Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 review

25 August 2022


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  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • Lkg
  • 26 Aug 2022

Nick Tegrataker, 26 Aug 2022I gotta say, the cameras are surprisingly good. Most of the... moreGN3 is smaller than HM3, but more advanced.

    You guys in the comments have a point. With no real competition, Samsung settled.
    I remember the early days of S and Note line, with each generation spec-bump was huge.
    S1/Note 1: alpha stage, full of quirks and issues, but they were revolutionary, the 1st
    S2/Note 2: beta 1 stage,every key component had been improved (build quality,design,screen,battery,cameras,SoC,memory)
    S3/Note 3: beta 2 stage, another dramatic step up in specs
    S4/Note 4: flagship devices brought to perfection, final step up in specs, in some aspects they are still on par with modern day flagships (qhd screen, 2k selfie video, wireless charging, wide aperture sensor with OIS).

    Fold line up has followed up their flagship path up until Fold 2. While developing Fold 3, they though: "why the hell should we spend millions of dollars in R&D since there's obviously no Apple or Huawei breathing down our necks? We're basically alone in the market, we'll rather save that money for something else".

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • tZ4
      • 26 Aug 2022

      travstr, 25 Aug 2022yeah because carrying a big phone and an 11" tablet in... moreWhat are the situations that a folding phone can be 'very very very useful'? Quite possibly all the situations you mention can be better performed with a tablet with its bigger screen.

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • 3b$
        • 26 Aug 2022

        I find it funny when they advertise productivity and show an Excel spreadsheet with some cells. Even a 12" tablet is too small! The phone is too small for serious productivity, especially if the screen is split into 2 or even 3 parts. It's more of a toy. SW is really great, HW is a major obstacle for productivity.

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • 7TB
          • 26 Aug 2022

          Little Penguin , 25 Aug 2022Too big/heavy for phone. Too small for tablet. More ex... moreYou are only thinking in terms of media consumption, but not productivity. I am in a position that requires a lot of travel and on the go working. It is much easier to use my Fold to go through my emails and respond, check on the fly and make amendments on presentations and word documents (excels are not that easy) even mark up some PDFs and send with my comments.

          Even for videos, if you are in a 3-4 hour flight (which is typical when traveling in Europe) it is extremely convenient, even if it is in letterbox. Same for kindle reading etc. With the Fold, I only use my laptop at the hotel, or the office. I understand I am not the average user, but then again, the Fold is not the average handset.

            • D
            • AnonD-546724
            • pZ5
            • 26 Aug 2022

            S Yu, 26 Aug 2022I don't believe it works like that. 1. Look at the fl... moreThe phone you quoted are part of their mainline of product. They're the risk-free, play-it-safe cash cow that Samsung won't/can't risk to change too much.

            The Z line is different, it's supposed to be innovative & ground breaking every year.

              I gotta say, the cameras are surprisingly good. Most of these photos, as well as those taken by Z Flip 4, look so much more detailed than the awful oil paintings that S22 Ultra constantly produces. The colours look a tad oversaturated, though.

              Now only if they can bring the same image processing over to the S23 series...

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • vpS
                • 26 Aug 2022

                [deleted post]The whole PWM causing eye strain thingy is a myth that has not been proven scientifically. Strangely enough, the vast majority of those self-proclaimed PWM symptom sufferers do not seem to have a problem with fluorescent lights flickering at 100-120Hz, which is much lower than 240-480Hz of most OLED panels.

                I have seen one guy posting a hilarious comment on reddit, saying that he is suffering from screen flickering of the latest 14 inch Macbook Pro because it uses PWM to control the brightness of the display. That would mean somehow he has a supernatural ability to distinguish flickers from a display that keeps switching on and off 15000 times per second, but no one was pointing that out.

                This mass hysteria is getting outta control, it must stop now immediately. Tech websites need to ban users supporting this conspiracy theory, it ain't healty to keep this poison flooding around the internet.

                  • Z
                  • Z5
                  • ps8
                  • 26 Aug 2022

                  I will buy one when they:
                  1. increase the width front display
                  2.Increase battery size
                  3. S-pen inside the body

                    • G
                    • Gandalfdenvite
                    • 38F
                    • 26 Aug 2022

                    To me this technology is still far to bulky/thick making the "phone" an uncomfortable brick in the pocket! Today unfoldable phones have large enough screen, so Z Fold 4 is just a toy for those with too much money!

