Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 vs. Z Flip 3 vs. Z Flip (2020): Comparing the Foldables

Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Flip 4 at Wednesday’s Samsung Unpacked event, succeeding last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 3 and continuing the line of clamshell foldable phones that began with 2020’s Galaxy Z Flip. The new phone was announced alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 4, the new Galaxy Watch 5 line and the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro during the Wednesday livestream. 

Flip 4 presales kick off today (early birds are treated to a memory upgrade, free case and trade-in credit) ahead of its official release on Aug. 26, when it will go on sale for $1,000 (£999, AU$1,499). That puts the price in line with other flagship phones such as Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro and Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Plus.

New to the Z Flip 4 is a larger 3,700-mAh battery, faster charging speeds that reach approximately 50% in 30 minutes and an upgraded Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor. 

But perhaps the most noteworthy changes — at least on paper — were made to the software. Samsung’s taking advantage of the phone’s foldable shape by making the cover screen more useful. Now you can reply to texts, unlock your car or take selfies without ever flipping open the device. Samsung has also added customization features for the cover screen as well as the inner screen.

With the Z Flip 4, Samsung said it refined its design by slimming down the hinge and straightening the edges. It also has a pair of 10-megapixel rear cameras and a 10-megapixel front-facing sensor. 

While the Z Flip 4 makes some improvements to its predecessor, it’s more of a refinement than a refresh. You can see the details for yourself in CNET’s chart below, which offers a side-by-side comparison of Samsung’s stylish flip phones. You can learn more about Samsung’s new foldables by checking out how the Galaxy Z Fold models compare.