Samsung has just announced its new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S25 series. The new series comes with the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, a custom AP based on Qualcomm’s flagship processor.
The new series comes with 12GB of RAM across three variants: the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+ and the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Video Edited by: Joey Tham
Video Shot by: Joey Tham
Script by: Nur Jeevan Guna Segar
Talent: Nur Jeevan Guna Segar
Samsung‘s new flagship series – the Galaxy S25 series – is doubling down on Galaxy AI. The new series of flagship smartphones brings several enhancements to Galaxy AI and a whole new level of personalisation that make it even more compelling than ever.
Let’s talk about the design and specs before we jump into the juicy Galaxy AI details. The Galaxy S25 series will come with three variants as always. There will be the vanilla Galaxy S25, the Galaxy S25+ and the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Samsung is breaking away from its norms a little bit this year by kitting all three variants with 12GB of RAM. Yep – the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Ultra will have the same amount of RAM. The whole Galaxy S25 series will be coming with the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. When it comes to the display, all variants will be coming with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel. The Galaxy S25 will be sporting a 6.2-inch FHD+ display, the Galaxy S25+ will have a 6.7-inch QHD+ display while the Ultra will have a larger 6.9-inch QHD+ display.
When it comes to cameras, we’re seeing a familiar setup for the S25 and S25+. Both variants come with a triple camera setup with a 50-megapixel wide sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and 85˚ field of view (FOV), a 12-megapixel Ultrawide sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a 120˚ FOV and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, an f/2.2 aperture and a 36˚ FOV. Up front is a 12-megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and an 80˚ FOV.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is getting a slight improvement in its camera setup with a brand new 50-megapixel ultrawide sensor with an f/1.9 aperture and a 120˚ FOV. Aside from this, we’re seeing Samsung stick to a 200-megapixel wide sensor with optical image stabilization, an f/1.7 aperture and an 85˚ FOV. This is complemented by a 50-megapixel Telephoto sensor with 5x optical zoom, OIS, an f/3.4 aperture and a 22˚ FOV and a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom with OIS, an f/2.4 aperture and a 36˚ FOV. Up front is the same 12-megapixel selfie camera as the S25 and S25+.
Under the hood, the S25 is running on a 4,000mAh battery while the S25+ has a larger 4,900mAh battery. The Ultra, on the other hand, has a 5,000mAh battery. The S25+ and S25 Ultra support 45W fast charging while the vanilla S25 supports 25W fast charging. Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 and Wireless power sharing is also supported across the board.
Design-wise, the series inherits a lot of the design cues from the S24 series. However, the S25 Ultra is taking a huge departure when it comes to design language. The S25 Ultra is saying good bye to the curved display and opting for a more flat approach. It also adopts the same design cues that have now become signature of the Galaxy S series with rounded edges for better structural integrity. The Ultra continues to have a titanium build while the S25 and S25+ continue to use Armour Aluminium. Samsung is also promising seven years of updates with seven generations of OS updates with the S25 series.
Samsuing’s Galaxy AI is being super charged with the Galaxy S25 series. Across the board, Galaxy AI and its features are becoming more personal and better. Google powered services like Circle to search and Music search are getting a much needed update that allows your Galaxy S25 series smartphone to give you better contextual information. Circle to search will now be able to quickly recognise phone numbers and more on your screen. Gemini also takes center stage with better contextual information.
Samsung’s One UI 7 is pushing AI features forward with a huge upgrade when it comes down to personalisation and contextual information. It also allows you to interact even more naturally with the smartphone with Gemini. This is thanks to Samsung’s new Personal Data Engine. This new feature allows your S25 series smartphone to leverage information it gathers to give you more relevant and personalised information.
Of course, when it comes to personalisation, the question of data privacy is front and center. Samsung leverages Knox Vault to store, isolate and secure data used for personalisation. Data gathered for personalisation is also processed on-device. However, certain features may necessitate uploading some information to online modals for the feature to work. This is fortified even further with post-quantum cryptography which comes with the S25 series. However, Samsung allows you to opt out of all personalisation in the settings altogether.
