Think back to 2008 – the year Apple launched the revolutionary iPhone 3G, along with the App Store, which changed the industry. Suddenly, users were able to access a display case full of thousands of games that could be downloaded instantly to their phone, essentially giving them a mobile phone / gaming device that could be carried with them at any time (and not in -a Nokia N- Gage module).
I, like many people, have jumped into this new landscape of games with absolute enthusiasm, and in the next few years I would take the opportunity to take out my phone and play a quick game of Doodle Jump, Real Racing or Monument Valley whenever or I had a game. free time.
Of course, that enthusiasm would eventually wane, making me completely give up on mobile gaming. This was largely due to the limitations of on-screen controls on the tiny screens of mobile devices, along with aggressive monetization that would make mobile gaming unbearable for those who don’t want to give in to micro-transactions.
So believe me when I say I’m particularly surprised to wake up to go back to mobile gaming largely in 2021 – something that probably wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the launch of Galaxy Z Fold 3 from Samsung.
Suddenly, I felt compelled to take advantage of the foldable device’s large interior display and bestial specifications, looking for the most impressive visual games to play on it – I even bought a dedicated third-party Bluetooth game controller. smartphones, so there is no return now.
So, without further ado, here are the main reasons why Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 made me love mobile games again.
Its large 7.6-inch screen is unbeatable
I may be in the minority here, but I find it more or less impossible to be excited about Nintendo’s incremental OLED Switch update when I already have access to the (of course, expensive) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 – a powerful device in itself, with a screen that completely wipes the floor with Nintendo’s poor 720p offer.
Now, I may not be able to play Metroid Dread on Z Fold 3, but I can play a large number of other games that boast clearer graphics and smoother frame rates. It is no exaggeration to say that the Nintendo Switch OLED display fails to hold a flickering daylight candle on the Z Fold 3 screen.
Not only does the 7.6-inch OLED indoor display offer a larger screen than the OLED Switch, but it also boasts a 1440p resolution and support for 120 Hz ultra-line refresh rates. In addition, it is incredibly bright, offers ways to limit blue light and other visibility enhancements, and allows you to change the color vibration and white balance to your liking.
It should also be noted that the Z Fold 3’s more square aspect ratio works extraordinarily well on a screen of this size – if the normal 20: 9 aspect ratio of phones like the Galaxy S21 Ultra is meant to evoke the feeling of a mini TV with wide screen. , the inside display of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 looks more like the extended IMAX equivalent (coincidentally, Zack Snyder’s Justice League fits almost perfectly on the 11.2: 9 screen of the Z Fold 3).
its specifications make it a beast for games
In terms of performance, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is at the forefront of the Android smartphone package. Its specs read as a list of the best components available today, with the best Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset that powers the device and with a 12 GB RAM attached.
Every game I tested with customizable settings played great on Z Fold 3, with titles like Call of Duty Mobile, Fortnite, PUBG and the wonderful Shadowgun Legends booty shooter running at 60 fps in Ultra / Max settings and options such as anti-aliasing and real-time shadows enabled. Some games, such as Call of Duty Mobile and Diablo Immortal beta, offer downloadable texture packages, making their images even more impressive – as long as you have free storage.
It is also worth noting that the device is 5G compatible, which means that players whose phone plans offer access to 5G speeds benefit from faster and smoother online gaming when they are outside a Wi-Fi network.
A larger display means better on-screen controls
There is also no doubt that the larger display of the device gave this writer a competitive advantage while playing games like Call of Duty Mobile. Enemies were larger and easier to spot on the battlefield, and the on-screen controls felt more comfortable to use, as they were now more distant.
As I mentioned earlier, I became so invested in FPS games on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 that I ended up buying a third-party Bluetooth game controller. After some research, I decided on the GameSir X2 Bluetooth mobile game controller, as its flat-edged design and expandable support allowed me to easily fit the larger Z Fold 3 into its clips. In addition, its Bluetooth functionality meant that we did not need the controller to align exactly with the USB Type-C port of the Z Fold 3.
Talk about a game upgrade! While the on-screen controls worked well enough, I now had real triggers, buttons, and sticks, giving me an Xbox-like responsiveness. Combined with the advantage that the large foldable interior display offers me, I have become an unstoppable force in every ranked match I have played since then.
Access to a suite of game features
In addition to the ability to easily play graphically intensive games, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 also offers a suite of Game Booster tools, which can be accessed by simply swiping up from the bottom edge of the display while running. a game.
In addition to allowing you to monitor your device temperature and memory usage, Game Booster also allows you to turn on priority mode, which aims to block fun, such as incoming calls and notifications. It will also close the background applications that use your network connection to prevent your online game from being blocked.
In addition, you can connect to Discord via the Game Booster section, and you can also access commands that allow you to set the touch screen, lock the navigation button, take screenshots, record videos, download game plugins, and many others.
It has powerful stereo speakers
While most phones are happy to give you just a small speaker alongside the charging ports, the larger frame of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 allows for two fairly large speakers, giving you a surprisingly loud sound on each side of the device ( when played in landscape mode).
We all know that good sound is enough to give you a competitive edge while playing online, and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 offers absolutely that, even managing to emulate spatial sound thanks to the Dolby Atmos functionality of the device.
Don’t get me wrong – the effect isn’t as convincing as having proper rear and support speakers, but it certainly helps you assess where the attacks are coming from.
It is ideal for emulation
Although emulation can hardly be considered an official selling point of the device, given that emulators and ROMs are discouraged by most game publishers and console manufacturers, let us tell you (quietly) that Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a absolutely sublime device for this. special purpose – especially when playing older games in a 4: 3 aspect ratio.
Also, the ability of the Z Fold 3 to fold in the middle, along with the built-in stylus holder, make it absolutely perfect for playing games for a particular portable dual-screen gaming device from the past, which will remain unnamed (no you heard). this from us, but the Android DraStic app even allows you to import skins that can make your display look almost identical to the device in question).
Along with a Bluetooth controller, I discovered that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 excelled in emulating 16- and 64-bit games of the era, and even did well with other games in the next generation of consoles. Many emulators allow you to change the graphics settings, such as resolution and anti-aliasing, making certain titles look even better than they originally looked.
That being said, there is room for improvement
So far, every title I’ve played on Z Fold 3 has smoothly adjusted its aspect ratio to the device, however, one problem I’ve encountered is that it switches between the external display and the inside while the game is already running.
PUBG, for example, would sometimes become stretched or crushed in the transition between screens, but really, how often would someone choose to play a game on the outside screen? Do we understand the appeal of ultra-wide but ultra-minus gameplay? Not so much.
It is also worth noting that not every game looks better on a big screen. The best games are those that offer adjustable graphics settings, as they are actually designed to take advantage of powerful phones. Fortunately, all of the biggest games available on mobile devices, such as Fortnite, PUBG and Call of Duty Mobile, are among these titles.
Unfortunately, there are still many games that have not been optimized for large screen devices. We started Need For Speed: No LImits from EA only to find that it looked downright crazy on Z Fold 3. We were also disappointed to find that the hugely popular Genshin Impact seemed to suffer from frame rate issues. which were not present when it was previously played. on the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
That being said, we imagine that future patches will be able to solve these problems. Leaving aside the minor inconveniences, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 offers an unparalleled mobile gaming experience, which made this writer excited about the future of the format.