In Samsung's new foldables for the year 2024, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is the more attractive one. The form factor is cooler and the list of meaningful upgrades is bigger. And despite the $100 higher price tag, it's not costly enough to bankrupt you.
On paper, there's a lot to like about the Flip 6. Highlights include a higher-resolution main camera, brighter screen, more durable design, bigger battery, 12GB of RAM as standard, the latest Snapdragon chip along with the first proper cooling system in the Flip lineup, and the promise of seven years of software updates.
But what about the real world? Is the Galaxy Z Flip 6 the clamshell foldable we have all been waiting for, or should you wait another year or two to see what Samsung has in store for the future?
Our Galaxy Z Flip 6 review has the answer, so let's get started. For the short version, check out the video below, or continue reading to get into the nitty-gritty.
Design
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is the most well designed Flip model yet. Visually, you may only notice the accents Samsung has added around the camera rings. But there's more to it than meets the eye.
Samsung has made some important design improvements. The Flip 6 has a flatter design language. You can see it clearly when the phone is folded, especially from the bottom.
Samsung has made some important design improvements
You can also easily make out the more pronounced plastic frame surrounding the foldable display. This is partly what helped Samsung get an IP48 certification for the Flip 6. Previous Flips were IPX8 rated, meaning they were water-resistant.
The Flip 6, however, gets better protection against small solid objects. Whereas small items could enter the Flip 5 when it was folded if enough force was applied, the Flip 6 doesn't budge.
It can also officially handle particles as small as 1mm, though it isn't dust-resistant (dust particles are usually classified as being smaller than 1mm).
To enhance durability, Samsung has shored up the hinge to better distribute shock from external impacts. The hinge is smaller as well, which helps reduce the visibility of the crease.
The Flip 6 gets better protection against small solid objects
The crease is basically not as recessed into the body on the Flip 6, so it's less reflective. It is also less noticeable when your fingers glide over the crease during use, though the difference in this case is not a major one.
The same goes for the difference between the Flip 6 and Flip 5's thickness. But that's okay. Samsung's foldable flip phones have always been quite slim, and anything thinner would just make it harder to unfold the device.
Speaking of unfolding, the Flip 6 feels incredibly robust when you do that. As with previous models, this isn't a phone you can unfold with one hand. You can fold it with one hand, but it's still not as easy as those classic flip phones from years ago.
There's a reason for that, of course: Flex Mode. The Flip 6 can stay open at different angles, which requires a folding mechanism with a certain level of friction. Flex Mode has many advantages, but more on that later.
Cover display
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 cover screen has the exact same hardware specifications as the Flip 5 cover screen. It has a folder-shaped 3.4-inch Super AMOLED panel with a 60Hz refresh rate and is rated for 1600 nits of brightness.
While the hardware hasn't changed, there's plenty of new software functionality. Some of it uses Galaxy AI. Suggested replies is one of the most notable features. When you receive messages, Galaxy AI checks your chat thread and history to provide three context-based replies.
Galaxy AI's suggested replies are a superior alternative to the preset quick responses you had on previous Flips. Those quick responses are still available, and if need be, you can manually type replies using the on-screen keyboard.
Another neat addition is the ability to have up to three widgets on a single screen, reducing how much you have to swipe to get to the widgets you need. Samsung has also added the option to use Galaxy AI wallpapers on the cover screen, something previous models don't (yet) support.
The cover screen has one more cool feature now: it works with Interpreter mode. Interpreter lets you have face-to-face conversations with a person who speaks a different language by translating your speech to text on the screen and then doing the same with whatever that person says to you.
While both parties have to be able to see the display on older devices that support Interpreter, on the Flip 6 (and Fold 6) you can activate the cover screen so the other person can be standing opposite to you and still see what you're saying.
The Z Flip 6 cover screen supports full-screen versions of some apps
As before, the Flip 6 can run full-screen versions of some apps on the cover screen. The selection of supported apps includes WhatsApp, YouTube, Netflix, and Google Maps. The most useful is probably the option to navigate using Google Maps. Watching videos on the small screen isn't a bad experience either.
