Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 vs Z Fold3 5G: The Ultimate Foldable Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Galaxy Z Fold4 offers a noticeable upgrade over the Z Fold3, primarily in performance thanks to the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and a slightly brighter display. While the Z Fold3 remains a compelling option, the Z Fold4's improved speed and endurance make it the clear winner for those seeking the latest and greatest foldable experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66 - Europe |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 78, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, August 10 | 2021, August 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, August 25 | Available. Released 2021, August 27 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 155.1 x 130.1 x 6.3 mmFolded: 155.1 x 67.1 x 14.2-15.8 mm | Unfolded: 158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4 mmFolded: 158.2 x 67.1 x 14.4-16 mm |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 263 g (9.28 oz) | 271 g (9.56 oz) |
| IPX8 water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus support | IPX8 water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus support | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1812 x 2176 pixels (~373 ppi density) | 1768 x 2208 pixels (~374 ppi density) |
| Size | 7.6 inches, 183.2 cm2 (~90.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 7.6 inches, 179.9 cm2 (~88.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) | Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) |
| Cover display: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ 6.2 inches, 904 x 2316 pixels, 23.1:9 ratio | Cover display: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 6.2 inches, 832 x 2268 pixels, 25:9 ratio | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 12L, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1.1 | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 66mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 12mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 12mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/240fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+ | 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/240fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+ |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 4 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/3.0", 2.0µm, under display Cover camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 24mm (wide), 1/3.0", 1.22µm | 4 MP, f/1.8, 2.0µm, under display Cover camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless 4.5W reverse wireless | 25W wired 11W wireless 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4400 mAh | Li-Po 4400 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Graygreen, Phantom Black, Beige, Burgundy | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Green, Thom Browne Edition, Wooyoungmi Edition |
| Models | SM-F936B, SM-F936B/DS, SM-F936U, SM-F936U1, SM-F936N, SM-F936W, SM-F9360 | SM-F926B, SM-F926B/DS, SM-F926U, SM-F926U1, SM-F926W, SM-F9260, SM-F926N |
| Price | $ 457.00 / € 511.80 / £ 485.00 / ₹ 73,899 | € 453.57 / $ 367.74 / £ 449.99 |
| SAR | 0.96 W/kg (head) 0.92 W/kg (body) | 0.73 W/kg (head) 1.22 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 1.30 W/kg (head) 1.51 W/kg (body) | 1.04 W/kg (head) 1.44 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 101h | Endurance rating 75h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -28.3 LUFS (Average) | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 964530 (v9) GeekBench: 3981 (v5.1) GFXBench: 43fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 635918 (v8), 752218 (v9) GeekBench: 12719 (v4.4), 3239 (v5.1) GFXBench: 38fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
- Significantly improved performance
- Brighter display
- Longer battery life
- Slightly improved camera
- More refined design
- Higher price
- Still a noticeable crease
- Under-display camera still visible
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
- Lower price
- Excellent foldable experience
- Good performance for most tasks
- Versatile camera system
- Older chipset
- Shorter battery life
- Less bright display
- More noticeable under-display camera
Display Comparison
The Z Fold4 boasts a measured peak brightness of 1000 nits compared to the Z Fold3's 922 nits. While both displays are excellent, the Z Fold4 offers slightly better visibility in bright sunlight. Both feature vibrant AMOLED panels with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate for smooth scrolling and animations. The Z Fold4 also has a slightly improved under-display camera, though it's still noticeable.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer versatile camera systems, but the Z Fold4 has subtle improvements. While both have a 12MP front-facing camera, the Z Fold4's under-display camera is less noticeable. The main camera sensors are similar, but the Z Fold4's image processing algorithms are slightly more refined, resulting in marginally better photos in certain conditions. Video recording capabilities are comparable on both devices.
Performance
This is where the Z Fold4 truly shines. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset provides a significant performance boost over the Snapdragon 888 in the Z Fold3. Expect faster app loading times, smoother multitasking, and improved gaming performance. The Z Fold4 handles demanding tasks with ease, while the Z Fold3 can occasionally show signs of strain.
Battery Life
The Z Fold4 demonstrates a significant improvement in battery life, achieving an endurance rating of 101 hours compared to the Z Fold3's 75 hours. This translates to noticeably longer usage times between charges, a crucial factor for a device of this size and complexity.
Buying Guide
The Galaxy Z Fold4 is ideal for power users, photographers, and those who demand the best performance and battery life in a foldable package. The Z Fold3 5G is a great choice for budget-conscious buyers who still want a foldable experience and don't need the absolute latest hardware.