Samsung has recently rolled out two new foldable smartphones in both form factors that the Koreans have tried and test. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 are the latest and probably the best foldable smartphones with very sophisticated hinge mechanism and water and dust proofing. While some tech pundits are busy reviewing the capabilities of these foldable devices, there are others like JerryRigEverything and iFixit putting the super expensive phones under the scalpel.
The YouTube videos from both show the complicated adhesive mechanism applied by Samsung to secure the two devices against dust and water. Interestingly the hinge is compellingly sealed and the phones feature hinge brushes to keep the dust at bay.
Samsung has used special gaskets around the cable connectors and employed a special silicone gel to seal the areas to avoid water seepage. In their teardown of the Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3, iFixit points out that despite their water-resistance the water can still seep through the display. Interestingly, the use of adhesive to secure the phone really cuts out this leak possibility and secures the phone cables.
The videos from both JerryRigEverything and iFixit suggest that these foldable phones are really difficult to repair. They also find that the phones, in spite of all the waterproofing and ratings, still don’t make the best option to carry to the pool.
In comparison to the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3, the latter has a slightly better repairability score. This means that both the phone are awesome and everything but their repair – if you have to anytime – will not be the smoothest.
