The Z Flip is marketed towards younger users and creators. With a new camera and improved specs, the latest Galaxy Z Flip 6 is closer to an influencer’s dream than ever. But is it worth upgrading if you already own a Z Flip 5? Let’s compare the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 with the Flip 5.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 VS Galaxy Z Flip 5 price
The Galaxy Z Flip 6, $1,049/£1,049, is priced the same as the Galaxy Z Flip 5, $999/£1,049, but it is now $100 more expensive in the US. Now that the Z Flip 5 is no longer the latest model and is starting to get more discounts, that gap will only get bigger.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Flip 5
Design and Display
It’s difficult to tell the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 apart. Both foldables are the same size and weight and feature AMOLED display technology inside and out. They feature a 6.7-inch FHD internal screen with up to 120Hz refresh rate and an external 60Hz 3.4-inch display.
Samsung at least changed the colours between generations. If you buy the phone directly from Samsung, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is available in mint, graphite, cream, lavender, grey, blue, green, and yellow.
Yellow and blue are now the default colours for the Galaxy Z Flip 6, while it also retains Mint and Graphite-esque Silver Shadow. This model’s unique Samsung exclusive colours are Crafted Black, White, and Peach.
These colours can be seen around the Galaxy Z Flip 6’s camera, giving each colour a different personality to the blank external screen. All surrounding areas are the same silver colour as the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
One key difference between the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 builds is durability. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 uses improved Armor Aluminum and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (instead of the original GG Victus), giving it a sturdier shell and a more robust, thinner folding mechanism than its predecessor.
These advantages also apply to dust/water resistance. The Z Flip 5’s IPX8 rating means it’s certified to withstand splashes of water, but not necessarily dust or other small particles. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip 6’s IP48 rating makes it the first Samsung Flip foldable to offer dust resistance certification. This is an essential guarantee that your phone will survive an accident or bad weather.
Camera
One of Samsung’s most significant upgrades between the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 is replacing the existing foldable’s 12MP primary camera with a 50MP one. This allows you to use high-resolution standard photos when needed and an effective 2x lossless zoom mode, just like other Samsung Galaxy phones that offer this sensor.
Additionally, both Z Flips use the same 12MP ultra-wide and 10MP selfie camera resolutions. The Z Flip 6’s ultra-wide camera is a new sensor model that offers 4K video and improved low-light performance for the first time. However, barring some firmware upgrades, there won’t be much difference between these two phones’ wide or front shots. But we’ll report with full results once we’ve tested the phones together.
Performance
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 carries a clear chipset upgrade from the Z Flip 5, using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for the Galaxy instead of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The Z Flip 6 also features 12GB of RAM instead of 8GB, like all previous Z Flips. The Samsung Flip Foldable’s first vapor chamber cooling system should provide performance benefits. However, as with the photos, we’ll report back with full benchmark results when they become available.
Both phones have 256GB of base storage and 512GB of optional storage. The only difference is that compared to the original price of Galaxy Z Flip 5, both are more expensive for Galaxy Z Flip 6.
Battery and Charging
The Galaxy Z Flip 5’s 3,700mAh battery has been replaced with a larger 4,000mAh model in the Galaxy Z Flip 6. Considering the same display and newer, more efficient chipset could mean a significant battery life upgrade for newer phones.
Even though the Galaxy Z Flip 6’s battery life could be improved over the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s, charging is impossible. Both phones offer the same 25W wired and 15W wireless charging support. In fact, with the larger battery, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 may charge slower than the Z Flip 5 because it takes more milliamp hours to charge.
Software
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 comes with Android 14, a newer version than the Android 13 software that came with the Galaxy Z Flip 5. However, the Z Flip 5 can be updated to the same software version, which is a minor inconvenience.
However, in the future, the Z Flip 6 will receive more generations of software upgrades, making it the latest version and promising seven years compared to the four years of the Z Flip 5.
With the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Samsung introduced some upgraded Galaxy AI features, including an interpreter mode for face-to-face translation utilizing both internal and external displays, new AI-generated responses to messages, and real-time translation during voice calls.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 did not include the Galaxy AI feature but was updated to offer it after launch. I hope that, like before, I can acquire these new powers in a few months.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Samsung Flip 5 and 6?
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 has a 4,000mAh1 battery, more significant than the 3,700mAh2 of the Galaxy Z Flip 5. It delivers enough power to keep you scrolling and entertained all day. The intelligent dual battery also adapts to your unique usage patterns, so it’s ready when needed.
How long does the Flip 6 battery last?
Don’t sweat the little things like charging your batteries. JBL Flip 6 can play for up to 12 hours on a single charge.