Less foldable, more phone that can fold

I went hands-on with the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 just about a month ago, and I was very positive about my experience with the Z Fold 6 and left disappointed by the Z Flip 6. However, there are reasons why we take time to review devices after the first impressions because now, my tune has changed.

I recently published my review of the Z Fold 6, and I was shocked by the experience. I thought I’d love the device, but there were some flaws in its design, and coupled with the crazy price, it left me disappointed. However, the Z Flip 6, on the other hand, I thought I’d spend the whole time hating the smartphone, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Of course, I’m a little biased. I’ve said numerous times that I love folding phones and gimmicks in general. However, my enjoyment for folding phones typically doesn’t extend to clamshell foldable handsets. But things have changed this year, with the Razr+ being a great foldable and the Z Flip 6 being a great phone that can fold.

It’s worth mentioning that I’ll be comparing the Razr+ and the Z Flip 6 a lot in this review, as they are the two top-of-the-line clamshell foldables on the Canadian market.

Foldable or Folding Smartphone, what’s the difference?

When I say that the Razr+ is a great foldable and the Z Flip 6 is a great phone that can fold, it might sound a bit weird, but hear me out. Motorola spent time thinking about how the cover and primary folding screen can benefit the user and implemented different features to allow them to take full advantage of both displays. Motorola has expanded the capabilities of its cover screen by allowing for more widgets and making it larger. Instead of doing this, Samsung made the display the same size as its predecessor, didn’t allow for more capabilities, and framed the shooters of the Z Flip 6, making the awkwardly placed cameras stand out even more.

While this is all true, it doesn’t mean you should stop reading the review and count the Z Flip 6 out. In fact, there’s a chance that the Z Flip 6 might be even more enticing than you’d expect. When unfolded, the Z Flip 6 feels just like a regular smartphone. There were many moments when I’d be using the Z Flip 6 and forget it’s a folding phone. When the device is unfolded, you can barely make out the crease, and the frame feels like one solid piece. The only thing that’s slightly off is the aspect ratio, which is a little slimmer than a regular handset, but I think that serves as a benefit.

I’m really only looking at the cover screen to check the time, change a song or quickly speak to Google Assistant. Pretty much I use it like how someone could use a smartwatch. I spent most of the time with my Z Flip 6 opened up like a regular phone and I used the front cover sparingly.

Some might hate this, but honestly, I’m not really against this. If you’re using a clamshell foldable, how else do you want to use it? Do you want to spend a lot of time playing around with the front screen, using the primary display for productivity tasks, or are you like me and using the front screen to check notifications, the time, and another minute task?

Unfolded, it boasts a 6.7-inch 1080 x 2640-pixel resolution 120Hz display with HDR10+, and everything looks great. Seriously, I rarely ever notice the crease. I’m only mentioning this again because I’m incredibly surprised and impressed by the handset’s build. The device’s flat sides line it up with the other devices in the company’s lineup, which is a stolen trait from the iPhones. And while it makes the Z Flip 6 thicker than the Razr+, it’s also easier to hold, and I felt I was less likely to drop it.

I think Samsung should improve the Cover Screen by making it larger and opening up customizability like Motorola. Even though I probably wouldn’t change how I use the device, people should have the option. Otherwise, the device is solid and well built, offers water protection, and comes in this very nice Light Blue as well as Yellow, Peach, Mint, and Crafted Black.

Impressive performance

Performance-wise, I haven’t ran into any issues with the Z Flip 6. I don’t run multiple apps simultaneously like I would with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, but I’ll switch back and forth between YouTube and Instagram, scroll through Twitter, listen to music on Spotify, play several games of Marvel Snap, take pictures and more.

Battery performance isn’t too bad, and I can get through the day without needing to worry about charging it. It’ll also make it to the next day, but it won’t last beyond noon. All I need is a reliable battery, so I’m happy that the Z Flip 6 was able to provide. Perhaps battery life could have improved if I used the Cover Screen a bit more instead of the main one.

I wish Samsung offered higher than 25W wired charging for the Z Flip 6. C’mon Samsung, the S24 Ultra has 45W wired charging, share the love.

I’m not too interested in talking about benchmarks, but the Z Flip 6 continues to impress. With a single-core score of 2,246 and a multi-core score of 6,740, the flip phone even beats the Z Fold 6. The spec bump from 8GB to 12GB of RAM plus its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip helps keep the Flip 6 chugging along smoothly.

Like the Z Fold 6, the Z Flip 6 boasts some Galaxy AI features, but I didn’t really find much use for them. This isn’t necessarily an unusual occurrence, and it’s similar to other handsets. However, with Apple Intelligence, Moto AI, and Gemini Live on the horizon, Samsung’s AI features pale in comparison.

Another Plus

Samsung has also improved the camera sensor on the Z Flip 6. Pictures are vivid, bright and in true Samsung fashion, there’s a bit of oversaturation. Some people (like me) enjoy this, but it’s not for everyone. The sky is slightly bluer, and the grass is a bit greener; still, it’s pleasing to the eye, and turning off the scene optimizer helps a bit. Oversaturation, notwithstanding the primary shooter, also has a great high dynamic range, showcasing the difference between bright whites and darker shadows. Lowlight performance was all right. I brought the handset to karaoke with me and captured some great photos and videos of my friends and I that were definitely Instagram-worthy. However, there is still a bit of noise, and shots can vary a lot if the sensor is too dark. Still, I’m happy Samsung improved, giving the Z Flip 6 a proper flagship camera.

The Z Flip 6 has the same ultrawide as last year’s Z Flip 6. It takes good shots, but the cameras lose quality once it gets too dark.

The main attraction of the Z Flip 6’s camera capabilities is its cover screen, which serves as a viewfinder. You’re able to take selfies with the primary cameras. I did this a lot instead of pretty much ever using the camera on the inner display. It was fun showing it off to my friends, but they’d often get confused about where to look.

Camera-wise, I think the Z Flip 6 beats the Razr+.

Samsung Apple Z Flip

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 mostly has a solid design that feels excellent. I’d rather the handset sport a larger Cover Screen and give it more customization options, but it’s not too bad with how I use it. The device has pretty average battery life and a flagship-grade camera. Of course, if you want the best Samsung camera experience, head over to the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

With all that said, the Z Flip 6 feels like a device for anyone. It’s simple, doesn’t offer too much, and it folds. If Apple were to release an iPhone folding phone, it would be similar to the Z Flip 6 — and that’s a compliment.

I think the following people would love using the Z Flip 6

• Anyone who wants to try a flip-style foldable.
• A user who doesn’t want to play around too much with the settings or customizations and just wants the device to work.
• People who want to carry around a very portable smartphone.

Unfortunately, Samsung raised its prices, with the Z Flip 6 starting at $1,462.99, a $163 increase. Samsung has improved its phone with better dust resistance, giving the phone a bigger battery, more RAM, a top-of-the-line processor, and a better camera, so while it’s hard to recommend a smartphone at that price — and the Flip 6 isn’t the best of the best — it’s not half bad either.

I was pleasantly surprised by so many aspects of the Z Flip 6. It’s not perfect, and I can see where Samsung could improve things, but it’s a solid device for anyone who’s looking for an introduction to foldable technology or just wants a smartphone that works well.