Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 or Galaxy S24 is the better foldable phone?

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is the best foldable phone you can buy from Samsung in 2024, but the Galaxy S24 offers similar specs at a more affordable price. So which one should you choose? Find out in the following article!

Design and durability

• Galaxy S24 : 147 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm; 167 grams; IP68 water and dust resistant
• Galaxy Z Flip 6 : When unfolded: 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm; When folded: 85.1 x 71.9 x 14.9 mm; 187 grams; IP48 water resistance

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is taller, wider, thinner, and heavier than the base Galaxy S24 when unfolded. When folded, it's small enough to fit easily in a pocket and leaves no gaps, providing extra protection for the fragile display inside.

What's new this time around is the IP48 rating on the Z Flip 6. We're used to Samsung's foldable phones being water-resistant, but this is the first time we've seen an official rating for dust resistance. However, it's not as good as the S24's IP68 rating, as it only protects against particles larger than 1mm.

Samsung has made an effort to make the crease less noticeable on the Flip 6, but it’s likely to become more noticeable after a year of use. The S24, on the other hand, is likely to stay in mostly pristine condition for longer. So if you’re someone who buys a new phone every three to five years, the S24 will be more cost-effective in the long run.

Like last year, the Galaxy S24 uses an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor that's faster and more reliable, while the Flip 6 uses a side-mounted capacitive sensor. Since your thumb naturally rests on the side of the phone, the side-mounted sensor is faster because it's already unlocked when you take the device out of your pocket, allowing you to quickly unlock the screen.

Camera hardware

• Galaxy S24 : 50MP f/1.8 main, OIS, 8K video at 30FPS; 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (120-degree field of view); 10MP f/2.4 telephoto, OIS, 3x optical zoom; 12MP f/2.2 front camera, 4K video at 60fps
• Galaxy Z Flip 6 : 50MP f/1.8 main, OIS, 4K video at 60FPS; 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (123-degree field of view); 10MP f/2.2 front camera, 4K video at 30fps

The camera performance of both devices is very good. However, both have their pros and cons. With the Galaxy S24, you won't miss out on the rear telephoto camera, which many people find essential for portrait shots.

However, the FlexCam mode on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 allows you to use the main camera as a front camera and take high-quality selfies with details that the S24's front camera can't achieve. Other than that, the camera performance is pretty much the same on both devices.

Screen difference

• Galaxy S24 : 6.2-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED; 120Hz refresh rate; 1080 x 2340 resolution; 416 PPI; 2600 nits peak brightness
• Galaxy Z Flip 6 : Main display: 6.7-inch foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X display; 120Hz refresh rate; 1080 x 2640 resolution; 426 PPI; 2600 nits peak brightness; Cover display: 3.4-inch Super AMOLED display; 60Hz refresh rate; 748 x 720 resolution

One of the biggest advantages of the Flip 6 over the S24 is the ability to stand upright when folded halfway. This allows you to use an external screen to see what you’re recording. If you’re a content creator, you’ll know how handy this feature is.

Both devices are now brighter than their respective predecessors, with a maximum brightness of 2,600 nits, which is plenty bright enough for outdoor use. However, thanks to the taller display, the Flip 6 is a better device for viewing media and scrolling through social media, as it can fit more content at once.

Battery and charger

• Galaxy S24 : 4,000mAh; 25W wired and 15W wireless; reverse wireless charging
• Galaxy Z Flip 6 : 4,000mAh; 25W wired and 15W wireless, reverse wireless charging

Poor battery life is one of the reasons foldable phones haven't caught on. After all, there's not much room left in the device's body once the already bulky hinge is installed.

Surprisingly, Samsung has included a respectable 4,000mAh battery on the Flip 6 this time around, putting its battery life on par with the Galaxy S24 – at least on paper. Both phones have identical charging speeds and reverse wireless charging.

Price, RAM and storage

• Galaxy S24 : 8GB RAM/128GB storage for $799.99; 8GB RAM/256GB storage for $859.99
• Galaxy Z Flip 6 : 12GB RAM/256GB storage for $1,099.99; 12GB RAM/512GB storage for $1,219.99

Unfortunately, the base variant of the Galaxy S24 only has 128GB of storage, which isn't enough if you're buying a premium smartphone in 2024. The base 256GB storage on the Z Flip 6 is more than respectable.

More importantly, the Galaxy S24 only has 8GB of RAM, while the Z Flip 6 offers 12GB across both storage options. You'll benefit from the extra RAM on the Z Flip 6 if you're a power user and multitask, but the difference may be negligible if you're just doing basic tasks like scrolling through social media, browsing the gallery, and taking photos.

When it comes to price, however, the S24 has the edge, starting at around $800. To get the Z Flip 6, you'll have to spend an extra $300.

The Z Flip 6's internal display is still thin and it doesn't have a telephoto camera, but those two things are probably its only weaknesses. Sure, it's more expensive than the S24, but it also offers more RAM and double the storage.

Overall, while the Z Flip 6 isn't objectively better than the S24 in every way, it's still worth picking up if you want to change things up a bit and try a new form factor.