What makes Galaxy Z Flip 6 better than Z Flip 5?

 Let's look at the features that make the Z Flip 6 worth spending your money on instead of choosing the older model.

Newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip

It's no surprise that the newly launched phone is equipped with a newer chip. But if you're going to buy a premium phone in 2024, it has to be powered by a flagship chip, and in that regard, there's no better option in the Android world than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

Qualcomm claims that Gen 8 is 30% faster in CPU performance and 25% faster in GPU performance compared to its predecessor, Gen 2. It is also 20-25% more power efficient. Overall, that's a big year-over-year jump for Qualcomm.

On top of that, Samsung has integrated a cooling system inside the Z Flip 6, allowing it to maintain CPU performance for a longer period of time.

The main camera has higher resolution

What makes Galaxy Z Flip 6 better than Z Flip 5? Picture 1

One of the biggest complaints people have about the Z Flip 5 is that it's not particularly great for taking photos, especially compared to other high-end phones. Fortunately, with the Z Flip 6, Samsung replaced the 12MP main wide lens with a 50MP lens and has the same main camera as the Galaxy S24.

Unfortunately, the Z Flip 6 uses the same 12MP ultra-wide camera, but on the bright side, it can now record 4K video at 60FPS instead of 30FPS. The Z Flip 6's camera hardware also uses Samsung's ProVisual Engine - like the S24 Ultra- to help take better photos, especially in low light.

More RAM for easy multitasking

The 2023 Z Flip 5 ships with 8GB RAM, which is enough for a phone of this size. However, if you're someone who needs a lot of power, you might want more RAM to multitask with ease.

Luckily, Samsung has increased the RAM to 12GB as standard on the Z Flip 6. So you can keep some apps running in the background and switch between them with ease.

Durability is improved with an IP48 rating

What makes Galaxy Z Flip 6 better than Z Flip 5? Picture 2

Samsung claims the Z Flip 6 is more durable than its predecessor thanks to an improved Armor Aluminum frame that is 10% more scratch-resistant. And unlike the Z Flip 5 which has a glossy finish, the Z Flip 6 has a matte finish, which means it will be more resistant to fingerprints.

Samsung has also switched from ultra-thin glass to thin foldable glass for the internal display to slightly reduce the crease without losing its flexibility. The Z Flip 6 also has a new dual-rail hinge that doesn't protrude as much as the Z Flip 5.

More importantly, the Z Flip 6 has an IP48 rating for dust and water resistance, while the older Z Flip 5 has an IPX8 rating. The "X" in the IP rating means it's not dustproof at all. It's worth noting that IP48 certification isn't the true dust protection we'd like to see in foldable phones; it only provides protection from particles larger than 1mm.

In any case, glad that Samsung is focusing on improving dust resistance on its foldable smartphones.

Large battery for longer usage time

Battery life is not necessarily one of the strong points of the Galaxy Z Flip 5. This time, Samsung has equipped a larger 4,000mAh battery for the Z Flip 6, a step forward compared to the 3,700mAh battery on its predecessor.

The larger battery, along with the improved performance of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, should allow this phone to last a little longer than the Z Flip 5. Even if you're a heavy user, you might Expect its battery to last all day.

Brighter screen for better visibility outdoors

What makes Galaxy Z Flip 6 better than Z Flip 5? Picture 3

The internal display on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is now much brighter, capable of reaching 2,600 nits, just like the Galaxy S24 Ultra launched in early 2024. For comparison, the Z Flip 5 delivers a maximum brightness of 1,750 nits. This means you will have no trouble using the phone, even in direct sunlight.

However, the maximum brightness of the external display remains unchanged at 1,600 nits. That's still bright enough, since most people use the external display to check the time, notifications, widgets, etc.

Extensive software support

In 2023, Samsung promises 4 years of Android updates and 5 years of security updates for the Galaxy Z Flip 5, which is not bad at all. However, after taking note of Google's long-term plans for the Pixel 8 series, Samsung decided to extend software support to 7 years for its 2024 high-end smartphone models.

This means the Galaxy Z Flip 6 will receive 7 years of OS and security updates like the Galaxy S24 Series and Z Fold 5. So if you plan to use your phone for several years, the Z Flip 6 theoretically should be available until 2031. Don't forget that Samsung is one of the best smartphone manufacturers when it comes to Android updates.

Jessica Tanner

Update 13 July 2024