Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 review

Price When Reviewed

From $999

Best Prices Today: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 3 marked a large step forwards for the corporate’s foldable line. It used to be a revolution in design, practicality, and pricing that took the compact folding phone from area of interest tech nerd myth to a mainstream proposition.

one year on, it’s truthful to mention Samsung hasn’t were given the similar scale of improve up its sleeve once more. Perhaps understandably, the Z Flip 4 is a relatively minor improve, extra iteration than revolution.

That’s to not be essential regardless that: I gave the Z Flip 3 a sparkling review closing 12 months, and the Flip 4 is somewhat merely even higher. Most importantly, whilst Samsung’s upgrades are few, they’re additionally focussed, and the corporate has progressed each the battery existence and digital camera – two of the one spaces the place the closing Flip fell in the back of.

Design & construct

• Slightly streamlined design
• Improved sturdiness
• Long-term longevity nonetheless unsure

Let’s get the most obvious out of the best way first: the Z Flip 4 seems an terrible lot just like the Z Flip 3.

Samsung has caught extremely with regards to closing 12 months’s very good design, so that you as soon as once more get a compact phone that folds right into a small sq., with a two-tone end at the out of doors to partially masks the outer duvet exhibit.

There had been some adjustments. The primary frame of the phone is now matt, moderately than shiny, and its edges had been subtly squared off. The duvet exhibit is basically unchanged, however the digital camera lenses now protrude from the frame a little bit extra.

The matt end now coats 4 same old colors: Bora Purple, Blue, Pink Gold, and Graphite. There are extra choices in Samsung’s returning ‘Bespoke Edition’ software, to be had solely via its on-line retailer, which helps you to make a choice from a spread of body and frame colors to construct your individual customized Flip.

Bigger adjustments will also be discovered within the hinge. This is now smaller and extra delicate, which has in flip made the exhibit crease rather less noticeable – regardless that it’s nonetheless exhausting to leave out. Samsung hasn’t but stuck as much as opponents just like the Huawei P50 Pocket, which will fold utterly close – the Z Flip 4 nonetheless leaves a slight hole when closed.

Durability is it appears relatively progressed due to more difficult Gorilla Glass Victus+ coating the frame. The phone as soon as once more has an IPX8 ranking (for water however now not mud coverage) and its body is constructed from toughed ‘Armour Aluminium’ – for what it’s value, I as soon as dropped my Z Flip 3 proper at the hinge from top, and mentioned aluminium used to be difficult sufficient to offer protection to it from hurt.

What I will’t talk to is the sturdiness of the hinge. Samsung says that the Z Flip 4’s hinge has been examined to live on over 200,000 folds – sufficient that even with 100 folds an afternoon it might nonetheless closing for over 5 years.

The corporate mentioned the similar closing 12 months regardless that, and anecdotally I’ve heard of a couple of circumstances of Z Flip 3 telephones that evolved cracks and splits at the exhibit alongside the hinge, in a single case ruining the display completely.

Has this flaw been mounted? Maybe. I will’t in point of fact check that during every week with the phone – and for what it’s value, a 12 months on my Z Flip 3 remains to be positive. Maybe this will likely be too. But it doesn’t matter what figures Samsung throws out, remember the fact that by way of purchasing a foldable you’re nonetheless taking just a little of a big gamble at the phone breaking early.

Displays & audio

• 6.7in, 120Hz AMOLED primary exhibit
• 1.9in duvet exhibit for notifications & shortcuts
• Decent stereo audio system

The dual shows are one space Samsung the place has necessarily modified not anything, excluding the aforementioned hinge enhancements and a couple of new device tips for the outer duvet exhibit.

The primary display is a 6.7in, 120Hz AMOLED. Samsung reps informed me that that is technically a distinct panel to closing 12 months, however that the enhancements are basically for chronic potency, moderately than exhibit high quality.

6.7in implies that as compact because the Z Flip 4 is when folded, this is a qualified Big Phone when it’s open – albeit one who’s thinner and lighter than virtually every other phone with the similar measurement display.

The display is brilliant and punchy, regardless that I believe it’s truthful to mention that you’ll find higher exhibit high quality in in a similar fashion priced slab telephones. There’s now not a lot in it regardless that, and so long as you’ll are living with the crease I will’t consider many of us will in finding a lot to fault right here.

The 1.9in duvet exhibit is a bit more divisive. I really like this dinky exhibit, which hides away within the design when now not in use, and gives simply enough room for a couple of easy controls the remainder of the time.

You can arrange a compact always-on-display with the time and different data, test notifications (or even ship some elementary message replies), keep watch over tune playback, set timers and extra. New additions this 12 months come with velocity dial controls for as much as 3 contacts, good house controls via Samsung’s SmartThings gadget, and the power to set customized pictures, gifs, or even movies at the display.

I do know some in finding this display a little bit too compact. It’s smaller than the only discovered on Motorola’s Razr 2022, regardless that for my cash that display seems like an unpleasant midway space, virtually phone-filling however now not somewhat. Samsung’s model is also small, however a minimum of it’s deliberately so, and fits the Z Flip 4’s swish design.

