I am a user who loves to multi-task on a smartphone. When I started using a phone with a foldable screen, not even 10 times did I use the multi-tasking feature and that was just to flex with friends or family. This made me switch to valve-capable phones. This year I tested the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 which is a slightly better iteration than the Galaxy Z Flip5
SPECIFICATIONS & DESIGN
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 5G
Inner Screen – 6.7″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, FHD+, 120Hz, HDR10+
External – 3.4″ Super AMOLED, 720 x 748, 60Hz
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Processor For Galaxy (4nm)
1x 3.39GHz Cortex-X4 chip
3x 3.1GHz Cortex-A720
2x 2.9GHz Cortex-A720
2x 2.2GHz Cortex-A520
Adreno 750 1GHz Graphics Chip
RAM 12GB LPDDR5X
Internal Storage 512 GB UFS 4.0
Primary Camera 50 Megapixel f/1.8, OIS
12 Megapixel f/2.2
Selfie Camera/Internal Camera 10 Megapixel f/2.2
4000mAh battery
25W wired charging
10W wireless charging
4.5W reverse charging
SIM/Nano Telephony/5G
NFC Yes
No Audio Jack
Waterproof IP48
Scan System Side fingerprint scanner
Sale Price RM4,999 (12/256 GB)
RM5,599 (12/512 GB)
The specifications of the device are still more or less the same as the Galaxy Z Flip5. The most significant difference is in the processing chip that now uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 For Galaxy, a 50MP camera compared to 12MP and a slightly larger battery of 4000mAh. Many other changes to the software through One UI 6.1.1.
The design of the device is also more or less the same, it's the design that I really like on the Flip5. It's just that the Xiaomi MIX Flip has an all-over screen design that makes me jealous that Samsung just recycled the same design. The Cover Screen is folder-shaped, the volume button and the power button together with the fingerprint scanner on the left side, as well as the inner screen whose folding effect is less and less visible.
It's very rare that a Samsung OLED screen disappoints me, again for a flagship device. The Z Flip6 still uses the same 6.7″ FHD+ screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. It is quite good, fast and great because it is able to provide a satisfactory usage experience. Only for color it is limited to HDR10+ which for some people is enough but for me, I am more comfortable with Dolby Vision standard because the color is more pleasing to the eye. When scrolling and the screen touches the center, the crease effect is not so noticeable anymore.
For Cover Screen, Flex Window is now a little more flexible. Google Maps is available by default, but if you use Good Lock now Google Wallet can be used with fast performance just like Samsung Wallet. Google Gemini can also be used on this screen which is pretty cool but I don't like it because some of the text is hard to read.
BIOMETRIC
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 has a good biometric system. Super fast fingerprint scan even when my fingers are dirty and sweaty. It is something I really appreciate. I just hope the next generation uses a fingerprint scanner under the screen for more efficient identity verification.
USING, ONEUI 6.1.1 & GALAXY AI
As I said above, many drastic changes to this device are through OneUI 6.1.1. This change is more due to their generative artificial intelligence, Galaxy AI. What I have said on Flip5 like better Flex Mode, smoother performance, better Cover Screen and updates up to 7 years are still available on Flip6.
So what's interesting about OneUI 6.1.1? Definitely their new AI feature. The first one I really like is the Interpreter where the Cover Screen can be a display displaying a foreign language and the inner screen will display the translation of the conversation. This makes it very easy for me to communicate when assigned abroad.
I also really like the AI feature that can suggest texts to reply to on messaging apps. This feature is on the Cover Screen where when the notification is pressed it will not open the application, instead Galaxy AI will read the last 10 texts to understand the context before text suggestions are generated. I also love the brand new Chat Assist which is no longer limited to the keyboard. It now has its own interface for generating text in various tones.
The AI feature that I don't stop using is in the Gallery application, which is Sketch to image. In any picture, I can sketch something and it will generate a new object based on the context of the picture and it tries to understand what's being sketched even if it's bad. Animals, clothes and plants are usually realistic finished with shadow effects. Then there is Portrait Studio which detects faces in photos and can generate portrait images in the form of 3D cartoons, sketches and more.
During my use for about a month, a single time lag problem did not occur. Samsung's choice to use 12GB of RAM is a smart decision. I also no longer have a headache choosing background images because everything is generated with AI. Not only that, the customization features on OneUI are also similar to Pixel devices. If you don't like it, the theme store is still maintained to buy various different themes or icon packs.
