Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Intro
The Galaxy Z Flip 4 brings back the nostalgic clamshell flip phone with a modern twist. There is plenty of complex engineering that went into this cute little foldable: an innovative screen, special ultra thin glass that protects it, yet folds, an advanced hinge that keeps dust and even water out, and all of that is garnished with high-end components for a true flagship experience.
While they do look similar, the new Z Flip 4 model brings a faster and more efficient chip, and rumors claim it will have a bigger battery and a display that is no longer plagued by a “crease” problem. Let’s find out all about it!
What’s new about the device
- Faster processor
- Less of a “crease”
- Improved camera quality
- More durable construction
- Possibly, better battery life
Table of Contents:
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Specs
A new processor and less of a crease
| Specs | Galaxy Z Flip 4 |
|---|---|
| Size and Weight | 72.2 x 86.4 x 15.9 mm (folded) 166 x 72.2 x 6.9 mm (unfolded) 183g |
| Display | 6.7″ OLED, 120Hz ProMotion, 22:9 aspect ratio 1.9″ Cover Screen |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
| RAM + Storage | 8GB LPDDR5 128GB or 256GB storage, no microSD card support |
| Software | Android 12 with Samsung One UI 4 |
| Cameras | Dual camera system (main + ultra-wide) |
| Battery Size | 3,700 mAh |
| Charging Speeds | 25W wired 15W wireless |
| Price | expected to start from $1,000 |
There are two big highlights in this table according to the leaks and rumors. The first one is the more powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, which is receiving glowing reviews, and most importantly, unlike the Galaxy S series, there won’t be a separate version with a less powerful Samsung Exynos chip for some markets. Everyone is getting a Snapdragon processor. The second highlight is a significantly bigger battery.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Design & Colors
Mix and match colors for a unique Z Flip 4 look
There is nothing particularly new about the Z Flip 4 design. The clamshell foldable retains the styling from its predecessor, but expectations are that Samsung will bring improvements to the hinge as well as to the screen, where the crease will be far less noticeable.
The Z Flip 4 is made out of glass and aluminum, and it has a tiny cover display on the front where you can see essential information like your notifications.
Buttons are on the side, including the fingerprint scanner which is expected to be embedded in the power button.
We also appreciate having IP68 water and dust protection rating on the Z Flip 4, which gives you peace of mind it will survive an occasional drop in water or more extreme weather conditions.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Display
Once you unfold it, you are greeted with a 6.7-inch display that is much taller and narrower than your typical screen with a 22:9 aspect ratio.
Such a narrow and tall screen is not ideal for reading text, but might be just the perfect thing for movie lovers as cinematic videos are often filmed at such resolutions.
The excitement here comes from the combination of UTG, aka thin under display glass, with improvements to the hinge, which combine for the far less noticeable “crease” in the middle of the screen. We don’t think we can get completely rid of the crease yet, but make it far less noticeable? Yes, please.
Apart from that, expect the typically excellent Samsung Dynamic AMOLED color quality, plus a dynamic 120Hz refresh rate for buttery smooth scrolling.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Camera
A trusty dual camera system, but no zoom
One thing that has not changed on the Z Flip 4 is that it still uses a dual camera system with a main + ultra-wide camera, but it has no dedicated telephoto zoom lens like most other high-end Samsung phones.
With the powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip inside, expectations are that images will process faster and you will get consistent video quality across all models, while we have noticed that Galaxy S models with a Snapdragon chip often capture slightly different looking photos and videos compared to the same model with an Exynos chip.
We will update this section with actual photos and videos as soon as we get the phone, so stay tuned for that.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Performance
The new Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip is fast!
We already touched upon the Snadpragon 8+ Gen 1 processor inside the Z Flip 4, but it is indeed a beast of a chip and is receiving universal praise.
And best of all, there is no Exynos version of the Z Flip 4, all models across the globe run on the Snapdragon chip.
We expect to see the chip paired with 8GB of fast, LPDDR5 RAM and a base model with 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage.
More on the actual Z Flip 4 performance and benchmarks will be added in this section very soon once we are done testing the phone.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Android version
The Z Flip 4 is due to ship with Android 12 garnished with Samsung’s One UI custom interface.
This is mostly a good thing as the Samsung skin features a ton of options.
There is something else very impressive here too: the Z Flip 4 comes with a promise for 4 years of major software updates and 5 years of security updates. This is a commitment Samsung has made for most of its higher-end devices, and it is absolutely fantastic compared to most other Android phone makers, which only offer three or sometimes even only two years of major Android updates.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Battery
A bigger battery is a possibility
The Z Flip 4 is expected to have a bigger battery compared to the Z Flip 3, which shipped with a 3,300mAh cell split between the two sections of the device.
We don’t have an exact number, but an increase of 10% is quite likely, and this will give the Flip 4 a welcome boost in battery life.
Of course, it’s too early to tell whether it is possible that we get a two-day Flip, and we find such a stretch goal hard to believe, but an improvement is coming and it will be significant. Stay tuned for our independent battery tests, which will illustrate the difference in perfect clarity with numbers soon.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Charging Speeds
We expect the Z Flip 4 to retain the same 25W wired charging speeds as its predecessor, so no changes here.
And if rumors about a bigger battery come to fruition, that would mean that a full top-up might actually take you a bit longer than before.
The Flip 4 will naturally also support 15W wireless charging, as well as reverse wireless charging.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Audio Quality and Haptics
While the very first Flip launched with a single speaker, the Z Flip 3 and now this Z Flip 4 both use a stereo setup consisting of one bottom firing speaker and another one built in the earpiece.
And nope, there is no headphone jack here. Samsung doesn’t include earbuds in the box either, so for wired audio, you’d need to buy a pair of good sounding USB-C buds or on a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Competitors
The good thing about being a pioneer in the foldable space like Samsung, is that you get very little competition if any.
Those looking for a clamshell foldable basically have the upcoming Motorola Razr gadget, but not much else really. We are yet to hear more about the new Moto Razr foldable, so we will have to withheld judgment until we learn more.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Summary
At the end of the day, the Z Flip 4 builds upon the successful foundation of previous Samsung clamshell foldables. With the plethora of color options and the tiny size, we can definitely see how this device will appeal to the design conscious folks, as well as those looking for just a tiny phone or a smaller foldable than the Fold 4.
The Z Flip 4 comes at a flagship cost, but not much more, so while it is by no means “affordable”, it is not out of reach either like the very first foldables were.
And this being the fourth generation of a product is reassuring as you know that initial pain points have been addressed and the device will be able to withstand the stress of daily use.
Should you buy the Z Fold 4? If you are in the market for a clamshell foldable, this one shapes up to be the very best, so definitely check it out.
