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  Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

  Remains a great foldable

  $900 $1000 Save $100

  The Z Flip 4 offers minor but worthwhile improvements over its predecessor. Most importantly, though, it carries over Flip 3's legacy as a foldable phone accessible to the masses. A year after its release, it's still an excellent choice.

  Pros

  • Takes up little pocket space
  • Redesigned, highly durable hinge
  • IPX8 water resistance

  Cons

  • Battery doesn't last very long
  • Camera is only OK
  • Not fully protected from dust

  $900 at Samsung

• 

  Samsung Galaxy S22+

  Solid slab for the price

  $710 $1000 Save $290

  Samsung's Galaxy S22+ is the clear Goldilocks of the S22 family, with plenty of screen space, a reasonable size, and a price that won't make your eyes bleed. Given its great performance and design, is it still worth investing in now?

  Pros

  • Top-of-the-line screen
  • Impressive charging speed
  • Nearly unbeatable camera hardware

  Cons

  • Battery life could be better
  • Limited to a max of 256GB storage

  $800 at Samsung $710 at Amazon $1000 at Best Buy

Summary

• The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is a great foldable phone with impressive performance, though it has middling battery life and basic cameras.
• The Galaxy S22+ is a well-balanced phone with excellent performance and no deal-breaking downsides, making it a fantastic option.
• Both phones offer a pleasant user experience and will receive Android updates through 2026, but the S22+ is usually cheaper and doesn't fold.

While the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 folds, and the Galaxy S22+ does not, both represent some of the best Samsung phones. If you're on the fence about moving into the foldable space or are interested in the Goldilocks of flagship Android slab phones, they're both worth considering.

However, there are some key differences that can easily push the savvy user toward the Flip 4 or S22+. While neither's cheap, they also won't absolutely destroy your wallet. They should also last for multiple years of heavy use thanks, in part, to Samsung's industry-leading software update promises.

Price, availability, and specs

Both launched with an MSRP of about $1,000 for an unlocked base model without a trade-in. More than a year after launch, both remain readily available at most major retailers and carriers, and are often discounted. This should prove especially true as retailers look to offload older stock due to the Z Flip 5 and S23+ releases.

Given that it's been a while since release, you won't be able to find the Z Flip 4 Bespoke Versions for sale new. But you can still access most other colors, including Pink Gold for both, Bora Purple for the Flip 4, and Green for the S22+.

• 	Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4	Samsung Galaxy S22+
  SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
  Display	6.7" 2640 x 1080 120Hz OLED primary, 1.9" 260 x 512 OLED cover display	6.6-inch 1080x2340px 120Hz OLED
  RAM	8GB LPDDR5	8GB
  Storage	128GB, 256GB, or 512GB	128, 256GB
  Battery	3,700mAh	4,500mAh
  Ports	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG	USB Type-C 3.2, OTG
  Operating System	Android 13 (OneUI 5.1)	Android 13 with One UI 5.1
  Front camera	10MP f/2.4 hole-punch camera (80˚ FoV, 1.22μm pixels)	10MP f/2.2 (26mm)
  Connectivity	5G (inc mmWave), LTE, Wi-Fi 6e	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e; Bluetooth 5.2; 5G mmWave and sub6
  Dimensions	Open: 71.9 x 165.2 x 6.9mm, Closed: 71.9 x 84.9 x 17.1mm folded (tapering to 15.9mm)	157.4 x 75.8 x 7.6mm
  Colors	Bora Purple, Graphite, Pink Gold, Blue	Pink Gold, Green, Phantom Black, Phantom White
  Weight	187g	195g
  IP Rating	IPX8	IP68

Design

The fact that one folds makes it extremely easy to distinguish between the two phones' designs. Naturally, the fold serves multiple functional purposes, but it also makes for a markedly different appearance.

The straightforward S22+ pretty much embodies the term "slab phone," with no major visual elements other than the curved sides and camera array. That's not to say it's boring — Samsung would probably prefer to describe it as "pristine" — but it's not exactly the picture of novel design. And that's fine, as there are tons of great S22+ cases to spruce it up.

But did you know that the Z Flip 4 folds in half when you're not using its main display? And as such, it is visually remarkable regardless of what other design components it offers. Couple that with the awesome Bora Purple color, and the Z Flip 4 is a really nice-looking device whether it's open or closed.

The biggest functional result of both phones' designs is that while they're not quite small (when unfolded, anyway), they're not super big and heavy either. The S22+ is smaller and lighter than both the S21+ and S22 Ultra, and the Z Flip 4 is built to live comfortably in a pocket. Both are pleasant to hold and use, although the Z Flip 4 does take the edge in terms of physical design.

Displays

The Flip 4 has a leg up to start with just by the nature of its dual screens. Its outer display isn't quite as incredibly versatile as the one on the Moto Razr+, but it provides useful information and can help you perform a few handy tricks. Inside, the Flip's screen is a touch larger than the S22+, with a marginally higher pixel density but lower peak brightness. It's a great screen, and you'd probably need to test it side-by-side with an S22+ to notice much of a technical difference outside of use in direct sunlight.

The Galaxy S22+ screen, on the other hand, really shines (we love puns). Its 1,750-nit peak brightness is one of the best in the field and 550-nits higher than the Z Flip 4's. It's one of the best screens in the industry even a year later, and can deviate between 48 and 120 hertz for a consistently smooth experience.

