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As tech enthusiasts anticipate the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, many may find themselves contemplating whether the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 remains a more prudent option. While the latest iteration boasts several enhancements, the question arises: is the upgrade worth the additional cost? Both models offer a comparable foldable smartphone experience, making it essential to evaluate the key differences and improvements.
Let’s explore what the Galaxy Z Fold6 offers to determine if the premium price is justified.
Table of Contents:
For those who wish to dive deeper into technical specifications, further analysis can be found below.
Size comparison
Samsung has managed to create a more compact design with the Galaxy Z Fold6, reducing dimensions slightly without compromising the display size. Impressively, the cover screen has increased in size, ensuring a more user-friendly experience.
The updated hinge design further contributes to the device’s more compact feel when folded. Although the angular frame might not appeal to everyone, some users appreciate these features for a firmer grasp.
Additionally, Samsung has enhanced the build quality, introducing “enhanced armor aluminum” which is more resilient than previous models. This new material, combined with the redesigned hinge, likely contributes to the lighter feel of the Fold6.
In terms of durability, while the Z Fold5 offered water resistance rated at IPX8, the new model has improved to a full ingress protection rating of IP48. Though the protection against dust and larger particles is not revolutionary, it does offer extra peace of mind against environmental elements.
Display comparison
Despite similar specifications, the Fold6 carries several notable upgrades in the display category. The new model integrates a brighter LTPO panel with a variable refresh rate, improving clarity and usability.
The Fold6 can achieve brightness levels of up to 1,600 nits, far surpassing the sub-1,300-nit display of the Z Fold5. Furthermore, the outer screen also sees an upgrade to over 1,500 nits, compared to the Z Fold5’s 1,114 nits. This increase in brightness vastly enhances visibility in various lighting conditions.
Also, the outer display is now slightly wider, improving usability with a refreshed aspect ratio and reduced bezels. Overall, the Z Fold6 clearly outshines its predecessor in terms of display quality.
Battery life
When evaluating battery endurance, the Fold6 performs comparably to its predecessor in most scenarios, though a significant decrease in call times was noted. This could be attributed to the new modem technology involved.
For web browsing and video playback, the Fold6 fares somewhat better, but the overall Active Use Scores remain quite similar across both devices.
Charging speed
Interestingly, the charging speed is slightly slower on the Fold6. Even after multiple tests to optimize speed, results show the Fold5 charges a few percentage points quicker after both 15 and 30 minutes, and it reaches a full charge minutes ahead of the Fold6.
While the Z Fold5 isn’t a fast charger by any means, it is disappointing to see charging speeds regress with the introduction of the new model.
Speaker test
In terms of audio quality, while the Fold6 shows a slight decrease in volume compared to the Fold5, the sound profile has improved significantly. The newer model delivers a warmer and richer sound, making it a preferable choice for media consumption.
Performance
The Galaxy Z Fold6 is powered by Qualcomm’s latest flagship processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. This new SoC replaces the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 found in the Z Fold5, promising enhancements in performance and efficiency.
Memory configurations have not changed, with both models offering similar options, including 12GB of RAM and varying storage options from 256GB to 1TB, using UFS 4.0 for storage.
Benchmark performance
Benchmark tests reveal that the Z Fold6 is approximately 25% faster than its predecessor in CPU-focused tasks. For combined benchmarks like AnTuTu 10, the performance improvement is around 6%, while graphics-intensive tasks see a minor 2% gain.
That said, most everyday users may not discern a significant difference in performance between the two models, particularly in gaming scenarios where both devices seem to perform similarly.
Camera comparison
Both the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Fold5 utilize the same camera hardware, with no changes in the specifications. The primary 50MP, along with a 10MP telephoto and a 12MP ultrawide camera, remain consistent across the models.
Selfie cameras are unchanged as well, featuring a 4MP under-display camera and a 10MP camera on the cover display.
Image quality
While the hardware is identical, the images produced by the Z Fold6 exhibit differences due to changes in Samsung’s image processing approach, which now opts for less saturation and sharper images.
Although the Z Fold5’s main camera resolves finer details slightly better because of added sharpness, the Z Fold6 produces cleaner images with reduced noise and artifacts overall. Its digital zoom photos show significant improvements, providing better clarity.
The ultrawide camera on the Z Fold6 also excels, displaying enhanced detail, contrast, and color accuracy compared to the previous model. Nighttime photography reveals a more natural processing style with the Fold6, improving the balance and reducing noise versus the Fold5’s overly bright shadow details.
Video quality
Video processing has remained largely consistent between the two models, with little discernible difference in 4K footage quality. However, the Fold5 does exhibit stronger contrast, which some users might prefer.
Verdict
In summary, a superficial glance at the specifications of the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Fold5 could lead to misconceptions regarding their performance. Although the devices appear quite similar, each has its strengths and weaknesses across various features.
The Z Fold5 stands out with its better battery performance, slightly richer audio, and quicker charging. Conversely, the Z Fold6 delivers superior display technology, enhanced audio quality, and a more current processor, along with extended software update support.
Ultimately, the perceived value of the price difference—around €250—will influence purchasing decisions, especially for users weighing the benefits of newer features against a more favorable price tag.
Consider the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 for:
- Improved display features, including a larger cover screen.
- Enhanced speaker sound quality.
- Faster, more efficient processor.
- More natural camera image processing.
- Extended OS update support.
Consider the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 for:
- More budget-friendly pricing.
- Longer battery life, especially during calls.
- More prominent photo processing effects.
Source
www.gsmarena.com