Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 - This Finally Feels Real

Although still not exactly commonplace, foldable phones are no longer quite the sensation they used to be. While Samsung initially led the way, other brands have quickly jumped on the foldable bandwagon - especially in other regions around the world.

And yet, until now, even I (self-confessed tech nerd and confirmed early adopter) have felt a little uncomfortable using the bendy form factor. It's always seemed a little too experimental, too fragile to justify the high price tag. Especially when premium features like hgh-end camera hardware and durability certifications were compromised in favour of a folding screen.

After a week or so with Samsung's latest folding flagship though, I think I'm starting to come around.

Critics have branded the Galaxy Z Fold6 as another iterative upgrade, not so different from the generations before it but I couldn't disagree more. From the moment I first held a Fold6 I was struck with how much more finished it felt in my hands.

For the first time this extremely expensive phone (starting at NZ$3049.00) emulates the same sharp lines and and luxurious feel of its Samsung S-Series stablemates. Available in Silver Shadow, Pink, Navy and the exclusive (and kind of boring) online-only shades of White and Crafted Black, there should be a colour to suit most tastes.

Also for the first time, the hinge has been modified to allow both halves of the internal display to shut completely flush against each other - they said the Fold5 did this last year but I reckon there was still a bit of a gap. This is a biggie for me because I tend to keep my phone in my pocket and previous Folds have always ended up with their screens covered in dust and lint - that problem has been completely taken care of here.

This is the thinnest and lightest Fold yet - and I definitely noticed the difference. It's the difference between clunky and elegant. This comes with quite the durability boost too; Armor Aluminium edges and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 make for a stronger device and Samsung has even improved the water resistance rating. This all helps with piece-of-mind given the hefty sticker price.

What's more, because of the new, sharper corners, there's slightly more usable display, both inside and out.

In saying that, the exterior screen has kind of hit its usefulness threshold. Oh, don't get me wrong, it's a gorgeous, 6.3-inch dynamic AMOLED panel and in most ways it works every bit as well as the display on any other premium Samsung device. In fact, I'd say I use it far more than the internal, folding or "Main" display... although that just might be me still learning to use the Fold6 better.

What I mean about that "sub display" being limited is due to its aspect ratio. As one half of a larger, almost square device when unfolded, it's very long and narrow. This not only makes typing on a small, skinny keyboard a bit hit-and-miss for my clumsy digits but when rotated to landscape, everything tends to get squashed out flat and wide - especially the widgets I've added to my home screen.

By stark contrast, the internal screen feels like a breath of fresh air when unfolded to its full 7.6-inch glory. There's plenty of room for everything - from icons, to browser windows, to games, to video. Apps you can split into two views - like Outlook - were just waiting for a form factor like this to come along.

But we know all this already. I've told you myself. We've already seen cool tricks like using the outer display as a preview screen so you can shoot selfies with the primary camera.

For some reason, Samsung is still persisting with the 4MP Under Display camera inside the Fold6. And for some other reason it's still in the weirdest place; above the right-hand side of the display - that's if you happen to be holding it that way around. Surely if you're resorting to using this camera at all (and the only reason I can think of is for online meetings) you'd be more comfortable with the phone in its half-flexed position, sitting on the desk in front of you in which case the more logical position for this strange selfie cam would be halfway along one of the longer edges. I really don't get it - even after six generations.

In fact, there hasn't been much of an upgrade in camera hardware here; still a 50MP wide / 12MP utra-wide / 10MP telephoto configuration for the "rear" primary shooter but that's better than you'll find on most phones.

However, in what is probably a trend for the future (and has definitely been the theme so far in 2024), the majority of the buzz with Samsung's new folding flagships is all about AI.

With the S-Series launch earlier in the year, Samsung revealed how Galaxy-AI was now powerful enough to perform a raft of both fun and useful photo editing tasks as well as some very impressive on-device translation.

When this same technology is combined with a folding screen and a secondary display, Galaxy AI really starts to wow the crowd. If you've ever tried doing much video or photo editing on your phone, you will have undoubtedly encountered the frustration of doing so on such a small screen. This is where the huge display of the Fold6 really comes into its own, especially with the enhanced editing capacity of Galaxy AI.

Simply place your finger on an object in your photo and you can move it, copy it, erase it, enlarge it... there are a lot of options.

Portrait Studio is more than just a library of filters, it'll create surreal caricatures in a range of artistic styles.

Sketch to Image lets you doodle your own enhancements onto a picture, (with either a stylus or just your finger) then Galaxy AI will grab actual images to replace your rough drawings - and believe me, my drawings are rough.

You can even add slow-mo sections to videos you've already recorded. 

As a creative tool, no other phone has ever been this useful.

And as a communication tool, it's even better. 

The S24-Series phones saw the introduction of Galaxy AI-powered live translation tools. Again the Fold6 takes this even further. Now you can type or talk using the internal screen and within seconds a translation will appear on the external display and your words will be spoken in the alternate language of your choice. Because you download the language packs you require ahead of time, all this happens on-device, using the built-in Neural Processor - so when travelling, you can literally chat with the locals without even having to use a data connection.

