Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 (smartphone review)
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 builds on the heritage of the original Flip (2020), Flip3 (2021), Flip4 (2022), and Flip5 (2023), incrementally improving on previous generations as the technology becomes more Flip-friendly.
Compared to the Flip5, it has the latest Qualcomm SD8 Gen 3 SoC, 12GB RAM (8), and a 50MP (12MP) primary camera sensor. The interior screen is brighter.
Our Flip5 review states it was the almost perfect flip until the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra raised the bar for both the Flip5 and 6.
Moto brought to the table (Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 in brackets):
Samsung had the market almost to itself and now has a fair bit of catchup and redesign to top the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra – raises the flip smartphone bar yet again.
- Qualcomm SD8S Gen 3 (SD 8 Gen 3 – slightly faster)
- Wi-Fi 7/BT 5.4 (Wi-Fi 6E/BT 5.3)
- 50+50+32MP 4K@60 cameras (50+12+10/1same)
- IPX8 (IP48)
- 12GB/512GB standard (12/256GB)
- 6.9” 165Hz, 10-bit/1.07 billion colour flexible OLED (6.7”, 120Hz, 8-bit/16.7m colour)
- Almost imperceptible screen crease (still noticeable)
- Gorilla Glass Victus (GGV2)
- 4” 1080p, 120Hz, 10-bit/1.07 billion colour OLED (3.4” 720p, 60Hz, 8-bit/16.7 million colour)
- 2+3+4 warranty/OS/security patch (2+7+7 – Samsung has longer upgrade/patch support)
- Almost pure Android and light Hello UI (Samsung One UI and ecosystem)
- 4000mAh battery, 45W charge, 15W Qi, 68W charger inbox (25W charge, 15W Qi, no charger)
- Google Gemini AI with the promise of more (same)
- $1499 12/512GB including charger and bumper cover ($1999 plus charger and cover)
At least on paper, it presents a compelling argument and saves over $500 for what most reviewers called a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 killer.
That is not meant to disparage Samsung in any way. It sells more Android phones than the other brands combined. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 presents a good user experience, but as Moto shows it could be so much more.
We won’t be covering AI features
You will find a good overview What is Samsung Galaxy S24-series AI all about? and Gemini – Google Assistant’s split personality. The primary reason to buy a Flip is the smaller pocketable size.
Consumer advice
Samsung does not publish detailed specifications, which we need as a basis for a comparative deep-dive review. So, forgive us if there are any errors—this is what our test equipment and analytical software show.
Australian Review: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 single SIM/eSIM, Model SM-F714B
| Brand | Samsung |
| Model | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 |
| Model Number | SM-F714B |
| RAM/Storage Base | 12/256GB $1799 12/512GB $1999 |
| Price base | 12/256GB |
| Warranty months | 24 |
| Tier | Flip |
| Website | Product page |
| From | Samsung Online and approved retailers |
| Country of Origin | Korea |
| Company | Samsung is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. Samsung Electronics (the world’s largest information technology company, consumer electronics maker and chipmaker. |
| More | Samsung publishes few meaningful specifications. Most of these come from testing and analytical software. |
| Test date | August/September 2024 |
| Ambient temp | 10-27° |
| Release | August 2024 |
| Other models not for Australia (Don’t buy) | Do not buy SM-F741U, SM-F741U1, SM-F741W, SM-F741N DS = Dual SIM; otherwise, eSIM and SIM |
* Grey market – no Australian warranty, and 5G may not work here
We strongly advise you to buy a genuine model with Australian firmware. Check Settings, About Phone, Regulatory Labels and Australian RCM C-tick mark. Insist on a screen grab if you buy anywhere else.
Australian certified phones use unique Australian 5G sub-6Ghz and 5G low-band frequencies, requiring local activation first. Read Don’t buy a grey market smartphone.
New ratings in 2024
We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations), and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.
We are also tightening up on grading. From now on, Pass, for example, means meeting expectations for the price bracket. We consider a Pass mark to be 70+/100 with extra points added for class-leading and excellence.
