Review - Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 has earned its place as my daily carry Android phone of the year. It ticks all the checkboxes to qualify – small form factor, high performance, beautiful screen, remarkable camera and reasonable battery life. While it may not excel at any of the above points but it fits my very own user preferences for being an extremely fun-to-use device.

As one of the very few manufacturers who offers a folding screen flip phone, I think Samsung’s Z Flip4 has the most mature design among them all. Sure, I do hope I can get something as outstanding as the Motorola RAZR, then again, there are some issues that are plaguing the device and Samsung has chosen the practicality route. The end result may look a bit boring but what you’re getting are practical features such as IPX8 water resistance and split-screen Flex mode.

Incremental Update

It can’t be helped if some of the customers complain about how the Z Flip4 is looking the same as the outgoing Z Flip3. As I mentioned in my first impression article, Samsung has decided to improve the existing design instead of trying to come up with something new. That simply means the manufacturers have found a strong foundation to work on.

The flat frame chassis is not just better looking, but it also offers a better grip than the rounded frame. That is just my opinion but since most of the users would use a case anyway, it doesn’t really matter.

Just like how I have started using a Z Flip4 with the Spigen Tough Armor case.

It is perfectly alright if you worry about a foldable’s durability. Given how there are more moving parts, it is just a matter of time before it fails, right? Still, if you watch how JerryRigEverything torments a Z Flip4, you will start to question yourself, whether you will put the phone in such situations or not. I’m not trying to convince everyone else to convert into a folding device believer, but if you use the device in a reasonable manner, it should outlast its software lifespan.

The display is the same 6.7-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2x panel with a 1080 x 2640 pixel resolution. It is an excellent panel for all purposes including social media, movies and games. The 120Hz refresh rate provides a silky smooth animation and transition. Once you left 60Hz behind, you will not be looking back at it.

Almost every single person I’ve met they will ask about the crease in the middle. For now, it is still there. Just that if you’re paying attention to the content, you won’t really notice its existence.

At the front is a 1.9-inch Super AMOLED panel at 260 x 512 pixel resolution. It serves as a great notification display while the device is folded. There are a couple of built-in widgets available for quick access such as music control, timer, calendar schedule and more. That being said, my favourite function for the front display is no other than using it as the viewfinder for selfies.

New Primary Camera

The primary camera has got an upgrade, increasing the sensor size from 1/2.55″ to 1/1.76″ while keeping the same 12MP resolution. In short, the pixel size has been bumped up from 1.4µm to 1.8µm to increase the low light performance. The lens is now slightly wider at 24mm instead of 27mm. General users might not be able to tell them apart since most of the time people just read the megapixel count on the spec sheet.

I personally did notice the camera is more responsive and offers a slightly higher shutter speed in some circumstances. There’s no exact way to confirm if the new sensor has brought all the improvements or simply because of the new ISP or software update. Nonetheless, a positive improvement is always welcomed for a device that is limited by its size.

What makes the Galaxy Z Flip4 fun to use for photos and videos is the Flex Mode. It triggers the software to change the user interface when the Z Flip4 is positioned halfway open. As long as you can find a flat surface, you can now set up the phone to shoot with its “built-in tripod”.

Less Heat Output & Better Battery Life

The new Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is an excellent upgrade over the last-gen SD888. The new chip is more power efficient which translates to lower heat and longer battery life. For everyday tasks such as social media and entertainment, the chip can handle without any sweat. Just that you might want to lower your expectations when it comes to graphically intensive games. Due to the cooling limitations, even if you can force the device to run games at higher resolution and frame rates, it will throttle at a certain point.

Generally, for normal usage and casual gaming, I think the new chip is a wonderful choice since I don’t really feel much heat from the back of the device. The chip’s efficiency also contributes to the extension of the battery life. Yes, this year we’re getting a huge improvement in terms of the battery life since Samsung also increased the battery capacity from 3300 mAh to 3700 mAh. Even though some might think the increment is not significant, however, in actual real-life usage, the Z Flip4 can easily last for a day and a half.

Before this, I’ve shown you how I manage to extract 3 hours of screen on time with 45% battery left to spare. This has remained consistent throughout my 3 weeks of usage.

Conclusion

So, that’s why the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 manages to earn its place in my pocket. Samsung actually listens to consumer feedback and improves the Z Flip4. The result is a device that actually makes sense to most consumers, especially those who are contemplating trying out foldable devices. Frankly speaking, the added battery life is a massive improvement for the usability of the phone.

For us, the price has increased by RM100 from last year due to the weakened MYR currency against the USD. Personally, I think it is still reasonable considering how much Apple has increased in terms of MYR for their iPhone lineup. Besides, we’re also getting better offers: