The Galaxy Z Fold 4 offers a better multitasking experience and improved cameras in a sleeker design. The Phone makes multitasking easier with a new taskbar and a new version of Android 12L. Samsung also offers a better camera, wider front display, and brighter main screen in a sleeker package.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 specs
| Inner display | 7.6 inches AMOLED (120Hz, 2176 x 1812) |
| Outer display | 6.2 inches AMOLED (120Hz, 2316 x 904) |
| CPU | Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Wide camera | 50MP (f/1.8, Pixel size: 1.0μm, FOV: 85 ̊) |
| Ultra-wide camera | 12MP (f/2.2, Pixel size: 1.12μm, FOV: 123 ̊) |
| Telephoto camera | 10MP (f/2.4, Pixel size: 1.0μm, 3x optical zoom, 30x Space Zoom |
| Cover camera | 10MP (f/2.2, Pixel size: 1.22μm, FOV: 85 ̊) |
| Under-display camera | 4MP (f/1.8, Pixel size: 2.0μm, FOV: 80 ̊) |
| Battery | 4,400 mAh |
| Charging | 25W (0 to 50% in 30 mins) |
| Size closed | 6.1 x 2.6 x 0.55-0.62 inches |
| Size open | 6.1 x 5.1 x 0.21 inches |
| Weight | 9.28 ounces |
| Colors | Gray green, Phantom Black, Beige, Burgundy (Samsung.com only) |
Galaxy Z Fold 4: Design and colors
The first thing one notices about the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is that the front display does not appear to be so squashed. This is because it has a wider aspect ratio than the Galaxy Z Fold 3. This makes the 6.2-inch panel easier to use with one hand, and frankly, you’ll probably feel more comfortable using the cover screen to check notifications or respond quickly to messages.
This time around, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is not as large, but it is less bulky and heavier. This is also due to Samsung’s slimmer hinge.
The Z Fold 4 measured 6.1 x 2.6 x 0.55 to 0.62 inches (closed) and 6.1 x 5.1 x 0.21 inches (open), while the Z Fold 3 was 6.2 x 2.6 x 0.56 to 0.62 inches (closed) and 6.2 x 5 x 0.25 inches (open). We not her words, the new Fold is slightly shorter and thinner.
The new Fold 4 weighs 9.28 ounces, compared to 9.55 ounces for the Fold 3, which is not large, but acceptable.
Unfortunately, the weigh to f the Z Fold 4 was a concern when placed in a pocket or used in bed for more than a few minutes. The device is about twice as thick as a regular smart phone, even when closed.
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On the plus side, the bezels of both the cover and the main display have been shaved off for a more immersive viewing experience. Also, the under display camera (UDC) is slightly less visible, which is nice because it blends in better with the surrounding content.
With regard to durability, Samsung states that the main screen is 45% stronger. However, in early tests, the Z Fold 4’s durability still appears to be quite high, although this claim may be unfounded.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is available in three color options, Gray green, Beige, and Phantom Black. However, Samsung.com has a special burgundy color available.
Galaxy Z Fold 4: Display
The Galaxy Z Fold 4‘s main display is still a beast at 7.6 inches, but Samsung has increased the brightness while maintaining an adaptive refresh rate of 120Hz.
This OLED panel looked brilliant in the trailer for Thor: Love and Thunder. Thor’s blue and gold armor popped off the screen and the image was clean and crisp.
When we watched Netflix’s “Night Shift” on the Z Fold 4, we appreciated the ability to move around to fill the screen despite the phone’s odd aspect ratio. However, doing so cuts off detail on either side of the action.
And with the Galaxy Z Fold4, unfortunately the creases are still very notice able. Not enough to spoil the fun if you are in the middle of a show or movie, but definitely bother some.
In lab tests, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 recorded impressive numbers overall. The main panel recorded a maximum of 905nits, well above the Galaxy Z Fold 3 (733); the Galaxy S22 Ultra (1,359nits) and iPhone 13 Pro Max (1,038nits) were both brighter, but this is still a big improvement.
The 6.2″ cover display also has a smooth120Hz refresh rate (scaled down to 48 Hz), but is 3mm wider, so there is no need to feel blocked when using this device with the screen closed. I had no problem typing on the front panel. On second thought, if you don’t use the large screen much, you may save on battery life.
Galaxy Z Fold 4: Performance
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is powered by the new Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip and 12GB of RAM. The default storage is 256GB, but can be upgraded to 512GB or 1TB.
In our testing so far, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 responded snappily, but there were a few times when two apps were running in parallel and the apps stopped responding. This happened when we dragged and dropped photos from the Gallery app to Google Drive.
