I would like to use the one telephone exclusively.

I’ve been able to recall memories that are lengthy enough to recollect when they were. Every few months, an OEM or another would attempt something quirky that ultimately fell flat – there have been phones with gaming controllers (Xperia Play), built-in projectors (Galaxy Beam), modular designs (LG G5), and a variety of unconventional curves (who could forget the LG G Flex). Through iterative refinement, modern smartphones have evolved into sleek, slab-like devices, with most contemporary models boasting a remarkably uniform, flat-glass design. While individual devices may vary in terms of processing speed or camera quality, the underlying principles of mobile computing remain consistent regardless of such differences.

Arriving just as conventional telephones had grown oppressively mundane, they inevitably injected a dash of excitement into the mix; however, they were not exceptional products. Despite some limitations, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is an outstanding device. Unlike previous years, there’s no need for me to justify this statement.

Samsung has incrementally refined its design each year, ultimately achieving an ergonomic milestone that matches its hefty price tag’s expectations. While widely regarded as the most successful smartphone currently available, it’s also one that I’m perfectly comfortable carrying with me throughout the day. If I weren’t tempted by the constant influx of latest smartphone releases as a reviewer, I’d probably stick with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 for the next year, considering its unique form factor and impressive feature set.

Samsung has made significant progress at its own pace due to existing circumstances. Excluding China-based manufacturers that dominate Samsung’s key markets, Samsung stood as the sole provider of tablet-style foldable smartphones until relatively recently. As advancements in technology allowed for refined manufacturing processes, each successive iteration of the smartphone managed to shave off incremental improvements, gradually streamlining its overall design by minutely adjusting the hinge and reducing its collective weight year after year.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 boasts flat edges, mirroring the design language of both the Samsung Galaxy S series and Apple’s iPhones. The aluminum body features subtle edge-rolling for a non-obtrusive shape that still provides ample flat surface area for a secure grasp. Upon opening the Z Fold 6, its design bears a striking resemblance to an iPad Mini. While it’s designed to compactly fit in a pocket when unused, this item doesn’t share the same versatility when in use – it can’t be folded in half for easy handling. Given that water won’t bother this item, though, avoid introducing particulates like sand, which could contaminate the hinge and screw mechanisms, causing problems.

The OLED panels boast exceptional clarity and remarkable brightness. Samsung boasts a peak brightness of 2,600 nits, while not surpassing the highest standards, still providing ample illumination for outdoor applications. The quilted design on the display screen is fully visible, with the interior screen displaying similarly impressive results. The flexible OLED’s plastic layers tend to reflect light more softly than glass, making it slightly more challenging to read under extremely bright sunlight?

The innovative Galaxy Fold featured a diminutive external display screen, roughly the size of a credit card, rendering it inadequate for most tasks typically performed on a mobile device. As Samsung replaced components, the device incrementally evolved into an even more polished product. While the Fold 6’s cowl display screen measures a slightly larger diagonal at one-tenth of an inch, its true advantage lies in its roughly 3mm increased width. The display screen has finally achieved a ratio where it renders apps with precision and offers ample space for effortless typing. You don’t need to physically open the Z Fold 6 to tackle tasks.

The hinge has undergone significant improvements over the course of its development. Initially, Samsung’s foldable devices featured noticeable crevices between their two halves, while the hinge area was broader than the opposing side, resulting in a device that appeared almost triangular in shape. In recent updates, Samsung’s foldable devices have undergone a significant transformation, evolving from bulky to sleek and slim. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 boasts a remarkable profile of just 12.1mm when folded and an astonishingly slim 5.6mm when unfolded, rendering it significantly more portable than its predecessor, the Z Fold 5, whose chunkier design made it more cumbersome to carry around. While still an enormous endeavour, the latest Galaxy Fold iteration exudes a sense of polish, having shed its earlier prototype-like aura to present a truly refined device.

I can confidently accomplish meaningful work on the Samsung Z Fold 6 that would be impossible to achieve on lesser capable phones. It’s precisely for this reason that I’ve consistently emphasized the significance of foldables – they’re the first phones in decades to genuinely offer more, rather than just incremental upgrades. With Samsung’s foldable technology now refined, there’s no longer a reason to hesitate in using the Z Fold 6 as my go-to device. While I initially found comfort with earlier Samsung foldables, I’d typically use them for extended periods before the weight started to become tiresome; it was often a relief to transition to a smaller form factor on my subsequent evaluation device. After a while spent with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, my lingering doubts about its size have dissipated.

Having a small, portable device that packs a significant amount of computing power and storage capacity, capable of fitting neatly into one’s pocket, is truly powerful. While you effortlessly view videos without straining your eyes and take advantage of intuitive app experiences facilitated by pill-like interfaces, this isn’t unique to any specific type of foldable tablet – it’s a characteristic shared by the entire category of tablets with foldable designs. Standing out from the rest, the Z Fold 6 excels at handling multiple tasks simultaneously. Although Samsung initially invested in multi-window functionality for devices that didn’t necessarily require it, this strategic move has yielded significant dividends with the rise of foldable technology.

