Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Hands-On: Stronger, sleeker, faster, better

The original Galaxy Fold may have been the device that heralded a paradigm shift in the mobile industry towards foldable devices, but the Galaxy Z Flip 3 was arguably the device that saw it break into a new frontier.

One year on, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 hopes to pick up where the previous generation left off. But is a more curated selection of upgrades enough to warrant your hard-earned money?

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Pricing and Availability: The new same price

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 was able to break new boundaries and become the most popular foldable in the world thanks to a slew of improvements, the biggest being that Samsung was able to drop the base price to under $1,000. At that magic price point, it became accessible to average customers instead of just early adopters, especially given that the previous generations were significantly more; the original Galaxy Z Flip cost $1,380 while the Galaxy Z Flip 5G was even more expensive at $1,449.

This year, the original rumors suggested that Samsung would drop the price further and allow the Galaxy Z Flip 4 to attract an even larger pool of customers. Then, the rumors changed to Samsung increasing the price as the current economic state around the world meant everything became more expensive. In the end, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 starts at $999.99, with Samsung opting to make less money per unit (thanks to higher costs) and not pass the extra cost to customers, while also bringing a few welcome improvements. Not only that but there are also a host of Galaxy Z Flip 4 deals to help you save even further.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4: Specifications

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Design

When you compare the Galaxy Z Flip 4 to the Galaxy Z Flip 3, they look virtually identical, and you could easily mistake the previous generation for the current. However, there are a few subtle differences if you look closely, and the biggest improvements are more hidden than last year.

The first thing you’ll notice is that the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is lighter than the Galaxy Z Flip 3. The difference isn’t huge on paper, but it does feel lighter in the hand, despite the camera bump being slightly bigger. This is achieved as the hinge is more compact than the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the bezels are smaller, with the phone measuring 0.3mm narrower and 1.6mm smaller when folded.

The camera bump is what will immediately stand out to you, but also noticeable is the subtle change to the design. Instead of the rounded frame, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is flatter resulting in a more ergonomic-friendly feel in the hand. I really appreciate this change as it makes the phone more comfortable to hold.

Beyond those subtle changes, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 looks almost identical to the Galaxy Z Flip 3, and when putting them side-by-side, I had to double-check which was which. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though; you can immediately recognize the Galaxy Z Flip 3 if you see one in public – much like the iPhone and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 – and the Galaxy Z Flip 4 will continue this trend. In a world where smartphones are becoming indistinguishable – the Galaxy Z Flip series has its own unique design identity which can only help its market adoption.

If you’re thinking of buying the Galaxy Z Flip 4, you’ll have a few different colors to choose from. Samsung’s color of choice right now is Bora Purple, which recently debuted on the Galaxy S22. Bora means Purple in Korean, so this is literally called Purple Purple. The other choices are Pink Gold, Graphite, and my personal favorite, a light Blue color that’s gorgeous.

There is also a range of choices as part of the Bespoke program which allows you to create your own unique Galaxy Z Flip 4. You can choose from a Black, Silver, or Gold frame, and from Butter Yellow, Brick Red, Khaki Green, Navy, or White for the front and back panels. If you want to stand out, Bespoke is definitely the way to go.

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Main Screen, Durability & Cover Screen

One of the biggest concerns with all foldables is their durability, and after a year of using both the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3, I can safely say that I have no qualms about whether they can handle the rigors of day-to-day usage.

That said, Samsung has clearly recognized the concerns of average consumers and the addition of Gorilla Glass Victus Plus and an Armor Aluminum Frame mean the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is – alongside its bigger cousin the Fold 4 – the most durable foldable ever. The main screen is 45% stronger than the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and although there is still a crease in the display, it’s a moot point that you’ll quickly forget about. There’s also IP68 water and dust resistance for added durability. Despite being durable, I’ll be using a Galaxy Z Flip 4 case simply because I always do, but this is likely the first foldable I would consider foregoing a case on.

Part of the appeal of the Galaxy Z Flip form factor is the Cover Screen, a 1.9-inch Super AMOLED display on the front of the phone that lets you do a lot of tasks you would normally need to use the whole display for. For the Galaxy Z Flip 4, the Cover Screen has been enhanced with new features that are creative, functional, or incredibly useful.

These include those present on the Galaxy Z Flip 3 as well as the ability to send quick replies to texts, make calls, and access Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings. Particularly useful is the ability to pay with Samsung Wallet, which means you don’t need to open the phone to make a payment anymore. There’s also a new SmartThings widget to control your home devices.

There are a lot of creative enhancements to the Cover Screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 4, all designed to allow you to express yourself. If you’ve been waiting to add a video background, you’re now in luck as it’s easy to do from within the settings menu. Similarly, you can also create your own custom clock designs and sync your favorite theme across the Cover Screen, the Main Screen, and your Galaxy smartwatch meaning you have a fully cohesive experience across all your devices.

