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Head to head

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S25

Samsung Galaxy S25 leads 5 to 3 on the 8 rankable specs and costs $1,100 less, which makes it the straightforward pick.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Manufacturer list price, not a live offer. Confirm current pricing before you buy.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
$1,8993 spec wins
Swap
Samsung Galaxy S25
$7995 spec wins
Swap

Generational Upgrade Analysis

Generational Comparison

Samsung sibling models compared across generations.

Our recommendation: Compare the spec differences below to see if the price premium justifies the newer model's additions.

Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your phone.

Your devices

Select your ecosystem to flag non-functional features or platform lock-in.

Straight answer

Overall: 3 to 5

Buy the Samsung Galaxy S25.

  • Leads 5 of 8 rankable overall specs; Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 takes 3.
  • Weight: 162 g vs 239 g
  • Resolution: 2340 × 1080 vs Inner: 2160 × 1856 / Cover: 968 × 2376
  • It is also $1,100 cheaper.

Check first: the Samsung Galaxy S25 has no stylus. Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

3 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 68 rankable of 48 specsSamsung Galaxy S25 5

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

  • row

    No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.

    Clear:Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 · S Pen Fold Edition supportTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25 · No
  • row

    Wired headphones need a USB-C dongle.

    Trips:Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25 · No
  • row

    Budget another $20 to $40 for a fast charger.

    Trips:Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25 · No
  • row

    Less dust and water protection than an IP68 rival.

    Trips:Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 · IP48 (water resistant to 1.5m + solid p…Clear:Samsung Galaxy S25 · IP68 (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)
  • row

    Storage is fixed at what you buy.

    Trips:Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25 · No

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

6 of 6 differ

Weight

Galaxy Z Fold 6

239 g

Galaxy S25

162 g (5.71 oz)

Size

Galaxy Z Fold 6

7.6 inches inner / 6.3 inches cover

Galaxy S25

6.2 inches

Chipset

Galaxy Z Fold 6

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)

Galaxy S25

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm)

RAM

Galaxy Z Fold 6

12 GB LPDDR5X

Galaxy S25

12 GB

Max optical zoom

Galaxy Z Fold 6

3x optical (30x Space Zoom)

Galaxy S25

3x optical zoom

Capacity

Galaxy Z Fold 6

4,400 mAh (dual-battery)

Galaxy S25

4,000 mAh

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

Galaxy Z Fold 6: What to watch for

  • Hidden Cost

    No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.

    Packaging contains only a Type-C cable; high-speed wall charging bricks must be purchased separately if you do not already own one.

Galaxy S25: What to watch for

  • Hidden Cost

    No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.

    Packaging contains only a Type-C cable; high-speed wall charging bricks must be purchased separately if you do not already own one.

Body

leads 1-0
Body specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
DimensionsUnfolded: 153.5 × 132.6 × 5.6 mm / Folded: 153.5 × 68.1 × 12.1 mm146.9 × 70.4 × 7.2 mm
Weight239 g162 g (5.71 oz) (wins this row: lower)
BuildGorilla Glass Victus 2 cover/back, Enhanced Armor Aluminum frameEnhanced Armor Aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back
Water / dust ratingIP48 (water resistant to 1.5m + solid particles >1mm)IP68 (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)
ColorsSilver Shadow, Pink, Navy, Crafted Black, WhiteSilver Shadow, Midnight Black, Moon Night Blue, Sparkling Green
StylusS Pen Fold Edition support (inner screen only, sold separately)No

Display

leads 2-1
Display specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
TypeDynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X foldable inner + AMOLED coverDynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X
Size7.6 inches inner / 6.3 inches cover (wins this row: higher)6.2 inches
ResolutionInner: 2160 × 1856 / Cover: 968 × 23762340 × 1080 (FHD+) (wins this row: higher)
Pixel density~374 ppi inner / ~410 ppi cover416 ppi (wins this row: higher)
Refresh rate1–120 Hz LTPO (both screens)120 Hz (1–120Hz LTPO)
Peak brightness2,600 nits peak (both screens)2,600 nits peak
HDRHDR10+HDR10+, HLG
ProtectionUltra Thin Glass (inner) / Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (cover)Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Always-on displayYesYes

Platform

5 differences
Platform specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
Operating systemAndroid 14 with One UI 6.1.1Android 15 (One UI 7)
Software support7 major OS versions + 7 years security7 generations of OS upgrades & 7 years security updates
ChipsetSnapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm)
CPU8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 5× A720 + 2× A520)8-core Oryon CPU (2× 4.47 GHz Prime + 6× 3.53 GHz Performance)
GPUAdreno 750Adreno 830

Memory

leads 1-0
Memory specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
RAM12 GB LPDDR5X12 GB
Storage512 GB UFS 4.0 (wins this row: higher)128 GB
Storage options256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB
microSDNoNo

