Galaxy Z Flip series from Samsung has always piqued my interest more than Z Fold. Perhaps it's the flip-phone nostalgia catching hold; perhaps it's the reality I don't want to see video inside a square; perhaps it's just the more reasonable pricing of the Z Flip.
For numerous years, the Z Flip series debuted with the Z Fold, although usually with designs that fit the bottom of every flagship family, including the Galaxy S family, which is formed conventionally. That is different this year as Samsung fixes some of the main flaws with the Z Flip 5: subpar cameras and poor battery life.
Also beneficial is this. More foldable competition exists than ever, as our Z Fold 6 review discussed. Actually, given Motorola's most recent foldables, is Samsung doing enough in front of them?
Galaxy Z Flip6 Samsung
Although Z Flip 6's architecture has stayed mostly the same, Samsung made some under-the-hood changes this year including better cameras and battery life. For mainstream foldables, it presents the greatest case yet; yet, the business could do more, particularly considering the extra front screen.
Design and Display
With just very slight design modifications, you would find it difficult visually to distinguish the Z Flip 6 from last year's Z Flip 5. The sides are flatter this year in line with previous Galaxy handsets, and the revised camera array now features a metal edge surrounding every lens. Closing the gadget closes the thickness somewhat, most likely down to a revised hinge design. This is also really negligible. This year's crease looks once more less obvious than my year-old Z Flip 5.
Although display sizes and resolutions are the same, the primary screen of the Z Flip 6 tops out at 2,600 nits, compared to the 1,750 nits of the Z Flip 5's display. Samsung says this is its brightest foldable display ever, and it's more than plenty for mild summer conditions here in the UK. Another clean, flawless, lovely flexible AMOLED.
Cover display of the Z Flip 6 is similar size, brightness, and resolution as its predecessor. Looks as good as the Moto Razr 50 Ultra? No, but there's ample screen room to view movies and even frame your pictures and read alerts.
Furthermore worth mentioning is Samsung's new Z Assurance program if you're concerned about screen hardness on your new foldable. Should the absolute worst happen, it provides a free one-time replacement of Samsung's factory-installed screen protector on the Z Flip 6 as well as a one-time discount on screen replacement.
From usefulness standpoint, the Z Flip 6's Flex Window falls short even with better widget compatibility and space for more of them. Notifications are still lacking, but the large screen—introduced last year—allows ample area to snap selfies with the iPhone without unfolding it.
Using the dual-screen Z Flip 6 to display both sides what's being spoken, Samsung's software innovations—including AI-powered translating—take advantage Generally speaking, it's rather accurate; combining text and audio will assist to minimize mistranslations and misunderstandings.
Galaxy AI also drives fresh photo tools connected to the cover display. AutoZoom works great, crowding in pals or cropping your surroundings to home in on your gathering, and takes at least some of the guesswork out of framing when setting up the Z Flip to snap a timed shot or record video without direct supervision. Still somewhat difficult is editing and changing the Flex Window. Other elements are hidden in the Labs area of settings, and a device on its sixth generation lacks widgets. (Samsung never presented a Z Flip 2.)
Some new widgets are insufficient, though, since other flip-flables provide a shortened version of your home screen and can (with varied success) launch most programs. Luckily, Samsung's Labs settings let the cover screen run a few applications including Google Maps, YouTube, Netflix, and WhatsApp. It's a start, but if the cover display can do streaming video, surely I could obtain a Kindle reading app, or a stripped-down version of Chrome. I wish Samsung had carried it farther. (There are numerous techniques and programs to go around this, many Galaxy Z Flip owners swear by Good Lock, but I don’s want to have to deal with this limitation.)
This year, the Z Flip 6 also receives a RAM bump, up to 12 gigabytes from 8GB last year. It boasts a strong Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU, much like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and S24, and testing revealed no performance problems.
Vision Cameras
Finally improved to 50 megapixels, the main camera sensor in this year's Z Flip now matches the Galaxy S24. Though it's improved, it doesn't quite match the capabilities of leading camera phones as the Pixel 8 Pro, S24 Ultra, or iPhone 15 Pro.
I was astonished how often the photographs essentially matched each other while pitting the Z Flip 6 against the Z Flip 5. If I choose to photograph on the Z Flip 6 in full 50-megapixel stills, that provided better fidelity than the Z Flip 5. Often there was not much difference between the two foldables if I shot in 12MP on the Z Flip 6. When everything was well lighted, the younger phone was less prone to blow out a complete image. It's more dependable in low-light conditions at the same time, particularly if you pick the 12MP preset and let the phone process those additional pixels for a more detailed image. Whether it meant blades of grass or the gentle shape of this calm canine, the Z Flip 6 looked more suited for extracting greater detail.