Gaming performance is strong. In the racing game Asphalt 7, I enjoyed turbo boosting and360-degree turns, and the large display allowed me to see fine details such as waters plashing on the car.
In Geek bench, which measures overall performance, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 scored 1,328 points in the single-core test and 3,831 in the multi-core. This is higher than the Galaxy S22 Ultra (1,240/3,392), but not as high as the iPhone 13 Pro Max (1,720/4,549).
Turning to graphics, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 recorded 52.83 frames per second in the 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited benchmark. This was slightly below the S22 Ultra (56.87 fps), with the iPhone 13 Pro Max (68.37 fps) again topping the list.
Last but not least, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 was slightly faster than the Galaxy S22 Ultra at trans coding 4K video to1080p using the Adobe Premiere Rush app (45 seconds vs.47 seconds). iPhone 13 Pro Max took just 25.1 seconds. The iPhone 13 Pro Max was only 25.1 seconds.
Galaxy Z Fold 4: Cameras
Main Camera Specifications:
- Primary: 50MP sensor, 1.0µm pixels, 23mm equivalent f/1.8lens, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
- Ultra-wide: 12MP sensor, 1.12µm pixels, 12mm equivalent f/2.2 aperture lens
- Tele: 10MP sensor, 1.0µm pixels, 66mm equivalent f/2.4 aperture lens, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
- Video 8K (24fps), 4K (30/60fps), 1080p (30/60fps) (4K tested at 30fps)
The Galaxy Z Fold series is no longer a step behind the Galaxy S series when it comes to cameras. It fixes what we dislike about fold able devices and has a camera that can be compared to something like the iPhone 13 Pro Max. In fact, the Fold 4 has basically the same camera system as the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus.
It starts with a 50MP main camera with a 23% brighter sensor, which should produce better-looking images in doors. It also has a 12MP ultra-wide camera and a 10MP telephoto lens (3x optical zoom and 30xspace zoom). There is a10MP selfie camera onthefrontanda4MPsensoronthe right side of the 7.6-inch display.
Software and Android 12L
One of the biggest improvements of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is its software, thanks to the new Android 12L operating system. This special version of Android is designed for large-screen devices, including foldable phones.
To make multitasking easier, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a new taskbar at the bottom of the display that automatically displays recently used apps. The favorites that appear in the task bar can be determined simply by rear ranging the main home row on the home screen.
As before, up to three app scan be launched simultaneously on the large 7.6-inch display, but we usually keep only two. We like being able to drag an app from the taskbar to open it and place it on the left or right side of the screen. And if we want to place another app next to an app, we can swipe up with two fingers when we in the app (but this gesture must be enabled).
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One of the advantages of being able to run apps side-by-side is drag-and-drop. For example, you can drag a photo from the Gallery app to an outgoing message in Gmail. Additionally, Chrome supports drag-and-drop functionality for photos, links and etc.
Flex mode has also been improved on the Galaxy Z Fold 4, with app content on top and controls on the bottom when the screen is folded in half. Samsung is working with several developers to better utilize the foldable display, including Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom.
Battery life and charging
The battery capacity of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is 4,400mAh, the same as the Galaxy Z Fold 3. We were concerned because the Galaxy Z Fold 3 lasted only7 hours 52 seconds in 60Hz display mode and 6 hours 34 minutes in adaptive mode.
The good news is that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 lasted longer on a charge in our tests, but results were inconsistent. In standard mode (60 Hz), it averaged 9 hours and 28 minutes. With adaptive mode on, that average was 8 hours and 19 minutes. Neither of these results are enough to rank in the cellphone battery life rankings, but they are an improvement.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 supports fast charging and can charge to 50% in 30 minutes. The fold able also supports fast wireless charging and wireless power sharing, allowing the Galaxy Buds Pro 2 and Galaxy Watch 5 to be charged from the back.
S Pen support
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 supports S Pen input, but does not have a built-in holster for the pen. Instead, if you want to secure the stylus on the go, you will need to purchase a separate case; the S Pen allows you to take notes and draw on the go, but we not sure how many people would be willing to pay extra for this perk.
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a stunning evolution of the best folding phone. And we may even consider ditching my current smartphone for this beast. We can multitask like no other phone, and we can do more in less time on the latest Fold versus my iPhone.
Samsung(along with Google)should be commended for evolving the software experience with taskbars, better drag and drop support, Flex mode and optimized apps for larger screens in general. The camera system is particularly outstanding on this Galaxy Z Fold 4.