The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: A Foldable That’s Finally Ready for Prime Time?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 was a commendable attempt at a foldable smartphone, but its high price tag, ergonomic shortcomings, and lackluster camera performance left many yearning for more. This year, Samsung promises a more refined experience with the Galaxy Z Fold 4, boasting improvements across the board, including a more efficient display, a powerful new chipset, and enhanced cameras. Is this the foldable that finally bridges the gap between innovation and practicality, potentially becoming your next primary smartphone? Let’s dive into the details.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Pricing and Variants in India
Samsung has upped the ante in terms of pricing for the Galaxy Z Fold 4. While RAM remains at 12GB, the base variant with 256GB of storage now costs a hefty Rs. 1,54,999. Next up is the 512GB variant at Rs. 1,64,999, and topping the line is the 1TB variant priced at a staggering Rs. 1,84,999, making the Galaxy Z Fold 4 one of the most expensive smartphones in India. This price point even surpasses the 1TB iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Adding to the disappointment is the lack of a bundled charger in the box, a trend that continues to irk many phone buyers. Available in Graygreen, Phantom Black, and Beige, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 also features a Burgundy shade in select markets, mirroring the signature color of the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Design
At first blush, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 might seem remarkably similar to its predecessor. However, upon closer inspection, subtle design tweaks emerge. The Fold 4 is slightly shorter in height but marginally wider when unfolded. Its aluminum frame now boasts a flatter design with reduced bevelled edges compared to the Fold 3. The new Fold is also slimmer when folded and lighter at 263g (compared to 271g), making it feel more manageable in hand. Additional, subtle design changes can be observed around the USB port and the frame near the outer display.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 retains the same port and button placement as the Fold 3. The outer cover screen remains at 6.2 inches, but its HD+ resolution is slightly higher, pushing pixel density to 402 ppi (from 387 ppi). It also supports a 120Hz refresh rate (with a dynamic range down to 48Hz) and utilizes Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ for enhanced scratch and shatter protection. Unlike the Fold 3, the Fold 4 lacks a pre-applied screen guard.
The internal folding display of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 remains the same 7.6 inches in size as its predecessor. While the slightly wider aspect ratio has resulted in a different resolution (2176×1812 pixels), the pixel density remains identical. Samsung claims to have enhanced the ultra-thin glass, but superficial dents can still be found with just a slight pressure from a fingernail. It’s still advisable to exercise caution when using the main display.
The under-display camera, still a 4-megapixel unit from the Fold 3, benefits from Samsung’s improved pixel layout around the lens, reducing its visibility. While slight pixellation remains noticeable against bright backgrounds, it’s significantly less pronounced compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 3. The folding display also features a wider range for its variable refresh rate, now spanning from 1Hz to 120Hz to conserve battery life.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4’s reduced weight and slimmer profile are attributed to a new hinge mechanism. While the hinge’s functionality remains similar to the Fold 3, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 utilizes a more compact solution relying on linear motion instead of the geared mechanism with interlocking teeth. Despite this new mechanism, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 retains its wedge shape when folded, resulting in a visible gap between the two halves. The crease where the display folds remains quite evident.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Specifications and Software
Powering the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC, supporting a total of 16 5G bands. The phone offers support for two physical SIMs or the option of using a single SIM and one eSIM. Wireless protocols include Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC with Samsung Pay, and Ultra-Wideband (UWB). All expected sensors are also present.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 features the same 4,400mAh battery capacity as the Z Fold 3, supporting up to 25W fast charging. It also offers both wireless and reverse wireless charging. The phone is IPX8 rated for water resistance, but unfortunately, there’s still no official certification for dust protection. It incorporates a capacitive fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button, which delivers reliable performance.
The folding display of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 also supports Samsung’s S Pen Fold Edition, with up to 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and other S Pen features like Air view, Screen-off memo, and more. However, the S Pen must still be purchased separately, as there is no space to store it within the phone.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 marks the debut of Android 12L, an optimized version of Android 12 specifically designed for foldables and tablets. One of its key features is the introduction of a taskbar. When opening an app on the large folding display, the first row of icons at the bottom of the homescreen is shrunk and pinned to the bottom, enabling quick access to another app in either split-screen mode or as a floating window. The taskbar also displays two previously opened apps.
Up to eight apps can be pinned in the taskbar (excluding the two recent ones), and the app drawer can be accessed without leaving the currently open app. The taskbar can be disabled or hidden with a long-press gesture.
OneUI 4.1.1 on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 largely mirrors the user experience of the Galaxy Z Fold 3. The ‘Cover screen mirroring’ feature copies the app layout of the cover screen to the folding screen. Users can choose which apps continue to run on the cover screen after folding the phone. The Z Fold 4 boasts an excellent always-on display feature, a good selection of downloadable themes and wallpapers, and an array of shortcuts and gestures that effectively leverage the large display.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Performance and Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 delivers the expected premium flagship performance in everyday use. It feels slightly lighter than its predecessor, and the flatter frame and rear panels enhance its overall comfort. The matte finish on the glass back is fingerprint-resistant, a welcome addition. Both displays on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 achieve adequate brightness when used outdoors during the day, and color saturation is top-notch.
