Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs: Galaxy Z Flip 5: How are they different?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is here, delivering upgrades aplenty. No, your eyes don’t deceive you; it shares a near-identical design to the Galaxy Z Flip 5, but there are several small, but exciting tweaks under the hood to give foldable fans a reason to check out Samsung’s all-new clamshell phone.

We got a taste of the Z Flip 6’s features at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event, from Galaxy AI tools to improved specs. Whether you’re after an upgrade or finally making the jump to foldables, the question remains: What does the Galaxy Z Flip 6 have that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 doesn’t?

1. Bigger battery in a smaller frame

Now in its sixth generation, the Galaxy Z Flip series has trimmed down with nearly every new release. This time, it’s not by much, but it’s enough to impress with its larger battery capacity. 

Standing at 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm unfolded and 85.1 x 71.9 x 14.9 mm folded, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is only 0.2 mm thinner than the Z Flip 5 when folded. That won’t be much of a noticeable difference (unless your pockets or purse need the extra wiggle room), but Samsung still managed to pack in a bigger 4,000 mAh battery. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
Credit: Mashable

That’s up from the Z Flip 5’s 3,700 mAh capacity, leading to a claimed increase in battery life — up to two hours longer with LTE internet and three hours longer video playback. Impressively, the weight hasn’t budged, with both models being the same 187g. 

This doesn’t change other measurements, as the Z Flip 6 offers the same 3.4-inch outer display and a 6.7-inch inner display. However, it isn’t completely identical.

2. Use Galaxy AI in more ways

We’re hardly gobsmacked that Galaxy AI is coming to the Galaxy Z Flip 6, seeing as the Galaxy S24 Ultra and its siblings introduced it earlier this year. Heck, even the Z Flip 5 has jumped onboard the AI train. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
Credit: Mashable

That said, the Z Flip 6 is getting a few more handy Galaxy AI tricks that are exclusive to its design. For one, the praised Interpreter Mode can be used on the front display. This means you can type text on the inner display and have the translated text pop up on the outer display, facing the person you’re communicating with in another language. 

Who isn’t a fan of adaptive wallpapers powered by AI? The Photo Ambient wallpaper changes in real-time based on the time of day and the weather, which is a neat touch. Of course, if you prefer your own wallpapers, then Galaxy AI will analyze your wallpaper and suggest a layout — such as moving the clock or changing the frame color based on your chosen wallpaper. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 main display
Credit: Mashable

Better yet, you can do a whole lot more with widgets on the front display. FlexWindow offers access to different apps via more widgets, allowing you to see notifications or updates in the Samsung Health app or skip to the next song using a music widget. 

You’ll also be able to see chats on the front display and directly reply to them, thanks to “Suggested Replies.” Pick a suggested reply curated by context-sensitive AI and send it off without having to open the phone. 

3. A new camera to boast about

A worthwhile highlight for snap-happy users, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 now boasts a 50MP wide-angle main camera. It’s quite the upgrade over the Z Flip 5, which holds a 12MP lens. On paper, that suggests an improvement to the resolution and details. And, of course, even greater selfies. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
Credit: Mashable

Of course, megapixels aren’t the true measure of how good a camera is, but a further mix of Samsung’s proven camera tech and AI should prove majorly beneficial. The foldable’s ProVisual Engine aims to capture even more detailed portraits and snaps. And camera AI features such as Edit Suggestions, Generative Edit, Instant Slo-mo, and more offer more ways to customize shots. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 front display cameras
Credit: Mashable

FlexCam makes a return, but with the new Auto Zoom feature, it can now automatically detect the subject for the photo, zoom in, and find the greatest frame for the shot. 

Yes, the Z Flip 5 has a few AI camera tricks up its sleeve, but it won’t be in as much detail as the Z Flip 6. 

4. Finally protected from dust

It’s hard to believe, but it’s difficult to find a foldable phone with any kind of dustproofing. Until the Galaxy Z Flip 6, that is. Rated with an IP48 rating, this foldable is now dust-resistant. Or, at the very least, protected from solid objects 1mm in size. 

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 and previous models have an IPX8 rating, meaning they were only water resistant to a maximum depth of 1.5 meters. Now with a “4” added on (the first number in an Ingress Protection rating is for dust, while the second is for water), the Z Flip 6 should be more durable than Samsung’s previous model. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 main display
Credit: Mashable

It’s not the IP68 rating we’ve seen on other flagship phones, such as the Galaxy S24, but it’s nonetheless, a step in the right direction. Throw in the Armor Aluminum frame and the Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and this Z Flip should be more durable than ever. 

5. A touch of more color

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 may share nearly all of its design with the Z Flip 5, but you’ll get more of a splash of color with the new model. Instead of your chosen color option being isolated to a single back panel like on the Z Flip 5, the entire frame of the phone will reflect your choice of color. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 in Yellow
Credit: Mashable

That means the back panel, sides, hinge, and even the rings around the camera lenses are getting a brush of color. It adds a dash of style, and it makes the color options truly shine. That includes Yellow, Silver Shadow, Mint, and Blue, along with Crafted Black, White, and Peach as Samsung.com exclusives. 

6. Hello, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 may be powerful in its own right with an octa-core Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and 8GB of RAM, but the Galaxy Z Flip 6 takes it one step higher with its octa-core Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and 12GB of RAM. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
Credit: Mashable

That’s some serious heat under the hood, with a boost in processing power, energy efficiency, ray tracing for gaming, and generative AI features. Judging from the impressive scores the Galaxy S24 Ultra achieved (equipped with the same specs), the Z Flip 6 is set to blaze through nearly anything you throw at it. 

7. A cooler experience (literally)

Along with the upgraded processor and longer-lasting battery life, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 brings the first-ever vapor chamber to the Z Flip series. Ergo, it won’t be prone to heating up when put under pressure. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
Credit: Mashable

There are plenty of demanding apps and games roaming around the Google Play Store these days, from the newly launched Zenless Zone Zero to Alien Isolation. With a cooling system under the hood, the Z Flip 6 will be fare better at handling the heat than its predecessor. 

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is set to be on shelves from $1,100 on July 24, with pre-orders starting now.

Want to hear more about the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Watch 7, or Galaxy Ring? Check out everything announced at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event.