Galaxy Z Fold 6 Hands-On: Samsung Brings AI to a Slimmer Foldable

Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold 6, an upgrade to its flagship foldable that’s slimmer, wider, and faster — and chock full of AI features.

The Z Fold 6 now has a boxier, Galaxy S24 Ultra-inspired design that measures just 0.22in (5.6mm) thick when open, and 0.48in (12.2mm) closed. That’s thinner than the 0.54in (13.4mm) of its Fold 5 predecessor. It’s also lighter at 8.43oz (239g) versus last year’s 253g (8.92oz). Importantly, it’s also rated as dust-resistant for the first time. An IP48 rating doesn’t make it particularly resilient (you’ll want to avoid a dusty construction site), but it’s a start.

You notice the difference, as modest as it is. While the Galaxy Z Fold 5 was fairly reasonable to carry, the Fold 6 feels that much more pocketable. I wouldn’t mind carrying one as my main phone. And while some people might prefer the rounded corners of its predecessor, I like the more modern, harder-edged design of the new model.

Just don’t think it’s the thinnest foldable phone yet. That distinction currently goes to the Honor Magic V2, which is just 0.39in (9.9mm) closed.

More important for some is the slightly wider aspect ratio. Many Fold users have complained that the external screen is too narrow to effectively type. That’s not a problem here. The slightly larger 6.3-inch outer display (7.6 inches on the inside), is just wide enough to let you thumb type without feeling too cramped. I’d still lean toward Google’s Pixel Fold series if width matters a lot to you, but Samsung’s design is less likely to be a dealbreaker.

Otherwise, you’re looking at a mostly familiar experience with an improved aluminum frame (no titanium Ultra model here), a brighter internal display (up from 1,700 nits to 2,600), a hidden inner selfie camera, a 4,400mAh battery, and support for the optional S-Pen. While that’s not entirely a bad thing, anyone expecting a revolution (or a less visible display crease) will be disappointed.

Inside, the largest change is the jump to the expected Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chip with 12GB of RAM. You’re getting the same core camera array that includes a 50MP main rear sensor, 12MP and 10MP zoom cameras, a 10MP cover camera, and the 4MP stealth inner cam. It starts with 256GB of non-expandable storage.

I found the Galaxy Z Fold 6 plenty fast even while juggling three apps in unfolded mode, but then that was also true of the Fold 5. This is just an extra layer of futureproofing that you’d expect for a 2024 Android flagship phone.

Galaxy AI: The Star of the Show

Not surprisingly, the software upgrades to the Z Fold 6 revolve around Galaxy AI. Most of what’s here (like Circle to Search) was already available on the S24 and some updated older phones, but there are a few nice touches on this device and the Z Flip 6.

Note Assist can now use AI to generate summary points from transcribed audio recordings. Chat Assist, meanwhile, looks at your past several messages to provide a smart reply that understands the current context. And if you’re using Interpreter to speak with people in different languages, you can half-fold the device to show your translated text to the other person. That’s definitely easier than passing the phone back and forth.

Less useful, if still interesting, are some of the creative features. AI Drawing can turn your sketches into relatively good-looking images. You can also generate stories in case you’re looking for a child’s bedtime tale. None of these are phone sellers by themselves, but they do more to justify getting an upgrade in the first place.

Price and Release Date

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 will be available on July 24th starting at $1,900 in silver, navy blue, and pink color options. That’s a $100 price increase over last year. Pre-orders are open now.

The hike makes it a potentially tough sell. As with earlier Z Fold models, you’re paying a premium over the Galaxy S series for the sake of that large unfolding screen. Not that this is necessarily a problem. This is now the most powerful foldable that’s readily available in North America and Europe, with the fastest processor and a sleeker body. That’s worth considering if you’re cross-shopping the alternatives from Google and OnePlus.