We put the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G through our rigorous DXOMARK Battery test suite to measure its performance in autonomy, charging, and efficiency. In these test results, we will break down how it fared in a variety of tests and several common use cases.
Overview
Key specifications:
- Battery capacity: 4400 mAh
- 25W charger (not included)
- 7.6-inch, 1768 x 2208, 120 Hz, OLED display
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)
- Tested ROM / RAM combination: 256 GB + 12 GB
Scoring
Sub-scores and attributes included in the calculations of the global score.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
Key performances
These key points are derived from the lab measurements during testing and do not figure into the overall score. The lab measurements, however, are used for the overall score.
Pros
- Decent autonomy when gaming
- Decent charger efficiency
- Low residual consumption of the charger
Cons
- High consumption during the night
- Low autonomy when testing each usage separately (video, music, and calling)
- Low on-the-go autonomy, especially when using the camera
- Long charging time, whether wired or wireless
- Poor autonomy recovered after a 5-minute charge
- Low charge efficiency
- High residual consumption of the wireless charger itself
- Higher-than-average discharge currents, except when gaming
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G’s global battery performance was at the low end of our database, brought down by poor autonomy, long charging time, and weak efficiency.
The Z Fold3 5G’s autonomy lasted less than 2 days in moderate use, and the device drained a lot of power during the night; as a result, its autonomy was among the lowest that we’ve tested. When testing each usage separately (video, music, and calling), the device’s autonomy also struggled because of its giant screen. The only exception was when gaming (tested unfolded) , where the autonomy was slightly above average, and the discharge current was lower than average.
When tested outside, however, taking photos and videos with the device unfolded drained the battery extremely fast, much faster than any other device we’ve tested so far.
The charging speed was slow because of the small 25W charger. A 5-minute charging boost couldn’t provide more than 2 hours and 19 minutes of autonomy, and the charge efficiency was low. However, the residual consumption of the charger was well-managed. The wireless charger didn’t do any better and showed very high residual consumption, unlike the wired charger.
Test Summary
About DXOMARK Battery tests: For scoring and analysis in our smartphone battery reviews, DXOMARK engineers perform a variety of objective tests over a week-long period both indoors and outdoors. DXOMARK’s Battery performance protocol was designed based on the classic one-screen smartphone design. However, the multiple ways of using certain apps and features on foldables required the Battery team to adapt the protocol and test certain use cases with the phone folded or unfolded, depending on what the most likely usage would be. See our introductory and how we test articles for more details about our smartphone Battery protocol.
The following section gathers key elements of our exhaustive tests and analyses performed in DXOMARK laboratories. Detailed performance evaluations under the form of reports are available upon request. Do not hesitate to contact us.
Battery | Charger | Wireless | Display | Processor | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G | 4400mAh | 25W (not included) |
11W | OLED 1768 x 2208 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G |
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 | 4400mAh | 25W (not included) |
15W | AMOLED 1812 x 2176 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon) | 5000mAh | 25W (not included) |
15W | OLED 1440 x 3200 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
Autonomy
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
188
Autonomy score is composed of three performance sub-scores: Home / Office, On the go, and Calibrated use cases. Each sub-score comprises the results of a comprehensive range of tests for measuring autonomy in all kinds of real-life scenarios.
Battery Life (moderate)
Battery Life (moderate)
Home/Office
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
213
A robot housed in a Faraday cage performs a set of touch-based user actions during what we call our “typical usage scenario” (TUS) — making calls, video streaming, etc. — 4 hours of active use over the course of a 16-hour period, plus 8 hours of “sleep.” The robot repeats this set of actions every day until the device runs out of power.
On the go
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
195
Using a smartphone on the go takes a toll on autonomy because of extra “hidden” demands, such as the continuous signaling associated with cellphone network selection, for example. DXOMARK Battery experts take the phone outdoors and perform a precisely defined set of activities while following the same three-hour travel itinerary (walking, taking the bus, the subway…) for each device
Calibrated
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
198
For this series of tests, the smartphone returns to the Faraday cage and our robots repeatedly perform actions linked to one specific use case (such as gaming, video streaming, etc.) at a time. Starting from an 80% charge, all devices are tested until they have expended at least 5% of their battery power.
Charging
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
181
Charging is fully part of the overall battery experience. In some situations where autonomy is at a minimum, knowing how fast you can charge becomes a concern. The DXOMARK Battery charging score is composed of two sub-scores, (1) Full charge and (2) Quick boost.
Full charge
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
184
Full charge tests assess the reliability of the battery power gauge; measure how long and how much power the battery takes to charge from zero to 80% capacity, from 80 to 100% as shown by the UI, and until an actual full charge.
Charging Time 0-80%
Charging Time 0-80%
Quick boost
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
182
With the phone at different charge levels (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%), Quick boost tests measure the amount of charge the battery receives after being plugged in for 5 minutes. The chart here compares the average autonomy gain from a quick 5-minute charge.
Efficiency
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
154
The DXOMARK power efficiency score consists of two sub-scores, Charge up and Discharge rate, both of which combine data obtained during robot-based typical usage scenario, calibrated tests and charging evaluation, taking into consideration the device’s battery capacity. DXOMARK calculate the annual power consumption of the product, shown on below graph, which is representative of the overall efficiency during a charge and when in use.
Charge up
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
205
The charge up sub-score is a combination of four factors: the overall efficiency of a full charge, related to how much energy you need to fill up the battery compared to the energy that the battery can provide; the efficiency of the travel adapter when it comes to transferring power from an outlet to your phone; the residual consumption when your phone is fully charged and still plugged into the charger; and the residual consumption of the charger itself, when the smartphone is disconnected from it. The chart here below shows the overall efficiency of a full charge in %.
Discharge
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
194
The discharge subscore rates the speed of a battery’s discharge during a test, which is independent of the battery’s capacity. It is the ratio of a battery’s capacity divided by its autonomy. A small-capacity battery could have the same autonomy as a large-capacity battery, indicating that the device is well-optimized, with a low discharge rate.
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