Samsung’s flagship smartphones are starting to feel a little stale as they continue to feature fewer design changes with each new version. And according to a well-known leaker, 2023’s Galaxy S23 won’t bring much to the table either.
Ice Universe, a frequently reliable Samsung leaker, has tweeted information about Samsung’s upcoming flagship S23. According to the tweet, the “S23 Ultra will have increased the width of the middle frame, which means that the curved part of the glass will be reduced.” With this in mind, it seems like the S23 Ultra will feature a less curved display.
Additionally, Ice Universe also offered up information about the Galaxy S23 and S23+.
As for the S23 and S23+, they have the same design as the S22, even the middle frame has not changed. The same screen, the same sensor, the same camera, and the battery is estimated to be similar. Processor upgrade to 8Gen2
Samsung’s Galaxy S23 and S23+ have mostly looked the same two years in a row, and it seems like the next S series flagship design will also offer a similar aesthetic if Ice Universe’s information is accurate.
Are you thinking about getting a Samsung foldable this year? Both the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 are great options, but each is likely for a different type of person.
Both phones run the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipsets and feature great camera systems. The Fold 4 has a bit more camera versatility and a larger internal screen, but it also has a heftier price and weight to account for all that.
The Flip 4, on the other hand, seems like a very good deal compared to the Fold 4 since it costs half the price, but when you then compare it to other devices in the $1,300 range in Canada, the Flip 4 can start to look a little less enticing.
However, if you must have a foldable, or you just want a phone that’s going to make you feel something, one of these models might do the trick.
Specs
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Display
Main Screen: 6.7-inch FHD+ 120Hz display, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Infinity Flex Display (2640 x 1080) | Cover Screen: 1.9-inch Super AMOLED Display (260 x 512)
Main Screen: 7.6 inches 120Hz AMOLED 2x, Infinity Flex Display (2176 x 1812) | Cover Screen: 6.2 inches 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display (2316 x 904)
Processor
Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus
RAM
8GB of RAM
12GB of RAM
Storage
128GB, 256GB and 512GB of storage
256GB, 512GB and 1TB of storage
Dimensions (in.)
Unfolded: 165.2 x 71.9 x 6.9mm | Folded: 84.9 x 71.9 x 17.1mm (Hinge) – 15.9mm (Sagging)
Folded: 67.1 x 155.1 x 15.8mm(Hinge) ~ 14.2mm(Sagging) | Unfolded: 130.1 x 155.1 x 6.3mm
Every year, Samsung launches various flagship-level smartphones, and my favourite for the last few years has been the Galaxy Z Fold.
My Galaxy Z Fold 3 was pickpocketed at the Istanbul airport this past July. It was pretty upsetting, and I noticed the lack of the device in my life. It was the phone I used for consuming content on YouTube and Netflix; it was what I used to read ebooks and where I would work on my portfolio of creative writing.
So getting my hands on the Fold 4 has offered a nice breath of fresh air. The foldable offers the best of the best, with specs that send Samsung’s S22 series running for the hills.
This year’s model is an upgrade from 2021’s foldable. You can expect a better camera setup, improved multi-tasking performance, and a slightly thinner design. With only two significant drawbacks, all this makes the Fold 4 a stellar handset for most people.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Display
Main Screen: 7.6 inches 120Hz AMOLED 2x, Infinity Flex Display (2176 x 1812) | Cover Screen: 6.2 inches 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display (2316 x 904)
Colours: ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Phantom White,’ ‘Green,’ ‘Burgundy,’ and Samsung exclusive colours ‘Gray,’ ‘Light Blue,’ and ‘Red.’ & S Pen with 2.8 m/s latency
Display
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Main Screen: 7.6 inches 120Hz AMOLED 2x, Infinity Flex Display (2176 x 1812) | Cover Screen: 6.2 inches 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display (2316 x 904)
Colours: ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Phantom White,’ ‘Green,’ ‘Burgundy,’ and Samsung exclusive colours ‘Gray,’ ‘Light Blue,’ and ‘Red.’ & S Pen with 2.8 m/s latency
‘If it ain’t broke’
The Galaxy Z Fold 4’s design isn’t particularly exciting or new, but ‘if it ain’t broke,’ right?