You can even use Samsung's Good Lock app to allow any app (including games) to run on the cover screen. That includes games. Good Lock offers a selection of simple games optimized for the cover screen. You can force non-supported games as well, but unless you like punishing yourself, it's not recommended.
Foldable display
For the first time ever, a Galaxy Z Flip's display is on par with the displays on Samsung's other flagships. The Flip 6's foldable display has received a massive upgrade: it is rated for 2600 nits of brightness, up from 1750 nits on the Flip 5 and 1200 nits on the Flip 4.
The increased brightness is noticeable when using the phone under a bright sun. The older models didn't suffer from serious legibility issues, either, but with the Flip 6, you can rest assured that on-screen content will be easy to see no matter where you are.
Other specs of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 display haven't changed. It is an AMOLED panel with a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz, HDR10+ support, and a resolution of 1080×2640 pixels, and the viewing experience is fantastic.
As mentioned earlier, the crease is now less reflective and harder to notice in regular use. But the Flip 6 retains the extra tall and narrower-than-usual aspect ratio of older Flips, so one-handed operation can be tricky at times.
The best part about the Flip 6, and Samsung's foldable phones in general, is Flex Mode. If you fold the phone halfway, compatible apps will switch to a split-screen UI.
The YouTube app will play the video in one half and show the playback controls on the other half. In the camera app, Flex Mode acts as a built-in tripod or stand for hands-free photos and videos. This is especially useful when using camera modes like hyperplapse and slow-motion.
For apps that don't officially support it, you can manually enable Flex Mode to turn the bottom half of the screen into a touchpad. You can even turn on a mouse pointer for precise PC-like navigation. Flex Mode is also great for split-screen multitasking when you want to watch a video while using another app.
Camera
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 brings a long overdue camera upgrade to Samsung’s Flip lineup. Samsung has finally left its 12MP cameras behind – with the launch of the Flip 6, every flagship Galaxy phone barring the Galaxy S Ultra models now sports a 50MP primary camera.
The Flip 6 doesn’t have a telephoto/zoom camera, which is disappointing for any phone that is priced north of $700. If a zoom camera is a must for you, you should steer clear of the Flip 6.
Well, unless you are fine with 2x zoom. See, thanks to the higher-resolution primary camera, the Flip 6 can take nearly lossless pictures and videos at 2x magnification using digital zoom, particularly outdoors during the day. The 50MP camera is capable enough that Samsung has even added 2x magnification to Portrait mode, which was not available on previous models.
The new camera sensor and Snapdragon chipset bring better processing even at 1x zoom. Photo quality is on par with what you get with a Galaxy Z Fold 5 or Galaxy S24/S24+, with plenty of detail and pretty accurate color reproduction in shots captured during the day.
Detail is fairly preserved well in low-light shots too. Noise control is also good. Picture quality has improved on the ultra-wide camera as well, but it’s not a substantial improvement by any stretch of the imagination. Landscape shots in daylight are where the ultra-wide camera works best. Indoors and in low-light conditions, using the dedicated Night mode is recommended.
Here are a few pictures captured with the 50MP main camera:
And here are some photos captured at 1x and 2x zoom:
Check out some 1x and 2x portrait photos captured with the main camera:
Here are some photos captured with the ultra-wide and main cameras:
For selfies, you have a 10MP camera on the cover display. But you should ideally be capturing selfies with the rear cameras. As you can see in the side-by-side comparison below, the rear cam selfie (right) is of considerably higher quality than the front camera selfie (left). The rear cameras also let you ultra-wide selfies or zoom in to get closer to your face.
Here are some regular and portrait selfies captured using the rear camera:
If you open the camera on the cover screen and unfold the phone, you can take advantage of auto framing to keep yourself and anyone else in the frame in the center even when you move around. Auto framing was already available for videos, and now, it's available for photos as well.
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 record 4K videos at 60 fps with all three of the phone's cameras. This wasn't possible on the Flip 5 or Flip 4. However, you can't switch between the rear cameras when 4K@60fps recording is active. Samsung has also skipped 8K recording, likely because the Flip 6 can't handle the heat (more on that below).