One of the highlights of the new S25 series is Samsung’s NOW Brief. The new feature takes Samsung’s Brief feature and supercharges it with contextual and personalised information. The new NOW Brief will give you relevant details when you need it. It will learn your interests and schedule to do this. It also takes things to the next level with the NOW Bar which will appear on the lockscreen of your Galaxy S25 series device. This also extends to routines making integrating the feature a even more simple and essential to a core Galaxy experience.
On top of that, One UI 7 will also bring improvements to features like Call transcript, Writing Assist and Drawing Assist.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 series will be available for pre-order starting on 23 January 2025 until 13 February 2025. Pre-orders of the new flagship series will be entitled to offers worth up to RM1600. You can even get a double storage upgrade worth up to RM600. If you pay with your CIMB bank card, you’ll also get an extra RM400 off. Pre-registration for the S25 series will also get you an e-voucher for up to RM600 off your order.
Prices and colourways for the S25 series are as follows:
| Model | Storage | RRP (USD) | Malaysian RRP (RM) | Colour Availability |
| Galaxy S25 Ultra | 1TB | USD$1,659.99 | RM7,799 | Titanium Silverblue Titanium Gray Titanium Whitesilver Titanium Black Online Exclusive: Titanium Jadegreen Titanium Pinkgold Titanium Jetblack |
| Galaxy S25 Ultra | 512GB | USD$1419.99 | RM6,599 | |
| Galaxy S25 Ultra | 256GB | USD$1,299.99 | RM5,999 | |
| Galaxy S25+ | 512GB | USD$1,119.99 | RM5,599 | Navy Icyblue Mint Silver Shadow Online Exclusive: Blueblack Coralred Pinkgold |
| Galaxy S25+ | 256GB | USD$999.99 | RM4,999 | |
| Galaxy S25 | 512GB | – | RM4,599 | |
| Galaxy S25 | 256GB | USD$859.99 | RM3,999 |
Samsung is really going all in when it comes to Galaxy AI this year. The company’s focus seems to be carving a dedicated niche for Galaxy AI in its flagship Galaxy devices. That isn’t changing with the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE or Fan Edition. The phone comes with what Samsung officially refers to as the “Full” Galaxy AI experience. If that’s anything to go by, we are about to see a lot more variation in the Galaxy AI experiences across the Galaxy devices.
So, what exactly comes under the hood with the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE? This year, the company is striving for parity with the S24 series when it comes to internals. Of course, parity in this case doesn’t outdo the S24. That said, the S24 FE is coming with a slightly downclocked version of the Exynos 2400 called the Exynos 2400e. While it may seem that it may be an intentional handicap to the S24 FE, the smartphone is getting a larger vapour chamber than the S23 FE which will allow for better cooling and better performance. The S24 FE is also getting a major bump when it comes to the battery with a larger 4,700mAh battery. It will also have 8GB of RAM.
Display-wise, the new Fan Edition comes with a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with support for HDR10+. It’s also coming with the same camera setup as the S24 and S24+. The S24 FE has a triple sensor setup for its main camera with a 50-megapixel wide sensor, a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor and an 8-megapixel telephoto sensor which supports 3x optical zoom. Up front is a 10-megapixel selfie camera. Together with the hardware, the S24 FE is also getting the same ProVisual engine that comes with the flagship S24, S24+ and S24 Ultra. This engine allows you to take the same quality Nightography pictures that have made previous Galaxy S series phones stand out. It also supports Super HDR.
The phone also still supports fast charging at 25W. Samsung is touting that you’ll be able to get a 50% charge in 30 minutes of charging. It also supports wireless power share and fast wireless charging
While the Galaxy S24 FE is the more affordable edition of this year’s Galaxy flagship, Samsung is not cutting any corners with Galaxy AI. In fact, they’re touting that this phone will have the “FULL” Galaxy AI experience. What this means is that features that we’ve seen in other Galaxy Flagships like the Galaxy S24 series and the Galaxy Z series will be coming in all its AI glory to the S24 FE.
You’ll be able to use features like Circle to Search, Voice to text transcription and even Live translate on the Galaxy S24 FE. All these features and more will be available on the S24 FE with One UI 6.1 at launch. That said, it seems like Galaxy AI will be coming to other smartphones in a more limited capacity later on with how Samsung is presenting this smartphone.
