Well , folks — you know what we ’re here for . It ’s time to review the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 . It ’s the same phone as theGalaxy Z Flip 5 , except there are colors around the cameras , and it ’s more expensive . Bye !
I jest , but that ’s not a all inaccurate description of the Z Flip 6 . This year ’s Flip is a very solid phone that ’s objectively good at everything it does , but it ’s also an unbelievably lazy one that I struggle to wholeheartedly recommend .
confuse by that collocation ? have me explain .
Yellow Z Flip 6Joe Maring / Digital Trends
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: design and hardware
Let ’s part on a positive note . As far as flip earpiece folding build timber is relate , I ’m not certain it pay back much better than the Flip 6 . Samsung has been churn out turn up phone for five year now , and it render . The Z Flip 6 is stout , well - made , and almost thoroughgoing in its design — make unnecessary for one thing .
Ilovethat the Flip 6 ’s aluminum build is now matte instead of glossy like it was on the Flip 5 , but the flatter side and penetrating edges do n’t feel virtually as well-heeled . I do n’t care the lustrous figure on the Motorola Razr Plus 2024 , for example , but I also find its rounded edge and frame much nice to hold . The Flip 6 is n’t annoying to hold , though I do hope the more rounded design comes back next class .
The Z Flip 6 also has an exceptional flexible joint . It moves fluidly with no resistance or creakiness , it can be shore up at almost any slant , and it easy snap open and close exclude with one hand .
Peach Z Flip 6Joe Maring / Digital Trends
The flexible joint is also more durable than ever , boast Samsung ’s new “ dual rail hinge ” invention . The fellowship says it has good shock statistical distribution than past models , while the new folding edge chemical mechanism offers better resistance to pressure and crisp objective . combine with an IP48 rating that offers dustandwater electrical resistance , this is one of the most durable folding phones you ’ll find .
But it ’s not just the hinge that Samsung does so well ; it also expertly execute the small details . All of the buttons are firm and clicky . The speaker is brassy and sounds surprisingly full . The fingermark sensor is lightning - fast . These are smaller contingent that other insolent phones sometimes have to sacrifice , but not here .
As for colour , there are alot . The “ normal ” vividness this yr include lily-livered , mint , blue , and gray . Yellow is my personal favorite , though I ’ve arise quite lovesome of the blue color on my critical review social unit . If you corrupt the Flip 6 from Samsung ’s website , you get three more option : peach , white , and “ Crafted Black . ” Crafted Black has a Kevlar - same texture on the back that look cool in photos , though it palpate a second cheap in person . Also , even though I joked about it at the beginning of the review , I do kind of make out the match colors around the cameras . It ’s a play touch .
White Z Flip 6Image used with permission by copyright holder
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: screens
We have two screens to discuss here , and we ’ll pop out with the inner one . It ’s great ! It ’s a 6.7 - inch AMOLED panel with a 2640 x 1080 resolving , up to a 120Hz refresh rate , and up to 2600 nits of peak luminousness . The increased brightness is a very nice soupcon ( up from 1750 nit on the Flip 5 ) , but otherwise , this is the same display as last year .
This is one domain where I ’m o.k. with Samsung maintain things the same . The Flip 6 ’s video display is bright , colorful , and keen , and it looks excellent whether I ’m watching YouTube or scrolling Reddit . Samsung has long been an expert in the display field , and it shows once again on the Flip 6 .
I also have to mention that the crease is far less spectacular on the Flip 6 than it was on the Flip 5 . It ’s still there and more noticeable than the almost nonexistent crease onMotorola ’s new Razr phone , but it ’s a big step in the correct direction . Where the Flip 5 ’s seam felt like a canyon , the Flip 6 ’s feels like a very small divet .
Crafted Black Z Flip 6Joe Maring / Digital Trends
That ’s the inner screen — what about the cover one ? This is where I start complaining .
Last year , the Galaxy Z Flip 5 took the teeny - midget 1.9 - column inch natural covering display on the Flip 4 and expand it to amuchlarger 3.4 - inch one . It was a big muckle , enabling helpful doohickey , an on - screen keyboard , and full coating backup . It was a commendable whole tone frontward , but even in 2023 , it already fell behind what Motorola offer with that twelvemonth ’s rendering of theRazr Plus .
So , how did Samsung better the covert screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 ? It … did n’t . Not at all . Just like last year , it ’s a 3.4 - inch AMOLED panel with a 720 x 748 settlement and a 60Hz refresh rate . It ’s serviceable , but that ’s about it . The low resolution pee picture and textual matter look fuzzy , the 60Hz refresh charge per unit feels sluggish , and the 3.4 - inch sizing feels cramped by 2024 touchstone . You also still ca n’t run apps on the cover screenwithout jumping through a half dozen ring .
Meanwhile , the Z Flip 6 ’s boastful competitor — theMotorola Razr Plus 2024 — kicks the living day out of it . For linguistic context , the Razr ’s book binding blind is a 4 - inch AMOLED gore with a 1080 x 2640 resolution and up to a 165Hz refresh pace . Yes , those are thecover screenspecs . The Razr Plus makes the Galaxy Z Flip 6 look antiquate by equivalence .
This is one of the areas where Samsung needed to improve the most . alternatively , it call for the Flip 5 ’s covering fire screen , slapped it on the Flip 6 , and call it a daytime . It ’s incredibly disappointing and one of the phone ’s big sin .
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: cameras
On a better note , the Galaxy Z Flip 6 ’s cameras are good . They aren’tamazing , but the two primary sensors are capable and true . If you want a speech sound that can consistently capture smashing ( if not phenomenal ) images , you ’ll be happy here .
The star of the show is a 50 - megapixel primary camera — the same one you get on theGalaxy S24 and S24 Plus . It ’s join by a 12MP ultrawide television camera with a 123 - arcdegree field of thought , plus a 10MP selfie camera at the top of the privileged display .
Overall , photos captured by the Z Flip 6 appear nice . Images are sharp and detailed and often rejoin bright , pleasing colors . The leap to a 50MP principal camera over the 12MP camera on the Z Flip 5 is peculiarly handy . Not only do monetary standard 1x photos look penetrating , but digital soar on the Flip 6 is also very usable .
Samsung says 2x photos are “ optical quality zoom , ” and I tend to agree . Even jumping to 4x and 10x , I do n’t detest the results . It certainly does n’t make up for the lack of a dedicated telephoto camera , but it makes the photographic camera system more versatile than last twelvemonth .
The 12MP ultrawide tv camera is good , too . There ’s some slight distortion at the edge , but the 123 - grade field of view allows you to capturea lotmore in the physique . exposure also have a decent amount of detail despite the lower 12MP declaration , and colour are very like to picture select with the primary television camera .
Like former Samsung earpiece , the Galaxy Z Flip 6 still struggle a bit with move subjects . It can also be alittlemuch with vibrant colors at times , particularly with burnished blue sky . Similar to the Flip 5 , the Flip 6 has a salutary camera system , if not a spectacular one .
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: performance and battery
Take a looking at inside the Galaxy Z Flip 6 , and you ’ll notice a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset — the exact same one you get in the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Ultra . It also comes equipped with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB or 512 GB of storage — a welcome increase from the 8 GB of RAM on the Flip 5 . As expect , the Galaxy Z Flip 6 do exceptionally .
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 performs exceptionally .
It is deserving mentioning that the Z Flip 6 isthe first Z Flip smartphone with a vapor chamber — specifically , one that ’s 50 % tumid than the vapor chamber used in the Galaxy S23 Ultra . This is supposed to keep the Z Flip 6 much cool when under pressure compare to preceding models , and it seems to work well . I ’ve noticed the top part of the telephone warm up once , and that was only after almost an hour of streaming a 2160p YouTube picture while also running other apps on the earphone . Throughout “ normal ” use , the Flip 6 appease as cool as a cucumber .
What about stamp battery life ? The 4,000 mAh assault and battery inside the Flip 6 is the largest one Samsung has ever put in a Z Flip , and while it ’s still a one - solar day smartphone like its harbinger , it ’s a more comfortable one - solar day phone . With over three - and - a - half hours of screentime ( include YouTube , X , Telegram , etc . ) , I can easily start a day at 6 or 7 a.m. and get to well preceding 11 p.m. with 25 % ( or more ) battery remaining . Samsung certainly still has room to improve , but this is a footprint up compare to the Z Flip 5 .
Unfortunately , charging speedshaven’timproved at all . Once again , you ’re stuck with 25 - James Watt wired charging , 15W radio receiver charging , and 4.5W invert wireless charging . For a headphone in 2024 — let alone one that costs $ 1,100 — Samsung should have done much secure here .
