Samsung Foldables are Here! Will you Flip or Fold?

Samsung’s new foldables are now available.

At first glance they may not appear to be overly enhanced from last year but there are some key factors that set them apart from the 2023 models.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been using the Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 and although great devices, are they great for you? I’m going to state this from the outset, the Flip is superior to Fold even though it’s cheaper. Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t like the Fold but the Flip executes the promise of foldables in a far better way.

The Flip and the Fold have a lot of shared features under the bonnet (hood for you guys in the States) but they are very different devices. The Fold6 has matured into an excellent productivity tool while the Flip6 is just very cool. My wife uses her Flip4 for work but does have to make compromises due to battery life and camera performance. Fortunately those issues have been addressed somewhat in the latest model.

Full specs of all devices can be found in our Unpacked wrap up.

GALAXY Z FLIP6

The first thing you notice about the Flip6 is the colour highlights around the outside lenses. I like it. It also serves another purpose as it makes it easier for the subject to look right down the barrel of the lens. If you’ve ever seen confused looking group selfie, you’ll know what I mean.

When you open the Flip6 you’ll experience a brighter screen that can reach a peak luminance of 2,600 nits. As you can see in the image below the 6.7” Dynamic AMOLED Adaptive 120Hz display competes nicely with Samsung’s S24 Ultra flagship. You will see the crease but that’s not going away anytime soon.

The Flip6 really needed a camera spec bump and fortunately we got one. This, and the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy processor (also found in the S24 Ultra) are good reasons to upgrade, even from Flip5. Samsung has also deployed flagship camera tech from the Galaxy S24 series in the next Flip and its immediately noticeable.

The Flip6 main cameras have been upgraded to a 50MP Wide-angle and a better 12MP Ultra-Wide camera. The Flip5 has two 12MP cameras on the outside. The imaging software has also been improved so you can expect better skin tones, low light and better stability. The internal 10MP camera will give solid results but you’re always better off taking your selfies with the outside cameras. The Flip is brilliant for this given the main cameras and the outside screen are together.

This puts the Flip in a unique position thanks to its form factor. In the closed position, the Flip6 can offer outstanding video and stills thanks to its new main 50PM sensor. It’s my favourite form factor out of the foldables family. There’s something special about using the phone in its compact, closed form. It’s not only fast, it’s less obvious too. All you need to do is double press the power button or swipe the screen to get up and running with the camera.

It takes a little while to get out of the habit of taking selfies with the inferior inside camera. I mean we’ve been doing it for years with standard smartphones. When the Flip6 is opened up you get to see it like regular phone and it’s tempting to take all your selfies while it’s open. But once you start using the outside cameras with the 3.4-inch screen to help on the outside, you won’t go back.

On the main lens you can choose between a 50MP or 12MP image capture. This allows you to pick resolution over light gathering. You tend to get more natural looking shots with 12MP.

Galaxy AI-powered Auto Zoom lets you take hands-free shots by detecting subjects and backgrounds. It automatically zooms in and out to find the best angles and compositions.

The new 4,000mAh battery is a huge upgrade when you combine it with the new processor and vapour chamber. I got a full day of use out of the Flip6 without any problem. The best way to extend battery life is to do a lot of your activity on the outside screen.

The phone is a little foldable powerhouse. It can handle gaming without any problems and the most demanding AI tasks. This was a big selling point for Samsung at launch but there’s not much difference between the modern Android phones when it comes to AI. The most useful tool is translation in my opinion.

And … it’s fun! The Flip6 comes with a range of accessories, none better than the Retro Flipsuit Case. It’s powered by NFC and once mounted on the phone it also activates an accompanying Flex Window animation – which you can interact with .. very cool. The improved hinge makes the Flip6 very solid but you can still see that crease. Although it’s less visible than the Fold.

If you’re looking to upgrade from last year, then the Flip6 deserves to be considered. If you are coming from a Flip4 or Flip3 then it’s a definite upgrade.

The starting price is A$1,799 but I think it’s value has improved with the changes mentioned above.

Galaxy Z Flip Comparison

GALAXY Z FOLD6

As I wrote earlier, I consider the Samsung Fold a productivity device more than a personal smartphone.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that but for many people the Fold6 just doesn’t make sense. Yes, you can use it like a normal phone in the closed configuration but the display will be thinner while the body will thicker. It will feel a little awkward in your pocket, especially when compared with the Flip6.

The Flip6 is thinner, tougher, brighter and faster than last year’s model, the Flip5. The cover display is now slightly larger at 6.3-inches as apposed to 6.2-inches on the Fold5. This adds a little width to the display, which is welcomed. The outside display matches the inside screen for brightness with a peak luminance of 2600 nits. Both screens are also 120Hz so you don’t miss out on much with the front display, aside from its narrow aspect ratio.

The new look and feel of the Fold6 is definitely a premium experience. The latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm) processor means all the latest Galaxy AI functions work well. The live interpreter that places your language on one display and the other language on the other screen is excellent. I’m really keen to explore this more but my initial experience was very promising.

This is where the form factor shines for the Fold6. Although it has two displays, the inside screen acts like a third display when folded at 90 degrees.

One of the best aspects to the Fold6 and the versions before it, is balance in one hand. When the Fold is opened it sits effortlessly in the palm of your hand. It’s almost counterintuitive to have this 7.6-inch display resting on your hand with absolutely no effort. Try it. You’ll see that it’s less awkward to hold than the top heavy iPhone Pro Max models. Weird huh? Well it is 14 grams lighter than the Fold5.

But the best reason to give the fold a go is screen real estate. If you can overcome the crease you’ll have a great time consuming content, browsing the web and doing work. Websites especially look great in its almost square aspect ratio. It’s like having a foldable tablet in your pocket.

I only wish it had more staying power as the battery remains 4,400mAh. This is disappointing as the Fold6 has a lot of screen to light up. But if you are a power user, you no doubt have a charging plan in place.

There are minor improvements to the rear cameras which I played with in my studio. It has a 50MP main sensor, a new 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 10MP telephoto lens. AI plays a big part in getting the best results out of the cameras. The Galaxy AI-powered ProVisual Engine automatically enhances detail and shades in challenging backlit scene.

The rear camera array is pretty good but it could easily be better. It lacks the firepower of the S24 Ultra, which is super frustrating. I know Samsung wants to keep its best camera specs exclusive to the S-series but I really struggle to see why that can’t extend it to the Fold as well. I actually think Samsung should throw the kitchen sink at the Fold. Give it everything. The best cameras, power and screen tech. I’d love to see that and many would actually pay for it. Imagine how much more video work could be done with that massive screen to help edit. The S Pen would come in handy here but I didn’t have one with my review unit.

Looking at the specs on the Fold6, I don’t see the urgency to upgrade from the last two years. It is beautiful but in this case beauty has its price and that might be a little high for most people. But if you want a tablet with great cameras that folds up into your pocket, then open your wallet.

The starting price is A$2,749 going all the way up to A$3,299.

Galaxy Z Fold Comparison

Both review models have been returned to Samsung.