Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs. Z Fold 3 comparison: what’s the difference?

After seeing incremental changes and updates to the Galaxy S22 line in February, it’s now the ultra-flagship Galaxy Z Fold’s turn. Samsung announced the new Galaxy Z Fold 4 alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Watch 5, and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro at its latest Samsung Unpacked event — all of which are set to arrive on August 26th — and, well, the new Fold definitely looks like a Galaxy Fold.

While this new iteration doesn’t set itself apart very much from last year’s model in the looks department, it does bring some new features, including improved durability and a wider outward-facing cover screen. But how does the Galaxy Z Fold 4 stack up to the Z Fold 3 when we get to the nitty-gritty on paper? Here, we’re comparing them spec for spec to see just how different Samsung’s upcoming Fold is.

Galaxy Z Fold 3 versus Z Fold 4: tiny, iterative improvements

Samsung’s Galaxy Fold line has certainly come a long way since its disastrous origins. While the cheaper Z Flip has become the new option for those who are foldable-curious, the Galaxy Z Folds remain the premium, flagship-level phones in Samsung’s lineup. Last year’s Z Fold 3 helped break new ground in terms of folding phone normalcy with features like water resistance, which still pales in comparison to traditional slab phones. That said, the new Z Fold 4 maintains a lot of the improvements of last year’s Fold 3, like that IPX8 resistance, a 7.6-inch folding OLED, and a skinny yet usable outside cover screen — which are now cheaper to repair in the event of an accident.

The Z Fold 4, much like the S22 generation, offers numerous small improvements that iterate upon the last model. Its outward screen is now about 3mm wider, offering an aspect ratio that feels a little less awkward and slim. The under-display selfie camera is supposed to blend into the screen better, too, and that inner display is more durable than last year’s model despite the phone being slightly lighter. Samsung says this lighter build is to help with one-handed use.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 weighs less than its predecessor, yes, but only by eight grams.
Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

There’s also a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor that allows for faster performance, and the main camera has been improved with more megapixels and a bigger sensor for improved nighttime performance. Sadly, Samsung’s coined “Nightography” term is here to stay for now, but if the tradeoff for that word crime is better photos, well, all right.

All of these changes to the Z Fold 4 still come at the same price as the outgoing model, meaning it starts at $1,799.99 with 256GB of storage. Setting aside any ongoing preorder promotions that get you a free storage bump to 512GB, there’s no getting around that this is a pricey phone. So, if this generation doesn’t represent a significant enough change for you, there’s maybe something to be said of searching for a Z Fold 3 on discount before it’s long gone. But to better assess how the two compare on paper, below is a side-by-side comparison outlining the finer details of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Fold 4.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 versus Z Fold 4 specs

Specification Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Specification Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
OS Updated to Android 12 Android 12
Main screen size 7.6-inch OLED 7.6-inch OLED
Main screen resolution 2208 x 1768, 374 ppi 2176 x 1812, 374 ppi
Main screen aspect ratio 22.5:18 21.6:18
Cover screen size 6.2-inch OLED 6.2-inch OLED
Cover screen resolution 2268 x 832, 387 ppi 2316 x 904, 402 ppi
Cover screen aspect ratio 24.5:9 23.1:9
Max refresh rate 120Hz 120Hz
Dimensions (open) 158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4 mm 155.1 x 130.1 x 6.3 mm
Dimensions (closed) 158.2 x 67.1 x 16 (hinge) – 14.4 (unfolding side) mm 155.1 x 67.1 x 15.8 (hinge) – 14.2 (unfolding side) mm
Weight 271g 263g
Battery Capacity 4,400mAh 4,400mAh
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1
RAM 12GB 12GB
Storage 256GB, 512GB 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Ports USB-C charging port USB-C charging port
Rear camera 12MP, f/1.8, 1.8μm (main), 12MP, f/2.2, 1.2μm (ultra-wide), 12MP, f/2.4, 1.0μm, 2x (telephoto) 50MP, f/1.8, 2.0μm (main), 12MP f/2.2, 1.12μm (ultra-wide), 10MP, f/2.4, 1.0μm, 3x (telephoto)
Front camera 10MP, f/2.2, 1.22μm (cover), 4MP, f1/8, 2.0μm (main) 10MP, f/2.2, 1.22μm (cover), 4MP, f1/8, 2.0μm (main)
Video HDR, 1080p and 4K video recording at 30 fps and 60 fps, slow motion 1080p video support at 240 fps, super slow-mo 720p video support at 960 fps, hyperlapse 4K video support at 30fps HDR, 8K video recording at 24 fps, 1080p and 4K video recording at 30 fps and 60 fps, slow motion 1080p video support at 240 fps, super slow-mo 720p video support at 960 fps, hyperlapse 4K video support at 30fps
Biometrics Fingerprint scanner in power button Fingerprint scanner in power button
Water and dust protection IPX8 rating IPX8 rating
5G mmWave and sub-6GHz mmWave and sub-6GHz
Wireless Wi-fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
Wireless charging? Yes Yes
S Pen support? S Pen Fold Edition S Pen Fold Edition
Color options Phantom silver, phantom black, and phantom green Gray-green, phantom black, beige, and burgundy (Samsung.com exclusive)
Availability Now August 26th
Starting price $1,799.99 $1,799.99

While the Fold 4 certainly looks cool, it’s hard to deny that, on paper, it feels like a modest spec bump over the Fold 3. Aside from the upgrade to the main camera sensor, telephoto magnification, the new CPU, and a slightly wider cover screen, you have to squint a little to see some differences. (I’m looking at you, aspect ratios.)

Yes, it shoots 8K video now, but only at 24 frames per second — and most folks may not want to deal with those massive file sizes. The durability improvements and lower-cost repairs are a welcome change, but Samsung’s claim of a 45 percent stronger main screen is one of those numbers that sounds big at first but is hard to tell how much of a difference it makes in the long haul.

Perhaps the marked improvements will be more apparent in our full review. In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments on what you think of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4.


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Originally appeared on: TheSpuzz

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