Samsung should be promoting tens of millions upon tens of millions of foldables, as a result of whilst I wish to argue that these gadgets don’t have to be refreshed every year, right here we’re about to speak in regards to the model new Galaxy Z Flip 6. You see, Samsung likes promoting telephones, so it retains making new telephones.
The Flip 6 isn’t a significant improve over the Flip 5 from final 12 months, however they did improve a few inside components, swap-in a brand new 50MP essential digital camera, slap in an additional dose of RAM, and barely enhance the battery capability so as to try to justify a $100 value enhance. They introduced out the “AI” too as a method to tempt you into believing you want AI (you don’t).
Is all of it price it at a beginning value of $1,099? Do you have to purchase the Galaxy Z Flip 6 as somebody who hasn’t ever bought a flip telephone earlier than? Do you have to improve from one other flip telephone? Hey, we’re about to speak about all of that on this right here Galaxy Z Flip 6 evaluation.
What do I like in regards to the Galaxy Z Flip 6?
Show. A folding show won’t ever get outdated as a chunk of tech to play with. Every time I get a brand new foldable within the workplace to check out, I all the time spend the primary few folds analyzing the hinge and smiling a bit because the versatile show performs its little magical transfer with out breaking. On the Flip 6, Samsung has given me that pleasure as soon as once more with a 6.7″ AMOLED show at 1080p (and 120Hz) that may be a pleasure to have a look at and use.
This show is vibrant and colourful and quick and easy and every thing you possibly can ask for in a correct flagship show. It additionally occurs to fold, although.
Samsung hasn’t lowered the expertise by making it fold, that’s the factor. Your finger touches one thing on this show and it correctly reacts. Swipes are prompt, brightness ranges hit these crucial lows for these of us who use our telephones in mattress at night time, plus the highs permit for sunny day usability. You’ll be able to customise the show profile some too, so meaning leaping between “Pure” and “Vivid” experiences. You’ve gotten night time modes and adaptive colour settings, smoothness choices, and a few darkish mode settings in case you choose your UI to be darker always.
Look, this show is pretty much as good (and in some circumstances higher) because the shows you’ll discover on telephones that don’t fold. That’s what’s so unbelievable about how far we’ve come on this foldable house. That is one other glorious show from Samsung.
{Hardware}. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is unquestionably a premium handset. I’ve been testing out a evaluation pattern of the machine in Silver Shadow and it’s beautiful within the hand. The steel exterior that unfolds with such precision, showcases a tool from an organization who builds foldables on a top quality degree like nobody else. This factor actually doesn’t really feel like a foldable when unfolded due to how completely it unfolds.
It additionally has nice steadiness when unfolded, symmetrical bezels, rounded corners for consolation, and a telephone width that makes for straightforward use in a single hand. The Flip 6 is gentle and cozy to carry, whereas additionally feeling as premium as you’d hope a $1,000 telephone would really feel.
When folded, it definitely offers off the vibe of a chunky little costly tech gadget. Once more, every thing suits so completely collectively when closed up, just like the antenna strains that shut collectively to sit down straight throughout from each other. The buttons have a stable click on to them, the digital camera housing silver accent provides a enjoyable distinction to the black cowl display screen, and the satin or matte end deflects your greasy fingers.
You desire a foldable that tells you it’s price $1,000 in {hardware}? This is able to be it.
Battery life. The battery life present in final 12 months’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 was disappointing to the purpose that I virtually informed you to keep away from it altogether. For the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Samsung has enormously improved on this space. This factor is a bit of battery champ. They did enhance battery capability from 3700mAh to 4000mAh, however I feel the chipset (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3) and software program are doing many of the effectivity work right here.
