Most smartphone reviewers will be harsh on Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 because it’s so similar to last year’s Z Flip 5. While that’s a fair argument, tech YouTubers and bloggers often forget the average smartphone user isn’t upgrading their smartphone every year. In fact, people are hanging onto smartphones for longer than ever before, thanks to improvements in hardware durability and multi-year commitments to software updates, particularly on the Android side.

This is where Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 comes in. If you compare the device to last year’s Flip 5, there isn’t a lot here beyond a few minor spec bumps. The new clamshell foldable features a more squared-off design, a faster chip, a long-overdue rear camera upgrade, and a few surprisingly clever AI tricks, but beyond these changes, it’s nearly identical to last year’s Flip 5.

This means that if you’re into foldables and already a Flip 5 owner, there isn’t enough here to warrant an upgrade. On the other hand, if you’re still using a Flip 3 or Flip 4, or you’ve been on the fence about the wild world of folding devices, now is a great time to dive in, primarily because the notable trade-offs previously tied to foldables are nearly entirely gone.

Price, availability, and specs

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 is available in two storage configurations: 256GB for $1,100 and 512GB for $1,220, directly through the Samsung Store. This year’s Samsung Store exclusive colors include crafted black, peach, and white. The rest of the options are yellow, mint, silver shadow, and blue. The smartphone is available as of July 24.

On the specs front, the Fold 6 offers a hardware array comparable to the Fold 5, though there are a few upgrades worth highlighting. This includes the same 50-megapixel main camera available in the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus, and the 12-megapixel ultrawide has a new sensor. The foldable also features Qualcomm’s powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip.

The internal screen features 2,600 nits of peak brightness (an increase from 1,750 with the Flip 5), and the battery has been upgraded from 3,700 mAh to 4,000 mAh, offering all-day battery life in my experience, as long as you stick to moderate use. Lastly, the Flip 6 features 12GB of RAM over the Flip 5’s 8GB. In practice, this likely won’t do much for the average foldable owner, but if you’re a big multi-tasker, you should now have a slightly smoother experience (more on this later).

Galaxy Z Flip 6 design

An act of refinement

When it comes to smartphones, I place a lot of stock in how a device looks and feels, with an even higher priority in the world of foldables. This year, the key change is the Flip 5’s more squared-off sides. This gives the device a sleeker overall aesthetic and makes it easier to hold in your hand, but it also results in the Z Flip 6 looking more like an iPhone. I don’t take issue with this, but the more Apple-adverse Samsung fans out there might not be fans of this change.

I really like that the sides of the Flip 6 are entirely matte and don’t show smudges or fingerprints. Further, the phone’s power button and volume rocker remain clicky and responsive, just like they have been for the last few Flip generations. Alongside the squared-off sides are minimized bezels both on the interior foldable display and the Cover Screen. The change is minimal, but it’s welcome because it gives the Flip 6 an overall more modern look.

The Flip 6 is a joy to use, and most importantly for a foldable, it feels durable and well-made, particularly when it comes to the hinge. I still take issue with the overall durability of foldables, but the Galaxy Z Flip 6 has me questioning this opinion — it feels extremely solid, particularly when rapidly opening and closing the device. The key will be if it holds up over several years of use like a standard smartphone. I’m also fond of the very cute rear lenses and their colored outlines. The Flip 6 is already a flashy phone, and this just adds to its unique look.

Separately, I haven’t been a fan of clamshell foldables. I understood the appeal of book-like foldables because they give you a tablet in your pocket, but the clamshell design? What’s the point. I’ve done a 180 on this opinion, and here’s where I’m at now: they’re cool. The design might not be for everyone, but on a base-level, it’s fun to open and close the Z Flip 6. In an industry full of boring smartphones that look the same, this makes clamshell foldables exciting and, more importantly, different.

I’m a sucker for a unique smartphone color, so I’m a big fan of the mint Galaxy Z Fold 6 Samsung sent me. It looks great under varied lighting conditions, and the matte green rear is enjoyable to run my fingers down. I love a matte smartphones, and this year, Samsung has embraced that design direction entirely.

Galaxy Z Flip 6 Display

A solid hinge and foldable display

While I’ve spent time with every Flip generation, the last Samsung clamshell foldable I used as my daily smartphone was the Galaxy Z Flip 2. Fast-forward to the Flip 6, and it’s clear Samsung’s foldable display technology has come a long way. The plastic feel of previous generations is gone, and in its place is a folding screen that feels like a standard smartphone display — only it folds.

On the specs side, the 6.7-inch AMOLED panel features a 2,640 x 1,080 pixel resolution and a fast 120Hz refresh rate. Everything from YouTube videos to browsing the internet looks stunning on the Galaxy Flip 6’s screen. Samsung’s screen prowess is on full display here, and at times, the Flip 6’s screen matches the 24 Ultra’s fidelity. That said, the crease is still very visible, especially when using the phone outdoors. I quickly got used to it, just like I have with nearly every foldable, but if you were hoping this would be the year the crease dies, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. It’s slightly more noticeable than the Razr+’s foldable display crease.