The Galaxy S24 FE will be available in Mint, Grey, Graphite and Blue at launch. It will be available in 2 variations in Malaysia based on its internal storage. The 256GB version of the FE will be retailing for RM3,299 while the 512GB version will be retailing for RM3,899.
Internationally, the Galaxy S24 FE will retail for USD$649.99 for the 128GB version and USD$709.99 for the 256GB version.
It is available on the official Samsung website right now.
TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, LinkedIn – we can’t deny that social media is everywhere nowadays. It wasn’t that long ago when we could only find celebrities from magazines, TV shows and movies. Today, we’ve got the power of becoming a celebrity in the palm of your hands – literally. We’re so intertwined with social media that we need a companion that can adapt and allow us to shoot and edit on the fly. This is where Samsung’s new Galaxy AI-enabled Galaxy Z Flip6 comes in with its nifty tricks and practical features.
I’m not joking when I say that the Galaxy Z Flip6 is one of the most compact smartphones available right now. It literally is the size of your palm when it’s closed. It’s not just small – it’s powerful. A compact powerhouse that is packing the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 – the latest high-end processor. It’s thanks to this the Flip6 can run apps like Adobe Rush or CapCut without breaking a sweat.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves, before we edit we need to shoot. The Flip6 comes with a dual camera setup that has a 50-megapixel main sensor and a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor. This setup is not only versatile, it’s got enough megapixels to capture every detail. You’ll be able to use this dual setup even when you’re in front of the camera thanks to Flex Cam- a signature for all Z Flip series phones.
This year we get a little bit more with Auto Zoom. The new feature makes sure that you get the whole picture – whether it’s a wefie or a full-body shot. You’ll also be able to shoot video like a pro with the Flex Mode Camcorder grip too. The mode allows you to have a better grip when shooting video minimizing unwanted shaking and putting you in control.
Did I forget? You’ll be using a large 3.4-inch display as a cover screen with 1600 nits peak brightness. Not only will be able to see what you’re capturing; You’ll be able to see it even under direct sunlight.
Got the perfect pic but something’s in the background? Galaxy AI in the Galaxy Z Flip6 allows you to remove it with a simple long press. If that doesn’t do it, you can circle to highlight what you want gone. Galaxy AI won’t only remove it, it’ll make it seem like it was never there, to begin with. Maybe you don’t want to get rid of it totally, but just replace it with something else; Galaxy AI definitely has your back with Generative Fill.
Captured a picture that’s missing that special something? Galaxy AI is coming to your rescue in the Flip6. You can literally sketch anything! I mean look at this… I sketched the vaguest piggy… and it created a happy one to accompany me during coffee! Want to turn that funny picture into a sticker? Long press and tap. That’s all it takes. Galaxy AI will do the rest.
Don’t feel like posting a selfie? You can use Samsung’s Portrait Studio to generate illustrated pictures of yourself. You’ll be able to choose from one of five styles and Galaxy AI will do the rest. This feature has to be one of the most fun Galaxy AI features you have on this phone. It’s a blast when you’ve got a kid around and you use this. It’ll keep them entertained for a hot second!
These features are just some of the features that will help you create posts that will get you those likes. Perhaps the best reason the Galaxy Z Flip6 is going to be your social media pal is the fact that it has a battery that can last more than 9 hours on a single charge even when you’re busy making content. I’m pretty sure you’ll even be taking your social media game to the next level with awesome pictures and even some funny ones courtesy of your Galaxy Z Flip6.
Samsung is rolling out its latest software update, One UI 6.1.1, to a wider range of Galaxy devices, bringing advanced AI functionalities previously exclusive to the Galaxy S24 series. This update empowers users with a more intelligent and convenient mobile experience across communication, productivity, and creativity.
The Galaxy S24 series debuted One UI 6.1.1 earlier this year, showcasing advancements in on-device and cloud-based AI. This update expands on Samsung’s commitment to “democratizing” mobile AI by making these features accessible to a broader user base.
