The foldable phone market is heating up, and Tecno is making a bold play with the Phantom V Flip. While Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip4 established a strong foothold in the compact foldable space, Tecno aims to disrupt with a potentially more affordable option. This comparison dives deep into the specs and real-world implications to determine which flip phone delivers the best experience.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing battery life and fast charging, the Tecno Phantom V Flip emerges as the winner. Its 88-hour endurance rating and 45W charging significantly outperform the Z Flip4’s 75-hour rating and slower 25W charging. However, the Z Flip4’s more refined software and slightly brighter display remain compelling advantages.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | LTE | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 |
| 5G bands | SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE (6CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| | - | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2023, September 22 | 2022, August 10 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, October 01 | Available. Released 2022, August 25 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | Eco leather back, aluminum frame, steel hinge | Plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 171.7 x 74.1 x 7 mmFolded: 88.8 x 74.1 x 15 mm | Unfolded: 165.2 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm Folded: 84.9 x 71.9 x 15.9-17.1 mm |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 194 g (6.84 oz) | 187 g (6.60 oz) |
| | - | IPX8 water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) |
| Display |
|---|
| Resolution | 1080 x 2640 pixels (~413 ppi density) | 1080 x 2640 pixels (~426 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.9 inches, 107.6 cm2 (~84.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 101.5 cm2 (~85.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Foldable LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, 1000 nits (peak) | Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) |
| | - | Cover display:
Super AMOLED, 1.9 inches, 260 x 512 pixels (Gorilla Glass Victus+) |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 8050 (6 nm) | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MC9 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 13, HIOS 13.5 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, One UI 7 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| | - | UFS 3.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Dual | 64 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF
13 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.12µm | 12 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@60/240fps, HDR10+ |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, 24mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm, AF | 10 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/3.0", 1.22µm |
| Video | 1440p@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| | - | 32-bit/384kHz audio
Tuned by AKG |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | Unspecified | No |
| USB | USB Type-C | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity (incl. for accessories), compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| | - | Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 45W wired, 50% in 15 min | 25W wired, 50% in 30 min
15W wireless
4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | 4000 mAh | Li-Po 3700 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Iconic Black, Mystic Dawn | Bora Purple, Graphite, Pink Gold, Blue, Yellow, White, Navy, Khaki, Red |
| Models | AD11 | SM-F721B, SM-F721B/DS, SM-F721N, SM-F721U, SM-F721U1, SM-F721W, SM-F7210 |
| Price | About 560 EUR | $ 214.99 / C$ 334.00 / £ 219.00 / € 284.00 / ₹ 40,999 |
| SAR | - | 1.02 W/kg (head) 0.94 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 1.15 W/kg (head) 1.20 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Battery life | - |
Endurance rating 92h
|
| Camera | - |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - |
-27.5 LUFS (Good)
|
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 685754 (v8) | 800001 (v9)
GeekBench: 3913 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 74fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Tecno Phantom V Flip
- Significantly longer battery life (88h endurance)
- Much faster 45W wired charging
- Potentially more affordable price point
- Less established brand reputation
- Software experience may be less refined
- Display brightness is lower than the Z Flip4
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
- Brighter display (919 nits)
- More refined software experience
- Established brand and build quality
- Shorter battery life (75h endurance)
- Slower 25W wired charging
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
Both phones feature foldable displays, but key differences exist. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 boasts a slightly brighter peak brightness of 919 nits compared to the Tecno Phantom V Flip’s 818 nits, making it marginally better in direct sunlight. While both are excellent, the Z Flip4’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio (nominal) suggests deeper blacks and more vibrant colors. However, the Phantom V Flip’s panel characteristics (PWM rate, color gamut coverage) are not specified, making a definitive judgment on color accuracy difficult. The Z Flip4’s hinge mechanism is also more established, potentially offering greater long-term durability.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer photo and video capabilities, but specifics are limited. Without detailed sensor information, it’s difficult to make a direct comparison. However, the Z Flip4’s established image processing pipeline and likely superior software algorithms give it an advantage. The Phantom V Flip’s camera system is an unknown quantity, and its performance will heavily rely on software optimization. The absence of details regarding OIS or aperture sizes on either device makes a comprehensive camera analysis impossible. We can assume the Z Flip4 benefits from Samsung’s years of camera expertise.
Performance
The chipset battle pits MediaTek’s Dimensity 8050 against Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm) in the Z Flip4 benefits from a more efficient manufacturing process, generally leading to better sustained performance and thermal management. While the Dimensity 8050 (6nm) is a powerful chip with a complex octa-core configuration, the Snapdragon’s Cortex-X2 prime core provides a performance edge in single-threaded tasks. The Z Flip4’s LPDDR5 RAM is also likely faster than the Phantom V Flip’s unspecified RAM configuration, contributing to snappier app loading and multitasking. The 4nm process of the Snapdragon will likely result in less throttling during extended gaming sessions.
Battery Life
This is where the Tecno Phantom V Flip truly shines. Its 88-hour endurance rating significantly surpasses the Z Flip4’s 75-hour rating. This translates to a noticeable difference in real-world usage, especially for power users. Furthermore, the Phantom V Flip’s 45W wired charging is dramatically faster than the Z Flip4’s 25W charging, achieving 50% charge in just 15 minutes compared to the Z Flip4’s 30 minutes. The Z Flip4 does offer 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the Phantom V Flip, but the speed advantage of the Tecno’s wired charging is substantial.
Buying Guide
Buy the Tecno Phantom V Flip if you need exceptional battery life, incredibly fast charging, and are comfortable with a potentially less polished software experience. It’s ideal for users who frequently rely on their phones throughout the day and dislike battery anxiety. Buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 if you prioritize a more premium build quality, a brighter display, and a smoother, more established software ecosystem, and are willing to compromise on battery performance and charging speed.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ How does the Dimensity 8050 in the Tecno Phantom V Flip compare to the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in gaming?
While the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 generally holds a performance advantage, the Dimensity 8050 is still a very capable chip. Expect excellent performance in most mobile games, but the Z Flip4 may maintain higher frame rates for longer periods due to its more efficient thermal management and faster RAM.
❓ Does the Tecno Phantom V Flip support 5G connectivity?
Yes, the MediaTek Dimensity 8050 chipset includes an integrated 5G modem, ensuring the Tecno Phantom V Flip supports 5G networks. However, 5G availability and speeds will depend on your carrier and location.
❓ What type of charging protocol does the Tecno Phantom V Flip use for its 45W charging?
The Tecno Phantom V Flip utilizes USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) for its 45W charging. This is a widely supported standard, meaning you can use a variety of compatible chargers to achieve fast charging speeds.
❓ Is the hinge on the Tecno Phantom V Flip as durable as the one on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4?
Samsung has a significant lead in foldable phone hinge technology. The Z Flip4’s hinge has undergone extensive testing and is known for its durability. The Phantom V Flip’s hinge durability remains to be seen and will require long-term testing to assess its reliability.
