If you are in the market for both a smartphone and tablet, you don’t have to choose, thanks to the foldable screen of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4. At least, if your budget allows. In this Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 review you can read how you like the smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
MSRP From € 1,799
Colors Black, green, beige
OS Android 12 (OneUI)
Screen 7.6″ amoled (2316 x 904, 120 hertz) and 6.2″ amoled (2176 x 1812, 120 hertz)
Processor 2.8 Ghz octa-core (Snapdragon 8 gen1)
RAM 12GB
Storage 256GB (non-expandable)
Battery 4,400 mAh
Rear cameras 50, 12 and 10 megapixels
Front cameras 10 megapixel (front), 4 megapixel (open)
Connectivity 5G, bluetooth 5.2, WiFi, GPS, NFC, Qi
Format 15.5 x 6.7 x 1.6 cm (closed) and 15.5 x 13 x 0.6
Weight 263 grams
Other E-sim, IPX 8, no adapter
Website www.samsung.com/nl
8 Score 80 
- Pros
- Innovative
- Sturdy design
- Screen quality
- Negatives
- Price
- Battery too small
The biggest innovation in the smartphone field in recent years is without a doubt Samsung, which has brought an impressive piece of technology to the market with the Galaxy Z Fold series. Actually, Samsung is the only player on the market whose foldable smartphones are worth buying. The brand has two different series, which have ended up in a fourth generation. The Galaxy Z Flip, an openable smartphone similar to the clamshell phones of yesteryear, and the Galaxy Z Fold, a smartphone that folds open like a book to unfold a second, larger, tablet screen.
Device ready for the general public, price not yet
Especially with the third generation, the predecessor of this Galaxy Z Fold4, Samsung showed that the foldable smartphone is ready for the wider public. The hinge of the device in particular is an impressive piece of technology: capable of being folded hundreds of thousands of times and even dust and waterproof. This Galaxy Z Fold4 also has this. The only shortcoming of this Fold3 and Fold4 has remained: a folding line in the screen, which becomes increasingly visible and palpable as you use the device regularly.
However, the biggest hurdle for consumers seems to be the price of the Galaxy Z Fold devices. The cheapest version of the Galaxy Z Fold4 is about 1800 euros. That simply cannot be justified: for less money you have a better smartphone and tablet. The same applies to the previous generation: the Galaxy Z Fold3 now costs about 1,300 euros. Still inaccessible high.
Despite this, Samsung continues to release a new generation every year, which is marginally better than the predecessor. The differences are so marginal that the Galaxy Z Fold4 is virtually indistinguishable from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3. The narrow screen on the front has slightly thinner edges and the front camera of the folding screen is hidden behind the screen by slightly more pixels. There is hardly any innovation internally either. The latest generation Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, improved cameras… But that’s about it.
Too little innovation
That while quite some change is needed to make the Galaxy Z Fold smartphone attractive. First of all, by significantly lowering the price, if necessary for the Galaxy Z Fold3. Also, a larger battery would not have been out of place, the battery capacity is at a lower limit. Which affects the battery life and lifespan: after all, small batteries wear out faster. Something should also be done about the enormous amount of bloatware on the device.
Speaking of software, some apps are optimized for folding screens or the larger tablet screen. But there are still far too few, even in the Play Store. That’s a shame, because the foldable smartphone needs smart apps to really claim its right to exist.
Samsung has virtually no competition when it comes to foldable smartphones. Would this stop Samsung from innovating? And would the small market stop app makers from making those really indispensable apps for this product group?
Galaxy Z Fold4 in practice
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a rare and impressive piece of engineering. From the water-resistant device and hinge, to the foldable screen with hidden front camera (which is of lower quality than other smartphone front cameras). Thanks to the fingerprint scanner in the on/off button on the side, you not only have a faster and more accurate unlocking than a scanner behind the screen, but you also have the scanner available in smartphone mode as well as in tablet mode.
In practice, you also have the best of both worlds in your pocket. Although the device is slightly thicker than a smartphone and is somewhat narrower when closed, you can use the front as you are used to from a smartphone. Quickly answering an app or looking up something is done in no time. Then you unfold the device to get the best of a tablet. The screen is (particularly due to the hidden front cam) excellent for watching videos. You can also work fine on the screen.