Unfortunately, the Flip 6’s Cover Screen disappoints this year. The 3.4-inch 720 x 748 60Hz Cover Display looks dismal next to the Razr+’s edge-to-edge front display that wraps around its rear lenses. Hopefully, next year Samsung opts to improve the clamshell foldable’s front display. I continue to question the utility of the Cover Display, and in my several days with the Flip 6, I haven’t found that I’ve used it very often (it’s primarily an easy way to view and activate notifications for me).

Samsung still doesn’t let you run any app on the Cover Display directly out of the box, forcing users to use Good Lock. It’s unclear why the company insists on doing this, but given Motorola’s Razr has allowed users to run any app for a few generations now, it’s an odd decision.

Galaxy Z Flip Camera upgrades

Flagship-level camera performance in a foldable

One of the key issues with all of Samsung’s foldables has been lackluster main camera performance. Thanks to the new 50-megapixel primary shooter, that’s changed, resulting in photography that’s on par with the Galaxy S24 and S24+. The Fold 6’s other shooters, which include a 12-megapixel ultrawide and a 10-megapixel selfie shooter, perform well, too.

As long as you’re fond of Samsung’s out-there image post-processing, you’ll be pleased with all the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s cameras, with the main camera being the star of the show. That said, I don’t like how the foldable often blows out highlights and struggles to snap photos of moving subjects, but I’ve also encountered this issue with every Samsung phone I’ve ever used. Overall, images are crisp, clear and feature ample detail, especially when shot with the main camera.

Samsung has packed in several clever camera features that take advantage of the Flip 6’s unique design, including the ability to snap selfies with the device closed, allowing you to get a clear look at your face as you shoot. You can also place the foldable on a table half-folded, giving you a built-in tripod for group shots, complete with AI-powered auto zoom that works better than I expected. These aren’t features I’ll likely use very often, but I can see them being very useful for most Flip 6 owners.

You can also once again fold the Flip 6 and use it like a camcorder, offering a fun nostalgic blast from the past. These are great camera tricks that offer genuinely useful utility tied directly to the Z Flip 6’s unique design.

Galaxy Z Flip 6 performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 offers ample power

Last year’s Z Flip 5 performed admirably under nearly all circumstances, and that continues this year with the Flip 6 and its Qualcomm-made Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Whether I’ve been watching videos on YouTube, playing games, or doom-scrolling on X, performance has been smooth. If you’re into benchmarks, the Flip 6 hits 2,271 for single-core and 6869 for multi-core, placing it even above the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s score with Geekbench 6.

The device also stays far cooler than previous Flip models, in part due to its larger vapor chamber that helps keep the device running at a more reasonable temperature.

Galaxy Z Flip software

Welcome to the wild world of AI

I still contend that One UI is too complicated, particularly when you’re trying to find a specific feature in the Settings app. Yes, you can search for the setting you’re looking for, but you shouldn’t need to. However, if you’re a long-time Samsung device user, you’ll already be familiar with the intricacies of the company’s bloated Android skin, so this won’t be an issue for you.

The key software offerings this year include several AI feature, and to my surprise, many of them are actually useful. I’ve taken several Galaxy AI features for a spin, but the key standout for me is Sketch to Image, which allows you to draw anything on a photo, and have it appear. The results are mixed, but undeniably cool, and I can see a lot of Flip 6 owners having a great time adding fun AI creations to photos. However, the feature doesn’t seem to be able to significantly change a person’s appearance and only allows you to add fun things like a hat or horns. This is a smart move on Samsung’s part given the controversy surrounding AI, but it’s noteworthy nonetheless. The ability to easily remove or move objects around photographs also works excellently.

To top things off on a more negative note, the new Potrait Studio AI options are awful and in every instance I tested the feature out, the resulting AI creation was ridiculous (check out the GigaChad version of me above — I feel your pain, Sydney Sweeney).AI features introduced with the Galaxy S24 series, including Circle to Search and the Interpreter app, are here as well. Similar to years past, Samsung promises seven years of software updates with the Flip 6, which is good news if you plan to hang onto the foldable for a long time.

Should you buy the Galaxy Fold 6?

That depends on what device you’re currently using

If you own the Fold 5, there likely isn’t enough here to warrant an upgrade to Samsung’s latest clamshell, especially at launch (wait for the inevitable six-month discount the company often offers).

On the other hand, if you’re jumping into the world of foldables for the first time because you’re looking for a unique smartphone experience, the Fold 6 is difficult to beat, especially when its reasonable price is taken into account. In that same vein, those still using earlier versions of the Flip will appreciate the upgrades the Galaxy Z Fold 6 offers, including a better primary camera, a faster chip and a sleeker design.