ran the PCMark Work 3.0 battery life test until its battery capacity dropped to 20% several times, and this was the best result we obtained with 60 Hz and 120 Hz refresh rates :
Work 3.0
Galaxy A52
(60 Hz)
Galaxy A52
(90 Hz)
S21 Ultra
(60 Hz)
S21 Ultra
(120 Hz)
Note20
Ultra
Z Flip 3
(60 Hz)
Z Flip 3
(120 Hz)
Battery Capacity
4,500 mAh
4,500 mAh
5,000 mAh
5,000 mAh
4,500 mAh
3,300 mAh
3,300 mAh
Battery Life
15 hrs 33 mins
12 hrs 30 mins
11 hrs 22 mins
10 hrs
26 mins
10 hrs
9 mins
8 hrs
11 mins
6 hrs
44 mins
Utilisation
per min.
3.86 mAh
4.80 mAh
5.87 mAh
6.39 mAh
5.91 mAh
5.38 mAh
6.53 mAh
This is the biggest problem with the Galaxy Z Flip 3 – a relatively short battery life, because it pairs a powerful processor and a very large display with a small 3,300 mAh battery.
Even with the display set to 60 Hz, it only lasts just over 8 hours. If you set the display to dynamically adjust its refresh rate up to 120 Hz, that drops to just over 6.5 hours.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Recharging Speed
S21
Ultra
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy A52
Z Flip 3
Redmi 9T
Battery Capacity
5,000 mAh
4,500 mAh
4,500 mAh
3,300 mAh
6,000 mAh
Charger Output
25 watts
25 watts
15 watts
15 watts
18 watts
Recharging Time
64 mins
66.5 mins
84.5 mins
88.5 mins
184 mins
Recharging Speed
(per minute)
62.5 mAh
54.1 mAh
42.4 mAh
29.8 mAh
26.1 mAh
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 recharges very slowly, even using the same 15 watt Samsung fast charger as the Galaxy A52.
It actually took longer to recharge its smaller 3,300 mAh battery than the Galaxy A52 which has a much larger 4,500 mAh battery!
Its only saving grace – it was able to recharge slightly faster than the Xiaomi Redmi 9T.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Work Performance
We first tested the Galaxy Z Flip 3 using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Work 3.0
Galaxy
Z Flip 3
Galaxy
S21 Ultra
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
A52
Redmi
9T
Mobile Platform
SD 888
Exynos
2100
Exynos
990
SD 750G
SD 662
Performance Score
13317
12535
10523
7874
5986
Web Browsing
11637
10185
8865
7021
5844
Video Editing
7762
6336
6232
5693
3423
Writing
15316
15247
11112
7454
6657
Photo Editing
25357
37847
30789
15812
12031
Data Manipulation
11938
8310
6825
6424
4799
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 lets the Galaxy Z Flip 3 easily handle anything you throw at it, whether it’s just posting your latest Instagram pictures or editing a 4K video.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Gaming Performance
For gaming, we tested the Galaxy Z Flip 3 using 3DMark, with these results :
3DMark
Galaxy
Z Flip 3
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
Note10+
Device
SD 888
Exynos
990
Exynos
9825
Sling Shot Unlimited
9248
8026
3327
Wild Life Unlimited
3952
4504
3288
Wild Life
Extreme
Unlimited
1174
1387
528
Look at that – the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 packs a serious punch when it comes to gaming.
It may seem unbelievable because the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is so slim and stylish, but it will easily handle any game you throw at it. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!
The only problem is that because it’s so thin – it can get real toasty when you game on it. The back of the chassis can get as warm as 42°C.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Overall Performance
We then tested the Galaxy Z Flip 3 using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
AnTuTu
Galaxy
Z
Flip 3
Galaxy
S21 Ultra
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
A52
Redmi 9T
Device
SD 888
Exynos
2100
Exynos
990
SD 750G
SD
662
AnTuTu Score
696767
624411
522735
341908
173559
CPU
206228
166290
146783
105098
64505
GPU
242573
258995
215205
88068
31734
Memory
133586
120805
89376
60642
40377
UX
114380
78321
71371
88100
36943
The AnTuTu benchmark confirms that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a beast of a performer, beating even the very fast Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Let’s do a quick wrap of what I really like, and don’t like, about it.
Better Displays
I love the large 6.7-inch foldable display that is now tougher and more durable, and supports the 120 Hz refresh rate.
Even the larger 1.9-inch cover display deserves special mention, because it is a lot more functional!
Great Performance
Even though it looks real sleek, it is powered by the incredibly powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 mobile SoC.
It will easily handle EVERYTHING you throw at it – even graphics-intensive games. It gets toasty when you game, but hey, at least it doesn’t feel like a brick!
Good Cameras
The front camera is nothing to write about, but the rear cameras are good, even though they are still stuck at 12 MP.
I like how the larger Cover Display lets you easily use the rear cameras for really good selfies.
Short Battery Life + Slow Charging
The problem with the sleek, light design – its small 3,300 mAh battery which barely does 6.5 hours with the 120 Hz refresh rate.
It doesn’t help that it recharges really slowly, even with a standard 15 watt charger… and don’t get me started on the lack of an in-box charger!
Zilch In-Box Freebies
For a premium product, it comes with zilch freebies in-the-box. As mentioned before, there is no fast charger.
There is also no USB-C to 3.5 mm audio jack, not even a pair of USB-C earphones. Neither did Samsung provide even a cheap TPU case.
Incredible New Price Point
On the other hand, Samsung really surprised me with the new price points :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Take a look at the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldable smartphone’s performance, and find out why this beauty is hiding a gaming beast inside!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Flagship Class Performance!
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a very slim smartphone that folds to fit even the smallest pockets.