Rear camera

leads 1-0
Rear camera specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
Main50 MP, f/1.8, 23 mm, 1.0µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS50 MP (f/1.8, 24mm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS)
Ultrawide12 MP, f/2.2, 12 mm, 123°50 MP (f/1.9, 120° FOV, Dual Pixel PDAF) (wins this row: higher)
Telephoto10 MP, f/2.4, 66 mm, 3x optical, PDAF, OIS10 MP (f/2.4, 67mm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom)
Max optical zoom3x optical (30x Space Zoom)3x optical zoom
StabilizationOIS on main and 3x telephotoOIS on main and 3x telephoto cameras
Video8K 30 fps, 4K 60 fps, 1080p 240 fps8K at 30 fps, 4K at 30/60/120 fps, HDR10+

Front camera

leads 1-0
Front camera specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
Selfie camera10 MP cover selfie + 4 MP under-display inner camera12 MP (f/2.2, 26mm, Dual Pixel PDAF) (wins this row: higher)
Selfie video4K 60 fps (cover camera)4K at 30/60 fps

Battery & charging

leads 1-0
Battery & charging specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
Capacity4,400 mAh (dual-battery) (wins this row: higher)4,000 mAh
Wired chargingNot on the official sheet25 W fast wired (50% in 30 min)25W wired fast charging (up to 50% in 30 min)
Wireless charging15 W Fast Wireless15W Fast Wireless Charging 2.0
Reverse wireless4.5 W Wireless PowerShare4.5W Wireless PowerShare
Charger in boxNoNo

Audio

0 differences
Audio specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
SpeakersStereo speakers tuned by AKGStereo speakers tuned by AKG
Headphone jackNoNo

Connectivity

6 differences
Connectivity specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
Cellular5G (sub-6 + mmWave)5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave)
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6E / Wi-Fi 7 readyWi-Fi 7 (802.11be tri-band)
BluetoothBluetooth 5.3Bluetooth 5.4
NFCYes (Samsung Pay / Google Wallet)Yes (Samsung Pay / Google Pay)
USBUSB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (DisplayPort support)USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (DisplayPort video out)
SIMDual nano-SIM + eSIMDual eSIM / Nano-SIM + eSIM

Features

3 differences
Features specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
BiometricsCapacitive side-mounted fingerprint + Face unlockUltrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor + 2D Face unlock
Extra controlsSide key with integrated fingerprint readerNone
Standout featuresDual-screen form factor, Flex Mode, App Continuity, Samsung DeX, Galaxy AICompact 7.2mm lightweight design, Galaxy AI suite (Now Brief, Live Translate, Circle to Search), Samsung DeX
Most rows are from the official spec sheet. Marked rows are other published figures or our summary, not lab tests we ran.

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

Slimmer, lighter foldable flagship with 7.6-inch inner screen, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and IP48 water resistance.

  • Expansive 7.6-inch inner AMOLED display for unmatched multitasking
  • Refined lighter hinge and squared-off industrial design
  • 7 years of OS upgrades with integrated Galaxy AI tools

What you give up

  • Very high premium price tag
  • Cameras unchanged from Fold 5 generation

Pick this one if

Samsung Galaxy S25

Compact 6.2-inch flagship phone with Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, 12GB RAM, Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz display, and 7 years of OS updates.

  • Flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite power in a lightweight 162g compact body
  • RAM upgraded to 12GB standard across all storage tiers
  • 7 years of Android OS and security upgrades

What you give up

  • Wired charging capped at 25W
  • Base storage starts at 128GB

Best for each use

Photos

Camera first: zoom reach, sensors, stabilisation and video

For photos, buy the Samsung Galaxy S25.

  • Leads 2 of 2 rankable photos specs.
  • Ultrawide: 50 MP vs 12 MP, f/2.2, 12 mm, 123°
  • Selfie camera: 12 MP vs 10 MP cover selfie + 4 MP under-display…
  • It is also $1,100 cheaper.

Battery & updates

All-day battery, fast top-ups and years of software support

Too close to call on battery & updates from the spec sheets. Only capacity is rankable here.

  • Wired charging: 25 W fast wired vs 25W wired fast charging
  • Wireless charging: 15 W Fast Wireless vs 15W Fast Wireless Charging 2.0

Games & video

Games and streaming: chip, refresh rate, brightness, speakers

Too close to call on games & video from the spec sheets. Only size is rankable here.

  • Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy vs Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
  • GPU: Adreno 750 vs Adreno 830

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

Manufacturer pages: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 · Samsung Galaxy S25

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 or the Samsung Galaxy S25?

Samsung Galaxy S25 costs $1,100 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Samsung Galaxy S25?

Samsung Galaxy S25 has this deal-breaker: no stylus. No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.

Which is better for photos, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 or the Samsung Galaxy S25?

For photos, buy the Samsung Galaxy S25. Leads 2 of 2 rankable photos specs. Ultrawide: 50 MP vs 12 MP, f/2.2, 12 mm, 123°

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 48 specs tracked here, 40 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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