Samsung’s cutting-edge Android-powered Galaxy Z Fold 4 phone/tablet hybrid is back, and it’s here to prove that foldable devices are the future.
By putting a powerful 7.6-inch smartphone and tablet in your pocket, Samsung has created the device of choice for gadget lovers. But the price means it’s not quite ready for most consumers yet.
Its foldable shape, five cameras, and two screens should tell you that this is no ordinary phone, but rather the most advanced look at the evolution of the humble smartphone.
Cutting-edge technology makes the Fold 4 one of the most expensive devices you can buy at £1,649 ($1,799 / A$2,499), about the same price if you were to buy a premium phone and tablet separately, but more than expected. that most should pay. a pocket computing device.
The overall look is similar to last year’s first version, with minor refinements all around. Metal sides are flatter with a premium luster finish. The device is shorter and the hinge is thinner, making the outer screen wider. It feels more like a normal phone for messages and calls when closed, although it’s thicker and heavier.
Open it up like a book to see the large, tablet-sized 7.6-inch flexible OLED screen, which is still an almost magical experience. The screen is big, bright, smooth, and feels a little harder under the finger than the first version. Samsung says the display is 45% more durable than it was last year, but I’d still keep it away from kids, as it’s just not as robust as traditional toughened glass.
There is still a crease along the crease, which you can feel with your finger and see at an angle. It would be better if it wasn’t there, but you won’t notice it after a few minutes of using the device. The under-display camera is also a little better hidden, so you won’t see it every day unless you specifically look for it.
The hinge keeps the screen open at any angle and closes with a satisfying snap. The home screen is ideal for videos, games, reading sites and books, or multitasking with two or more apps open at the same time.
Specifications
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Main screen: 7.6-inch 120Hz Amoled QXGA+ flexible display (374 ppi)
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Cover screen: 6.2in HD+ 120Hx Amoled (387ppi)
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Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
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RAM: 12GB RAM
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Storage: 256, 512 GB or 1 TB
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OS: A 4.1 user interface based on Android 12L
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Camera: 50MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto; 10MP and 4MP selfie cameras
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Connectivity: 5G, dual sim, esim, USB-C, Wi-Fi 6E, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2
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Waterproof: IPX8 (1.5 meters for 30 minutes)
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folded dimensions: 155.1×67.1×15.8mm
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Unfolded Dimensions: 155.1 x 130.1 x 6.3mm
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Weight: 263g
Faster, smoother and more durable.
The Fold 4 is super snappy and smooth with Qualcomm’s latest top processor, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, which is the most powerful chip available in Android, as used by the Flip 4 and OnePlus 10T.
The phone’s two screens make battery life more variable than a regular phone. When primarily using just the large interior screen, the battery lasts a good 35 hours between charges. A more balanced use of the two screens for a mix of messaging, multitasking and media consumption results in a battery life of approximately 40 hours, including active use of the screens for up to seven hours. This is very cool and a huge step up compared to its predecessor.
The Fold 4 takes about 80 minutes to fully charge, reaching 50% in 30 minutes using a 25W or higher USB-C power adapter (£11.90 from Samsung), which is not included.
Sustainability
Samsung does not provide an expected life for the battery, but it should last more than 500 full charge cycles with at least 80% of its original capacity. the phone is usually repairable, and the battery is replaceable by authorized service centers in the UK. Repairs to the larger internal screen cost £539. The screens are covered by a two-year warranty, but Samsung assesses breakages for “evidence of product misuse” and may charge a fee for repairs. Insurance is recommended. costs £8.49 a month from Samsung or available from third parties.
Various internal components are made of 20% nylon or recycled plastic. Samsung offers exchange and recycling systems for old devices. The public company annual sustainability reports but not impact assessments for individual products.
best software
The Fold 4 runs a new version of One UI 4.1 based on Google’s Android 12L software, which is designed specifically for tablets and devices with a foldable screen.
Most of the updates within Android 12L are behind the scenes to make apps work better when multitasking and form switching. The new taskbar is excellent, it acts as a port to quickly access your most used apps and put them in split screen mode by dragging and dropping them.
Using a pair of apps on a screen about the size of two phones side by side is remarkably powerful, letting you do things you normally would with a laptop, like budgeting, meal planning, and comparison shopping. Most of the apps are stable and work great in various combinations. Rotating the Fold 4 to landscape also gives you dual-pane views in some apps, including Gmail, so you can see your inbox on the left and a reading pane on the right.
cameras
The Fold 4 has five cameras in total: a new triple system on the back, a 10 MP selfie camera on the front, and an additional 4 MP selfie camera hidden below the top right of the internal display.
The rear cameras are essentially the same as those fitted to the S22+ and are a marked improvement over last year’s Fold 3. The 50MP main camera is great, capturing great images in a variety of lighting conditions with very good low-light performance. The 3x optical zoom is useful, and the ultra-wide camera is good for landscapes and group shots.
The video shot by all three is also very good, but ultrawide is limited to 30 frames per second for some reason.
The under-display selfie camera is novel but poor quality for photos, so it’s only good enough for video calls. The 10MP outdoor selfie camera is one of the best, but you can take better selfies and group shots with the main cameras using the outer screen as a viewfinder. It’s a bit awkward to hold but well worth the effort.
Overall, the Fold 4’s cameras are now a match for all but Samsung’s best S22 Ultra camera phone, making them some of the best on the market.
Price
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 costs £1,649 ($1,799/AU$2,499) with 256 GB of storage.
For comparison, the costs of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 £999the Galaxy S22 Ultra costs £1,149the Galaxy S22+ costs £949the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 costs £860does the Google Pixel 6 Pro cost £649and the costs of Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max £1,049.
Verdict
Samsung’s next-generation foldable phone-tablet hybrid has lost none of its novelty and power for its fourth generation.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is unrivaled outside of China, where some local brands make similar devices for the local market. Lots of little refinements add up in this new iteration. The Fold 4 is easier to use as a phone for messages and calls when it’s closed. Opening it like a book to the beautiful, large internal screen is still magical, as is closing it to standby with a snap.
Software updates have made multitasking much easier and more robust, while the big screen is great for watching TV shows on the go when you need to relax. Longer battery life and a faster chip are appreciated, as are significant improvements to the camera, putting the Fold in line with Samsung’s best regular phones.
The drawback is simple: the price. One day, a foldable tablet-phone might be a realistic prospect for the mass market, but for now, the Fold 4 remains too expensive and too fragile. It’s a gadget lover’s dream and the most exciting device currently on the market. But for most people, a regular flat phone or the newer Z Flip 4 is a better buy.
If you must have the most advanced device available, the Z Fold 4 is it. Just keep your kids away and buy insurance in case the worst happens.
Advantages: phone and tablet in one, waterproof, powerful split screen apps, phone-like exterior display, fantastic tablet display, top performance, very good battery life, great cameras, eye-catching design.
Cons: extremely expensive, more fragile than a normal device and the internal screen can be marked more easily than traditional glass, expensive to repair, no resistance to dust, heavy, thick, not a huge leap from the previous generation.