The foldable looks like last year’s Z Fold 3 with slightly different dimensions. The Cover display has a slightly wider aspect ratio, making it more familiar to candy bar phone users. It’s not the same, but I appreciated the subtle change. I noticed I used the Cover display far more than I would before, which was undoubtedly due to the wider aspect ratio.
When you open up the handset, you get that same 7.6-inch display that’s similar to a tablet alongside an under-display camera (UDC). The UDC seems even less noticeable than it was last year. So much so that I often forget it’s even a part of the phone. I’ve come to the point of realizing that I don’t think it’s needed, but I guess it’s good for those who want to use it. The foldable display crease is still noticeable, but like I said last year, you can easily forget about it. If you’re someone who can’t look past the crease, then this phone — and most foldable devices — aren’t for you.
Dimensions-wise, the Fold 4 is slightly shorter and thinner than last year’s model, but when unfolded, it’s also wider. I found the difference in size pretty negligible, although I immediately noticed the contrast in weight. Although 263g versus 271g isn’t the most significant change, the weight was noteworthy for someone who used the Fold 3 as his daily driver. Don’t get me wrong, this is still a foldable phone with two screens, which means it’s still quite hefty, especially in comparison to your everyday run-of-the-mill handset. If you’re not a fan of the larger design, again, foldables likely aren’t for you.
The handset feels solid with its armour aluminum frame, similar to last year. Also, like the Fold 3, the Fold 4 boasts IPX8 water resistance, which means it’s good up to 1.5 meters but isn’t graded against dust.
I’m shocked that the Fold 4 doesn’t offer storage for the S Pen. I previously thought that Samsung would try and pair the Fold 4 with the stylus similar to the Galaxy S22 Ultra, but that isn’t the case. I’m not someone who typically uses the Samsung stylus, so it wasn’t a significant omission for me.
Both displays are great, beautifully showcasing Netflix videos and Instagram photos. The colours are vibrant and pop, allowing me to watch YouTube videos on either display easily. Both also offer a 120Hz refresh rate, which is great for scrolling through Twitter and more Instagram photos.
Camera worthy of a flagship
Speaking of photography, the Fold 4’s camera is the highlight difference between it and last year’s model. This time around, the device features a 50-megapixel primary shooter, 10-megapixel telephoto with 3x optical zoom and the same 12-megapixel ultrawide camera.
The 50-megapixel primary shooter is shockingly good. Pictures are sharp, bright and vivid, and like always, there’s a bit of oversaturation, but it’s not the worst thing. The sky is slightly bluer, and the grass is a bit greener, but maybe that positivity is something I need in my life. Oversaturation notwithstanding, the primary shooter also has a great high dynamic range, showcasing the difference in bright whites and darker shadows.
Even my Black skin tone was highlighted beautifully in these images and far more true to life than with Samsung’s previous foldables. This is a particular issue I’ve found with the company’s smartphones in the past, and I’m happy that the quality of darker skin images has improved.
Details taken with the primary shooter are also admirable. Selfies taken with the primary shooter (using the Cover display as the viewfinder) show details in facial hair, brickwork isn’t too sharp, and even foliage looks pretty good as long as you’re not zooming in to inspect the digitally sharpened edges.
Lowlight images have also been improved. Before, lowlight images lacked detail, and the colouring was off, but this time the photos were well lit, the colours were more vibrant, and there were far more details. While one of the cons of the Z Fold 3 was its cameras didn’t match up to the price point, this time, I’m glad to say that’s changed.
Even selfies on the UDC and the Cover display have improved slightly. Hardware-wise, both shooters use the same 4-megapixel and 10-megapixel sensors as last year. According to GSMArena, the lens changed slightly on the Cover display’s front camera, likely to let in more light for shots. I didn’t spend too much time with these selfies shooters, however. When you can take selfies with your main shooters, the only thing actual front-facing cameras should be used for is video chatting.
Taskbar of champions
The Z Fold 4 is a multi-tasking champion, and thankfully it has 12GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 to help it truck along without any issues. With the phone, split screening is a breeze. I’d often have Google Play Books on one side and my messaging app on the other side of the screen without any issues. I even used the phone to write out some of this review. The split screening was also great for the review process, as I’d have my 2021 Z Fold 3 review on one page and my draft of this review on the other.