That main screen is essentially the same 6.7-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X display used in the Galaxy Z Flip 3. It offers 1080×2640 pixels resolution, features a 120Hz Dynamic refresh rate, and has HDR10+ support. The display on the Galaxy Z Flip 3 was sharp, vibrant and a joy to use and the Galaxy Z Flip 4 continues this trend although it doesn’t seem to make any noticeable changes to the experience.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4: Camera

The larger camera bump on the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is mainly due to the increased pixel size of the cameras, which otherwise are almost identical to those in the Galaxy Z Flip 3. That means the same 12MP ultra-wide camera with f/2.2 aperture and 1.12µm pixel size, while the main sensor is also a 12MP wide lens but features a pixel size of 1.8µm, which is 0.4µm larger than the Galaxy Z Flip 3.

According to Samsung, the usage of the brighter wide lens, the larger pixel size, and enhanced processing power is designed to let the Galaxy Z Flip 4 camera take much better low-light photos using the Nightography feature. There’s also improved image stabilization and tracking to minimize shakiness, which should mean those low-light photos – which were the downside of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 – are vastly improved.

The cameras are not designed for anyone who wants Space Zoom and telephoto, nor if you plan to pixel peep every detail, but they should be good enough for most users. Ultimately, you’re not buying the Z Flip 4 for its cameras, but they will still take great social media photos like the Galaxy Z Flip 3.

The camera also comes with Quick Shot which allows you to use the Cover Screen to take photos. While this can be slightly difficult to get used to at first, it’s a fun and unique experience that helps break the ice in any social environment. Now you can also choose the aspect ratio from the Cover Screen, and you can use Portrait Mode without needing to open the phone. These subtle improvements mean the Cover Screen will likely become a feasible way to take photos in several scenarios.

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All about that Flex (mode)

One of the unique experiences with the Galaxy Z Flip series is Flex Mode. On the Galaxy Z Flip 3, this was largely limited to specific apps which had been optimized so that one part of the app was on the top half of the screen when half folded, and the bottom half displayed the controls. On the Galaxy Z Flip 4, this has been an area of significant improvement.

Samsung has worked with developers to ensure that popular apps are now fully optimized. When watching YouTube, Netflix, or Disney Plus, all these apps now separate the controls from the video, allowing you a more immersive experience. Google Meet has also been optimized so that the video and controls are separated in the same way.

The biggest addition to Flex Mode is the new touchpad, which allows you to put a website or app in the top half of the screen and then use a PC-like touchpad experience in the bottom half of the screen to swipe and tap on the app. This provides a very natural way to take advantage of the hinge’s ability to stay open when half folded and it will likely become one of my favorite ways of using the Galaxy Z Flip 4.

Also new to the Z Flip 4 is the hands-free streaming mode. This allows you to live stream to YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and other apps in a more optimized way. Essentially, just like the other apps that have been optimized, this means the video and live stream should be at the top of the screen, and things like comments and controls should be displayed in the bottom half of the screen. When live streaming, being able to separate and see the comments in a scrollable way without obstructing the video can be a challenge, and this new mode should make the Galaxy Z Flip 4 every live streamer’s new favorite device.

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Hardware & Other Specs

Beneath the obvious changes, there are yet more similarities and a couple of key differences. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor and comes with 8GB of RAM alongside a choice of 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage. The 512GB storage option is new to the Galaxy Z Flip 4 (with the Flip 3 only offering the other two options), but otherwise, this is the same feature set as last year.

Significantly improved over last year is the battery, which has been increased from 3,300mAh to 3,700mAh. Samsung says that with the improved processor and better optimizations in the software, as well as the larger capacity, the Z Flip 4 offers 3 hours of extra screen-on-time over the Galaxy Z Flip 3. Given that the battery life on the Z Flip 3 was an area of concern, these improvements should mean the Galaxy Z Flip 4 battery lasts all day.

For the times when it’s running low, the Z Flip 4 also comes with improved wired charging. Although Samsung hasn’t confirmed the specs, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 can be charged up to 50% in just 30 minutes, which is 14% faster than the Galaxy Z Flip 3. There’s also fast wireless charging, for those who prefer to go wireless, although this won’t be as fast as wired charging. There’s no charger in the box, but there are plenty of great Galaxy Z Flip 4 chargers that you can snap up at a low price.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 First Impressions: A great improvement in a few key areas

Overall, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 takes an established identity, listens to customer feedback, and makes a few small improvements in all the right areas. The net result is a phone that’s thinner, lighter, stronger, faster, and importantly, more compelling than the Galaxy Z Flip 3. Of course, this is all based on a short amount of time with the Galaxy Z Flip 4, and while we’ll reserve judgment for the final review, it has left an impression on me.

Samsung has also kept the price below $1,000, which ensures that the phone remains an option for anyone considering a new flagship phone. There are areas that could be improved on paper, but the Galaxy Z Flip 4 feels like a mature and evolved smartphone that is capable of competing.

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