This handset cost £1,649 in August 2022. Four years on, it is the cheapest way to own a proper folding phone, and for some buyers that is the whole argument. For others, the shrinking support window kills the deal outright.
Anyone hunting a Galaxy Z Fold4 to buy in 2026 is shopping the refurbished and used markets, where prices sit well below the newer Fold5. The hardware is close to its successor: the same 7.6-inch 120Hz inner screen, the same 4,400mAh battery, the same camera trio. Security support runs out around 2027.
Specifications and the support clock
| Detail | Specification |
| Released | August 2022 |
| UK launch price | $1,649 |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
| Inner display | 7.6in Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz |
| Cover display | 6.2in Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB or 1TB |
| Battery | 4,400mAh, 25W wired |
| Rear cameras | 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto |
| Front cameras | 10MP cover, 4MP under-display |
| Weight | 263g |
| Water and dust rating | IPX8, water only |
| Security support until | Around August 2027 |
Key Takeaways
The support window is the deciding factor, not the specification sheet. Samsung’s four-upgrade policy applies here, so roughly a year of patches remains. The absence of a dust rating matters more on a folding phone than on a normal one.
Why the support window decides this
Samsung gave this generation four major Android upgrades and about five years of security patches from launch. That places the end of support near August 2027. The Fold3 reaches its own cut-off in August 2026, and each generation gains roughly a year. If you’re accessing Facebook on Samsung’s foldable devices, our guide to the eBay Alternative Sites can help you choose the right model for your needs.
Galaxy Z Fold4 to Buy. So the real question is not whether the phone is good. Are you comfortable paying for a device with around a year of patches left? Spending a little more on the following generation buys you closer to two.
What you actually gain over the Fold5
| Point of difference | This model | The Fold5 |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| Closed hinge | Leaves a small gap | Closes flat |
| Weight | 263g | 253g |
| Support remaining | About a year | About two years |
| Purchase price | Lowest of the two | $360 to $545 used |
The gap at the hinge is the one specification worth taking seriously. It lets dust reach the inner panel, and a damaged inner display is the most expensive repair on any folding phone. Owners in dusty environments should factor that in.
Who the Galaxy Z Fold4 to buy list should include
- Anyone curious about folding phones who does not want to risk a large sum finding out
- Readers and note-takers, since the 7.6-inch panel is the genuine draw
- People who carry a work phone separately and want a personal device
- Buyers who keep phones for two years rather than five
It suits far fewer people as a primary handset holding banking apps beyond 2027. If that describes you, the extra outlay on a newer model is the better call.
The hinge question
Early folding phones earned a reputation for failure, and this generation was where the engineering steadied. The hinge itself is durable, rated for well over a hundred thousand folds. What fails first is the protective layer on the inner screen, which lifts at the edges after a few years of use.
Look for that lifting before you buy. It starts as a thin line along the edge of the panel and spreads. Replacing it is a service-centre job, and most refurbisher warranties exclude it.
Checks before you hand over money
- Open and close the phone twenty times, listening for grinding or crunching from the hinge.
- Inspect the inner screen edges under bright light for any lifting of the protective layer.
- Look along the closed spine and check the gap is even, with no debris trapped inside.
- Test touch response directly on the crease, which is where digitizers fail first
- Check the cover screen separately, since it takes the daily knocks.
- Ask for battery health, and treat anything under 85% as a reason to negotiate.
- Confirm the IMEI is clean and the handset is unlocked
Buy from a dealer offering a twelve-month warranty if you can. The premium over a private sale is small, and it covers the failure modes that make folding phones a gamble secondhand.
Your next step
Please compare the refurbished price against the newer generation before you commit. If the difference is under about £100, take the extra year of patches. If it is substantially more, this model is the sensible entry point. Galaxy Z Fold4 to Buy For related reading, see our guides to earbuds that suit a large-screen phone, routers worth upgrading to, and the free security tools we rate for ageing Android devices.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, for a secondary or short-term device, at refurbished prices. As a five-year main phone, no, because security support ends around August 2027.
Enough below the Fold5’s used price that the shorter support window is priced in. If the two are close in cost, take the newer one.
It carries an IPX8 water rating with no dust protection. Sand and grit near the hinge are the real risk, not rain.
Unlikely. The hinge outlasts the screen’s protective layer, which is the component that actually fails and the one to inspect.
Comfortably. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 remains a fast chip, and 12GB of memory handles multitasking without strain.
