Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, a folding experience that matures in key aspects

Currently, in the West, Samsung has a privileged position in the foldable mobile segment. Among some users, “foldable mobile phone” is practically synonymous with the Samsung Fold — or Flip — and while they have more competition in China with models like the Oppo Find N, they are well positioned here and in the US.

However, year after year they release new generations of foldables that have replaced the Galaxy Note (recall that the Note 20 Ultra was the last one we saw and its concept is very present in the Galaxy S22 Ultra) and now they just introduced the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4.

We have already told you about the foldable type of clamshell in some impressions that if you like this design, I recommend that you do not stop reading, but now we are going with everything you need to know and some impressions of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4.

A design that feels familiar to us, but more refined (although the S-Pen is not mentioned)

In the table, you have the specs and everything you need to know about the Galaxy Fold 4.but taking advantage of the fact that a few days ago I had it in my hands, I think I’ll tell you how the mobile phone seemed to me in these first impressions.

The first thing I have to tell you is that this shows that Samsung has tried to reduce the weight of the device. If you are one of those who is about to jump from a previous Fold to a new one, you will immediately notice that the decrease.

The Fold 4 is still a rather plump mobile when folded, which is perfectly logical and a prerequisite for foldables, but at least it feels less bulky in a pocket or when we’re holding it in our hands.

With one hand it still feels like a very comfortable folding due to the dimensions of the “external” screen (although it also has a negative side, which I will comment on later) and, in fact, we have a design that almost repeats the design of the previous generation.

It’s got a few millimeters smaller here and there, the screen bezels are also more limited, and it’s thinner, but the concept, the way it’s used, and even the aesthetic hasn’t changed much.

This is not something negative, not at all, as there are users who love this concept and this is the most special mobile phone we have on the market right now.

And beware though Samsung has told us that they keep improving the Fold 4’s resistance (in addition to maintaining IPX8 protection, they have implemented a more durable internal shield against scratches), you will definitely want to get a case. And yes, the new one seems to be recommended. At least… more than last year.

The one from last year adapted well to the back, made the mobile somewhat wider due to the extra space for the S-Pen, and had a front that hung down in a way that was not only unsightly but also uncomfortable.

The new case is double-sided so it fits perfectly on both the front and back and, in addition to better protection, the S-Pen hole is now on the back.

It’s… well, it’s still a little disappointing because I was hoping it would be magnetized somehow so I don’t have to buy a case if you want an S-Pen, but hey, it’s still a workaround (Note, how I miss you less…).

The concept of a mobile phone becoming a tablet continues to evolve

But let’s move on to another strong point of this terminal, the screens. Outside, we have a screen that supports the extended format of the Fold family, but I found it somewhat more comfortable to operate it with one hand.

And that is that the left side is somewhat narrower, so we reduce the size significantly, and it is easier for the thumb to cover more of the screen.

For me, this is still a secondary screen due to its format and HD + resolution.since the mobile constantly prompts me to open it to enjoy the internal screen, but as I always say on such occasions, it is completely to the taste.

One thing I’ve seen is that we can’t watch YouTube videos in 16:9 in full screen. It may be due to the software or application version, but anyway I understand this decision because if we increase we will lose a lot of information about the image.

What I like, and with that I’m moving to the inner screen, is how well continuous mode works on the Fold. If you view the app on an external screen and open the device, there is no waiting, no loading, and at the moment you see the same thing, but more.

If the app you were using is optimized for the internal screen of the Fold (which isn’t the case for all apps, but Samsung is still working on it), an expanded view is created so we have more control.

In addition, the company continued to develop. the way we run multiple applications at the same time we have a dock at the bottom, and this makes it very easy to switch from one application to another or place several in multi-window mode.

But if you are interested in something, then for sure, if the wrinkle and the camera under the screen are as noticeable as in the Fold 3. The answer is no, it means they have improved, but I didn’t see a brutal improvement either.

It is true that we have to wait for the analysis of the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4. have it for more days and in more situations, but the camera under the screen is still visible to the naked eye and fold … well, too. From the front, it’s true that it’s more hidden, but once you look at the screen from a certain angle, it becomes obvious.

But hey, as I said at the beginning, regardless, this is still practically a unique mobile phone on the market, and the software is what makes the experience different with this device.

Goodbye, Exynos. Hello Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+

I can’t tell you too much about the interior because in an hour with the device we can get an idea of ​​the screen and design, but I’ll tell you in advance that the software on these folds seems very, very good to me.

But let’s move on to the components, and here Samsung has left nothing in development. We have Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1a chip that is somewhat more powerful than the SD8 Gen 1, but above all more efficient.

Qualcomm teamed up with Samsung to produce the previous generation, and we all know the result: a super-powerful SoC, but with overheating issues. It’s a death sentence when folded, as the battery flies with this SoC, and if you add those screens and there’s little room for big batteries… it could be a disaster.

This SD8+ Gen 1 is made by TSMC and lithography promises to be better, but we will see this when parsing. The Fold 4 will be accompanied by 12 GB of RAM and, in addition, 256, 512 GB and 1 TB of storage.

And there are no changes to the battery as we have the same 4400 mAh from the previous generation which, frankly, given that the mobile is smaller and lighter, I appreciate Samsung’s efforts, and what can be disappointing is the load.

They are still pegged to 25W and you need to buy the optimal charger separately.. But okay, we’ll talk about all this in detail in a few days, when we can test the mobile properly.

A camera that evolves with the Galaxy S

And what I also want to get my hands on is cameras. And the fact is that in this generation they are the same as we saw in our time in the Galaxy S22 +.

This means that we have an angular – main camera – 50 megapixels with f/1.8 aperture, optical stabilization and Dual Pixel system. The wide-angle has a 12-megapixel sensor with f/2.2 aperture, and we have 10-megapixel TV with 3x optical zoom.

We also have digital zoom up to 30x and we’ll see how it works (the S22 Ultra’s digital zoom is impressive) and the results are promising.

Now it remains to see how the camera is under the screen. It still has 4 megapixels, which is quite a lot.. As I said, it’s visually noticeable, especially against a white background, but what matters is how they take pictures and Samsung says it’s improved, but it’s time to try it out in person.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 launch and price

Like I said, we’ll let you know in a few days what we think of both the Flip 4 and Fold 4, but until then, the contact I’ve had with these two terminals has left a good taste in my mouth.

The Fold is the one that evolves the most, especially in design.something that was needed so that, in addition to having a premium price and a flexible screen as a core requirement, it felt more modern, with those thinner edges or that weight that makes it a bit more manageable.

If you’re interested, you can reserve the Fold 4 starting today, but you’ll receive it on August 26th. If you don’t want to book but would like to have one to launch, stay tuned online because we will post a review in a week.

The price of Galaxy Z Fold 4 will be 1799 euros.