It is been a wild 5 years for foldable telephones. What gave the impression of an enormous — if audacious — misfire for Samsung in 2019 has spun into a complete product class, with just about each and every main Android OEM looking to woo their shoppers into a brand new shape issue. Even in the USA, the place festival used to be sluggish to select up, you presently have various choices. From turn telephones like the brand new Moto Razr+ to the approaching Pixel 9 Professional Fold, it is not a one-horse race anymore.
All over all of this, Samsung has held its path. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is essentially the most subtle model of its unique design we have observed but, however in many ways, it is simply that: every other yr of refinements, now not revolution. Whilst its competitors proceed to experiment with all kinds of other designs and tool ideas, Samsung has, for higher or worse, persisted to iterate on the entire concepts first observed on its unique foldable. And whilst that suggests the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a protected pick out in case you are browsing to improve, it additionally manner Samsung’s foldables have misplaced the lead in a race they to start with had a head get started in.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 With the Galaxy Z Fold 6, Samsung has crafted its greatest foldable but, a work of {hardware} that feels leagues above its predecessors. But, with little else new, this in reality appears like the similar core enjoy the corporate has introduced because the unique Galaxy Fold, at the same time as the contest continues to step up its sport.ProsThinner, lighter chassis that in any case feels love it can have compatibility to your pocketRefined design appears a lot better than earlier generationsOne UI nonetheless feels maximum at house on foldables ConsFront show nonetheless feels needlessly crampedGalaxy AI has already hit “sun shades on canines” ranges of gimmicks$100 dearer, however with little to turn for it
Availability and community
To be had all over the place, however for $100 extra
As standard, Samsung’s newest foldable is to be had nearly anyplace smartphones are offered, together with Amazon, Best possible Purchase, and all 3 nationwide carriers in the USA, with a beginning value of $1,900. If you are prepared to shop for via Samsung’s website online, you’ll be able to select from your provider of selection and rating probably the most corporate’s two unique colours: White and Crafted Black. For everybody else, you will have to pick out between Purple, Military, and, as observed on this evaluate, Silver Shadow. Purchase it unlocked, and you’ll be able to apply it to nearly any US community, together with maximum MVNOs.
Specs SoC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy Show sort AMOLED, 120Hz Show dimensions 7.6” (major); 6.3” (duvet) Show solution 2160×1856 (major), 2376×968 (duvet) RAM 12GB Garage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB Battery 4,400 mAh Fee pace As much as 25W (stressed out), 15W wi-fi charging supported Fee choices Stressed out, wi-fi, Wi-fi PowerShare Ports USB-C SIM give a boost to As much as two nano SIM, multi eSIM Running Machine Android 14; One UI 6.1.1 Entrance digital camera 10 MP f/2.2 (duvet); 4 MP f/1.8 (beneath major show) Rear digital camera 50 MP f/1.8 number one; 12 MP f/2.2 ultra-wide; 10 MP f/2.4 3x telephoto Mobile connectivity 5G; LTE Wi-Fi connectivity Wi-Fi 6E Connectivity Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.3 Dimensions 68.1 x 153.5 x 12.1 mm (folded); 132.6 x 153.5 x 5.6mm (opened up) Weight 239g IP Ranking IP48 Colours Silver Shadow; Purple; Military; Crafted Black (Samsung.com Unique); White (Samsung.com Unique) Stylus S Pen give a boost to Value $1,900 Enlarge
Design and show
An all-new form, however is it sufficient?
Whilst Samsung has left its clamshell collection nearly unchanged this yr, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 has gained every other spherical of small design adjustments, all to make the telephone really feel a little bit extra relaxed in on a regular basis use. That is, through some distance, the corporate’s very best foldable {hardware} but — such a lot s, that it makes each and every earlier Galaxy Z Fold really feel like beta {hardware}. Sure, even final yr’s Galaxy Z Fold 5.
Losing the width to twelve.1mm when folded — now not together with the digital camera bump, after all — brings it on par with different North American foldables. The issue is that the ones foldables have been launched in 2023, which means each the Pixel Fold and the OnePlus Open are due for updates that possibly will shave away much more of that bulk. At 239 grams, it is simply gentle sufficient for use in a single hand with out inflicting fatigue (take that, Pixel Fold), however that is simplest nice sufficient to tie with the Open for a “lightest NA foldable” award.
