Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Review: The Pinnacle of Foldable Phone Technology

Introduction

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series has been at the forefront of foldable phone innovation, and the latest iteration, the Galaxy Z Fold 6, continues this trend with subtle yet significant enhancements. Priced at $2148 and available at Red White Mobile Singapore, this device promises a premium experience with its versatile design, powerful performance, and innovative features. In this comprehensive review, we will explore the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s design, performance, camera capabilities, battery life, and more to determine if it truly stands as the best foldable phone on the market.

Design: A Familiar But Refined Fold

Dimensions and Build

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 measures 6.04 by 2.68 by 0.48 inches (HWD) when closed and expands to 6.04 by 5.22 by 0.22 inches when open, weighing 8.43 ounces. Compared to its predecessor, the Z Fold 5, it is shorter, wider, thinner, and lighter. This results in a more comfortable and manageable device in both folded and unfolded states.

Enhanced Durability

Samsung has made significant improvements in durability with the Z Fold 6. The device features an enhanced Armor Aluminum frame, which is 10% stronger than the one on the Z Fold 5. Additionally, it boasts an IP48 rating, making it resistant to dust and submersion in water. The Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back panels further enhances its resilience against drops and scratches.

Improved Hinge Mechanism

The hinge mechanism operates smoothly with the right amount of resistance, holding its angle between 45 to 135 degrees. This allows for versatile usage scenarios, from typing to video calls. Samsung claims the hinge can withstand up to 200,000 folds, ensuring long-term reliability.

Displays: Excellence Inside and Out

Main Display

The main display of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a 7.6-inch Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X screen with a resolution of 2160 x 1856 pixels. It supports an adaptive refresh rate of 1Hz to 120Hz and a peak brightness of 2600 nits. The display provides vibrant colors and smooth visuals, making it perfect for media consumption and multitasking.

Cover Display

The cover display is a 6.3-inch Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2376 x 968 pixels. It shares the same adaptive refresh rate and peak brightness as the main display, ensuring a cohesive user experience. The larger cover screen is more comfortable for one-handed use compared to the 6.2-inch screen on the Z Fold 5.

Performance: Top-Tier Hardware

Powerful Internals

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, paired with 12GB of LPDDR5x RAM. This combination ensures blazing-fast performance, whether you’re multitasking, gaming, or using resource-intensive applications. Storage options include 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB, all using UFS 4.0 technology for quick data access and transfer.

Benchmark Scores

In benchmark tests, the Z Fold 6 excels. On Geekbench 6, it scores 2,231 for single-core and 6,821 for multi-core performance. These scores surpass those of the Z Fold 5 and the Pixel Fold, showcasing the Z Fold 6’s superior processing power. Gaming performance is equally impressive, with the device handling graphically demanding games like Genshin Impact smoothly even at high settings.

Camera System: Capturing Every Moment

Rear Cameras

The Z Fold 6 features a versatile triple-camera system:

• 50 MP main camera (f/1.8, dual-pixel PDAF, OIS)
• 12 MP ultra-wide camera (f/2.2, 123˚)
• 10 MP telephoto camera (f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS)

These cameras deliver vivid, detailed photos with excellent color accuracy. Low-light performance has been improved, producing brighter and more vibrant images.

Front Cameras

The device includes two front-facing cameras:

• 10 MP cover camera (f/2.2)
• 4 MP under-display camera (f/1.8)

The cover camera excels in taking detailed selfies, while the under-display camera is less impressive but sufficient for video calls.

Battery Life and Charging: Endurance with Caveats

Battery Performance

The Z Fold 6 houses a 4,000mAh battery, similar to its predecessor. In our tests, it managed 11 hours and 30 minutes of continuous video streaming at full brightness. This is an improvement over the Z Fold 5, making it suitable for heavy usage throughout the day.

Charging Speeds

Charging speeds remain a slight disappointment. The Z Fold 6 supports 25W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. It takes about 1 hour and 35 minutes to fully charge from 0% to 100%. While adequate, faster charging would be a welcome enhancement, especially considering the high-end nature of the device.