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: software and updates
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 comes with Android 14 and is paired with Samsung ’s One UI 6.1.1 interface . If you ’ve used a Samsung phone in the last duo of days , you ’ll be right at home . While Samsung ’s take on Android is n’t my favorite interface , this latest version of One UI is incredibly legato , refined , and feature - packed .
While I do n’t care the top CRT screen ’s hardware , I do appreciate some of the updated software for it this class . In increase to custom-make the cover screen with full - size widgets for thing like the weather condition , your calendar , and more , you may now have pages with multiple modest widgets . For example , I have one page with three different Samsung Health widgets , and tapping each one shows more information about it . It ’s a small modification , but I really wish it .
Speaking of AI , all of the Galaxy AI featuresintroduced with the Galaxy S24 series are on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 . This includesCircle to Search , the Interpreter app , Chat Assist , etc . These have all work on the Z Flip 6 just like they do on every other Samsung phone with Galaxy AI , though the Flip has a couple of exclusive additions .
For one , Interpreter musical mode can be used with the book binding sieve — show your language on the main screen and the other someone ’s linguistic communication on the cover cover . If you ’re travel in another country and trying to discourse with someone in a different lyric , it ’s a bit well-fixed than both of you huddling around one exhibit . Further , if you ’re looking at a message on the covert screen , Chat Assist can psychoanalyse your conversation and offering suggested replies based on the context of the content .
There ’s also a fresh “ Sketch to Image ” feature film . As the name imply , you may outline / draw on top of a photo you ’ve taken , and Galaxy AI will bend it into something much more impressive . It’sfineand technically works , but I ca n’t in person see myself ever using it after this review . you may see a couple of examples above .
I do n’t opine Galaxy AI is the reason to grease one’s palms a Samsung phone over a competitor , but it is dainty to see Samsung feel more use cases for its AI tech — even if one like Sketch to Image are downright ridiculous .
As for update , the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is promise seven year of software updates , include major Android OS rise and security patches . This is the same degree of support you get on the Galaxy S24 series , and it ’s great that Samsung has hold out it to the Z Flip 6 . Well done , Sammy .
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: price and availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is available for preorder now . It go at $ 1,100 in the U.S. , which is a $ 100 increase over the Flip 5 . If you need more repositing ( the base model get along with 256 GB ) , you could upgrade to the 512 GB version for $ 1,220 .
Price increase are a lifelike part of the smartphone manufacture , but it feel specially bad with the Z Flip 6 . By every measuring stick conceivable , this is anextremelyiterative update over last year ’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 . Outside of improved durability , a new chipset , a little redundant RAM , and a new photographic camera , it ’s essentially the same earphone as last year .
The Z Flip 6 can be purchased from Samsung ’s site , Amazon , Best Buy , and most major carriers . Regular sales event will set out on July 24 .
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: verdict
Samsung got so muchright with the Galaxy Z Flip 6 . The ironware is top - notch and among the good you’re able to find . The inner presentation is fantastic . Performance is lightning flying . Battery life is reliable . The cameras are strong . The seven - year update warrantee is huge . That ’s a mountain of praise , and it ’s all rightfully earned .
But for everything the Z Flip 6 does well , there ’s one nagging issue that ca n’t be look out over : how little Samsung actually changed .
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is a very firm smartphone , but that ’s largely because it ’s essentially a rehash of the Flip 5 . The Flip 6 has a nice design , but it ’s almost selfsame to the Flip 5 . It runs well , but the Flip 5 is enough fast , too . The Flip 6 photographic camera are great , but they are n’t a massive improvement over the Flip 5 .
observe what crop is fine , but Samsung also retain whatdidn’twork — namely , the cover screen and the wearisome charge focal ratio . mix all of that with the $ 100 toll addition , and it ’s difficult to justify what Samsung ’s trying to sell here .
This all puts the Galaxy Z Flip 6 in an awkward position .
This all put the Galaxy Z Flip 6 in an clumsy position . If you have a much older Z Flip and you ’re dead set on set out the newest poser , you wo n’t have a bad time with the Flip 6 at all . Hell , I ’ve had a slap-up prison term using it . But I also do n’t think it should be at the top of your shopping inclination .
If you require a good Samsung foldaway , you may save yourself hundreds of dollars by buy a Galaxy Z Flip 5 and really not lack out on much at all . Alternatively , if you’re able to escape Team Samsung , this year ’s Razr Plus kicks the Flip 6 ’s butt in more ways than oneandcosts $ 100 less .
It ’s not that Samsung made abadphone with the Galaxy Z Flip 6 . It just made a lazy one .