Yet it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, which makes it one of the most powerful smartphones in the world, with high-performance CPU + GPU cores :
a boosted Kryo 680 Prime core running at 2.84 GHz,
three high-performance Kryo 680 Gold cores running at 2.42 GHz,
four high-efficiency Kryo 680 Silver cores running at 1.8 GHz, and
an Adreno 660 GPU running at 792 MHz
This actually makes it a great gaming smartphone and one that is slim and stylish, and does not feel like a brick!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Work Performance
We first tested the Galaxy Z Flip 3 using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Work 3.0
Galaxy
Z Flip 3
Galaxy
S21 Ultra
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
A52
Redmi
9T
Mobile Platform
SD 888
Exynos
2100
Exynos
990
SD 750G
SD 662
Performance Score
13317
12535
10523
7874
5986
Web Browsing
11637
10185
8865
7021
5844
Video Editing
7762
6336
6232
5693
3423
Writing
15316
15247
11112
7454
6657
Photo Editing
25357
37847
30789
15812
12031
Data Manipulation
11938
8310
6825
6424
4799
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 lets the Galaxy Z Flip 3 easily handle anything you throw at it, whether it’s just posting your latest Instagram pictures or editing a 4K video.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Gaming Performance
For gaming, we tested the Galaxy Z Flip 3 using 3DMark, with these results :
3DMark
Galaxy
Z Flip 3
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
Note10+
Device
SD 888
Exynos
990
Exynos
9825
Sling Shot Unlimited
9248
8026
3327
Wild Life Unlimited
3952
4504
3288
Wild Life
Extreme
Unlimited
1174
1387
528
Look at that – the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 packs a serious punch when it comes to gaming.
It may seem unbelievable because the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is so slim and stylish, but it will easily handle any game you throw at it. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!
The only problem is that because it’s so thin – it can get real toasty when you game on it. The back of the chassis can get as warm as 42°C.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Overall Performance
We then tested the Galaxy Z Flip 3 using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
AnTuTu
Galaxy
Z
Flip 3
Galaxy
S21 Ultra
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
A52
Redmi 9T
Device
SD 888
Exynos
2100
Exynos
990
SD 750G
SD
662
AnTuTu Score
696767
624411
522735
341908
173559
CPU
206228
166290
146783
105098
64505
GPU
242573
258995
215205
88068
31734
Memory
133586
120805
89376
60642
40377
UX
114380
78321
71371
88100
36943
The AnTuTu benchmark confirms that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a beast of a performer, beating even the very fast Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Performance Summary
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 doesn’t look like your typical flagship smartphone. It’s larger than normal but looks extraordinarily slim. So you may be forgiven if you thought Samsung gave it a mid-range processor to keep it cool.
This is a flagship smartphone, and it comes with the industry-leading Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 mobile SoC, offering top-notch performance.
So you can count on it to easily handle anything and everything you throw at it, as the benchmark results above amply demonstrates.
The only problems with fitting such a powerful SoC into such a thin and light form factor? Heat and battery life, but that’s another story for another time!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is available for purchase from 27 August 2021 onwards, with a starting price of US$999 – about £723 / A$1,361 / S$1,357 / RM 4,231.
Here in Malaysia, you can buy one with these freebies :
RM350 e-voucher for Samsung Malaysia Online Store
Samsung Care+ protection (1 year), which covers accidental damage, including screen replacement, water damage and back cover replacement
In Singapore, you can buy one with these freebies :
Free Wireless Charger Duo and Clear Cover with Ring
Samsung Care+ protection (1 year), which covers accidental damage, including screen replacement, water damage and back cover replacement
In the United States, you will get these offers or freebies when you buy a Galaxy Z Flip 3 :
50% off Samsung Galaxy Buds2
Free 4 months of YouTube Premium
Free 6 months of SiriusXM Streaming
Free 3 months of Spotify Premium
In the United Kingdom, you will get this freebie + offer when you buy a Galaxy Z Flip 3 :
Free 4 months of YouTube Premium
5% cash back on Samsung.com purchases using Samsung Pay+
In Australia, you will get these offers when you buy a Galaxy Z Flip 3 :
Bonus $300 when you trade-in an eligible device
50% off Samsung Care+
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Here in Malaysia, you can pre-order one from 19 September to 21 September 2021, with these freebies :
RM850 e-voucher for Samsung Malaysia Online Store
Samsung Care+ protection (1 year), which covers accidental damage, including screen replacement, water damage and back cover replacement
In the United States, you will get these offers or freebies when you buy a Galaxy Z Fold 3 :
50% off Samsung Galaxy Buds2
Free 4 months of YouTube Premium
Free 6 months of SiriusXM Streaming
Free 3 months of Spotify Premium
In the United Kingdom, you will get this freebie + offer when you buy a Galaxy Z Fold 3 :
Free Flip Case + S Pen + 25W Super Fast Charger
Free 4 months of YouTube Premium
5% cash back on Samsung.com purchases using Samsung Pay+
In Australia, you will get these offers when you buy a Galaxy Z Fold 3 :
Bonus $500 when you trade-in an eligible device
50% off Samsung Care+
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 : Hands-On + Key Features!
The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 boasts a large 7.6-inch Infinity Flex display, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel that has a 120 Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1768 x 2208 pixels.
In the front, it has a 6.2-inch Cover Display with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, that has a 120 Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass Victus protection.
In addition to the Gorilla Glass Victus protection for the Cover Display, its rear triple camera system is protected by Gorilla Glass with DX.
Its main display has a new protective film made from stretchable PET, and newly-optimised display panel layers that is 80% more durable than the Z Fold2 display. The display is now verified to withstand folding at least 200,000 times!
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is water-resistant in up to 1.5 metres of freshwater for up to 30 minutes, but is not dust-resistant due to its foldable display and folding mechanism. Hence, it is IPX8-rated.
To protect against dust and other particles, its Hideaway Hinge has enhanced Sweeper technology, with shorter bristles.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G mobile platform, with 12 GB of memory, and either 256 GB or 512 GB of fast UFS 3.1 storage.
There are two stylus options for the Z Fold 3 – the S Pen Fold Edition, and the S Pen Pro. They both feature a specially-engineered retractable Pro tip, with force limit technology to protect the foldable display.
Complementing its massive display are dual speakers tuned by AKG, but there is no 3.5 mm audio jack, in case you are wondering.
Just above its cover display, is a 10 MP camera, which you can use without unfolding the phone. When unfolded, you can use the 4 MP front camera, which is hidden under the display for a seamless look.
At the back, it has a triple camera system, that consists of :
12 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture
12 MP telephone camera, with 2X zoom and f/2.4 aperture
12 MP ultra-wide camera, with f/2.2 aperture
Powering all that is a large 4,400 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, and it supports 25 watt fast charging, and 11 watt wireless charging. It can even wireless recharge other devices, albeit at just 4.5 watts.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Here in Malaysia, you can pre-order one from 19 September to 21 September 2021, with these freebies :
RM600 e-voucher for Samsung Malaysia Online Store
Samsung Care+ protection (1 year), which covers accidental damage, including screen replacement, water damage and back cover replacement
In Singapore, you can pre-order one with these freebies :
Free Wireless Charger Duo and Clear Cover with Ring
Samsung Care+ protection (1 year), which covers accidental damage, including screen replacement, water damage and back cover replacement
In the United States, you will get these offers or freebies when you buy a Galaxy Z Flip 3 :
50% off Samsung Galaxy Buds2
Free 4 months of YouTube Premium
Free 6 months of SiriusXM Streaming
Free 3 months of Spotify Premium
In the United Kingdom, you will get this freebie + offer when you buy a Galaxy Z Flip 3 :
Free 4 months of YouTube Premium
5% cash back on Samsung.com purchases using Samsung Pay+
In Australia, you will get these offers when you buy a Galaxy Z Flip 3 :
Bonus $300 when you trade-in an eligible device
50% off Samsung Care+
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Hands-On + Key Features!