One of the key beneficiaries of this update is the Galaxy S23 series. Users can now experience the following AI-powered features:
Beyond the Galaxy S23 series, One UI 6.1.1 brings these AI functionalities to the Galaxy S23 FE, Z Fold5, Z Flip5, and Tab S9 series.
The software update for the Samsung Galaxy S23 series in Malaysia and other countries begins rolling out on September 9th, 2024. Updates for additional Galaxy devices will be available in the coming weeks.
As Foldable smartphones become more mainstream, we see brands push to stand out from the crowd with everything but the kitchen sink. Large cover displays, even larger cover displays, interactive cover screens, and even fully interactive home screens built for flip phones. Each one seems to be “better” than the rest.
So how’s Samsung looking to separate itself from the pack? Well, it seems like this year, it’s all about Galaxy AI. Samsung’s approach to integrating generative AI experiences is what stands out, but is that enough to justify the increased price point? We’re looking to answer that with our in-depth review of the Galaxy Z Flip6.
Samsung’s latest approach to flip phones isn’t turning its tried and true form factor on its head in any way. In fact, the company is doubling down on the design cues it introduced with the Z Flip5 and is using them to bring even more software features that make the experience more refined. Let’s start off with the cover screen – the surface we’re sure you’ll be interacting with the most. It’s the same design as last year’s Flip5, with the same folder-esque design that allows a sneak peek into your smartphone. However, Samsung has brought some, more thoughtful experiences to the cover screen allowing you to access more with one screen and reduce swiping between panels. We’ll cover this more extensively in the software portion of the review.
The biggest difference you may notice from the get-go is the slimmer form factor of the Galaxy Flip6. While there’s no change in the actual measurements, Samsung’s new design approach has definitely given the appearance of the phone itself being slimmer and easier to manoeuvre in one hand. There’s more traction when you grip the phone and it feels – somehow – more ergonomic. This is largely due to the more angular design of the phone overall; something we saw even with the Galaxy S24 series earlier this year.
That said, the best improvement comes in the improvements that come with the hinge. While outwardly there doesn’t seem to be much in terms of visual updates. Samsung has updated the hinge mechanism to be more efficient and have a simpler design. This has translated into a phone that is a lot lighter than its predecessor. Not only that, the crease which has become the one pain point in any foldable smartphone is less apparent even after prolonged use over 2-3 weeks. While it is visible at some angles, there is less of a palpable dip where the crease is.
Lastly, when it comes to design, I, personally am in love with the new colour offerings from Samsung. The new more muted pastel colours are definitely more aesthetic and fitting for the Flip line which has become Samsung’s “express yourself” foldable. My personal favourite at the time of writing is the Blue and Mint. However, the crafted black is a close second to these. The introduction of the more masculine “Crafted Black” is also a plus for the Z Flip6.
Samsung isn’t just showing some change in the design aesthetics of the Z Flip6, it’s also bringing some much-needed updates to the Flip’s hardware giving it more versatility and power under the hood. These improvements don’t necessarily revolutionize the user experience much, but some of them do impact the features and the user experience.
