The Samsung Galaxy Unpacked held yesterday on July 10, 2024, and it had many highlights. Among them was the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 6. It comes with minor improvements from its predecessor, the Z Fold 5, yet big enough to make a difference in your experience. For one, the price is $100 more and it uses stronger aluminum material. But do the changes justify the higher price or should you wait for a better upgrade in the next generation? Let's find out.
What makes the Z Fold 6 and Z Fold 5 different?
Leaks from before the Z Fold 6’s launch revealed that there wasn't much difference between it and the Z Fold 5. Post-launch, most rumors have been confirmed. There are changes all around the phone, but whether they're worth paying extra for is questionable.
As expected, Samsung prices are still out of control. The Z Fold 6 starts at $1,899, which is $100 more than the Z Fold 5’s starting price of $1,799. The dimensions for the newer phone are also slightly wider and shorter when unfolded, and the phone is now thinner and lighter. It weighs 253g while the Z Fold 5 is a heavy 263g. The cover display for the newer phone is now 0.1 inches larger, but both tower at 7.6-inches high. The Z Fold 6’s display is brighter at 2600 nits, while the Fold 5 has 1750 nits.
Samsung has used a stronger aluminum material with an extra protective screen layer to manufacture the device. Also, the hinge is twice as strong. It's a much-needed improvement, considering the delicacy of the phone's design and factoring repair costs in case of accidents. The Z Fold 6 has IP48 ratings, while the Z Fold 5 has IPX8. Both offer the same level of water resistance. However, IP48 also protects against dust particles up to 1mm in size, while IPX8 does not include dust protection.
4K Ultrawide lens, better Snapdragon processor, and more
Nothing has changed about the Z Fold 6’s camera setup, except that the ultrawide lens can now film in 4K at 60fps. Underneath it all is a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, an upgrade from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 variant on the Z Fold 5. The battery capacity is still 4,400 mAh, although it's expected to last longer because of the more efficient chip.
As for software, the Z Fold 6 ships with Android 14 and One UI 6.1.1. It will receive seven years of updates. Meanwhile, the Z Fold 5 comes with Android 13 and One UI 5.1.1. It's only eligible for four years of OS updates.
I agree that the Z Fold 6 does bring slightly better features than before. Still, it's insufficient to justify the higher price if you own a Z Fold 5. You won't see the difference in performance compared to someone using an older model like the Z Fold 3 or Fold 4.
