As readers know, I’m not a huge fan of these kind of devices. But with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Samsung wants to prove exactly that: it’s time to consider foldables.
And it does with a good design and, now, also with an improved and business-oriented UI. Let’s explore how my test went.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: our tops&flops
Surely still for a few, also considering its “ultra high-end” price, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a mature product—especially when we consider both the current foldable landscape and the early experiments. Despite a slightly angular design, it features very nice matte colors and still boasts the best display on the market. It’s a joy to view content on it, whether it’s closed or open. And the photos are worthy of a top-tier cameraphone, especially with the customization offered by the Expert RAW app. But in my opinion, that’s not its strongest point. The real highlight is One UI 7, which makes Samsung the only manufacturer to offer a modern, fluid, and very fast interface—with the ability to have multiple user accounts and truly separate personal and business use. That’s especially crucial on a smartphone like this. Too bad the S Pen isn’t included—it would’ve been a perfect match.
What we like:
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The new One UI is truly beautiful
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OLED display still the king of the market
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Great for business use
What we don’t like:
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The design might be a bit too angular
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Charging isn’t very fast
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Great photos, but you need to download a dedicated app to get the most out of them
Prices in Scandinavia
Galaxy Z Fold 6 is not just an update
At first glance, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 might seem like a minor update, and in hand, it gives that impression. But dig deeper, and you’ll find a number of improvements. The design stays consistent with previous Fold models, so still angular and not so thin, but there’s optimization: it’s lighter (14 grams less) and thinner (0.5mm less).
It’s also slightly shorter and a bit wider, thanks to a new form factor. The outer screen now has a 22:9 aspect ratio (previously 23:9), making it squarer but still narrower than a standard phone. Typing on it when closed takes some getting used to. Even after a few days, I recommend using a forgiving keyboard like SwiftKey over Google’s Gboard. It’s a step forward, but not quite enough—rivals like the Honor Magic V2 and OnePlus Open still offer better one-handed ergonomics.
Build quality is excellent, with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both sides, and the IP certification improves from IPX8 to IP48. What’s the difference? Previous models weren’t tested against solid particles—this one is, up to 1mm.
Let’s talk displays. The outer panel is slightly wider at 6.3 inches (vs. 6.2”), still Dynamic AMOLED 2X. Resolution changes slightly due to aspect ratio, but pixel density is nearly the same. The same goes for the inner display. What has improved is brightness: now 1750 nits typical and 2600 peak. Excellent visibility in all lighting conditions, including direct sunlight. Both displays support dynamic refresh rates from 1Hz to 120Hz. Media content looks fantastic—especially on the larger inner screen.
The crease? Yes, it’s visible—especially under angled light—but during playback or at full brightness, you forget it’s there.
Good pictures, videos could be better
On the camera front, Galaxy Z Fold 6 is identical to last year’s model: a 50MP main (f/1.8), a 12MP ultra-wide with a slightly improved sensor, and a 10MP telephoto with 3x zoom. In daylight, all lenses perform well—sharp, vibrant shots, sometimes overly saturated, but that’s Samsung’s signature.
At night, the main sensor holds up, while the others struggle a bit—more noise, less detail. Still fine for social media and messaging apps. Video performance remains unchanged—solid overall. The camera system is decent, but from a flagship like this, you might expect more—especially since some foldables now feature truly flagship-grade setups.
Actually, there’s a way to make the photos better—and that’s by downloading the Expert RAW app. This significantly improves image quality and offers much more customization, allowing you to capture some really interesting shots and putting Samsung back among the best when it comes to smartphone photography.
But the question remains: why not get the best results directly from the standard camera app?
Performance of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
Under the hood, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, 12GB RAM, and storage options of 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB (UFS 4.0). Reception is good—not the best, but reliable. There’s eSIM support, and audio quality is solid. The 4400mAh battery lasts a full day, even with heavy inner screen use. But charging hasn’t improved: still 25W wired, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse. A missed opportunity, especially compared to what the others offer today.
The standout upgrade is the cooling system: a vapor chamber that’s twice the size of last year’s. Performance is excellent, with well-managed temperatures—only spiking during an intense session involving a 20GB download. But that means you can actually make everything you want with this smartphone, especially if you work in the content sector and need often to send and receive every file to post on web and social media.