| Processor | Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) Octa-Core @ 1×3.39GHz Cortex-X4, 3×3.1GHz Cortex-A720, 2×2.9GHz Cortex-A720 & 2×2.2GHz Cotex-A520 |
| RAM | 12GB (As Tested) |
| Memory | 256GB 512GB (As Tested) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) | Adreno 750 (1GHz) |
| Main Display | Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X panel 6.7-inch (~426 PPI) 2600 nits (peak) FHD+ resolution (1080×2640 pixels) 22:9 Aspect Ratio 120Hz Refresh rate HDR10+ |
| Cover Display | Super AMOLED panel 3.4-inches (~306ppi) 720×748 pixels resolution Gorilla Glass Victus 2 60Hz |
| Operating System | Android 14 with One UI 6.1.1 |
| Battery | Non-Removable 4,0000mAh Fast Charging (25W) Fast Wireless Charging (15W) Reverse Wireless Charging (4.5W) |
| Connectivity | Nano SIM 5G/4G LTE/EVDO/HSPA/CDMA/GSM Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e(ax) GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS A2DP Bluetooth 5.3 OTG Support USB 3.2 Type-C |
| Camera | REAR: Dual Sensor: 50-megapixel (f/1.8, 23mm (wide angle), 1.0µm Dual Pixel Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) 12-Megapixel (f/2.2,123˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm) HDR10+ LED Flash 4K Video recording (30/60fps) 1080p Video recording (60/120/240fps) 720p Video recording (960fps) FRONT: 10-Megapixel (f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1.22µm) 4K video recording (30/60fps) |
| Sensor | Accelerometer Proximity Fingerprint (side-mounted) Gyroscope Compass Barometer Samsung Pay |
| Miscellaneous | Single SIM/eSIM |
| Retail Price (Malaysia) | MYR 4,999 (256GB) MYR 5,599 (512GB) |
| Retail Price (US) | USD$ 1099.99 (256GB) USD$ 1,219.99 (512GB) |
Samsung’s One UI interface has unified the user experience across devices – more or less. The near-homogenous experience is not a bad thing as users coming from a standard smartphone have less of a hurdle adapting to the new smartphone. However, the unified UI appearance also hides the many improvements that Samsung has made on a software level when it comes to One UI.
Let’s start off with the accessibility upgrades that come with One UI 6.1.1 – this also applies to Samsung flagships like the S24 series. The notification shade of One UI 6.1.1 is more useful. The screen brightness slider is also equipped with quick toggles for dark mode and eye comfort when you open the full notification shade. On top of that, Samsung has updated the design to be cleaner and less cluttered overall. The quick toggles are stored within their own space. This has been made a little further from surrounding items and in a different shade for better visual separation. It also makes sure you know exactly how many quick toggles you have and allows you sort it the way you like it.
Aside from this, Samsung has been hard at work improving foldable device experiences when it comes to its UX. This started with Samsung’s version of Android 12L which optimised Android itself for better large screen experiences. With the Flip6, Samsung perfects these optimisations even more with new modes and ways to use the smartphone.
Of course, like all Flip devices in the past, you’re able to use the smartphone semi-folded with the lower screen becoming a touchpad in FlexMode. However, Samsung has made this feature even more useful when it comes to the camera app. For people like me who have shaky hands, you’ll be able to have a little better control with a more camcorder-like interface when you have the Flip6 semi-open. This will hopefully give you more stability but it also gives you easier access to all your camera settings easily when shooting.
In addition to this, One UI on the cover screen comes with a whole slew of new optimizations that allow you to make the Z Flip6 truly yours. The extensive customizability starts with the screen saver where you’ll be able to choose from a vast selection of wallpapers and set it up the way you want it. This also plays into Samsung’s Flipsuit cases which bring a new level of interactivity when it comes to personalization. That said, the biggest change is the useful addition of multiple widgets into one screen – something we’ll go into further detail in the multitasking section.
The performance of Samsung’s Flip series is now truly on par with Samsung’s other flagships in all aspects aside from the camera. This also includes the introduction of features that extend the user experience and tweaks that make the smartphone more efficient when it comes to battery life while squeezing every ounce of performance from the hardware.
Multitasking and productivity have become a mainstay in any version of One UI. However, there haven’t been many features that have made the Flip a multitasking device until now – this is particularly true when it comes to the improvements on the cover display.
The interface on the cover display comes with a new mode which allows you to set up multiple widgets on a single tile. This has been one of the most impactful features of the Flip6. You’ll be able to set up to four compatible widgets on a cover screen tile. This allows you to get all of the information you need from things like Samsung Health at one go or set up a screen with quick widgets to use apps like recorder. This came in clutch for me on multiple occasions when I was doing interviews – it made things quick and efficient, to say the least.
In addition to this, the Galaxy Z Flip6 comes with the usual split-screen features that we’re used to seeing in any smartphone. This allows you to use two apps simultaneously when needed. Need more? The popup window will allow you one additional window. That said, these run-of-the-mill productivity features are just par for the course of any smartphone at this point.
The Flip6 has crisp call quality and a bevvy of connectivity options including 5G as we would expect from an industry leader like Samsung. The Z Flip6 that we got for review isn’t the usual one for the Malaysian market with dual SIM capabilities. However, you could use the eSIM capabilities of the smartphone to get the same result.