As for audio, the phone packs a couple of stereo audio system, however no headphone jack. The audio system are forged, however unremarkable – they’ll do the process for a place of tune or some gaming, however received’t substitute your Bluetooth speaker any time quickly.

Specs & options

• Flagship Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip
• Only 8GB RAM
• Up to 512GB garage

Samsung has provided the Z Flip 4 with absolutely the newest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 – necessarily giving this phone a 12 months and a part’s value of efficiency upgrades on closing 12 months’s Flip 3, which used the Snapdragon 888.

It’s arguably let down very relatively by way of being restricted to simply 8GB of RAM, and the shape issue additionally limits how a lot cooling will also be stuffed in. That way the phone runs a little bit sizzling right through extra tough duties, and function lags just a little in the back of the quickest 8+ Gen 1 telephones, however this isn’t precisely a tool aimed toward chronic customers.

For conventional daily use the Z Flip 4 is just about flawless, and best probably the most tough of avid gamers will in finding reason for grievance on efficiency.

128GB and 256GB garage choices go back, joined by way of a brand new 512GB tier – you might wish to believe one of the most upper choices, best as a result of there’s no expandable microSD card possibility. It’s additionally value noting that if you wish to use Samsung’s Bespoke method to customize the design, you’ll be restricted to the 256GB fashion.

Connectivity and different specifications are as you’d be expecting. 5G is supported, together with mmWave in america, at the side of NFC, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2.

Face release is to be had the usage of the one selfie digital camera, or you’ll use your fingerprint, with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner within the chronic button, moderately than constructed into the exhibit.

Battery & charging

• Massively progressed battery existence
• Comfortably lasts a complete day
• Slightly gradual 25W charging

Battery existence used to be the principle explanation why now not to shop for closing 12 months’s Z Flip 3. The phone struggled to closing a complete day, and the battery nervousness used to be actual.

Samsung has considerably progressed the location this 12 months, and whilst the Z Flip 4 is a long way from the most productive battery telephones round, due to a mixture of a larger battery and a extra power-efficient chip it’s now excellent sufficient that I don’t suppose the battery must put any one off.

I’ve been the usage of the phone for just about two weeks, and maximum days move to mattress with 30-40% rate left within the phone – a beautiful at ease buffer. I best struggled as soon as, on an afternoon visiting Kew’s Royal Botanical Gardens, when the phone dropped to unmarried digits round 9pm, however best after hours of footage, filming, and social media, which any phone would combat with.

Charging has been progressed too, regardless that nonetheless lags a little bit available in the market. The phone can now rate at as much as 25W – up from 15W closing 12 months – however remember the fact that Samsung doesn’t come with a charger within the field. I attempted charging the phone with two other third-party chargers, restoring 36% of battery in part an hour with one, and 48% of battery in the similar time with the opposite.

That’s sluggish in comparison to super-fast charging telephones, however actually is more than likely nippy sufficient for the general public. It is helping that Qi wi-fi charging may be to be had – that is even slower, however has an obtrusive comfort issue.

Camera & video

• Great primary digital camera
• Ultrawide however no telephoto
• Decent selfie digital camera – or use the principle lens

If the battery used to be the Flip 3’s largest flaw, the cameras had been a detailed 2nd. Samsung hasn’t performed as a lot to mend those, however has shored up the weakest level and for sure made this set-up more potent than it was.

There are 3 cameras right here: a couple of 12Mp rear cameras (one primary, one ultrawide) and a 10Mp selfie digital camera in a punch-hole at the inside exhibit. There’s no telephoto possibility in any respect right here, which is arguably its largest weak point – regardless that it might be remiss of me to not indicate that neither the Pixel 6 or iPhone 13 characteristic a telephoto both.

The best actual exchange from the Flip 3 is to the principle digital camera, which includes a new, better symbol sensor, in a position to catching extra gentle. That might sound like a small exchange, however the effects are transformative. Even in brilliant sunlight this digital camera is head-and-shoulders above closing 12 months’s, and in low gentle the adaptation is much more stark, regardless that you’ll see an opening in high quality between the Flip 4 and best images telephones.

Samsung’s color tuning is brilliant and possibly a slightly over-saturated, however the punchy, colourful footage in point of fact are a excitement. Capture velocity turns out progressed too – whilst the Z Flip 3 occasionally struggled with fast-moving animals or youngsters, I spent a day in a cat café with the Flip 4 and not had an issue.

The ultrawide impresses for probably the most phase too, regardless that there’s no {hardware} improve right here. There’s a drop intimately, and it received’t compete with the principle lens (or rival telephones) in more difficult lights, however for probably the most phase it will get the process performed.

The 10Mp selfie digital camera isn’t unhealthy both, however chances are you’ll in reality want to make use of the principle cameras. With the phone closed you’ll use the duvet exhibit as a preview display for selfies or video captured from both of the rear lenses – upgraded this 12 months so as to add within the possibility for portrait mode, or to look the picture preview in the right kind side ratio (albeit with serious letterboxing!).

