Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip collection has at all times tempted me greater than the Z Fold. Perhaps it’s the flip-phone nostalgia taking maintain; possibly it is the truth that I don’t need to watch video inside a sq.; possibly it is merely the Z Flip’s extra palatable worth.
The Z Flip collection has launched in tandem with the Z Fold for a number of years, however typically with specs that put it across the backside of every flagship household, together with the historically formed Galaxy S household. That modifications this yr, with Samsung addressing a number of the Z Flip 5’s greatest shortcomings: battery life and middling cameras.
It’s a great factor too. As we talked about in our Z Fold 6 overview, there’s extra foldable competitors than ever. In actual fact, within the face of Motorola’s most up-to-date foldables, whereas Samsung is doing one thing, is it sufficient?
SAMSUNG
Whereas Z Flip 6’s design has remained largely the identical, Samsung made a number of under-the-hood upgrades this yr, with improved battery life and cameras. It makes the very best case but for mainstream foldables, however the firm may do extra, particularly when using the secondary entrance display.
- Higher cameras
- Longer battery life
- Enjoyable generative AI methods
- Dearer than its predecessor
- Design is nearly equivalent to final yr
- Restricted front-screen utility
- Sluggish charging
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Design and show
You’d be hard-pressed to inform the distinction, visually, between the Z Flip 6 and final yr’s Z Flip 5, with just some minor design modifications. The upgraded digicam array now has a metallic edge round every lens, and the perimeters are flatter this yr, consistent with the design of different 2024 Galaxy units. There’s alo a largely imperceptible discount in thickness when the machine is closed too, probably all the way down to a more moderen hinge design. In comparison with my year-old Z Flip 5, the crease appears as soon as once more even much less seen this yr.
Whereas and show sizes and resolutions stay the identical, the primary display on the Z Flip 6 tops out at 2,600 nits, in comparison with the 1,750 nits of the Z Flip 5’s show. Samsung claims that is its brightest foldable show but, and it’s greater than sufficient to deal with temperamental summer season climate right here within the UK. It’s one other crisp, clean, stunning versatile AMOLED.
The Z Flip 6’s cowl show is identical dimension, brightness and backbone as its predecessor. Does it look nearly as good because the Moto Razr 50 Extremely? In my view, no, however there’s sufficient display house to learn notifications, body your pictures and even watch movies.
Additionally, in case you’re frightened about display toughness in your new foldable, Samsung’s new Z Assurance program is value noting. It presents a free one-time alternative of Samsung’s factory-installed display protector on the Z Flip 6 and even a one-time low cost on display alternative if the very worst ought to occur.
In relation to utility, regardless of extra widget assist (and house for extra of them), the Z Flip 6’s Flex Window doesn’t do sufficient. Notifications are nonetheless a swipe away, and the expansive display (launched final yr) presents sufficient house to take selfies with the machine with out unfolding it.
Samsung’s software program improvements, like AI-powered translation, make the most of the dual-screen Z Flip 6, exhibiting each events what’s being stated. It’s usually fairly correct, and mixing audio and textual content ought to assist scale back misunderstandings and mistranslations.
Galaxy AI powers new pictures options tied to the quilt show, too. AutoZoom takes no less than a number of the guesswork out of framing when establishing the Z Flip to take a timed picture or file video with out direct supervision, and it really works nicely, cramming in buddies or cropping your environment to focus in in your group. Enhancing and modifying the Flex Window continues to be unnecessarily sophisticated. Different options are buried away within the Labs part of settings, and there are usually not sufficient widgets for a tool on its fifth iteration. (Samsung by no means launched a Z Flip 2.)
However, when different flip foldables supply a truncated model of your property display, and may (with combined success) run most apps, some new widgets aren’t sufficient. Thankfully, Samsung’s Labs settings can run a handful of apps on the quilt display, together with YouTube, Netflix, WhatsApp, and Google Maps. It’s a begin, but when the quilt show can deal with streaming video, absolutely I may get a Kindle studying app, or a stripped-down model of Chrome. I want Samsung had pushed it additional. (There are some instruments and apps to work round this, many Galaxy Z Flip customers swear by Good Lock, however I don’t need to need to work round this constraint.)
The Z Flip 6 additionally will get a RAM improve this yr, as much as 12 gigs from 8GB final yr. Just like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and S24, it has a robust Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, and I didn’t discover any efficiency points throughout testing.
Cameras
The first digicam sensor on this yr’s Z Flip has lastly been upgraded to 50 megapixels, placing it on par with this yr’s Galaxy S24. It’s higher, positive, however doesn’t fairly match the capabilities of main digicam telephones just like the Pixel 8 Professional, S24 Extremely, or iPhone 15 Professional.
Pitting the Z Flip 6 towards the Z Flip 5, I used to be shocked how typically the photographs just about matched one another. Predictably, if I selected to shoot on the Z Flip 6 in full 50-megapixel stills, that provided extra constancy than the Z Flip 5. If I shot in 12MP on the Z Flip 6, there typically was little distinction between the 2 foldables. The newer telephone was much less vulnerable to blowing out a whole picture when all the things was brightly lit. On the identical time, it’s extra dependable in low-light conditions, particularly once you select the 12MP setting, letting the telephone course of these additional pixels for a extra detailed shot. The Z Flip 6 appeared extra able to pulling out finer element, whether or not that was blades of grass or the mushy define of this affected person canine.
