Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 review

Design, build quality, handling

Evolution is the right word when it comes to the Z Flip6's styling - the previous generation was the bearer of somewhat bigger change with the gapless closing, this time it's about refinement. The aluminum frame has gone from glossy to brushed and it's been flattened further, and the main cameras have gotten accent rings, and... that's pretty much it.

When it comes to dimensions, the new model is nearly identical to the previous one - entirely the same, in fact, in its open state, and marginally thinner when folded (14.9mm vs. 15.1mm). Weight is also unchanged at 187g, which is all the more impressive given the increase in battery capacity.

In the unflipped state, it remains a tall handset, but the 22:9 aspect in itself isn't an issue - we're looking at you, Fold cover screen. Of course, reaching the top isn't a trivial task, but that's what your other hand is for.

The buttons on the side are somewhat out of reach too, but that's more or less the norm for the form factor. The side-mounted capacitive fingerprint reader worked without incident in our use.

The topic of creases is typically a polarizing one. If we go about it academically, the one on the Flip6 isn't the flattest, and it may get more pronounced with use (if only ever so slightly). On the other hand, long-term foldable users will be quick to tell you that creases are not something they think about or notice in the real world. Still, the Razrs are nicer in this respect and feel a bit more special when taken out of the box.

What the Motos lack is ingress protection for solids - rated one, at least. The Z foldables this year have an IP48 rating, adding some level of protection from solid particles, but the 4 means stuff larger than 1mm can't get in there, which has to have been the case before as well, just minus being official. The water resistance remains at up to 1.5m depth for as long as 30 minutes (the Razrs have that too).

One of the Z Flip6's main attractions is certainly the cover display, and it's remained the same for this generation, its odd notched shape making it quirky, more than it is sexy. We tend to find the Motos' and more recently Xiaomi's edge-to edge cover displays more striking. For practical purposes what the Galaxy Flip6 has is easily good enough though, even if the competition does indeed make better use of their larger displays.

Speaking of practicality, the outer surfaces are protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

Color options for the Z Flip6 include our review unit's Blue, as well as Silver Shadow, Mint, and Yellow - quite the appealing selection, actually. These are the 'mainstream' versions, which you'll be able to get at retail stores and carriers, while Samsung.com will also offer you three exclusive colorways - Crafted Black, White and Peach.

Color options: Silver Shadow • Mint • Yellow • Crafted Black • White • Peach