This year, Samsung has brought us the fourth generation of its foldable Galaxy flagship device — the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4. While we reviewed the Galaxy Fold, this is the first time we had a chance to use the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, and it brought back the nostalgia of flip phones, especially when the first flip phone I owned was coincidentally a Samsung one — the Samsung Z240.

Compact and sleek — that’s what comes to mind when I first got my hands on the phone, whether when it is open or folded. A welcome change among all other slab phones that continue to grow in size. It is a very well-built phone, complete with Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection for the glass display, and an all-round aluminium frame. The Flip4 is upgraded with IPX8-rated water protection that can withstand up to 30 minutes in water as deep as 1.5m. It wouldn’t be a suitable device for an active outdoor lifestyle, but it offers enhanced durability to allow worry-free experience for daily usage.

Much has been said about the crease on the main screen, which is what enables the phone to fold. However, you’ll quickly get used to it after a while. Most importantly, despite that, the device offers superior viewing experience with the Dynamic AMOLED 2x, with extended 1080p resolution. It supports a dynamic 120hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and up to 1,200 peak brightness, which won’t leave you wanting more.

A fingerprint reader is incorporated with the power or lock key on the right side of the phone, which is something I would prefer over an under-display fingerprint reader, as you can slide your finger to feel the button.

The Flip4 comes with a bigger battery capacity of 3,700mAh over the Flip3's 3,300mAh. While the figures sound average among the flagship devices, my daily usage easily lasted through the day before I needed to plug in to charge it in the evening.

Samsung makes full use of its design advantages, and provides different control functions in this device. When it is folded, there’s the 1.9-inch Super AMOLED screen that allows you to toggle and show various functions such as clock, notifications, and widgets; it can even be used as a selfie viewfinder.

One of the highlights announced during the global Unpacked launch was the unique Flex mode, which enables a wealth of usage possibilities. When partially folded, the feature will split the app interface by placing the viewing portion on the top half, and the bottom portion can be used for interacting.

Another feature of the camera, called the FlexCam, offers various functions when activated. It works as a hands-free device by standing it up on a surface, like taking selfies easily, making video calls, or taking pictures or video recordings without the need for a tripod.

You can also hold the phone like a camcorder to record videos, and the bottom part of the screen works like a touchpad.

The main camera on the Flip4 has also been upgraded from the Flip3, and Samsung touts the latest one takes sharper photos and clearer videos, with a larger sensor, different lens, and the latest chipset that powers the image processing. Pictures that we took in daylight or low light conditions produced good results, which is more impressive than you would imagine, actually, based on the camera megapixels' size and specifications.

If you’re looking for a new mobile device that offers a different user experience, packaged in a pocketable size, then this should definitely be at the top of your list. While there is competition in the market, the Galaxy Z Flip4 might just be the more complete device. And with Samsung having continued to improve it over four generations, coupled with its commitment of four years of software upgrades, makes this phone a clear choice to have.