The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G has left me shocked and confused – here's why

For months in the run up to the recent Samsung Unpacked event, I wrote repeatedly about how the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G looked like a game-changer for me.

Thanks to its smart new hardware and software it was to be the device that finally got me to take the plunge into the world of the best folding phones, with the Z Fold 3 5G offering me both phone and tablet functionality compromise-free.

And, while the Z Fold 3 5G does do a remarkable job of fulfilling that aim, I've found myself shocked by how much I actually think I prefer the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G instead.

• Breaking! Nintendo Switch OLED screen burn-in warning officially addressed by Nintendo

In fact, since starting a testing period with both the Z Fold 3 5G and Z Flip 3 5G, I've almost exclusively opted to carry the latter instead of the former. And that's shocked me.

What makes this even more confusing for me, though, is that I was perfectly aware that the Flip 3 5G was coming. Its looks, capabilities and - crucially - form factor just seem to have ambushed me from a position of hiding in plain sight.

So, why have I fallen for the Flip 3 5G so hard? The answer I think is multiple fold.

1. Firstly, the Flip 3 5G looks gorgeous. The two tier exterior design, with the 1.9-inch cover screen and lens array separated from the rest of the backplate just looks class, and the fit and finish of the phone is top-tier. It feels premium in the hand. You can bag the device in 7 different colorways, too, so there's a wide-range of finishes on offer.

2. The capabilities of the phone are really, really impressive. Coming to use the Z Flip 3 from the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra I was expecting a serious performance drop, but maybe battery life aside (which seems slightly weaker), I've been seriously impressed with the parity of performance. It's like carrying around a flagship-grade phone, but one that has a folding screen and compact form factor. You get a 120Hz screen, the rapid Snapdragon 888 processor and plenty of RAM and storage space.

3. And, talking of form factor, I think the biggest reason why I'm finding myself preferring the Flip 3 over the Fold 3 is its compact, super pocket-friendly design. Because, while there's no doubting the Fold 3's quality and capability as a phone and compact tablet, it is not very pocket friendly at all. The Flip 3 on the other hand is super pocket friendly and feels great to carry around - a bit like a small wallet. It's the compact powerhouse that I think a lot of people have been calling out for. When you fold it out it delivers a large real-estate smartphone screen experience, but one that can then collapse to half that size.

Overall, then, I think it is the Flip 3's ability to deliver me a flagship-grade smartphone experience, but one that does so in a super compact, stylish form factor, that is the reason why it's hijacked my attention.

I'm a huge smartphone enthusiast, so to see a new phone so successfully rock state-of-the-art folding screen technology, while also delivering on the looks and internal hardware, is fantastic to see.

Yes, the Z Flip 3 doesn't deliver a tablet experience like its bigger brother Z Fold 3, but what it does do is elevate the premium smartphone experience to a new level.

Consider me converted.

For the today's best deals on both the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3, check out the pricing charts below.

• These are the best Samsung phones on the market today