                      • S
                      • S Yu
                      • vU9
                      • 26 Aug 2022

                      AnonD-546724, 26 Aug 2022Boring, lazy, déjà-vu That's how the US/EU foldable... moreI don't believe it works like that.
                      1. Look at the flagship Samsung slabs in the past, they mostly look 90% identical to the previous iteration, I've been very confused where Samsung's trying to go or whether they're just spinning in circles since Note9. Occasionally midrangers are even arguably worse(in terms of specs) than the previous generation. Samsung slabs need to compete with all other slabs including Chinese ones, "flashy" or not.
                      2. Though they leave out a few high end devices, it's likely due to lack of brand recognition, leave this site (and other tech sites) and some brands are almost unheard of, high end devices rely heavily on successful brand-building, *not* hardcores, which is the main reason why practical functions always first disappear from flagships and the manufacturers get away with it time and again. The whole smartphone market is also contracting, forcing them to prioritize.
                      Huawei's Ren just made a "winter is coming" sort of speech, how the world economy will not recover in 3-5 years etc. so Huawei will hunker down, not expand(the way I see it they lost China's 5G layout as an important means to receive subsidies, because China just ran out of money, which accordingly is because its housing market which fuels local gov income has slowed to a halt, which in turn is because of aggressive corona control...and unsustainable building in the first place) and considering his public status in China, other companies will follow suit, more likely than not.

                        • S
                        • S Yu
                        • vU9
                        • 26 Aug 2022

                        Oh gosh, the crease is the most eye-catching feature on the banner photo.

                          • R
                          • Rabiez
                          • K6q
                          • 26 Aug 2022

                          This review shows some lack of research regarding the hinge. It states "Speaking of that hinge, it should be essentially unchanged from the previous generation - at least Samsung hasn't specifically pointed out advancements in the area"
                          In fact Samsung have totally changed the hinge mechanism making it more compact and lightweight, which they durability tested for or 200,000 folds.
                          This results a less prominent hinge cover, stiffer opening/closing, enabling of their flex mode.

                          Check out Samsung's own Youtube video "Galaxy Z Fold4: Untold Stories | Samsung"

                            • J
                            • Josh
                            • fjU
                            • 26 Aug 2022

                            All the Fold 4 needs now to be in a compelling and more competitive position over other rising foldable is a lower price.

                              • D
                              • AnonD-546724
                              • pZ5
                              • 26 Aug 2022

                              Boring, lazy, déjà-vu

                              That's how the US/EU foldable scene will look like as long as competitors don't step in.

                              Samsung is all alone at this party, so why should they even bother to dress ??
                              They can legit show up in flip-flops and get away with it.

                              Unfortunately, competitors might never come.
                              See all the cool stuff ? Vivo X Note, Honor Magic V, Mix Fold 2, Find N ?
                              The crease-free foldables that folds flat with actual flagship cameras & fast charging ?
                              Well, chinese OEM all lives in fear of ending up like Huawei. That's why they don't import anything too flashy to the US & the EU.

                              This isn't gonna change anytime soon. Samsung knows this, they also know how clunky it is to import some exotic chinese device and try to make it work where it was never supposed to be sold.

                              That, my friends, is why Samsung can legit release the same foldable 3 years in a row and get away with it. Fold 2 owner here. Pissed as hell that the new Foldable from Samsung, my most hotly anticipated release of the year, looks & feel 90% like a device I already own.

                              Then why should I upgrade you might ask. Good point. But then if I don't get the Fold 4, what are my other options ? None. Another thing samsung knows very well.

                              Lack of competition, kills innovation altogether. That's EXACTLY what is happening here.
                              Do you really believe the Fold 4 would look any near like this if competitors devices were imported ?? Samsung can make the Fold ground-breaking & exciting every year. But they just don't have to so why should they ?

                              Get lost Sammy, I won't settle.

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                                • AngryLithuanian
                                • my5
                                • 26 Aug 2022

                                Without a proper battery test this is a half-baked review, particulary for these two models. Why rush the reviews if they are not complete?

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • Lkg
                                  • 25 Aug 2022

                                  RicL, 25 Aug 2022I am also curious as to why there isn't a GSMarena you... moreVideo takes days to be uploaded

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • 70d
                                    • 25 Aug 2022

                                    IpsDisplay, 25 Aug 2022We heard that once you go high refresh rate you can't ... moreI don't think that they don't care. The thing is it's much more expensive than normal phones.

                                      • R
                                      • RicL
                                      • kAW
                                      • 25 Aug 2022

                                      Anonymous, 25 Aug 2022Why is gsmarena reviewing american variants instead of euro... moreI am also curious as to why there isn't a GSMarena youTube review of the Fold and Flip 4. I really like the video reviews and was looking forward to these.

                                        IpsDisplay, 25 Aug 2022We heard that once you go high refresh rate you can't ... moreyou say that and yet every single phone coming out, iPhone included, is now touting high(er) refresh rates... funny how that works.

                                        once again I have a feeling that you've never used a foldable hence you're so bold in saying what you are. I certainly didn't say anything about the masses - you did. I said, once you go foldable you don't go back, and I stand by it. it's VERY obvious foldables aren't mass-market because if they were, everyone would have one by now. but I'm extremely confident in saying they are the future - just like high refresh rates.

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