Samsung's annual update to its foldable phone line over the summer delivered the Galaxy Z Flip 6, a new model that promises greater durability, a more powerful chipset and new AI features. But something else has changed from Samsung's previous foldable flip phone models — how much you'll pay for this version.
It’s that latter point that’s likely to draw the most attention from would-be shoppers who will have to pony up at least $1,099 if they want the Galaxy Z Flip 6, compared to the $999 starting price for the Galaxy Z Flip 5. But Samsung will point out that the new version of the Flip is more powerful than ever, thanks not only to the latest Qualcomm system-on-chip but to a new batch of Galaxy AI features as well.
Our Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review takes a closer look at whether those changes justify the higher price. Here, we're going to look at everything we know about the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and how it fits into the best foldable phones landscape.
Interested in Samsung's other foldable device? Check out our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 hub.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 cheat sheet: The major changes
- The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the same chipset Samsung uses in its Galaxy S24 Ultra flagship.
- Despite rumors of a larger cover display, the external screen remains 3.4-inches, though Samsung has redesigned the Flip to be slightly thinner when it’s closed.
- Samsung upgraded the main camera on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 to a 50MP sensor,after using a 12MP sensor since the original Flip.
- Samsung is using a 4,000 mAh battery in the Galaxy Z Flip 4, to address complaints about lesser longevity in previous Flip models.
- Galaxy AI highlights include suggested replies to texts available on the phone’s exterior Flex screen and an Interpreter mode that shows live translations on both the cover and interior displays.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 pricing and availability
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 starts at $1,099 / £1,049 / AU$1,799 for a model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage; there's also a 512GB version of the phone that costs an extra $120 / £50 / AU$200. Last year, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 debuted at $999, though that version of the phone only had 8GB of memory.
Your color choices for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 include Silver Shadow, Yellow, Blue, and Mint. Samsung.com exclusive colors include Craft Black, Purity White and Peach.
Now that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 has been available since July, you may be able to find a discount on that higher pricer. Check out our round-up of the best phone deals to see if there are any bargains to be found.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: Specs
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: What’s new
Not much has changed with the look of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 compared to its predecessor. As with that phone, the latest Flip features a 6.7-inch interior OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. The cover display remains at 3.4 inches, despite rumors that Samsung was going to upgrade the panel to 3.9 inches. Samsung has increased the number of widgets you can access on that outer FlexWindow.
That said, Samsung has made changes to the phone’s dual hinge structure, which should not only bolster the durability phone, but make the Galaxy Z Flip 6 more compact when folded shut. The open phone has the same 6.5 x 2.83 x 0.27-inch dimensions as its predecessor, but the folded Z Flip 6 is only 0.48 inches thick compared to 0.59 inches for the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
Speaking of durability, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 uses an enhanced Armor Aluminum frame with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for greater protection. For the first time, the Flip also has a dust resistance rating to go with its water resistance.
Samsung is using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset that powers many of the best Android phones. Aided by the added RAM in the Galaxy Z Flip 6, the new foldable should be able to match the performance of a lot of top devices, including the Galaxy S24 flagships. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has also proven to be a very power-efficient system-on-chip, so that along with a larger 4,000 mAh battery led to improved battery life for the new model.
Specifically, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 lasted just over 11 hours on our battery test, in which we have phones surf the web over cellular until they run out of power. That's not going to land the foldable on our best phone battery life list — though you will find another flip phone there — but it's still an hour better than the average smartphone lasts on our test. It also improves on the Galaxy Z Flip 5's 9 hour, 53 minute result.
While the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is getting four years of software updates along with an extra year of security support, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 boosts that to seven years for both software and security patches, matching what Samsung offers with the Galaxy S24 phones. Our Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 5 comparison has a more thorough look at the similarities and differences between the two phones.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: How it compares to other phones
The primary competition for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 among the best foldable phones is the recently released Motorola Razr Plus (2024), which costs $100 less than Samsung’s phone. A more scaled-back version, the Motorola Razr (2024) is even cheaper at $699.
The Razr Plus has a larger cover screen than the Galaxy Z Flip, so it’s able to run more apps, saving you from having to open up the phone. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 proved to be the better performer, as the Razr runs on a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset, which isn’t as powerful as the version inside the Flip. The Flip turned in better Geekbench 6 scores as well as higher graphic test results than the Razr Plus.
The Galaxy Z Flip’s main camera puts it on par with the 50MP shooter featured on the Motorola Razr Plus. But instead of an ultrawide lens, Motorola’s phone features a telephoto camera as the second of its two rear lenses. While the Motorola Razr Plus will boast some AI features, none of them will be available at launch, giving the Galaxy Z Flip 6 an added edge.
However, the Razr Plus beats the Galaxy Z Flip 6 on battery life, lasting a little more than 3 hours longer in our testing. And that's not even the longest lasting foldable Motorola phone — the cheaper Motorola Razr 2024 holds out for more than 14.5 hours.
Our Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) comparison has the full breakdown of how these phones compare. We've also got a 200-photo Galaxy Z Flip 6/Motorola Razr Plus camera face-off, in which Samsung's phone edged out the Razr on the strength of its zooms and ultrawide photos.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip: Verdict
We have a detailed Galaxy Z Flip 6 review if you want to see all our test results and our overall assessment of the phone. But overall, we like the small design upgrades that make the new Z Flip tougher and more attractive, and the new 50MP camera that helps out the phone's photography a whole lot. The upgraded chipset and Galaxy AI goodies add a lot too.
However, that price increase still stings even when accounting for the upgrades. Plus we're still underwhelmed by the battery life, despite the capacity increasing from previous models. Motorola has figured out a way to make its foldables last a long time on a charge; why can't Samsung?
Samsung isn’t reinventing the wheel with the Galaxy Z Flip 6, but it is continuing to refine its approach to foldables while also pushing for more AI-powered features in its marquee phones. The big question is whether those hardware improvements coupled with new Galaxy AI tools will convince existing foldable phone users to upgrade while bringing new converts into the foldable fold. There’s also the possibility that the higher price on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 might drive people to look elsewhere for their foldable fix.
