Samsung's new foldable may look mid-range on paper, but it can stand out even amongst flagships in the right conditions

While the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 may not be a massive upgrade over the Z Flip 3, it includes some important updates that make it even more attractive. On the flip side, the Galaxy S22+ has been around since February and represents the best balance of performance, size, and price for fans of Samsung's best phones who aren't interested in the folding form factor. They're both among today's top Android phones, but what are each device's pros and cons, and which deserves your investment?

The obvious difference between the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and S22+ is that one folds and one doesn't. A horizontally folding hinge makes the Z Flip 4 significantly less cumbersome to carry while offering some novel functionality that wasn't present in earlier versions. And you don't have to worry much about the durability of the hinge and prominence of the screen crease with the latest Z Flip iteration, as both have been refined significantly over the past three years.

The S22+, on the other hand, is a solid smartphone that's about as durable as they get. To be clear, it's not small, although it's not the biggest non-folding Samsung handset. That title falls to the more costly S22 Ultra, entially an S22 Note with a different name. In fact, the S22+ is a touch lighter and shorter than the S21+ and has a more premium fit and finish than nearly any other smartphone. Like the Z Flip 4, it's undergone some minor exterior retouches that make it easier to hold and more pleasant to use.

The components powering the two are somewhat similar, with each phone having a minor advantage or two. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in the newer Z Flip has a slight edge over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the S22+, but not a huge one. Both come with 8 GB of RAM and multiple storage options, although the Z Flip offers as much as 512 GB of storage, while the S22+ is limited to 256.

The S22+ also boasts a high-speed USB 3.2 port, which makes transferring large files locally much faster than using the Z Flip 4's USB 2.0 connector. Due to the nature of folding phones, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 can only achieve IPX8 water resistance at this time — dust and sand are still Enemy #1 — while the S22+ is IP68 dustproof and water-resistant.

Most of the world got an S22+ equipped with the powerful and low-energy Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. It performs admirably with no noticeable slowdowns or errors. Europe's S22+, however, contains a slightly less stellar processor in the Exynos 2200.

Exynos is an APU family developed in-house by Samsung, and it's never quite met the standard set by the more popular Snapdragon lineup. There have been some performance and overheating issues with the Exynos 2200 in particular that Samsung has, in reality, done a good job of mitigating. Nonetheless, if there's any chance you're looking at buying a European S22+, it's advisable to consider investing in a Snapdragon-powered phone like the Flip 4 instead.

As you'd expect from a pair of $1,000 smartphones, both displays are fantastic. And although there are no major downsides to the Z Flip's screen, the S22+ looks simply stunning in nearly any condition. It's able to reach a peak of 1,750 nits, 550 higher than its opponent. And since flexible glass hasn't yet been invented, the glossy, solid screen has a more high-end feel than the plastic that folding phones require. The Z Flip 4 does win out slightly in terms of variable refresh rate range, as it's able to get as low as 1 hertz where the S22+ only gets down to 48 hertz. But most people won't notice a difference between the two.

Both are outfitted with the hardware necessary to perform some of the most resource-intensive tasks a smartphone can accomplish. But that kind of firepower requires a decent store of electricity, which is where both models get the most flak. The S22+ sports a 4,500-mAh battery that doesn't seem small on paper, but in practice, is commonly criticized for not quite lasting long enough. AndroidPolice's own hands-on reviews have indicated as such, with battery life being the lone major drawback to an otherwise near-perfect device.

The Z Flip 4 is in an even more precarious position in terms of battery life. Its folding design necessitates two smaller batteries that simply can't compete with standard phones as far as capacity. The slightly newer processor does claim a 10% increase in efficiency, and the Z Flip 4 has larger batteries than its predecessor, but battery life remains one of its biggest points of contention.

The two devices share nearly identical software, but there is one unfortunate drawback to the Z Flip 4. Unlike the S22+, it lacks support for the lauded Samsung S Pen and the increasingly popular Dex mode that turns your smartphone into a simulated desktop computer. Not everyone will care about either of those, but the most productivity-focused professionals will.

Imaging hardware represents the biggest gulf between Samsung's two middle-of-the-road flagship designs. The Z Flip 4 does improve upon the Z Flip 3's camera array slightly, but it relies mostly on improved picture-taking algorithms for clean, crisp, in-focus images. Luckily, that's an area where Samsung has gotten significantly better in recent years.

The S22+, by comparison, contains considerably more capable camera hardware. Its 50-megapixel sensor ensures minimal noise thanks to 4X pixel binning, in addition to one of the physically largest sensors Samsung has ever released. Coupled with the company's improved post-processing algorithms, the S22+ offers the second-best picture quality next to its big brother, the S22 Ultra. The high-resolution sensor also lets in plenty of light, which gives the phone that much more data to turn into a good-looking nighttime picture. There's even 3X optical zoom, a feature that's slowly but surely making its way into many high-end handsets.

They're both incredible phones that should leave anyone satisfied. They cost just about the same and are equipped with similarly powerful hardware that, combined with Samsung's promise of a four-year support road map, will keep you at flagship-level performance for quite some time.

The Galaxy S22+ represents one of the most balanced combinations of price, performance, and user experience ever found in a flagship device. Its impeccable screen, powerful hardware, and premium design make it a great choice for fans of traditional smartphones. While the battery life could be better, it doesn't have any glaring flaws. Its main drawback compared to the Z Flip 4 is that it doesn't fold.

The Galaxy Z Flip, on the other hand, does make some concessions in order to fit the hinge and outer display. Its battery life, while improved, is worse than that of the S22+. The same is true of its camera array, which is significantly underpowered by comparison. The screen isn't quite as bright, either. But if you want something that folds up and will last for years, you might be OK making these sacrifices.

If you want a high-performing flagship smartphone that pulls no punches and makes no compromises, the S22+ is the right choice. But if you're looking for a legitimately compact handset that's easy to fit in your pocket, there's no better option than the Galaxy Z Flip 4.

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Chris’s first foray into electronics included fixing and destroying early PCs in his dad’s basement while testing the overclocking capabilities of an Intel 486 CPU. Since then, he’s melted considerably fewer processors while pushing increasingly powerful gaming hardware to its limits. He’s spent the last several years writing for numerous online tech magazines, of which Android Police is the latest and most fun. Chris has been a freelancer with Android Police since early 2022 and is honored to contribute alongside its team of experts. His focus lies on straightforward, helpful buying guides that make it easy for the average electronics user to make informed decisions on the most cost-effective devices. In particular, he loves recommending affordable wireless headphones that outperform far more expensive brands. One of his biggest goals is to find a high-quality yet truly compact Android smartphone that doesn’t cost a fortune, something the market hasn’t seen in several years (RIP Sony XZ1 Compact).