Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Review: A Fun Fashionable Foldable
by
Ryan Whitwam
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Tuesday, September 13, 2022, 11:35 AM EDT
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4: Battery Life Tests, Charging And Our Review Conclusion
The Galaxy Z Flip4's distinctive design led Samsung to make some sacrifices, as we've already seen with its camera and heat dissipation. The battery is another, and possibly the one that could be more concerning for potential customers. There are two linked battery cells inside, but there's not enough space to make them very large. With just 3,700mAh of total capacity, you could burn through the battery in less than a day of heavy use.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 Battery Life And Charging
The PCMark battery life test aims to simulate a standard day's workload by running the benchmark over and over over the course of hours. It's not always indicative of real world performance, but it helps to compare devices. In the case of the Z Flip4, the results match our real world use. This phone falls behind non-folding devices like the Pixel 6 Pro and S22 Ultra, both of which are known to be power-hungry. It's still better than the folding display on the Fold4, but that's a much larger panel.
If there is one saving grace here, it's the cover display. There are plenty of times when we were able to avoid opening the phone, since a quick glance at the data represented on its cover got the job done. This can save you a lot of juice (and time) over the course of a day. However, there are only so many tasks you can complete on the external screen. You might suffer some range anxiety when using the Flip4 away from a power outlet. Even if you find one, you'll have to set up shop and wait—the Flip4 is also saddled with the same slow 25W charging as the Fold4. The device is a bit more palatable at $1,000 than it was at $1,800, but its charging feature is still too slow for 2022.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 Review Conclusion: Falling In Love Again
The Galaxy Z Flip4 is not on the bleeding-edge of mobile multitasking like its big brother, but it still serves a nice niche. That niche, however, is not the average smartphone buyer. Most people who set out to spend $1,000 on a smartphone should also consider other standard offerings on the market. You'll get stronger gaming performance, longer battery life, and better cameras with a non-foldable flagship phone.
And yet. we can't help love Samsung's new slick little flip phone. And we should also point out that the Flip4 is currently on sale at Amazon for $900, which saves you $100 off MSRP.
The Fold4 offers room to breathe, but the Flip4 is so wonderfully portable.
We would venture that anyone who read this far in a smartphone review is not an "average consumer" of mobile gadgets. For those people, the Flip4 makes its case simply by being different. After years of flat glass slabs, smartphones are getting interesting again, and the Flip4 is at the forefront. It's refreshing to have a phone that doesn't ride around on your thigh like a splint, and the form factor has an undeniable cool factor. We've had more people ask about the clamshell-style flip phones in daily life than any other device, including Samsung's larger Z Folds.
Samsung understands that style is part of the appeal here, which is why the Bespoke Studio edition is available for the Flip4 right out of the gate. This purchase option, which lets you customize the colors of your phone, didn't arrive until a few months after the Flip3 launched. If you're okay compromising on battery life and camera hardware (keeping in mind the Flip4 is great for selfies), you might want to consider buying this little folding wonder..