First Impression – Pass
You will either love Flip or not. I know many Flip5 users and the gloss/novelty usually wears off quickly. Why?
The usuabilty promise of the 3.4” cover screen (less camera cutout – same as Flip6) is seldom realised. It is heavily widget-driven, and while it does a few interesting things, you must open the Flip 99% of the time. Then you get an internal 22:9 screen, taller and narrower than most smartphones. At least Samsung has curved corners over the square-corner Fold6, making the Flip more pocketable.
The inner screen has a noticeable crease. I have seen six or so Flip5s, and they have become even more evident over time, and the hinge has become ‘creaky’. It previously had no particulate ingress rating, and the phone now has IP48. The 4 means effective against >1mm particles characterised by ‘Most wires, slender screws, large ants, etc.’ It is an unimportant rating in that it does not protect against <1mm particles like pocket lint, dust, etc, that will affect the hinge.
Many Flip5 owners say will likely buy a glass slab next time.
Inner screen- 2640 X 1080, Up to 120Hz AMOLED 2X – Pass+
This is a bright, infinite-contrast AMOLED screen. The colours are oversaturated in Vivid mode, 100+% of sRGB and 85% of the 16.7M of the DCI-P3 movie gamut (about 50% of 10-bit/1.07 billion colours). My only comment is that more premium phones now use 10-bit/1.07 billion-colour AMOLED screens (Motorola Razr), essential to creators, photographers, and videographers. Read 8-bit versus 10-bit screen colours. What is the big deal?
Samsung claims 2600 nits HDR peak brightness, which means it is in a 2-to-5% window. The best we could get was 1750. Never mind, as you will never use it. HDR10+ does not need this and, like all Samsung products, does not decode Dolby Vision content. It will play Netflix, Prime, and YouTube 1080p HDR content.
Flex Window – Pass
The most significant criticism of all flip-style cover screens has been size and usability.
The cover screen is 63 x 55mm (usable area), excluding the camera cutout and bezels. That is nowhere near the 3.4”/86mm claim.
Swipe left/right/up/down widgets almost entirely drive it. It does not run full-screen apps, although there is mention of limited apps from Samsung Labs. Apart from several styles of clocks, a media player, a too-small QWERTY keyboard, and a selfie preview, the widgets include:
| Calendar | Weather | Recent Calls | Direct Dial |
| Alarm | Stopwatch | Timer | Voice recorder |
| Steps | SmartThings routines | Finance watchlist | Daily Activity |
Summary: The sole purpose of an external screen is to minimise the opening and use of the internal screen. It may be less useful than you imagine. We hope Samsung continues to work on this aspect.
Screen specs
| Screen | Internal/External cover display |
| Size | 6.7″/3.4″ less camera cutouts |
| Type | Dynamic OLED/Super AMOLED |
| Flat, Curve, 2D, 3D | Flip fold/flat |
| Resolution | 2640 x 1080/720 x 748 |
| PPI | 426/306 |
| Ratio | 22:9/9.35:9 |
| Screen to Body % | 85.5%/N/A |
| Colours bits | 8-bit/16.7m |
| Refresh Hz, adaptive. | Flip screen: Samsung claims 1-120Hz, but it appears to step from 10/24/30/48/60/90/120Hz Cover screen: Not disclosed and not adjustable. Test 60Hz. |
| Response 120Hz | Not disclosed |
| Nits typical, test | Flip: Not disclosed Vivid and Natural Test: Internal 675 Test external 400 |
| Nits max, test | Claim 2600 Test 1750 |
| Contrast | Infinite |
| sRGB | Not disclosed Test 100+% |
| DCI-P3 | Not disclosed Test: Vivid 91% of 16.7m colours Test: Natural 85% of 16.7m colours |
| Rec.2020 or other | RGB and temperature adjustment |
| Delta E (<4 is excellent) | Internal screen 2.4 and cover 4.5 (<4 is good) |
| HDR Level | Internal HDR10+ External – No |
| SDR Upscale | No |
| Blue Light Control | Yes |
| PWM if known | 120/240/480Hz cycle. PWM sufferers should avoid this as it can cause nausea and discomfort. |
| Daylight readable | Yes |
| Always on Display | One control for internal and external screens |
| Edge display | Yes |
| Accessibility | Full suite of enhancements |
| DRM | Widevine L1 1080p SDR. HDR on some services. |
| Gaming | Game mode, but the screen is too soft for game use. A fingernail can scratch it. |
| Screen protection | Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Comment | Despite the fold-flat hinge, the internal screen still has a noticeable crease, which is made worse over time by constant swiping up and down. Samsung persists in using an 8-bit/16.7M colour screen while others use 10-bit/1.07 billion colours. |
Processor – Qualcomm SD8 Gen 3 Galaxy edition – Pass+
Samsung uses the Qualcomm SD8 Gen 3 SoC instead of its Exynos 2400 (the Google Pixel Tensor G4 SoC is loosely based on this). There is no more powerful SoC.
