Samsung Unveils Its Galaxy Z Flip 6 And Z Fold 6 To The World

Major smartphone releases are like national holidays for me, and I don't think that any gets more celebration in the second half of the year than Samsung's second Unpacked event for the year.

Samsung has unveiled more devices today than I think it has ever at a single Unpacked event. Today, we get the Galaxy Ring, Watch 7, Watch Ultra, Buds 3, Buds 3 Pro, and of course, the Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6. But that's too much for a single piece, so let's start with what you're most likely hungriest for: the sixth-gen foldables.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Makes Samsung's New Design Official

Samsung's Z Fold devices are arguably the most popular foldables in the world, so I can imagine that anticipation was through the roof prior to their launch. That wait is finally over though, and now, everything is official. Let's talk about the new device.

The Design

The first thing you'll notice upon gazing at the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is that it has a different design from last year's model, with flat edges and sharper corners taking the stage. It looks like a closer relative of Samsung's S24 Ultra this way. I like the new look but I know some people likely won't. Apart from that, it is still recognizable as Samsung's foldable with how the cameras are placed.

The phone does get lighter and slimmer though, which is a step in the right direction. It also gets IP48 certification, which is technically a step better than the IPX8 certification of its predecessor, but a 4 in dust resistance doesn't act as much stress relief for a device like this — careful with it on the beach.

The Screens

Not much changes with the display, but there are still some changes. For instance, the aspect ratio on the 7.6-inch inner display goes from 21.6:18 to 20.9:18, which means slightly more square. It also gets a boost to a 2,600-nit peak brightness. Other things remain the same, such as it being a 120Hz LTPO AMOLED with 2160 x 1856 resolution.

The cover display gets minimally larger at 7.3 inches and retains the LTPO tech, 120Hz refresh rate, and a slightly different 2376 x 968 resolution due to the new 22.1:9 aspect ratio (slightly stouter than 23.1:9 for its predecessor).

The Hardware

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy powers the new Z Fold 6, which is expected since it's the best Qualcomm has to offer for the next few months. Samsung also boasts that the vapor chamber inside gets 1.6x larger, and with raytracing support, it becomes even better for gaming. The device comes with 12GB of RAM, which you can pair with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage.

If you were expecting a change in the battery or charging department, you'll be disappointed. You still get a 4,400 mAh cell with 25W charging (I have no energy left to try and logicize such slow charging for a supposed flagship foldable). In other news, you get Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

The Software

These devices run on One UI 6.1.1, which of course, comes with Galaxy AI as a major part of its identity. You get the usual AI features, though Samsung adds a new one called Sketch to Image which lets AI develop sketches you make into full-blown art. You can even sketch onto photos and have it add in objects based on what you sketch.

The Z Fold 6 also comes with Google Gemini built in from launch. Circle to Search also gets improved. Now, you can even circle homework like math equations and break down how to solve them on its own.

The Cameras

If you were also expecting the cameras to get better, that isn't happening here. You get the same primary trio of a 50MP primary, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP 3x telephoto. On the cover display, there's a 10MP selfie camera, and the inner display makes do with a 4MP under-display unit.

Pricing And Availability

The Z Fold 6 will be available in Silver Shadow, Pink, and Navy colorways, as well as two exclusive colors, Crafted Black and White, that can be ordered on Samsung's official website.

You can pre-order from today, though real availability starts in two weeks, on July 24th. The Z Fold 6 will start at $1,899, which confirms the $100 price hike that was rumored. I can't really see what major additional value comes to the table for that extra money, though.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Comes With A Few Significant Upgrades

The Z Flip 6 is the relatively unobtrusive younger sibling, and it's the choice of the more fashion-forward consumers, for good reason. This year, the Z Flip 6 brings much more value than its predecessor, the Fold, so let's get into what's changed.

The Design

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 looks pretty much the same as its predecessor, with the same recognizable design. The device does get just a little bit slimmer when folded, but not when unfolded. It also stays the same weight. The slimmer profile when closed is likely due to Samsung's improved hinge on the device. It is also IP48-rated.

The Screens

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 cover display is the same as before. It's a 3.4-inch 60Hz AMOLED panel with a 720 x 748. So, nothing too special. The screen inside is the favorite child, though, as a 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel with LTPO technology and a 120Hz refresh rate.

The Hardware

On the hardware front, the Z Flip 6 gets the predictable update to Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy but also gets a bump to 12GB of RAM from 8GB on the Z Flip 5. You can choose between a 256GB and a 512GB model. For the first time in a Z Flip phone, the Z Flip 6 also comes with a vapor chamber.

The battery also gets a push from 3,700 mAh to 4,000 mAh, though charging stays stagnant at 25W (at least a little more acceptable for the “little” model). This section alone has a lot of upgrades. Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E make their return too.

The Software

Of course, your Galaxy Z Flip 6 still has Galaxy AI and Google Gemini built in since it runs One UI 6.1.1. Its little cover display supports more widgets than ever and has a new Photo Ambient feature that can change wallpapers in real time based on weather and time of day.

The device also comes with FlexCam, which will help you frame your shots perfectly when you place your Z Flip 6 on a surface and try to record something.

The Cameras

Again, there are more upgrades in the device's camera realm. The primary camera here gets a boost to a more serious 50MP, with last year's 12MP ultrawide by its side. The selfie shooter sticks to 10MP, but the advantage of the cover display is that it's super easy to forgo that and use the 50MP snapper for shots of yourself.

Pricing And Availability

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 will be available in Silver Shadow, Yellow, Blue, and Mint colorways, though you can get Samsung's exclusive colors — Crafted Black, White, and Peach — by purchasing on their website.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 also gets a $100 price hike to $1,099. This price increase is easier to defend since this device has quite a few improvements.