Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Overview: Samsung Makes Tiny Tweaks – Uplaza

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 in a nutshell

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 has been accessible for pre-order ever because it was unveiled on July 10, 2024. Samsung’s foldable smartphone is available in three reminiscence configurations:

• 12 / 256 GB: $1,899.99
• 12 / 512 GB: $2,019.99
• 12 / 1024 GB: $2,259.99

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is $100 costlier than the Galaxy Z Fold 5 (assessment) which in flip, was additionally costlier than the Galaxy Z Fold 4 (assessment).

Design and display

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is 14 g lighter than the Galaxy Z Fold 5, with extra angular corners, as discovered within the earlier Galaxy Observe gadgets. For the primary time in a foldable Samsung smartphone, the Z Fold 6 is IP48 licensed. The duvet display can be slightly bigger and its edges are extra symmetrical. Nevertheless, all these modifications are virtually redundant as they don’t seem to be noticeable in on a regular basis use.

Execs:

• Gorilla Glass Victus 2 in entrance and on the again.
• IP certification, finally!
• Extra snug to carry than earlier than.
• Prime-quality end.

Cons:

• The 14g weight discount is just not apparent.
• The selfie digicam underneath the inner display is simply too seen.
• Design “evolutions” are too minimal.

Very, very refined design modifications

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is offered in 5 colours: white, grey, pink, midnight blue, and the brand new carbon black. The again coating is matte and guarded by Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The smartphone has barely extra angular corners and flatter edges. It weighs 14 g lower than the earlier mannequin at 239 g. The smartphone can be barely wider and fewer tall than the Z Fold 5.

It’s IP48-certified for water and dirt resistance, permitting it to face up to immersion to a depth of 1.5 m for half-hour. Mud particles bigger than 1 mm shouldn’t harm the smartphone.

Visually, I discovered nothing has modified drastically from final yr’s mannequin. The end is as meticulous as ever. I actually like the grey coloration of my assessment unit. The IP48 ranking is not insane, however it’s about time Samsung included such certification for his or her flagship system.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 matches higher within the hand this yr, which is an effective factor. The hinge affords a very good steadiness between rigidity and fluidity. You’ll be able to’t unfold it with one hand, however the “snap” if you fold and unfold it’s as satisfying as ever.

Two high screens

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 has a bigger cowl display, up from 6.2 to six.3 inches. It is an 120 Hz LTPO AMOLED panel protected by Gorilla Glass Victus. This cowl display can obtain a most brightness of two,600 nits.

Sure, the duvet display is slightly greater however it nonetheless would not have the format of a “normal” smartphone when the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is folded. It is nearer to the display ratio of an Xperia smartphone. With my fats fingers, I am nonetheless slightly in need of area in terms of typing utilizing the keyboard. However, I did not thoughts utilizing the digicam software with out having to unfold the smartphone. I additionally admire how the perimeters are extra symmetrical this yr.

The Galaxy Z Fold’s inside display is a 7.6″ 120 Hz LTPO AMOLED panel and is protected by a plastic movie sans any Gorilla Glass presence. Right here too, the height brightness stands at 2,600 nits.

I’ve nothing unfavourable to say in regards to the inside display, aside from that well-known crease within the center that Samsung will most likely by no means do away with. The crease did not trouble me in any respect throughout my assessment. However, I did not just like the selfie digicam that was hidden underneath the display. It gnaws at my eyes on a regular basis.

Interface and OS

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 runs on the One UI 6.1.1 pores and skin that’s based mostly on Android 14. The one precise new options are a couple of
Galaxy AI capabilities (assessment), a few of that are very first rate and fascinating. Samsung guarantees seven years of Android updates and 7 years of safety updates. That is glorious and much better than its rivals.

Execs:

• 7 Android updates + 7 years of safety updates.
• Chosen spectacular Galaxy AI capabilities.
• Prime-notch multitasking functionality.
• Intuitive navigation between the 2 screens.

Cons:

• No main new options aside from Galaxy AI.
• Unique” AI capabilities are unlikely to stay so.

I’ve gone into nice element about One UI’s options in Samsung’s foldable smartphones. You may know all in regards to the multitasking, app continuity between the 2 screens, and many others. I’ve additionally received a full-length article in regards to the well-known Flex Mode. Lastly, there is a record of the very best One UI 6 options, with plenty of hidden tips and capabilities, which is why I will not bore you by repeating them.

As for the brand new options in One UI 6.1.1, they primarily concern Galaxy AI (assessment). I am going to record them right here in no specific order and offer you my opinion on every of them pretty shortly.