Being a flagship device, it comes as no surprise that the Z Flip6 comes with all the bells and whistles that you’d expect when it comes to connectivity. As mentioned, it comes with 5G support which gives you access to blazing fast speeds where available. In addition to this, you have WiFi 6e support (yes, tech enthusiasts it only has WiFi 6e and not WiFi 7; maybe next year?). This should give you enough speed over WiFi to download apps in the blink of an eye – aside from games, those may take several blinks. It also comes with Bluetooth 5.3 and LE support which is audio devices.
Speaking of audio devices, Bluetooth performance on the Flip6 is pretty good. You can high fidelity audio thanks to AptX and it translates when you use a good set of headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM5 and HiFi audio streaming apps like TIDAL. There are hardly any signal drops or packet losses and the audio stream is still stable across 1 or 2 rooms.
Gaming on the Galaxy Z Flip6 is a mixed bag. Don’t get me wrong – the phone performs well – but my focus on making sure I don’t do irreversible damage to it detracts from the gaming experience.
Let’s be straight – there’s no two ways about it. The Flip6 has the insides to perform swimmingly when it comes to games. I mean, I did test it with games like Solo Levelling and Diablo Immortal. These games played well with literally no problems when it came to rendering and fluidity. That said, it did get a bit warm which is to be expected. Even on high-speed games like Need For Speed and Asphalt 8 there was little to no visual aberrations. In fact, on racing games, the phone felt cooler which is to be expected as games like Solo Levelling and Diablo Immortal have many items on the screen at once.
However, the gaming experience for me is affected by my own concerns about the hinge and damaging it. While the hinge is markedly improved from the Flip5, I still can’t get the feeling that if I’m a little too rough with the phone it will affect the hinge – especially since I’m holding it horizontally where it’s most vulnerable. It’s also worth noting that this isn’t a concern exclusively with Z Flip6, as long as the hinge is vulnerable – it’s a concern. Ironically, the same hinge on the Fold6 doesn’t feel as vulnerable when you’re gaming on it. To be fair, this is not something that I would hold against the Flip6.
Battery life is where I would say the biggest improvements come for the Flip6 hardware. It’s gotten a small bump to 5,000mAh but this has translated to pretty significant improvements when it comes to user experience. In synthetic benchmarks, the battery life improvement was only about an hour or 2 at most which is insignificant.
However, when I was using the phone daily this translated to me needing to charge the phone every 1 and a half days. That’s right – 1.5 days – and I’m not talking about working hours. I literally charged the phone every other day. This was with me synching 7 email accounts excluding Gmail and using Instagram and other social media apps continually.
This is huge for people who work on the go as it also means you’re not screwed if you forget to charge your phone. What’s more with quick charging on the smartphone, it is easy to get 10-20% when commuting if you need the top-up.
I had to carve out a special section for Galaxy AI in this review simply because that seems to be the push that’s becoming mainstream. We all know Galaxy AI by now with the Galaxy S24 series pushing it and also the emphasis Samsung has placed on it in its promotional items. So, I thought it’d be best to see how these features affected my day to day with the Flip6.
The biggest Galaxy AI feature that I found myself using is the Object Eraser tool. I used this to remove a lot of unwanted items from my pictures to varying degrees of success. This was a welcomed tool when you have to get images for clients or even if something ruined your perfect shot for Social media. That said, other image tools like Sketch to image and even Portrait Studio are welcomed features but I didn’t find myself using them on a daily basis. They’re definitely fun but I didn’t find myself using them too often.
Samsung’s Galaxy AI also has a transcribe feature that came in handy. I found myself using it a lot to transcribe interview recordings. However, Galaxy AI was very hit or miss with the Malaysian accent. Hopefully, this improves with time. That said, Galaxy AI’s other translation features definitely came in handy. Things like live translate will definitely see a lot of use if you deal with people overseas a lot. I only found myself using it to translate WhatsApp chats with my friends from overseas to get my message across more easily in their languages.
