Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold keeps its mission simple and clear. It is a two-in-1 device that can be folded open to become a tablet and starts out as a smartphone. The fourth-generation Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the fourth generation of the foldable flagship Samsung Galaxy Z Fold.
The Z Fold 4 has a new processor, an upgraded camera on the back, better displays and improved multitasking skills. This makes the Z Fold 4 a great choice.
To see how these improvements in real life, I have been using the Z Fold4 day-in and day-out for more than a week. The Z Fold 4 is ready to take on any challenge, even though there are some things I miss.
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The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a large, but refined device. While Samsung has simplified some parts of its design, it’s still quite substantial. Although it looks like a brick, it can still be held in one hand when closed and two when open.
It is lighter than the Z Fold 3 and Z Fold 2. It weighs 263g (0.58 lbs). You can feel the difference in weight if you are using an iPhone 13 Pro Max, or a Galaxy S22 Ultra. It is approximately the same size as two smartphones, one open and one closed. This will work well for people who prefer to keep their smartphones in their front pockets, but there will be a noticeable bulge. The Z Fold 4 does not fit in a pocket — either pants or shirt — as is the Galaxy Z Flip 4.
Similar: Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4 looks nostalgic, but improves where it matters. It feels solid and sophisticated, with a lot of weight. It’s made of premium materials like aluminum and glass. This gives it a high-end feel, which is why the price tag of $1,799 is so low. There is the novelty of using a foldable … I mean, as a tech editor, I get a kick out of that, and this device quickly catches the eyes of onlookers.
Galaxy Z Fold 4 DurabilityAnd Samsung keeps the same high durability that was introduced with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 The IPX8 water resistant rating of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 this year means it can survive a dip at the pool. It can be used for up to 30 minutes in water up to a meter deep. Although I was not able to test it, I did use it outdoors in the rain and had no problems.
Dust resistance is something that you won’t find on either the Z Fold 4 (or any other older models). This feature is not available on the Z Fold 4, and it will likely take a major tech revolution or technological advancement to bring it to fruition. It’s still much better than the original Fold 1.5, 2, or 3 hinges and it feels smooth when opening and closing the device. You can stop folding or unfolding the device at any stage with the help of a system that has brushes inside. This is what I will explain in the software section. However, you can use your Z Fold 4 as a mini laptop. Or prop up the front cover Screen to watch movies or make video calls.
What Colors Does the Z Fold 4 Come InWhile Samsung hasn’t made another Fold since the second generation in Mystic Bronze — arguably one of the best colors they’ve ever offered — I’m digging the Graygreen color of the Fold 4. It’s simple under certain lighting, but can be seen in greenish-blue in other light. It still has a soft, matte finish on the rear that hides fingerprints. But the hinge and sides are made from glossy aluminum. They get covered in fingerprints. The Z Fold 4 is also available in Beige or Phantom Black.
Regardless if it’s open or closed, the Fold 4 cannot lay flat on its own. The Fold 4 will rock back-and-forth due to its large rear camera bump. Fortunately, these cameras are now closer than ever to the flagship level.
The Z Fold 4 can be charged via the USB-C port at the bottom, or by placing it on a Qi wireless charger. Below the volume rocker, you’ll find the combination power button/fingerprint sensor. You’ll also find the microSIM card slot nearby, but there is no expandable storage here.
Two Vibrant, Immersive Displays. Scroll to Continue
The Cover Screen was my biggest problem with the Fold over three generations. The Cover Screen was too narrow and pushed to the right. Samsung solved the problem by putting a 6.2-inch screen in a 23.9 aspect ratio. It is now taller and has 3 millimeters more screen real estate.
It makes the front-screen much more user-friendly and valuable. The previously cramped keyboard can be used to reply to emails or browse a website, scroll through timelines, and to type messages. In typical Samsung AMOLED style, it is bright and vivid with vibrant colors. This content looks amazing. Samsung spent some time figuring out the size problem, but the Cover Screen now has the right size to perform traditional phone tasks. It also includes a 10-megapixel camera that can be used as a selfie, with a pinhole hole at the top. This is a very useful feature. It’s also the best way to take selfies on the Fold 4.
The Fold’s biggest selling point is its screen, which you can open to view. It’s still a 7.6-inch display and has an obvious crease down the center. But much like a notch on your iPhone or a pinhole on a Galaxy, it won’t bother you much in everyday use. You’ll sometimes feel it when playing a game or browsing a web page, but you learn to live with it.
An important note — there is a screen protector pre-installed on the Z Fold 4’s main screen, and you should not remove it. Samsung warns about this warning during the installation. The main screen is built from a bevy of components, including plastic and glass that come together for Samsung’s Ultra-Thin Glass component. The screen here will feel malleable, but it’s also not the first generation.
The screen’s vibrancy and quality are great for forgetting about the crease. To get specific, it’s an Infinity Flex Dynamic AMOLED 2x display. Content looks excellent here, and it’s sizable enough that you can take in a film or a TV show on it. Colors look just as punchy on the front, and it’s easy to see the details here.
It stretches closer to the edges like the front display, but you won’t find a pinhole notch containing a camera. Instead, there’s an under-display camera that hides a 4-megapixel lens. It’s baked into the screen with pixels that run above it. This way, it’s not an eyesore to have a piece of the screen cut out. While this second generation is better at concealing, the quality is still not great. You’re much better off using one of the other four cameras.
