No doubt; folding ones arouse interest. Proof of this is the commitment of more and more manufacturers to announce devices with flexible panels and advances in terms of format, design and screen, such as those included in the Oppo Find N and its non-existent wrinkle. Without forgetting, in addition, the success of two of the most popular foldables on the market, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Fip 3. Precisely, this success is what Samsung wants to increase with its new generation of foldables: the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4.
It also does so by offering important innovations and improving many of the weak points of its predecessors; two mobiles that, although they stand out for their screens, have not always lived up to other conventional mobiles in aspects such as autonomy or photography.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 are now more powerful thanks to the latest from Qualcomm, they have more battery in the case of the Flip, their cameras are even better and they add new features at the level of software to take full advantage of the possibilities offered by its flexible screens.
On a physical level, there are also some changes: a slight reduction in frames, a lower weight in the Galazy Z Fold 4 and a slightly refined aesthetic in the case of the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Samsung, however, seems to have forgotten about some changes. Precisely, the changes we most expected.
More powerful, with more battery and with better cameras
Samsung, we reiterate, has improved some of the points where the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 were weak. One of them: the camera. Both terminals have brighter sensors. In the case of the Galaxy Z Fold 4, it captures up to 23% more light. On the Z Flip 4, according to the company, up to 65%. In the absence of testing it in depth, it is, without a doubt, a great change.
We must not forget, in addition, that the folding ones have additional characteristics that make the photographic section much more versatile. For example, it is possible to record video with the rear cameras of the Z Flip 4 and preview it through the external screen, or make Reels directly from the camera app, taking advantage of the fact that we can fold the smartphone at an angle of 90 degrees and place it on a flat surface.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, for its part, now has a triple camera with a 50-megapixel main sensor, a secondary 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle sensor, and another telephoto lens. capable of reaching an optical zoom of 3x and a digital zoom of up to 30x. Again, with additional functions thanks to its external screen, such as the possibility of previewing what the camera is capturing.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4: Features
Features of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 | |
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Main screen | 6.7″ FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED (2640 × 1080 pixels), 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate. |
external screen | 1.9″ Super AMOLED (260 x 512 pixels). |
Dimensions | 71.9 × 84.9 × 17.1 mm folded, 71.9 × 165.2 × 6.9 mm unfolded. |
Weight | 187 grams. |
Rear camera | 12MP main (Dual Pixel AF; OIS; f/1.8; pixel size: 1.8μm; FOV: 83°). 12MP ultra wide angle (f/2.2; pixel size: 1.12μm; FOV: 123°). |
Frontal camera | 10MP (f/2.4, 1.22μm; FOV: 80°). |
Processor | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. |
Memory | 8 GB of RAM / 512 GB of storage. 8 GB of RAM / 256 GB of storage. 8GB of RAM / 128GB of storage. |
Drums | Dual 3,700 mAh battery with support for ultra-fast charging (requires 25W adapter or higher) and wireless charging. |
Waterproof | IPX8. |
Operating system | Android 12 with OneUI 4.1.1 |
connectivity | 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.2 |
SIM | Nano-SIM and eSIM. |
Another improvement is seen in Battery. Specifically, in the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Samsung has gone from a 3,200 mAh battery in the case of the Z Flip 3 to include one of 3,700mAh. A step forward that tries to solve one of the biggest shortcomings of the previous model.
All this, in addition, with a fast charge of 25W and a wireless charge of up to 15W. As with the camera, it is an area where, to see improvements, it is necessary to test it in depth. However, the increase in capacity, as well as the supposed optimization improvements of its processor, already suggest a significant improvement.
And speaking of the processor. Samsung has chosen to include the most recent model -and also the most powerful- of the American Qualcomm. It is, specifically, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1a vitaminized version of the first generation Snapdragon 8 that, according to company data, is up to 15% more efficient and up to 10% more powerful in terms of graphics performance.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 improve in everything, except what we expected
There are other sections in which Samsung has not touched practically anything. The screens, for example, maintain the same diagonal, technology and resolution. This means that we continue with 120 Hz refresh rates, AMOLED technology, equivalent pixel density, etc. They are not the most advanced screens – that accolade goes to the S22 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro – but they offer a good experience.
In the design, however, the little progress does take more of a toll.The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is lighter and a little more compact, as its frames have been reduced a bit. The outer screen also has a slightly wider format, although the truth is that there is not a big difference compared to the Z Fold 3 in the hand. It is still narrow compared to other conventional phones and somewhat uncomfortable to use, especially to write or navigate the interface. On the other hand, the company ensures that its inner screen is more resistant to external damage thanks to an “optimized layer structure”.
The problem is that, in hand, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 continues to give the same feeling that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 gave me. That is to say: a mobile that transmits more fragility than a conventional mobile, with a considerable thickness when the screen is completely folded and with certain details pending refinement. This is something we could accept in the first generations, but not in the fourth. Above all, considering that there are smartphones from its competition with more successful solutions – the Oppo Find N is the perfect example.
Features of the Galaxy Z Fold 4
Characteristic | Samsung Galaxy ZFold 4 |
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Main screen | 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex Display (2176 × 1812, 21.6:18) 120Hz adaptive refresh rate (1∼120Hz) |
outer screen | 6.2-inch HD+ 2X Dynamic AMOLED display (2316 × 904, 23.1:9) 120Hz adaptive refresh rate (48∼120Hz) |
folded dimensions | 67.1 × 155.1 × 15.8 mm (hinge) ∼ 14.2 mm (arched) |
Unfolded Dimensions | 130.1 × 155.1 × 6.3mm |
Weight | 263 grams |
Frontal camera | 10MP sensor; f/2.2 aperture lens; pixel size: 1.22μm; FOV: 85° |
Camera under the screen | 4MP sensor; f/1.8 aperture lens; pixel size: 2.0μm; FOV: 80º |
ultra wide angle camera | 12MP sensor; f/2.2 aperture lens; pixel size: 1.12μm; FOV: 123° |
wide angle camera | 50MP sensor; Dual Pixel AF; OIS; f/1.8 aperture lens; pixel size: 1.0 μm; FOV: 85° |
Telephoto camera (3X optical) | 10MP sensor; PDAF; f/2.4 aperture lens; OIS; pixel size: 1.0 μm; FOV: 36º |
Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ |
Drums | 4,400mAh |
Burden | 25W wired, also compatible with wireless charging and reverse charging |
Waterproof | IPX8 |
connectivity | 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, eSIM, dualSIM, USB-C, GPS, etc. |
Biometrics | Fingerprint reader on the side |
Samsung neither has the aesthetics of the flexible inner panel improved of both smartphones. Both the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 maintain that slight crease under the hinge when their screens are fully unfolded. Again, it’s something that competing smartphones like Oppo’s Find N do better, and that Samsung should have refined after so many generations.
The company, moreover, keeps that little gap between screens when the terminals are folded, as the hinge design prevents them from closing completely. It is a way to prevent marks on the panel over time, but it also makes it thicker and less refined to the eye. Samsung should have looked for a solution that allows to prevent additional damage to the panel and, in turn, offers the possibility of folding the terminal completely.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4, therefore, remain two of the most advanced smartphones on the market in terms of specifications and, in the absence of testing both in depth, they can be an attractive option for those users who are looking for productivity. But yes: Samsung has missed the opportunity to make both models evolve even more as folding.