The brand new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 costs over $1,000 / £1,000, which is a big investment if you’re unsure whether reliving the retro clamshell vibe is right for you. I’ve always been intrigued but was put off by that massive price point – and I hadn’t considered a second-hand device until our big chat about the eBay Refurbished program earlier this year.
So, when the opportunity came up to try a refurbished flip phone, I jumped at the chance to see what kind of quality and performance you can expect from these devices.
To give it a proper test, I swapped to using the refurbished Galaxy Z Flip 3 as my only phone for one week. That meant leaving my current Galaxy S23 Plus in a drawer and going all-in on the flip phone from 2021.
I used it for everything I would do on my current phone, including web browsing, instant messaging, social media, watching videos and gaming to really see how well a refurb phone would work in my day-to-day life.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 I was provided has an original value of around £300 (that's $385) from the Music Magpie Shop on eBay, which is a leading and well-known refurbished and second-hand retailer.
The listing explained that the phone would be in good condition, which may show some cosmetic marks and general wear-and-tear but nothing that will impair functionality. Battery health will be a minimum of 80%.
The testing begins
A few days later, the phone was delivered in a plain but efficient cardboard box with a secure housing for the phone, a USB-C charging cable and a SIM card remover. After it was unwrapped, the claims of good cosmetic condition were immediately proven true. If I didn’t know I can’t honestly say I would have been able to tell that it wasn’t a brand-new phone.
The screen was immaculate and the casing was completely clear of any significant dents or scratches. The only imperfection I did see was a small scuff on one of the edges but it’s barely noticeable without looking for it and only felt when you run a finger along the side.
Swapping in a SIM card, setting up the phone and bringing over all my most used apps was exactly the same process as it would have been if the phone was brand new, so I was up and running in about half an hour.
Of course, the first thing I checked was the screen and found there were no dents, scratches, dead pixels or any kind of imperfections when scrolling through websites, watching videos or gaming. Everything was smooth, clear, and as good as new. Paying close attention to the crease in the middle, too, showed that it was still holding up fine despite the risk of screen imperfections and cracking after repeated use.
Initial impressions, then, went way beyond my expectations. But a lot can change in a week.
So, is it time to swap to refurb?
Ultimately, the main qualms I came away with after seven days of using a refurbished Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 were more to do with the inherent flaws of the phone itself rather than any issues with its refurbished nature. I won’t necessarily go too deep into assessing the quality of the phone itself - that’s already been handled by our Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 review – but it’s safe to say that many of the same positives and negatives apply here.
For a quick overview: the battery life is shocking, especially going from a newer S23 Plus which easily lasts a full day with fairly heavy use. With the Flip 3, a quick trip while watching YouTube, streaming music on Spotify or playing a little Honkai Star Rail on the bus or train left it on life support.
And, I’m not sure Samsung had nailed the design at this iteration with its flimsy feel and impractical outer display – something improved upon in later models like the Galaxy Z Flip 6.
But, outside of the potential for some additional wear and tear on the battery, none of those issues can be blamed on the phone’s refurbished nature. I comfortably and happily used the Z Flip 3 as my day-to-day device, constantly finding myself impressed that the phone never tripped up.
It seems that, at least in this example, the processes built into eBay’s Certified Refurbished program in order to offer high-quality products at reasonable prices have paid off here.
Given the potential savings on offer across phones and other popular categories, it’s gone another step further to convince me that considering refurbished products ahead of brand-new is a sensible, legitimate and positive way to buy tech – that'll also save you some cash.