Ultimately, both displays have pros and cons, but when you take the Flip 4's crease into account, it's a clear win for the ultra-bright S22+. To be clear, there's nothing wrong with the Flip 4's screen, and the crease won't bother most people, but it does exist and is noticeable. The S22+ also has a slightly more firm layer of Gorilla Glass, which makes it a little more reliable and comfortable to use all day long.

The Galaxy Z Flip 4's hinge

Samsung's first hinge was a disaster, but its latest releases are well-engineered to the point where it's barely an issue. Yes, you'll notice it, but the visual lines and constant worry of damage have been worked out quite well by Samsung's R&D department.

For example, the well-known YouTube channel JerryRigsEverything did a number on the Z Flip 4 and determined that you have to try to break the hinge. It continues to work smoothly even after being opened and closed thousands of times, resisting dust and other particulates reliably. In that light, there's not much to worry about as far as hinge longevity goes, and we're pleased that Samsung has worked this out.

Nonetheless, we highly recommend enrolling in the Samsung Care+ extended warranty program. Samsung Care+ charges a small monthly fee and nearly eliminates the charge for a screen replacement, which is a big deal considering how expensive these bad boys are and how different a folding screen is from a typical smartphone's. It's also important to get a quality screen protector and phone case. Both can prevent major damage from nicks and drops.

Software

Both currently run on Android 13 wrapped up in Samsung's One UI 5.1, and both will receive updates all the way through the as-yet-theoretical Android 16 in 2026. That's the best in the industry.

The two devices deliver a nearly identical user experience but with a couple of important differences.

The Flip 4 has the novel Flex mode meant to maximize its hinge's capabilities. If you open the device between 75 and 115 degrees, some apps (if the capability's programmed in) recognize the angle and take advantage of the foldable design with a split-screen mode that makes it easier to use the app, whether it's by monitoring your videos as you record them or controlling a video chat. It's one of the fold-specific features we're glad to see and expect Samsung to use more in the near future.

The S22+ instead offers Samsung Dex Mode. Presumably, the Flip missed out on that due to display restrictions. So if you want to turn your device into a de facto desktop PC, the S22+ is the right choice.

Performance

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and 8+ Gen 1 chipsets offer almost indistinguishable performance except in rigorous benchmarks, so we don't anticipate any consumers noticing significant performance discrepancies. The Flip has slightly better numbers, but not so much that they'll translate to a real-world performance edge. The Flip also offers up to 512 GB of storage, double what the S22+ comes with.

One S22+ advantage is its USB 3.2 port, which is considerably faster than the USB 2.0 connection found in the Flip. If you frequently transfer data to and from your phone, the S22+ comes out on top there in a big way. It's also rated for IP68 dust and water protection, compared to the Flip's IPX8 rating as necessitated by its somewhat dust-sensitive hinge.

The performance bottom line is clear: The S22+ has an advantage here, at least on paper. But both phones are so well-designed that either should deliver the processing needed to complete the most resource-intensive tasks possible on a smartphone.

A note on the Galaxy S22+ processor

Most S22+s around the world use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, which performs admirably with no noticeable slowdowns or errors. Europe's S22+, however, contains Samsung's in-house Exynos 2200. Samsung's done an OK job mitigating the performance and thermal throttling issues the Exynos 2200 launched with, but it still gets hot, draws a little more power, and slows down more often than the Snapdragon. The best practice is to opt for the Qualcomm version if you have a choice and prices are similar, but if the Exynos model's way cheaper, it's not a huge downgrade.

Battery life

To be frank, neither phone has excellent battery life. The S22+ will last all day with moderate use, but heavy use will call for a midday top-up. It was a bit of a problem at first, but Samsung has tweaked the software a bit over the past year to alleviate the problem. Nevertheless, it still exists.

Unfortunately, the Z Flip 4 is even worse, thanks to the compact size necessitating a compact 3,700mAh battery - much smaller than the S22+'s 4,500mAh cell. The gap is smaller than you might think thanks to significantly improved energy efficiency from the 8+ Gen 1 chipset, but it's still likely that the Z Flip 4 will run out of gas a little earlier than an S22+.

In other words, neither phone really wins here, but the S22+ certainly loses less.

Cameras

Other than the whole folding thing, the camera is the biggest difference between these devices. The Z Flip 4 camera hardware is not on the same level as what's in the S22+, and it won't suit anyone looking for one of the best camera phones.

The S22+ uses its superior camera hardware to overcome the (increasingly minor) shortcomings of Samsung's imaging algorithms. Its 50MP sensor is one of the physically largest sensors Samsung had released at the time, and lets in plenty of light, giving the phone more data to turn into a good-looking picture. There's even 3x optical zoom, something the Z Flip 4 lacks entirely.

Is the Galaxy Z Flip 4 or S22+ right for you?

The Z Flip 4 remains a great foldable phone thanks to its relatively affordable price and impressive performance. If you're on the fence, watch Samsung and third-party retailers closely to see when they start discounting stock in the wake of the Z Flip 5's release. If you want a foldable but don't want to break the bank irreparably, the Z Flip 4 is right for you.

The S22+ is a somewhat different story. It was one of the most balanced combinations of price, performance, and user experience found upon release, and there's still nothing really wrong with it. Its only real drawback is that, compared to the Z Flip 4, it doesn't fold. With excellent performance on most fronts and no deal-breaking downsides, it's a fantastic phone. It's also usually found a few hundred dollars cheaper than its replacement, the S23+, but will continue to receive Android updates through 2026. In other words, it's an excellent flagship-adjacent phone if you're in the market for something top-of-the-line but want to stay under $1,000.