Other features like having the taskbar at the bottom when you’re using the main screen help you easily switch between apps. The taskbar always shows the apps you have pinned at the bottom of your homepage, but they are minimized, so it’s not in the way. You also have access to your two most recently opened apps and a shortcut to the entire app folder. I found the taskbar so helpful that I no longer needed the Edge panel, a pull-out tray on the right side of your display where you can store apps, contacts, tools and more. It’s been a feature on many past Samsung smartphones and something I used a lot on the Z Fold 3, but this taskbar is the perfect replacement.
Benchmark-wise, the Fold 4 does pretty well for itself. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 beats the S22 Ultra's 8 Gen 1 and the Pixel 6's Tensor chipset. However, similar to all other Android devices, it pales compared to Apple's A-series chips.
While the Fold 4 is excellent for all the serious productivity and ease of use features, it's also great for gaming. I can play games like League of Legends: Wild Rift and Apex Legends Mobile with no concerns. However, I couldn't play either game at the full 120Hz refresh rate. The phone doesn't get warm after multiple rounds, which is a good sign.
I have a lot of great things to say about the Z Fold 4, but the battery isn't one of them.
I could make it through the day with the Z Fold 4 with about four to five hours of screen time. This is about the same results I got on last year's Fold 3, so I was hoping for something better this time. It's not the worst battery on the market, but come on, Samsung, the same 4,400mAh battery two years in a row is lame.
It's worth noting that Samsung didn't provide me with an S Pen to test this time, so if you want S Pen details, check out the Z Fold 3 review. Nothing has changed this time around, so it should be a similar experience.
Another aspect I can't talk about is 5G. Unfortunately, I'm still living in a 4G LTE world as my carrier lacks the newer bands. You can check out some of our other work about 5G in and around Toronto here.
If you already have the Z Fold 3, you probably shouldn't upgrade unless you have the money and plan on trading up for the better model. But if you have Fold 2 or the original Fold, you might want to get the Fold 4 as it's far better than those models.
There's nothing truly all that bad about the Fold. If you don't like a huge handset, then the Fold 4 probably isn't for you. But if you don't mind the larger form factor, you should definitely give this a shot. Previously, I would say you're losing out on the camera aspects, but this time around, that's not the case.
The price point is still a big concern for those interested in the Fold 4. At the Samsung Store, you can grab the 512GB of storage variant for $2,269 as a free memory upgrade -- however, the free memory upgrade is just part of an offer, and the 256GB of storage variant is typically priced at $2,269. That's a lot of money for a smartphone, no matter how it folds.
For those not wanting to spend all that money on a phone, you should check out Brad Bennett's review of the Z Flip 4, which offers a different experience at a lower price point.
Samsung got almost everything right with the new Galaxy Z Flip 4. The foldable hasn’t changed significantly over last year’s model, but features that were underpowered in 2021, are boosted this year.
Whether that’s enough to solve the Flip’s problems will depend on how much you use your phone and what you want to get out of it.
This is the closest Samsung has come to flipping perfection. The tech giant still has a lot of work to do next year, especially as competition in the folding phone market heats up, but for now, it’s the best small foldable in Canada and the most interesting phone I’ve used in years.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
Samsung Galaxy S22+
Display
Main Screen: 6.7-inch FHD+ 120Hz display, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Infinity Flex Display (2640 x 1080) | Cover Screen: 1.9-inch Super AMOLED Display (260 x 512)
6.7-inch Foldable FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2,640 x 1,080 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate | Cover display 1.9-inch Super AMOLED 260 x 512 pixels
6.6-inch Flat Dynamic AMOLED, 1,080 x 2,400 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz display, HDR10+, 240Hz Touch Sampling in Games
Processor
Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
Snapdragon 888
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
RAM
8GB of RAM
8GB of RAM
8GB of RAM
Storage
128GB, 256GB and 512GB of storage
128GB/256GB of storage
128GB, 256GB
Dimensions (in.)
