Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 review
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is a flagship flip phone that offers a sleek design and large cover screen, similar to its predecessor. The device features a flexible inner screen that allows it to fold down from a standard smartphone size to a compact square shape, while the outer screen remains active even when folded. One of the notable upgrades in this model is the larger battery capacity, which now stands at 4000mAh, resulting in better battery life compared to its predecessor. The phone also boasts an upgraded chipset with Vapor chamber Cooling and revamped cameras, including a new 50-megapixel main camera that performs well in various lighting conditions. The Galaxy Z Flip6 features Samsung's One UI 6.1.1 on top of Android 14, which brings some extra features specific to foldable devices. The phone also has a pair of stereo speakers with good loudness and sound quality, as well as a side-mounted fingerprint reader for biometric input. In terms of cameras, the Z Flip6's main camera takes detailed and noise-free photos during the day, while the ultra-wide camera performs decently but with some issues in low light. Selfies are also possible using the cover screen or the embedded selfie camera within the inner screen. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is a solid upgrade to its predecessor, offering improved battery life, better cameras, and additional features specific to foldable devices. It is worth considering for those looking for a flip phone with premium features.
Build Quality and Design
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is a sleekly designed flip phone that checks all the boxes for build quality and aesthetics. The clamshell design, which folds down from a standard smartphone size to a compact square shape, is both functional and stylish. The flexible inner screen allows for a smooth folding mechanism, making it easy to open and close the phone. The Z Flip6 boasts sturdy Gorilla Glass Victus protection on its outside panels, providing a durable finish that can withstand daily wear and tear. The reinforced armor aluminum hinge is another testament to Samsung's attention to detail, allowing the phone to stay open at various angles for comfortable use. This feature is particularly useful for videographers or those who like to take selfies. One of the standout features of the Z Flip6's design is its dust resistance, which adds to the already impressive IP rating of IP68. This ensures that the phone can withstand exposure to dust and water, making it more durable in everyday use. While the phone's design may seem familiar compared to last year's model, the subtle upgrades make a noticeable difference. The overall build quality is solid, with a premium feel that justifies its flagship status. The Z Flip6 feels sturdy in the hand, and its compact size makes it easy to slip into a pocket or purse. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 excels when it comes to build quality and design. Its sleek, functional, and durable construction makes it an attractive option for those seeking a high-end flip phone experience.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 boasts an impressive upgrade in battery life compared to its predecessor. The phone's new 4,000mAh capacity has resulted in a 10-hour and 35-minute active use score in our battery test. This is a notable improvement over last year's model, which managed only around 8 hours of active use. While the increase in battery size is welcome, it's worth noting that charging times have actually slowed down slightly. A full charge now takes around an hour and 41 minutes, which is even slower than last year's model. This may be attributed to the larger battery being more demanding on the power source. Wireless charging remains a convenient option, although we found that wireless charging times were not significantly different from wired charging. Overall, the improved battery life in the Galaxy Z Flip6 makes it an attractive option for those seeking a flip phone with extended usage without needing multiple charges. However, the slower charging times may be seen as a compromise by some users. If you're looking for a reliable battery performance, the Z Flip6 is definitely worth considering.
Display
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 boasts an impressive display that has seen some upgrades from its predecessor. The main screen is a 6.7-inch foldable OLED with a 1080p resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, which provides a smooth viewing experience. While it's essentially unchanged from last year, the new model offers improved brightness, with a maximum of around 750 nits in manual mode and up to 1500 nits in auto mode when needed. The fast 120Hz refresh rate is still available, but it can dial down to as low as 24Hz when idling to conserve energy. Samsung claims it can go even lower to 1Hz, but we couldn't find any real-world use cases that required such a low refresh rate. The display's sharpness and contrast are also noteworthy, with HDR10+ support adding an extra layer of visual fidelity. The crease in the middle where the screen folds is still present, but it's minimal and barely noticeable unless viewed from certain angles. When folded, the screen becomes a 3.4-inch Super AMOLED display that can be used for various purposes, including taking selfies with the main camera using the cover screen as a viewfinder. One of the standout features of the Z Flip6's display is its ability to be used in both portrait and landscape orientations seamlessly, thanks to its clever hinge design. However, when watching videos or gaming, it's essential to keep the phone unfolded to enjoy the full benefits of the 120Hz refresh rate. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6's display offers significant upgrades over its predecessor, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking for a premium flip phone experience. While some minor issues with brightness and creases remain, they are hardly noticeable in everyday use.
