Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2: Should you upgrade?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is an iterative upgrade over the Fold 3, packing the usual yearly improvements like a faster chip, improved cameras, and better display. The latter is among the best Android smartphones on the market, so the gains add up. Compared to the 2020’s Fold 2, though, the changes are a lot more prominent. But if you already own the Galaxy Z Fold 2, should you upgrade to the Fold 4? Or wait another year for 2023’s Fold? Let’s dig into the details.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs. Z Fold 2 specs

Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 2: Build quality and durability

The original Galaxy Fold was infamous for its durability issues. With the Fold 2, Samsung took some steps to address this issue, including using a thin folding glass on the foldable display. The hinge was also redesigned to make it harder for dust or other contaminants to slip in and damage the screen or internal components.

In the two years since then, the Korean smartphone maker has further built on this making the Fold 4 among its “toughest foldables ever.” The durability improvements include using an “optimized layer structure” on the folding screen to reduce damage from shocks, Armor Aluminum frames, hinge cover, and Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the cover screen and rear glass. That’s not all. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 carries an IPX8 rating, meaning it can survive a surprise swim in up to five feet of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. Compared to the Fold 2, the hinge on the Fold 4 is also noticeably slimmer.

If you have butter fingers or are known to be careless with your phones, the Fold 4’s enhanced durability makes it a worthy upgrade. And for that additional peace of mind, you will be glad to know that if your Fold 4 ever needs a screen replacement, Samsung has also made that cheaper.

One issue with the Fold series is how heavy they are. The Fold 2 weighs 282gms, while the Fold 4, despite the durability improvements and better hardware, weighs 263gms. That’s still heavy, but the reduced weight will make handling the foldable slightly more manageable.

Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 2: Display

Comparison pic showing the difference in aspect ratio between Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Fold 4

A quick look at the specs sheet shows that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 retains the same 6.2-inch HD+ cover screen and 7.6-inch QXGA+ 120Hz foldable display as the Fold 2. What’s different is the aspect ratio, which is arguably more important in the current crop of folding smartphones. When unfolded, the Fold 4’s display is slightly wider, which aids two-hand usage. The outer cover display is also less narrow, making it feel less cramped than before. While minor, these improvements significantly impact usability.

Apart from the aspect ratio change, there are the usual advancements in brightness and power efficiency. As explained in the build quality section, the Fold 4’s displays are much more durable.

Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 2: Performance and battery life

Qualcomm’s 2020 flagship chip, the 7nm Snapdragon 865+, does duty inside the Galaxy Z Fold 2. The chip is showing its age, but it is still more than powerful enough to handle your workload unless you are a heavy user. 12GB RAM and speedy 256GB UFS 3.1 storage further ensure Samsung’s 2020 foldable does not feel slow to use.

The 4nm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip inside the Fold 4 is much more powerful, but you will not see that big of an improvement in daily use when upgrading from the Fold 2. However, the additional horsepower will come in handy a year or two down the line. Like the Fold 2, the Fold 4 also features 12GB RAM and can be configured with up to 1TB storage, albeit only in select markets.

If you are considering upgrading from the Fold 2 to the Fold 4 for better performance, it would be better to wait until next year’s model. The performance boost should be more evident between the 2020 and 2023 variants.

On paper, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 comes with a slightly smaller 4400mAh battery vs. the 4500mAh cell on the Fold 2. However, Samsung’s latest foldable device will last longer despite a slight drop in battery capacity, all thanks to its more efficient 5nm chip and inner and outer displays.

Don’t expect tablet-like battery life from the new Fold, though. Like the older model, it has enough juice to last a day of medium to heavy use.

Both models support Samsung’s 25W fast charging. But it is the newer Fold that charges faster. When using a compatible 25W USB-C adapter, you can top off the Fold 4’s battery to 50% in 30 minutes. A full charge takes around 80-90 minutes. The Fold 2 charges much slower—a 0-100% top-up takes nearly two hours.

Both devices support 15W wireless fast charging and Samsung Wireless PowerShare, which lets you reverse charge other Bluetooth accessories using your phone.

Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 2: Camera

Samsung’s latest foldable makes some notable upgrades over the Fold 2 in the camera department. While both devices pack five cameras, the Fold 4 uses newer and better sensors to deliver an improved imaging experience.

At the rear, the Z Fold 4 houses the same 50MP primary shooter as the Galaxy S22+. The bigger and newer sensor can capture more details and has a better dynamic range than the Fold 2’s 12MP camera. Coupled with the faster ISP of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, the Fold 4 can record 8K videos—the 2020 Fold tops out at 4K.

You can zoom in further into your subjects with the Fold 4 with its 3x optical telephoto sensor and 30x digital zoom. It falls short of the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 10x periscope zoom lens, but it is still an upgrade over the older Fold’s 2x optical and 10x digital zoom. The ultrawide camera is the same, though you might see some processing improvements on the newer model. Thanks to Corning Gorilla Glass DX, lens flaring in low-light shots will be less of an issue on the Fold 4.

The 10MP selfie camera on the cover display matches on both Folds. On the foldable inner display, though, it’s a different story. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 features a 4MP under-display camera—that’s down in resolution compared to the Fold 2’s 10MP shooter. However, the under-display camera is less obvious and offers a better fullscreen experience.

Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 2: Software support

In the Android ecosystem, Samsung is the undisputed leader in terms of software support. It promises four years of OS updates and five years of security patches for its newer devices, starting with the Galaxy S21 and Z Fold3/Flip 3 series. This means the Fold 4, which launches with One UI 4.1 based on Android 12L, will receive all OS updates until August 2026. And another year of security updates after that.

Android 12L is the first release of the OS in years specifically optimized for tablets and other big-screen devices. Samsung’s also included a bevy of improvements for its foldables, chief among them an upgraded taskbar that merges your docked apps and navigation bar. The feature will reportedly make its way to older Galaxy Fold devices as well.

Software support for the Galaxy Z Fold 2 was good, but it’s ending soon. The Korean giant promised four years of security patches and three years of Android updates. The phone launched with Android 10 and is currently running Android 12, but Android 13 will likely be its last major OS update.

Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 2: Should you upgrade?

No, and yes. If your Galaxy Z Fold 2 has held up with abuse well so far, there’s no pressing reason for you to go and buy the Fold 4. The latter packs improvements in all key areas you expect: a more durable and brighter display, better performance, battery life, and camera. And while all these advancements are welcome, they’re not big enough to warrant an immediate upgrade, especially given Samsung’s solid software update track record.

However, if your Galaxy Z Fold 2’s foldable display is showing signs of wear and tear or the hinge has gotten loose after hundreds of folds and unfolds over the years, the Fold 4 is a worthy upgrade. The Z Fold 4 preorder and trade-in deals help shave down that steep $1,800 price tag, but unless your Fold 2 is showing its age, hold out another year — or at least until its inevitable Black Friday discounts.

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