Multitasking MachineThe Galaxy Z Fold 4 foldable is finally the one that can multitask. The latest processor, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon8+ Gen 1 with 12GB RAM, gives it plenty of power. It also runs Android 5.0 with Samsung’s One user interface. This puts the Z Fold 4 in the top tier of premium smartphones such as the Galaxy S22 Ultra or iPhone 13 Pro Max.
You can also use the Z Fold 4 just like other devices that have only the cover screen and one application on the main screen. Gaming locally with COD Mobile or Asphalt 8 is a breeze. The same goes for streaming a game through Xbox Game Pass. It excels in this area, and it is also an expert at multitasking.
With up to five apps running simultaneously, each app just glides along. You can do a lot more with this phone than you would expect. A Taskbar is added to the bottom of the Z Fold, making it easier to multitask on the Z Fold 4.
You’ll see a taskbar when you open Gmail, an email app that you use to browse through your emails each morning. It will look very similar to the Windows bottom toolbar or the iPadOS floating dock. The first time it appears, you will see recent applications. Tap one to jump into the app quickly. Drag one app up to create a split screen experience. It can be placed on the right, left, top, or bottom.
This is great for reading Twitter and triaging your inbox, writing a story or referencing a PDF. It’s possible to have an app hover above the middle. On the Z Fold 3 this was not possible. However, Android offers useful icons and menus so you can achieve your goals. These layouts are also possible to save — Gmail on one side, Twitter split on another with Slack on the other — to make it easy to jump into the pairings. It’s like having a work space you can jump into quickly.
If the Z Fold 4 was your primary phone, and you get an urgent call, you can have a spare pair of hands. It’s convenient and it feels like the Samsung experience they have been striving for is finally being realized.
Another complaint is the S Pen. The S Pen is a great companion for the Z Fold 4 and some variations are supported here. However, it is not compatible with the S22 Ultra or Galaxy Note, and it does not come bundled with its base MSRP. Maybe that will come with the Z Fold 5, but who knows?
Samsung promises three-years of Android updates (which should account for three additional generation releases) and four year security updates. It will be interesting for the Z Fold 3 to see Android 12L arrive, as the Taskbar would be a great addition. This is especially true considering the similar performance.
The battery can be used for a full day with both screens, rounding out the performance. It’s hard to stretch this to a day and a half like some other phones, and Samsung is still using a 4,400mAh dual-cell battery inside.
Related: Top Wireless Chargers for 2022The Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a lot of connectivity. 5G is supported by mmWave, Sub-6 and C-Band networks. All are available in the United States, depending on which carrier you use.
Finally Flagship-level cameras The Z Fold 4 brings the main trio of lenses up to the same level as those on the Galaxy S22+ or S22+. Space Zoom is finally here!
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 has five cameras, two of which are self-portrait cameras built into the Cover and Main screens. Three lenses make up the rear camera bump. All three have larger sensors, which enable it to capture more scene details (like lighting) than the Z Fold 3.
The 50-megapixel wide camera takes great images. The ultra-wide is fun to frame photos. Both of these cameras offer a lot of versatility. However, my favorite Z Fold 4 feature is the Telephoto Lens. You can capture a 2×4, 4x and 10x zoom. It can also stretch up to a 30x Zoom. It’s still far behind 50x and 100x Space Zoom, but it’s nice that Samsung finally made this available here.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Camera TestAnd alongside the improved number of megapixels and larger sensors, Samsung’s brought a lot of software improvements to all cameras here. Many of these features were first introduced on the Galaxy S22, including improved low-light and night photography, smoother video capture, better Portrait shots, and better separation between background and foreground. All these features increase the Z Fold 4’s ability to capture a variety of shots. It’s not the best photography experience I’ve ever used on a phone, but it’s better fitting for a $1,799 price. Below is a gallery of images that I took with the Z Fold 4.
Bottom LineThe Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the perfect phone for anyone who needs it to fold into a tablet. The design is substantial yet doesn’t give pause when in use, both of the screens are finally entirely usable, and the multitasking experience is intuitive and fully grown up.
Year over year, there’s no need to run out and grab the Z Fold 4 if you have a Z Fold 3. But if you’ve been using a Z Fold 2, the original, or even a non-folding device, the Z Fold 4 hits the right notes.
And sure, you can multitask on an S22 Ultra, but after using the Z Fold 4, it’s a much more unique experience. It’s not night and day over the previous generation, but the Galaxy Z Fold 4 feels ready for primetime if you have the cash to spend.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 is up for preorder now from Samsung and will begin shipping on Aug. 26 to those who order. You can order a 256GB model starting at $1,799 but Samsung has many other promotions. You’ll get upgraded storage, a free cover, and a $100 credit for future purchases. Plus, if you trade in an eligible device, you’ll score up to $1,000 off the price.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Tech SpecificationsSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Display
6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display at 120Hz refresh rate (Cover Screen); 7.6” QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex Display at 120Hz refresh rate (Main Screen)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 12GB RAM
Cameras
4-megapixel under-display camera, main screen; 10-megapixel camera (selfie); fifty-megapixel wide, 12-megapixel ultra-wide, and 10-megapixel Telephoto (rear).
Batteries
4,400mah
Connectivity
5G: Sub-6, MMWave and C-Band. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 6.
Storage
256GB,512GB, and 1TB
Colors
Beige, Graygreen, or Phantom Black
Prices
$1,779.99 (starting)
Prices are accurate. Items in stock at time publishing.
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