But do you need a V12 Turbo engine in a fold with its inherent form factor limitations? If you use AI extensively, then yes. Although Google says (and we tend to agree) that its Tensor G4 is all you need.
AI benchmarks
We have run the new AI benchmarks, but they bear no resemblance to the official trillion operations per second (TOPS), so they are more for your interest. We have also benchmarked the Fold6.
And we are gobsmacked. Some of those Samsung benchmarks are too challenging to accept at face value. We will be testing more, so only consider the results as an indication.
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 | |
| Geekbench 6 single/multicore | 2213/6679 | 2230/6830 |
| Geekbench AI NNAPI | 336/323/697 | 444/431/948 |
| AiTuTu | 1,424,160 | 1,481,101 (this seems way too high) |
| AI Benchmark 5 | 3150 | 3161 (ditto) |
| GFLOPS | 21.49 | 21.40 (accurate) |
| GINOPS | 27.99 | 27.15 (accurate) |
| Open CL | 11873 | 12,116 (accurate) |
| Vulkan | 14292 | 14,016 (accurate) |
Processor specs
| Brand, Model | Qualcomm SD 8 Gen 3 |
| nm | 4nm made by TSMC (not Samsung) |
| Cores | 1 x 3.39GHz & 3 x 3.1GHz & 2 x 2.9GHz & 2 x 2.2GHz |
| Modem | X75 4×4 MIMO Sub-6Ghz |
| AI TOPS OR Multi-thread Integer Operations Per Second (INOPS) GINOPS = billion | On charge Geekbench AI CPU backend 2212/2243/3367 Geekbench A! GPU backend 968/1365/1215 Geekbench AI NNAPI backend 336/323/697 Geekbench AI QNN backend 299/15780/37594 AiTuTu: 1,424,160 AI Benchmark 5: 3150 GFLOPS: 21.49 GINOPS: 27.99 |
| Geekbench 6 Single-core | 2213 |
| Geekbench 6 multi-core | 6679 |
| Like | Benchmarks |
| GPU | Adreno 750 (1GHz) |
| GPU Test | |
| Open CL | 11873 (battery) |
| Like | Fastest available. |
| Vulcan | 14,292 (battery) |
| RAM, type | 12GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage, free, type | 256GB (UFS 4) 207GB free |
| micro-SD | N/A |
| CPDT internal seq. Read MBps sustained | 2390 Jazz maximum 2959.4 |
| CPDT internal seq. write MBps sustained | 1060 Jazz maximum 1585.14 |
| CPDT microSD read, write MBps | N/A |
| CPDT external (mountable?) MBps | It won’t test – seen as external storage but can’t mount as internal storage. |
| Comment | UFS 4.0 is the fastest storage available. However, without mountable storage, which is seen as internal storage, videographers and vloggers will soon run out of space. |
Throttle test – Passable
The test lasts 15 minutes under 100% load (like 4K video recording/editing/rendering or some games). Samsung has throttled the SoC by at least 10% over the Galaxy S24 Ultra (S24U) to manage thermal issues better.
