I Spent a Week With the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6. Here’s What You Should Know Before Buying One

ZDNET Key Points

• $1,099 Galaxy Z Flip 6 is the latest modern flip phone product from Samsung.
• The product has some upgrades like a more solid design, better performance, new main camera and larger battery.

• It’s not exciting, though, as it shares a lot of similarities with the Z Flip 5 and costs $100 more than Motorola’s Razr Plus.

Samsung has now launched the sixth generation of the Galaxy Z Flip and by now, we’re all familiar with foldable phones, what they’re capable of, and what benefits their unusual form factor brings. Z Flip 6 is the most polished clamshell phone we’ve seen to date. Compared to the Z Flip 5, Samsung has changed very little, with only a handful of features to market the new model.

Also: I replaced my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with a Z Fold 6 in a week — and there’s no going back

The starting price has also increased by $100 to $1,099. So after using the Z Flip 6 for over a week, the big question for me is whether the new price is justified, especially when Motorola Razr PlusThe Z Flip’s closest competitor, without increasing its price. Here’s my answer.

See at Samsung

Samsung doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel every time it releases a new foldable phone, but there’s room for improvement on the Z Flip’s design for some time. On the Z Flip 6, Samsung has switched back to a matte aluminum finish instead of the glossy finish on the Z Flip 5, which I appreciate.

Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Z Flip 5: Key Differences You Should Know Before Buying

The new Z Flip also has an IP48 rating, marking the first time one of the company’s foldable phones has offered any form of certified dust protection. The hinge has also been reinforced, creating a shallower crease along the middle of the display.

These improvements are nice to see, but they’re by no means huge. I’d love to see a larger cover display; Samsung upped the ante last year by swapping the Flip 4’s 1.9-inch cover display for a 3.4-inch one on the Flip 5. The Flip 6 has the same larger display on the outside, but it’s overshadowed by the much cooler-looking 4-inch display on the inside. Razr 2024 Plus.

Also: I tested Motorola’s new Razr Plus (2024) and it makes the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip feel outdated

Not only does the Motorola’s display stretch to every edge and behind the camera, it also lets you run any app you want, so you rarely need to flip the phone open to do quick things like reply to a text. On the Z Flip, you’re limited to the panels and widgets Samsung gives you access to, making the experience much less useful than Motorola’s.

Of course, I found myself opening the Flip 6’s display a lot, but that’s not a bad thing. The 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display is fantastic, with a sharp Full HD+ resolution and great color reproduction. There’s a 120Hz refresh rate that keeps things smooth, and Samsung even packs in 2,600 nits of peak brightness, which is much brighter than the 1,750-nit panel on the Flip 5.

I also like the performance of this phone. Inside is a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB or 512GB of storage, and it’s fast. Whether you’re scrolling through Instagram, switching between your calendar and to-do list, playing games, or snapping photos like a madman, the Flip 6 has no problem keeping up.

Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Motorola Razr+ (2024): I tested both and the winner isn’t so clear

What I’d like to see Samsung improve is heat management. There’s little room for companies to add the same ventilation and cooling systems as regular phones, so most foldables tend to get too hot even when you’re doing normal things like checking TikTok or sending emails. The Flip 6 is no exception; I found it often got very hot, both in the summer heat and in my 62-degree bedroom. It can get even hotter when gaming.

The cameras are a step up from the Flip 5, but they’re still not quite there yet. normal flagship capable. I liked most of the photos I took with the Z Flip 6; the new 50MP main camera captures more detail and sharpness than the old 12MP sensor on the Flip 5, and you can shoot full-resolution 50MP photos if you want to crop or print them. Meanwhile, the 123-degree 12MP ultra-wide camera does a good job during the day, but gets quite dark and dim at night with a lot of artificial lighting thrown in.

If you care about camera quality and want a clamshell phone, the Z Flip 6 is the way to go. I compared some of the photos I took with the Razr Plus and the difference was almost night and day. Colors are more true to life on the Samsung phone, lighting is generally better, and you can take photos at night without worrying about any of them being unusable. Video quality on the Flip 6 is also better than on the Razr Plus.

Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Hands-On: The Foldable Phone Most People Should Buy Has One Important Upgrade

Of course, the photography experience still can’t match the Z Flip’s flexible form factor. Like other foldable phones, you can prop it up as a kickstand for hands-free shooting, use the outer display as a second viewfinder, shoot video in classic handheld camcorder style, and more.

The whole experience is driven by software, and the software on the Z Flip 6 is solid. The overarching story is that it’s still very much Samsung, with One UI 6.1 and a mix of features layered on top of Android 14. There are Edge panels, split-screen mode, a bunch of customizable UI options, performance and battery optimization settings, and all the bells and whistles that make foldable phones unique. Samsung is also promising up to seven years of software updates on the Flip 6, which means it’s right in line with where the industry is heading.

Also: The Galaxy Watch Ultra convinced me to replace my Apple Watch in less than a week. Here’s why

Samsung also includes a list AI Features on the Flip 6, like the company’s other 2024 flagships, including contextual replies for messages on the cover display, live translation, conversation recording, and automatic transcription. None of these features are groundbreaking, but they’re cool and add a bit of style to the experience. It’s only a matter of time before Samsung acts as aggressively as Apple iOS 18 with AIso let’s enjoy it while it’s still free.

The battery life on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 can last all day, if you’re careful. Samsung has increased the battery size from 3,700mAh to 4,000mAh, which should help it last until the end of the day, but this isn’t a two-day phone.

ZDNET Buying Advice

At $1,100, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 It’s easy to dismiss the Z Flip 5 as “boring” or “overpriced,” especially when the Z Flip 5 is very similar and $100 cheaper. But chances are no one who owns a Flip 5 will buy a Flip 6, and Samsung is counting on old Flip customers or people new to foldable phones to buy its latest clamshell, and for those who do, you’re getting a pretty good phone in return.

That said, Motorola Razr Plus The Flip 6 is a step up from the Flip 6 with its premium display, vegan leather design, and lower price. If you don’t mind giving up the ultra-wide camera (and not needing software updates for seven years), you might consider getting the Razr Plus instead.