In recent years, smartphones have become an indispensable part of our lives, with manufacturers upping their game with new features and advancements. One of the latest trends that is exciting the market right now is the re-emergence of foldable phones. I remember using one back in the day and really loving it, but of course at that time phones were of limited technology. I’m therefore elated at this comeback, this time bringing lots of power and high performance and therefore combining style and high functionality.
A few weeks back, Samsung launched the Galazy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 in their continuous series of powerful foldable phones that the market has taken to really well. I’ve had the pleasure of using the Flip 6 for some weeks now, a statement device that came in and fit right into my life as a woman who likes beautiful, classy, yet powerful devices.
Design
The Samsung Galaxy Z flip 6 is undeniably appealing and quite the conversation starter. My unit came in Silver Shadow, which in my books is always a great classic, especially in high-quality finish phones like the Flip 6. It adds a touch of elegance and uniqueness, especially to a lady’s lifestyle. There are other colour options like peach and yellow out there for those who do not prefer a dark colour.
The Samsung Flip 6 offers a level of compactness and portability that makes it just the fit for purses, pockets, and small compartments. When folded out, the device has a full normal screen size of 6.7” which is quite sufficient for full phone use.
The phone has a 3.4” cover screen which increases functionality when the phone is in fold mode and makes it more user-friendly to operate widgets, camera, navigation, and message previews among other features. You can swipe up, down and sideways and customize this cover screen with time saving short cuts, and to suit your personalities and mood.
With a foldable device, one obvious worry would be the crease. But Samsung has done an excellent job at minimizing this as compared to previous models. It has delivered a near flawless screen that gives the assurance of longevity and therefore value for money.
Camera
The Samsung Galaxy Fip 6 combines high-resolution cameras to ensure clear crisp photos even in not-so-optimal lighting conditions. Samsung has never gone wrong with cameras and the Flip 6 is no exception. The back camera features 50M main lense and 12MP ultrawide, while the selfie camera is 10MP. Both will shoot video at an impressive 4K. This combination of features in the overall camera system puts immense photography power in the palms of phone users.
One of my favourite features of the selfie camera is that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 and indeed all the phones in the flip series is that it is its own stand, so that you can take photos without that obvious ‘selfie hand’ showing through. This also makes it a great companion for shooting video content and especially timelapses, while eliminating the need for a tripod.
Battery
With a 4000mAh battery, one charge lasts me up to around early afternoon as a heavy phone user, after which I usually need to recharge to push through the day. This is especially so when I’m consuming video-heavy content like TikTok and Instagram. For average to low users though, a single charge is enough to carry them through the day and even well into the evening. The device has 25W wired charging which will give users a 50% charge in half an hour. There is also the option of wireless charging at 15W.
Performance
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 ships out with Android 14 and Samsung’s One UI 6.1.1 – a powerful combination for a modern, safe, and secure phone that is highly customizable. This is also what assures users of the security of their phones, apps and data in these days when cyber security is becoming more paramount.
What is One UI?
“Samsung One UI is innovative software that is unique to Samsung and powers your smartphone tablet in addition to the Android operating system. One UI is integral to the Samsung Galaxy experience; it’s the face and brains of your Samsung device and has been designed with you in mind, combining all your favourite smartphone features and functions to enhance your experience.” Source.
Chipset
Behind every high-performance phone is a powerful chip that sees to smooth running without frustrating lags and glitches. For the Samsung Galaxy Flip 5, we have the highly efficient Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm). If we can use gaming as an example, the phone is able to blaze through complex graphics, fast movements and fast player reactions without breaking a sweat. This goes to show that it performs great even for less intensive functions.
The phone also comes with 256GB internal memory and 12GM RAM, quite adequate even for multitasking on the most memory hogging apps without lags. This RAM is especially great for heavy users like gamers who as mentioned above, need to use heavy graphics and animations at super-fast speeds. With 256GM ROM, I’m able to store lots and lots of family memories in video and stills without worrying about running out of space.
Verdict
For anyone on the lookout for a unique device, this is it. It is retailing at Ksh.121,000/- on Samsung’s e-commerce site Brand Cart, a fair enough price given that Samsung is a trusted brand in terms of quality and performance. There is also the level of aesthetics you get, plus the power that the phone puts in your hands. What I have in this article are just a few key features, otherwise a lot more lies within the device. Some time and curiosity will have you discovering the phone in full with time.