The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is a great phone to carry in your pocket

With a new main camera, powerful processor and new AI capabilities, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is as good as other top Samsung smartphones, and it's not much more expensive. On top of that, it folds up compactly and has two screens. Why would you put anything else in your pocket?

In its sixth generation, the Galaxy Z Flip is a sophisticated folding phone that can easily replace a conventional top smartphone with a fixed display. There is also nothing to complain about in terms of the main camera and endurance, and Samsung's new AI functions are particularly fun to use on the device.

Only small design changes

Samsung hasn't changed much in terms of design, but the Galaxy Z Flip 6 now has a more angular, matte aluminum frame that suits it very well. Although its main display is 6.7 inches, the device is just 85.1 x 71.9 x 14.9 mm when folded, which means it can easily fit in small pockets. At 187 grams, the folding phone is no heavier than other high-end smartphones, even though it also has a 3.4-inch external display for widgets, notifications and other functions.

Barely visible kink

When you open the device, you see a magnificent AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of up to 120 Hertz (Hz). The resolution is sufficiently sharp at FHD+ and the display can shine even brighter than the previous model. The bend in the middle of the panel is barely visible; you can actually only feel it when you run your finger over it.

The hinge keeps the display in perfect shape when opened or closed and offers a pleasant resistance when opening or closing it. With IP48, the Flip is now not only waterproof, but also officially protected against dust. But it still shouldn't fall into the sand on the beach.

Better main camera, stronger drive

New is the optically stabilized main camera, which was taken from the Galaxy S24 and now has a resolution of 50 instead of 12 megapixels (MP) and an aperture of f/1.8. The higher resolution is particularly beneficial for the digital zoom, which now allows high-quality photos even at more than two times magnification. This applies to shots taken in daylight; at night, the additional pixels bring no visible improvement. The ultra-wide-angle camera (f/2.2) has a resolution of 12 MP as usual. The selfie camera on the inside offers 10 MP and an aperture of f/2.2.

Also new is Qualcomm's top Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, which powers the smartphone and is cooled by a vapor chamber for the first time in a Galaxy Z Flip. With 12 gigabytes (GB) of RAM, the device is expected to have enough reserves to be able to take advantage of the guaranteed seven years of software updates.

New functions for the external display

The external display hasn't changed technically, but it has received new features such as pre-written replies to messages that make it a little more practical. It's also perfect for Samsung's AI interpreter, as conversation partners can read the real-time translation on the small screen.

But it's still especially fun to use the external display for selfies with the main camera, where you can trigger the shot with a hand gesture. It's also cool that other people you're photographing can see a preview and put themselves in the right light. Samsung's AI helps with selfies by automatically zooming in so that both sights and people in the picture fit into the picture.

AI turns portraits into comics

Artificial intelligence also plays an important role in other photos. As with the Galaxy S24 devices, you can remove, move or scale objects or people in photos on the Flip 6. A completely new feature is the ability to convert portraits into different artistic styles, such as comics. Drawing objects that are then realistically incorporated into the photo also works surprisingly well.

It's all very easy – you just have to tap the AI ​​symbol under a picture in the gallery and select what you want to do. You get several suggestions, some of which are surprisingly good. A nice gimmick is to choose your own photo as the background image, which the AI ​​adjusts based on the time and weather.

Galaxy AI is not alone

Samsung's Flip 6 has also adopted the chat assistant from the Galaxy S24 series. It can not only translate conversations, but can also help with the creation of texts, for example to get the tone right. The Flip 6 can also translate calls in real time and help you take notes.

It is also possible to convert voice recordings into text or to get summaries of website content in the browser. A fitness assistant creates analyses and gives instructions based on collected data, which in the future may also come from Samsung's new ring.

All of this falls under the umbrella term Galaxy AI, but Samsung has also purchased many AI functions. Currently, they mainly come from Google, but the manufacturer is also open to other offers. The current rule of thumb is: Samsung's AI can work offline, other AI functions mostly use the cloud. The manufacturer assures that all data is deleted immediately after generation and is never used for advertising purposes. However, you also have the option of using only AI functions on your smartphone.

If you try out the many new functions, you don't have to worry about the battery running out too quickly. Samsung has increased the capacity from 3700 to 4000 milliampere hours (mAh), which meant that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 easily lasted the day in practical tests.

Conclusion

Samsung hasn't changed much, but has made just the right improvements to make the sixth generation Galaxy Z Flip a mature device. The new AI features are practical and cool, but will probably be available on many other smartphones soon. More important are the new main camera, the higher performance and the improved endurance. In addition, the fold in the display is no longer an argument against the Flip.

With 256 gigabytes of flash memory, the device costs just under 1200 euros. That's a lot of money, but other, ordinary top smartphones are just as expensive without offering the benefits of a flexible display or a second screen. This could allow the Galaxy Z Flip 6 to step out of the niche and become mainstream