Connectivity and Call Quality: Robust and Reliable

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 supports a wide range of connectivity options, including 5G (sub-6GHz and mmWave), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC. In our tests, it delivered impressive download and upload speeds on both 5G and Wi-Fi networks. Call quality is excellent, with clear sound and effective noise cancellation.

Software and Features: A Premium Experience

One UI 6.1.1 and Android 14

The Z Fold 6 runs on Android 14 with Samsung’s One UI 6.1.1, providing a smooth and intuitive user experience. Samsung promises seven years of OS updates and security patches, ensuring the device remains current and secure for years to come.

Galaxy AI and Dex Mode

Samsung’s Galaxy AI suite offers features like Notes Assist, which organizes and summarizes notes, and photo-based tools like Sketch to Image. Dex mode allows for a desktop-like interface when connected to a display, enhancing productivity.

Verdict: The Best Foldable Phone on the Market

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 combines high-end hardware, innovative features, and a refined design to deliver an exceptional user experience. While it could benefit from faster charging and Wi-Fi 7 support, these are minor drawbacks in an otherwise stellar device. For those seeking the ultimate in foldable phone technology, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the top choice.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 sets a new standard for foldable smartphones with its powerful performance, durable design, and comprehensive feature set. Available at Red White Mobile Singapore starting at $2148, it represents the pinnacle of mobile innovation. If you’re in the market for a premium foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 should be at the top of your list.

PROS

• Improved, more durable design
• Wider cover screen
• Excellent cameras
• Blazing performance
• Bright displays
• Long software support window
  

  PROS

  • Improved, more durable design
  • Wider cover screen
  • Excellent cameras
  • Blazing performance
  • Bright displays
  • Long software support window

  NETWORK

  Technology
  GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
  2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only)
  CDMA 800 / 1900
  3G bands HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
  CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
  4G bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 – International
  5G bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 – International
  SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave – USA (Verizon)
  Speed HSPA, LTE (CA), 5G

  BODY

  Dimensions Unfolded: 153.5 x 132.6 x 5.6 mm
  Folded: 153.5 x 68.1 x 12.1 mm
  Weight 239 g (8.43 oz)
  Build Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame
  SIM Up to two Nano-SIM and multi eSIM
  IP48 water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
  Enhanced armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised)
  Stylus support

  DISPLAY

  Type Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak)
  Size 7.6 inches, 185.2 cm2 (~91.0% screen-to-body ratio)
  Resolution 1856 x 2160 pixels (~374 ppi density)
  Cover display:
  Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 1600 nits (peak), Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
  6.3 inches, 968 x 2376 pixels, 410 ppi

  PLATFORM

  OS Android 14, One UI 6.1.1
  Chipset Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)
  CPU 8-core (1×3.39GHz Cortex-X4 & 3×3.1GHz Cortex-A720 & 2×2.9GHz Cortex-A720 & 2×2.2GHz Cortex-A520)
  GPU Adreno 750 (1 GHz)

  MEMORY

  Card slot No
  Internal 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
  UFS 4.0

  MAIN CAMERA

  Triple 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
  10 MP, f/2.4, 66mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
  12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 12mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm
  Features LED flash, HDR, panorama
  Video 8K@30fps, 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/120/240fps (gyro-EIS), 720p@960fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+

  SELFIE CAMERA

  Single 4 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 2.0µm, under display
  Cover camera:
  10 MP, f/2.2, 24mm (wide), 1/3″, 1.22µm
  Features HDR
  Video 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS

  SOUND

  Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakers
  3.5mm jack No
  32-bit/384kHz audio
  Tuned by AKG

  COMMS

  WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct
  Bluetooth 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
  Positioning GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS
  NFC Yes
  Radio No
  USB USB Type-C 3.2, OTG

  FEATURES

  Sensors Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
  Samsung DeX (desktop experience support)
  Ultra Wideband (UWB) support

  BATTERY

  Type Li-Po 4400 mAh, non-removable
  Charging 25W wired, QC2.0, 50% in 30 min (advertised)
  15W wireless
  4.5W reverse wireless

  Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct