Analysis and opinion of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4

This is something that we can confirm by having in our hands (and in our pocket) the latest version of one of the smartphones that has most revolutionized the telephony market in recent years. In fact, the Flip range is the one that has boosted sales of Samsung foldables for two reasons: a much lower price than that of the Fold models, and a perfect form factor to hide it anywhere.

Now the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 arrives in stores, which, although it is not an exaggerated update with respect to the Galaxy Z Flip3, we can consider it as an improved version of its predecessor, with some subtle, but necessary changes.

Once again, we are before a phone that exceeds 1,000 euros on the market . It is sold in three memory configurations, one of 1,099 euros with 128 GB, another of 256 GB that costs 60 euros more, and a third with up to 512 GB of internal memory that amounts to 1,279 euros.

With a clear focus on usability, to offer new ways of using our devices, and to those who are looking for a different design, this is all that is offered by the most desired device by fans (and not so fans) of the Korean firm.

Full features of the Galaxy Z Flip4

This is a phone that boasts the best hardware of 2022 and a series of great features that you can check at a glance in this table.

Surely, after taking a look at all these specifications, many of you are trying to figure out where the big news is if we compare the phone with last year’s model.

Said and done.

Comparison with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3

We have already advanced it, there are many specifications that Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Flip4 shares with its predecessor, the Flip3. Even so, there are a series of differences that we show you in this table and that go, broadly speaking, through the energy section and the internal hardware of the device.

As you can see, the biggest difference between last year’s model and the one Samsung just introduced is in the power department. Now we can enjoy a bigger battery that, with 3,700 mAh, far exceeds the 3,300 mAh of the Z Flip3. The brand claims that thanks to this larger cell, the Z Flip4 should last 3 hours longer on power. This is something that, as you will see later, is half fulfilled.

What is true is that, in addition to offering greater autonomy, it also charges faster, with a fast charge capable of filling half the battery in about 30 minutes. On paper, 10W more speed is offered, considering that last year’s foldable smartphone ‘only’ charged at a speed of 15W.

In addition to offering a longer range, it also charges faster, with a fast charge capable of filling half the battery in about 30 minutes.

Although it may not seem like it, the camera is also somewhat better in the 2022 model, since it uses a configuration almost identical to that of the Galaxy S22 Plus. The key here is that the 12 MP main sensor, present in the Flip4, works with larger pixel sizes , reaching 1.8 microns instead of 1.4 in the Z Flip3. As a result, captures have more detail and better color and light management, as this camera is 65% more sensitive to light.

The last big change is inside the terminal. With the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset on board, Samsung’s foldable phone can boast the latest and fastest Qualcomm processor in its guts . On the contrary, last year’s version still uses a very good chipset, such as the Snapdragon 888, but it is not as powerful or efficient as the Flip4.

Everything the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 offers

That it does not suppose a revolution in front of the model launched last year does not mean that we are not facing a phone as interesting as it is attractive . The brand maintains the best of its predecessors and adds features that it needed to enhance to shape a foldable that may be the one that makes users take the definitive step towards smartphones with flexible screens.

An unchanged design

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 will not surprise anyone who did not follow the launch of the brand’s folding mobiles… in 2021. Broadly speaking, it has the same design as the Flip3, but there really is little to improve. Put to ask, we would have liked the rear screen of the phone to be a little larger and not stay with the same size of 1.9 inches as last year’s model.

We cannot ignore the great ‘handicap’ of this and other folding mobiles, its central fold . It seems that at the moment no brand has found the key to end the visible space of the hinge in the back or the crease in the 6.7-inch FHD screen. It is true that with each new generation of the Z Flip family, this hinge is less and less noticeable, but it is still perceptible, both to the eye and to the touch. The reality is that it is more appreciated with white tones, but every time you pass your finger through the center of the screen, there is a small ‘highlight’ that there is no color to hide it.

With each new generation of the Galaxy Z Flip family, this display hinge becomes less and less noticeable.

When you use the mobile for a few days, you end up adapting and it hardly bothers you, but it is striking that anyone who is not used to this type of device is always the first thing they criticize about the terminal. Curiously, when you explain to them that it is the price to pay for a flexible screen that folds on itself, they do not care, valuing the visibility of the panel more than its format.

But, for those of us who love these devices, the screen itself is, aside from this problem, almost perfect . It is true that it gets too dirty, probably due to the protector that is already inserted in it, but it is a joy to see our contents in it in open 22: 9 format. Keep in mind that if we use Flex mode, the videos are reduced to just 3 inches (they are displayed on the top of the phone) and then it is not practical at all.

Continuing with the lines and shapes of the device, we are once again facing a two-tone device that mixes the tones ‘Bora Purple’, ‘Graphite’, ‘Pink Gold’ and ‘Blue’ with a black matte finish in the camera area and surrounding the secondary screen that the Samsung phone boasts. It is a very elegant design that prevents fingerprints from sticking everywhere, which is appreciated.

Speaking of the photographic section, we have two sensors housed individually in the upper left corner that protrude about 4 mm from the body of the equipment. However, by being able to fold the phone, we are rarely going to leave it on the table with the cameras touching the surface.

To the right of the device we have the classic volume and phone lock buttons, a button on which a fingerprint sensor is located, quite fast to use, but uncomfortable to reach with the thumb when the phone is unlocked. Above and below is the space for the device’s speakers, as well as for the USB Type C port. And no, there is still no space for a 3.5mm MiniJack connector.

Like the rest of the brand’s top of the range, the Galaxy Z Flip4 has IPX8 certification , which means that it is resistant to water, but not so much to dust , one of the great enemies of the team. The thickness remains unchanged, although it is a little higher than last year’s model. Its weight grows by 4 grams, reaching 187 grams in total, which is still quite little for a device with these characteristics.

Finally, we do not recommend trying to unfold the smartphone with only one hand. The aluminum frames of the mobile are too slippery and on more than one occasion it will give you a micro heart attack thinking that the mobile is going to shoot out of your hands. Despite its format, it is a phone that will always be used in a better way and, above all, more safely, with both hands.

Two almost perfect screens

Let’s start with the main. The internal screen of the mobile phone is flexible , but of the same type that we can find in other flagships of the company. It is a Dynamic AMOLED 2x panel that is 6.7 inches in size and boasts a resolution of FHD + 2640 x 1,080. There is no lack of an adaptive refresh rate of 120 Hz, which ranges from 1 to 120 depending on the content that is being displayed on the screen, nor a small hole to house the front camera of the equipment.

Despite being 99% identical to its predecessor, the brightness has been increased , with a luminance of 800cd/m2 with auto brightness adjustment enabled which can grow to a maximum of around 1200cd/m2 during playback. HDR, allowing us to enjoy our favorite series and movies anywhere in full light and colour. It is true that when the light falls more on the screen, its central fold becomes more noticeable, but it is something that we have to start assuming sooner or later in this type of device.

Despite being 99% identical to its predecessor, the brightness has been increased.

This internal screen has a double protection . On the one hand, Corning makes an appearance with its Gorilla Glass Vixtus that prevents the panel from being scratched or broken easily. Moreover, the main panel is also protected by a new version of Samsung’s UTG 2.0. This ultra-thin glass system is, according to the firm, 20% more resistant than in previous models and the truth is that during the use we have made of the phone, it has shown this. Of course, we did not want to risk too much and put the mobile in more trouble than it should.

When we close the device, a secondary screen takes center stage that is housed next to the camera on the back and that continues to maintain a size of 1.9 inches, a classic refresh rate of 60 Hz and a resolution of 512 x 260.

But, although the hardware is the same as the previous generation, its uses and functions have evolved. Now you can configure different types of clock, whether analog or digital, use your own photos as the background of this screen or use a system of pre-established answers for the messages that we receive on the smartphone. Of course, you can still add widgets to check all kinds of information such as the weather and, if you slide down, activate or deactivate phone functions such as connections, flashlight, sound, airplane mode…

One of the main uses of this external screen is that we will be able to use it as a preview of the photos that we take with the camera, that is, we can take selfies with the smartphone closed and use the two main cameras of the equipment to take photos of us by pressing the button on the side of the smartphone.

improved sound

As with the battery, the sound has never been one of the great strengths of the device. This year we did not find differences in the technical sheet of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 , but it is true that it shows that the speakers respond better than expected. It may be that the operating system has included improvements in the audio or that the brand has carried out some other change so that the smartphone, in general terms, sounds better, especially in the high tones and when it comes to differences the voices of the sound effects.

It is highly recommended to configure the Dolby Atmos options that you will find in the One Ui sound settings to find the audio that best suits what we are looking for from a smartphone of this type, which is also a perfect multimedia device, as long as it is Accompanied by an external powerbank.

Cameras as expected

And we say within the expected, because we knew that the manufacturer was not going to mount the same cameras as in the Fold, which is the most ‘top’ folding within the brand’s catalog. We did not expect to find many surprises in this department and, as we suspected, we found a camera almost traced to last year.

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 has a dual camera setup on the back, which is configured with a 12 MP main sensor, f/1.8 aperture and OIS; as well as with a secondary objective of the same resolution, with f/2.2 aperture and a field of view of 123 degrees, that is, an Ultra wide angle. The selfie camera is one of the same resolution as the Flip3, that is, it has a 10 MP sensor with f / 2.4 aperture.

On paper, if you hadn’t read the section on the differences between the two generations of the brand’s foldables, you’d say that the two phones have the same camera. But, as we have already said, the sensor of this device is somewhat larger and, therefore, allows it to collect a little more light and offer higher quality shots.

However, it is true that in a mobile that costs 1,099 euros in its lowest variant, we miss one more sensor . Not the macro that many manufacturers add to their devices just to increase the number of lenses, but a telephoto lens with optical zoom that enhances the possibilities of the Flex mode that the terminal boasts. Samsung has not thought the same and we will have to wait another year to see if, next year, we find such a lens in the future Flip5.

We cannot forget that the back cover screen also comes into play here, which allows you to take quick photos, including vertical photos, and start recording video while the mobile is unfolded and you switch to the main screen without interrupting the recording.

daytime photography

Although there is no telephoto lens, there are two very good sensors prepared to give their best in all situations. It is true that they will not reach the quality levels of the S22 Ultra or the iPhone 13 Pro Max, but they are up to other top of the year range.

When the light accompanies, we cannot put a single hit on the captures achieved with the 12 MP main sensor. There’s a good amount of detail in every shot, with a more than scrupulous use of HDR that isn’t as exaggerated as other cameras, and relatively modest saturation and contrast.

In general, captures are achieved that are quite close to what we see in reality, both in favor of lighting and in backlight situations.

night photography

This less pronounced contrast is also perceived in night photography. Of course, as happens with all smartphones where we find an Ultra wide angle, its smaller opening implies a lower brightness of the shots.

But if you choose to stick with the main sensor and its larger pixels to capture more detail, the phone won’t disappoint . Also, as it can be used as a tripod, you can play with slower shutter speeds and get great shots with night mode activated.

There is a good post-processing of the image that makes the noise disappear without sacrificing the highlights too much and, in general, quite clean images are obtained, perfect to show them off.

Portrait

Without a telephoto lens or depth sensor , all responsibility for keeping the background blurry, relative to the foreground subject, falls on the software on the device. Samsung is an expert in this field, allowing you to alter the level of blur before and after taking the shot and the results are very good. Of course, the camera application itself allows you to change the type of effect to apply to portraits live.

Selfie

Perhaps one of the great successes of the brand’s smartphone is that of having two selfie cameras . We explain ourselves. When you open the device you have the perfect 10 MP lens for video calls and more. But, being able to use the double rear camera to take self-portraits, who is going to miss this opportunity?

The Z Flip4 allows you to use the second screen as a camera panel , so it is very easy to take selfies with the main camera. This way we will be able to take full advantage of that portrait mode that we have talked about and get our own photos of a much higher quality.

Video recording

Another of the great assets of Samsung’s Flex mode is to enhance video recording. Being able to use the video camera with the phone half unfolded (in what is known as a Flexcam) is very nice and brings back memories of the small mini DV cameras that some of us have used at some point in our lives. It allows to stabilize the shots even more, despite the fact that the mobile already has OIS, and to record in a more natural way.

Being able to record in 4K resolution up to 60 fps , Samsung’s classic capture modes are still present, such as Hyperlapse (a mode that takes time-lapse shots to the extreme), Super Slo-Mo (super slow-motion videos), Single Take ( that captures 15 seconds of still images and videos so that the mobile offers the best shots) and Director’s view (which allows us to select the lenses with which we record and switch between them as we please).

Flex Mode allows you to further stabilize the shots, despite the fact that the mobile already has OIS.

It does not reach the quality levels of other top-of-the-range market models , but it is true that it keeps the scenes well focused (better with the main sensor than with the UGA), keeps noise at bay at night and allows us to exploit our more creative side.

Top of the range performance

The discussion between Samsung or Qualcomm processors is over. Here it does not matter where you buy the phone, because the processor you find inside the Z Flip4 is going to be the same. And, as we have anticipated, it is the best that you can find today in a mobile phone, the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 that you can hardly find in other top Android range, especially focused on the gaming world, to offer amazing power .

In fact, it’s so powerful that the foldable doesn’t need to boast ‘insulting’ amounts of RAM. It works perfectly with 8 GB of high-speed LPDDR5 RAM and the 3 storage options that we indicated at the beginning of these lines. Considering the processing power, that’s more than enough memory , though it may pale in comparison to the Fold4’s 12GB. With this hardware it is a team prepared for whatever the user needs.

With this hardware, it is a team prepared for whatever the user needs.

You can play Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile, Fortnite and the most demanding game you can think of with it. Here the problem will not be lag, graphic drops or other performance problems, which do not exist, but the autonomy of the device. If you don’t mind having to charge your smartphone in the middle of the afternoon, you can spend hours playing anything without a hint of weakness.

The results of the AnTuTu tests, where the mobile achieves 731,328 points, make it clear that the mobile lacks some power in the RAM section to reach the top positions, but Geekbench 5 shows that we are dealing with an ingenious ship with very good performance which is above the top of the range of the firm last year.

In this section, the only thing we can blame the device for is the insistence on not mounting a microSD card slot . Samsung has been vacillating between allowing or not expanding storage on its devices for some time, but unfortunately, folding phones are not among the chosen ones.

An adapted software, but with cracks

Software-wise, this isn’t your typical Samsung phone, so One UI isn’t going to be ‘normal’ either. Just as the Fold4 uses Android 12L, here we do have a 100% mobile version of Android 12 , but with slight adaptations to fully exploit the possibilities of the foldable.

The terminal software is One UI 4.1.1 and the brand promises up to four years of Android operating system updates and five years of security updates, which means that if you choose to buy the smartphone, you have a phone for a long time.

Some of these adaptations that we are talking about are oriented to the use of different apps, especially the camera one, with the Flex Mode that we have already talked about when analyzing the camera. Thanks to this tool, which is automatically activated when we fold the smartphone, we can use it as a tripod, placing the viewfinder on one half of the screen and the controls on the other. This makes it easy to capture photos and record videos on many occasions, but keep in mind that in most cases you will want to shoot horizontally, losing all the virtues of this mode.

The camera app, once again, benefits greatly from the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4’s Flex Mode.

With other apps, such as YouTube, you can see the video at the top of the panel (at a very small size) and use the bottom panel to browse clip information or find other video suggestions.

What happens is that not all apps work the same , since there are many that have not been adapted to take advantage of this function. When we come across some of them that are not optimized for Flex mode, what we see is how the app moves to the top of the screen, leaving the lower half reserved for five functions: adjust brightness, adjust volume, do a screenshot, configure notifications, or use the panel as a trackpad to move around the app.

Regarding system customizations, there is not much different from what we can find on any company phone. Perhaps the most interesting thing is being able to rearrange the widgets on the secondary screen and choose from many watch faces, a system that has reminded us a lot of the manufacturer’s smartwatch.

The battery we needed

If you ask anyone who has tried Samsung’s previous foldable for more than a week, they will surely tell you that it is spectacular, but how is it possible that its autonomy is so low. With the Flip3 it was almost an impossible mission to arrive in the afternoon with a considerable battery percentage and you always had to carry a charger or an external battery with you to recharge the smartphone in the last hours of the day.