However, nearly half the processing power is lost under load, which means power users, gamers (the screen is too soft anyway), videographers, and vloggers will avoid it.
| Max GIPS | 365969 |
| Average GIPS | 240075 |
| Minimum GIPS | 177128 |
| % Throttle | 48% |
| CPU Temp | 50° |
| Comment | This exhibits extreme throttling after two minutes of 100% load. It also begins to feel hot at over 50° on the external screen and the top half of the internal screen. This is well above average and indicates that this is not a heavy-use device. |
Comms – Pass
While it has everything you need, it is not everything you expect of a flagship device. Wi-Fi 6E means maximum connect speeds of 2400Mbps (versus >4000Mbps), and the USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 is the slower 5Gbps speed and is not fully implemented to support mountable external storage.
The SoC supports Wi-Fi 7 (4000Mbps) and USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps, so we have to ask why it hasn’t been implemented.
All tests were on the 6Ghz Wi-Fi band, effective to about 10m. Wi-Fi strength was relatively consistent compared to the Fold6
| Wi-Fi Type, model | Wi-Fi 6E AXE HE160 QCA 6490 maximum 2400Mbps full duplex |
| Test 2m -dBm, Rx/Tx Mbps | -43/1201/1009 |
| Test 5m | -39//1201/1201 |
| Test 10m | -53/864/383 |
| BT Type | 5.3 BLE |
| GPS single, dual | Dual to 3M |
| USB type | USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 5Gbps |
| ALT DP, DeX, Ready For | There is no DeX due to heat management issues. |
| NFC | Yes |
| Ultra-wideband | No |
| Sensors | |
| Accelerometer | Yes – combo with Gyro |
| Gyro | Yes – combo with Gyro |
| e-Compass | Yes |
| Barometer | Yes |
| Gravity | |
| Pedometer | |
| Ambient light | Yes |
| Hall sensor | Yes |
| Proximity | Yes |
| Other | Fingerprint sensor |
| Comment | Apart from the disappointing Wi-Fi 6E AXE speeds, it has all the necessary sensors. |
4/5G – City, suburb and regional city use – Pass+
It has a single SIM and an eSIM, although you may find a DS (Dual SIM variant). The Qualcomm SD8 Gen 4 and X75 5G modem support DSDA—dual SIM, dual active for 4G and 5 G. Without getting technical, all older phones are DSDS—dual SIM, dual standby for one-at-a-time use.
Like the Fold6, which uses the same modem, this is very good for cities, suburbs and regional cities with reasonable tower coverage. It did not earn a rural rating.
| SIM | Usually, a single SIM and eSIM. There may be DS (dual SIM) models available. |
| Active | DSDA (assumed as the Soc supports it) |
| Ring tone single, dual | Single |
| VoLTE | Carrier dependent |
| Wi-Fi calling | Carrier dependent |
| 4G Bands | 1, 2, 3,4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20 25, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 |
| Comment | All Australian and most world bands |
| 5G sub-6Ghz | N1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 |
| Comment | All sub-6Ghz and 5G low bands |
| mmWave | No |
| Test Boost Mobile, Telstra | |
| DL/UL, ms | 36.9/19.6/39ms (average) |
| Tower 1 -dBm, fW or pW | -75 to -98 and 31.6pW to 158.5fW. The majority of the tests were 1 to 10pW |
| Tower 2 | -86 to -105 and 2.5pW to 31.6fW |
| Tower 3 | -77 to -117 and 20pW to 31.6fW |
| Tower 4 | Intermittently found – not enough to report |
| Comment | It reliably finds three of four towers, so we can give it city, suburb, and regional use. Rural use will depend on 4G Band 28 being available. Interestingly, this is the same SoC/modem as the Fold6, which was only able to find two towers reliably. |
Battery – Pass
First, a brickbat—no charger is supplied—and it loses points for that. The rationale is that you can use any PD or PPS charger to stop e-waste. Second, it only has a 25W cable and 10W Qi charge, characteristic of the flip format used to manage heat issues.
