Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Review: A Gorgeous Phone That Feels Stuck in the Past
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 arrives with a familiar charm, boasting an alluring design and a refined hinge. It’s a clear step up from its predecessor, the Z Flip 5, with an improved crease and increased dust resistance. However, despite its enhanced aesthetics and a few new bells and whistles, it feels like a somewhat disappointing iteration in a category begging for groundbreaking innovations.
"It’s a great-looking phone with a better hinge than ever, but there’s really not enough to justify a price increase when it’s so similar to the Z Flip 5," reads the Gizmodo review verdict. This succinctly encapsulates the prevailing sentiment—while the Z Flip 6 is undoubtedly a beautiful and well-crafted device, its lack of substantial improvements fails to justify the increased price tag.
A Glimpse at the Design and Displays:
The Z Flip 6 echoes the aesthetic language of its predecessor, featuring the 3.4-inch “FlexWindow” exterior and the 6.7-inch internal AMOLED display. The biggest visual change comes with a boosted brightness rating for the interior display, now reaching 2,600 nits compared to the Flip 5’s 1,750 nits.
"The only display change to come to the latest in the Galaxy Z Flip series is the increased brightness," the review notes. However, this fails to address the broader issue—the exterior display, while functional, remains somewhat limited. Its size pales in comparison to the 4-inch display on the Motorola Razr+, which arguably delivers a more refined user experience for cover screen functionalities.
The revised hinge is a notable highlight, offering a sturdier feel with minimal creaking and improved durability. The crease on the internal display has been significantly minimized, making it far less noticeable and less disruptive.
Performance and Battery: A Familiar Tune
The Z Flip 6 boasts the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and 12 GB of RAM, a noticeable upgrade from the Z Flip 5. Despite the power boost, the improvements are barely perceptible to the average user. It’s undeniably faster, but doesn’t feel significantly snappier in daily use.
"It is more powerful than the previous gen, but not in any way you’ll feel during use," the review states, highlighting the lack of tangible performance difference in real-world scenarios. The additional 4GB of RAM doesn’t translate into significant multitasking benefits either.
The battery life sees a slight improvement, with a 4,000 mAh battery compared to the Flip 5’s 3,700 mAh. While it undeniably offers a full day of usage, it still struggles to compete with the larger battery capacities found on premium flagship phones like the Pixel 8 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro.
"When you buy the Flip, you’re paying for the complicated hinge and extra screen, not more power or longevity," the review points out. This succinctly highlights the tradeoff—the price premium is largely attributed to the foldable technology, not top-tier performance or battery life.
Camera: A Modest Uplift
The Z Flip 6 boasts a camera upgrade, with a 50 MP wide-angle main lens compared to the 12 MP lens on its predecessor. It also features a 2X optical zoom, adding a bit of range compared to the 10X digital zoom. However, the difference in photo and video quality isn’t groundbreaking.
"If you ignore the ability to shoot higher-resolution photos," the review notes, "the main difference between the two is the photo software." The software enhancements primarily include AI features like ProVisual Engine and Instant Slow-mo, which deliver marginal improvements in photo processing and video creation.
The Auto Zoom feature, designed to keep subjects in frame during video recording, proves somewhat disappointing. Its implementation is far from perfect and doesn’t offer the seamless zooming experience that many users are seeking.
"Auto Zoom doesn’t really work that way," the review acknowledges. "It’s better to take still photos with you and your friends staring at the camera from across the room."
The Verdict: A Missed Opportunity
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 represents an iterative upgrade with a refined design, a more robust hinge, and some subtle advancements in performance and camera capabilities. Yet, it’s a product that feels somewhat underwhelming in a category ripe for innovation.
"The main problem with foldables remains their high price," the review states. "Now, Samsung is not helping itself because both the Flip 6 and Fold 6 cost more than they ever have."
The Z Flip 6, like its predecessor, fails to address the primary criticisms surrounding foldable phones—their high price point and limited functionality. It feels like a beautiful accessory, an impressive tech marvel, but not a truly compelling alternative to conventional smartphones. The exorbitant cost, coupled with the lack of significant advancements, leaves many users wondering if foldable phones are truly ready for mainstream adoption.
"If foldable phones are going to continue as alternative smartphones, then there need to be at least a few that most average consumers can afford," the review concludes.
Samsung’s insistence on maintaining the Z Flip’s price premium, while offering incremental improvements, may ultimately hinder its adoption in a market demanding more than just stylish aesthetics. It’s time for Samsung to consider a more affordable option, perhaps a Z Flip FE, to broaden its appeal and truly shake up the foldable phone landscape. Only then can Samsung truly demonstrate the potential of this revolutionary form factor.