Dynamic wallpapers based mostly on the climate

You’ll be able to create a wallpaper impact that adapts to the climate dynamically. Choose the background that you really want and if it is raining, an animated rain filter will seem. The identical goes for snow and totally different climate situations. It is a enjoyable departure from boring wallpapers and it really works properly with the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s fluid, vivid screens.

Sensible choose

Samsung additionally improved its Sensible choose perform. You’ll be able to entry this perform through the “edge panel”. It is a pop-up menu that seems if you swipe from one of many display’s edges. Sensible choose is a variety too that works this manner: whether or not on an internet web page, in a be aware app, or studying a doc, Sensible choose can mechanically detect sure parts. The software will then counsel context-sensitive actions.

If you choose some textual content with a phone quantity in it, Sensible choose will counsel you name that quantity. There is no want to focus on the precise quantity. Merely circle or faucet the paragraph containing the quantity along with your finger and voila! It is nice enjoyable and works very well.

Face-to-face translations with Interpreter

The Interpreter software is a real-time translator and is not authentic in any approach. Nevertheless, what’s new on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is you should utilize each screens to show translated transcripts of your dialog.

Think about you are speaking to somebody in entrance of you. You do not communicate the identical language. All it’s a must to do is start the dialog and maintain your Galaxy Z Fold 6 in entrance of you. Every thing you say is then transcribed, translated, and displayed on the smartphone’s cowl display. This permits the particular person in entrance of you to see the interpretation. This is useful in the event you’re in a loud setting, or in case your companion is tough of listening to.

Portrait Studio

This perform is without doubt one of the picture enhancing choices in Galaxy AI. Studio Portrait helps you to create extra superior filters to remodel your self right into a cartoon character or different. It is greater than only a filter because the AI generates a picture and takes a couple of liberties with it. The outcomes appeared to me slightly too generic and at instances horrifying,venturing ito the uncanny valley.

Sketch to picture

That is one other of Galaxy AI’s picture enhancing capabilities. You’ll be able to draw an object on considered one of your photographs and the AI will then generate a practical model of this object and combine it into the picture as if it had been a part of it within the first place.

I beloved this characteristic. Even with very tough sketches, the generated objects had been strikingly sensible at instances they usually built-in very properly with the photographs. It did not really feel like Samsung was merely pasting a PNG over a photograph.

Do be aware the chances usually are not infinite. Drawing over a face is unattainable. I could not make myself sport a Karl Marx beard. As quickly as you add a number of drawings, or the weather are too far aside, the AI refuses to play alongside. All in all, I discovered this perform very spectacular and enjoyable to make use of.

Efficiency and SoC

When it comes to efficiency, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 options Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. There’s 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and between 256GB and 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage, relying on the mannequin. Efficiency is extraordinarily stable however would not undergo the roof.

Execs:

• No overheating points.
• Appropriate for 60 FPS gaming.

Cons:

• Efficiency is just not worthy of a $1,900 smartphone

Total, the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s efficiency is stable however its scores are decrease than these of most different non-foldable flagships working on the identical SoC. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely (assessment) achieved higher outcomes, as an example.

I perceive the design of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 requires some fairly strict thermal administration. The smartphone is skinny and full of parts. Regardless that Samsung has enlarged the vapor chamber, there is not a lot area to handle the warmth contained in the chassis. Naturally, the smartphone has to gradual itself down.

On the 3D Mark Wild Life Excessive Stress Take a look at benchmark, stability stood at simply 51%. That is fairly common for such an costly smartphone.

These are the benchmarks do you have to be excited by them. All of the cell video games I ran had been chugging alongside at round 60 FPS in excessive graphics with out too many issues. I did not discover any overheating in any respect.

Digital camera efficiency

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 has a triple digicam module on the again. The 50 MP foremost lens, a 12 MP ultra-wide angle, and a ten MP telephoto lens. The smartphone additionally has two selfie lenses. The inner 4 MP selfie digicam is hidden beneath the display whereas the second 10 MP digicam is situated on the duvet display. This is similar configuration seen in final yr’s Galaxy Z Fold 5. Sadly, its age is starting to indicate.

Execs:

• Environment friendly foremost lens for day and night time photographs.
• Good distinction and element.
• Excellent 3x telephoto zoom.
• Environment friendly portrait mode with good cropping.

Cons:

• Ineffective inside selfie digicam
• Random high quality for night time photographs.
• Digital camera high quality is just not worthy of a $1,900 smartphone.

