vivo X Fold2 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4: The Ultimate Folding Phone Battle

Folding phones have arrived, and the vivo X Fold2 and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 are two of the leading contenders. Both offer innovative designs, powerful performance, and impressive cameras, but which one truly delivers the best experience? Let's dive into a comprehensive comparison to help you decide.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The vivo X Fold2 edges out the Z Fold4 with its significantly faster charging, brighter display, and newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. However, the Z Fold4 benefits from Samsung's refined software and broader ecosystem. Ultimately, the X Fold2 offers more raw power and a superior display, while the Z Fold4 provides a more polished overall experience.

PHONES
Phone Names vivo X Fold2 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 661, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1x CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
Launch
Announced2023, April 202022, August 10
StatusAvailable. Released 2023, April 28Available. Released 2022, August 25
Body
Build-Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame
DimensionsUnfolded: 161.3 x 143.4 x 6 mmFolded: 161.3 x 73.4 x 12.9 mmUnfolded: 155.1 x 130.1 x 6.3 mmFolded: 155.1 x 67.1 x 14.2-15.8 mm
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight279 g (9.84 oz)263 g (9.28 oz)
 -IPX8 water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus support
Display
Resolution1916 x 2160 pixels (~360 ppi density)1812 x 2176 pixels (~373 ppi density)
Size8.03 inches, 206.5 cm2 (~89.3% screen-to-body ratio)7.6 inches, 183.2 cm2 (~90.9% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeFoldable LTPO4 AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1800 nits (peak)Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak)
 Cover display: AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1600 nits (peak) 6.53 inches, 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratioCover display: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ 6.2 inches, 904 x 2316 pixels, 23.1:9 ratio
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 740Adreno 730
OSAndroid 13, OriginOS 3Android 12L, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1.1
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
 UFS 4.0UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, Dual-LED flash, panoramaLED flash, HDR, panorama
Triple50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.49", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.0, 47mm (telephoto), 1/2.93", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.0, 16mm, 108˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.93", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF50 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
Video8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/240fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single16 MP, f/2.5, (wide) Cover camera: 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide)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
Video1080p@30fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audio32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsDual screen fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFingerprint (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
Battery
Charging120W wired, 100% in 26 min 50W wireless, 100% in 40 min 10W reverse wireless25W wired, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless 4.5W reverse wireless
Type4800 mAhLi-Po 4400 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, Blue, RedGraygreen, Phantom Black, Beige, Burgundy
ModelsV2266ASM-F936B, SM-F936B/DS, SM-F936U, SM-F936U1, SM-F936N, SM-F936W, SM-F9360
PriceAbout 1330 EUR$ 457.00 / € 511.80 / £ 485.00 / ₹ 73,899
SAR-0.96 W/kg (head)     0.92 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-1.30 W/kg (head)     1.51 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 101h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -28.3 LUFS (Average)
Performance- AnTuTu: 964530 (v9) GeekBench: 3981 (v5.1) GFXBench: 43fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

vivo X Fold2

  • Brighter Display (1308 nits)
  • Faster Charging (120W)
  • Newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Chip
  • Reverse Wireless Charging (10W)

  • Software may not be as polished as Samsung's
  • Availability may be limited in some regions
  • Slightly shorter battery endurance

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4

  • Refined Software Experience
  • Stronger Ecosystem Integration
  • Slightly Better Battery Endurance
  • Water Resistance (IPX8)

  • Slower Charging (25W)
  • Less Bright Display (1000 nits)
  • Older Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Chip
  • Limited Reverse Wireless Charging (4.5W)

Display Comparison

The vivo X Fold2 boasts a significantly brighter display at 1308 nits compared to the Z Fold4's 1000 nits. Both offer excellent color accuracy and sharpness, but the X Fold2's increased brightness provides better visibility in direct sunlight. The Z Fold4's 'Infinite' contrast ratio is a nominal value and doesn't translate to a dramatically different viewing experience in practice.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer capable camera systems, but detailed camera comparisons require more in-depth testing. Generally, the Z Fold4 benefits from Samsung's image processing expertise, while the X Fold2 may offer slightly better low-light performance due to its newer hardware. Video recording capabilities are comparable.

Performance

The vivo X Fold2's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 provides a noticeable performance advantage over the Z Fold4's Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and improved gaming performance on the X Fold2. Both phones handle demanding tasks with ease, but the X Fold2 has a slight edge.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 has a slightly better endurance rating (101h) compared to the vivo X Fold2 (96h), suggesting marginally better real-world battery life. However, the X Fold2's 120W wired charging is a game-changer, charging from 0% to 100% in just 26 minutes, while the Z Fold4's 25W charging takes considerably longer.

Buying Guide

The vivo X Fold2 is ideal for power users who prioritize display brightness, charging speed, and cutting-edge performance. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 is a better choice for those deeply invested in the Samsung ecosystem, preferring a more mature software experience, and valuing a slightly longer battery life.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Which folding phone is more durable?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 has an IPX8 water resistance rating, offering better protection against water damage. The vivo X Fold2 lacks an official IP rating, so its durability against water is less certain.
❓ Is the vivo X Fold2 worth buying if I'm already invested in the Samsung ecosystem?
It depends. If you prioritize raw performance and a brighter display, the X Fold2 is compelling. However, the Z Fold4's seamless integration with Samsung services and devices might be more valuable if you're heavily invested in the Samsung ecosystem.