These same Galaxy-AI listening skills are also put to good use when it comes to taking notes, summarising dictation or even asking for more information about whatever you're looking at on screen. 

You won't have any trouble reading that screen either; both inner and outer displays are dramatically brighter than previous generations. Combine that with the ease and power of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform for Galaxy processor and suddenly your gaming experience is next level.

A more efficient processor and a new vapour chamber to keep things cool has meant a noticeable bump in battery life too.

All sounds pretty good, right?

So here's my question; Does it sound a thousand dollars better than a non-folding flagship handset? If it does, then perhaps I was a bit hasty with my earlier criticism of the price. At first I thought there was no way you could justify that much money for a single phone. But then I held it. And I used it. And for the first time it felt like a finished, polished, useful and reliable device - not just a gimmicky flex.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6.

Oppo Reno12 Pro - Playing with the Big Boys

The title of this review must seem a bit strange to anybody reading from Europe or Asia. Although Oppo is a massive player in many regions, by the end of last year it accounted for less than 10% of the market here (according to a March 2024 report by the New Zealand Herald).

No prizes for guessing the big two brands battling it out for top billing at around 40% each. Still, although a fair distance behind, third is still third and Oppo has managed to claim that spot over the last few years with a consistent line of reliable, well designed handsets boasting excellent battery-life, market-leading fast-charging and camera technology that rivals the very best around.

So what have they done for us lately?

In New Zealand, the Oppo Reno12 Pro comes in two colourways; Nebula Black or Nebula Silver. I was sent the black version to review which features a matte finish over the top eighty percent of the rear panel, with a glossier section below the Oppo logo - all with a slightly purplish hue to it. The Nebula Silver is much more eye-catching - more shiny with a wave-like pattern that seems to shimmer in a 3D way.

As I removed it from the box I was struck by how slim and light the Reno12 Pro feels - it slips very easily into my pocket yet its beveled edges make it secure enough to grip without a case. The other item of note in the box is the charging brick - notable not only because you actually get one with this phone but also because it's a legendary SuperVOOC charger - this time delivering an insane 80W to have the phone juiced up in no time.

In fact, I wouldn't usually give a phone like this much consideration as my primary handset based solely on the fact it has no wireless charging. However, the Reno12 Pro charges so quickly and the battery lasts so long (it gets me through two days of heavy use without coming close to going flat) I'm prepared to make an exception.

Part of the key to this impressive power-efficiency must be to do with the MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Energy chip running the show. I'm not particularly familiar with this CPU although I've been reading a lot of favourable reports about the latest chips MediaTek has been supplying. Certainly this phone blazes through its work, thanks also to the 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage.

At NZ$1099.00, good luck finding another phone with that much storage anywhere near that price. These days I'd argue if you shoot any amount of pictures and video at all, 512GB should be your starting point. The Reno12 Pro makes that starting point a lot more attainable.

Speaking of photography, the Reno12 Pro wouldn't be an Oppo phone if it didn't have a great camera setup and there's no doubt this array is up to the task. Dual 50MP wide and ultra-wide lenses combine with an 8MP telephoto sensor to provide high-level performance at a mid-range price.

Check out the detail captured in both the foreground and distance in this shot, looking almost directly into the sun...

There are also some pretty nifty AI tricks at hand that seem to emulate what we've seen from some of the other "flagship phones" over the last year. Here's a sunset shot I took using night mode.

But then I decided I didn't need the couple sitting on the electrical transformer box at the left side, so I AI-Erased them out...

Or maybe you want to take the world's cutest dog...

And stick him somewhere else. The Reno12 Pro can do that too.

Other AI tools allow portrait touchups of group shots and opening the eyes of that one person who always seems to blink just as you're taking the shot.

Oppo uses AI to keep your phone connected when swapping between Wi-Fi and 5G the dictation and summary tools suddenly seem to be standard offerings on all AI-empowered devices.

Sadly, the Reno12 Pro is not eSIM-capable. I found this a bit of a surprise, given this seems to be more the norm than the exception with new phones these days.

On the plus side, for the first time I can recall, Oppo is being much more upfront with the durability claims. The Reno12 Pro is now more than just splash-proof - it carries an official IP65 water/dust resistance rating. Oppo also claims it's been tested to resist extreme temperatures and high humidity, not to mention being run over by a 3-tonne vehicle! (They mean the equivalent pressure on that last claim - as long as the phone is face down. Still pretty wild and no, I'm not going to try it.)

Not only is there physical, shock absorbing cushioning built into the high-strength alloy chassis, you also get Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 covering the display. Again, this is a very high-end feature more likely found on flagships twice the price.

And I think that's the nice little niche Oppo has found itself in the Kiwi market... If you're willing to forego eSIM and wireless charging you'll get a hell of a lot of phone for around a thousand bucks; outstanding battery life, super fast charging, great photos and a host of AI tools that aren't just clever, they're genuinely useful too.

    

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Oppo Reno12 Pro.