Samsung skipped on the Galaxy Note 21 series this year due to the global semiconductor shortage. This made it the perfect time to push and embrace the foldable form factor via the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3. Theoretically, the Z Fold 3 is the perfect replacement for the Galaxy Note series.
But can that really happen? In this article, we will see why the Galaxy Z Fold series could replace the Galaxy Note series but also why the Z Fold 3 is not the right candidate to take the place of the canceled Galaxy Note 21 Ultra.
Why the Z Fold 3 Can Replace the Galaxy Note 21 Ultra
If you think about it, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is everything a Galaxy Note user would want. A bigger screen, better multitasking capabilities, a desktop-like experience, and S Pen support. It's built with the power user in mind. Let's explore that in detail.
A Bigger Screen Real Estate Makes Multitasking Easier
The biggest benefit of a foldable device is the bigger screen real estate. The Z Fold 3 fulfills this goal quite well with its large 7.6-inch QHD+ main screen which gets plenty bright at 1200 nits for on-the-run productivity and general outdoor use.
Add to that the OneUI 3.5 skin on top of Android 11 which is custom-built to take advantage of that bigger screen estate. Not just that, but you can also pin your favorite apps to the side of the device. It's a lot like the taskbar you have on your PC or Mac.
You can also open up to three apps at once for instant multitasking. For example, if you're a writer, you can open Chrome, Spotify, and Google Docs all at the same time. This way, you can browse the web, listen to music, and proofread your article simultaneously.
On top of the three apps, you can open five more apps via Pop-up View for a total of eight apps. Of course, some apps may not support Multi-Active Windows or Pop-up View, but for the most part, productivity apps work like magic.
None of the Galaxy Note devices can replicate this functionality and multitasking abilities.
The Z Fold Makes Better Use of the S Pen
The Z Fold 3 is also the first foldable phone ever to be S Pen compatible—which is already a big win for a Galaxy Note user. And if you think about it, the S Pen makes more sense for the Z Fold series than it does for the Galaxy Note series.
For example, while the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has an edge-to-edge 6.9-inch display, the S Pen still suffers from its limited screen real estate. Ideally, you want your S Pen to have enough room to draw and sketch, take notes, edit work documents, and more.
While you can sort of do those things on your Galaxy Note device, the execution is still restricted and doesn't offer the same level of fluidity that a bigger screen can bring. This is where a folding phone like the Z Fold 3 can really shine.
Due to its bigger screen, it's capable of making better use out of the S Pen. For instance, if you are an artist, you will find that working on that bigger canvas allows for better attention to detail since you can zoom in on your design without having the surrounding parts of it cut out of the screen.
Why the Z Fold 3 Can't Replace the Galaxy Note 21 Ultra
Now, the bad news. While the Z Fold 3 is cool, it's still not a good replacement for the canceled Galaxy Note 21 Ultra. The former has a lot of surface-level features, but can't hold itself together as well as the latter in terms of everyday use.
Battery Life Is a Big Problem on Foldable Phones
The bigger screen on the Z Fold 3 is a welcomed upgrade, yes, but it comes with a big price—both literally and metaphorically. The bigger the screen of a device, the more battery it will use to fire up those pixels.
The higher the brightness level, the faster the battery drain. Add to that the Z Fold 3's 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel and you have yourself a device that will need to be recharged regularly.
This is very counterintuitive because the last thing a Galaxy Note user would want is for their phone to suddenly die while they're working on an important project and don't have a charger handy with them.
Foldables Have Delicate Screens and Need Special S Pens
Sadly, foldable tech is not that strong yet and needs time to become as good as regular smartphone glass. The Z Fold 3 suffers from the same problem. Despite its screen improvement, it is still delicate and can easily be damaged.
Granted, the cover screen on foldable phones can have Gorilla Glass Victus. But if you buy a foldable phone, you'd be using the main foldable screen more often anyway—which by the way still isn't free from the interrupting crease. This, of course, isn't a problem with Galaxy Note devices.
Also, since the main screen is delicate, you can't use the same S Pen on the Z Fold 3 that you got with your Galaxy Note phone. You have to buy a special S Pen Fold Edition or S Pen Pro that is custom-built to make sure to not damage that display.
And if that wasn't enough of an inconvenience, the Z Fold 3 also doesn't have a built-in silo to store your S Pen. Yep. You have to carry it separately or buy a special case from Samsung that has a detachable sleeve to house it.
For a Galaxy Note user, having a built-in silo to store the S Pen is a must. After all, the whole message around the Galaxy Note series is productivity made seamless. But the Z Fold 3 adds more inconveniences than it offers benefits against what the Galaxy Note 21 Ultra could've been.
Foldable Phones Need More Time to Evolve
While foldable tech is a promising candidate for the future of smartphones, the current renditions of it are still not quite ready to replace tried-and-tested iterations of existing tech. There are still a lot of new problems to solve.
For instance, how to minimize the compromises of moving parts, how to make the folding screen as durable as normal Gorilla Glass, how to fit a bigger battery in a limited phone body, how to craft a silo inside a foldable phone body, how to get rid of the crease. The list goes on.
For now, your best bet is to stick to your reliable Galaxy Note device.
