Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 review: The perfect Flip is finally here

If you are looking for a smartphone that turns heads, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is the perfect choice. It’s not just a phone: it’s a style statement and a conversation starter. Several people have reached out to me over the past month to ask about this intriguing 2024 foldable phone. One of the most common questions I received was, “Is it worth the premium price?” Here is my definitive answer.

Design and display

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 maintains the familiar design language of its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Flip5, but with sleeker, flatter edges that weigh just 187 grams. The flexible hinge also closes completely flat from end to end, leaving no room for dust to get inside the device. It is quite sturdy and stops at any angle you want.

This year, the IP rating of the Galaxy Z Flip6 has been improved to IP48 for water and dust resistance, compared to the IPX8 rating of previous models. However, having a foldable phone can be tricky for pet owners as hair tends to slide into the hinge space or even onto the sides of the main screen. So, that’s something you might want to be careful with.

On the outside, the Galaxy Z Flip6 features a 3.4-inch HD+ Super AMOLED clamshell display called Flex Window and a frosted glass back, making handling the device without a case feel a little more fragile. The 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display, on the other hand, feels fragile because it’s not glass, but it’s durable enough to withstand the prolonged pressure of scrolling through hours of social media or playing games like BGMI.

In terms of quality, both screens are excellent – ​​crisp, clear, premium Samsung experience. The maximum brightness of the device has also been increased to 2600 nits from the previous 1750 nits, putting it on par with other flagship smartphones.

The flexible window and the flexible hinge

The Flex Window, or 3.4-inch Cover Screen, makes it very convenient to check important notifications, take calls, take photos, and even use certain apps with the phone closed.

With Samsung’s Good Lock customization app, you can add even more apps to Flex Window pages or cards.

Using Good Lock Launcher, I added Apple Music, YouTube, Messages, Google Maps, Slack, WhatsApp, X, and Outlook to the Flex window. This allowed me to access apps directly from this small screen without distractions.

It’s also very easy to type messages and emails from here, despite the small keyboard. And if you find it difficult to write, you can always use dictation mode.

Quick functions like making a call to favorite contacts, starting a timer, recording sleep, and starting a voice recording can also be done in Flex Window.

Additionally, when the hinge is open to about 90 degrees, you can also use the Gaalxy Z Flip6 as a small computer with the touchpad in Flex mode.

You can use it to navigate the top screen where the content is displayed and perform various actions. However, the experience would be much better in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6which has a larger form factor.

Performance

The Galaxy Z Flip6 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, currently the best on the market. It is the same chip that powers the Galaxy S24 Ultra. It is complemented by 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB or 512 GB of storage. The model under review is the 12 GB + 512 GB variant.

During my time with the smartphone, I had no heating issues or lags when performing daily tasks on both the cover and the main screen. The OneUI 6.1 operating system, based on Android 14, is a delight. Samsung has stood out with this version, taking meticulous care of every detail. The haptics provide quick, satisfying feedback and the UI animations feel seamless. If you’re upgrading from a three- or four-year-old device, you’re sure to notice the differences.

For those looking for heavy use, the Galaxy Z Flip6 does not disappoint. The device scored 2168 in single-core tests and 6467 in multi-core tests in the Geekbench 6 CPU tests. The results are similar to the Galaxy S24 Ultra. In the Mark Wild Life 3D stress test, which lasts 20 minutes and evaluates how the device performs when running graphics-intensive games for extended periods, the device achieved the best loop score of 15,486 and the lowest loop score of 6,176 with almost 40% stability. .

Here are the results:

The top half of the smartphone got hot while the 3D Mark test was running, but it also cooled down immediately once it was finished. This is because Samsung first introduced a vapor chamber in the Z Flip series.

Galaxy AI

The experience is enhanced on the device with new Galaxy AI features, some of which are just for fun, while others are extremely useful for everyday tasks. Call Assist, for example, helps me screen calls. For someone who receives numerous calls from unknown numbers every day, this is a blessing. Note Assist organizes my notes taken during a live event or quick interview and Voice Recorder automatically transcribes and translates all recordings into the language of your choice. The interpreter will be useful for people traveling to a new city with a foreign language, especially for journalists interviewing locals in the area. And Flex Window makes the experience even more intuitive and simple.

The photography and camera-related AI features are fun, but they’re mostly just that. At first, I enjoyed using the new Sketch to Image feature, but I can’t imagine a scenario where I would have to use it as a necessity. That, however, doesn’t discount how realistic the additions to the image look, complete with shadows and highlights. Samsung also adds watermarks to all AI-modified images, which is always a welcome move.

Here are some samples edited by AI

Camera

The Galaxy Z Flip6 has a 50MP main camera, up from 12MP last year. It also supports up to 2X optical zoom and up to 10X digital zoom. The ultrawide camera is still 12MP and the selfie shooter is 10MP.

The camera is a deciding factor in most cases when buying a new smartphone and the new 50MP is a big green flag for the Galaxy Z Flip6. I had a hard time recommending the Galaxy Z Flip5 because of the main sensor, but this edition changed that.

The device takes close to flagship-level photos (the Galaxy S24, if not the Galaxy S24 Ultra) in all lighting conditions, which is great for 99% of people. The best part is that you can also use the 50MP sensor to take selfies using the Flex window.

Here are some examples of cameras for your reference.

Battery life

The Galaxy Z Flip6 includes a 4000 mAh battery. If you are a light or medium user, the device will easily last you a day and a half on a single charge. Otherwise, you can count on it to at least last you enough for a day of work and you’ll be able to charge it again at night when you’re back home. In the last month, I didn’t have a single day where I had to charge the Galaxy Z Flip6 twice in less than 24 hours.

Supports 45W fast charging, wireless charging and also reverse wireless power sharing.

Verdict

When Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Flip6 in JulyIt was clear that the changes were incremental compared to last year’s model; however, in doing so, they perfected the device. Every year, I found reasons to resist switching to the Flip: the hinge wasn’t flush, the smaller Flex window seemed useless, the battery life was disappointing, and the camera didn’t justify the high price. This year that changed.

If you are looking for a smartphone that turns heads, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is the perfect choice. From $1,09,999, its specifications and features fully justify the flagship price.

As much as I’d like to criticize Samsung for the cost, I can’t really see a reason to do so this time.

Also read: Motorola Razr 50 Ultra review: A refined version of a classic