Unfolded: 165.2 x 71.9 x 6.9mm | Folded: 84.9 x 71.9 x 17.1mm (Hinge) – 15.9mm (Sagging)
Unfolded: 166 x 72.2 x 6.9mm | Folded: 86.4 x 72.2 x 17.1 mm
Colours: ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Phantom White,’ ‘Green’ and ‘Pink Gold’ as well as Samsung exclusive colours ‘Gray,’ ‘Cream,’ ‘Violet’ and ‘Light Blue.’
What it’s like using a folding phone in 2022
When fully unfolded, this is one of the tallest phones around.
My folding phone experience began with two days folding the big boy, the Z Fold 4, before handing the device off to Dean Daley for his review. Then I unfolded the Flip 4 and haven’t let it go since.
My first impressions of the Flip were positive overall. Was I really living in the future of smartphones? For a few days, it felt like it. I was having a blast folding, and unfolding, and folding, and unfolding the phone. Being able to prop it up at a 90-degree angle and watch YouTube videos while lying down was novel. Somehow Samsung even added a tiny trackpad and mouse pointer to the Flip 4, though once again, Dex didn’t make the cut.
“I was having a blast folding and unfolding, and folding, and unfolding …”
I used the foldable sideways in camcorder mode like Samsung shows in its ads, and to my surprise, I loved it. Even Toronto’s coolest nerd Shevon Salmon wanted to try out my phone. The Flip 4 is hype, and after years of stale slab-like phones, it felt so good to have a cool™ foldable.
However, roughly a week into folding and unfolding the Flip 4, the process started to become more tedious. Once when I was walking around and my group chat started to pop off, I truly wondered how many folds I’d put this phone through over a year or two if it were my daily driver. At home, I found myself leaving the Flip 4 unfolded a lot since it’s impractical to hide away the large screen unless I wanted to jam the device into a pocket.
There’s no denying the Galaxy Flip 4 is cuter when folded and easier to place onto wireless charging pads since there’s less room for error within its compact frame, but the tiny front screen is so limited I didn’t use it for more than checking the time, weather and play/pause controls.
The new hinge on the Flip 4 is a little slimmer than on the Flip 3.
You can reply to a text with voice dictation without unfolding the phone, and this feels like talking into a futuristic communicator, but it was more of a hassle than just texting.
I don’t know how possible it would be without making the phone thicker, but it would be great if Samsung added a Cover screen large enough to text on. After seeing tiny phones like the Unihertz Atom over the years, it would be great to see the full front of the Flip 5 be a screen running a very condensed, but still usable version of Android.
Imagine a world where the full front of the phone was all screen…
A small note worth mentioning is that the folding aspect of the Flip 4 makes it double as a fidget toy, for better or worse, and over the course of my review, I found myself absent-mindedly folding and unfolding the smartphone and turning over the small square shape of it in my hands way more than I expected. Slamming it closed after a call is also as satisfying as you imagine.
Regardless of its ability to fold, the Flip 4 is IPX8 water resistant, so it can be submerged in shallow water for 30 minutes. I never took it that far, but the phone survived a few showers and getting soaked at Niagara Falls and still functions fine. While a dustproof rating would be nice to have, the fact that this phone folds and can be submerged in water is mindblowing.
At the end of the day, it’s a fine foldable, but not a fast phone
The folding aspect of the Flip 4 may be a feat of engineering, but there’s no getting around the thermal management issues Samsung had to include. During quick one-off tasks, the foldable is flagship levels of fast, but after a bit of stress testing, it can slow down and get warm. You can game on it, but if Android gaming is your number one priority, I’d look at the OnePlus 10T instead.
The Flip 4 also seemed to be closing apps in the background a bit more than I was used to, but that’s probably for the best since Samsung needs to pull every software trick in the books to get passable battery from this phone. This averaged out around 3-4 hours of screen on time, which is a lot less than I’d get from other phones at this price point.
That means while it does have a 120Hz display, you’ll probably want to limit that to 60Hz to give you a chance of getting past that three and a half hours of screen-on time wall. We do live in modern times, so a top-up while driving or at your desk isn’t that hard to do, but compared to the phenomenal battery life I was getting out of the OnePlus 10T, the Flip 4 doesn’t hold up.
Samsung has a power-saving mode that limits CPU power to 70 percent, decreases brightness/refresh rates, and turns off 5G. I used that for most of my testing. It didn’t help enough to convince me that this is a flagship battery.
25-watt fast charging feels slow after using the OnePlus 10T.
It’s still a usable battery, but you’re going to be tied to a charger more than you would be if you had a phone that cost this much and didn’t fold. There’s no brick included in the box, and it can only fast charge at 25 watts. So from zero, it still takes over an hour to fill. Everything about this phone feels so futuristic it feels bad to see it held back like this.
The screen feels more like glass this year which is nice, but the foldable features such a tall aspect ratio that reaching the top corner with one hand is pretty difficult. Even the volume buttons are placed strangely high, making it a feat of finger gymnastics to crank a tune.
The other issue with this tall screen is that you can’t use it with polarized sunglasses. This issue doesn’t affect the Fold 4 luckily, but the Flip gets a distracting rainbow tint on it when you view it through polarized lenses. It’s usable, but I found myself taking off my sunglasses to use it more than any other phone, so it’s worth noting if you’ve got a pair of prescription/polarized sunglasses that you’d rather not part with.
All of that being said, it’s 2022 and even phones that might not be the fastest, are still fast enough. I never really had any complaints with the Flip 4 in day-to-day use. It’s modern, quick in most use cases, and more than powerful enough.
Underdog cameras
The new camera sensors can capture a bit more light and have improved stabilization.
One area that impressed me about the Flip 4 was how fun it makes taking videos. Maybe I’m a sucker for vintage-inspired design, but holding the device folded at 90 degrees and using it like a camcorder is too much fun. Everyone I showed the feature to loved it as well.
The stabilization from the primary lens is also fantastic. Combine that with Samsung’s stellar colour processing, and you’ve got a great video camera. I don’t know how Samsung has done it, but the true-to-life colours with cool/magenta undertones and really pleasing yet subtly stylized reds have me wishing I could add this colour style to my Fujifilm camera.
Photos from the primary lens and the ultra-wide are clean and the 12-megapixel sensors perform perfectly. There’s an argument to be made that until phone lens can get larger, 12-megapixels is the ideal photo size and I have no complaints with the sensor’s performance here. I haven’t been a fan of Samsung cameras in the past but this year’s S22 series and now the Flip 4 have brought me on board.
Beyond the great photo experience, there are a few quirks that take advantage of the folding nature of the phone. Depending on how often you film or take photos of yourself or your friends, these may be very handy.
The most useful is the Cover screen feature which acts as a viewfinder to take selfies, portrait mode photos or videos. This is a huge perk and can help anyone setup up their selfie game. The front-facing camera is mid so having access to the tremendous main sensor for selfies is a huge win. If you film yourself, it’s also beneficial to frame up shots. Not to mention that you can fold the phone and set it up like a little tripod. This is undeniably useful for content creators, but likely not for everyone.
You can also fold the Flip 4 to 90 degrees and shoot with it in waist-level viewfinder mode. I didn’t get a ton of use out of this, but it’s an exciting concept for street photographers. However, the lens choice doesn’t lend itself super well to street shooting. If this phone had a telephoto lens like a $1,300 phone should, this mode would be awesome.
The camera is the only area where I liked the ultra-wide aspect ratio of the phone’s screen. I’m a sucker for panoramic XPan shots, and you can use this phone's full display to take very wide 9:22 shots that definitely help scratch that ultra-wide itch for me. Like XPan mode on OnePlus phones, this is just cropping the sensor, but it's still enjoyable to shoot with and a nice perk.
Compared to the 50-megapixel shooter on the Fold 5, the Flip captures slightly less detail, but under most circumstances, the device’s shooters are equally as good. It’s a bit annoying to see Samsung market the Fold as a much better system, which in turn, makes the Flip appear to be lacking, when in reality it’s really not.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 now supports a selection of Watch 5 faces. As part of the new v2.2.11.22081151 update, the gap between the two generations is shrinking ever so slightly.
