'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?
ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.
When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Galaxy Z Flip 4: Key reasons to buy one over the other
Whether you've just set your eyes on a folding smartphone or have long considered hopping on the innovation wagon, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip models should be at the top of your list. While the two differ in form factor and approaches to the folding display philosophy, the Z Fold and Z Flip continue to sit comfortably atop ZDNET's best foldable phone rankings, introducing meaningful improvements generation after generation and furthering the gap from competing handsets.
ZDNET Recommends
That said, the newly-released Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 have a lot to offer, all encompassed by mobile experiences that make you rethink the way you use your smartphone. They're also expensive, with prices that go as high as $2,159. To help you better decide which of the two you should invest your hard-earned money in, here are the key reasons to buy one over the other.
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 | |
Display (Main Screen) | 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X with LTPO (1-120Hz refresh rate) | 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X with 120Hz refresh rate |
Display (Cover Screen) | 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X with LTPO (1-120Hz refresh rate) | 1.9-inch Super AMOLED |
Dimensions (unfolded) | 130.1x155.1x6.3mm | 71.9x165.2x6.9mm |
Weight | 263g | 187g |
Cameras | 50MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto, 4MP front (inner), 10MP front (outer) | 12MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP front |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
Memory and storage | 12GB RAM with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 8GB RAM with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
Battery | 4,400mAh | 3,700mAh |
Durability | IPX8 | IPX8 |
Software | One UI 4.1.1 over Android 12L | One UI 4.1.1 over Android 12 |
Colors | Phantom Black, Beige, Greygreen, Burgundy | Graphite, Bora Purple, Pink Gold, Blue, Bespoke |
Price |
You should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 if...
1. The price for innovation is not an object
Before you consider the form factor and boundless use cases, you should know that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is expensive. It's innovative, one-of-a-kind, and has a price to back the notoriety. The Z Fold 4 starts at $1,799, putting it hundreds of dollars more than the largest-sized iPhone or Samsung Galaxy S handset. If price is not an object, or you happen to qualify for one of the many discounts currently available, then the Z Fold 4 is certainly worth considering.
2. You want the best smartphone for multi-tasking and entertainment
The Galaxy Z fold 4's 7.6-inch display should make for the ideal mobile touchpoint for business professionals, gamers, and power users. Software features across the Android 12L interface allow you to open, switch, and run multiple apps simultaneously; the new Flex mode essentially turns the Fold into a miniature laptop, and everything within is powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, besting that of early-year Androids.
The Galaxy Fold 4's split-screen feature allows you to look at multiple windows simultaneously.
3. You want a tablet-sized display that's actually pocketable
Tablets are great, but not for your hand-conforming pockets. The Galaxy Z Fold 4, while just as large as, say, the iPad Mini, can slide down your jeans, pants, and shorts with less of a hassle. Even with the inner display spanning 7.6-inches, the foldable can collapse into the size of a standard 6-inch smartphone, making it just as pocketable as its smaller counterparts. The fourth-generation model is also lighter than ever, weighing just 263g.
Also: Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a high-priced ticket to productivity heaven
You should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 if...
1. You want the most affordable entry into foldables
Last year's Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 made waves with its $999 price tag, which, in a market full of thousand-dollar handsets (and even more expensive foldables), was considered affordable. The Z Flip 4 is the next best thing, also starting at $999 for the 128GB model and chased with a bounty of Samsung and carrier deals to knock down the final cost. It's the most affordable 2022 foldable to date.
2. You thrive in social media and content creation
One of the main selling features of the Z Flip series is its ability to capture photos and videos remotely without a tripod or mount. Thanks to Flex Mode (see image above), you can unfold the Z Flip 4 anywhere from 45 to 115 degrees to transform the upper half of the display into a viewfinder, while the bottom half serves as a counterweight. If you eat, sleep, and breathe social media, then the content-creating capabilities of the Z Flip 4 should be of great appeal. And now, Meta-owned apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram will automatically optimize your captured content to fit the aspect ratios of each service.
Flipping the phone over turns it into a 4K camcorder.
3. You want a more fashion-forward handset
There's an elegance and charm with the Z Flip that's absent from the Z Fold. Perhaps it's the compact nature of the handset when folded or the slew of personalizable colors that Samsung offers in stores and online -- over 75 options, to be exact. Or maybe it's the thrill of owning a modern-day tech gadget that gives off the essence of nostalgia and early 2000s clamshells. There's nothing bolder than slamming the phone shut to hang up a call. With the Z Flip 4, you can do just that.
More: The Galaxy Z Flip 4 solves these two big problems for me