Now, it is not that the change is huge, but it is enough so that the Z Flip4 does not limp in the energy management section. The improvements in battery life are largely due to going from 3,300 mAh in last year’s model to 3,700 mAh in today’s model, which is an increase of around 15% thanks to those extra 400 mAh. This in itself, by keeping the same screens as last year, implies gaining a couple more hours of autonomy.

But it is that the use of a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 also helps in the energy management of the terminal . The Flip3’s Snapdragon 888 has been proven several times to be a ‘battery killer’ and now, while the chipset continues to overheat, there is a noticeable improvement in power management.

Regarding autonomy pure and simple, it is not possible to duplicate what we achieved last year, but almost. In our tests we have found that we can exceed 7 hours of screen time , as long as we use the smartphone in moderation. But with 5G active, playing music, connected to our Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro and playing a few games of PUBG Mobile, it is true that it will cost more than 5 hours of screen on. Again, everything will depend on how we use the device.

The other great novelty that, although it is not so much if we compare it with other competing devices, is its 25W charge , 10W more power compared to what we had in the Z Flip3 of 2021. Unfortunately, the firm continues in its strategy of not providing the charger with the device , so we have not been able to analyze the smartphone with a charger of the same power.

The smartphone now supports faster charging, but a power adapter is not included with the device.

To carry out our tests, we have used a 33W power adapter that, although it is superior, will not charge the phone faster. In this case, the Flip 4 is going to charge at a maximum speed of, as its specifications indicate, 25 W.

Using our charger and a USB-C cable that does come in the box, we’ve seen 50% charge in 36 minutes. A slightly slower speed than promised, but that does not make a big difference and that surely has the answer in the type of adapter used. To complete a full charge, the waiting time has been 89 minutes , which is quite good, especially when compared to the more than two hours it takes to charge the Flip3.

Another charge that has been improved is wireless , although in this case we only go from 10 to 15 W. In this case, fully recharging the smartphone will mean a wait of just over 120 minutes, using a power adapter wireless compatible with Qi technology. The good thing is that the smartphone’s wireless charging area is in the lower back of the phone, that is, you can charge it folded and check the notifications on its outer panel.

Our opinion

To issue a verdict on the mobile we have to do it from the point of view of improvements. Here we have to point out that the battery is much better than last year’s , but it is still insufficient in a terminal that costs more than 1,000 euros and is called to be one of the great benchmarks in the market. It is true that the form factor of the terminal limits too much the placement of a larger cell, but, then, the brand should think about integrating other measures such as a higher speed fast charge.

Regarding performance, we cannot fault it and it is the best you will find, not only in the folding market, but in the current industry. It’s perfect for playing the most powerful titles on the market if it weren’t for…

… It is not a device for everyone. Although certain aspects have been polished with respect to the previous generation, we are still facing a phone that is difficult to use with one hand and that becomes strange to handle in landscape mode. It is true that the intelligent design of the hinge has also improved to avoid problems with dust and dirt, but inside the wrinkle of the screen is still noticeable, not so much to the eye as to the touch.

It’s not a device for everyone, but it’s the best foldable smartphone for the general public.

As for the rest of the features, you have already been able to verify in this analysis that the cameras, although they are decent and defend themselves in most situations, have nothing to do with classic devices that move above 1,000 euros. A telephoto lens like the one that is present in the Fold4 is missing in a terminal with these benefits , which, of course, costs hundreds of euros more.

Even so, although it is clear that the mobile continues to limp in some aspects, there are many more that elevate it as one of the best terminals of the year . We are the first who have always asked brands for innovation and here the Galaxy Z Flip4 continues to give its chest with improved software that powers Flex mode and allows you to do many things that other phones simply cannot.

You will not be able to use your mobile as a tripod as we can do with Samsung’s folding smartphone, you will not be able to take photos with a secondary screen unless you go to one of the few models, also over 1000 euros, that allow it, you will not be able to use the phone as a practical mirror to carry in your bag… But, above all, you won’t be able to carry your keys next to your mobile due to the space that classic smartphones take up.

When we are facing one of the most innovative phones of the last 5 years, we cannot ask much more from the manufacturer.

And it is that, if the Flip family continues to stand out for something, it is because of the little space that its terminals occupy when folded without giving up having a large screen when we work with the phone open in all its splendor. This is, without a doubt, one of the main assets that the device has to make us fall in love once again .