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 boasts a large 6.7-inch Infinity Flex display, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel that has a 120 Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1080 x 2640 pixels.
In the front, it has a small 1.9-inch Cover Display with a Super AMOLED panel with a resolution of 260 x 512 pixels.
Its foldable display has a new protective film made from stretchable PET, and newly-optimised display panel layers that is 80% more durable than the Z Fold2 display. The foldable display is now verified to withstand folding at least 200,000 times!
Its chassis is made with Armor Aluminium, and the Cover Display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. Its Dual Pixel main camera is also protected by Gorilla Glass with DX.
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is water-resistant in up to 1.5 metres of freshwater for up to 30 minutes, but is not dust-resistant due to its foldable display and folding mechanism. Hence, it is IPX8-rated.
To protect against dust and other particles, its Hideaway Hinge has enhanced Sweeper technology, with shorter bristles.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G mobile platform, with 8 GB of memory, and either 128 GB or 256 GB of fast UFS 3.1 storage.
Its redesigned Cover Screen is now 4X larger, making it easier to view notifications and messages without opening the Z Flip 3.
You will be able to check your schedule, the weather, and your daily step count with the new Cover Screen widgets. You can even coordinate its wallpaper with the new Galaxy Watch4 or Galaxy Watch4 Classic!
In the front, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 has a 10 MP punch hole camera, with an f/2.4 aperture, in the front.
And at the back, it has a dual-camera system :
12 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture
12 MP ultra-wide camera, with f/2.2 aperture
Powering all that is a 3,300 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, which supports 15 watt fast charging, and 10 watt wireless charging. It can even wireless recharge other devices, albeit at just 4.5 watts.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Here are my first impressions of the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldable smartphone!
Find out if this is the foldable smartphone for you!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Unboxing + Contents!
The new Galaxy Z Flip 3 is Samsung’s third-generation Flip device, featuring not only a large foldable 6.7-inch display, but also IPX8 water resistance!
As a Samsung ultra-premium smartphone, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 comes in a premium two-tone black-grey box.
Once you fully unbox it, you should find these items inside :
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 smartphone
Quick Start Guide
USB-C to USB-C data and power cable
SIM tray ejection pin
Unfortunately, it does not come with a fast charger in-the-box, or an USB-C to 3.5 mm audio adaptor.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Hands-On + Key Features!
6.7-inch Foldable Display
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 boasts a large 6.7-inch Infinity Flex display, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel that has a 120 Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1080 x 2640 pixels.
Its foldable display has a new protective film made from stretchable PET, and newly-optimised display panel layers that is 80% more durable than the Z Fold2 display.
The foldable display lets you partially unfold at any angle, and is now certified to withstand folding at least 200,000 times!
1.9-inch Cover Display
In the front, it has a small 1.9-inch Cover Display with a Super AMOLED panel with a resolution of 260 x 512 pixels.
This redesigned Cover Screen is 4X larger, making it easier to view notifications and messages without opening the Z Flip 3.
You will be able to check your schedule, the weather, and your daily step count with the new Cover Screen widgets. You can even coordinate its wallpaper with the new Galaxy Watch4 or Galaxy Watch4 Classic!
The Cover Display also serves as a camera preview display, letting you use both rear cameras for superior selfies!
Performance + Storage
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G mobile platform, which makes it one of the most powerful smartphones in the world.
Our review sample came with 8 GB of memory, and 128 GB of fast UFS 3.1 storage. It is also available with 256 GB of storage.
It only supports a single SIM card, with no microSD card tray. There is no option to increase storage, but generally 128 GB of storage is more than enough for most people.
Protection
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is water-resistant in up to 1.5 metres of freshwater for up to 30 minutes, but is not dust-resistant due to its foldable display and folding mechanism. Hence, it is IPX8-rated.
To protect against dust and other particles, its Hideaway Hinge has enhanced Sweeper technology, with shorter bristles.
In addition, its chassis is made with Armor Aluminium, and the Cover Display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. Its Dual Pixel main camera is also protected by Gorilla Glass with DX.
Front Camera
Samsung flagship smartphones are notable for featuring cutting-edge cameras, but the Galaxy Z Flip 3 stayed with the last generation cameras.
In front, it uses a 10 MP punch hole camera, with an f/2.4 aperture. To be clear, this is an excellent camera. It’s just not new.
Dual Cameras At The Back
In the back, it has a dual-camera system, which consists of :
a 12 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with f/2.2 aperture
These cameras are offer great image quality, even in low-light conditions – thanks to their large apertures.
And as I pointed out earlier, the Cover Display lets you use these cameras for really excellent selfies.
Buttons
The only buttons you will find are on the upper right side of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 – the Volume control buttons and the Power button, which doubles as the fingerprint sensor.
Pressing the Power button twice activates the Quick Shot mode, which lets you take selfies using the rear cameras with the Cover Display for preview and control.
Only One Port
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 comes with a USB Type C port, which supports USB 3.2 connectivity.
It does not come with a 3.5 mm audio jack, or a USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter in the box.
Battery + Charging
Powering all that is a 3,300 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, which supports 15 watt fast charging, and 10 watt wireless charging. It can even wireless recharge other devices, albeit at just 4.5 watts.
This is a pretty small battery, and rather slow charging speeds. I’m currently testing its battery life and will share with you the results shortly.
Unfortunately, it does not come with an in-box charger. So you will have to use your old charger, so buy a new one.
72.2 mm wide
86.4 mm tall
15.9 mm to 17.1 mm thick
Unfolded
Dimensions
72.2 mm wide
166.0 mm tall
6.9 mm thick
Weight
183 grams
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Colour Options
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 comes in four colour options (from left to right) : Green, Cream, Lavender and Phantom Black.