This is likely one of the techniques the Z Flip 4 has a photographic edge in spite of the relatively restricted {hardware}. The different is that the versatile display makes this an optimum phone for recording video (as much as 4K@60fps), as you’ll prop it up virtually anyplace. I really like that for recording units within the health club to test my shape, however I believe Samsung in point of fact has the TikTook crowd in thoughts.

Software & updates

• Ships with Android 12
• Four years of OS updates assured

The Z Flip 4 ships with Android 12, working Samsung’s One UI 4.1 on best.

One UI isn’t my absolute favorite Android pores and skin in the market, however it’s one of the most higher ones. You’ll have to position up with somewhat a couple of pre-installed apps (some Samsung, some the likes of LinkedIn or Microsoft Teams) and what is usually a inflexible, rigid UI, however the perk is that that is about as simple to make use of as Android ever will get.

You’ll additionally get the entire advantages of Android 12, together with the Material You UI customisation and complete privateness options, and further device tips should you hyperlink your phone to different Samsung tools like headphones, smartwatches, or good house tech.

There also are device variations for the foldable. I’ve discussed a couple of already for the duvet exhibit and digital camera, however every other key one is Flex mode, which helps you to transfer an app’s exhibit content material to 1 part of the exhibit when it’s in part folded, with additional controls at the different. Some apps, just like the digital camera, have customized controls, however an not obligatory experimental surroundings permits you to allow this for any app, providing you with choices like screenshotting, brightness & quantity controls, or even turning the ground part of the display into an erstwhile trackpad for the app.

Samsung may be the Android marketplace chief on updates. Flagships just like the Z Flip 4 are promised 4 Android model updates, beginning with this 12 months’s Android 13, and 5 years of safety patches. To be frank, that suggests I believe this phone will nonetheless be getting device updates lengthy after the hinge or exhibit give out.

Price & availability

The Z Flip 4 is to be had to reserve from Samsung now, however you must take a look at our information to the place to shop for the Z Flip 4 for extra shops and the most productive costs and offers we’ve discovered.

At a beginning worth of $999/£999/€1,099 this is similar worth as ahead of in america, however in reality £50/€50 costlier in the United Kingdom and Europe – which stings a little bit after the Z Flip 3’s worth reduce, regardless that is in reality under present inflation. Here’s the entire pricing:

• 128GB: $999/£999/€1,099
• 256GB: $1,059/£1,059/€1,159
• 256GB Bespoke Edition: $1,139/£1,099/€1,199
• 512GB: $1,179/£1,199/€1,279

Price for worth and spec for spec the Z Flip 4 nonetheless isn’t in point of fact nice price – you’ll get identical specifications for a couple of hundred much less in other places, or a lot more tough cameras and {hardware} for a similar worth.

Still, that’s evaluating to telephones that don’t fold. This remains to be reasonably priced for a foldable, and house owners must be open to paying a little bit additional for the shape issue. The worth top class feels suitable, however be sure to’re ok with the added possibility of restore or alternative prices in case your hinge develops problems.

For extra possible choices, take a look at our ratings of the most productive telephones and absolute best Android telephones to look what else is in the market, or the most productive Samsung Galaxy telephones for extra choices from the Korean corporate.

Verdict

The Z Flip 4 isn’t an excellent phone, and it’s not going to win over any haters. But it’s no doubt the most productive foldable at the world marketplace presently (possibly that’s now not pronouncing a lot regardless that), and must convert somebody who used to be at the fence about closing 12 months’s fashion.

The spaces the place the phone excels – sheer specifications, a snazzy foldable design, and good device that makes the lots of the {hardware} – are sufficient to make it a worthy rival to every other flagship in the market.

The earlier phone’s two key flaws – the fast battery existence and elementary digital camera – had been addressed, if now not completely mounted. Both at the moment are excellent sufficient the place they in the past weren’t, putting off the principle causes to hesitate over selecting up a Flip.

Durability stays my best actual worry, now not least as it’s the only factor I will’t check for myself. I will’t be sure that the Z Flip 4 will closing so long as different units, that it received’t wreck ahead of you’re in a different way in a position to improve. But if that’s of venture you’re prepared to take, it is a phone value taking a big gamble on.

Specs

• Android 12 with One UI
• 6.7in Full HD+ (2640×1080) foldable 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X with HDR10+ strengthen
• 1.9in Super AMOLED (260×512) duvet display
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 octa-core processor
• 8GB RAM
• 128/256/512GB interior garage
• 12Mp, f/1.8, OIS rear digital camera + 12Mp extremely extensive, f/2.2
• 10Mp, f/2.4 entrance digital camera
• Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
• 2D face popularity
• Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth 5.2
• GPS
• NFC
• 4G LTE
• IPX8
• USB-C
• 3700mAh non-removable battery
• 25W stressed charging
• Wireless charging
• Unfolded: 165.2x 71.9 x 6.9mm
• Folded: 84.9 x 71.9 x 17.1-15.9mm
• 187g