The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 is the company’s latest attempt at trying to make foldables a mainstay device in their portfolio. In its 4th generation, Samsung’s foldable devices have matured and entered a phase where consumers are more likely to accept foldable devices.
Samsung sent us a unit of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 for review and my first thought was that it looks just like my old Nintendo Gameboy (not a bad thing). My second thought was, won’t all the flipping damage the screen? Now, I’ve been a Xiaomi user for a huge chunk of my life, after which I converted to Apple and have not looked back since. The last time I even held a Samsung phone was when the Samsung Corby was released, so I was quite excited to be able to try out this new Samsung phone, let alone a foldable one.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 – Specifications
- Main screen: 6.7in FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED Infinity Flex Display (425ppi)
- Cover screen: 1.9in AMOLED (302ppi)
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
- RAM: 8GB of RAM
- Storage: 128, 256 or 512GB
- Operating system: One UI 4.1.1 based on Android 12
- Camera: dual 12MP rear, 10MP front-facing
- Connectivity: 5G, nano sim + esim, wifi6, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2 and GNSS
- Water resistance: IPX8 (1.5-metre depths for 30 minutes)
- Folded dimensions: 84.9 x 71.9 x 17.1 to 15.9mm
- Unfolded dimensions: 165.2 x 72.2 x 6.9mm
- Weight: 187g
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 has a 6.7” Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X (1080 x 2640 pixels, 426 ppi) display and an 8GB RAM powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. It’s a rather light phone, weighing in an 187g with it’s Gorilla Glass Victus+ back and aluminum frame.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 doesn’t have a memory card slot but comes in variants of 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. The phone comes in 5 colours – pink gold, graphite, blue and bora purple. This time round, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 packs a 3,700mAh battery in a 7.2mm thin device. In terms of pricing, the Z Flip4 starts at
- 128GB – RM4,099
- 256GB – RM4,399
- 512GB – RM4,899
What’s In The Box?
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 phone
- A USB-C Cable
- A Sim Card tool
- Printed Manual
Design
The very first thing that caught my attention was how small, sleek and stylish the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 looked. There hasn’t been much changes from the design of the Galaxy Z Flip3. It could easily fit my small purse and it looked so adorable. Definitely a 10 for presentation. It only got better when I found out that there are so many chic accessories to go along with this. One such item was the strap case that you can put on your phone and strap it around your body as if it were a sling bag!
The fact that the phone is a flip phone made me worry that I might use too much force and the phone would just snap. I can proudly announce that while I did not use brute force on the phone, I did use some strength and the phone did not snap. Just flip it the right way, be gentle, don’t go in the opposite direction and you should be fine. It isn’t the most convenient phone to have around when your hands are full. Unlike the Motorola flip phones from back in the 2000s, this phone is slightly harder to flip open and close with just one hand.
Display
One thing I want to point out is that while the screen crease due to the folding is something that stands out very obviously at first glance, over time, it becomes something I can barely even see or realise is there. When watching videos from a front angle, I don’t see the creasing, but if I were to view it from a side angle, it is obvious.
That being said, this factor was not a huge dealbreaker for me, nothing’s perfect and I don’t really mind having to deal with a little screen crease. The 1.9” cover display has a lot of cool features added, like being able to edit and modify the widget to better suit your needs and style.
Camera
The next thing I wanted to check out was the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4’s camera quality and Samsung does not disappoint. The quality of the photos were amazing but what caught my attention was the Quick Shot function which allows for a display of the photo being taken to be visible on the back of the phone. Perfect if your friends can’t take nice pictures of you. Just get them to switch this feature on and you’ll be able to see for yourself how the photo angle looks and if any changes are needed.
There’s also the option of being able to zoom in 10x, which is much closer than most phones, the result is a grainy but not super broken photograph. Perfect if you’re going to any of the upcoming concerts and have seats all the way at the back of the stadium. The Panorama mode was pretty standard, nothing much to talk about. Another feature was the Director’s video, utilising both the front and back camera, creating a Picture in Picture effect.
Video and Audio
Watching YouTube videos on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 was also quite an experience. A huge concern that I had was the line in the middle of the phone where it folds would be obvious but I barely noticed it when I was looking at it straight. I only realised it was visible when I looked at the phone from a side angle. The quality of the videos were amazing, the colours were sharp and clear. The audio was pretty decent with its stereo speakers, but it could use a bit more volume, and maybe a bit more depth. It sounded a bit flat for my liking.
Battery
The battery life on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 has definitely seen an improvement from its predecessor. Upgraded from a 3,300mAh to a 3,700mAh battery, it could last me the entire day no problem. If I use the phone conservatively, it could last me an extra half a day the next day.
I used the phone for almost everything, social media, messaging, checking emails, music, and of course, gaming. Occasionally, I watch videos and shows on it too. The phone did not lag at any point for me, so that was a plus. It took me around 2 hours to get a full charge.
Conclusion
Overall, I personally quite liked my experience with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4. The photo quality and stylishness of the phone is a huge plus for me as a content creator, but the battery life and the difficulty to handle this phone single-handedly is a matter of concern.
With that being said, I am a rather vain person and I loved the way the camera made me look with its in-built beautifying effect and the many “oohs” and “aahs” I got when using this phone outweigh the cons. As long as you’re conservative with your smartphone usage, I would recommend the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 to be in your pocket.