Samsung also directly offers three more exclusive colours in their online store – Gray, Pink and White.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is available for purchase from 27 August 2021 onwards, with a starting price of US$999 – about £723 / A$1,361 / S$1,357 / RM 4,231.
Here in Malaysia, you can pre-order one from 19 September to 21 September 2021, with these freebies :
RM600 e-voucher for Samsung Malaysia Online Store
Samsung Care+ protection (1 year), which covers accidental damage, including screen replacement, water damage and back cover replacement
In Singapore, you can pre-order one with these freebies :
Free Wireless Charger Duo and Clear Cover with Ring
Samsung Care+ protection (1 year), which covers accidental damage, including screen replacement, water damage and back cover replacement
In the United States, you will get these offers or freebies when you buy a Galaxy Z Flip 3 :
50% off Samsung Galaxy Buds2
Free 4 months of YouTube Premium
Free 6 months of SiriusXM Streaming
Free 3 months of Spotify Premium
In the United Kingdom, you will get this freebie + offer when you buy a Galaxy Z Flip 3 :
Free 4 months of YouTube Premium
5% cash back on Samsung.com purchases using Samsung Pay+
In Australia, you will get these offers when you buy a Galaxy Z Flip 3 :
Bonus $300 when you trade-in an eligible device
50% off Samsung Care+
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Join us for the unboxing and hands-on preview of the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3!
Find out if this is the foldable smartphone for you!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Unboxing + Contents!
The new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is their third-generation Flip device, featuring not only a large foldable 6.7-inch display but also IPX8 water resistance!
As a Samsung ultra-premium smartphone, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 comes in a premium two-tone black-grey box, with these items inside :
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 smartphone
Quick Start Guide
USB C to USB C data and power cable
Ejection pin
Unfortunately, it does not come with a fast charger in-the-box, or an USB-C to 3.5 mm audio adaptor.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Hands-On + Key Features!
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 boasts a large 6.7-inch Infinity Flex display, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel that has a 120 Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1080 x 2640 pixels.
In the front, it has a small 1.9-inch Cover Display with a Super AMOLED panel with a resolution of 260 x 512 pixels.
Its foldable display has a new protective film made from stretchable PET, and newly-optimised display panel layers that is 80% more durable than the Z Fold2 display. The foldable display is now verified to withstand folding at least 200,000 times!
Its chassis is made with Armor Aluminium, and the Cover Display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. Its Dual Pixel main camera is also protected by Gorilla Glass with DX.
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is water-resistant in up to 1.5 metres of freshwater for up to 30 minutes, but is not dust-resistant due to its foldable display and folding mechanism. Hence, it is IPX8-rated.
To protect against dust and other particles, its Hideaway Hinge has enhanced Sweeper technology, with shorter bristles.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G mobile platform, with 8 GB of memory, and either 128 GB or 256 GB of fast UFS 3.1 storage.
Its redesigned Cover Screen is now 4X larger, making it easier to view notifications and messages without opening the Z Flip 3.
You will be able to check your schedule, the weather, and your daily step count with the new Cover Screen widgets. You can even coordinate its wallpaper with the new Galaxy Watch4 or Galaxy Watch4 Classic!
It has a 10 MP punch hole camera, with an f/2.4 aperture, in the front. And a dual-camera system at the back :
12 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture
12 MP ultra-wide camera, with f/2.2 aperture
Powering all that is a 3,300 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, which supports 15 watt fast charging, and 10 watt wireless charging. It can even wireless recharge other devices, albeit at just 4.5 watts.
72.2 mm wide
86.4 mm tall
15.9 mm to 17.1 mm thick
Unfolded
Dimensions
72.2 mm wide
166.0 mm tall
6.9 mm thick
Weight
183 grams
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Colour Options
Samsung will offer the Galaxy Z Flip 3 in four colour options (from left to right) : Green, Cream, Lavender and Phantom Black.
Samsung will also directly offer three more exclusive colours in their online store – Gray, Pink and White.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 : Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is available for purchase from 27 August 2021 onwards, with a starting price of US$999 – about £723 / A$1,361 / S$1,357 / RM 4,231.
Here in Malaysia, you can pre-order one from 19 September to 21 September 2021, with these freebies :
RM600 e-voucher for Samsung Malaysia Online Store
Samsung Care+ protection (1 year), which covers accidental damage, including screen replacement, water damage and back cover replacement
In Singapore, you can pre-order one with these freebies :
Free Wireless Charger Duo and Clear Cover with Ring
Samsung Care+ protection (1 year), which covers accidental damage, including screen replacement, water damage and back cover replacement
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Join us for the unboxing and hands-on preview of the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3!
Find out if this is the foldable smartphone for you!
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 : Unboxing + Contents!
The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is their third-generation Fold device, featuring not only a large foldable 7.6-inch display but also IPX8 water resistance!
As a Samsung ultra-premium smartphone, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 comes in a large premium two-tone black-grey box.
Once you fully unbox it, you should find these items inside :
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 smartphone
Quick Start Guide
USB C to USB C data and power cable
Ejection pin
Unfortunately, it does not come with a fast charger in-the-box, or an USB-C to 3.5 mm audio adaptor.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 : Hands-On + Key Features!
The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 boasts a large 7.6-inch Infinity Flex display, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel that has a 120 Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1768 x 2208 pixels.
In the front, it has a 6.2-inch Cover Display with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, that has a 120 Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass Victus protection.
In addition to the Gorilla Glass Victus protection for the Cover Display, its rear triple camera system is protected by Gorilla Glass with DX.
Its main display has a new protective film made from stretchable PET, and newly-optimised display panel layers that is 80% more durable than the Z Fold2 display. The display is now verified to withstand folding at least 200,000 times!
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is water-resistant in up to 1.5 metres of freshwater for up to 30 minutes, but is not dust-resistant due to its foldable display and folding mechanism. Hence, it is IPX8-rated.
To protect against dust and other particles, its Hideaway Hinge has enhanced Sweeper technology, with shorter bristles.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G mobile platform, with 12 GB of memory, and either 256 GB or 512 GB of fast UFS 3.1 storage.
There are two stylus options for the Z Fold 3 – the S Pen Fold Edition, and the S Pen Pro. They both feature a specially-engineered retractable Pro tip, with force limit technology to protect the foldable display.
Complementing its massive display are dual speakers tuned by AKG, but there is no 3.5 mm audio jack, in case you are wondering.
Just above its cover display, is a 10 MP camera, which you can use without unfolding the phone. When unfolded, you can use the 4 MP front camera, which is hidden under the display for a seamless look.