Aside from that, Galaxy AI didn’t’ really impact my day-to-day use of the phone. However, that seems to be the place where Generative AI is when it comes to daily interactions and usage now. We’re still in the early days and I expect that these features will become more useful as we progress.
The display of the Galaxy Z Flip6 is one we’re used to seeing in Samsung flagships – a flexible Dynamic AMOLED 2X. The Flip6 comes with an FHD+ resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate. The display itself is a lot more robust and capable of vivid colours and deep blacks. However, like other AMOLED panels, the panel tends to oversaturate some colours like reds and oranges when pumped up to vivid settings. However, in its natural tone mode, it feels a little washed out. These are, however, issues that can be addressed through software updates later on. Samsung’s inclusion of a 120Hz refresh rate is also a plus which brings buttery smooth and fluid animations and a little bit of an edge when it comes to games like PUBG Mobile.
The only thing that takes some getting used to when it comes to the display on the Flip5 is the aspect ratio. With most phones coming with a 16:9 aspect ratio, the 22:9 aspect ratio will seem a little weird at first. You will notice black bars on videos that you usually wouldn’t have any. However, these issues will take a backseat as you continue to use the device.
The FlexWindow or Cover display is the hallmark of this smartphone. The Super AMOLED panel in the FlexWindow does its job pretty well. It delivers high-quality images with good colour reproduction. You wont even realise that it only has a 60Hz refresh rate. However, I don’t think Samsung was prepared for users like me who end up using this display more than the main display. But for all the functions that are possible on the screen, it excels at delivering a near-perfect experience.
The Galaxy Z Flip6 continues to come with a dual sensor setup when it comes to its main cameras. However, this year, the Flip6 comes with a larger 50-megapixel main sensor. This is a huge improvement when it comes to the number of megapixels in the main sensor, however, the impact isn’t as apparent when it comes to actual pictures. The main sensor is complemented with a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor that brings some versatility when it comes to shooting with the smartphone.
That said, the Galaxy Z Flip6’s overall performance when it comes to the camera isn’t bad by any means. It just falls short of what we expect from Samsung after seeing its prowess with the Galaxy S24 series. Where the Z Fold6 seems to be elevated to parity with the S24, the Flip6 is relegated to an awkward space that falls in between a Galaxy A series smartphone and Samsung’s flagships.
Let me break this down a little bit, the Galaxy Z Flip6 takes good, detailed pictures with one big caveat it needs to have the right lighting conditions. It struggles when it comes to less than ideal situations but it doesn’t fall flat. Take for instance one of the pictures in the carousel below – it was taken against a spotlight in the setup of the area we were in and the details are washed out. This was the same in low lighting. Mind you, this was taken with the front camera setup a 50MP + 12MP setup. That said, I can’t come down too hard on the Flip6 for this as it can be addressed with software updates.
However, aside from that, the main camera setup performs very well. Even indoors with downlights, the camera was able to produce good, detailed pictures. It helps that the algorithm in the camera seems to be able to uplift the final product without losing too much detail. The colours of the pictures are also pretty vibrant. The pictures look lively and the colours pop.
The 10-megapixel front-facing camera on the Flip6 was essentially relegated to video calls. While I did end up using it once or twice for selfies, I found myself defaulting to the Cover Screen to get a good, high-quality selfie with the main camera. Samsung’s new autoframe feature adds to this conundrum. I doubt I’m alone when it comes to this. It’s simply more convenient and produces a better picture.
The Galaxy Z Flip6 is a great update to the lineup. It brings a lot of meaningful, sought-after improvements. Galaxy AI brings a lot more substance to a phone that was once thought to be very superficial. The same can be said about the updated specifications and supercharged performance optimisations. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting the Flip6 to gain my vote as a productivity device but it certainly has changed my tone after using it. I’ve never disliked the lineup but it never was a consideration for an upgrade. However, with the new trajectory that the Flip6, it’s definitely is becoming a big contender.
However, the Z Flip still falls in that weird in-between space of being a flagship by price but a little less when it comes to performance. I feel like Samsung is a step away from truly making the Z Flip a “wow’ device that we’ve come to crave from the brand. That said, if you’re looking for a fashionable upgrade to your smartphone with a good amount of features – you should consider the Galaxy Z Flip6. It’s also why the Z Flip6 is being awarded a Writer’s Choice Award from techENT.
