Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Flip 5: All expected differences
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Intro
Flip phone lovers, gather 'round the campfire: the most exciting moment of the year is coming, Samsung is about to release its next generation Galaxy Flip!
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is expected to get its official debut at Samsung Unpacked on July 10th, 2024, and it will arrive alongside other new Samsung devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the new Galaxy Watch 7 series.
Last year was a watershed moment for Samsung's clamshell flip phones: the Flip 5 introduced a big Cover Screen for the first time in the series, so what will the Flip 6 bring?
Leaks and rumors talk about a nearly 10% increase in battery size, an improved main camera, and an even larger Cover Screen. And all of this along with the usual upgrades like a new and faster processor.
Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Flip 5 differences:
| Galaxy Z Flip 6 | Galaxy Z Flip 5 |
|---|---|
| Similar dual camera, but now with 50MP main cam | Dual 12MP camera (main and ultra-wide) |
| Bigger, 4000mAh battery | 3,700mAh battery |
| Cover Screen to extend to the edge | Slightly smaller Cover Screen, does not reach the edges |
| Newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip |
| 12GB RAM | 8GB RAM |
| Same 256GB/512GB storage options | 256GB or 512GB storage options |
| Possibly more angular design | Slightly more rounded edges |
| $100 price increasewas a | $1,000 price |
| New AI features are possible | Some Galaxy AI features |
| Seven years of software updates | Four years of software updates |
Table of Contents:
Design and Size
Same or very, very similar
With nearly identical size and weight, the Flip 6 design is not likely to change much from the Flip 5, at least according to the leaks and rumors.
Maybe expect to see flatter sides and new color options, but not much else.
Some rumors suggest the Flip 6 might get dust-proofing (the Flip 5 is only water resistant at the moment), but those remain unconfirmed, so we would not read too much into them.
The big questions will be around durability and the quality of the hinge, and Samsung has surely made some welcome improvements in the past year, but we have no specifics yet about the Flip 6.
As for colors, here are the rumored color options for the Flip 6:
- Blue
- Mint
- Silver shadow
- Yellow
- *White - online exclusive
- *Crafted black - online exclusive
- *Peach - online exclusive
Display Differences
Chipping away at the hinge
The new and larger cover screen of the Flip 5 was a huge and very welcome change last year. This year, it might improve even further as the Flip 6 cover screen should stretch all the way to the edges, possibly even wrapping around the camera.
The main screen, however, is expected to remain the same 6.7-inch size.
Of course, all eyes will be on that crease, which Samsung phones have had since the beginning. Will this finally be the year the crease is gone? Last year, Samsung brought a new water-drop style hinge that was an improvement, but a very subtle one.
This year, we have even better news: sources claim Samsung will use thicker cover glass material (50nm on the Flip 6 vs 30nm on the Flip 5). This will not only make the main screen less prone to scratches, but should help make the crease less visible too.
Don't expect the crease to go away completely, though. The same sources say Samsung is working on a new type of hinge for the next Flip 7, and that's when we can finally get rid of the crease for good.
As for biometrics, don't expect anything new: Flip 6 users will have the traditional fingerprint reader embedded in the power key on the side, just like before.
Performance and Software
Faster chip, long update commitment
Under the hood, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 will benefit from the newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, a nice - even if slight - upgrade from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 on the Flip 5.
We know that all the new AI features are particularly sensitive to RAM and the Flip 5 already had a decent amount at 8GB RAM. The Flip 6, however, is expected to make the jump to 12GB RAM, a welcome upgrade that will future-proof it.
The Flip 6 will surely arrive with the latest Android 14 version, spiced up with Samsung's One UI software in its latest One UI 6.1 version.
More specifically, we expect One UI 6.1.1 on the Flip 6 and its marquee feature is rumored to be an AI trick that allows you to draw over a portrait photo to create an animated version of the person. That sure sounds cool.
We also expect the Flip 6 to get Samsung's promise for seven years of software updates, which would make the phone more future-proof. For context, the Flip 5 arrived with a promise of four years of updates.
Camera
New main camera and AI tricks
Samsung's Flip phones never had the best cameras because of the limited space. Compared to the Galaxy S series, for example, you lack a telephoto camera on the Flip models.
Unfortunately, that is not changing in the Galaxy Z Flip 6, which will have two cameras like before, a main and an ultra-wide one.
However, one important upgrade is happening: Samsung will bump up the specs for the main camera to 50-megapixels. In reality, you will probably get pixel-binned images of around 12MP in size, but with cleaner detail in low light. You will also probably be able to shoot full-res, detailed 50MP photos as an option, if you choose so.
The rest seems mostly unchanged: expect a familiar 12MP ultra-wide camera and a 10MP selfie camera on the inside screen.
Samsung is obviously pushing AI features heavily, so it is almost certain that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 will support the Generative Edit features we have already seen on other Galaxies (move an object in a photo, resize it or even remove it easily). However, new AI tricks might be in the works too, and we will soon find out more.
Battery Life and Charging
A welcome improvement in battery life
Battery life was never great on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, but the new Flip 6 might finally improve on that thanks to a nearly 10% increase in battery size.
Rumors say the Flip 6 might get a 4,000mAh battery, an upgrade from the 3,700mAh battery size on the Flip 5. The battery technology itself remains the same, with two smaller battery cells in each half of the phone. And the good news is that despite this battery bump, the Flip 6 will not weigh more.
We will be testing battery life in detail and give you more specific numbers when we have the phones, so stay tuned for that.
As for charging, no changes: Samsung sticks with 25-watt charging speeds via a wire. Last year, we measure that it took about one hour and a half to fully charge the Flip 5, and now with the bigger battery on the Flip 6 this might take a few minutes longer.
Both the Flip 6 and Flip 5 should have wireless charging support at around 15 watts, and both also support reverse wireless charging.
Specs Comparison
And below you can find an overview of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Flip 5 specs differences:
| Galaxy Z Flip 6* | Flip 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Size, weight | Unfolded: 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9mm Folded: 85.1 x 71.9 x 14.9mm 187g weight | Unfolded: 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm Folded: 85.1 x 71.9 x 15.1 mm 187g weight |
| Screen | Slightly larger Cover Screen 6.7" OLED Main Screen | 3.4" OLED Cover Screen 6.7" OLED Main Screen |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 8GB RAM | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 8GB RAM |
| RAM, Storage | 12/256GB 12/512GB | 8/256GB 8/512GB |
| Cameras | 50MP main 12MP ultra-wide 10MP selfie cam | 12MP main 12MP ultra-wide 10MP selfie came |
| Battery | 4000 mAh | 3700 mAh |
| Charging | USB-C 25W wired charge 15W wireless | USB-C 25W wired charge 15W wireless |
*All Galaxy Z Flip 6 specs above are based on leaks and rumors, and are NOT official.
Summary
We should mention one important detail before we wrap up: price!
Rumors claim Samsung will hike the price of the Flip 6 with a starting price of $1,100 for the 256GB model (up from $1,000), while the 512GB Flip 6 is expected to sell for $1,220. Let's just hope that Samsung has some great trade-in deals in place because this one might be a bit tough to swallow.
But is the Flip 6 a worthy upgrade, price aside?
Well, Flip 5 owners probably should not bother. The slightly larger screen, slight improvements to battery life and the upgraded main camera are nice and all, but probably not worth upgrading right away (unless you have a great trade-in deal).
Samsung's focus, however, surely is on making the best Flip on the market and attracting those who own a traditional phone or an older flip phone. For them, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 might just have the right amount of innovation.
In either case, we will know all the official details on July 10th at Samsung Unpacked, so stay tuned, flip phone lovers!
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