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Best for latest specs
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
Samsung’s latest foldable flagship brings subtle tweaks, including a boxier design and a much more comfortable cover display. The new Galaxy AI features won’t be for everyone, and the price increase is hard to justify, but this is a great all-around flagship foldable.
Pros- Thinner and lighter
- Excellent hardware
- Better front display
Cons- More expensive
- Not a huge upgrade
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Great buy on sale
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a year old, but it has an almost identical specs sheet to the Z Fold 6. It’s a little thicker and noticeably heavier, but there’s virtually no difference between the two. The Z Fold 5 will get fewer updates, but it’s a great buy when it’s on sale.
Pros- Cheaper
- Equally great specs
- Better color choices
Cons- Less functional front display
- Noticeably heavier
- Fewer guaranteed updates
Samsung has unveiled its latest foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 , and the sixth generation foldable looks a lot like the fifth. At first glance, they look nearly identical as they use the same design language, and it would be easy to dismiss the Galaxy Z Fold 6 as just a spec upgrade.
I’ve used every Galaxy Z Fold as my daily driver for at least a few months, and having just spent two weeks with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, it’s clear that there are a few little differences between these two that add up and make for a surprisingly enjoyable experience.
If you’ve got the Galaxy Z Fold 5 , should you upgrade to the Galaxy Z Fold 6? Let’s take a look.
Price, availability, and specifications
Newer means more expensive
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 costs $1,799, and while it’s still listed at full price on Samsung’s website, it can usually be found on sale. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 starts at $1,899, and a Galaxy Z Fold 5 in working condition is worth $1,200 in trade-in value.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 starts at 256GB of storage with 12GB of RAM and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 uses the older Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, but the RAM and storage options have remained unchanged for over three years.
Here’s a reminder of how the specs compare.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Display type AMOLED, 120Hz AMOLED, 120Hz Display dimensions 7.6” (main); 6.3” (cover) 7.6” (main); 6.2” (cover) Display resolution 2160 x 1856 (main); 2376 x 968 (cover) 2176 x 1812 (main); 2316 x 904 (cover) RAM 12GB 12GB Storage 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB Battery 4,400mAh 4,400mAh Charge speed 25W wired, 15W wireless 25W wired, 15W wireless Charge options Wired, wireless, reverse wireless Wired, wireless, reverse wireless Ports USB-C USB-C SIM support Nano-SIM and eSIM Nano-SIM and eSIM Operating System Android 14 with One UI 6.1.1 Android 14 with One UI 5.1.1 Front camera 10 MP f/2.2 (cover); 4 MP f/1.8 (under main display) 10MP, f/2.2 (cover); 4MP, f/1.8 (under main display) Rear camera 50MP, f/1.8 main; 12MP, f/2.2 ultrawide; 10 MP, f/2.4 3x telephoto 50MP, f/1.8 main; 12MP, f/2.2 ultrawide; 10 MP, f/2.4 3x telephoto Cellular connectivity 5G, LTE 5G, LTE Wi-Fi connectivity Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.3 Dimensions 68.1 x 153.5 x 12.1mm (folded); 132.6 x 153.5 x 5.6mm (unfolded) 67.1 x 155 x 13mm (folded); 130 x 155, 6.1mm (unfolded) Weight 239g 253g IP Rating IP48 IPX8 Colors Silver Shadow, Pink, Navy, Crafted Black, White Ice Blue, Phantom Black, Cream, Gray, Blue Stylus S Pen (not included) S Pen (not included) Price From $1,899 From $1,799
Design
Refining and perfecting the same design
I’ve used every Galaxy Z Fold, and one thing is clear: Aside from the Galaxy Fold to the Z Fold 2, each new generation brings small refinements to the overall design. There’s still no radical change to the form factor, which is taller and narrower than book-style foldables like the OnePlus Open, yet the Galaxy Z Fold 6 feels better than the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
A subtle change that has made a big difference is the front display. You need to use the Galaxy Z Fold 6 to experience it, but the front display now measures 6.3 inches — an increase of 0.1-inch — and is slightly shorter and wider than the Z Fold 5. These changes bring it much closer to the form factor of a regular smartphone and make it far easier to use the front display with one hand.
When you pick up the Galaxy Z Fold 6, you’ll also immediately notice how light it is. The Z Fold 6 weighs 239 grams, 14 grams lighter than the Galaxy Z Fold 5. This may not seem like a lot, but improvements in the hinge, a thinner build, and tweaks to the design make this a significant difference in weight. These changes also mean the Z Fold 6 is 0.5mm thinner when unfolded and a massive 1.3mm when folded.
All of these changes make the Galaxy Z Fold 6 feel like a familiar, yet subtle upgrade over the Galaxy Z Fold 5. The design isn’t radically different, but if you like the Z Fold 5, then you’ll love the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Display
The same but brighter
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 main display is virtually identical to the Galaxy Z Fold 5. That means you get the same 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with a dynamic refresh rate from 1 to 120Hz. The few changes to the Z Fold 6 display are barely noticeable, but the thinner phone and less rounded display corners make for a more premium experience.
