Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 review – A masterclass made for some

There’s no other company bothering to compete with Samsung when it comes to large display folding smartphones in Australia – the latest Galaxy Z Fold6 is an example of why – it’s a refined example of a product Samsung has been working on now for six generations.

Five years ago I wrote my first review of a Galaxy Z Fold – “Amazing, but I don’t get it” was the overall summary. Look honestly today, I don’t stray too far from that original thought.

What I do accept today is that there are certainly people who want for this larger screen experience day to day, for me, it’s just not my vibe.

Over the course of a few days using the Z Fold6 as my primary phone, SIM card and all – I reckon I spent 80% of the time on the closed format front-screen.

Now that screen is a huge, mega improvement from generations that came before it. It’s now far more like a regular smartphone – perhaps just thinner. I’d personally prefer a wider screen, but hey – you can open this one up.

When I did open it up and perhaps was replying to messages, or making notes, searching the web, the split keyboard layout made typing just as fast as I am used to on the front screen or a regular smartphone.

If you want to get the most from the Fold format, you’re probably someone who needs to have multiple windows open at the same time. The ability to split the screen multiple ways really makes this a winner.

I had to make some notes about a document I was reading, so I had the document split on one half while my notes app was on the other side of the screen. This multi-tasking works so well it’s really remarkable – and an undersold feature of the Fold.

Galaxy AI is on board here of course, but not once did it come to the forefront for me. Again, I think I’m not the standard user target for that. Someone taking minutes at a meeting or meetings regularly would love it. As would someone who works overseas or travels a lot looking to use the translation feature.

But I wasn’t drawn into the writing assistant feature at all, in fact, I forgot it was there.

While it is a little icon on the keyboard, perhaps Galaxy Intelligence needs to get more intelligent and actually put it’s hand up and say “hey, you wanna re-think what you’re typing there?” and perhaps then I’d summon it’s assistance.

Design wise, this is the best Samsung has delivered with the Fold.

I’ve long said the form factor doesn’t fit my style, that is a pocketed device – I love the reduced size of the Galaxy Z Flip6 in the pocket, but the Fold still feels larger than necessary. When you compare it to say and iPhone the thickness is still over the top.. Yes, yes, I know, two very different products, but if you’re looking to convert me, that’s going to be the comparison.

A Galaxy S24 Ultra user though – that’s a different comparison, I really think that leap from Ultra to Fold would be far less disruptive to your normal senses.

I love love love the squared sleek design. The hinge Samsung has developed is really strong and tight, which does make it a touch harder to open that perhaps is ideal, it’s certainly a two handed task but that’s not a bother in day to day use.

The Fold’s best feature is being a versatile camera. You get what is basically an S24 camera with up to 30 times hybrid zoom.

But because of that front screen there’s some real versatility. We took a family photo at a Birthday dinner the other night – 12 people sitting around a lounge, the Fold 6 propped up pointing at us but with the cover screen on so we could say “make sure you can see yourself in the screen” so we knew everyone was in the shot.

Add to that the wave to shoot function which again, is still one of the most underrated Samsung Features which allows you to simply show your Palm and the countdown timer starts – and we snapped a bunch of great shots.

The fact that Samsung is yet to find a way to incorporate the S-Pen INTO this device is perhaps the biggest disappointment. The one you can get for it is thin, light and they simply have to find a way to incorporate it. I wouldn’t use this phone with a case, that would add too much bulk, so add 5mm to the width, throw the pen in folks!

I get it, this is a great style of device for someone who wants that multi-tasking, or someone who wants to read from a larger screen.

And the upside is, it does it all, and it does it all faultlessly.

It’s still just not for me.

Google hasn’t brought their Foldable to Australia, the various other brands from China haven’t made an appearance here either. In part that’s because the market isn’t mature enough – despite the five years of Foldables. Samsung is the choice and would be the choice right out of the box, so it would be hard to compete.

Samsung has a five star device in the Galaxy Z Fold6 which is without challenge, it’s the perfect choice if this is the form factor you’re looking for.

For another more detailed Aussie perspective on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fol6 – check out Stephen’s review over at TechGuide.com.au and from Alice over at GadgetGuy.com.au