The Z Flip 6 can zoom in by cutting the 50MP image to a 12MP one, therefore offering a greater advantage from that larger sensor. Without a specific telephoto lens, you can get a decent picture at 2x and even 4x magnification.
Not unexpectedly, given Samsung's processing, the higher-resolution sensors on the Z Flip 6 perform worse in low light than last year's model. Sometimes Samsung's photo processing was overly harsh; artifacts and crinkly lines commonly damaged garments and skylines. Though it wasn't a horrible image arrangement in first place, it's not exactly a jump over the Z Flip 5's cameras. This physical factor guarantees that you are using these high-end cameras for any selfies or video calls, so nothing else comes close in quality.
Galaxy Ai Characteristics Manifest In Foldable Form
Samsung keeps adding and improving; its Galaxy AI software debuts on its foldables this year. Apart from Chat Assist for text and email composing, the amazing Google Circle to Search is available, facilitating almost any kind of research on your phone. I was particularly impressed with the camera functions; those were essentially the only Galaxy AI techniques I regularly employed.
The better AI picture editing features from Samsung are precisely where you need them to be and straightforward to operate. Opening a picture starts Samsung's AI sparkle symbol, then you may choose things by circling them. After that, you may remove your choice or reposition it and, with another AI button push, let Samsung's AI cover the blanks.
It's very simple to use and does what you need it to do, unlike the arduous front display widget menus and settings. There is a "view original" button to compare your photos following your AI nips and tucks.
Then there's a pleasant diversion called Sketch to Image. Galaxy AI will create an item and apply it to your picture, usually in a photo-realistic manner, after making a few hasty lines or an attempt to sketch anything particular. At times, it even nails it.
Galaxy phones will include a "AI-generated content" watermark, but the most prominent indicators of AI objects and editing were size (hello, enormous geese), hazy edges or the laws of physics.
The level of skill with which Sasmung generated images shocked me. Drawing a ghost (successfully!) behind a mesh barrier produced my spook behind the barrier. For some rather precisely correct outcomes, it would also add suitable light shading and shadows. Earlier, that puppy photo? There was no ball around there. Several photorealistic white hats as also. I felt bad not being able to alter the color of these objects or provide some text-based direction to identify my mistakes. Though it's a trick, it's a decent one. Days later, I still make extensive use of it. It's really entertaining.
Not all of the artificial intelligence functions are so successful. Portrait Studio will automatically identify photographs of individuals and provide many AI-generated sketches and 3D renderings, all of which help me to resemble all the other white male tech reporters who wear glasses. This is reasonable yet severe. You may also read this: Preview Of Ios 18: Awaiting The Real Update
Battery Life: Better Than Poor, Not Fantastic
The Z Flip series's major flaw has been running a complete day, especially under intensive usage; the Z Flip 6 features a larger 4,000mAh battery. Here the Z Flip 6 scrapes pass. My primary phone is this one, which always runs through a day of intense usage with around 10% remaining about 10pm. Still nervous about maybe not making it through an evening, I would carry a charger with me.
It ran on the primary screen for more than 13 hours on our video rundown test. Unfortunately, the shockingly sluggish charge pace is still here. After years of greater charge rates, I thought it took its time to recharge the 25W Z Flip 6. From empty, it topped out completely two hours later. By contrast, the Pixel 8 Pro can charge at up to 40W and the S24 Ultra at up to 45W. If I weren't worried about the Z Flip 6's battery going the distance, this would also be less of a concern.
Usually because of how battery cells are placed within a foldable gadget, foldables have taken lesser power input throughout the years. But why couldn't the Z Flip 6 if the Motorola Razr+ of 2024 can tolerate 45W?
Conclusion
When compared to the smartphone slab status quo, Samsung's Z Flip series still seems the most reasonable flagship choice. The most recent model fits perfectly for use as well as for folding away and fitting into a pocket. Along with all the Galaxy AI technologies turning up to be Samsung's smartphone USP, the Z Flip 6 also boasts better cameras and enhanced battery life.
Perhaps this emphasis on artificial intelligence means that the cover display has hardly changed since last year's Z Flip — particularly annoying since the Z Flip 6 costs $100 more than its predecessor. It's a touch unsatisfying, especially since rivals like Motorola have shown that more is possible on a foldable's secondary screen, even as you can use experimental capabilities to enable YouTube playing and Google Maps access.