BENCH MARK
It's true, on paper the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 For Galaxy is more powerful than the regular version. It is closer to Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Leading Version. Even so, the heavy OneUI system is not capable of displaying high scores on benchmark applications. For this review I compared it to the Galaxy Z Fold6 with the same chip, the Sony Xperia 1 VI and the OnePlus 12 with the regular Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
AnTuTu 3D
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 – 1,361,432
OnePlus 12 – 1,579,634
iQOO 12 – 2,075,821
Xiaomi 14 – 1,773,520
Geekbench 6
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 – 2,061/5,760
OnePlus 12 – 967/5020
iQOO 12 – 2181/6631
Xiaomi 14 – 1741/6313
3DMark – Wild Life Extreme
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 – 4,574
OnePlus 12 – 4632/27.74 FPS
iQOO 12 – 5045/30.22 FPS
Xiaomi 14 – 4499/26.94 FPS
Playing for the first time on this device is also satisfying. Marvel SNAP, Asphalt Legends Unite (the new version of Asphalt 9) and even Call of Duty Mobile when played for two hours continuously had absolutely no heating issues. It's quite fast and smooth and when going back to the home screen, there are no lags or system crashes. Oh yeah, another advantage of the Flip6 in gaming is that when I get mad because I'm losing I'll try to break the device – luckily it's foldable and no damage is done.
CAMERA
After years of complaining to Samsung about still using a 12MP camera on the Flip, this year they listened to my complaints and included a 50MP camera. It is very useful, quite beautiful and more high quality. Again with the interesting Auto Zoom feature in FlexCam mode.
How is the quality? The 50MP main sensor on the Flip6 is about the same on the S24+. I'm not sure what Samsung did to the camera algorithm, to my eye the quality on the S24+ is better than the Flip6. Especially at night, everything else is more or less the same. You can see the sample below and give your opinion in the comment section.
The 50MP auto mode in daylight is many times better than the Z Flip5.
HDR capability for plants is also pleasing to the eye,
50MP selfies with FlexCam have no problem preserving clear details.
Night mode with 50MP and digital zoom is quite weak.
Auto mode in low light is also just fine.
Day mode without HDR has fast focus.
Close-up mode without portrait mode still has a neat bokeh effect.
Food pictures have an algorithm that determines the most suitable color profile.
Portrait mode photos are transformed with Galaxy AI to give realistic results as if there were no changes.
The 2x zoom in daylight is also impressive despite the lack of a telephoto sensor.
The ultra-wide-angle mode has little distortion, so it's perfect for beautiful scenes rather than products.
VIDEOS
For Android devices, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel are among those that have good and stable video recording capabilities. The Galaxy Z Flip6 also supports 4K recording but what I like is Instant Slow-mo where, do a normal video recording then press and hold on the pinch image for it to generate a slow motion video.
TELEPHONY AND GPS
I'm also not sure if this is a software issue or if there's something wrong with the Galaxy Z Flip6's antenna. The mobile data connection is weaker compared to the Z Flip5. I often receive 4G networks in 5G areas, while iPhones with poor network access can receive stable 5G. The WiFi connection is also a bit slow compared to other Android devices in the same class. I solved this issue by resetting the network settings.
BATTERY
Fuhhh, this is something I'm very proud of. Although the battery is only 300mAh larger than the last generation, its durability is quite remarkable. For 22 hours of continuous use, SOT can last up to 5 hours. Light use has no problem reaching up to 7 hours of SOT and more extreme use can also provide durability approaching 6 hours of SOT. Last year it only lasted up to 5 hours of SOT.
Yes, the charging duration is still disappointing as it is limited to 25W. Samsung also provides wireless charging and reverse wireless but I rarely use it. I really hope, for the Flip at least supports 45W because I don't have time to wait up to 90 minutes to be fully charged – while other devices in 30 minutes are done.
AUDIO
I also have a little problem with the audio. More or less the same stereo speakers on the Flip5, including with Dolby Atmos support. For some reason, my ears heard audio that was not good like a lack of bass and it was inconsistent with sometimes being balanced and sometimes not. I also switched the Flip5 back on and it turns out it's true, this last generation valve phone has better audio. I'm sure this is a software problem and really hope it gets fixed because I want to make my Flip6 my everyday phone.
CONCLUSION
Almost all generations of phones with flip-up screens have been tried by me as everyday devices. Last year, Flip5 I said was the flip font that didn't flop this year Flip6 I would say this is the most adequate valve font. The 50MP camera is more beautiful, the Galaxy AI is getting better and the most interesting is the amazing battery life.
The performance of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 For Galaxy chip may not be as fast as other Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 devices but the 12GB RAM memory on the Flip6 makes this device more than sufficient for daily use. Buy now at prices starting at RM4,999 it can last up to 7 years. This means you only spend around RM2 for over 2500 days of use, well worth it!.
Pro
Beautiful and attractive screen.
More than adequate performance.
Galaxy AI is getting smarter.
Very long lasting battery.
The device does not heat up easily.
More features and additional functions of generative AI.
Cons
The design is not as beautiful as competing valve fonts.
Cover Screen and FlexWindow have usage limits.
The camera is a bit weak at night.
The speaker is not as good as the Galaxy Z Flip5.
Charging is quite slow.