We subjected the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 to our rigorous SBMARK Audio test suite to measure its performance both when recording sound using its built-in microphones, and when playing audio through its speakers. In this review, we’ll break down how it fared across a variety of tests and several common use cases.
Overview
Key audio specs include:
- Two speakers (top left, bottom left)
- No audio output Jack
- Dolby Atmos technology
Reproduction
Pros
- Good tonal balance
- Good dynamics
versus
- Disappointing spatial performance
- Inconsistent volume steps
Registration
Pros
- Excellent recording quality at loud concerts
- Excellent recording quality with the main camera
- Decent side rejection with audio zoom function
versus
- Inconsistency between use cases, poor performance when recording front camera video or with the memo app
- Ineffective reduction of wind noise
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 gets a SBMARK Audio score of 134, making it a great choice for audio-focused smartphone users. It is especially great for recording loud music and an improvement over previous Galaxy devices in terms of playback quality. However, given the large size of the phone in its open state, our testers were expecting even better results from the Samsung.
In playback, it works best for listening to music, but it’s also a good option for watching movies and gaming, offering good tonal and dynamic balance in all use cases. On the downside, individual sound sources aren’t easy to spot in the scene and volume levels are inconsistent.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 is also a great recording device. In fact, it is one of the best to date for recording concerts and loud music with the main camera. The audio performance of the main camera is generally very good, and the audio zoom function rejects sound sources located on the sides well. However, performance is somewhat inconsistent between use cases, with the front camera and clipboard app recordings performing noticeably worse. Wind noise reduction is also rather ineffective.
Test summary
Learn about SBMARK audio tests: For scoring and analysis in our smartphone audio reviews, SBMARK engineers perform a series of objective tests and undertake more than 20 hours of perceptual assessment under controlled laboratory conditions.
(For more details on our reproduction protocol, click here; for more details on our registration protocol, click here.)
The following section collects the key elements of our exhaustive tests and analyzes performed in SBMARK laboratories. Detailed performance evaluations in the form of reports are available upon request. Do not hesitate to contact us.
How the audio playback score is composed
SBMARK engineers test playback through smartphone speakers, whose performance is evaluated in our labs and under real-life conditions, using apps and default settings.
Recordings of smartphones that play some of our music at 60 LAeq in an anechoic environment from 2 microphones in AB configuration, at 30 cm
Here’s how the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 fares in playback use cases compared to its competitors:
Playback of use case scores
In playback, the Z Fold4 offers a good tone, with a sound similar to more conventional Galaxy phones, such as the S22 Ultra. The device offers a good tonal balance, with satisfying treble rendition, solid midrange and decent bass. That said, a little more depth in the low-end extension wouldn’t hurt. The Samsung also performs well for dynamics, thanks to a sharp attack, decent bass accuracy and great punch.
The results for the spatial attribute are quite good, but there is some room for improvement. The width is good in landscape orientation, but considering the phone’s fairly large size it could be even wider. Unfortunately, with the device open and held in portrait orientation, only mono audio is available. Given the Z Fold4 design, this seems like a missed opportunity. Localizability in general isn’t great, with individual instruments sounding blurry in the scene. That said, the distance and depth rendition are both pretty good.
The Z Fold4 reaches a good maximum volume level and is perceptually louder than other Samsung Galaxy models. The minimum volume is understandable but not too loud. However, the distribution of the volume steps is somewhat inconsistent. As with most Samsung Galaxy phones, audio artifacts are practically no problem, but the speakers clog up very easily while the phone is held open. Both speakers are located where your palms usually place.
The Timbre score represents how well a phone reproduces sound across the audible tonal range and takes into account bass, midrange, treble, tonal balance and volume dependence. It is the most important attribute for reproduction.
Music playback frequency response
A 1/12 octave frequency response graph, which measures the volume of each frequency emitted by the smartphone when playing a pure sine wave in an anechoic environment.
The Dynamics score measures the accuracy of changes in the energy level of sound sources, such as the precision with which a bass note or the impact sound of drums is played.
Secondary attributes for spatial tests include identifying the position of a specific sound, its positional balance, distance and amplitude.
The volume score represents the overall volume of a smartphone and how the volume gradually increases and decreases based on user input.
