by Thinus Ferreira
At around R30 000 it's pricey. But the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 is
an exceptional device, perfecting the foldable
experience.
While expensive, its unique design, impressive
displays, and top-notch performance justify the investment and for those
seeking innovation and versatility, the Galaxy Z Fold6 is an excellent choice.
While I had it for a few weeks as a review device,
I felt I could really do anything, wherever.
Rarely does a cellphone truly feel integrated into
your lifestyle and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 fully accomplishes that – it doesn't
change anything about what you're doing but makes everything you're already
trying to do and are doing on your mobile device, just better.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 is a testament to innovative design, showcasing significant refinements in
its sixth iteration. Samsung's perseverance in perfecting the foldable form
factor is evident, addressing previous concerns and elevating the user
experience.
Of course future versions will even be better but
there's nothing wrong with number 6 and switching to a foldable whenever you
might want to. For my next phone I definitely will.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 boasts a sleek,
durable design with a sturdy hinge mechanism. It weighs 263 grams, is very comfortable
to hold and the phone's dimensions have been tweaked, making it slightly
narrower and more pocket-friendly.
The 7.6-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X foldable
display is … stunning.
The screen has an 1856×2160px
resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ and brightness up to 2600 nits. It
offers vibrant colours, crisp text, and impressive brightness and the 6.2-inch
cover screen is equally impressive, providing an immersive experience without
unfolding.
Minimal creasing is noticeable but doesn't detract
from the visual experience. The cover screen has a 968×2376px resolution.
Powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2,
performance is seamless. Everything is effortless.
Camera-wise the quad-camera setup – 50MP
primary, 12MP front, 12MP ultra-wide, and 10MP telephoto – delivers impressive
results. It's not "revolutionary" but the phone's camera system
captures vivid images, with notable improvements in low-light photography and
will do everything you expect it to.
The Li-Po 4400mAh non-removable battery
provides a full day's usage. Heavy users may need to recharge before bedtime
which I needed to do as a journalist, out all day and travelling, taking
photos, checking emails and social media, taking photos, making notes and
calling.
Fast charging (25W) and wireless charging
capabilities are both fine.
One UI 6.1 under the hood, based on Android 14,
offers intuitive navigation and customisation options with 256GB, 512GB
and 1TB internal storage options, together with 12GB RAM.
You can apparently drop the thing in water up to one metre deep for up
to an hour and it will be fine. I didn't test this so-called "water resistance".
Galaxy AI lets you translate calls, search for stuff better and can do AI art
creation through prompts.
A fold, a flip, a flap, a flutter feels gimmicky in
smartphone parlance until you fold open something like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, which, like a mini booklet, just opens up a bigger world.
Once you've done that, it's difficult to go back.
I would rarely use the
word "love" for an object but while I had it, I loved this thing. The
last time I had something in my pocket I had an actual "precious" feeling for,
was decades ago with a Nintendo Donkey Kong Game & Watch double-screen
clamshell.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 completely and
seamlessly fitted into my life and enhanced it.
Where everything from TV remote
controls to kettles these days comes with a learning curve, this fold thing
intuitively did everything I wanted to do and expanded everything, in a better
way, further.
