Samsung may have fixed two of the Z Flip’s major issues, but another big one remains

Samsung has launched the new Galaxy Z Flip 6, but it looks a lot like last year’s Z Flip 5. 

However, while the design is very similar, there are plenty of upgrades hidden beneath the surface.  

In particular, it’s great to see Samsung address two of the Z Flip 5’s key weaknesses, meaning it should be a much better foldable overall. However, one major drawback has been left untouched. 

Flagship-level main camera

To start, let’s focus on the improvements. For most people, cameras are one of the most important aspects of any smartphone, whether it folds or not. 

The cameras on the Z Flip 5 aren’t bad by any means, but they are a clear step down from the best camera phones you can buy. When you’re paying £1,049/$999.99 or more, that can be hard to come to terms with. 

Fortunately, Samsung has decided that now is the time for a big step forward. Gone is the middling 12Mp main sensor, replaced by a new and improved 50Mp lens. It’s not just any 50Mp lens, either – it’s the same one as on the Galaxy S24+.

In our review of that phone, we described shots from the main sensor as “detailed and rich”, with colours that are “strong and dynamic” and saturation that’s “never too excessive”.  

That bodes extremely well for the Z Flip 6, which should finally be able to compete with non-folding flagship phones. While the 12Mp ultrawide lens and 10Mp selfie camera are unchanged, this is still a much stronger camera system overall. 

Now, if only Samsung could add a telephoto lens with optical zoom, it’d tick all the boxes for most people.  

Boosted battery capacity

Due to the space constraints, battery life is an issue for many flip phones. The hinge mechanism means that often there isn’t enough room for the large capacity required to offer all-day battery life. 

That was evident on the Z Flip 5, with its 3700mAh battery below that of most rivals and well behind most non-folding phones. 

And so, it proved, with our full review detailing the mediocre battery life throughout our testing time. Most people will get a full day on a single charge, but not much more. 

On first impressions, the move to a 4000mAh cell on the Z Flip 6 doesn’t seem too significant. But it’s now the same as the regular Galaxy S24, which offers very solid battery life. 

And alongside the improved power efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset, there should be a nice boost to battery life. 

Same slow charging

Sadly, the same can’t be said for charging speeds. Just like its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 can still only charge at up to 25W, and the necessary charger still isn’t included in the box. 

While that’s the same as the regular Galaxy S24, the S24+ and S24 Ultra can both reach 45W speeds. And many, many Android phones can charge much faster, some at 100W or more. 

It’s a shame that Samsung missed the opportunity to improve charging speeds, at least to 45W. It means you’ll likely be waiting over an hour to go from 0-100%, or longer if you don’t have a 25W plug.  

The presence of 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging simply can’t make up for sub-par wired speeds. 

For most people, this shouldn’t be a dealbreaker, especially given the improvements to the cameras and battery capacity. But you’ll have to wait for our full review to find out if the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is worth its £1,049/$1,099.99 starting price.