Camera
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 boasts an impressive camera setup, with significant upgrades over its predecessor. The main camera has been upgraded to a 50-megapixel sensor, paired with the same 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera as last year. During the day, the Z Flip6's main camera delivers excellent results, with detailed and noise-free photos that have a natural look. Skin tones are well-represented, and exposures are perfectly tuned for your subject's face. The facial details could be sharper compared to the previous generation, but overall, the images are stunning. In low light conditions, the main camera performs admirably, taking nice photos with good dynamic range and saturated colors. While there is some noise reduction, it leaves behind a hint of graininess, but still manages to retain plenty of detail. The new model has a noticeable advantage over its predecessor at night, offering better detail, less sharpening, and improved dynamic range. The ultra-wide camera also delivers solid results, with good dynamic range and likable colors in low light conditions. However, the detail is accompanied by a little noise, and sharpening could be toned down for even better performance. Selfie-taking has become easier with the Z Flip6, thanks to the cover screen's use as a viewfinder. Main camera selfies come out great, with the same quality you'd expect from the main cam. Ultra-wide selfies are also available, but without autofocus, which can be a bit of a compromise. Embedded within the inner screen is a 10-megapixel selfie camera that takes nice photos, although there's a hint too much sharpening. Recording videos in 4K resolution is also possible with all three cameras, and they deliver solid results, with likable colors and wide dynamic range. The electronic stabilization works well to smooth out movements like walking or pans. In the dark, the main camera does a reasonably good job recording video. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6's camera setup delivers impressive results, with significant upgrades over its predecessor. If you're looking for a flip phone with excellent camera capabilities, the Z Flip6 is definitely worth considering.
Price and Value
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is a flagship flip phone that checks all the same boxes as its predecessor, but with some decent upgrades thrown in. While it's not a revolutionary change, the improvements make it feel like a more justifiable buy. One of the notable upgrades is the dust resistance, which now joins waterproofing for an IP rating of IP68. This added layer of protection makes the phone more practical to use in everyday life. The battery capacity has also been increased from 3700mAh to 4000mAh, resulting in better battery life. The Z Flip6 earned an active use score of 10 hours and 35 minutes in our tests. The price point of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is a crucial factor to consider. While it's not cheap, it's also not outrageously expensive. At around $1,500, it's positioned as a premium device that justifies its price with top-notch features. Considering the upgrades and improvements over last year's model, it feels like a fair deal. However, the value proposition ultimately depends on what you're looking for in a smartphone. If you want a unique form factor, a great camera, and advanced features like vapor chamber cooling, then the Z Flip6 is worth considering. On the other hand, if budget is a concern or you don't need a flip design, there are more affordable options available. Ultimately, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 offers a compelling package of features and upgrades that make it a solid choice for those willing to pay a premium price. Whether or not it's worth the cost depends on individual priorities and budgets.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is a flagship flip phone that boasts a sleek design and large cover screen. But what about its performance? In this review, we'll delve into the phone's capabilities to see if it can deliver. Under the hood of the Z Flip6 lies the current Android flagship silicon - a Snapdragon Hn3 chip, specially designed for Galaxy phones with slightly higher clock speeds. While it didn't score as high as other 2024 Android flagships in benchmarks, this doesn't necessarily mean the phone is underpowered. In our tests, the Z Flip6 performed snappily, making multitasking and gaming a breeze. The phone's Vapor chamber cooling system was also expected to improve thermal management, but unfortunately, it couldn't overcome the limitations of the form factor. During our prolonged stress test, we observed heavy thermal throttling, which seemed even more pronounced than last year. The battery capacity has been increased from 3700mAh to 4000mAh, resulting in better battery life compared to the previous model. In our battery tests, the Z Flip6 earned an active use score of 10 hours and 35 minutes. Overall, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6's performance is not groundbreaking, it still delivers a smooth user experience. However, its thermal management issues might be a concern for heavy users.