Nonetheless, there are some superb quality-of-life enhancements right here. The change to an all-matte end across the telephone’s body makes the entirety really feel extra top class, as do the sharper corners and new speaker grills. Even the digital camera design, with its vinyl-like bezels overlaying the lenses, is helping to make this really feel like a extra severe digital camera than in earlier years, despite the fact that now not a lot has in fact modified beneath the glass.
Sadly, that digital camera bump reasons an enormous quantity of wobble every time you set the telephone on a desk, particularly if it is closed, which would possibly make the brand new wider external show irritating to make use of. In the meantime, the ones sharp corners — as handsome as they is also — have a nasty dependancy of digging into the palm of your hand, particularly in case you are left-handed. No good looks with out ache, I guess.
As with this yr’s Galaxy S24 Extremely, I even have some minor problems with Samsung’s have compatibility and end. Each my SIM tray and ultra-wideband window stick out just a little from the ground, which is not a topic on my Galaxy Z Fold 5 from final yr. This telephone is simply too dear to have those kinds of issues — it presentations a loss of polish on Samsung’s phase that you do not see from its closest competitors within the smartphone house.
Let’s communicate show — as a result of that is simply the largest exchange yr over yr. The panel itself is rather nice, completely shiny sufficient to take care of a shiny summer season solar. The additional millimeter in width makes for a telephone that does really feel extra relaxed within the arms, however I do not believe Samsung has long past some distance sufficient right here. The telephone continues to be narrower than, as an example, Sony’s older 21:9 Xperia lineup, which confronted grievance for feeling uncomfortable in on a regular basis use from critiques like myself. This display is a lot more usable than previous Z Fold generations, however it pales compared to the exterior show on, say, the OnePlus Open.
Because of the outer design tweak, the primary internal display could also be just about 3 millimeters extensive. In many ways, I discovered this to be a downgrade. Typing in this display used to be noticeably much less relaxed than on final yr’s telephone; I by no means controlled to seek out the proper dimension for Gboard to really feel proper when typing, leaving me replying to messages at the (nonetheless cramped) outer display. It additionally implies that streaming motion pictures or presentations to this show is technically smaller in panorama. Alternatively, you might be not likely to note this until you might be coming from an older Z Fold software. (Alternatively, statistically, Samsung says you’re.)
It is irritating to look Samsung face actual festival over the past three hundred and sixty five days, just for the corporate not to take any of the guidelines that would’ve labored of their choose. The place’s the matte end at the internal display, as observed at the Open? The place’s the digital camera bar design to stop the software from rocking backward and forward, as observed at the Pixel Fold? Hell, the place’s the S24 Extremely’s Gorilla Armor coverage — designed through Corning in partnership with Samsung — for the outer display, which might ship an anti-glare end to this software?
The quantity of enhancements apparently stored for long term generations has left me conflicted. At its core, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a forged sufficient piece of {hardware}, however I will’t get away the sensation that anybody upgrading this yr will really feel cheated through no matter Samsung has coming down the pike in 2025. And albeit, that is a horrible long term for someone spending two grand on a smartphone to stand.
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Different {hardware} and what is within the field
$1,900 for what, precisely?
Despite the fact that it is simple for this alteration to head disregarded, I am glad to look Samsung’s newest foldable upgraded to IP48 grime and water resistance, up from IPX8 final yr. Whilst that isn’t completely dust-proof, it will have to lend a hand stay undesirable debris out of the hinge and different possible susceptible issues in this {hardware}.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6’s haptics really feel as nice as ever, despite the fact that the audio system — whilst completely good enough — sound a little bit quiet to me. I want this telephone used to be about 20 p.c louder, to deliver it extra in keeping with the tiny pill it mainly is.
Within the field, you can get the telephone and, neatly, now not a lot else. As with the Galaxy S24 Extremely previous this yr, I feel that, for the cost you might be paying right here, you will have to get one thing else within the field — a charger, a loose case, one thing. Tech giants like Samsung controlled to make use of environmental considerations to take away chargers and different equipment from the field, however bearing in mind their collective obsession with AI, that excuse holds completely no water in 2024. I do not believe someone will have to take getting this $2,000 telephone and not using a unmarried add-on mendacity down.
Tool and function
What are we doing right here?
For as a lot time as Samsung spent speaking about Galaxy AI on level all the way through this summer season’s Unpacked, I’ve little or no to mention about its newest additions to its still-fledgling platform. Circle to Seek — as a lot a Google function as this can be a Samsung one — stays probably the most simplest components I exploit ceaselessly, and with this improve, I am not positive that is certain to switch.