It’s been discovered that the latest update for the Galaxy Watch 4 plugin alters the interface for the Watch manager app. As such, six Watch 5 faces are now available to select from. Samsung is making the following faces available on Watch 4: Board, Pro Analog, Digital Neon, Analog Utility, Kinetic Digits, and Flower Garden.
The addition of the Watch 5 faces is another step in Samsung’s attempt to bridge the gap between the two devices. Interestingly enough, upon the One UI Watch 4.5 update (expected during Q3 2022), Galaxy Watch 4 will gain swipe-to-type support and dual-SIM support. Additionally, Samsung is bringing new accessibility options to the forefront.
The One UI Watch 4.5 update for Galaxy Watch 4 is already being tested in select markets. However, it is not currently available in Canada.
The Galaxy Watch 4 update has begun to roll out to users. Via the Google Play Store, users can install the update for the Galaxy Wearable app. Following the successful installation, the new Watch 5 faces can be found.
Samsung’s latest flagships running One UI 4.1.1 feature a new battery-boosting performance profile. This profile hidden in the settings on the Z Flip 4 and the Z Fold 4 is in a new section called ‘Performance Profile.’
In this settings section, there are two options called ‘Standard’ and ‘Light.’ The Light profile is described as prioritizing “battery life and cooling efficiency over processing speed.”
A user on Reddit that got their hands on a Galaxy Z Fold 4 early has put both modes to the test.
According to ‘Dudi4PoLFr‘, with Light mode turned on, benchmarking apps seem to drop about 20 percent of raw performance. This should, in theory, result in battery savings while still offering better overall performance than the Z Fold 3.
It’s also worth noting that the Galaxy Fold 4 and Flip 4 feature a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, which Qualcomm says is 30 percent more efficient than previous device Samsung devices.
I haven’t noticed that much of an increase in battery life in my testing of the Fold 4 of far. However, I’ve yet to try the foldable’s new Light mode. I’ll have a full review of the Galaxy Fold 4 up on MobileSyrup in the coming weeks.
Samsung’s latest folding smartphones have finally arrived.
We’ve started our review process, but to tide you over until they’re published, here’s a closer look at the Galaxy Z Flip 4. For more on Samsung’s latest clamshell foldable, check out our hands-on with the smartphone here.
If you want to see what Galaxy Z Fold 4 looks like instead, you can find our unboxing of the smartphone here.
Samsung revealed its latest Galaxy Z Fold 4 earlier today at its Unpacked flagship event, and it’s astonishing to see how similar it is to its predecessor.
While the Z Fold 4 does improve upon some aspects, it stagnates in others. MobileSyrup managing editor Patrick O’Rourke went hands-on with the device and said that the device seems to have hit a plateau when it comes to its design. “If you were expecting a Galaxy Fold 2 or, arguably, even a Fold 3-like design leap with the Fold 4, you will be disappointed with Samsung’s latest flagship foldable,” said O’Rourke in his hands-on.
However, without getting too ahead of ourselves, let’s compare both iterations of the devices and deduce whether the new Z Fold 4 is all hype or an actual upgrade over its predecessor.
The new foldable features a 7.6-inch unfolded QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate (48-120Hz), which happens to be exactly the same as its predecessor, although with a wider aspect ratio. It’s hard to tell the two displays apart at first glance, however, thanks to a slightly thinner and lighter redesigned hinge, the phone is 3mm wider.
It also features slightly muted bezels, and a 2176 x 1812 pixel resolution, making the overall display experience just a little bit better than its predecessor.
The cover display also features an identical-looking 120Hz 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 2316 x 904-pixel resolution, slightly better than its predecessor’s 2,268 x 832 pixel resolution. Weight-wise, the new foldable is slightly lighter than its predecessor, coming in at 263g, 8g lighter than the Z Fold 3, which is likely due to the lighter hinge.
Regarding design, Samsung hasn’t been able to push the Fold 4 forward in any meaningful way.
Internals
The Z Fold 3 launched with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 chipset, which happened to be the best processor at the time of the device’s release. The Fold 4 continues the tradition and features the best smartphone processor currently available — the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. The new chipset allows for 20 percent performance improvement and roughly 30 percent power saving compared to the Snapdragon 888.
