Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Z Flip 5: Biggest expected upgrades

Samsung’s next batch of foldables could arrive a little earlier this year. Thanks to the company’s sponsorship of the upcoming Olympic Games, we could be looking at a date as early as the second week of July.

That’s great news for fans eager to get their hands on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6. But what improvements is it set to offer over the Galaxy Z Flip 5? Here’s what we’ve heard so far.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Z Flip 5: A speedier chipset

This is about as much of a certainty as any rumor can be — after all, processor upgrades are a staple of almost every annual phone upgrade. 

But there could be a twist here. While all previous Galaxy Z Flip folds have packed a Qualcomm-branded processor, the word is that Samsung may take a leaf from its Galaxy S strategy and start mixing in an Exynos chipset for some regions.

If that’s correct, and it follows Samsung’s Galaxy S24 example, expect the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the U.S., and the Exynos 2400 elsewhere. Unfortunately, for those outside of America, that’s a slightly disappointing substitute. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Z Flip 5: A battery boost

When the leaker @kro_roe revealed the Exynos detail on X, the tipster added that the phone will also boost a “longer battery than [its] predecessor”.

Whether that’s from efficiency savings of the new chipset, software tweaks, a larger mAh capacity (4,000mAh has been mooted) or a combination of the three wasn’t revealed. But it’s certainly good news, as stamina remains a weakness in the Galaxy Z Flip line — though thankfully things have improved considerably since the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s poor six-hour battery life.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Z Flip 5: More memory

Something else you may have noticed from the above X post is the promise of up to 12GB RAM.

That would be a big boost on the 8GB that every Galaxy Z Flip handset has packed since the line debuted in 2020. Of course, @kro_roe suggests this will be based on region — and we wouldn’t be surprised if the memory boost was dependent on buying a version with more storage, too.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Z Flip 5: Enhanced outer screen (maybe)

Last year, Samsung introduced the biggest upgrade the Galaxy Z Flip line has seen to date: the cover screen went from a tiny 1.9-inch strip to a far more usable 3.4-inch Super AMOLED panel.

Nothing quite so dramatic is planned this time, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there will be no change. Not only does the display analyst Ross Young suggest the panel may grow to 3.6 inches, but @kro_roe says that it could be 120Hz. Or, in the leaker’s words, such a panel is “in development”.

While that phrasing suggests it’s not a completely done deal for this year, this would be a very welcome change. Anybody who has used a 120Hz screen will know that it’s tough to go back to the bumpiness of a 60Hz panel. Currently, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 makes you switch between the two experiences whenever you open and close your device.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Z Flip 5: Improved camera

Perhaps most excitingly, it appears that Samsung is finally set to address the Galaxy Z Flip line’s disappointing photographic performance. 

Last year, Galaxy Club reported that the main camera will now feature a 50MP sensor — a big step up from the 12MP one used previously. This rumor has been echoed by two leakers with strong track records since: @Tech_Reve and @TheGallox.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Z Flip 5: Outlook

While past Galaxy Z Flip upgrades have been iterative, it’s hard not to be impressed with the selection of improvements rumored this time around.

True, some of them might not make the cut, but if most of them do, this could be an excellent foldable, especially if Samsung manages to keep the price competitive. We should find out this summer.