Did you use Samsung’s Portrait Studio feature to capture stunning portraits? Here’s a chance to see your picture on a giant billboard AND win a cool prize!
Samsung Malaysia is running a unique contest called the “Made with Portrait Studio Reaction Campaign.” The campaign celebrates the artistic capabilities of the Portrait Studio feature and gives you a chance to win a Samsung Music Frame.
Portrait Studio is a built-in feature on many Samsung Galaxy smartphones including the recently announced Galaxy Z Flip6 and Galaxy Z Fold6 as part of the growing features of Galaxy AI. It utilizes AI technology to enhance your portraits, creating professional-looking photos with various lighting effects and background blur options.
The Samsung Music Frame is a stylish and innovative device that blends seamlessly into your home decor. It doubles as a digital photo frame and a music player. You can display your favourite pictures, including your Portrait Studio creations, and enjoy your music library with high-quality sound.
The contest is open to all residents of Malaysia. Here’s how you can participate:
The competition runs from August 9th, 2024, to September 8th, 2024. Three lucky winners will be chosen based on their creativity and engagement. Each winner will receive a Samsung Music Frame pre-loaded with their personalized Portrait Studio picture, valued at RM1,999. Winners will be announced on September 30th, 2024, and contacted via direct message on their social media platforms.
Samsung’s new foldables are getting a much needed update to reflect a new era spearheaded by Galaxy AI. The new Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 12GB of RAM. Both come with some meaningful updates that make them easier to use and more useful. The Z Fold6 is slimmer and sleeker than ever before with more powerful features that take Galaxy AI to the next level. The Flip6, on the other hand, takes self expression and customisation to the next level with more accessories.
Samsung is bringing its Galaxy AI technology to the Galaxy Watch series, marking a significant step forward in health and wellness features for smartwatch users. This integration, announced on May 28th, 2024, leverages the power of on-device artificial intelligence to provide more comprehensive health insights and personalized motivational coaching.
Samsung has long been a leader in the wearable technology space, with the Galaxy Watch series consistently pushing the boundaries of what a smartwatch can do. The introduction of Galaxy AI is a renewed commitment to providing users with advanced health and wellness experiences. This technology focuses on utilizing meaningful and actionable insights derived from user data to empower individuals to take control of their health.
The magic behind Galaxy AI lies in its ability to combine powerful on-device AI with the extensive data collected by the Samsung Health app. This comprehensive data set, encompassing sleep patterns, activity levels, and heart rate, allows Galaxy AI to generate a holistic view of a user’s health. By analyzing this data, Galaxy AI can provide users with features like:
Samsung stresses its commitment to user privacy and security with the integration of Galaxy AI. The AI processing occurs entirely on the device itself, ensuring that user data stays private and secure. This focus on user control empowers individuals to feel comfortable utilizing the advanced features offered by Galaxy AI.
The wait is over for some Samsung Galaxy A34 and A54 users, as the company has begun rolling out the latest One UI 6.1 update. This software update brings a variety of improvements and new features to the mid-range smartphone, but there’s a key caveat for users expecting significant AI enhancements.
While specific details haven’t been officially revealed by Samsung, reports suggest the One UI 6.1 update introduces various improvements for the Galaxy A series. This could potentially include a refreshed user interface, enhanced camera capabilities, and optimizations for smoother overall performance. Additionally, users might benefit from bug fixes and security patches, addressing any lingering software issues.
However, there’s a crucial detail to consider. Unlike Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S-series and foldable phones, the One UI 6.1 update for the Galaxy A34 and A54 reportedly doesn’t come with Galaxy AI. These advanced functionalities, showcased in other Samsung devices, leverage on-device processing for tasks like object recognition and Bixby scene detection.
That said, Samsung’s decision to withhold AI features from the Galaxy A34 aligns with its current strategy. The company tends to reserve its most advanced AI functionalities for its premium smartphone lines. This approach allows them to differentiate their flagship devices while ensuring a smooth and optimized user experience on more affordable models like the A34 and A54.
