Samsung’s foldable journey started with a bang and has moved at a brisk pace. The brand is now headed into the sixth-gen models of the fold and flip monikers. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is our focus here and what we are seeking from Samsung is a robust foldable that can deliver the basics, withstand the ruggedness and offer the innovation that a Rs 1 lakh+ price tag commands.
Samsung has faced very little in terms of the competition so far but things have picked up in the past 12 months for the company to start realising the need to value the consumers. So, does the Galaxy Z Flip 6 build on the promises of the last five generation Flip models and offer a compelling product? We used the latest flip to hunt for those answers.
Focus On The Design Basics
Samsung has widely talked about upgrading the hinge mechanism on the new foldable series and you tend to notice these improvements with the solidity of the folding part of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 as well. The overall dimensions are identical to the Flip 5 and it seems Samsung is happy to retain those existing aesthetics and just focus on the basics to offer durability of the device.
The main cameras are housed on the front with the metallic rings and the big cover seen offers more details without opening the flip.
The back panel gets a matte texture over glass which makes it less slippery and the aluminium armour frame gives you more confidence in the device. Having said that, we’re hoping these engineering upgrades last out better than the issues of the previous models in the long run.
Same Old Cover Display
Samsung’s tryst with AMOLED has a long history and once again you have the association going strong. However, the cover display 3.4-inch is still one of the smallest you get on a flip phone these days and it still offers 60Hz refresh rate.
While the 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x unit supports 120Hz refresh rate of the adaptive nature. The screen’s brightness has gone up which becomes evident when you use it outdoors. The colours are punchy and crisp while the deep blacks give you the rich content experience.
The cover display supports some third-party apps like WhatsApp and Google Maps now but you need to enable this compatibility from the Samsung Labs in settings. We would like the company to add more apps to the roster which gives them the freedom to finally stretch the cover screen on the next flip model.
AI Gives It Jumpstart
Samsung introduced the Galaxy AI features with the Galaxy S24 series this year and now the foldables are getting AI in a new avatar as well. You have them sprinkled across the board with camera editing, notes taking, live transcribing across apps and even basic AI tools that have slowly become integral to smartphone users.
The Flip 6 also offers smart replies on the cover display to help you with quick responses for messages. Samsung is also offering some of these AI tools to work on-device and you can manually change the settings for better privacy. You also have features like the circle to search which has been around for a while now.
Flagship Goodness
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset with 12GB RAM and up to 512GB storage. Samsung is giving you the One UI version out of the box and promises 7 years OS and security update support for the consumers. The hardware is no stranger to the market and has shown its capability across a range of premium devices that have launched this year.
We had no issues with performance of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and feel the chip can easily handle future-ready tasks without any challenges.
Camera Upgrades Much Wanted
Samsung has upgraded the main camera from a 12MP sensor to a 50MP unit that was offered on the Samsung Galaxy S24 models. The secondary sensor is the same 12MP ultrawide lens which gives you versatility. We would have liked a telephoto lens added to the mix which the hefty price tag certainly deserves. The resulting images from the main camera are crisp and rich in details. You can even rely on the shooters in low light conditions which is essential if you want to battle it out in the premium table.
The front camera is the same 10MP sensor that offers quality selfies but we expect better from a premium device.
Battery Life Needs A Bump
Samsung has bumped up the battery from 3,700mAh to 4,000mAh on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 this year. Does that translate into a longer battery life? Well, the answer can be a mixed-bag based on what you consume on the device and how much strain you like to put on the phone.
If the needs are moderate, you can expect the Galaxy Z Flip 6 to last through a work day with ease but we don’t see it last 24 hours without being put on a charger. Speaking of which, the device still only supports 25W charging speed and the adapter is going to cost you extra.
Samsung has given the Galaxy Z Flip meaningful upgrades that look to shed its durability concerns, you have the AI features and upgraded camera. The product could use a more functional cover display but the support for third-party apps is welcomed.
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