Let’s get started with the nice. Samsung has advanced a couple of of its already-existing equipment and continues to excel in translation products and services. If you are frequently dabbling in a couple of languages, depending on computerized translations for PDF or the usage of the split-screen dialog mode in Interpreter will have to turn out to be useful — despite the fact that I might be remiss if I did not point out that, all the way through my very own Interpreter demo forward of Unpacked, I needed to ask a Samsung rep what they have been looking to keep in touch with me after a garbled reaction.
Whilst those fill a undeniable area of interest, slightly than making use of to a extensive swath of possible Fold customers, they are precisely what Samsung will have to be looking to expand for productivity-based devices like this. As an alternative, despite the fact that, the corporate has made up our minds to lean laborious into AI-based advent equipment, and, neatly, I am not so positive about its determination right here.
I am not looking to be an AI hater, regardless of how simple taking over that place is. Relatively, those skills fail to quantity to a lot more than fundamental celebration tips. Ok, you’ll be able to draw glasses on a photograph of your puppy, and abruptly, your puppy is dressed in glasses. Is {that a} software you can use each day? Each week? Will you commit it to memory two months into the usage of the Fold 6 as a day-to-day driving force? And, whilst we are at it, why is that this launching on Samsung’s foldable? This software feels custom-built for the S24 Extremely and its integrated S Pen — why is it right here first?
Galaxy AI’s new equipment fail to quantity to a lot more than fundamental celebration tips.
However a minimum of Comic strip to Symbol qualifies as a celebration trick — I had some beautiful nice laughs making an attempt it out all the way through a chum’s bachelor celebration. Portrait Studio is the corporate’s different new AI advent software, and it is as dangerous because it seemed all the way through Sydney Sweeney’s Unpacked demo. It adapts a photograph of anyone into one among 4 symbol types, like 3-D cartoons or sketches. I’ve but to look this software as it should be depict anyone’s face; I will’t consider the general public making an attempt it out greater than a few times sooner than permitting it to vanish into One UI’s ever-growing field of forgotten options.
Out of doors of Galaxy AI, just about each and every side of One UI on Samsung’s foldables feels just about unchanged from what you would in finding on older {hardware}, specifically after an improve to Android 14 and One UI 6. Multitasking continues to be what you are making of it — fill your show with a grid stuffed with home windows if you want. That stated, after the usage of Open Canvas on final yr’s OnePlus Open, it is tricky to readjust to this type of constricted view of your apps. For as massive a show because the Fold 6 gives, it feels definitely tiny in comparison to how the contest handles multi-window perspectives.
As for efficiency, it is as nice as you would be expecting from a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered software — with some awfully huge caveats. I have run into some peculiar insects over my first week-plus with this telephone, starting from an out-of-place YouTube window in portrait mode to a snail-slow symbol picker in Telegram. No quantity of cache-clearing or reinstalling apps has fastened those problems, however they exist — on the very least, I have spoken with different reviewers who noticed the similar Telegram trojan horse I did.
The black bar alongside the ground of the video will have to now not be there.
Nonetheless, this unusual habits apart, I proceed to seek out little or no to bitch about with any telephone powered through Qualcomm’s newest and largest. As excited as I’m to look Google refine its foldable enjoy with the approaching Pixel 9 Professional Fold, Samsung’s reliance on Qualcomm chips over in-house Exynos SoCs helps to keep it firmly one step forward within the efficiency division.
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Digicam
New telephone, identical tale
As is turning into more and more commonplace with our present crop of Android flagships, I simply do not have a lot to mention in regards to the cameras at the Galaxy Z Fold 6. The issue — a minimum of in this explicit software — is two-fold. First, Samsung does not prioritize its digital camera efficiency on foldables; the corporate sees the Galaxy S-series because the position for shutterbugs to gravitate, whilst the Galaxy Z-series is curious about state of the art design and productiveness equipment.
2d, there were no year-over-year enhancements in comparison to the Galaxy Z Fold 5, a tool that I believed took completely good enough photographs. That is true this yr, too, partially as a result of Samsung has now not advanced the digital camera. Best the ultrawide lens has been advanced this yr—whilst it will glance similar on paper, its upgraded sensor plays higher in low gentle.
I have taken some completely appropriate photographs with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and I have taken some photographs that go away me stumped as to why they did not prove higher (in most cases due to focal point problems or overexposure). Movement will also be a topic with this digital camera, even supposing I spotted it much less right here than I did all the way through my time capturing with the Galaxy S24 Extremely previous this yr. In different phrases, this can be a beautiful conventional Samsung digital camera enjoy. I would not purchase this telephone for the digital camera on my own, however I do not believe you can curse your acquire whilst capturing pictures on your Instagram tale to your subsequent holiday.
Battery existence and charging
Persistently inconsistent
Here is every other house the place Samsung has apparently modified not anything year-over-year. To the wonder of completely nobody, I am seeing the similar inconsistent battery existence that I noticed in 2023. I have used the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s duvet show a lot more frequently than the only at the Fold 5, which will have to’ve delivered higher battery existence total. As an alternative, I discovered battery existence simply nice sufficient to get via about an afternoon’s price of use — infrequently much less if I leaned extra closely at the major inner display.
Whilst it is nice to look Samsung has slimmed this chassis down with out swapping to a smaller battery, one thing has to offer in this $1,900 smartphone. Subsequent yr, Z Fold fanatics deserve a minimum of one among two issues: a bigger battery cellular to last more into the evening or quicker charging speeds to make topping up a complete lot much less painless. Samsung’s claims of fast-charging as much as 50 p.c over 25W chargers simply do not lower it for me — if truth be told, I’ve but to look that more or less efficiency when plugged into an outlet.
Festival
Samsung’s first this yr, however will or not it’s the most efficient?
This time final yr, we have been only some weeks out from the arriving of the first-gen Pixel Fold, whilst rumors surrounding the OnePlus Open have been in any case beginning to select up pace. This time, Samsung is first up at bat for 2024 foldables, despite the fact that it would possibly not stay on my own for lengthy. Whilst I used to be penning this evaluate, Google in any case showed the Pixel 9 Professional Fold’s life forward of an August thirteenth debut. If the corporate can fortify at the huge shortcomings of its first-gen {hardware} — lowering its weight, making improvements to the internal show, and proceeding to fortify big-screen multitasking on Android — it would function an enormous danger for this telephone.
Then there may be OnePlus. We all know little or no a couple of possible successor to my favourite foldable of final yr, however the corporate — in my eyes — has a horny huge head get started towards dominating this house. Samsung has simplest simply stuck as much as the Open’s light-weight chassis, and this telephone continues to be just about part a millimeter thicker than generation-old {hardware}. Whilst a OnePlus Open 2 lives purely within the house of hypothesis, it is tricky to consider the corporate would possibly not bounce forward of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 as soon as once more every time it launches.
Must you purchase it?
There is not anything essentially improper with the Galaxy Z Fold 6. For those who favor One UI and need to improve to a foldable, this telephone marks a high-quality access level to the distance. However additionally it is a tool that reeks of vanity on Samsung’s phase. Positive, it is lighter and thinner than final technology, however the ones are nearly the one upgrades you can spot. In the meantime, festival each world and stateside continues to develop, all whilst Samsung admits to suffering to persuade non-foldable homeowners to, you recognize, purchase a $1,900 smartphone.
Just like the final couple of Fold generations sooner than it, this telephone appears like but every other stepping stone in opposition to some inevitable endpoint for this {hardware}, with simply sufficient adjustments to put it on the market it as new and advanced. It is some distance from dangerous, however it is lacking the similar sense of innovation and pleasure that driven Samsung to unencumber the unique Galaxy Fold within the first position.
I do not believe someone goes to have a nasty time with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and to these readers coming from a Galaxy Z Fold 3 or Z Fold 4, the enhanced {hardware} on my own will have to be sufficient to depart you inspired. However bearing in mind its new, dearer value level and the increasing festival, I will’t lend a hand however really feel like we are browsing at a telephone that may really feel dated in only some months — if it does not already. If Samsung desires folks to sign up for the foldable revolution, it will want a little bit greater than some AI celebration tips to be triumphant. And up to now, it sort of feels unwilling to do anything else extra between generations than the naked minimal.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Samsung’s newest foldable takes some cues from the Galaxy S24 Extremely, with a boxier design and an all-matte end. It includes a somewhat wider duvet show for a extra relaxed typing enjoy, in addition to new Galaxy AI options and an upgraded ultra-wide digital camera.
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