Galaxy Z Flip 4 one-minute review
Galaxy Z Flip 4 is, like its predecessor, a fun smartphone that isn’t aimed at geeks who want the latest bleeding edge high-end tech specs — this is a device for those who want to stand out from the crowd or are fed up with black slab smartphone designs.
Its compact pocket size is welcome, and its attractive design turns heads.
It is water-resistant but the cutting-edge screen tech feels more fragile than a typical toughened glass phone.
Z Flip 4 doesn’t change or improve too much compared to last year’s model, other than the smaller hinge, slightly bigger battery and better main camera performance.
It’s roughly the same phone for the same price as last year’s model but with a much faster processor.
I tested it out for a period of about three weeks before returning it to Samsung, and the company had no influence in any of the content below and offered me no renumeration for publishing this review.
Pros: Blazing fast performance; fun form factor; decent main camera
Cons: Average battery life; slow charging; no telephoto camera
Full review: design, build and display
You can buy Z Flip 4 in four colours; blue, pink gold, graphite and bora purple. My review unit was the latter.
I love the matte finish and subtly squared off edges of Z Flip 4.
This compact clamshell device folds into a small square, with a two-tone finish on the outside where you will find the 1.9in cover display.
This is hidden away in the design when not in use but can be used to display the time and other information, check notifications, send some basic replies, control music playback and set timers.
You can also access speed dial controls for up to three contacts, smart home controls through Samsung’s SmartThings system and set custom images, GIFs and videos on the screen.
When it is unfolded you get a gorgeous 6.7in AMOLED display that is bright, colourful and clear without the eye-popping sharpness you get from Samsung’s non-foldable phones such as the S22 Ultra which is the best display on a 2022 smartphone.
Peak brightness is 800 nits.
There are stereo speakers that are acceptable but won’t blow your socks off.
The crease where the phone folds is visible in everyday use when the screen is folded out.
And I’m obviously not certain after a few weeks of use about the display’s durability.
There were many Z Flip 3 owners who had to have their screen replaced.
This video from Michael Fisher is well worth watching.
Galaxy Z Flip 4 performance
Z Flip 4 includes the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor which means it breezes through everything you throw at it.
This is the newest high end Snapdragon chip that is also in the likes of OnePlus 10T and RedMagic 7S.
Z Flip 4 would not be as useful for gaming as those phones which have 16GB and 18GB of RAM respectively. That’s because Z Flip 4 only has 8GB of RAM.
But for everyday use this is one of the fastest and most capable smartphones currently on the market.
The handset runs Samsung’s One UI 4.1 OS, the same software as on the Galaxy S22 Ultra and based on last year’s Android 12.
This means you get Android 12’s Material You UI customisation and privacy features, while One UI adds extra software features if you link your phone to other Samsung kit such as headphones, smartwatches or smart home machines.
Cameras
The two 12MP cameras on the rear feature a wide-angle lens with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and an ultra-wide-angle lens.
Both cameras shoot very good images in most lighting conditions, with the main camera also capable of pleasing low light performance.
Samsung’s colour tuning is bright and saturated, and the images captured are consistently punchy and vibrant.
One of the best things about the Flip phones is the ability to shoot selfies with the rear cameras by using the cover display as a viewfinder.
There is no dedicated telephoto camera but the same applies to iPhone 14, OPPO Reno 8 Pro, OnePlus 10T and Google Pixel 6.
Video recording (at up to 4K/60fps) on Z Flip 4 is fun. You can prop the device up half open almost anywhere.
This is also useful for a variety of fun still image shooting opportunities.
Flex mode
This Flex mode, as the firm calls it, means you also get neat split screen versions of compatible apps.
This moves an app’s display content to one half of the screen when it’s partially folded, with extra controls on the other.
Some native apps such as the camera have custom controls, but an optional setting lets you enable this for any app.
This gives you the main functionality in the top screen and options such as brightness and volume controls on the bottom half, which also has a new trackpad.
Flex mode works well on the likes of YouTube, Instagram Reels and Google Meet.
Battery life
Over the course of three weeks, I regularly depleted the battery over the course of day’s intensive testing for this review.
The power pack is only 3700mAh in size, quite small compared to most flagships.
However, in days of casual use that were more in line with what the average consumer might engage in, then I managed to get from 8am to midnight with about ten per cent battery left.
Wired charging speeds are quite modest, capped at 25w. This is a far cry from the 150w charging support in the OnePlus 10T.
But there is wireless charging too which can be convenient even though it’s slower.
One thing to note is that Samsung does not include a charger in the box and I found the charging speeds I got from different charging bricks I used varied greatly.
Other features
Face unlock is available on the selfie camera, or you can use the side-mounted fingerprint scanner in the power button.
You get IPX8 water resistance, but the X means the phone is not rated for dust resistance.
Z Flip 4 will get at least five years of software updates, including four major Android version updates and monthly security patches, making it one of the best-supported Android handsets you can buy. That support is second only to Apple’s six-year-plus pledge for iPhone.
You can design your own bespoke Z Flip 4 with 75 different options available. This costs a little extra.
Verdict
On the whole, this is one of the most fun phones of 2022 and one I very much enjoyed reviewing and testing.
It isn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination.
There is novelty in its unique format but be aware of the potential downsides.
Galaxy Z Flip 4 pricing
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 costs from €1139 from Harvey Norman for the 128GB model. Price includes a free 12-month sub to Disney+.
Galaxy Z Flip 4 specs
Dimensions: Unfolded: 165.2x 71.9 x 6.9mm / Folded: 84.9 x 71.9 x 17.1-15.9mm
Weight: 187g
Main display: 6.7in full HD+, 2640×1080 resolution, 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X with HDR10+ support
Cover display: 1.9in Super AMOLED, 260×512 resolution
Chip: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 octacore processor
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128/256/512GB
OS: Android 12 with One UI
Rear cameras: 12MP, f/1.8, OIS rear camera + 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.2
Front camera: 10MP, f/2.4
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, NFC, 4G LTE,
Water resistance: IPX8
Battery: 3700mAh non-removable
Charging: USB-C 25W wired charging, wireless charging
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