The outer display offers a responsive experience, proving useful for quick tasks. However, typing remains cramped unless you utilize swipe gestures on the keyboard. The folding display elevates smartphone multitasking to a new level, with software facilitating easy transitions between multiple app layouts, enabling users to customize their workflow.
The latest Qualcomm SoC significantly enhances the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s performance compared to its predecessor. The phone achieved impressive scores of 949,295 points in AnTuTu and 60+ FPS in GFXBench’s graphics tests. The Fold 4 also runs cooler than the Fold 3 when playing games or using the camera app. Its stereo speakers provide excellent sound quality, enhancing the overall large-screen gaming experience.
Games, such as Call of Duty Mobile and Asphalt 9: Legends, ran smoothly with stable frame rates and superior touch response. The under-display selfie camera, while not ideal for selfies or face recognition, delivers satisfactory image quality for video calls.
Thanks to the more efficient SoC, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 exhibits noticeable battery life improvements over the previous model. Our HD video loop test ran for just over 15 hours on the folding display (compared to around 12.5 hours on the Fold 3). Even with regular usage, the phone easily lasted an entire day and more before requiring a charge. While Samsung did not provide an official charger, using a standard 45W USB-PD charger, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 reached 48 percent charge in half an hour and 88 percent in one hour.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 cameras
Two of the rear cameras on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 have undergone significant upgrades. The main camera now boasts a 50-megapixel sensor, which performs pixel binning to capture photos and saves them as 12-megapixel stills by default. It features optical stabilisation (OIS) and a wider f/1.8 aperture. Notably, the main camera now supports 8K video recording, absent from the Fold 3. The telephoto camera now houses a 10-megapixel sensor (previously 12-megapixels) but offers higher 3X optical and 30X digital zoom ranges. The ultra-wide camera remains at 12-megapixels but lacks autofocus, rendering macro photography impossible. The selfie cameras on the cover screen (10-megapixels) and folding screen (4-megapixels) mirror those of the Fold 3.
In daylight conditions, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 captures slightly more realistic colors than the Fold 3. Details of distant objects in landscape shots are also sharper and more legible due to the higher resolution of the new sensor. Close-ups taken with the Galaxy Z Fold 4 look impressive, although the depth effect can be somewhat aggressive, necessitating sufficient distance from the subject to ensure everything is in focus. Night mode automatically engages when shooting at night, resulting in stunning photos with good exposure and slightly enhanced details compared to the Fold 3.
Ultra-wide shots captured by the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 exhibit acceptable exposure, although dynamic range can sometimes prove insufficient. In certain situations, the Fold 3 yielded better daytime detail. Low-light shots taken with the Fold 4 also appear very good, boasting good dynamic range and exposure thanks to Night mode.
The telephoto camera delivers excellent detail in daylight at its native optical zoom level. Detail remains strong up to 10X magnification but starts to fade slightly beyond. Images remain usable at 20X magnification, but further magnification results in pixelation and blurriness. In low light conditions, the phone employs 3X digital zoom with the primary camera, maintaining sharpness and automatically activating Night mode. However, photos exceeding 10X magnification rely on the telephoto camera, disabling Night mode.
The selfie camera on the cover screen captures decent stills during the day and in low light. Night mode is also available, proving helpful in low-light conditions. The under-display camera is best avoided for selfies due to its lower quality and awkward positioning when the phone is unfolded. As before, you can utilize the rear cameras for selfies, using the cover screen as a viewfinder for improved quality or ultra-wide-angle selfies.
Videos recorded with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 are incredibly impressive. 8K 24fps videos shot during the day appear excellent and feature effective stabilization. At night, some jitter can be observed when walking, creating a slight distraction. For greater shooting flexibility, 4K 30fps is the recommended resolution, delivering superb video quality without excessive jitter in low light. The flexibility of switching between the main, ultra-wide, and telephoto cameras (up to 12X zoom) at this resolution is a significant advantage. The selfie camera on the cover screen also supports 4K 30fps video recording.
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 stands as a substantial iterative update over the Galaxy Z Fold 3. This new device offers a more power-efficient SoC, improved primary and telephoto cameras, and enhanced battery life. It’s also slightly easier to handle, but it remains a chunky smartphone, and the folding display still requires more care than a regular phone display. Pricing has increased, but for those with the budget, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 presents a more practical large-screen smartphone experience than the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
If the improvements of the new model are not a priority, then the Galaxy Z Fold 3 could be a more budget-friendly alternative. Prices for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 now start at Rs. 1,39,999, with the 512GB variant available for Rs. 1,47,999, making it more affordable than the Galaxy Z Fold 4.
