The successor to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is expected to be unveiled this Wednesday on 11 August at Samsung’s Unpacked event. As with any new smartphone, the Z Flip 3 should be offering a number of upgrades, such as a bigger cover display.

Given that the Galaxy Z Flip’s successor is just around the corner, is it still worth considering? Absolutely, especially if you want one of the most affordable foldable smartphones in the market now. Without further ado, let’s take a look back at Samsung’s very first foldable phone with a clamshell design.

First up, specifications. The Galaxy Z Flip, as its name suggests, features a foldable 6.7-inch 2636 x 1080 Dynamic AMOLED Infinity Flex Display with a tall 21.9:9 aspect ratio. There is also a small Super AMOLED screen on the cover of the phone, which shows basic information like incoming calls and the time.

Powering the Z Flip, on the other hand, is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ chipset; the chipmaker’s 2019 flagship SoC. While a chip from two years ago may not sound particularly impressive, it’s still a plenty fast processor that will be able to provide flagship-level performance.

In the camera department, the Galaxy Z Flip features a simple (but capable) dual camera system made up of a 12MP f/1.8 primary sensor and a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle lens. Aside from that, there’s also a 10MP f/2.4 selfie camera in the hole-punch cutout on the primary screen.

Other specifications of the Z Flip include 8GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, as well as a 3,300mAh battery. All in all, decent hardware for a flagship-class device – even in 2021.

What makes the Galaxy Z Flip particularly interesting now – well, to me anyway – is the fact that it is far more affordable in recent times. Back when it was first introduced in Malaysia, this foldable phone went for a whopping RM5,888 – that’s much more than what a typical flagship device is priced at.

But right now, the Z Flip retails at only RM2,699 from Samsung itself; that’s more than half off of the original asking price. In fact, the price can even drop down to merely RM2,499 when it’s on sale. At this price point, the Z Flip is really quite a compelling foldable smartphone.

This is exactly why I think the Galaxy Z Flip is still worth considering today, even if the newer, faster Z Flip 3 is just beyond the horizon. The thing is, it is unlikely that the latter will be as affordable as the original Z Flip now, though it remains to be seen just how much of an upgrade the successor would be.

Aside from that, once the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is officially available here – which likely won’t take too long, given Samsung Malaysia’s speedy local product launches – I imagine the original Z Flip would be much harder to find then. It’s hard to say if it will still retail at the same price point now too.

There’s no denying that the Z Flip 3 will bring some notable upgrades, but based on the plethora of leaks and rumours surrounding the upcoming foldable phone, its form factor is still largely similar to the much more affordable Z Flip now.

If all you want is just the unique clamshell design of a foldable phone, then the Galaxy Z Flip is a fantastic option. I mean, the sheer affordability of the foldable phone currently – though RM2,699 is still quite a lot of money – is hard to argue from a value standpoint.

Of course, you can always wait it out just a bit longer to see exactly what the Z Flip 3 would offer once it is officially introduced in the next two days. Once you know what kind of upgrades the new foldable flip phone offers – hopefully with Malaysian pricing as well – it’ll be much easier to make a decision.

Other than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, the foldable phone will also be joined by the Galaxy Z Fold 3 at Samsung’s Unpacked launch event this Wednesday on 11 August. On top of that, Samsung is expected to reveal new smartwatches and a pair of wireless earbuds as well.

Samsung Malaysia has also opened registration of interest for the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3 right here. Those who do so will even receive a RM300 Samsung e-voucher which can be used after you’ve pre-ordered “the next Galaxy,” as Samsung puts it.

The Galaxy Unpacked event on 11 August will be livestreamed on Samsung’s various platforms, including its YouTube channel, Facebook page, and even its website. The virtual event will start at 10PM Malaysian time this Wednesday – stay tuned to Nextrift then for our coverage of the event!