Performance
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 comes with some significant performance upgrades. It's powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the same fantastic chip that powers the Galaxy S24 series and the Z Fold 6, and there's nothing it can't handle.
The phone's user interface is fluid, apps launch quickly, and stutter and lag are non-existent. The Flip 6 can also keep more apps in memory than previous models, as it comes with 12GB of RAM as standard. More RAM probably helps performance of the Galaxy AI features as well.
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is the first phone in the lineup to have a vapor chamber cooling system, and it runs cooler than its predecessors. Gamers will appreciate it most. Demanding titles like Call of Duty can now run at high frame rates for longer.
The Flip 6 is a beast and will keep most user happy with its performance
However, the Flip 6's cooling capabilities are not the same as other flagship Galaxy phones launched this year. That's down to the slim and compact form factor.
Clamshell foldables have less space for internal components, so despite the fancy cooling system, the Flip 6 can't keep temperatures in check as well as a Galaxy S24 or Galaxy Z Fold 6.
It's likely why despite the more powerful internals and cooling system, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 doesn't support Samsung DeX and can't record 8K videos. Still, the few limitations aside, this phone is a beast and will keep most users happy with its performance.
Software
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 runs Android 14 and One UI 6.1.1 out of the box. Galaxy AI is Samsung's core focus this year as far as software is concerned. The Flip 6 has a smattering of new AI features and improves on many of the existing features.
The Flip 6's software experience is similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 6's, so you should check out our Fold 6 review if you want all the details. You can also watch the video below for a rundown of the new Galaxy AI features. The short story is that there's a lot to like and a lot of fun to be had. You also get a guarantee of seven years of OS, feature, and security updates.
Audio, connectivity
Samsung's flagship phones have been offering excellent audio quality for many years, and the Flip 6 is no different. It features a stereo speaker setup that can be quite loud and remains distortion-free even at maximum value. Call quality is great as well.
As far as connectivity is concerned, the Flip 6 has all the latest features. It only misses out on Wi-Fi 7 and Ultra-wideband support (the former is not available on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 either, or the Galaxy S24 or S24+).
Battery life
The Flip 6 isn't just more powerful. It also lasts longer thanks to a bigger battery. The Flip 6 has a 4,000 mAh battery like the Galaxy S24. It's the first Flip that can regularly get you through a full day and night on a single charge.
And that's with fairly demanding use, including watching a few hours of videos on YouTube, shooting pictures and videos for an hour, editing those pictures using Galaxy AI, streaming music for 2-3 hours, and a fair amount of doom scrolling through Instagram and X/Twitter.
The first Flip that can regularly get you through a full day and night on a single charge
Endurance takes a hit when you bring 5G mobile data into the equation and use the phone for tasks like Google Maps navigation. The Flip 6 can still provide 13-14 hours of battery life, but it's best to have a charger or power bank at hand.
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 supports 25W charging like its recent predecessors. It can reach nearly 50% charge in half an hour and 80-85% in an hour. However, a full charge takes nearly 100 minutes, even though the phone gives you an estimate of around 90 minutes.
Verdict
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is a fantastic phone. Samsung has fixed several shortcomings that have plagued the Galaxy Z Flip lineup since its inception.
The Flip 6 is especially good for Gen Z customers. It's got a lot of what they're looking for. The Galaxy AI features are useful, performance is fantastic, battery life is more than decent, and the design is durable.
There's no zoom camera, but the cameras the phone does have do a great job, and the form factor lets you take photos and videos in unique ways. Last but not least, the Flip 6 looks stunning and is the kind of fashion statement young audiences are looking for.
Of course, you don't have be part of the Gen Z crowd to enjoy what the Flip 6 has to offer. It's a versatile foldable phone that has something for everyone. Whether you're a newcomer or own an older model like the Flip 3 or Flip 4, the Flip 6 is the most easy-to-recommend Galaxy Z Flip yet.