Typical users will get 18-24 hours between charges. Power uses will get 5-10 hours.
| mAh | 4000mAh 2 batteries in serial |
| Charger, type, supplied | Not supplied. Samsung 25W charger has 5V/3A/15W or 9V/2.77/24.93W and PPS 3-3-5.9V/3A or 3.3-11V/2.25A. Suggest any GaN PD Charger >30W and a 3W (or 5W) cable. |
| PD, QC level | Not disclosed Test 3.0/2.0 |
| Qi, wattage | Wireless Charge 10W (you can use a 15W pad, but it does not charge faster) |
| Reverse Qi or cable. | Supports 4.5W reverse wireless charge |
| Test (60Hz or adaptive screen) | Adaptive |
| Charge 0-100% | 1 hour 48 minutes Tended to charge at 9V/2A/18W |
| Charge Qi | 3 hours |
| Charge 5V, 2A | Approx 5 hours |
| Video loop 50%, aeroplane | 12 hours 10 minutes |
| PC Mark 3 battery | 13 hours and 54 minutes Accubattery 16 hours |
| GFX Bench Manhattan battery | Out-of-memory error |
| GFX Bench T-Rex | 439.9 minutes (7.33 hours) 5668 frames |
| Drain 100-0% full load screen on | 4 hours 35 minutes Accubattery 4 hours 45 minutes |
| mA Full load screen on | 2500mA |
| mA Watt idle Screen on | 250-300mA |
| Estimate loss at max refresh | Tested on Adaptive mode. |
| Estimate typical use | Typical users will charge daily. Heavy users may need a top-up at the end of a workday. |
| Comment | Carry a charger (shame Samsung does not provide one). |
Sound – Pass
It is a pure Qualcomm Aqsitic setup (Flip5 used two additional amps for its stereo speakers) and has suffered accordingly. It will decode Dolby Atmos spatial sound, but Samsung has stated that it is developing its IAMF spatial sound format which will kill off Dolby Atmos.
| Speakers | Stereo – top earpiece and bottom down-firing. – flips between portrait and landscape mode. |
| Tuning | Not specified – probably AKG |
| AMP | Qualcomm Aqsitic amp and DSP. |
| Dolby Atmos decode | Yes, downmix to two speakers. |
| Hi-Res | No |
| 3.5mm | No |
| BT Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX, LDAC, and Samsung Scalable Codec, not the full suite of Qualcomm aptX codecs. |
| Multipoint | Yes |
| Dolby Atmos (DA) | Yes – auto, movie, music, voice and games mode |
| EQ | Balanced, Bass Boost, Smooth, Dynamic, Clear, Treble boost and custom. |
| Mics | Three—There appear to be two mics at the top (one for noise cancellation) and one at the bottom. |
| Test dB – all on EQ flat DA off | |
| Volume max | 81 |
| Media (music) | 81 |
| Ring | 82 |
| Alarm | 81 |
| Notifications | 75 |
| Earpiece | 55 |
| Hands-free | Dual mics at the bottom improve hands-free use. |
| BT headphones | Excellent left-right separation and DA makes quite a difference with DA content. HAC rating M3/T3 for hearing enhancements. |
Sound Signature – Passable
There is a tiny bit of mid-bass (90-100Hz), some slopw building high bass (100-200Hz), relatively flat mid (200Hz-5kHz), and recessed treble. This is a mid-sound signature for a clear voice. Music is harsh and lifeless.
| Deep Bass 20-40Hz | No |
| Middle Bass 40-100Hz | No |
| High Bass 100-200Hz | Linear slow build to 1kHz |
| Low Mid 200-400Hz | Slow build |
| Mid 400-1000Hz | slow build |
| High-Mid 1-2kHz | Flat |
| Low Treble 2-4kHz | Flat |
| Mid Treble 4-6kHz | Linear decline to 8kHz |
| High Treble 6-10kHz | Dip and recover a little |
| Dog Whistle 10-20kHz | Flattish but dips at 15kHz |
| Sound Signature type | This is messy, with a very long, slow, choppy build to 1kHz. It has a very late mid-sound signature with no bass, late mid, and messy treble. The music is tinny and harsh. Clear voice is OK. |
| Soundstage | There is a slight bias to the bottom speaker; otherwise, there is decent separation. Dolby Atmos widens the sound stage slightly, and you can hear some height to the top of the screen in landscape mode. |
| Comment | It is disappointing for a premium handset. Mid-bass is hard to get, but you expect it to have a solid 100-200Hz. It is easy to get a decent mid-high treble that gives a feeling of air and directionality, but instead, we get an odd treble that gives the music a harshness. |
Build – Pass+
Samsung is synonymous with well-made gear. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 looks and feels prestigious in every way. However, when folded, it is not 14.9mm but 18mm with the camera bump (most phone measurements ignore this).
