Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 hands-on: The foldable most people should buy gets one key upgrade

Meaningful changes under the hood and clever display capabilities make the latest Galaxy flip phone one of the best on the market.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

The new Galaxy Z Flip 6 is thinner and lighter than ever, with flattened edges that give the phone an industrial feel in the hand. Samsung is selling the Z Flip this year in a multitude of pastel colors: Blue, Mint, Yellow, Silver Shadow, White, Peach, and Crafted Black. For a little more personality, the camera rings are accented with the color you choose.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Online Colors

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The camera system has gotten perhaps the biggest boost from last year’s model, with an improved 50MP main sensor and a 12MP ultra-wide. Samsung tells me it decided to stick with an ultra-wide camera instead of switching to a telephoto lens like competing phone maker Motorola because it allows users to take better group photos, and I agree. The ultra-wide sensor should serve users better when taking photos of taller and wider landscapes.

The most fascinating camera improvement is the new AI-powered Auto Zoom feature, which automatically detects how many people are in a frame, as well as potential background objects you may want to keep in the shot (think Eiffel Tower, the name of a storefront, etc.) and repositions accordingly.

Now, the funner part: the outer display, or, as Samsung calls it, Flex Window. It’s the same 3.4-inch screen as last year’s model, but the company’s baked in some whimsical elements:

  • Interactive Wallpapershave animations that you tap, drag, and shake the phone to interact with. One of my favorites had various emojis that would tumble around as you rotated the device.
  • Photo Ambient applies a weather and/or color temperature filter, depending on your time and location.
  • Generative Wallpaperlets you create new wallpapers by selecting key theme words.
  • You can quickly respond to text messages withSuggested Replies, which pull context from previous conversations and formulate replies based on your texting style.
  • Like the larger Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, you can use dual-screenInterpreter Modefor live translations between two languages.
  • New Flex Window widgets include Samsung Health, SmartThings, Reminder, and News.
  • Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
  • Ultimately, the outer display, where Samsung has the most room to innovate, feels more functional than before, and users who were already drawn to the customizability of the Z Flip are likely to appreciate the new changes. There’s even an improved Flipsuit case that, when clipped onto the back of the phone, automatically changes the wallpaper to match its design via NFC. Plus, with wireless charging, the case’s LED should light up whenever you fold and unfold the device.Stay tuned to ZDNET for a deeper dive into theSamsung Galaxy Z Flip 6. For now,withseveral promotions and offersalready active.

The 2-in-1 laptop I recommend most is not a Lenovo or Dell (and it’s cheaper than ever)

HP’s Envy x360 2-in-1 (2024) stands apart from the crowd with a well-optimized set of hardware, brilliant display, and a competitive price point.

HP Envy x360

  key takeaways

  • TheHP Envy x360 2-in-1 (2024)is available from HP.
  • It has one of the most gorgeous displays I’ve seen on a 2-in-1, with a suite of solid hardware.  
  • Configuration swapping can be buggy, and it’s on the heavier side. 

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A host of new 2-in-1 laptops have already launched in 2024, as the form factor’s popularity continues to grow. More and more laptop diehards (myself included) who have previously been unwilling to commit to a tablet are getting on board with convertibles, which give you the best of both worlds.

The HP Envy x360 16″ 2-in-1 shows up to the party with all the features that consumers actually want in a convertible: a gorgeous display, beefy speakers, and a suite of hardware to back it up, resulting in solid performance and a satisfying media experience at a mid-range price point.

Yes, a 16-inch screen is large when used as a tablet. A little unwieldy, even. The OLED display on this laptop is so good that it doesn’t matter to me. In fact, it could be bigger, and I would still happily tote it around.

The Envy x360 features a 2.8K (2880 x 1800) resolution OLED touchscreen with a variable 120Hz refresh rate and edge-to-edge glass that results in a smooth-as-silk visual experience. The 500-nit brightness is more than enough for normal use, and the glossy finish looks gorgeous (but may not be for everyone, because fingerprints are a thing).

Video playback is vibrant, smooth, and sharp, with a realistic depth of color and contrast. HP also advertises the Envy x360 as an “IMAX certified” laptop, one of the first of its kind. It earned this certification for its ability to display IMAX-formatted content in its original 1.43:1 or 1.90:1 aspect ratio. While a flashy designation, this is a laptop we’re talking about here; it’s still a 16-inch screen. It does look good, though — I’ll give it that. 

The audio is also decent. While it may seem that the two vents on either side of the keyboard are speakers, audio actually originates from the dualDTS:X ultra bar-shaped speakers on the back of the device. There isn’t a lot of bass, but mid-frequency audio and dialogue sound crisp and clear and held their own when I played Netflix in a noisy kitchen.

HP Envy x360 2-in-1

Regarding the hardware, the Envy x360 is positioned just below HP’s Spectre line of laptops to provide great performance that serves most users’ needs. We reviewed the2024 Spectre x360earlier this year and found it has truly next-gen hardware with the cutting-edge “Meteor Lake” AI processor, but it will run you hundreds of dollars more.

 buying advice

TheHP Envy x360 16 (2024)is priced well for an upper-mid-tier device with a gorgeous display and solid performance. Creators will love this laptop’s flexible form factor and impressive battery life. After using it for a few weeks, I can say that it’s my favorite big-screen 2-in-1, despite its quirks. This is a laptop for work as much as it is for entertainment, and if you’re looking for a 2-in-1 laptop, you have to consider the Envy x360.

If you’re looking for a smaller option, consider HP’s 2024 Spectre x360, which has a 14-inch display. For something more adventurous, check out theLenovo Yoga Book 9i, which has two displays.