An even bigger good thing about that larger sensor is that the Z Flip 6 can zoom in by cropping the 50MP picture to a 12MP one. You’ll be able to seize a pleasant picture at 2x and even 4x zoom, with no devoted telephoto lens.
Unsurprisingly, because of Samsung’s processing, the higher-resolution sensors within the Z Flip 6 carry out higher in low mild than final yr’s mannequin. Samsung’s imaging processing often received a little bit too aggressive, with clothes and skylines typically marred by crinkly strains and artifacts. It’s not likely a leap past the Z Flip 5’s cameras, but it surely wasn’t a horrible imaging setup within the first place. This manner issue ensures that you just’re utilizing these high-resolution cameras for any selfies or video calls, which means nothing else comes shut in high quality.
Galaxy AI options come to foldables
Samsung’s Galaxy AI software program lands on its foldables this yr, and the corporate continues including and refining. Alongside Chat Help for writing texts and emails, the improbable Google Circle to Search is right here, making it simpler to research virtually something you’re in your telephone. It’s the digicam options I’ve been most impressed with – and have been just about the one Galaxy AI methods I used with any regularity.
Samsung’s improved AI picture enhancing instruments are straightforward to make use of and proper the place you want them to be. When you open a photograph, you faucet on Samsung’s AI sparkle icon, and choose objects by circling them. You’ll be able to then delete your choice or transfer it into a greater place and, with one other faucet of the AI button, let Samsung’s AI fill within the gaps.
In full distinction to the laborious widget menus and settings for the entrance show, it’s really easy to make use of and does what you need it to. After your AI nips and tucks, there’s a ‘view original’ button to check your photographs.
Then there’s Sketch to picture, a pleasant distraction. Making just a few cursory strains, or try to attract one thing particular, and Galaxy AI will generate an object and apply it to your picture, typically in a photo-realistic manner. Typically, it even nails it.
Galaxy telephones will add an “AI-generated content” watermark, however the larger indicators of AI objects and enhancing have been scale (hello, large goose), blurry outlines or the principles of physics.
I used to be shocked at how succesful Sasmung’s picture technology was. Sketching a ghost (efficiently!) behind a mesh barrier generated my spook behind the barrier. It might additionally apply applicable mild shading and shadows for some uncannily correct outcomes. That canine image earlier? There was no ball there. Additionally: a number of photorealistic white hats. It was a disgrace I couldn’t change the colour of these things, or supply some text-based steerage to acknowledge my scribbles. It’s a gimmick, positive, but it surely’s a great one. I’m nonetheless utilizing it quite a bit, days later. It’s a number of enjoyable.
Not all of the AI options are that profitable: Portrait Studio will mechanically detect photographs of individuals and supply a number of AI-generated drawings/ sketches and 3D renders, all of which make me appear to be all the opposite white male tech journalists who put on glasses. Which is harsh, however truthful.
Battery life: Higher, not nice
The Z Flip 6 packs an even bigger 4,000mAh battery, and the Z Flip collection’ greatest weak spot has been lasting a whole day, particularly beneath heavy use. The Z Flip 6 scrapes by means of right here. Utilizing it as my essential telephone, it at all times lasted by means of a day of heavy use, with round 10 p.c left at round 10PM. I’d nonetheless hold a charger on me, anxious that I may not make it by means of a night.
On our video rundown check, it lasted over 13 hours of playback on the primary display. Sadly, the frustratingly sluggish cost velocity continues to be right here. The Z Flip 6 can cost as much as 25W, and after years of upper cost charges, I felt it took its time to recharge. From empty, it took two hours to prime up absolutely. For comparability, the S24 Extremely can cost at as much as 45W, and the Pixel 8 Professional can cost at as much as 40W. I believe this may even be much less of a problem if I weren’t frightened in regards to the Z Flip 6’s battery going the space.
Foldables have sometimes taken decrease energy enter through the years, probably attributable to how battery cells are organized inside a foldable machine. Nevertheless, if the 2024 Motorola Razr+ can deal with 45W, why can’t the Z Flip 6?
Wrap-up
Samsung’s Z Flip collection stays essentially the most life like flagship possibility when pitted towards the smartphone slab established order. The most recent mannequin is satisfying to make use of and satisfying to fold away and slip right into a pocket. The Z Flip 6 additionally has higher cameras, improved battery life and comes with all of the Galaxy AI options which might be shaping as much as be Samsung’s smartphone USP.
Maybe this concentrate on AI meant that the quilt show has barely advanced since final yr’s Z Flip — particularly irritating when the Z Flip 6 prices $100 greater than its predecessor. Whilst you can faucet into experimental options to allow YouTube playback and Google Maps entry, it’s a little bit underwhelming, particularly when rivals like Motorola have proved that extra is feasible on a foldable’s secondary display.