Multitasking is still a Samsung stronghold. You can manage up to four apps at once—three fixed, one floating—with surprising ease. There’s also a split environment between the outer and inner displays, with richer widgets on the latter. Sounds minor, but some competitors still don’t offer this.
AI tools have become a buzzword, but Samsung’s implementations are actually useful. Note summarization, for example, works with typed, dictated, or even OCR-scanned text, creating bulleted summaries next to your notes. You can also sketch images and generate artwork using integrated AI. Interpreter mode shows live translations on both screens simultaneously—one per speaker. Portrait Studio lets you create styled portraits from selfies, and AI-generated messages are now more relevant and informative.
Totally another world with the new One UI 7
But as said, what’s makes the Galaxy Z Fold 6 better, now even better than when it was launched, is the One UI 7, available on all most recent Samsung devices.
Let’s begin with the interface, starting with the home screen. First of all, it’s fairly classic: on the left, we have the news feed provided by Google Discover, which can be disabled from the settings. On the right side, we have the additional home screen pages, which you can review here or add new ones depending on your needs. One UI 7 brings three major updates. The first is a set of new widgets—like the countdown timer, for example—and in general, a refreshed, more modern graphic style. Widgets can now also be grouped into collections, such as combining weather and screen time in one place.
The second update is in the icons for Samsung’s native apps, which have been redesigned—for example, the Gallery, Browser, and Camera apps—creating a more consistent and visually appealing interface. Folders, like this Microsoft one, can now be expanded or minimized. The advantage is that you can launch apps directly with a tap on the icon inside the folder.
The key word here is customization, so let’s dive into the settings, where you’ll find tons of options. You can change app sizes, choose whether or not to display labels under apps or widgets, and adjust the layout grid separately for the home screen and app drawer. There are also options related to Google Discover, as well as the ability to hide specific apps from the app list. Under Wallpaper and Style, you can select the color palette of the interface. You can even apply the palette to compatible apps (not all are supported yet). You can choose between a basic color palette or one based on your wallpaper, for a more cohesive interface look.
In the Wallpaper section, you’ll find the usual pre-installed options, plus you can upload your own from the gallery. You can even use a video as wallpaper or generate wallpapers with AI. Using the AI tool, you can select a base style (like “Relief”), then choose tags like “realistic”, a dominant color, and a setting. A few seconds later, the generated image appears—usually quite impressive.
The notification shade is now split—like many other brands are doing—but Samsung luckily gives you the choice to revert. Just tap the pencil icon, go to settings > panel > and select “unified” to go back to the previous view. This setup has just one real advantage: you can swipe horizontally between the two views, while swiping down from the top still brings down the full notification panel.
You can customize this panel further—change quick toggles (there are many), rearrange elements (like moving brightness and volume controls lower for easier access), and prioritize less-used functions higher up. From this menu, you can also launch multi-window or pop-up view by simply dragging and dropping an app.
The task manager has received a slight visual refresh, but the functions remain the same. Tap the three dots in the top right to choose whether to show suggested apps. Tap the app icon to open it in split screen, pop-up view, or keep it running in the background. When choosing split-screen mode, you get quick access to recent apps—very handy. You can also set a favorite app pair, which can be pinned to the home screen or the Edge panel for quick multi-window access.
Regarding pre-installed apps, you’ll find all the usual Samsung apps—many of which have been around for years—including the Find app (which duplicates Google’s “Find My Device”), Bixby, Wearable, SmartThings, My Files, Samsung Internet, Samsung Health, and more. Google apps are all present, too, and you also get some third-party apps like Spotify and Netflix pre-installed. Of course, Gemini is built-in, and you can access it by holding the power button. You can ask it to perform multi-step actions—like searching for an event and adding it to your calendar in one go. While that’s a Gemini feature, Samsung expands its usability by allowing similar actions within Samsung’s own apps (e.g., adding to Samsung Calendar instead of Google Calendar).
Now let’s dive into AI features, a major focus for smartphone brands aiming to offer cutting-edge functionality. Samsung has developed Galaxy AI, first seen on the Galaxy S24, now expanded on the S25. On mid-range devices (like the A56 and A36), there’s Howesome AI, a lighter version of Galaxy AI with fewer features.
