This has been a big week for Samsung fans in terms of new releases. The company just announced a whole new generation of devices, including its two flagship foldables, the new Galaxy Z Fold 4, the Galaxy Z Flip 4, the next iteration of the Galaxy Watch — Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro and some new earbuds in the form of Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.Â
The new foldables in specific make a strong case for a newcomer to foldable phones. They’ve got flagship processors, better cameras, are more durable than their predecessors and overall have a lot of small improvements that Samsung claims make them better.
That said, the Galaxy Z Fold 3, despite being a year old is still a strong contender. If you’re in a pickle about which one to pick, we’re comparing both foldables here for you to make a better decision.Â
Also read: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 vs Z Flip 3: Which one comes out on top?
Design
While both phones have just about the same form factor, there are small differences that make a big impact. For starters, the cover screen is now wider, which makes using it a much better experience and typing much easier as well.
The Fold 4 is also slightly larger and lighter than the Fold 3, but the difference isn’t noticeable unless you measure those metrics. The inner screen, despite still being 7.6-inches is more square now meaning browsing the web and doing day-to-day tasks is slightly better. It also means that you get slightly bigger black bars when watching videos.
The inner camera, however, has improved quite a lot. It’s far less noticeable than the Fold 3’s in-display camera and has better image quality.
What hasn’t changed is the IPX8 water resistance rating. There’s still no dust resistance on the Fold 4, the fingerprint sensor is still embedded on the side in the power button and it’s still almost impossible to open the screen with one hand.
Camera
Arguably the biggest upgrade in the Fold 4 over the previous generation is the camera. It’s hard to tell from the outside as both phones still have the same camera layout which looks almost identical, but the cameras on the Flip 4 have up the ante.
The Fold 4 has a 50MP sensor for its main camera, a significant upgrade over the Fold 3’s 12MP camera. There’s also a 3x Telephoto lens as compared to a 2x telephoto lens in the Fold 4 and the camera algorithm has seen a major update as well.
The photos now have softer details and are overall more pleasing. The Dynamic range has also improved and highlights aren’t as blown out as they were on the previous phone. Thanks to the upgraded telephoto lens, the zoom shots are also much cleaner.
Last but not least, the under-screen camera has been upgraded. It’s less noticeable, 4MP only, and better than the Fold 3’s camera but is still way behind the other four cameras on the Fold 4.
Display
Despite the cover screen being slightly wider and the inner screen looking more squarish, the dimensions for both remain identical to the Flip 3. The cover screen is the same 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x with LTPO meaning the refresh rate can jump between 1-120Hz and it’s the same story with the 7.6-inch inside screen.
They’re great screens, so we don’t have any complaints. You can still see the crease just as much as you can on the Fold 3, so the display quality isn’t going to be the differentiating factor for anyone.
Also read: What is ‘Com.Samsung.Android.Messaging’?
Performance and Software
The second most obvious upgrade the Fold 4 gets over Fold 3 is the upgrade in performance. Samsung’s new foldable comes with Snapdragon Plus 8 Gen 1, while the Fold 3 uses the Snapdragon 888. They’re both great processors in 2022, but the Fold 4’s newer processor does mean better performance and slightly longer life.
Both phones still have the same 12GB RAM and storage options coming in at 256 and 512GB. The Fold 4 however, is getting a new 1TB storage option which is nice to see.
In terms of software, Samsung has made the jump to Android 12L when it comes to the Fold 4. This means that the Fold 4 gets better multitasking features and a dedicated app drawer at the bottom, much like a Windows taskbar. That said, Samsung has also promised that the Fold 3 will also be upgraded to Android 12L, but hasn’t specified a date yet.
Battery and Charging
Battery and Charging are both just about identical on both devices. Both Folds get a 4,400 mAh battery that charges at 25W, which is a bit of a disappointment to see. Samsung claims that you can charge the Fold 4 up to 50% in about 30 minutes, the same as with the Fold 3. Wireless charging is also the same between the two phones, coming in at 10W.
Hardware specifications
Here are the hardware specifications for both phones.
| Specifications | Galaxy Z Fold 4 | Galaxy Z Fold 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 | Snapdragon 888 |
| Memory | 12GB LPDDR5 RAM | 12GB LPDDR5 RAM |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB UFS3.1 | 256GB, 512GB UFS3.1 |
| Display (Cover) | 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED LTPO (1-120Hz) 2316 x 904 Gorilla Glass Victus | 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED LTPO (10-120Hz) 2268 x 823 Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Display (Main) | 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED LTPO (1-120Hz) 2176 x 1812 S Pen Support Gorilla Glass Victus | 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED LTPO (10-120Hz) 2208 x 1768 S Pen Support Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Rear Cameras | 50MP Wide, F/1.8 12MP Ultra-wide, F/2.2 10MP 3x Zoom, F/2.4 | 12MP Wide, F/1.8 12MP Ultra-wide, F/2.2 12MP 2X Zoom, F/2.4 |
| Front Cameras | 10MP punch hole, F/2.2 4MP under display | 10MP punch hole, F/2.2 4MP under display |
| Battery and Charging | 4,400 mAh 25W wired 10W wireless | 4,400 mAh 25W wired 10W wireless |
| Software | Android 12L with One UI 4.1.1 Four years of OS upgrades | Android 12 with One UI 4,1 (launched with Android 11) Four years of OS upgrades. |
So which one should you get?
The answer really depends on what you actually want. Both phones make a great case for a new foldable. Here’s what we recommend.
You should get the Fold 4 if
- You want the latest and greatest in terms of performance
- Camera quality is important to you.
- The cover screen on the Fold 3 is too narrow for you.
On the other hand, the Fold 3 also makes a great case if
- You want to save a bit of money but still get pretty much the same foldable experience. With the release of the Fold 4, Fold 3 listings have fell in price with used phones going even lower.
- You don’t exactly want a top-of-the-line processor or memory specs.
- You are okay waiting for Samsung to push the Android 12L update. You still get monthly security updates on the Fold 3.
The Fold 4 is a great phone overall but the camera and the processor upgrade alone do not make that big of a difference. Yes, it’s nice to have a slightly faster phone with better cameras but coming in at $1,799 (more if you want the S-Pen) it really doesn’t make much of a case in front of the already great Fold 3 which now sells $300 cheaper at $1,499.
If money is no object for you, we’d definitely recommend the upgrade. However, there’s a chance that you can experience the same foldable phone lifestyle at a cheaper price now without sacrificing a lot.
Also read; Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Fold 2: Key Differences
