Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 4: Which one should you buy?

Almost like clockwork, Samsung took the wraps off its Galaxy S23 trio of smartphones in the very first few weeks of 2023. As we’ve come to expect from previous generations, the Galaxy S23 Ultra sits at the top of the stack. But despite its impressive spec sheet, it’s not the South Korean giant’s highest-end smartphone on the market. That crown technically goes to Samsung’s foldable line, which includes the Galaxy Z Fold 4. So which phone is the best for you? Let’s compare the Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 4 and help you decide.

Editor’s note: Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 has replaced the Z Fold 4 on store shelves as of August 2023. We have maintained this comparison article as you may still find the older foldable on sale.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 4: Specs

Samsung hasn’t rocked the boat with either of its flagships this generation; the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and S23 Ultra both offer incremental improvements over their respective predecessors. When compared to each other, however, you’ll find plenty of differences between what are undoubtedly two of the best Android phones money can buy.

Let’s start with the most obvious difference: the display (or displays, in the case of the Galaxy Z Fold 4). The Galaxy S23 Ultra packs perhaps the best AMOLED display on the market, which comes in at 6.8 inches along the diagonal and refreshes at a fast 120Hz. The company also sprung for the newest AMOLED tech from Samsung Display this generation. That means it’s slightly more efficient than other smartphones on the market and the massive display will sip battery instead of guzzling it.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 takes on a more maximalist approach with its dual-screen, foldable form factor. If you ever find the outer 6.2-inch display too cramped for your liking, simply unfold the smartphone to reveal a large 7.6-inch canvas. Both AMOLED displays feature 120Hz refresh rates, so you won’t compromise on visual fidelity or smoothness when moving between them. They don’t get as bright as the S23 Ultra’s display, but it’s not a groundbreaking difference in the real world.

That said, it’s worth noting that the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s cover display is significantly narrower than most smartphones. It’s plenty usable, but you might find the keyboard a little cramped if you have larger hands. Similarly, you might notice significant black bars while watching content. Luckily, unfolding the Z Fold 4 will keep your position in the app and give you approximately 60% more display area vs the S23 Ultra.

Moving on to processing power, the Galaxy S23 Ultra enjoys the benefit of a later release and packs Qualcomm’s newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. As the flagship Android SoC for 2023, it offers a marginal step up in peak CPU performance and a significantly better GPU compared to last year. It’s also much more efficient than last year’s best, making for improved thermals and battery life. More on that later.

That said, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is no slouch either, especially since it benefitted from Qualcomm’s mid-cycle chip refresh. The foldable’s Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip featured some of the best thermals and efficiency figures of any smartphone chip at the time. Put simply, it’s a capable chip and will likely hold up in day-to-day usage just as well as the newer chip.

One advantage that goes to the foldable is the extra 4GB of RAM you get in the base 256GB storage tier. You’d have to upgrade to the 512GB variant of the S23 Ultra to get the same amount of memory.

As a side note, this is the first time we’re seeing Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips across the board. Up until this year, the Galaxy S series has always used Samsung’s own Exynos chips in select markets. Luckily, you can expect global parity this time around. Consequently, we get the same suite of connectivity options, including fast 5G speeds, Wi-Fi 6E, and ultra-wideband (UWB), on both smartphones.

With the objective differences out of the way, it’s worth addressing the elephant in the room: long-term durability. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 suffers slightly in this department due to its reliance on moving parts. While the hinge will likely survive the lifetime of the device (and then some), you’ll have to keep it away from sandy and dusty environments. Unlike the S23 Ultra, Samsung’s foldable flagship doesn’t feature any dust resistance whatsoever.

And while foldable durability has improved with each passing generation, the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s Ultra-Thin Glass on the inner display is still susceptible to damage. From accidental fingernail pressure to total display failure along the crease, there’s a lot that could go wrong. So if you pick up the foldable, consider paying for Samsung Care Plus as well. On the plus side, both phones are rated for immersion in water for up to 30 minutes at approximately 1.5 meters (4.9 feet).

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 4: Size comparison

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 and S23 Ultra are both large phones, but they sport completely different form factors. The folding design of the former makes it twice as thick as a typical smartphone when folded. That said, it’s much narrower in this state. The S23 Ultra might as well be the opposite. It features a relatively slim profile but is one of the widest phones on the market, making one-handed use somewhat challenging.

You’ll notice a similar stark divide in terms of weight between the two Samsung flagships. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is already pretty substantial at 233g, but it’s still 30g or 12% lighter than the Z Fold 4. That might not sound like much, but it’s a noticeable difference in the hand.