With the freedom to tailor app configurations exactly to my preferences, every distinction becomes seamless. By merely tapping twice, I can effortlessly split-screen up to three live-updating apps, while the highly customizable aspects panel provides instant access to my most frequently used shortcuts and commands. With this innovative feature, you’ll have the flexibility to resize apps to suit your workflow, effortlessly convert them into floating windows, and create custom app groups that can be saved as convenient shortcuts for easy access at a later time. Samsung’s multitasking capabilities on its foldable devices have a significant edge over Google’s approach with the Pixel Fold series. While the OnePlus One is on par with others in terms of hardware, I have found that its software leaves room for significant improvement.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 operates seamlessly with a user-friendly interface. While One UI has its strengths, there are a few aspects that fall short of perfection – most notably the side-scrolling app drawer, which can be cumbersome to navigate, and the Samsung keyboard, whose quirks can be frustrating at times. Although I’m impressed with Samsung’s successful Windows setup, I shouldn’t overpraise it either. While still compensating for the phone’s limitations. Samsung guarantees to update its smartphones’ operating systems and apply security patches for a full seven-year period, mirroring Google’s similar commitment for its latest Pixel devices.

One major area of concern regarding Samsung’s current software is the worrying trend towards feature bloat. What ultimately sank the outmoded TouchWiz interface of Samsung’s phones from days gone by was its sheer chaos, and I worry that Samsung is careening in the same direction with AI as it becomes increasingly deeply ingrained in One UI. Scattered throughout the software program are various tools designed to refine your images and rework your text-based responses. I’m unconvinced that anyone genuinely craves AI-assisted editing of their text-based communication, often characterized by the overabundance of emojis in informal online interactions like social media and messaging apps. I’d love to replicate the Sketch to Picture AI feature’s functionality, which harmonizes seamlessly with S Pen assistance; unfortunately, AI-generated “artwork” often falls short of expectations.

Samsung consistently outfits its foldable devices with the latest and greatest Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, a feature you’d expect from a smartphone in this price range. The device propels benchmark scores to unprecedented heights; more impressively, its consistent performance keeps pace with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in many tests, showcasing remarkable thermal management for a phone with its unique form factor and size.

The significance of this kinetic force lies at the heart of the Fold 6’s practical application. While some entry-level phones struggle with basic multitasking, the Fold 6 excels in running seamless split-screen and floating apps without a hint of lag. I’ve rarely found myself adequately equipped on this phone to keep up, apart from the Galaxy AI features that necessitate time-consuming processing through massive language models. Without hesitation, the camera app seamlessly handles snapping a dozen images in rapid succession and then swiftly exits, unlike most smartphones where this process often falters.

While the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is an impressive device, its hefty price tag remains a significant deterrent for many potential buyers. For upwards of $2,000, you must be a discerning mobile enthusiast with an appetite for the latest technology. While affordability is crucial for tablets like foldables to gain widespread adoption, Samsung’s latest offering, the Fold 6, defies this logic by maintaining an unaffordable price tag.

Samsung’s market value increased slightly this year, rising from $1,800 to $1,900. While the increased trade-in values for older phones may make the additional fee more palatable, it’s still a substantial amount to pay for a new smartphone.

On the introduction of its pioneering Galaxy Fold, Samsung marketed this revolutionary device as a groundbreaking innovation – a tantalizing precursor to a fundamentally new class of products. As the years passed, the value gradually decreased over the course of several generations. Despite initial hopes that a growing Samsung would help drive down costs, the situation has taken a surprising turn, with prices actually increasing instead. The value of the 2019 Fold has been steadily decreasing over recent releases, but it’s now trending back upwards towards its original price point of around $2,000. It’s a bummer.

Despite numerous hardware advancements, one aspect often overlooked is the show crease. The subtle yet striking crevice persists on the Fold 6, resembling a miniature plastic gorge that bisects the foldable OLED display. Though unseen from direct views, its presence is palpable as you swipe across the screen. The use of an S Pen stylus on the Fold 6 presents a slight velocity bump.

It’s well-established that creating foldable phones without significant creases is achievable; just consider the examples of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and Huawei Mate X. These telephones exhibit remarkably little visible creasing. Despite being a relatively trivial complaint, While you may not frequently encounter the crease, its presence does impact usability to some extent, as it can cause a noticeable velocity bump when using the S Pen.

While the battery life has seen an improvement, I found that the Z Fold 6 still requires nightly charging to stay healthy, judging by my experience. If you frequently use a foldable device in excess, you may find your energy levels depleted prematurely, potentially affecting your bedtime routine? While I’ve been thoroughly pleased with the phone’s durability, a more significant concern is its charging speed: it still caps out at a mere 25W. Given the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s ability to charge at 45W, it’s surprising that the device takes so long to recharge, isn’t it?

Cameras on foldable devices still require compromises to ensure optimal performance. While Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 boasts a substantial price tag, its camera capabilities still trail those of the Galaxy S24 Extreme. In an ideal world, the most coveted smartphone would have. Despite its limitations, the device’s camera capabilities are a notable exception, offering decent performance.

