Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 versus Galaxy Z Fold 4: sufficient developments to change smartphones?

At the forefront in this field, Samsung has created a folding smartphone for the general public with its Z Fold range. Since its launch, the manufacturer continues to improve the product.

This Wednesday, August 10, Samsung unveiled its latest devices during Samsung Unpacked 2022. Among these models, the flagship of the brand: the fourth version of the Galaxy Z Fold. Several new features are on the menu, but as often with iterations of high-end equipment, a question arises: is it worth upgrading from edition 3 to 4? We will try to provide some answers.

The design and the screen

On the new version of its folding smartphone, Samsung has reworked the ratios of the two screens. The very elongated effect of the phone when closed should be reduced. Indeed, the 6.2-inch diagonal remains, but goes from 24.5:9 to 23.1:9. This change is also reflected on the device’s interior screen, where the ratio goes from 22.5:18 to 21.6:18.

These changes affect screen resolution in the same way. For the exterior screen, we will find a resolution of 2,316 x 904 pixels instead of 2,268 x 832, and inside, we will go from 2,208 x 1,768 to 2,176 x 1,812. This slight change in format brings the use of the folded device closer to that of a conventional smartphone. When folded, the tablet feeling is better recovered.

The hinge has, for its part, been thinned, but the impasse has not been made on solidity. We still find the aluminum frame, and the phone hosts a Gorilla Glass Victus Plus to reinforce the previous Gorilla Glass Victus. These various modifications make the device 3 mm shorter in length and 3 mm wider. As for the weight, it is lightened by 8 g, so it remains more or less the same. In any case, once closed, it remains difficult to differentiate the two devices, especially from behind!

performance and battery

As far as the performance of the device is concerned, the evolution is taking its course. The smartphone benefits from Qualcomm’s latest chip, the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. This new version is promising for the power gain, both for the speed and the display quality of the device. This new processor also allows for a bonus in battery life. Indeed, the Z Fold 3 didn’t shine with its battery, and since the battery of the fourth generation of the phone has the same capacity (4,400 mAh), we hope that the chip will be enough to compensate for this deficiency.

Samsung has made an effort on the wireless charging of the phone and goes from 10 to 15 W to speed up its charging. As with the Z Fold 3, the new version comes with 12 GB of RAM memory. For storage, you can count on the basic 256 GB or the 512 GB option. Samsung has even added a novelty that will delight the biggest users of the device: the possibility of upgrading to 1 TB of storage. For the performance and battery component, we will have to wait for a test in real conditions to see what advances are made by the new Snapdragon processor.

The photo, the colors and the price

These are perhaps the cameras that Samsung has evolved the most on its new flagship. On the Z Fold 3, the focus was not on photo and video. This time, the Korean brand has chosen to equip its smartphone with the same 50 MP sensor as its S22 and S22 Plus, and to combine it with a better image and video stabilizer.

For the other two rear cameras, you will find the 12 MP ultra wide-angle already present on the old version. The objective dedicated to the optical zoom goes from x2 to x3 and from 12 to 10 MP for the new version. This change should improve shots taken from a great distance. An extra effort has been made to hide the front camera behind the screen. It’s still not perfect, but the small circle goes a little more unnoticed than before.

As for the price now, it remains the same for the entry level (256 GB): 1,799 euros. The 512 GB version is priced at 1,919 euros (instead of 1,899 euros for the previous one), and finally, the new model with 1 TB of storage is offered at 2,159 euros. For colors, the Z Fold 3 was offered in black, green, and silver, and the Z Fold 4 comes in black, charcoal, and ivory. A new shade is exclusively offered on the Samsung site: burgundy. However, delivery times are extended for the latter, since these models are made to order.

Should you crack and change your Z Fold 3 for a 4?

To recap, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 offers a slightly revised and less elongated format, a boost in power and autonomy thanks to the new Snapdragon chip, and finally, a more serious improvement in the photo and video section. Nevertheless, none of these modifications fundamentally change the use of the smartphone. Only the camera receives a real update, but without becoming as powerful as the Samsung S22 Ultra, for example.

Priced at $1,799, if you’ve invested in a Z Fold 3, the fourth-gen model doesn’t seem particularly relevant, even with the brand’s current $200 trade-in bonus. For those who were waiting for the release of the Z Fold 4 to find out if it was worth it, the new features are to be taken into account, especially if you are a photo enthusiast. Otherwise, the price drop on the Z Fold 3 and second-hand models can be a solution to benefit from a folding smartphone at a more reasonable price.

Source : Android Authority