Flip or Flop: A Review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4

For the past four years, Samsung has been single-handedly carrying the foldable phone market. And as the chorus of tech enthusiasts grows louder in asking when will Apple and Google finally enter the foldable market, Samsung has already released not one but two product lineups, dubbed the Flip and the Fold. 

Interestingly, both of these lines are already on their four iterations as of the time of this writing. We’ve already published a comprehensive review for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4, which you can read here. This time around, we have our hands on the Galaxy Z Flip4, the Fold4’s little sibling. 

In this review, we’ll give our opinion of the Flip4, covering details about its newly tweaked design, improved processor, and better battery versus the Flip3. We also cover the recent OS and performance upgrades that you’ll want to know about before you purchase a Flip4 of your own.

So, if you’re interested to learn everything there is to know about this amazing foldable phone from Samsung, continue reading.

Click here to shop the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 on Amazon.

 

The Design

In a nutshell, the Flip is a lineup of clamshell-style foldable devices that take up very little space when folded but look and act like any other smartphone when opened up. 

Speaking specifically of the Z Flip4, this phone consumes an area of just 2.8 x 3.3 inches when closed and opens to reveal a vibrant 6.7-inch smartphone that can do everything an iPhone 14 or Galaxy S23 can do. Essentially, these foldable devices offer the ultra-portable convenience of an old-school flip phone combined with the state-of-the-art innovation of modern smartphones.

At first glance, the design improvements versus the Flip3 are sublet, but the more we used the device, the more apparent the changes became. For example, one of the first things we noticed when unboxing the Flip4 is that the new matte glass finish paired with Samsung’s Armor Aluminum gives the device a more upscale appeal. It feels fancier than the Flip3 and does a much better job of hiding fingerprints. 

Also, we noticed that the new hinge appeared to be smaller, and upon comparing it to the previous model, we discovered this is indeed the case. Although it’s a bit thinner, it feels much sturdier. This was something we noted during our Fold4 review also.

This added sturdiness gives the phone enough stability to stay braced open at basically any angle, unlike older Flip models which have a flimsy hinge that would either close completely or pop open with little pressure. But despite the added firmness, you’re still able to easily flip it open with a flick of the wrist if you ever want some cool points from your friends who don’t yet own foldables. 

All-in-all, these are very subtle but much-needed upgrades that improve the overall design of the Flip4.

Display

Of course most of the time you spend interacting with the Flip4 you’ll be using the main screen, i.e. the large 6.7-inch display you see when the phone is opened. As we’ve come to expect with Samsung devices, this screen is top-notch. It boasts a Dynamic AMOLED panel with a 6640 x 1080 resolution that outputs a mindblowing 1200 nits of peak brightness and supports HDR10+. What’s more, depending on if you’re gaming, browsing social media, or binge-streaming your favorite TV shows, you can adjust the refresh rate from 1Hz up to 120Hz to get the most from your screen (and battery life!).

 

Now for the not-so-good: the crease. As is the case with all pioneering technologies, early adopters get bragging rights for being first but that means dealing with hiccups as the company tries to refine its products for mainstream markets. Being early to ride the foldable phone wave means dealing with creases. It’s just a fact of life for all foldables on the market today, and the Flip4 is no exception. 

You can see the crease. You can feel the crease. But after some time with the phone, you learn to subconsciously ignore it.

Then there’s a cover screen on the front panel which you interact with when the device is closed. While it’s tiny, coming in at just 1.9 inches, it’s surprisingly useful for its size. There are a handful of swipes and quick gestures that will allow you to do fast interactions for things like mobile pay, text reply, check the weather, and even quickly bring up QR codes for certain events without the need to open the device. This can be quite handy but will take some getting used to.

Performance, Specs, OS, and Battery Life

If you’ve ever used a Samsung device such as the Galaxy S23, A53 or similar models, then you fell right at home with the Z Flip4. Under the surface, it runs the latest Android 12 with the UI veneer provided by Samsung’s newly updated One UI 4.1.1 interface. This means the Flip4 has all the settings, features, and functions Samsung users have come to love over the years.