Here are some sound pressure levels (SPLs) measured when playing our sample recordings of hip-hop and classical music at maximum volume:
| Hip-Hop | Classic | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 | 71.1 dBA | 67.3 dB |
| Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max | 74 dBA | 71.1 dBA |
| Xiaomi 12S Ultra | 72.6 dBA | 69 dBA |
The graph below shows the gradual changes in volume from minimum to maximum. We expect these changes to be consistent across the range, so that all volume levels match user expectations:
Music volume texture
This line graph shows the relative playback volume versus the user-selected volume step, measured at different volume levels with correlated pink noise in an anechoic box recorded on axis at 0.20 meters.
The Artifacts score measures the extent to which sound is affected by various types of distortion. The higher the score, the less noise you notice. Distortion can occur due to the sound processing in the device and the quality of the speakers.
Total harmonic distortion reproduction (maximum volume)
This graph shows the total harmonic distortion and noise in the audible frequency range.
It represents the distortion and noise of the device reproducing our test signal (0 dB Fs, Sweep Sine in an anechoic box at 40 cm) at the maximum volume of the device.
How the score of the audio recording is composed
SBMARK engineers test the recording by evaluating recorded files on reference audio equipment. These recordings are performed in our labs and in real-life conditions, using apps and predefined settings.
The Z Fold4 works well for recording and is especially recommended for recording loud music with the main camera, where it offers excellent natural tonal balance, with very satisfying highs and good mids, as well as a clean and powerful low end. Unfortunately, the stamp performance drops slightly when recording with the front camera or clipboard app.
Likewise, the dynamics are good but somewhat inconsistent between use cases. The attack is sharp when using the main camera, but less so when recording with other apps. The overall dynamic performance is excellent for recording loud music, with a very accurate envelope and strong impact attacks.
Despite the large size of the device, the maximum volume is similar or even slightly lower than other Samsung devices, and the overall volume performance is average. The same goes for the registration of artifacts. In addition to the usual moderate distortion and compression when recording loud content, speech appears to be slightly impaired by excessive noise reduction. The device is immune to microphone occlusions when open, but finger noises may be noticeable, especially in the folded state and when held in portrait orientation.
The reduction of wind noise leaves room for improvement. Voices are difficult to understand in strong winds, especially with the front camera video and when recording in the memo app. The main camera does best in this regard.
Here’s how the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 fares in registering use cases compared to its competitors:
Record of use case scores
The Timbre score represents how well a phone captures sounds across the audible tonal range and takes into account bass, midrange, treble and tonal balance. It is the most important attribute for registration.
Life video frequency response
A 1 / 12th octave frequency response graph, which measures the volume of each frequency captured by the smartphone when recording a pure sine wave in an anechoic environment.
The Dynamics score measures the accuracy of changes in the energy level of sound sources, such as how accurately the explosives of a voice (p, tek, for example) are reproduced. The score also considers the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), such as how loud the main voice is compared to the background noise.
Secondary attributes for spatial tests include locating the position of a specific sound, its positional balance, distance and amplitude on recorded audio files.
Directivity of registration
Smartphone directivity graph when recording test signals using the camera app, with the main camera. It represents the acoustic energy (in dB) on the angle of incidence of the sound source. (Normalized to the 0 ° angle, in front of the device.)
The volume score represents the normalization level of the audio on the recorded files and how the device handles noisy environments, such as electronic concerts, during recording.
Here are the sound levels recorded in the audio and video files, measured in LUFS (Loudness Unit Full Scale); as a reference, we expect loudness levels to be higher than -24 LUFS for recorded content:
| Match | Life video | Selfie video | Memo | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 | -25.8 LUFS | -21.6 LUFS | -22.7 LUFS | -21 LUFS |
| Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max | -26 LUFS | -22.9 LUFS | -19.2 LUFS | -19.6 LUFS |
| Xiaomi 12S Ultra | -28.3 LUFS | -20.8 LUFS | -19.1 LUFS | -20.4 LUFS |
The Artifacts Score measures the extent to which recorded sounds are affected by various types of distortions. The higher the score, the less noise you notice. Distortions can occur due to the sound processing in the device and the quality of the microphones, as well as user handling, such as the way the phone is held.
In this audio comparison, you can hear how this smartphone handles wind noise compared to its competitors:
Recordings of a voice sample with light background noise, facing a turbulent wind of 5 m / s
Background evaluates how naturally the various sounds around a voice blend into the video recording file. For example, when recording a speech at an event, the background should not interfere with the main voice, but should provide context for the surrounding environment.
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