Samsung recently took off the curtains from its launch event and with that, we were greeted with quite a few new and upgraded products. These include the sixth generation fold and flip devices, Watch Ultra, Buds Pro, and the Ring. Out of this, it’s the smartphone upgrades that users were mostly inclined towards.
This is because when it comes to foldable devices, then there’s hardly any iota of doubt that the offering from the South Korean conglomerate is the best in this domain. But when the devices were finally announced on stage, along with their specs sheet and the price, some users were left scratching their hands. They all had the same query- does this device really need an existence?
To be more specific, if you already have the Fold 5, then is there any need to get your hands on the latest Fold 6? Well, in this guide, we will be addressing all the goodies that the newest addition to the Fold family has to offer and where it missed the mark. This will then answer all your queries and mold your purchasing decision accordingly. So without any further ado, let’s get started.
Galaxy Z Fold 6: The Specs King!
Foldable devices from Samsung have always been known to offer a power-packed specs sheet and this one is no different either. The device is power-packed with some heavy-lifting features, as is evident from the below specs sheet.
| DISPLAY | Type | Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak) |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 7.6 inches, 185.2 cm2 (~91.0% screen-to-body ratio) | |
| Resolution | 1856 x 2160 pixels (~374 ppi density) | |
| Cover display: Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 2600 nits (peak), Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 6.3 inches, 968 x 2376 pixels, 410 ppi |
| PLATFORM | OS | Android 14, One UI 6.1.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) | |
| CPU | 8-core (1×3.39GHz Cortex-X4 & 3×3.1GHz Cortex-A720 & 2×2.9GHz Cortex-A720 & 2×2.2GHz Cortex-A520) | |
| GPU | Adreno 750 (1 GHz) |
| MEMORY | Card slot | No |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM | |
| UFS 4.0 |
| MAIN CAMERA | Triple | 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 66mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 12mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm |
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/120/240fps (gyro-EIS), 720p@960fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+ |
| SELFIE CAMERA | Single | 4 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 2.0µm, under display Cover camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 24mm (wide), 1/3″, 1.22µm |
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| SOUND | Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG |
| COMMS | WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | |
| Positioning | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS | |
| NFC | Yes | |
| Radio | No | |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| FEATURES | Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support |
| BATTERY | Type | Li-Po 4400 mAh, non-removable |
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, QC2.0, 50% in 30 min (advertised) 15W wireless 4.5W reverse wireless |
Galaxy Z Fold 6: What’s New?
Right out of the box, you’ll notice that the Fold 6 is lighter and thinner than its predecessor [10% slimmer and 14 grams lighter to be precise]. Apart from that, the crease in the middle has also been dealt with sufficiently as it is negligible now, which wasn’t the case with its earlier version.
Moreover, its zero-gap hinge design not only adds up for a sleeker profile but will also give you increased resistance from elements like dust, dirt, and debris Likewise, you get the latest Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and an enhanced Armour Aluminium frame. On the OS side, the device runs Android 14 out of the box, so you’ll get an additional year of software support.
You also get a minor bump in the processor and GPU with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset as compared with the 8 Gen 2 Adreno and Adreno 750 GPU as compared to the 740 in the previous one. However, al this has also resulted in the increase in the price by $100, from $1900 vs $1800.
Galaxy Z Fold 6: Similarities with Fold 5
The sixth iteration of the foldable device from Samsung seems to have quite a few pages out of the Fold 5’s book, with many features overlapping and being exactly similar. The same battery, near about same camera, and the same set of AI features are sure going to leave quite a few users disappointed.
Talking about the latter one, you get the likes of Live Translate which offers real-time interpretation during calls, Interpreter mode that acts as a pocket translator, Galaxy AI-powered Pro Visual Engine and Photo Assist that come with pro-level editing and auto-detection features, and CIrcle to Search feature which will allow you to directly search for the content on the screen by drawing a circle along that subject.
Galaxy Z Fold 6: An Update No One Asked For?
With such a long list of duplicates and even then the price getting bumped by 100 dollars, many users are left wondering whether the Galaxy Z Fold 6 was really required, in other words, is it an update that literally no one has asked for? Well, it depends on which side of the fence you are on.
There are many tech enthusiasts in my community who always like to be on the latest and greatest available tech products and for them buying this device is a no-brainer [well, they all had even pre-booked the device as soon as it was announced].
On the other hand, I had a chat with some generic users who already own a Fold 5, and for them, they don’t find much value addition by updating from their current version, so they are planning to give it a skip and wait for another year or so. There are some who are stepping into the foldable domain for the first time and even they are opting for the older Fold 5, with price and the lack of equal growth in features being a major concerning factor for them.
What are your views on the same? Are you looking to get your hands on the latest and probably the greatest that Samsung has to offer or you might give this a miss and wait for something that offers a higher value for money? Do share your valuable opinions with us in the comments section below.
