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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
The Galaxy Z Flip 4 improved many aspects of the foldable flip phone, including a more powerful processor, a better hinge, and more useful features for the cover screen.
Pros
- Improved hinge over the Z Flip 3
- Powerful Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 SoC
- First time for Flex Mode on the cover screen
Cons
- Cover screen functionality still limited
- Small cover screen
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 was a huge change for the series, with a much larger cover screen that could do more things, a new hinge that could fold fully flat, and a more powerful processor with more storage as standard.
Pros
- Upgrade to Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy SoC
- Much larger 3.4-inch cover screen
- Base storage increased to 256GB
Cons
- No improved cameras
- Still has a crease in the screen
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is the latest evolution of the series, bringing a new 50MP main camera for the first time, a larger battery capacity, and auto-zoom when taking selfies for easier framing.
Pros
- Upgrade to Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy and to 12GB RAM
- Main camera upgraded to 50MP
- Battery increased to 4,000mAh
Cons
- $100 increase in base price
- No screen improvements
- No S Pen support
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 launched recently, and the lifestyle-focused flip foldable is better than ever. Samsung’s latest devices enter an evolving foldable phone market, with multiple manufacturers all vying to be the best. As one of the forerunners, Samsung’s devices have had time to mature, and the Z Flip 6 is proof that foldable phones are here to stay. It might not have any huge changes from the previous two installments, but it is good enough to be the foldable flip phone to buy if you’re in the market for one.
Pricing, availability, and specs
The newest Flip is here
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 was announced on July 10, 2024, and will be available for retail purchase on July 24. This year, it starts from $1,099, but for that extra cost, you get a few improvements over the previous models. All models have 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, with an upgrade available to 512GB. It’s available from carriers like T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T, as well as all the big retailers like Best Buy, Amazon, and Samsung.com. It comes in Blue, Silver, Yellow, and Green from most outlets, with Samsung.com also offering Black, White, and Pink as exclusive colors there. There are various deals currently for pre-order bonuses, ranging from $200 gift cards to enhanced trade-in offers, depending on where you shop.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 was released on August 11, 2023, with an MSRP of $999. Each model has 8GB of RAM; you can choose between 256GB and 512GB of storage. It comes in eight colors: Mint, Lavender, Cream, and Graphite from most retailers, and Yellow, Blue, Green, and Gray if ordering directly from Samsung.com.
The Galaxy Z Flip 4 was released on August 26, 2022, with an MSRP of $999. It has 8GB of RAM and a starting storage capacity of 128GB. You could also get 256GB or 512GB for an additional cost. It comes in Bora Purple, Graphite, Pink Gold, and Blue and has a Bespoke Edition that enables a bewildering number of color combinations between the frame and panels.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (4nm) Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 3 for Galaxy Display Inner: 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED, FHD+, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200nits peak;Outer: 1.9-inch Super AMOLED 6.7-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED internal display with 120Hz refresh rate, 3.4-inch 720x748p external display 6.7-inch AMOLED main screen with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, 3.4-inch AMOLED cover display RAM 8GB 8GB 12GB Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB 256GB, 512GB UFS 4.0 256GB Rear camera Primary: 12MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS;Ultra-wide: 12MP, f/2.2, 123-degree FoV 12MP f/1.8 main camera, 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide outside camera 10x digital zoom 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.2, 50MP main camera with autofocus, f/1.8 Front camera 10MP, f/2.4 10MP selfie camera 10MP, f/2.2 Battery 3,700mAh 3,700mAh 4000mAh non-removable Charge speed Wired: 25W;Wireless: 15W;Reverse Wireless: 4.5W Up to 50% in 30 minutes (25W wired), Wireless PowerShare 25W Wired, 15W wireless, Wireless PowerShare Ports USB-C (USB 2.0) USB-C USB-C Weight 6.6 oz 6.6 ounces 6.6 oz IP Rating IPX8 IPX8 IP48 Operating System One UI based on Android Android 13 / One UI 5.1 Android 14 / One UI 6.1.1
Related
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Review: It’s a lifestyle
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4 is still the best at what it’s supposed to be, that being a foldable flip phone and a lifestyle device.
Related
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 review: It’s what a flip phone should be, mostly
Samsung’s latest foldable bois are here, and the Flip 5 packs some important improvements
Design and display
More of the same, but that’s a good thing really
Samsung has gone back to iterative designs with the Z Flip 6, and not much has changed on the outside since the Z Flip 5. The biggest change to the outer surfaces of the Z Flip range came when the small cover screen on the Z Flip 4 was replaced by the larger cover screen on the Z Flip 5. The same 3.4-inch cover screen is there, and while it’s a little more practical, it’s still lagging behind the screen on this year’s Motorola Razr Plus or the Oppo N3 Find Flip.