Foremost digicam and ultra-wide angle digicam high quality

The principle digicam of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is similar as that of the Galaxy S24 (assessment). It is a sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, autofocus, and optical stabilization. Photographs are captured in 12 MP decision through pixel binning, however it’s also possible to change to full 50 MP decision in the event you so want.

Day or night time, photographs captured utilizing the primary digicam are excellent. The element degree is all the time enough. Samsung manages dynamic vary properly. It is extensive, however we nonetheless get good contrasts with complicated publicity. The colours, whereas slightly saturated, did not appear too synthetic to me.

Portrait mode is functionally efficient. Samsung limits overexposure considerations when the topic is in direct daylight. Bokeh in photographs will be taken with 1x or 2x zoom. There is a third 3x mode, however it depends on the telephoto lens moderately than the primary one. Total, cropping is all the time very clear.

Zoom high quality

The Galaxy Z Fold 6’s 10 MP telephoto lens can zoom in optically as much as 3x. The digital zoom affords 10x, 20x, and a most of 30x. It additionally has an f/2.4 aperture, autofocus, and optical stabilization. Regardless of the telephoto lens’ 10 MP decision, zoomed photographs are captured in 12 MP decision. It is because Samsung performs an “upscaling” operation to make the telephoto photographs extra in keeping with the primary lens.

The 3x zoom photographs are all first rate in the course of the day. They’re wealthy intimately and there aren’t any main coloration or publicity inconsistencies with the wide-angle lens nor did I discover any artifacts. Rendering can be excellent as much as 10x. Past that, the extent of element is insufficient, sharpness is absent and artifacts start to indicate.

I additionally actually favored the Samsung digicam software’s zoom interface. The zoom ranges are very simple to entry. That is hardly ever the case with different producers. You do not have to swipe to vary the zoom degree, which may be very sensible.

Selfie high quality

We have now three choices to seize selfies with the Galaxy Z Fold 6. We are able to use the exterior selfie digicam which is situated on the duvet display when the smartphone is folded and carries a ten MP decision.

Photographs are first rate, however nothing greater than that. Portrait mode works fairly properly. At night time, high quality takes a success with a major lack of element resulting from smoothing to compensate for digital noise.

There’s additionally the inner selfie digicam which comes into motion when the smartphone is unfolded. That is hidden beneath the display, and its 4 MP decision makes it just about redundant. It additionally doesn’t supply a portrait mode.

Other than video calls, I would advise towards utilizing it as a result of low-resolution depend. For sure, night time photographs are a disastrous affair.

Lastly, you possibly can take selfies with the primary lens on the again. You’ll have to unfold the smartphone first, flip it the wrong way up, and the duvet display capabilities as a viewfinder.

That is the only option for my part because the high quality is a lot better than utilizing the opposite two cameras talked about. You may want to regulate your composition slightly by way of framing because the digicam is not centered behind. The ratio can be totally different because the aperture is f/1.8 with an extended focal size.

Night time high quality

I’ve by no means been a fan of night time photographs with Samsung smartphones. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 hasn’t modified my thoughts on this regard. The principle digicam does properly however you possibly can see artifacts within the night time sky. Avenue lamps and different lighting crack the picture in locations with lens flares.

Whereas the primary digicam manages to keep up a very good degree of element by limiting digital noise, this isn’t the case with the ultra-wide angle lens. The telephoto lens does moderately properly at 3x, however falters past this zoom degree.

Battery and recharging

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6’s 4,400 mAh battery is comparatively small. It has to energy a really energy-hungry SoC and two equally energy-hungry screens. Logically, battery life would endure. The smartphone helps 25W wired charging and 10W wi-fi charging.

Execs:

• Sufficient battery life when folded.
• Wi-fi charging is supported.

Cons:

• When absolutely opened, the battery drains far too shortly.
• No charger is included.
• Wired charging is way too gradual.

In our battery life benchmark, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 lasted 10 hours 46 minutes earlier than dropping beneath 20% battery life, with the display unfolded. That is a poor rating. Realistically, you will not be utilizing the smartphone absolutely opened on a regular basis.

When folded, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 lasted 15 hours and 36 minutes utilizing the identical benchmark and in accordance with the identical parameters. This is much better, however nonetheless distant from the very best rating for a smartphone on this worth vary.

I am going to by no means surrender ranting on this one, Samsung’s charging pace is way too gradual. It is disappointing to pay $1,900 for a smartphone that doesn’t include a charger, and I’ve to attend for an hour and 45 minutes to go from 0 to 100%. What’s worse, the battery capability is not even that enormous within the first place.

Technical information

Conclusion