Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Z Flip 5: Do you need to upgrade?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is finally official, and we’re still reeling. It’s not that this latest flip phone isn’t great, because it is. In fact, when it comes to bridging the power gap between it and Samsung’s other flagship phones, this phone hits the mark. Its new camera system is also worth a mention, as are its new colors. It’s just that it’s, well, basically the same phone as last year.

What exactly is new, and what has changed? How different is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 from the Galaxy Z Flip 5? Is it worth upgrading if you have the Z Flip 5, and should you buy the Z Flip 6 over the older model? These are important questions, and we’ve got all of the answers. Here’s how the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 compares against the Z Flip 5 and what the major differences are.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Z Flip 5: specs

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Z Flip 5: design and display

Most of this year’s upgrades are centered around the Z Flip 6’s internals, so there have been fewer tweaks to its looks and style. However, that’s not bad, as the Z Flip 5 is a gorgeous smartphone that doesn’t need to be changed. It’s sleek and oh-so-great to look at; every time you snap it closed or flip it open, you’ll note how beautiful it is.

Samsung has added some additional durability, though. The Z Flip 6 now has an IP48 dust and water resistance rating. That means it has the same water resistance as the Z Flip 5 but with additional protection against dust (represented by the “4” in the new rating). Upgrades to Armor Aluminum and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 also mean it’s tougher against bumps and drops. It’s also slightly thinner and lighter than before. There’s no denying the Z Flip 6 is sturdy, and we’re happy to see its aluminum frame is now matte instead of glossy. However, there is something some might find annoying: Its flatter sides and sharper edges aren’t nearly as comfortable as last year’s model, which was rounder.

At first glance, Samsung has made only a few design changes to the Z Flip 6. While that’s true of the style and overall design look essentially the same as the last model, more extensive changes have been made to the device’s durability, giving the newer phone a big edge.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Z Flip 5: performance and battery

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is powered by the latest hardware. It uses the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip found in the Galaxy S24 range. Additionally, it comes with 12GB of RAM and a choice of either 256GB or 512GB of storage, which is a welcome upgrade from the 8GB of RAM available on the Flip 5. As anticipated, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 delivers exceptional performance. We’re also impressed with its new vapor cooling chamber (a first for a Z Flip phone), which keeps things nice and cool during tasks.

Guess what? The Z Flip 5 is also a performance beast. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 may be last year’s processor, but it’s no slouch in its own right. While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is definitely going to be a faster piece of kit, the difference between the two won’t be massive, and in real-life use, you may not notice any at all.

But what about the battery life? The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a one-day smartphone only, which is disappointing by today’s standards. Charging speed is also slow, clocking in at just 25W for wired charging. The Z Flip 6 has a 4,000mAh battery, a decent 300mAh upgrade over last year’s model. Combined with a more efficient processor, the charge here feels more comfortable, regardless of the task. Unfortunately, this is still a one-day phone.

The unfortunate news is the lack of an increase in the charging rate. The Z Flip 6’s 25W charging rate is the same as its predecessor, and it’s a bit of a disappointment when the Galaxy S24 Plus, a similarly priced but non-folding phone, has a 45W charging rate. The OnePlus 12, a much cheaper flagship phone, blazes past it with a rate of 80W. It’s disappointing that the Z Flip 6 hasn’t had an upgrade here, but in the case of this comparison, it’s at least equal.

Because of its higher price, the Z Flip 6 should have a much longer battery life and improved charging speed. That’s not the case; you only get a more efficient battery. It’s nothing to sneeze at, but perhaps Samsung can do more next time.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Z Flip 5: cameras

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 caught a bit of flak for sticking with the same camera lenses as the Z Flip 4, but it wasn’t really a bad decision by Samsung. Sure, the Z Flip 5 wasn’t the match of the best smartphone cameras, but the paired 12-megapixel lenses are solid shooters. It’s reliable and takes great-looking pictures. Are they a little oversaturated? Yes, but that’s basically Samsung’s style now, so it comes with the territory of buying a Samsung phone.

Has Samsung decided to tune up the cameras on the Z Flip 6? You can be sure it has. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 still has a dual-lens system on the back, but Samsung has brought over the excellent main lens from the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus. This 50-megapixel primary lens is excellent and takes great shots in a variety of circumstances. It can struggle with fast movements, but it’s otherwise a very strong performer. The 12MP ultrawide camera is also a new sensor with a 123-degree field of view, plus a 10MP selfie camera at the top of the inner display.

The photos taken with the Z Flip 6 look great. They are sharp, detailed, and often have bright, pleasing colors. The upgrade to a 50MP primary camera from the 12MP camera on the Z Flip 5 is very useful. Not only do regular 1x photos look sharper, but the digital zoom on the Flip 6 is also very effective.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Z Flip 5: software and updates

Flex mode with YouTube on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. Tushar Mehta / Digital Trends

Both of these phones run Samsung’s One UI skin over the top of Android 14, so you’ll get a similar experience from both. Where the phones may diverge is when running Galaxy AI. While the Z Flip 5 has access to Galaxy AI, it wasn’t built with it in mind, while the Z Flip 6 absolutely has been.

The newer device also gets a lot more software support. The Z Flip 5 gets four years of operating system updates and five years of security patches, which is an excellent promise of support. But the Z Flip 6 gets Samsung’s newer policy, meaning it gets an enormous seven years of support. That’s industry-leading and very impressive indeed.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Z Flip 5: price and availability

Unfortunately, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 will be priced higher, starting at $1,100. For context, that’s $100 more expensive than the Galaxy Z Flip 5. It is currently available everywhere you can usually expect to find smartphones.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is still available, though now that the new version is available, we have to imagine it’ll slowly become less and less available. But for the moment, there’s plenty of time to grab one, and you can also expect to see discounts from the original $1,000 price.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Z Flip 5: verdict

It’s a clean sweep for the newer Galaxy Z Flip 6. That’s as it should be, of course. It would be a real blow if a new device failed to exceed its predecessor in every way. But it’s worth keeping in mind that while the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is the stronger of the two devices, with more powerful hardware, a larger battery, and a better camera, there’s not a big enough gap to make it a must-have upgrade over the Galaxy Z Flip 5.

Don’t get us wrong, if you don’t have a Z Flip 5, then you should absolutely have the Z Flip 6 on your shopping list. But if you already have the Galaxy Z Flip 5, and the battery is coping fine, you like the camera, and haven’t really noticed any slowdown, then the Z Flip 6 should not be on your watchlist. Sure, it’s better, but the gap between the two is … not that large. It’s certainly not enough for you to be dropping additional money on it.

So, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is the winner here, it’s not upgrade material if you’re coming from the Z Flip 5.

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