Let’s first look at features available to all Samsung devices—even mid-range ones.
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Circle to Search: Hold down on the navigation pill to bring up a screen where you can circle any element to run a search. You can also select and share text in the highlighted area. A similar tool is AI Selection, accessible via the Edge panel, which lets you select content and gives context-aware options like translate, open maps, or jump into Generative Edit.
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Phone call AI tools include:
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Spam detection for incoming calls.
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Call recording: Tap the record button, and after a 3-second delay (with an audible beep to inform the other person), the call is recorded.
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Call assistant: Offers Live Translation (converts speech between languages in real time) and Text Call, where you can type responses or send quick replies instead of speaking. Recordings are stored under settings > Call Recording, and you can listen back or view a transcript. These options are also available in the Voice Recorder app, where you can transcribe and even translate recordings. That said, the transcription quality currently isn’t great—hopefully this will improve with future updates.
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In the Gallery app, swipe up on a photo to view details and AI tools:
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Remaster to enhance the image.
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Live Effect adds a subtle animated zoom.
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24-hour Timelapse creates a sunrise-to-night animation (though it’s not always reliable).
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Magic Eraser, Reflection remover, and Shadow eraser adapt based on the photo—only showing up when applicable.
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In Generative Edit, you can remove or replace objects, like erasing a chair or sketching a crude drawing (say, a cat) and having the AI replace it with a fitting image.
Another neat tool in the Samsung Browser is Read Highlights Out Loud, which summarizes article content and reads it to you. Also, there’s the Naubar, a pill-like dynamic element (similar to Dynamic Island) at the bottom of the screen, offering smart shortcuts based on your running apps—like a timer.
As for Galaxy AI-specific tools (mostly on S25, S24, and partially on S23), you’ll find them neatly listed in Settings. You can choose to process data locally (for more privacy) or via the cloud (for better performance). Enabling cloud mode unlocks features like summaries, grammar suggestions, and note enhancements. Local processing supports fewer tools, but still more than One UI 6 offered.
DeX and the business features
Another standout feature that truly showcases the versatility of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, especially for professionals, is Samsung DeX. For those unfamiliar, DeX allows you to connect your Galaxy device to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, effectively transforming it into a desktop-like experience. With One UI 7, DeX becomes even more refined: improved UI scaling, better multitasking support, and smoother animations help bridge the gap between mobile and desktop environments.
You can use DeX wirelessly on supported Smart TVs or with a USB-C to HDMI cable, depending on your setup. It’s perfect for working on documents, spreadsheets, or presentations without needing a traditional PC. What’s more, you can drag and drop files between your Galaxy phone and your DeX interface, making file management faster and more intuitive.
One UI 7 also focuses heavily on productivity, offering tools that cater to business users and power users alike:
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Samsung Notes with AI integration: The new Notes app includes auto-formatting, summarization, and smart sorting. Notes taken during meetings can be instantly summarized or even translated into another language.
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Secure Folder improvements: This feature remains crucial for professionals. One UI 7 allows you to manage personal and business apps separately. With improved encryption and biometric access options, Secure Folder ensures sensitive data stays protected.
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Work Profile (via Android Enterprise): For users whose devices are managed by their companies, One UI 7 enhances the separation of personal and work data. Notifications, apps, and permissions can be individually controlled, providing both productivity and privacy.
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Samsung Knox: At the core of security is Knox, which in this version now includes advanced protection against phishing and app hijacking, plus real-time threat detection. Enterprises using Samsung’s MDM (Mobile Device Management) tools can now configure deeper system settings remotely.
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Voice Recorder Pro Mode: For journalists or professionals who record interviews or meetings, the voice recorder now offers an AI-powered noise reduction option and speaker separation, allowing you to isolate voices during playback.
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Connected Ecosystem: If you’re using Galaxy Book laptops or Galaxy Tabs, One UI 7 ensures seamless integration. You can copy text from your phone and paste it directly on your laptop, continue emails, or even use your tablet as a second screen thanks to Samsung’s multi-device continuity.