Expect to see a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 as the processor with the RAM limited to 8GB. Storage options include choices for 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB.

Considering that it’s driven by a later-model Snapdragon chip, the Z Flip4 can tackle practically any task you need to accomplish without missing a beat. It’s not the multitasking juggernaut that the Fold4 is, but you’ll have no issues with heavy-duty mobile gaming, hotspot, or binge-watching TV/movies.

Similar to the Fold4, the Flip4 features the new and improved “Flex” mode, wherein apps are split between the upper and bottom portion of the screen, making use of the phone’s novel design. As is the case with the Fold4, the list of apps that take full advantage of this feature is slim at the moment, with Youtube being among the most noteworthy. 

Coming in at 3,700 mAh, the latest Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 ships with a slightly larger battery when compared to the Flip3. This and the fact that the new Snapdragon chip is designed for improved efficiency means the battery life is now longer. It also charges quicker thanks to the charging capacity jumping up from 15W to a new max of 25W.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 Spec Sheet

CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1

Operating System: Android 12 + Samsung One UI 4.1.1

Memory: 8GB max

Display: (Main Screen) 6.7” FHD+ AMOLED 2640 x 1080;

Display: (Cover Screen) 1.9” AMOLED 512 x 260

Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB 

Camera Setup: 10MP Selfie Camera; 12MP Ultrawide; 12MP Wide-angle

Networking: 5G, LTE, WiFi, Bluetooth 5.2

Battery capacity: 3,700 mAh

Dimensions: (Folded) 2.8 x 3.3-inches

Dimensions: (Unfolded)  2.8 x 6.5-inches

Weight: 187g or 6.6oz

Click here to shop the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 on Amazon.

Camera

While the Galaxy S23 is known to have one of the best camera arrays on the market, the same can’t be said for the Galaxy Z Flip4. But as we pointed out in our Fold4 review, the gimmick here isn’t an impressive camera setup, but rather the fact that these devices can flex and fold.

With that being said, you’ll find a standard 12MP wide-angle and 12MP ultrawide dual array on the front cover. Meanwhile, in our opinion, the 10MP front-facing selfie camera here is better than what’s available on the Fold4, which is a plus.

Also, one particularly neat feature is when the Flip is closed, you can use the 1.9-inch cover screen as a viewfinder for snapping selfies or videos with the main camera which is really useful.

All things considered, the photo quality is good enough for most use cases, but it probably won’t win any awards if it’s competing against the Pixel 7 or iPhone 14, neither of which has the cool factor of foldability, so there’s your trade-off.

Price and Availability 

You can purchase a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 directly from the Samsung website or through third-party retailers like Best Buy or Amazon. 

In the US, the base model price starts at $1,000 for 8GB and 128GB internal storage. You can upgrade to 8GB and 256GB storage for an extra $100 bucks or for an extra $220, you can max out your Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 with 8GB RAM and 512GB storage for a total of $1220 USD.

The phone comes in four color options including Graphite, Pink Gold, Bora Purple, and Blue. Buying direct from Samsung gives you the option to choose a fifth color called Bespoke Studio and mix and match those different colors for a custom look.

For unbeatable prices on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 check out our exclusive links here. Click here to shop the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 on Amazon.

The Final Verdict

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 is a solid choice for anyone looking for an innovative and stylish foldable phone without breaking the bank.

The Z Flip4 is an excellent foldable phone that offers a sleek design and the latest Android features wrapped in a futuristic folding form factor. The powerful processor and vibrant display make it a great choice for anyone looking to upgrade and see exactly what foldable phones have to offer. 

With its competitive pricing and reliable performance, we definitely suggest giving this phone a try! Plus, with our exclusive deals, you can find the best pricing available. Click here to shop the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 on Amazon.

In closing, we give the Z Flip4 two thumbs up and recommend it to anyone who wants a taste of the future