We also need to point out that while the SoC is a gaming powerhouse, the screen has a Mohs hardness of 2 – a fingernail can score it. It is not a gamer’s screen.
It has an IP48 rating. The 4 means effective against >1mm particles characterised by ‘Most wires, slender screws, large ants, etc.’ It is a rubbish rating in that it does not protect against <1mm particles like pocket lint, dust, etc. Have a look at the JerryRig video below.
| Size (H X W x D) | Unfolded: 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9mm plus camera bump Flip: 85.1 x 71.9 x 14.9mm plus camera bump takes it to 18mm |
| Weight grams | 187g |
| Front glass | None – foldable AMOLED – Mohs hardness 2 – fingernails can scratch it |
| Rear material | Gorilla Glass Victus 2 Mohs hardness 6 |
| Frame | Aluminium |
| IP rating | IP48 1.5m for 30 minutes |
| Colours | Standard: Blue, Yellow, Mint, Silver Shadow Exclusive: Crafted Black, White, Peach |
| Pen, Stylus support | None – foldable AMOLED |
| In the box | |
| Charger | No |
| USB cable | 3W cable |
| Buds | No |
| Bumper cover | No |
| Comment | We disapprove of not providing a charger and selling it for $50 more. |
Jerry Rig
PRV teardown
Android 14 with seven more to come – Exceed
Google raised the bar with seven years of operating system upgrades and security patches. Samsung has matched that.
UI 6.1.1 (for folds) is well done. It handles multitasking well and is overall more usable than pure Android. But it is getting bloated with multiple menu levels and some confusing options.
Android users will find that Samsung has an almost complete set of Google apps (alternatives to Gmail, Phone, Calendar, Contacts, Photos). These make it easy to use Samsung backup but very hard to back up to your Google account or go back to another Android phone. We recommend using Google apps whenever you can.
Starting 25 September 2024, Samsung will require you to log into your Samsung Account to use Samsung apps, services, backup, or AI features. This involves agreeing to some 40,000 legalese words in ten nested policies with privacy implications. It is in addition to Google’s 8,000-word simple English terms, which are easier to accept.
And possibly starting by the end of 2025, there will be a monthly charge to use certain AI features.
Android specs
| Android | 14 |
| Security patch date | 1 September 2024 (current) |
| UI | One UI 6.1.1 |
| OS upgrade policy | 7 |
| Security patch policy | 7 |
| Bloatware | Samsung alternative to Google Suite. |
| Other | Selection of Galaxy Apps. Consumer Advice: If you intend to use other Android brands in the future, use Google Apps rather than locking into the Samsung ecosystem. |
| Comment | Samsung is following Apple’s lead. It is now almost impossible to use the device without both a Google account (8,000 words and normal for any Android) and a Samsung account (40,000 words in ten nested policies), which has privacy implications. Many of the AI features are locked to the account, and Samsung has indicated that monthly fees may apply for AI features at the end of 2025. |
| Security | |
| Fingerprint sensor location, type | GW39B on power key |
| Face ID | 2D |
| Other | Knox and Secure folder |
| Comment | One of the more secure Android devices |
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 rear camera
The rear camera has been bumped from the Flip5’s 12+12 to 50+12MP. Before you get too excited, the 50MP bins to 12.5MP anyway (same as the Fold6), but it does allow for some more AI post-processing. The 12MP is the same as the Flip5 and is solely for ultra-wide.
DXOMARK has rated the camera at 132, one point behind the Fold6 at 133 which has a 10MP 3X Zoom Telephoto sensor.
DXOMARK found issues for still images (paraphrased)
- Exposure and colour accuracy was marginal.