The two camera modules are still in the same place, but one now boasts a 50MP sensor, which is great to see. And the frame around the camera lenses and the cover screen now matches the color of the rest of the phone, instead of being glossy black. This is perhaps a more significant change for a lifestyle phone, since the Bespoke Edition has been dropped from the lineup. Now the entire phone reflects the color you choose at purchase, making the whole concept really pop.
The Z Flip 6 is almost the exact 2.83 inches wide, 3.25 inches tall, and 0.59 inches thick as the Z Flip 5 when folded, making it easy to slip into any pocket or bag. Samsung shaved 0.1mm off each half’s thickness, making it a hair thinner. That’s not enough to notice, and it’s pretty much the exact dimensions as the two earlier phones, which were already easily portable.
Winner: Z Flip 6
Hardware and performance
The newer model is faster, but you might not notice
This year, Samsung has brought the Z Flip 6 to parity with the Z Fold 6, at least in terms of internal power. You get the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset, plus an upgrade of RAM to 12GB from the 8GB in the Z Flip 5 and Z Flip 4. And you get a promised seven years of OS and security updates, just like the Galaxy S24 line. Galaxy AI is prevalent, with new smart reply suggestions on the outer cover screen, more widgets, and interactive wallpapers. I’m just not that sure you’ll notice it, as the Z Flip 5 is plenty fast already for everyday tasks.
This year, a new vapor chamber was introduced to keep the processor cool under sustained loads. We noticed significant thermal throttling under heavy loads when we tested the Z Flip 5 and Z Flip 4. The vapor chamber should make a big difference, although we’ll have to test that thoroughly in our review. That cooling will likely help when performing tasks on the Z Flip 6, but the thinner screen does limit the type of things you can do. No multi-window multitasking like on the Z Fold 6, for example, but the extra power will make Galaxy AI tasks run faster, which will mean more on the smaller screen. Features like live translation can show one part of the conversation on the cover screen and the other half on the inner screen so that each person can see the relevant translation in real-time.
Caveats about performance aside, you almost always want the newest chipset, as it’ll be the most efficient for your battery life. That’s on the Z Flip 6, which wins by being the newest and best.
Winner: Z Flip 6
Battery life
I still get days of battery life from my Flip 5
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 increases the battery capacity from 3,700mAh in the two prior devices to a nice round 4,000mAh. Combined with the more efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, the battery life will be even better than the previous devices. I regularly get several days of use of my Flip 5, although I don’t put it through the extended workload we use when testing devices. I expect the Z Flip 6 to perform well once our full review is out, and it should be better than any prior Flip model.
Winner: Z Flip 6
Overall winner: Galaxy Z Flip 6
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 will be one of the best phones of 2024. It improves on the already great Z Flip 5 by adding a 50MP primary camera for the first time (and upgrading the ultra-wide for better low-light performance), substantially increasing the battery life, and adding a vapor chamber to keep things cool. Oh, and casually expanding the RAM to 12GB, giving it the same level of internals as the Z Fold 6. This launch is a sign that the foldable market is mature enough not to need flashy changes, and the devices can stand on their own merits. The $100 increase in base pricing is unfortunate, but it still brings enough improvements to pick the Z Flip 6 instead of one of the earlier models.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is the latest evolution of the series, bringing a new 50MP main camera for the first time, a larger battery capacity, and auto-zoom when taking selfies for easier framing.
- SoC
- Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 3 for Galaxy
- Display
- 6.7-inch AMOLED main screen with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, 3.4-inch AMOLED cover display
- RAM
- 12GB
- Storage
- 256GB
- Rear camera
- 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.2, 50MP main camera with autofocus, f/1.8
- Front camera
- 10MP, f/2.2
- Battery
- 4000mAh non-removable
- Charge speed
- 25W Wired, 15W wireless, Wireless PowerShare
- Ports
- USB-C
- Weight
- 6.6 oz
- IP Rating
- IP48
- Operating System
- Android 14 / One UI 6.1.1
The Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Flip 5 are still excellent devices, and if you can get a deep enough discount, they are worth buying. At MSRP, however, they aren’t worth picking over the newest Z Flip 6. If you already have one of these two phones and wonder if upgrading is worth it, that depends on one thing. That’s how much you’ll be able to get back from Samsung or your phone carrier by trading in your existing device. With enhanced trade-in values right now, that could be worth the effort.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
The Galaxy Z Flip 4 improved many aspects of the foldable flip phone, including a more powerful processor, a better hinge, and more useful features for the cover screen.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 was a huge change for the series, with a much larger cover screen that could do more things, a new hinge that could fold fully flat, and a more powerful processor with more storage as standard.