At the back, it has a triple camera system, that consists of :
12 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture
12 MP telephone camera, with 2X zoom and f/2.4 aperture
12 MP ultra-wide camera, with f/2.2 aperture
Powering all that is a large 4,400 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, and it supports 25 watt fast charging, and 11 watt wireless charging. It can even wireless recharge other devices, albeit at just 4.5 watts.
67.1 mm wide
158.2 mm tall
14.4 mm to 16.0 mm thick
Unfolded
Dimensions
128.1 mm wide
158.2 mm tall
6.4 mm thick
Weight
271 grams
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 : Colour Options
Samsung will offer the Galaxy Z Fold 3 in three colour options (from left to right) : Phantom Green, Phantom Black and Phantom Silver.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 : Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be available for purchase from 27 August 2021 onwards, with a starting price of US$1,799 – about £1,299 / A$2,449 / S$2,439 / RM 7,619.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched their third-generation foldable smartphone – the Galaxy Z Fold 3!
Here is everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 smartphone!
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 : Everything You Need To Know!
On 11 August 2021, Samsung introduced their third-generation Galaxy Z Fold 3 smartphone, and here is everything you need to know!
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 boasts a large 7.6-inch Infinity Flex display, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel that has a 120 Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1768 x 2208 pixels.
In the front, it has a 6.2-inch Cover Display with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, that has a 120 Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass Victus protection.
In addition to the Gorilla Glass Victus protection for the Cover Display, its rear triple camera system is protected by Gorilla Glass with DX.
Its main display has a new protective film made from stretchable PET, and newly-optimised display panel layers that is 80% more durable than the Z Fold2 display. The display is now verified to withstand folding at least 200,000 times!
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is water-resistant in up to 1.5 metres of freshwater for up to 30 minutes, but is not dust-resistant due to its foldable display and folding mechanism. Hence, it is IPX8-rated.
To protect against dust and other particles, its Hideaway Hinge has enhanced Sweeper technology, with shorter bristles.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G mobile platform, with 12 GB of memory, and either 256 GB or 512 GB of fast UFS 3.1 storage.
There are two stylus options for the Z Fold 3 – the S Pen Fold Edition, and the S Pen Pro. They both feature a specially-engineered retractable Pro tip, with force limit technology to protect the foldable display.
Complementing its massive display are dual speakers tuned by AKG, but there is no 3.5 mm audio jack, in case you are wondering.
Just above its cover display, is a 10 MP camera, which you can use without unfolding the phone. When unfolded, you can use the 4 MP front camera, which is hidden under the display for a seamless look.
At the back, it has a triple camera system, that consists of :
12 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture
12 MP telephone camera, with 2X zoom and f/2.4 aperture
12 MP ultra-wide camera, with f/2.2 aperture
Powering all that is a large 4,400 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, and it supports 25 watt fast charging, and 11 watt wireless charging. It can even wireless recharge other devices, albeit at just 4.5 watts.
67.1 mm wide
158.2 mm tall
14.4 mm to 16.0 mm thick
Unfolded
Dimensions
128.1 mm wide
158.2 mm tall
6.4 mm thick
Weight
271 grams
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 : Colour Options
Samsung will offer the Galaxy Z Fold 3 in three colour options (from left to right) : Phantom Green, Phantom Black and Phantom Silver.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 : Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be available for purchase from 27 August 2021 onwards, with a starting price of US$1,799 – about £1,299 / A$2,449 / S$2,439 / RM 7,619.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Realme just called us up personally to explain their side of the story, and sent us an official response to AnTuTu’s shocking claims of benchmark cheating!
Find out what’s going on, and what this benchmark cheating allegation could mean for the Realme brand, and potential Realme GT customers!
Realme On AnTuTu Cheating : It Was A Bug!
After we posted our coverage of AnTuTu exposing how the new Realme GT cheats at their benchmark, we received a personal call from Realme PR.
We were told that this was simply a misunderstanding of sorts – there was “a technical bug” that caused the “scoring issue“.
Unfortunately, they have yet to reveal what bug would cause the CPU thread delay and mosaic colour block modifications of the AnTuTu Benchmark in Realme GT.
We will update you with the details of this bug, when we receive them from Realme PR.
They also claimed that “for the last few months”, they “tried not to mention anything about AnTuTu Benchmark”, or “associate Realme with AnTuTu Benchmark”.
At this point, we should share that Realme CMO Xu Qi Chase himself posted this (now) infamous screenshot of Realme GT scoring over 770,000 on AnTuTu Benchmark on 20 February 2021 – less than a month ago.
Realme On AnTuTu Cheating : There Were No Guidelines!
Realme then followed up with an official statement, claiming that the realme GT benchmark results are accurate.
They also claimed that the misunderstanding was due to a lack of “official benchmark standards or guidelines“.
Benchmark scores of realme GT are all accurate data under the current versions of the Antutu benchmark.
realme has always been committed to bringing users excellent performance, the actual user experience is the top priority for realme.
On the other hand, regarding the test issues doubted by both sides, we are communicating with Antutu positively now.
Since there is no official benchmark standards or guidelines now, so maybe there are some different understanding between manufacturers and Antutu on how to get a higher benchmark score, so before the final conclusion, we think “cheating” may be misleading for followers, it’s better to change it to “an unverified high score”.
What happened to the bug???
As for guidelines when it comes to benchmarking, we are pretty sure it is as simple as :
Update to the latest firmware.
Clear all other apps.
Run the benchmark as-is, without modifications.
What other guidelines do you need to run AnTuTu, or any other mobile benchmark really?
Realme GT Cheating In AnTuTu Benchmark : A Quick Primer!
AnTuTu just exposed how Realme cheated at their benchmark to obtain the phenomenally high score of over 770,000 that Xu Qi Chase posted above.
After analysing the performance of a retail Realme GT unit, they discovered that it implemented two cheats :
Thread Delay : falsely inflating the CPU multi-thread test score by intercepting threads and assigning them to the fast cores.
Mosaic Colour Block Modification : falsely inflating the UX score by replacing the details in the reference JPG image with colour blocks.
They then warned that if Realme does not remove the cheats within 3 months, they will ban Realme GT permanently.
What Does Realme GT Cheating Mean For Potential Customers?
If AnTuTu allegations are true, this is going to really spike the sale of the Realme GT, which is set to launch in many countries.
Especially when this incident reminds potential buyers of the time when Realme was caught faking the 90 Hz display on the Realme 6 and Realme 6 Pro.