- Autofocus was variable
- Too much noise in zoom and low light
- Bokeh is unreliable with artifacts around the subject
- Screen preview colours are unreliable
- 10x Digital zoom lacked detail and had too much noise and artifacts in zoom
Video issues were:
- More than acceptable exposure and colour issues
- Autofocus was variable
To quote: The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 delivered decent performance in our DXOMARK Camera tests but could not match conventional non-folding devices in its price segment. Regarding camera hardware, it is a fairly modest upgrade over its predecessor, the Z Flip5.
CyberShack says it is a decent point-and-shoot still and video camera in day and office light and avoid 10X zoom.
Photo tests
Rear camera specs
| Rear Primary | Wide |
| MP | 50MP bins to 12.5MP (same as Fold6) |
| Sensor | Samsung S5KGN3 Supports binning to 12, 12.5 and 10MP |
| Focus | PDAF |
| f-stop | 1.8 |
| um | 1 bins to 2 |
| FOV° (stated, actual) | 74.1 to 86.7 |
| Stabilisation | OIS |
| Zoom | 8X digital |
| Rear 2 | Ultra-wide/macro |
| MP | 12MP (Same as Flip5) |
| Sensor | Samsung S5K3LU |
| Focus | FF |
| f-stop | 2.2 |
| um | 1.12 |
| FOV (stated, actual) | 123° (105.6 to 117.5) |
| Stabilisation | No |
| Zoom | No |
| Video max | Primary sensor 4K@60fps 4K@30fps with OIS and EIS |
| Flash | Single |
| Auto-HDR | Yes |
| QR code reader | Yes |
| Night mode | Yes |
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 front camera
You should use the primary rear 50MP sensor for selfies, as the cover screen shows a framing preview. The 10MP internal camera is now relegated to a video conference camera.
| MP | 10MP and bin to 6.3MP |
| Sensor | Samsung SK53J1 |
| Focus | FF |
| f-stop | 2.2 |
| um | 1.22 |
| FOV (stated, actual) | 64.9-75.3 |
| Stabilisation | No |
| Flash | Screen Fill |
| Zoom | No |
| Video max | 4K@60 but not recommended |
CyberShack’s view: The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is for those who want a flip, and it is very pocketable.
Flippers buy on style, not substance, and pay for the privilege. Those who want more would buy the SD8 Gen 3 powered Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (not the S24/+, as they use an Exynos processor), which offers way more amenities, features, better cameras, longer battery life, and value.
We have done our job as long as you know the upsides (mainly pocketability) and downsides.
Competition
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip had the market to itself, and improvements were more incremental than epoch-making. But OPPO’s N2 Flip (2022), Motorola’s Razr 40 (2023) and even more highly speced Razr 50 Ultra (2024) have upped the bar. On paper, the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra has superior specifications, a far larger and usable 1080p cover screen, a 10-bit internal screen, a better camera, and more storage, and it is $500 cheaper.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 ratings
Do we rate it as a $1799/1999 premium smartphone or a flip? While it has a premium processor, the format imposes some limitations, so we will rate it as a Flip where it only loses out on value.
| Ratings | New rating 2024 system – pass mark 70/100 |
| Features | 85 |
| The latest SoC upgrades, primary camera sensor upgrade, more RAM and AI capabilities than Fold5. | |
| Value | 75 |
| Samsung justifies the price as a Flip, but lower-cost glass slabs offer far better cameras and performance. The more advanced Razr 50 Ultra is $500 less. | |
| Performance | 80 |
| The SD8 Gen 3 is a superb SoC, but it throttles badly after a few minutes of load. Typical users will not notice. | |
| Ease of Use | 80 |
| Excellent 2+7+7 Warranty/OS Upgrades/Security patches. Some will be concerned about the almost mandatory privacy policies for Samsung accounts. Use Google Apps if you want maximum upgradability if you leave Samsung’s ecosystem. | |
| Design | 80 |
| Samsung has regurgitated the Flip5 with updates. I am still not convinced that flipping is the right way, but to many, it’s a style icon. | |
| Rating out of 10 | 80 |
