Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Fold 4 during its next Unpacked event on 10 August, alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 4, the Galaxy Buds Pro 2 and the Watch 5 smartwatch models.

We've looked at how the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4 stack up against each other in a separate feature, but here we are focusing on what changes and differences the Galaxy Z Fold 4 offers compared to its predecessor, the Z Fold 3.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

More of a refinement than a reinvention when compared with last year's Z Fold 3, the latest foldable is greatly improved in some crucial areas.

Z Fold 4 vs Z Fold 3 design

  • Z Fold 4: 155.1 x 130.1 x 6.3mm (unfolded), 155.1 x 67.1 x 15.8-14.2mm (folded), 263g
  • Z Fold 3: 158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4mm (unfolded), 158.2 x 67.1 x 16-14.4mm (folded), 271g

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 offers a very similar design to the Z Fold 3, but with slightly more angled edges, more prominent buttons and a more durable build. There's Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for protection, coupled with an Armour aluminium frame and hinge, and the overall device is slimmer and lighter than previously.

Like its predecessor though, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a triple rear camera in a neat pill-shaped housing, a book style design with a vertical fold, and a premium build quality.

There was originally some talk of the Z Fold 4 offering a built-in S Pen and having an under-display fingerprint sensor, though neither materialised with the Z Fold 4 instead offering S Pen support again and a physical fingerprint sensor on the side. Colour options are Gray Green, Beige, Phantom Black and Burgandy, and the S Pen Fold Edition options available match.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is very similar to the Z Fold 4. It has an IPX8 water and dust resistance and it offers a physical fingerprint sensor on the side. It is compatible with the S Pen but it doesn't have one built in, and it comes in three colour options of Phantom Black, Phantom Silver and Phantom Green.

Overall, there are subtle differences between the Z Fold 4 and the Z Fold 3 in terms of design, such as the lighter and slimmer build and the extra protection, rather than drastic and obvious changes.

Z Fold 4 vs Z Fold 3 display

  • Z Fold 4: 6.2-inch cover display, 7.6-inch main display, 120Hz, HDR10+, S Pen
  • Z Fold 3: 6.23-inch cover display, 7.6-inch main display, 120Hz, HDR10+, S Pen

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 comes with a 6.2-inch external display and a 7.6-inch internal display, which is similar to what the Galaxy Z Fold 3 offers but the ratios have changed on the new model. The internal and external displays are both wider and squarer than the Z Fold 3.

The Z Fold 4 has a Dynamic AMOLED panel on the front with a 2316 x 904 pixel resolution and an adaptive refresh rate between 48Hz and 120Hz, while the internal display is a Dynamic AMOLED panel with Ultra Thin Glass, a 2176 x 1812 pixel resolution and a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate. The internal display also supports the S Pen Fold Edition stylus, as we mentioned.

The Z Fold 3 has a 6.23-inch cover display offering a 2268 x 832 pixel resolution, while the inside display is 7.6-inches with a resolution of 2208 x 1768 pixels. Both screens support a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ is supported on the main display.

The Z Fold 3 also has support for an S Pen designed specifically for foldables on the main display, like the Z Fold 4.

Z Fold 4 vs Z Fold 3 specs

  • Z Fold 4: Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, 12GB RAM, 256/512GB or 1TB storage, 4400mAh
  • Z Fold 3: Snapdragon 888, 12GB RAM, 256/512GB storage, 4400mAh

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset and there is 12GB of RAM support. Three storage options are available in the form of 256GB, 512GB and 1TB.

In terms of battery capacity, the Z Fold 4 offers 4400mAh and while this is the same as the Z Fold 3, the newer model offers support for faster charging. There's 25W wired charging, which is said to deliver a full battery from flat in 1.5 hours, or 50 per cent in 30 minutes. There's also wireless charging and reverse wireless charging on board.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, supported by 12GB of RAM. Storage options are 256GB and 512GB, so the Z Fold 4 offers an extra option on top of what the Z Fold 3 does.

Z Fold 4 vs Z Fold 3 cameras

  • Z Fold 4: Triple rear (50MP+12MP+10MP), 10MP front, 4MP UPC
  • Z Fold 3: Triple rear (12MP+12MP+12MP), 10MP front, 4MP UPC

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a triple rear camera that is the same loadout as the Galaxy S22. That means, the rear camera consists of a 50-megapixel main sensor with f/1.8 aperture and OIS, plus a 12-megapixel ultra wide sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a 10-megapixel telephoto lens with f/2.4 aperture. The telephoto lens offers 3x optical zoom.

On the front, there is a 10-megapixel snapper, while the inside front camera is an improved under-display camera, though it retains the 4-megapixel resolution.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 also has a triple rear camera, though it is made up of 12-megapixel main camera (f/1.8), 12-megapixel telephoto sensor (f/2.4), and 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera (f/2.2). The telephoto sensor offers 2x zoom.

On the front, there is a single 10-megapixel punch hole front camera on the cover display, along with a 4-megapixel under-display camera on the main display.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G (Black)

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Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 offers a very similar design to its predecessor, offering some minor tweaks and improving the durability rather than drastically overhauling the tried and tested design.

The Z Fold 4 also gets a performance boost though, an extra stroage options, plus battery and camera improvements.

For those deciding between the Z Fold 4 and the Z Fold 3, the Z Fold 4 is the better option on paper. For those wondering whether to upgrade, there are a couple of reasons to, like the performance enhancements and camera improvements, but in terms of design, the surface-level changes might not be enough to make the leap this time around. It will all depend on what is important to you.