In terms of battery life, Samsung decided not to upgrade the device’s battery, which means the Fold 4 has the same 4,400mAh battery as its predecessor, though Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 optimizations should result in slightly better battery life.
The Z Fold 3 and Z Fold 4 both feature 12GB LPDDR5 RAM, alongside 256GB and512GB of storage options. The newer Fold 4, however, also comes in a 1TB storage model.
Camera
The camera is where the main upgrade is with the Fold 4. Samsung upgraded the smartphone’s main camera from 12-megapixel (wide, f/1.8) to 50-megapixel (wide, f/1.8). The Ultra-wide camera on the Z Fold 4 is identical to the Z fold 3, coming in at 12-megapixel (f/2.2).
The telephoto camera appears to have experienced a downgrade in megapixel terms, going from 12-megapixel (f/2.4) on the Z Fold 3 to 10-megapixel (f/2.4) on the Z Fold 4. However, with the new telephoto lens, you get 3x optical zoom, as compared to the Z Fold 3’s 2x optical zoom.Further, similar to the Fold 3, the Fold 4 also has two selfie cameras, one under the display alongside a punch-hole camera on the Cover screen. Unfortunately, the front cameras on the Fold 4 didn’t receive any updates, and are identical to its predecessor, coming in at 10-megapixel for the cover camera (f/2.2) and 4-megapixel for the under-display camera (f/1.8).
Additionally, according to Samsung, the pixels above the under-display camera on the Fold 4 feature a higher density, which should mask the camera and disguise it. However, according to our hands-on with the device, the camera “is still obviously visible.”
Colours and pricing
The new Galaxy Z Fold 4 starts at $2,269, which happens to be the same price the Z Fold 3 launched for last year. The latter is now discounted, and is available for $1,894 on Samsung’s website.
The 2021 Fold, upon release, was available in ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Phantom Green’ and ‘Phantom Silver’ colourways, whereas the new Fold is available in ‘Graygreen,’ Phantom Black,’ ‘Beige’ and the Samsung website-exclusive ‘Burgundy’ colourways.
Worth the upgrade?
The Samsung Z Fold 4 features an impressively expansive display, which is just a little wider than its predecessor, and is powered by the best processor on the market. However, the device fails to introduce anything that is surprisingly new. It does have an upgraded main camera, a higher storage option, and a new Burgundy colourway that looks spectacular. And although those small improvements do add up, I don’t think they necessarily warrant an upgrade if you already own the Z Fold 3. An upgrade that would set you back $2,269.99.
On the other hand, if the Fold 4 would potentially be your first foldable purchase and you have the cash, definitely go for it. It is the best Samsung foldable on the market currently.
Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy Z Fold 4 at its August 2022 Unpacked event. The company’s newest foldable is jam-packed with new features and it looks like a great device.
For Canadians looking to pick up a Z Fold 4, here’s where you can get one and how much it’ll cost:
Samsung
The easiest way to get your hands on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will be just to buy it from Samsung. In Canada, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 starts at $2,269 for the 256GB version, and is available in ‘Gray Green,’ ‘Moon Beige’ and ‘Phantom Black.’ The 512GB model starts at $2,429. The Z Fodl 4 will be available starting August 26th.
The following retail locations will sell the Galaxy Z Fold 4 in Canada:
Best Buy (includes double storage pre-order bonus)
The Source (note: link will ask for your location to start the pre-order process)
More to come…
Carriers
Telus – Starts at $0 down, $55/mo device financing with ‘Bring-It-Back,’ includes double storage pre-order bonus.
Koodo – Starts at $1,478 down with $792 Tab (you’ll pay a $33/mo Tab for 24 months), includes double storage bonus.
Freedom – Starts at $0 upfront, $95/mo Tab on a $65/mo phone plan (lower Tab cost available with TradeUp)
Note: this section will be updated as carrier information becomes available.
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Further, similar to the Fold 3, the Fold 4 also has two selfie cameras, one under the display alongside a punch-hole camera on the Cover screen. Unfortunately, the front cameras on the Fold 4 didn’t receive any updates, and are identical to its predecessor, coming in at 10-megapixel for the cover camera (f/2.2) and 4-megapixel for the under-display camera (f/1.8).
Worth the upgrade?