The newest Galaxy Z Fold is here, meaning there’s new hardware for you to know about, and last year’s model will now be available for a lower cost. If you’ve wanted to buy yourself this folding device for a while now, you probably want to know whether or not the new device is worth the extra money or how it’s different. If so, here’s our comparison of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 against the Z Fold 2.

For interested buyers, the third generation Z Fold can now be preordered on Samsung’s website and will be available for sale from August 27th at a starting price of $1,799.99.

Design and Display

The design Samsung introduced with the Galaxy Z Fold 2 made significant strides compared to the first generation. It was thinner and much better looking, with a large cover display and an Infinity-O panel for both screens. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 continues on a similar wavelength by further reducing almost every dimension. It’s now 6.4mm thick at the hinge when unfolded versus the 6.9mm of Z Fold 2. These changes effectively mean the Z Fold 3 is more compact and easier to hold, but Samsung has kept the display sizes from last year — a huge plus!

But keep your focus on the displays because that’s also the second differentiating factor between the two devices. It’s not one based on dimensions but rather a hardware advancement. While the cover displays have nearly identical resolutions at (2268×832) on the Z Fold 3 and (2260×816) on the Z Fold 2, the new model’s screen now refreshes at 120Hz compared to 60Hz. And for the inner panel, Samsung is using an under-display camera, allowing them to provide users with a full-screen experience.

The Z Fold 3 uses a new ECO2 panel for a 7.6-inch 120Hz AMOLED display. It also features a new protective film, which Samsung claims is 80 percent more durable than the last version they shipped. We believe this new panel is also more responsive and plays a significant role in making the new phone S-Pen compatible. In terms of size and refresh rate, the Z Fold 2 had a similar 7.6-inch 120Hz panel.

Focusing on other physical aspects, the Z Fold 3 and Z Fold 2 feature Gorilla Glass Victus for the cover display and an aluminum frame. The one used on the Z Fold 3 is now called Armor Aluminum which Samsung claims is ten percent stronger than before. But a welcome addition is that Samsung now rates the Fold 3 to have IPX8 water resistance, a standard unavailable until now on foldable devices from the Korean OEM.

Performance

To ensure these devices never give up when required, driving them are flagship chipsets from Qualcomm. The Z Fold 2 featured the 7nm Snapdragon 865 Plus, whereas the Z Fold 3 features this year’s top-of-the-line Snapdragon 888 5G. According to Qualcomm, the new chipset brings 25 percent better CPU performance and a 35 percent improvement in GPU results. So while the Z Fold 2 is no slouch, the Z Fold 3 does have a significant generational advantage.

Supporting the SoC, you’ll find 12GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage on both phones.

Camera Specifications

If you’re an avid smartphone photographer, last year’s Z Fold 2 was said by many to feature a set of sensors that were not the best, but delivered great shots, deeming it better than acceptable. According to the rumors we reported upon earlier, Samsung includes a familiar camera setup on the Z Fold 3.

Both the Z Fold 2 and Z Fold 3 feature a rear setup consisting of a 12MP ultra-wide, a 12MP wide with OIS and Dual Pixel Auto Focus, and a 12MP telephoto with OIS and 2x Zoom. The front camera on the cover display has the same 10MP unit. The shooter on the internal display is 10MP on the Z Fold 2, while the Z Fold 3 has a 4MP under-display camera.

Battery

As mentioned earlier, the Z Fold 3 features reduced dimensions, resulting in Samsung packing a marginally smaller 4400mAh cell in the foldable compared to the 4500mAh one found in the Z Fold 2. Nevertheless, both phones support wireless charging (even reverse) and 25W wired charging to ready up for a day of use.

That’s how the Z Fold 3 compares to the last generation. While the changes may not seem significant enough, this new iteration’s compact, water-resistant design and lower starting price are welcome. The added S-Pen support also makes it more of an option for those who like Samsung’s Note lineup.

Before we end, Samsung also announced the sporty Galaxy Watch 4 and traditional timepiece-like Galaxy Watch 4 Classic at the event, so make sure to read our report on those. If you’re interested in making a purchase, read our guide on the best bands available for these products and see how it compares to Apple’s Series 6.