The first Galaxy Fold, presented in March 2019, is the device with which Samsung created the folding smartphone segment from scratch. A slice of the market that the Korean manufacturer now dominates, thanks to its engineering advantage, branding and diffusion on the European and (above all) American markets.
Three years after that first model, Samsung unveiled the fourth iteration of the device, the Galaxy Z Fold4. It is an evolutionary update that improves key aspects such as the size of the hinge, the quality of the screens and the level of the photographic sector, inherited directly from the Galaxy S22. There is also a more powerful processor, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, top of the range of Qualcomm’s offer.The differences do not stop at the hardware but also concern the software, with the introduction of a new taskbar that simplifies multitasking and a general improvement in the user experience.
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Design and experience of use
Galaxy Z Fold4 is almost indistinguishable from its predecessor, barring a few details. The most important from an engineering point of view is the size of the hinge, which is now a few millimeters thinner and protrudes less noticeably when the device is closed. It’s a small thing, but just hold the Fold4 in your hand for some time and you realize that it contributes to a general feeling of compactness. This is especially noticeable when you insert or take the device out of your jeans pocket. The Galaxy Z Fold4 is also a bit lighter than the previous model: 263g versus 271g. It is heavier than the average of traditional smartphones, of course, but it must always be considered that flagship devices such as the iPhone 13 Pro Max or Galaxy S22 Ultra, without hinges or additional screens, weigh just about thirty grams less. Despite the weight, the device is comfortable and easy to handle, both when closed and when open.
I display
The two screens have also been improved. The external display has thinner bezels which make it truly “edge to edge”. Technically it remains a 6.2 ”AMOLED, but the resolution is slightly higher. The same goes for the internal display, which always measures 7.6 ”but has widened towards the edges, gaining a few millimeters and a few pixels. The maximum refresh rate of both is 120Hz, but compared to the Galaxy Z Fold3 it can drop as low as 1Hz when not viewing dynamic content. It’s another useful detail, which contributes both to the smooth feel of the interface and to better battery management. Autonomy is generally good but not stellar: with the 4400 mAh unit you can get to a working day without too many problems, but the duration of a charge varies significantly according to the time of use of the internal display, which consumes understandably more energy. The only detail that we would have liked is instead a slightly faster recharge than that at 25W (note: the charger is not included in the package).
Compromises to be taken into account
Even the compromises to be accepted in the user experience of the Galaxy Z Fold4 have not changed compared to the previous model. The long, narrow external display isn’t always comfortable to use for those with large hands and fingers. In many cases it happens to open the device to activate the larger keyboard, for example to reply to a message, adding an extra level of complication to an otherwise simple and quick operation.
The internal folding screen is once again a small engineering jewel, which however brings with it an inevitable compromise to accept: the central folding of the screen. It is not particularly disturbing in use, but you can still hear and see very clearly when the phone is open, as already on the Galaxy Z Fold3.
In the center of the right half of the internal display there is still the selfie camera hidden under the display. Also in this case it is an interesting technology, which however brings with it some inevitable compromises such as, first of all, the low resolution.
Improved performance, flagship photography
On the Galaxy Z Fold4 Samsung has implemented Qualcomm’s latest and most powerful smartphone chip, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. The component contributes to an overall performance improvement, especially when handling complex graphics tasks and when gaming. It is accompanied by 12GB of RAM and, in the basic version of the device, by 256GB of storage space.
In everyday use, the experience returned by the Fold4 is that of a smartphone or a flagship tablet. The interface is fluid, the apps open very quickly, the internet connection, especially with 5G, is very fast, and we have never encountered any slowdowns or bugs of particular importance.
During our preview test we paid particular attention to the camera, one of the most relevant innovations of the new device. Samsung has made no secret of having transferred the same photographic sector here as the Galaxy S22 flagship, presented earlier this year. The main lens thus switches to 50MP and is flanked by a 12MP ultra-wide angle and a 10MP zoom. The composition of the sensors is well balanced and the quality of the photos in all respects comparable to that of Samsung’s flagships. The decision not to implement an even more advanced sector, such as that of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, is in our opinion an excellent idea. The gain in photo quality would not have compensated for the difference in weight and cost of such an engineering choice.
The difference is the software
Also because, as is now customary on any smartphone, the real difference in the quality of images and videos is made by computational processing. It is no coincidence that all the photographic innovations that we had already seen on the S series arrive on Galaxy Z Fold4. First of all the Nightography, that is Samsung’s interpretation of night photography: the results are excellent, and in all respects comparable in quality. and performance to those of the best Android flagships this year.
The software differences also and above all concern the user experience. The most relevant news is certainly the addition of a new taskbar that appears automatically on the internal display and replaces the side dock (still available on the external screen). It’s great for having the latest and most frequently used apps at your fingertips, and makes multitasking a lot easier. Just drag one of the icons from the dock to the screen to open the application in split screen mode. On Galaxy Fold4, you can use up to three apps in three dynamic portions of the internal display at the same time, plus a floating window.
The software improvements introduced on the OneUI of the Z Fold4 also concern the interactions between some of the most used software, thanks to Samsung’s partnerships with partners such as Google and Microsoft. In the case of Google apps, for example, you can now drag and drop files and documents from one app to another. It seems like a small thing, but it is one of the best implemented and most satisfying functions we have ever tried on the device. Drag-and-drop works smoothly and successfully reproduces “desktop” operations not available on traditional smartphones. In this way, for example, you can upload photos from the gallery to Google Drive, or move images directly from the browser into a Google Doc document.
Microsoft has also optimized all of its productivity apps by adding support for the Galaxy Z Fold4 screen’s MultiView mode. For example, the improved interface of Teams is very good, which allows you to make the most of the flexing of the screen and to use the semi-folded device as if it were a small laptop resting on the desk.
For the record, we report the total compatibility of all these functions with the Galaxy S Pen. However, our review unit did not include the stylus, and therefore we could not fully test this input mode.
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We like it
- The improved photographic sector.
- Battery Life: Surprised us positively.
- Software innovations such as the multitasking dock and apps optimized to work best with foldable display.
We do not like it
- The crease in the center of the internal display is less and less noticeable but it still feels: it is still one of the biggest compromises to accept.
- It is worth what it costs, but the price is still high and contributes to the elitist nature of the device.
- The device is resistant to water but not to dust and sand: you have to be very careful to avoid infiltration into the hinge that can compromise its operation in the medium term.
In fine
With the Galaxy Z Fold4 Samsung has reconfirmed its supremacy in the segment of hybrid folding smartphones, even the update of the device is purely incremental. Those who already have a Z Fold2 can safely ignore this new model and wait for the news of the next version. On the other hand, those arriving from a previous model or wishing to explore the world of smartphone-tablet hybrid folding, Galaxy Z Fold4 is reconfirmed as the almost obligatory choice of this segment.
Samsung describes it as the productivity foldout, and it’s certainly an apt definition: the software enhancements, combined with the foldable screen, allow you to do more than you could do on a traditional smartphone screen, even when you don’t have the. tablet or PC.
The main obstacle to a wide adoption of the device, however, remains the price: it starts from 1879 Euros for the basic model with 256GB and 12GB of RAM. It is a figure in our opinion adequate to the quality and intrinsic value of the device, but it helps to confirm a niche role for the device.
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