What’s more, the Galaxy S23 Ultra also houses an entire S Pen within that weight budget. If you want stylus functionality on the foldable, you’ll have to lug it around separately. That said, it’s a much larger unit, which you may find more comfortable to use for drawing and note-taking.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 4: Camera

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the more premium smartphone of the two, so you’d expect it to have a better camera system. However, the foldable launched six months prior to the S23 Ultra, allowing the latter to take the crown as the best camera phone in the business. Its improved primary camera this generation, in particular, help it eke out a win.

The S23 Ultra’s star of the show is the new 200MP wide-angle camera, which uses pixel binning to improve low-light performance and fine detail. You’ll find that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 uses the same technology on its 50MP shooter, but of course, doesn’t go quite as far. In our S23 Ultra review, we found that the new 200MP sensor managed to capture fine details exceptionally well, especially in areas where prior generations would occasionally struggle.

However, Samsung hasn’t improved the ultrawide or telephoto sensors on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, so expect identical performance in these areas on the Z Fold 4. Then again, if you care about optical zoom beyond 3x, the S23 Ultra takes the lead once again. With its 10x periscope lens, you can extract a surprising amount of detail from far-away objects. The foldable can reach this zoom level too, but it has to rely on inferior digital zoom. And only the periscope hardware can reach 100x Space Zoom if that’s something you care about. Check out some camera samples from both phones below.

As for the video recording mode, both phones can record in 8K resolution. However, the newer Galaxy S23 Ultra can go up to 8K at 30fps. The foldable, meanwhile, peaks at a slightly lower 24fps.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 features two front-facing cameras, one for each display. Practically speaking, the outer 10MP selfie shooter isn’t too far off from the S23 Ultra’s 12MP camera. And the secondary selfie camera isn’t really a selling point for the foldable as image quality suffers from its position under the display.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 4: Battery and charging

Both phones feature decent-sized batteries and should comfortably last through the end of the day for most people. Our testing suggests you can expect around five and a half hours of screen-on time from the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Meanwhile, the S23 Ultra delivers up to eight hours of screen-on time. In fact, our review found that it’s good enough to last an average user nearly two full days of use.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra features a 600mAh larger battery than the Z Fold 4. So not only does the foldable get a smaller cell, but it also has to juggle it with a much larger display. Adding to that, the Z Fold 4’s secondary display will also draw more power due to its sheer size. Don’t expect it to be an endurance champ if you use it unfolded a lot.

As for fast charging, the Galaxy S23 Ultra again has the upper hand with Samsung’s 45W Super Fast Charging technology. But even though that sounds a lot better than the Z Fold 4’s 25W spec, it won’t translate to a massive difference in charging times. We tested Samsung’s 25W vs 45W charging and found that the latter shaves a few minutes off a full charge, but it’s not a massive difference. It’s also worth noting that neither phone ships with a charger in the box, but luckily you can buy any USB PD PPS charger and get top recharge times.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 4: Price

The Z Fold 4 and S23 Ultra comfortably breach the premium $1,000 price point, but does the foldable offer enough to justify the $600 upcharge? If you’re someone that already carries around a smartphone and tablet, it’s easy to see the value proposition of combining them into a single package.

Barring any sales on the slightly older Galaxy Z Fold 4, though, you’d be hard-pressed to beat the value of the S23 Ultra. And that’s before you even consider potential add-ons like the S Pen, which is an optional extra purchase on the foldable. That said, you may see the foldable on a deep sale thanks to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 hitting store shelves since August 2023. The latest foldable brings only minor upgrades so it might still be worth getting a brand new Galaxy Z Fold 4 on a deep discount.

Likewise, the S23 Ultra will soon be replaced by Samsung’s Galaxy S24 series in a few weeks. We expect it to pack some notable changes like a less curvy screen design and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 power.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 4: Which one should you buy?

Both Samsung flagship smartphones boast unique strengths that set them apart from not just each other, but also the broader smartphone market. The S23 Ultra’s cutting-edge camera hardware and premium build make it one of the best phones on the market. And while the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is undoubtedly expensive, its foldable form factor puts it in a league of its own. However, it does come with a pretty big downside in the form of battery life.

Ultimately, if you care about living on the bleeding edge of smartphone technology above everything else, consider the Galaxy Z Fold 4, especially if you can find one on sale. But if you’re a pragmatic shopper, you’ll be better served by the cheaper Galaxy S23 Ultra with its included S Pen and proven long-term durability. Which Samsung flagship smartphone will you pick?

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