You can also unfold the device halfway. A bit like a laptop. For example, you can place the keyboard on the bottom half of the screen or get more out of the cameras. If you place the device on a flat surface, half open, you can use the front camera for video calling, for example, or the three cameras on the back for photography.
Cameras
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is well suited for photography. Three cameras are placed on the back: in addition to the regular camera, you will find a wide-angle and zoom lens. The lenses have less physical space than, for example, on an iPhone or a Galaxy S22. The camera of the Galaxy Z Fold4 is not as versatile as those top smartphones. If photography weighs more than a foldable screen, it is better to go with a Pixel smartphone, Samsung Galaxy S or iPhone.
It is also striking that the three cameras do not seem to differ much when it comes to image quality. The regular camera can handle low light and backlight best, and the wide-angle lens sometimes suffers from curvature. Furthermore, photos are vibrantly colored and detailed.
When you open the camera app, you have three zoom levels: 0.6x (wide angle), 1x and 3x. The funny thing is that when you use the 3x zoom function, the main lens is used and zoomed in on it. If you want to use the zoom lens, you have to zoom in even further (from 4x). As a result, you use the zoom lens much less quickly in practice. This prevents you from using the zoom lens quickly, because it still has more trouble with difficult lighting conditions.
Switching between the small and large screen is seamless, although some apps can react strangely with the transition
Screens and specs
The small screen on the outside is a glass amoled panel, which is more scratch resistant and offers the most beautiful display. The folding AMOLED screen is similar in color scale, but looks slightly less clear and the fold line in the middle is annoying. You see this, and you feel it.
Switching between the small and large screen is seamless, although some apps can sometimes react strangely with the transition. You can continue immediately when opening or closing the Galaxy Z Fold4. For this, the device is also equipped with enough computing power and smoothly running software: a Snapdragon 8 gen1 chipset with 12GB of RAM. You also get 256GB of storage. Unfortunately you cannot expand this. If you need more storage, you have to buy the more expensive versions of 512GB (1919 euros) or 1TB (2159 euros).
Charging is possible with a maximum of 25 watts, or wirelessly with 15 watts. You still have to purchase a charger separately. Charging speed doesn’t break any records. The battery life is very dependent on how often you use the device and which screen you use. In practice, a charged battery lasted about a day. That doesn’t stop.
The three zoom levels of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4.
Software Android 12 with OneUI
Samsung has worked hard to make Android and its apps suitable for working with multiple screens. And has done a good job with it. In addition, the Android shell is packed with extra functionality and Samsung, unlike most other Android manufacturers, has the support in order. You can expect at least five Android version updates.
The disadvantage is that Samsung stuffs the device with bloatware. Many unnecessary Samsung apps and services are predictable. But Microsoft and Facebook apps are also represented unsolicited. Also annoying is the unnecessary McAfee virus scanner that Samsung has hidden in the settings.
Alternatives to the Samsung Galaxy Fold4
Are you looking for a smartphone and a tablet, then there is certainly a user application for you by having both devices in one in your pocket. However, keep in mind that for the price of 1800 euros you buy a better smartphone and better tablet.
If you are in the market for a foldable smartphone, there is of course also the Galaxy Z Flip4. Only this is a substantially different device: you open it to conjure up a smartphone, while you unfold this Galaxy Z Fold4 for a tablet screen. As a result, there is really only one alternative to the Galaxy Z Fold4, and that is the Galaxy Z Fold3. The devices hardly differ from each other, but unfortunately they are also shockingly high priced at the time of writing.
If you are looking for the most powerful smartphone with the best camera, then the foldable smartphone is not the best option. Smartphones such as the Galaxy S22 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro have more to offer in that regard. For a less high price.
Conclusion: Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4?
The Galaxy Z Fold4 is an impressive piece of engineering. The foldable screen, the hinge and the software that ensures the seamless operation makes a deep impression. Yet innovation is lacking. For example for the battery life. The much too high price also makes it unlikely that you will often see the foldable smartphone in the streets.
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