On virtually each day I remembered to take a screenshot I had screen-on-time of round 2.5 hours and roughly 45-50% battery remaining when going to mattress round 11PM. I do know that isn’t heavy use, nevertheless it’s constant. Do you have to develop the utilization, it ought to imply 4-5 hours of display screen on time and 10-20% remaining at night time. That’s glorious in my e book. On no day did I ever actually discover nerves round utilizing the telephone as a lot as I wished to, and that’s with out altering my habits a lot. I’m nonetheless crushing Chrome, Instagram, Threads, Google Information, Telegram, Pokemon Go classes, and taking photos of my cats all through a day.
Samsung didn’t enhance the charging expertise, however in case you cost at night time, you shouldn’t actually care. And the charging expertise is okay with each wired and wi-fi choices, it’s simply not a blazing quick charging tech like we see from some manufacturers (ex: OnePlus).
Digital camera. In one of many few areas that Samsung tried to enhance the Flip 6 over the Flip 5, we’ve a brand new 50MP essential shooter paired with a 12MP ultra-wide as an alternative of the twin 12MP setup we had been used to. That’s nice, even when it will be arduous for me to argue that this is among the finest digital camera programs out there. It’s good, don’t get me fallacious, however for $1,099, Samsung isn’t matching non-foldable flagships.
General, the Flip 6’s digital camera is fast to open, focus, and shoot, which is usually what you wish to see. Nobody desires to overlook a shot. Most smartphone cameras are good nowadays, although, so is that this one higher that the majority? Whereas I simply took a shot at it for being not so good as the highest flagships, it’s nonetheless fairly spectacular in most conditions.
I discovered the 50MP essential digital camera to take actually enjoyable portrait pictures that give a enjoyable softness to my favourite sort of pictures: meals photographs. You’ll see under the snaps I took of a bowl of clams and a pizza which might be actually nice. I’ve portrait pictures of my child too (not pictured), that’d I’d put up subsequent to the very best telephone cameras within the business. It’s additionally stable in low gentle, at sunsets, and indoors. The truth is, for nearly all the pictures I took with the Flip 6’s digital camera, I nodded in approval.
The place my critiques are available are after I in contrast pictures to some I took with an iPhone 15 Professional. And that is the place pictures turns into so private, as a result of Samsung tends to go away photographs extra pure, whereas Apple’s telephones like to actually add drama by cranking distinction and shadows. To point out what I imply, have a look at these sundown photographs (Flip 6, iPhone 15 Professional) after which these of a discipline (Flip 6, iPhone 15 Professional). You see it, proper? However once more, that’s a desire factor and I additionally just like the Flip 6’s pictures, even when they aren’t fairly on the extent of the iPhone’s.
I do assume this is among the higher Flip telephone cameras I’ve used. Samsung tried to offer us an improve and I feel they succeeded in doing so. And for these into selfies, that is form of the final word telephone. You’ll be able to pull it out of your pocket, double-tap the facility button and it’ll load the principle digital camera system for these selfies with the quilt show as a viewfinder. It’s superior for that.
Efficiency. This can be a class that’s getting foolish to try to describe nowadays. Telephones just like the Galaxy Z Flip 6 run the very best cellular processor obtainable and they also don’t have points. They’ve a number of RAM too. On this state of affairs, we’re speaking in regards to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which is each highly effective and really environment friendly, together with 12GB RAM and tremendous quick inside storage.
With a 1080p show and 120Hz refresh price, every thing on this telephone is constructed to be speedy, look easy, and deal with all duties. I’ve used this telephone for a few weeks now and it simply doesn’t stutter. It opens the collection of apps I take advantage of all day, it does so with a smoothness you’d hope to see in an costly telephone, it doesn’t overheat, and it manages all of that whereas pushing spectacular battery life.
My child has gamed on it with out criticism. I’ve completed my justifiable share of Pokemon Go classes within the Portland summer season warmth. And I’ve taken in loads of Olympics protection whereas utilizing Peacock. The telephone runs nice.
Software program updates. Only a fast be aware right here, however Samsung retains killing it with updates – the Galaxy Z Flip 6 will obtain “seven generations of OS upgrades and 7 years of safety updates.” Even when meaning the primary OS replace is to Android 15 in a number of months, six extra updates past that might be Android 21. That’s nonetheless wild to assume. I can not wait till we begin to see the primary gadgets at 5+ years of updates and the way the strain can be on these firms to meet guarantees. Stick with it, Samsung!
Software program (nevertheless it’s a combined bag). The Flip 6 runs Android 14 out of the field with Samsung’s One UI 6.1.1. This One UI pores and skin that Samsung has had and up to date over time is okay. I at one time was an enormous fan, however lately I’ve famous the way it feels bloated and is due for an additional huge refresh. That’s to not say One UI 6.1.1 is dangerous or something, it’s simply that we’ve reached a degree the place there’s an excessive amount of happening.
I nonetheless like the general vibe of One UI, with its squircle icon shapes, the way in which settings are separated into their very own blocks, and (for probably the most half) the animations. One UI performs nicely and appears good whereas doing it. I’m nonetheless a giant fan of all the show options to tweak, the sound choices, new lock display screen customization instruments, and the “Superior” options that Samsung lets me activate or disable to behave like an influence consumer. Samsung has even began dropping a few of their very own apps in favor of Google’s (like Messages), that I absolutely approve of. If we are able to solely get them to do that with their dangerous calendar and pockets apps, life could be good.
There’s a ton to love, and principally, I like what Samsung is doing.
The place I begin to name this a “combined bag” is within the group of every thing, for one. Nothing makes Samsung’s dangerous group extra apparent than whenever you enter a settings space to search for one thing, don’t discover it, and are then given a touch on the backside of the display screen about what you might be in search of and the truth that it’s in a unique space. It’s principally Samsung admitting they’re making life tough.
There’s additionally simply too many settings and fluff to think about altering, the app drawer is a nightmare, and Samsung Pockets is turned on out of the field and lives on each display screen in probably the most obnoxious approach for some purpose. The app switcher does this terrible transfer the place it thinks that as a result of you could have opened it, that you just wish to robotically be proven the following app within the switcher. Why? I do not know, however I hate it a lot. Generally, I wish to open the app switcher to kill an app, but Samsung strikes it away from me for causes I can’t clarify.
Samsung doesn’t have a quick-access common search like Google and Apple do on their telephones, so I needed to set up Samsung’s “One Hand Operation +” app so as to have the ability to rapidly search my telephone from any display screen. The duvet display screen, which I’ll get extra into later, is straight-up unusable nonetheless on the Flip 6.
After which there’s Galaxy AI. It’s right here and Samsung actually desires you to know that, however I couldn’t let you know about any of it. I haven’t wanted name help or chat help or the interpreter app. I don’t take notes or voice recordings on my telephones. I don’t use Samsung’s browser. I additionally don’t draw on my flip telephones. I’ve no use for any of these things and so I couldn’t let you know if it’s helpful or a waste of everybody’s time to deal with it or what. Once more, Galaxy AI is right here and that’s all I can share with you about it. AI will not be as necessary in the present day as the businesses pushing it’s going to let you know.
So look, that’s a variety of complaining, however these are only a record of the little issues that annoy the hell out of me with Samsung’s software program. I do prefer it principally. I’ve been utilizing this Flip 6 for some time and I haven’t wished to throw it in a drawer but or something like that. As soon as I put in this common search characteristic, it has all been fairly stable. You’ll most likely prefer it.
What’s bugging me about it?
It’s a flip telephone. For these of you who love this type of telephone, that’s nice, however since that is my evaluation, I’ll now share why I’ll maintain passing on these foldable gadgets – a minimum of these smaller variations. To not bitter the temper after saying so many good issues in regards to the Flip 6, however I maintain making an attempt and I’m simply undecided I’ll ever come round to this manner issue. Flip telephones are usually not for me.
A flip telephone is solely a nuisance to make use of and the Flip 6 is not any totally different. The issue with them is that so as to do something, you need to open the telephone. Not like the larger foldables, just like the Galaxy Z Fold 6, the within display screen is the one one that actually does something helpful. Whereas there’s a cowl display screen, it’s as soon as once more dangerous and a waste of house from Samsung. It provides so little performance that you just need to open the telephone for every thing, exterior of a selfie.
Unfolding a telephone to take an image, to correctly archive an e mail, or to dive into any app for a short session is tiring. If I’m standing in my kitchen and must examine a recipe or message my spouse or do something, I’ve to open the telephone. If I get a notification, so as to absolutely work together with it, I additionally need to open the telephone as a result of Samsung’s cowl display screen software program is so weak. Think about having to do this time and again in additional disturbing conditions or the place you solely have one hand free. I run and exercise often, so having to open and shut a telephone after I would possibly must rapidly with sweaty arms or in a tough state of affairs is one thing I simply keep away from with this telephone.
And that’s one other factor about opening and shutting with this telephone is that it’s not straightforward to do. You’ll be able to’t do it with a single hand, so that you all the time want two arms to get into it. It takes some power, which solely provides to the fatigue of opening and shutting. I’ve simply gotten to the purpose of leaving it unfolded when at my work desk or on the sofa, in order that I don’t need to open it.
I hate to maintain on this hate practice of flip telephones, however I really feel just like the sharing of all opinions round this manner issue is critical for these making a choice over shopping for one. These telephones are costly, and whereas proudly owning a smaller machine would possibly sound interesting, it definitely has loads of drawbacks. I’d hate for somebody to spend $1,000 on one and remorse it inside a few weeks (or days in case you are like me).
Cowl display screen. Like final 12 months, Samsung continues to be treating its cowl show just like the software program of a smartwatch. It has a barely-customizable essential display screen with notifications off to the left. You’ll be able to then add some widgets to the proper, together with each full web page widgets and as much as 4 mini widgets. The choices are restricted for widgets, though I’d think about there are third occasion apps you possibly can set up to make the expertise extra sturdy. I didn’t do this as a result of I attempt to check gadgets on how they work out of the field.
I used to be fairly important of Samsung’s greater cowl display screen final 12 months on the Flip 5 as a result of it felt like they utterly missed the mark. For the Flip 6 they’re primarily operating it again. This cowl display screen software program is as soon as once more fairly dangerous. It’s simply so restricted that it forces you, as I mentioned above, to continually open the telephone. As a substitute of utilizing the larger display screen to allow you to do extra and open the telephone much less, it’s simply there to take up house and remind you of the wasted alternative.
An instance is of a Gmail notification. These are available all day on a regular basis, proper? On any regular Android telephone, a notification from Gmail exhibits you fast actions that allow you to archive or reply. They’re extremely helpful shortcuts. These shortcuts are on the Flip 6, however solely in notifications when the telephone is opened up. On the quilt display screen, notifications are restricted and easily have “Clear” buttons to make them go away. Like, what?
Once more, apologies for persevering with on with my frustrations which might be virtually all the identical from final 12 months, however that is what Samsung delivered and other people ought to learn about them. Samsung wants a canopy display screen software program overhaul.
Do you have to purchase the Galaxy Z Flip 6?
In the event you like flip telephones, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is a wonderful flip telephone. It’s most likely the very best flip telephone due to the general software program expertise, the extent of help Samsung offers, the digital camera, battery life, and every thing else I simply ran by means of. That is the king of flip telephones and I’m undecided anybody is shut.
In the event you haven’t but discovered your approach into the world of flip telephones, then hopefully my obnoxious complaining in regards to the expertise lets you realize that it isn’t for everybody. Chances are you’ll get pleasure from it, although, so take what I’ve offered because the opinion of a grumpy outdated tech man who has been doing this for much too lengthy. Be happy to attempt new issues – or don’t. Non-foldables are nonetheless superior too.