The subtle change to the displays is in the front display. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 has a 6.2-inch display, while the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is 0.1 inches larger, but slightly shorter and wider. Crucially, it also adopts a 22.1:9 aspect ratio, which is much better to use with one hand than the taller 23:9 aspect ratio of the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
The front display also has a boxier design, with the rounded corners of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 display replaced by a cleaner, more squared-off design. These small changes make the front display a much better experience that is more akin to a regular smartphone.
Samsung says the crease has been reduced to be almost invisible, and while that’s not true, the crease on the Z Fold 6 main display is less prominent than on the Z Fold 5. It’s also less intrusive when you swipe through it. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is also noticeably brighter than the Galaxy Z Fold 5, thanks to the 2,600 nits peak HDR brightness on both displays, making it much better and easier to use in direct sunlight.
Camera
Why change what somewhat works?
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 feature identical camera systems. Samsung hasn’t evolved or improved the camera hardware on the Fold for many years, and while photos on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 are slightly better thanks to the newer processor and an upgraded ultrawide sensor, this is fundamentally the same camera experience with the same camera specs.
If you hope to upgrade your Z Fold 5 and get a much better camera, you will likely be disappointed. This is not because the camera on the Z Fold 6 is bad, but rather because you won’t see a noticeable upgrade in quality. The camera housing is far more decorative, but that’s the only noticeable change.
Both phones have the same 50MP main camera with f/1.8 aperture, optical image stabilization, and dual-pixel phase detection autofocus. The ultra-wide camera is the same 12MP on paper — complete with a 123 degree field-of-view — but Samsung has used a newer ultra-wide sensor on the Fold 6; it offers slight improvements at night, but won’t be significantly better. The telephoto is also the same 10MP sensor with 3x optical zoom and OIS.
None of these cameras are groundbreaking, and they definitely won’t replace a camera-focused smartphone like the Galaxy S24 Ultra. However, they’re nearly identical to the S24 and S24+ cameras, which, while not on par with the S24 Ultra, are great all-around smartphone cameras.
Performance
The latest processor provides some benefits
The only meaningful difference between the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Fold 5 is in the processor. The latter uses last year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, while the Z Fold 6 is powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy found in the Galaxy S24 series.
We’ve already seen that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 offers better efficiency, but the higher brightness of the Z Fold 6 displays ultimately leads to similar battery life to the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 does offer a meaningful boost in performance, and it’s always nice to get the best chipset, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen for Galaxy is still an excellent chipset and more than capable of serving you for years to come.
Battery life
Same, same, and not different
If your Galaxy Z Fold 5 battery struggles to last a day, and you want a foldable with the fastest charging and best battery life, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 will disappoint you. Surprising no one, Samsung kept the battery size and charging speeds the same for yet another year, and the battery life is virtually identical.
I’ve noticed this during my time with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and our review of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 even highlights the same thing. Despite the OnePlus Open offering 80W charging, and even though the Pixel Fold 2 is expected to up the stakes, Samsung stuck with a 4,400 mAh battery and 25W charging.
Even with more use of the better-proportioned front display, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 only just gets through a full day. Perhaps unsurprisingly, using the main display extensively will dent its longevity.
Updates
Longer and longer
Updates are the new Megapixels, except they actually matter. Every company now competes on the number of years of software and security updates it promises for its flagship devices. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is up there with the very best — offering seven years of updates — which means it’ll get new features and necessary patches for much longer.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 launched with Android 13 and a promise of four software updates and five security updates. With the upgrade to Android 14 already available, that means the Galaxy Z Fold 5 could stop being supported after Android 17, while the Z Fold 6 launched with Android 15 and will receive Android 21.
Should you upgrade just for the updates? No, but if you have the choice between which of these to buy — or value updates as part of the overall experience — it’s definitely worth considering the Galaxy Z Fold 6 just for its longevity.
Which should you buy? Should you upgrade?
Minimal upgrades at a price
Will you truly miss out if you don’t upgrade from the Galaxy Z Fold 5 to the Galaxy Z Fold 6? No. There are subtle changes, and the front screen is much more enjoyable, but $700 for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 with a Z Fold 5 trade-in is a large price to pay. Even a bunch of AI features — which are all coming to the Z Fold 5 later — can’t justify the upgrade.
Great buy on sale
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a year old, but it has an almost identical specs sheet to the Z Fold 6. It’s a little thicker and noticeably heavier, but there’s virtually no difference between the two. The Z Fold 5 will get fewer updates, but it’s a great buy when it’s on sale.
However, if you’re choosing which of these to buy and are trading in a very recent flagship smartphone, I would look at the Galaxy Z Fold 6. There’s a minimal price difference between these two devices, and there are many reasons why the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is just a little bit better.
Best for latest specs
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
Samsung’s latest foldable flagship brings subtle tweaks, including a boxier design and a much more comfortable cover display. The new Galaxy Ai features won’t be for everyone, and the price increase is hard to justify, but this is a great all-around flagship foldable.
Nirave is a creator, evangelist, and founder of House of Tech. A heart attack at the age of 33 inspired him to publish the Impact of Tech newsletter, which covers the best technology and its impact on mental, physical, and emotional health. For more, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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