Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review: Better but not the best

Samsung's foldables have continued to get better, but not at the same pace as the competition. While Samsung has solved some issues that encumbered previous iterations of the Galaxy Fold family, it's underwhelmed in other areas.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 starts at $2,749 outright for a 256GB model. That's $200 more than last year's models. Here are the cheapest 36-month Galaxy Z Fold 6 plans:

Samsung has refined the Galaxy Z Fold 6's design almost to the point of perfection. The external display is a little bit wider at 6.3 inches. While that's only 0.1 inches larger than last year's model, the extra width makes a surprising difference. I found typing on the external display a lot more natural than any previous model, which meant I didn't need to unfold the phone as much for simple tasks like replying to a text message.

The external display is still unusually tall, but Samsung has achieved a better balance with the Z Fold 6. It's far more practical for small tasks.

The phone is also a bit lighter, now weighing in at 239g. That's only 7g heavier than the Galaxy S24 Ultra. You can't deny the Z Fold 6 is a chonker, but it's less of one than past models.

These changes have also come with a redesign. While past Folds had a curvy aesthetic, the Z Fold 6 is a bit boxier. It clearly takes cues from the S24 Ultra. On paper, I'm a fan. In practice, it means the phone has sharper corners that can jut into your hand when you've got it unfolded. Adjusting how you hold the Z Fold 6 can counter this, but it's still worth pointing out.

For all the good Samsung has done design wise, there are issues it hasn't addressed.

The most significant is the display crease on the internal display. Manufacturers like OPPO and Motorola have all but solved the crease problem on their folding phones, so it's odd that Samsung hasn't kept pace. A crease might not seem like a deal breaker, but I'd still prefer less of one. This is a sixth generation luxury phone. It should make as few compromises as possible.

Similarly, the Fold family have supported S Pens since the third generation, but Samsung still refuses to integrate one into the phone's body. Every case solution for housing an S Pen has been pretty clunky - and been an upsell. If Samsung can work out how to make a folding phone, I have no doubt it can work out how to house a stylus in one.

It's hard to fault the Galaxy Z Fold 6's performance. It has the fastest chip you'll find in an Android phone right now. It will handle any app you throw at it with aplomb.

One performance-adjacent feature worth calling out is the extended software life. Samsung is promising seven years of operating system upgrades and security updates for the Galaxy Z Fold 6, matching Google's commitment with the Pixel 8 family.

Even if you're not planning on keeping a phone that long, long software support can make a phone more useful if you're planning to pass it down to a family member when you upgrade. Alternatively, it can help with resale value.

Camera quality is the Galaxy Z Fold 6's key weakness. It can take a decent photo, but the results aren't that different to what you could get on the Z Fold 4 or Z Fold 5. That's pretty underwhelming for a phone that starts at $2,749.

You can definitely get a nice photo, but as soon as you're working in a challenging environment, the results because a lot more inconsistent. Low light photography can be grainy or blurry, and at times, exhibit unrealistic colours. Using the Z Fold 6 at a gig yielded very few photos I was happy with. Similarly, trying to take photos of my dog when she wasn't lying down was a tricky endeavour.

Other high-end devices - including the iPhone 15 family, Pixel 8 family, and Samsung's own Galaxy S24 Ultra - all take better photos. When you're spending top dollar on a phone, the camera shouldn't feel like as much of a compromise as the one on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 does.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6's battery is one of the its key strengths. While the physical battery is the same size as we've seen in the last few generations, a more efficient processor gives its some more longevity.

In my testing, I found the Galaxy Z Fold 6 would offer between five and six hours of screen time per charge. That translates to roughly a day of moderate usage with a comfortable buffer.

When I tested, I was mostly using the Galaxy Z Fold 6's external display around 75% of the time. Using the phone unfolded definitely drained it faster, and I'd expect a shorter battery life if you're predominantly using the Z Fold 6 as a tablet.

Samsung pioneered the foldable category, but it hasn't kept up with challenger brands. OPPO's Find N3 has a better camera, a less prominent display crease, and some very clever multi-tasking software. Other brands making flip-style rivals like the Razr 50 Ultra have also done a much better job with hiding the display crease than Samsung has.

It's disappointing to see Samsung not trying harder with the Z Fold 6. It's Samsung's most expensive phone, it should be better. If Samsung can work out how to make a phone fold, I have no doubt it can put a better camera in one.

If you're considering picking up a Galaxy Z Fold 6, it's worth being aware of the compromises. The S24 Ultra is the more rational buy the Samsung fans wanting the manufacturer's best. It's natural that folding tech comes with a premium, but you shouldn't also have to make sacrifices on features like camera quality in such a significant way.