Perhaps that is why Realme has been reluctant to send their smartphones to be reviewed, relying instead on influencers and online sales to sell their smartphones.
This new AnTuTu Benchmark cheating scandal could be a serious blow to Realme’s credibility, and a tipping point for the Realme brand.
It became a fast-rising brand by borrowing the Xiaomi model of offering a ton of features at very low prices.
The fact that Realme has a flagship smartphone powered by the latest Snapdragon 888 SoC should be a testament to how far it came, so quickly.
Yet it appears that they will go way beyond aggressive pricing and other usual tactics to win market share.
Potential customers (and other benchmark developers) will now wonder – if the Realme GT was caught cheating in AnTuTu, could it also be cheating in other benchmarks?
Even worse – what other Realme smartphones employ such tactics to obtain higher than normal scores? This will be a real PR headache.
We should point out though that benchmark cheating is not limited to smartphone brands. Even MediaTek was caught cheating in 8 of their chipsets, involving more than 50 smartphones from Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo and yes, Realme too.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Realme GT faces a possible permanent ban after it was caught cheating in the AnTuTu Benchmark!
Find out what’s going on, and what it means to you – potential Realme customers!
Benchmark Cheating : Why Do It?
The smartphone industry is a cut-throat business, with brands fighting to differentiate their smartphones from their competitors. One of the ways is to demonstrate a clear performance advantage.
Other than the usual ways – using more powerful processor and graphics cores – brands can tune their operating system to focus more on performance, at the expense of battery life.
However, when they use the same mobile platform, a desperate brand may resort to cheating to gain an edge over their rivals.
AnTuTu is accusing Realme of doing just that with their flagship Realme GT smartphone.
Realme GT Caught Cheating In AnTuTu Benchmark?
On 15 March 2021, AnTuTu posted their Weibo expose on how the Realme GT cheated at their benchmark. For your convenience, we are reposting it at the end of this article with our English translation.
AnTuTu first became suspicious when Realme declared an AnTuTu Benchmark result of over 770,000 for their Realme GT smartphone before it launched.
When Realme did not respond to their questions, AnTuTu purchased a unit of the Realme GT to test it for themselves.
After analysing the performance of their unit, they discovered that the Realme GT implemented two cheats :
Thread Delay In CPU Multi-Thread Test
The Realme GT was allegedly designed to intercept the threads from the CPU Multi-Thread test, to schedule them to run on the fast cores as much as possible.
This falsely inflates its score by using the fast cores to process the threads, instead of testing the processor’s true multi-core capability in handling multiple threads concurrently.
Mosaic Colour Block Modification In UX Test
AnTuTu discovered that the Realme GT modified the reference JPG image with mosaic colour blocks.
By replacing the details in the original picture with blocking mosaics, the JPG decoding speed can be greatly inflated.
Realme GT Threatened With Permanent Ban
After announcing their results, AnTuTu announced that they removed all Realme GT scores for 3 months.
They also warned that if Realme does not remove the cheats within 3 months, they will ban Realme GT permanently.
AnTuTu also shared that their upcoming V9 benchmark will feature improved anti-cheating features, and even trigger penalties like score deductions.
Realme : AnTuTu Scores Real, Will No Longer Using AnTuTu?
Realme CMO Xu Qi Chase quickly shot back a response to AnTuTu’s expose.
If we understand this correctly, he is insisting that the Realme GT scores are accurate, and announcing that Realme will no longer use the AnTuTu Benchmark results for future Realme smartphones.
What Does Realme GT Cheating Mean For Potential Customers?
If AnTuTu allegations are true, this is a serious blow to Realme’s credibility.
It became a fast-rising brand by borrowing the Xiaomi model of offering a ton of features at very low prices.
The fact that Realme has a flagship smartphone powered by the latest Snapdragon 888 SoC should be a testament to how far it came, so quickly.
Yet it appears that they would go way beyond aggressive pricing and other usual tactics to win market share.
Potential customers (and other benchmark developers) will now wonder – if the Realme GT was caught cheating in AnTuTu, could it also be cheating in other benchmarks?
Even worse – what other Realme smartphones employ such tactics to obtain higher than normal scores? This will be a real PR headache.
We should point out though that benchmark cheating is not limited to smartphone brands. Even MediaTek was caught cheating in 8 of their chipsets, involving more than 50 smartphones from Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo and yes, Realme too.
Before the realme GT went on the market, the official announcement of the Antutu test results of more than 760,000. We questioned this, but so far we have not received a specific response from realme.
At that time, we also promised that we will purchase this model to test after the Realme GT launched. Today’s removal instructions were made after we purchased the mass production device and actually tested it.
The Realme GT we bought was purchased on the Huantai Mall on the day of its debut on March 10th, and its storage configuration is 12+256GB.
After many tests, this realme GT scored about 750,000 points in the AnTuTu V8 version, and it has reached a very good level among the models currently on sale with the Snapdragon 888 platform. But according to the data analysis we conducted during the testing process, we found that this is not a manifestation of true strength, but obtained through cheating and other means.
Through our verification, Realme GT used thread delays in the CPU multi-thread test. Through the system interception of threads, some threads of the multi-thread test are scheduled to run on large cores as much as possible, resulting in higher test results.
This approach has deviated from the original intention of the AnTuTu test. The multi-threaded test examines the multi-threaded concurrent processor multi-core performance, not to examine the performance of the large core during continuous running tests.
In addition, in the JPG decoding project of the UX test, we found that the decoded pictures of the Antutu test were modified during the real GT running, and a lot of mosaics appeared. Using mosaic color blocks to replace the original picture details can significantly reduce the quality of the picture, and thus the decoding speed will be faster, so it has a higher score. But doing so obviously violates the purpose of the picture decoding test.
To sum up, AnTuTu decided to remove the realme GT’s running scores for three months. If realme can modify the two behaviours, it will be included in the relevant list again in three months. If it refuses to modify it, it will. be banned permanently.
In the upcoming V9 version, AnTuTu will further optimize the anti-cheating program. For example, cheating will trigger some penalties such as deductions.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Xiaomi Mi 11 – their latest flagship smartphone, boasting studio-grade cameras and top-of-the-line performance – is now available in Malaysia!
Here is what you need to know about the Xiaomi Mi 11, including its price and pre-order deal in Malaysia!
Xiaomi Mi 11 : Now Available In Malaysia
On 8 February 2021, Xiaomi launched the Mi 11 – their latest flagship smartphone, built around the latest Snapdragon 888 mobile platform. It was finally introduced to Malaysia on 25 February 2021.
Let’s start with their official launch presentation on the Mi 11 smartphone :
6.81-inch 120 Hz AMOLED Display
The Xiaomi Mi 11 has a large 6.81-inch AMOLED display, with a 120 Hz refresh rate and a 480 Hz sampling rate.
It has a resolution of 1440 x 3200 pixels, a maximum brightness of 1500 nits, and is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
The Mi 11 is the first Xiaomi smartphone to feature the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 mobile SoC, fabricated on the 5 nm process.
It boasts eight CPU cores with a triple-tier architecture, consisting of :
1 x Kryo 680 Prime core (based on ARM Cortex-X1) at up to 2.84 GHz
3 x Kryo 680 Gold cores (based on ARM Cortex-A78) at up to 2.42 GHz
4 x Kryo 680 Silver cores (based on ARM Cortex-A55) at up to 1.8 GHz
It also comes with an Adreno 660 GPU, Hexagon 780 DSP, Spectra 580 ISP and a built-in X60 5G/LTE modem.
RAM + Storage Options
The Xiaomi Mi 11 comes with 8 GB of LPDDR5 SDRAM memory running at 3200 MHz.
Xiaomi will offer 128 GB and 256 GB storage options, with no external storage expansion through a microSD card.
Cameras
In the front, the Xiaomi Mi 11 has a 20 MP selfie camera, with an f/2.2 aperture. In the back, it has a triple-camera system that consists of :
108 MP main camera, f/1.85 aperture
13 MP ultra-wide camera, f/2.4 aperture
5 MP macro camera, f/2.4 aperture
This triple-camera system is supported by a single LED flash.
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the new ultimate flagship smartphone with an iconic new design!
Find out if the new Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the smartphone you have been waiting for!
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra : Ultimate Flagship!
With a 6.8-inch display and support for the S Pen, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is designed to maximise your productivity and creativity.
Its edge-to-edge Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with curved edges, has a Quad HD+ resolution, with an adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate.
New Flagship Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 in the US, South Korea and China, and the new Samsung Exynos 2100 in other countries.
They are both flagship mobile SoCs, and here is a quick comparison of their key specifications :
Specifications
Samsung
Exynos 2100
Qualcomm
Snapdragon 888
Fab Process
5 nm EUV
Processor
1 x Cortex-X1 (2.9 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A78 (2.8 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 (2.2 GHz)
1 x Cortex-X1 (2.84 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A78 (2.4 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 (1.8 GHz)
The Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with a 40 MP front camera, with an f/2.2 aperture. In the back, it has a new quad camera system, that consists of :
a 108 MP main camera, with an f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with an f/2.2 aperture
a 10 MP telephoto camera, with an f/2.4 aperture, and 3X optical zoom, and
a 10 MP periscope telephoto camera, with an f/4.9 aperture, and 10X optical zoom
For the first time on a Galaxy smartphone, you can now shoot in 4K at 60 fps on all front and rear cameras. In addition, you can choose to take photos in a 12-bit RAW format!
And its dual telephoto cameras powers its phenomenal 100X Space Zoom capability, with Zoom Lock capability.
It also comes with other improvements like :
Improved 8K Snap, that lets you capture clear images from your 8K video footage
Super Steady video now supports 60 fps video recording
Single Take lets you capture a variety of still and video formats with a single tap.
It is now enhanced with new pro-style settings like Highlight Video and Dynamic Slow-Mo
New Director’s View that lets you see, switch and select the best shot… LIVE!
S Pen Support
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the first S Series smartphone to support the S Pen, with Wacom’s technology.
You can use an existing S Pen from the Galaxy Note, or Galaxy Tab, or purchase a separate S Pen, or with a compatible case.
Faster WiFi
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is also one of the first smartphones to support the Wi-Fi 6E standard.
This opens up the 6 GHz spectrum, introducing 14 additional 80 MHz channels and 7 additional 160 MHz channels.
When used with a compatible Wi-Fi 6E router, it will allow for higher bandwidths and reduced congestion.
Samsung SmartThings Find
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra supports the new SmartThings Find capability, which lets you quickly and easily locate compatible Galaxy devices, even when they are offline.
You can also locate non-connected devices using Samsung’s new Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth locater. Simply attach it to your keys, bag or pet, and use SmartThings Find to locate them!
Protection
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is IP68-rated against dust and water, allowing you to immerse it in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water, for up to 30 minutes.
Its display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus against scratches in the front.
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with a large 5,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, and it supports 18 watt wireless charging, as well as 25 watt wired charging.
But here’s the bad news – the Galaxy S21 Ultra does NOT come with a charger in the box. It only ships with a USB-C to USB-C cable.
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Samsung just introduced the Galaxy S21 Plus, a new flagship smartphone with an iconic new design!
Find out if the new Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is the smartphone you have been waiting for!
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus : Large Battery Flagship!
With a 6.7-inch display and a large battery, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is designed for marathon gamers and binge-watchers.
Its edge-to-edge Dynamic AMOLED 2X display has a Full HD+ resolution, with an adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate.
New Flagship Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 in the US, South Korea and China, and the new Samsung Exynos 2100 in other countries.
They are both flagship mobile SoCs, and here is a quick comparison of their key specifications :
Specifications
Samsung
Exynos 2100
Qualcomm
Snapdragon 888
Fab Process
5 nm EUV
Processor
1 x Cortex-X1 (2.9 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A78 (2.8 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 (2.2 GHz)
1 x Cortex-X1 (2.84 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A78 (2.4 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 (1.8 GHz)
The Galaxy S21 Plus comes with a 10 MP Dual Pixel front camera, with an f/2.2 aperture. The Dual Pixel capability allows for faster auto-focus.
In the back, it has a triple camera system, that consists of :
a 12 MP Dual Pixel main camera, with an f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with an f/2.2 aperture
a 64 MP telephoto camera, with an f/2.0 aperture, 1.1X optical zoom and 3X hybrid optic zoom.
Most of the improvements are in its camera software :
Improved 8K Snap, that lets you capture clear images from your 8K video footage
Super Steady video now supports 60 fps video recording
Single Take lets you capture a variety of still and video formats with a single tap.
It is now enhanced with new pro-style settings like Highlight Video and Dynamic Slow-Mo
New Director’s View that lets you see, switch and select the best shot… LIVE!
Improved Space Zoom with new Zoom Lock capability
Samsung SmartThings Find
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus supports the new SmartThings Find capability, which lets you quickly and easily locate compatible Galaxy devices, even when they are offline.
You can also locate non-connected devices using Samsung’s new Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth locater. Simply attach it to your keys, bag or pet, and use SmartThings Find to locate them!
Protection
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is IP68-rated against dust and water, allowing you to immerse it in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water, for up to 30 minutes.
Its display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus against scratches in the front.
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus comes with a large 4,800 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, and it supports 18 watt wireless charging, as well as 25 watt wired charging.
But here’s the bad news – the Galaxy S21 Plus does NOT come with a charger in the box. It only ships with a USB-C to USB-C cable.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus : Specifications
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Model
SM-G996
Display Size
6.7-inch Flat
Display Panel
Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Display Resolution
1080 x 2400 pixels
Pixel Density
394 ppi
Display Features
48~120 Hz refresh rate
1300 nits
Protection
IP68, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Operating System
One UI 3.1 (Android 11)
Platform
Samsung Exynos 2100, or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
Memory
8 GB LPDDR5
Storage Options
256 GB
External Storage
None
Front Camera
10 MP Dual Pixel (f/2.2)
Rear
Cameras
12 MP Dual Pixel (f/1.8) main camera
12 MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide camera
64 MP (f/2.0) telephoto camera
– 1.1X optical zoom, 3X hybrid zoom
Connectivity
5G / 4G / 3G / 2G
Wi-Fi : WiFi-AC
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 3.2 Type C
GPS Support
GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, BeiDou
Ultra Wideband
Yes
NFC / MST
Yes
S Pen Support
No
Fingerprint Sensor
In Display
Other Sensors
Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro,
Geomagnetic, Hall sensor,
Proximity, Ambient Light
Audio
Dual stereo speakers tuned by AKG
Battery
4,800 mAh
Charging
25 watt wired,
18 watt wireless
Width
Height
Thickness
75.6 mm
161.5 mm
7.8 mm
Weight
200 g
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus : Colour Options
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus comes in three colour options – Phantom Silver, Phantom Black and a new signature colour, Phantom Violet.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus : Launch Price List
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus comes in two variants globally, with these prices :
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Galaxy S21 comes with a 10 MP Dual Pixel front camera, with an f/2.2 aperture. The Dual Pixel capability allows for faster auto-focus.
In the back, it has a triple camera system, that consists of :
a 12 MP Dual Pixel main camera, with an f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with an f/2.2 aperture
a 64 MP telephoto camera, with an f/2.0 aperture, 1.1X optical zoom and 3X hybrid optic zoom.
Most of the improvements are in its camera software :
Improved 8K Snap, that lets you capture clear images from your 8K video footage
Super Steady video now supports 60 fps video recording
Single Take lets you capture a variety of still and video formats with a single tap.
It is now enhanced with new pro-style settings like Highlight Video and Dynamic Slow-Mo
New Director’s View that lets you see, switch and select the best shot… LIVE!
Improved Space Zoom with new Zoom Lock capability
Samsung SmartThings Find
Samsung Galaxy S21 supports the new SmartThings Find capability, which lets you quickly and easily locate compatible Galaxy devices, even when they are offline.
You can also locate non-connected devices using Samsung’s new Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth locater. Simply attach it to your keys, bag or pet, and use SmartThings Find to locate them!
Protection
The Samsung Galaxy S21 is IP68-rated against dust and water, allowing you to immerse it in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water, for up to 30 minutes.
Its display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus against scratches in the front.
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S21 comes with a 4,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, and it supports 18 watt wireless charging, as well as 25 watt wired charging.
But here’s the bad news – the Galaxy S21 does NOT come with a charger in the box. It only ships with a USB-C to USB-C cable.
Samsung Galaxy S21 : Specifications
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S21
Model
SM-G991
Display Size
6.2-inch Flat
Display Panel
Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Display Resolution
1080 x 2400 pixels
Pixel Density
421 ppi
Display Features
48~120 Hz refresh rate
1300 nits
Protection
IP68, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Operating System
One UI 3.1 (Android 11)
Platform
Samsung Exynos 2100, or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
Memory
8 GB LPDDR5
Storage Options
256 GB
External Storage
None
Front Camera
10 MP Dual Pixel (f/2.2)
Rear Cameras
12 MP Dual Pixel (f/1.8) main camera
12 MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide camera
64 MP (f/2.0) telephoto camera
– 1.1X optical zoom, 3X hybrid zoom
Connectivity
5G / 4G / 3G / 2G
Wi-Fi : WiFi-AC
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 3.2 Type C
GPS Support
GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, BeiDou
Ultra Wideband
No
NFC / MST
Yes
S Pen Support
No
Fingerprint Sensor
In Display
Other Sensors
Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro,
Geomagnetic, Hall sensor,
Proximity, Ambient Light
Audio
Dual stereo speakers tuned by AKG
Battery
4,000 mAh
Charging
25 watt wired,
18 watt wireless
Width
Height
Thickness
71.2 mm
161.7 mm
7.9 mm
Weight
169 g
Samsung Galaxy S21 : Colour Options
The Samsung Galaxy S21 comes in four colour options – Phantom Grey, Phantom White, Phantom Pink and a new signature colour, Phantom Violet.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus : Launch Price List
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus comes in two variants globally, with these prices :
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The 2021 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event is almost here! Are you ready for the unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S21 smartphones?
While we wait for the official launch on 14 January 2021, here is everything we know about the S21 series so far!
2021 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked : Are You Ready?
Samsung is kicking off 2021 with a big bang on January 14 – the first Galaxy Unpacked of the year!
Unlike previous years, they are going to announce their latest Galaxy S21 smartphones on the last day of CES 2021, instead of during Mobile World Congress in February or March.
The 2021 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked will be broadcast globally on www.samsung.com (www.samsung.com/my here in Malaysia) at 11 PM (GMT+8) on 14 January 2021.
If you register your interest at https://www.samsung.com/my/unpacked/ by 14 January 2021, you will be entitled to redeem a FREE Samsung Galaxy Fit2 worth RM179 when you pre-order any Galaxy S21 smartphone!
2021 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked : What We Know So Far!
The 2021 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked will be the official launch of the Samsung Galaxy S21 series of smartphones. Here is what we know so far… based on what’s been leaked.
Three Galaxy Galaxy S21 Models
Samsung will offer three models :
6.2-inch Galaxy S21
6.7-inch Galaxy S21+ (Galaxy S21 Plus)
6.8-inch Galaxy S21 Ultra
Displays
All three models will come with a Dynamic AMOLED display, with dynamic refresh rates of up to 120 Hz.
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
