Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Z Flip 5 vs. Z Flip 4: Comparing Samsung's Flip Phones

On Wednesday Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip 6, its next-gen clamshell-style flip phone. The phone has a higher-res camera, a better durability rating, more RAM and a suite of fresh AI features designed for foldable phones. But you'll have to pony up $100 more for it, as Samsung increased the starting price of its flip phone series to $1,100.

As expected, the Galaxy Z Flip 6, has minor hardware and design changes compared to its predecessor, which added the largest cover screen Samsung's flip phone lineup has ever seen. That larger outer screen, which was not present on 2022's Galaxy Z Flip 4, makes it possible for people to send messages and use apps without needing to unfold their device. The arrival of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 with its similar design, shows that Samsung seems to have established the look and feel of its flagship flip phone series. 

The Galaxy Z Flip keeps the large 3.4-inch cover screen of the Galaxy Z Flip 5, as well as the 6.4-inch internal screen, but makes more obvious upgrades to the camera and battery. The Z Flip 6 has a higher-res main camera taking the form of a 50-megapixel wide-angle camera complete with 3x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom. It also runs on the top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset.

The Z Flip 6 is equipped with a larger 4,000-mAh battery, which Samsung managed to pack into a slimmer design. The Z Flip 6 now measures 12.1mm (0.48 in) when folded closed, which is nearly 3mm thinner than the Z Flip 5. But the Z Flip 6 should also be more durable than its predecessors complete with an IP48 rating for water and dust resistance. This means the Z Flip 6 essentially dust-proof, a feature the Samsung couldn't brag about in years past, and once again it can withstand being submerged in at least 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. For context, flagship bar phones have an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

Watch this: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6: My First Impressions

08:05

The Flip 6 also gains the suite of AI features Samsung first introduced with its Galaxy S24 series earlier this year, such as a real-time translation feature and Circle to Search. But Samsung also introduced a new so-called Sketch to image feature, which allows users to draw on top of a photo (taken by the camera or grabbed from the internet) and then subsequently generate content based on that sketch within seconds.

For more details on how the Z Flip 6 compares to the Z Flip 5 and Z Flip 4, take a look at CNET's specs charts below.