At the top of the device, a robust 50-megapixel camera module features a wide-angle lens, optical image stabilization, and an impressive f/1.8 aperture for exceptional low-light performance. The phone also features a 10-megapixel 3x telephoto camera, equipped with optical image stabilization and an f/2.4 aperture for reduced camera shake and improved low-light performance. The smartphone features a standout 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, boasting an f/2.2 aperture, although it does not come equipped with optical image stabilisation technology to combat shaky hands. There isn’t a 108MP sensor, nor is there a 200MP camera like some others have featured.

While the Z Fold 6 captures decent photos, its image quality likely won’t surpass that of the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus, whose camera systems are similarly equipped. The images captured using the primary sensor boast excellent quality, with a dynamic range comparable to that of Google’s renowned Pixel series.

The majority of the images I’ve captured on the Fold 6 boast stunning visuals, characterized by vivid hues and optimal illumination. Despite this, Samsung tends to favor longer exposure times, implying that capturing moving subjects indoors can be challenging. You’re looking for extremely bright and smooth performance in motion pictures, but the phone still manages to capture great shots at night. While Samsung’s nighttime mode is comparable to Google’s in terms of image quality, it demands significantly longer exposure times.

The digicam’s capabilities can’t hold a candle to those of the S24 Ultra or Pixel 8 Pro. While the 3x telephoto lens can bring you closer to your objective, the ultimate choice hinges on a mere 10-megapixel resolution. Zooms exceeding 5x tend to produce supply images that appear unrealistically sharp and indistinct. It would be intriguing to see Samsung incorporate a periscope-style zoom lens into its foldable lineup, potentially allowing it to close the gap with Google’s impressive optical capabilities.

The 12-megapixel ultrawide camera delivers impressive results, capturing expansive shots with minimal edge distortion and a satisfying sheen. With a 123-degree field of view, this sensor offers a slight width advantage over many other ultrawide options, which I appreciate; it’s also notable that the color reproduction remains consistent across all three cameras: the main, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses. The ultrawide camera lacks autofocus functionality, potentially enabling the capture of crisp macro images. While the price tag of $2,000 may seem steep to some, in fairness, Samsung’s request reflects the device’s advanced features and premium quality. All complaints are legitimate.

This smartphone offers additional features for capturing exceptional selfies through three distinct modes. The quilt display features a 10-megapixel camera, an internal under-display 4-megapixel camera, and main sensors on the rear. While the quilt sensor is satisfactory, its 4MP internal camera is surprisingly underwhelming, producing only passable images with a noticeably low-fidelity quality that’s better suited for video calls than still photography. The rear-facing cameras consistently deliver the most impressive results. You’ll be able to activate the quilt display screen as a viewfinder, allowing you to turn the phone around for use. While it’s still somewhat awkward, the visual improvements are quite substantial indeed.

The video recording capabilities on the Samsung Z Fold 6 surpass those of many other Android smartphones outside the Samsung brand. While you’ll be able to capture up to 8K resolution at 30 frames per second video, this feature is currently more of a novelty than a practical application. The 4K/60fps mode presents an exceptionally sharp and vivid visual experience, while the device’s innovative foldable design and accompanying software improvements allow for effortless setup and shooting of steady footage from a fixed position.

Take a closer look at selfie samples and uncompressed versions of our entire image library on this platform.

While many may covet the innovative features of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, the majority of consumers should think twice before making a purchase. This high-end smartphone is incredibly powerful, yet many users find its immense energy consumption overwhelming and the price tag simply too steep.

We are an anomaly that defies the norm, a peculiar phenomenon that contradicts the conventional wisdom. If I had to rely on a single smartphone for all my needs, I would require it to be the absolute best option available. When the long-awaited day finally arrives, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 will be ready. With Samsung’s take on Android, users can leverage the most comprehensive multitasking features, effectively maximizing the device’s screen real estate, and enjoy reliable software updates for a full seven years.

I finally feel comfortable staying with the Z Fold 6 full-time because its size is finally suitable. While just a few grams heavier than its Galaxy S24 Ultra counterpart, it remains anything but featherlight. Despite reservations, the newly redesigned device has achieved a significant milestone, boasting a sleeker profile that no longer resembles a compact brick in the user’s pocket – albeit still somewhat chunky.

While the cameras, battery life, and crease on the Z Fold 6 may require some tweaking, these minor flaws do not detract from the phone’s overall appeal. Is the value truly a non-negotiable obstacle? While even a tech-savvy individual may struggle to rationalize the full $1,899 sticker price, Samsung’s generous trade-in programs do offer some justification. If a quick online search yields prices around $1,000 for trading-in an old phone, the Z Fold 6 starts to become a viable option for even the most discerning users.

While I’d likely thrive on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 for around a year before seeking new adventures, that’s not my destiny. As I transition to the next phone evaluation, I’ll be somewhat reluctant to remove my SIM card from the Galaxy Z Fold 6.