Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Review: Powerful device with certain Achilles’ heel

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Review: In recent times, Samsung has reiterated its dominance across various segments with a slew of smartphone launches. The Korean tech giant’s latest launch is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, which presents considerable improvements along with the integration of AI-enabled features. This head-turning smartphone is a capable device, which comes with improved durability, thanks to the hinge enhancement and study build. In the following sections, we’ll delve deeper into the advancements and features of this device and weigh them against its price tag.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Review: Design

The first noticeable thing about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is its compact outlook when folded. While the design and exterior outlook are more or less similar to its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Flip 5, the device has received significant upgrades where it matters the most- the hinge. Made from enhanced armour aluminium, the hinge and the frame contribute to the in-hand feel, complemented by a matte finish on the rear side. The edges are flat, enhancing the premium feel of the smartphone. It has a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection along with an IP48 rating, which elevates its dust and water resistance. The device is available in six colour options, including, Mint, Silver Shadow, and Blue, and special edition colours: White, Peach, and Crafted Black.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Review: Display

Featuring a 6.7-inch Full-HD+ Dynamic AMOLED main display, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 offers a swift refresh rate of up to 120Hz and a peak brightness of 2600nits. The content viewing experience on this device is pleasant, thanks to the 1080x2640 pixels screen resolution. It produces vibrant colours with proper sharpness and remains bright enough even in outdoor usage conditions. Overall, the smartphone offers a seamless multimedia experience with the main display.

The device sports a 3.4-inch Super AMOLED cover display with a smooth refresh rate of up to 60Hz with a peak brightness of 1600nits. Not all the apps can be opened on the cover screen, but it lets you access several functionalities, including gallery, calendar, and others. There are several customisation options available, including Good Lock, which enables users to access several apps on the cover screen itself. Nonetheless, the cover screen is an area Samsung might need to work upon to remain competitive in the foldable market.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Review: Performance and Software

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, supported by 12GB of RAM. The chipset has been a decent enabler when it comes to powering several premium devices, and the smartphone smoothly handles multitasking without any stuttering. Graphically intensive games run seamlessly providing a decent user experience. Notably, the cooling mechanism of the device effectively handles the heating issue, thanks to the vapour chamber cooling system. When we tested the device on several performance benchmarks, the device emerged as one of the top contenders in the segment.
 
Based on Android 14, the smartphone runs on OneUI 6.1.1. The UI experience is effectively decluttered, resulting into a vibrant screen with ultra-responsive functionalities. The company offers seven years of software updates and security patches.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Review: AI Features

Samsung has become synonymous with AI features, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 has also received them in abundance. Starting with the Composer feature, it helps users by suggesting texts for social media or even emails. The Interpreter tool effectively removes the language barrier by offering real-time translation for face-to-face talks. There’s a Note Assist functionality, which eases note-taking on the Samsung Notes app by offering translation, spelling correction, or even summarising the text. The Portrait Studio feature, powered by AI, converts the photos into different styles, such as cartoon, sketch, comics, among others.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Review: Cameras

Sporting a dual camera setup, including a 50MP wide-angle sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide camera with a 123-degree field of view, the smartphone can be referred to as a camera-capable device. The daylight photos are excellent, capturing good details, near-natural colours, and a good dynamic range. While the device performs well with autofocus, the close-up photos certainly left us craving for improvements. Portrait photos are brilliant, with proper exposure. The low-light photography with the device is impressive, delivering good photos with satisfactory details and the least possible noise. The ultra-wide sensor is a decent performer, offering good details and vibrant colours with minimal noise. For selfies, you get a 10MP shooter, which too does not disappoint, capturing skin tones efficiently and keeping the naturalness intact.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Review: Battery

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 packs a 4000mAh battery, but its Achilles’ heel is its meagre 25W charging speed. Under modest usage scenarios, the device may last for a day on a single charge; however, intensive usage, a second charge in the day may be necessitated. While it certainly has improved over the Flip 5, the offering seems to fall short of expectations.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Review: Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 has indeed received improvements and boasts more positives than the counter arguments regarding its worthiness. The integration of AI features, excellent cameras, a sturdy design with a solid build and vibrant display are strong reasons to bolster its worthiness. However, it might fall behind some of its contemporaries, especially those being priced more aggressively with better battery and a more vibrant cover screen.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: Pros and Cons

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: Pros

- Good cameras

- AI features

- Seven years of software update and security patches

- Vibrant main display
 
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: Cons

- Cover screen leaves scope for improvement

- Price remains a factor

- Slow charging speed with average battery