The Z Fold has always been a phone you wanted to like. The Z Fold 6 is the first one I actually do.
Weight
Source: Samsung spec sheets
239 grams. Fold 1 was 263. Fold 2 went up to 282 because of the larger inner panel. Six generations of work to get to 239[1]. That is now within 10 grams of an iPhone 16 Pro Max. You can hold this phone closed for hours and it does not feel like a brick.
The crease
Source: My own assessment across multiple lighting conditions
The chart above is a subjective visibility rating, not a precision measurement. No lab publishes crease depth in nanometres or microns for foldable phones in a standardised way. What I can tell you from use: the Fold 4 crease was visible and felt under any lighting. Fold 5 was reduced, still noticeable. Fold 6 you can only feel if you are actively looking for it. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is still slightly less prominent thanks to its dual-rail hinge design. Samsung has effectively closed the gap[2].
Software
One UI on the inner display now genuinely works for productivity. Two apps side by side with a third floating, drag-and-drop between them, and the keyboard splits across the fold. Browser tabs render at desktop widths and stay there.
I write blog drafts on the inner display in landscape with the keyboard split, and it is a meaningfully better experience than the same task on the S25 Ultra.
Cameras
Carried over from the S24 series. 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto. Adequate, not class-leading. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold has the better camera system thanks to the 5x telephoto.
Compared to Pixel 9 Pro Fold
| Spec | Z Fold 6 | Pixel 9 Pro Fold |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 239 g | 257 g |
| Inner display | 7.6" | 8.0" |
| Cover display | 6.3" | 6.3" |
| Chip | SD 8 Gen 3 | Tensor G4 |
| Battery | 4400 mAh | 4650 mAh |
| IP rating | IPX8 | IPX8 |
| Telephoto | 3x | 5x |
| Software updates | 7 years | 7 years |
| Starting price (UK) | £1799 | £1749 |
Samsung wins on weight, charging speed, and chip performance. Google wins on display size, telephoto reach, and crease depth. Both promise seven years of updates.
If you live in Google's apps, the Pixel is better integrated. If you are deep in Samsung Knox or DeX, the Fold 6 is the right call. For most people the call is whoever has the best discount when you buy.
Buying advice
From a Fold 4 or earlier: yes, the cumulative improvements justify the upgrade.
From a Fold 5: no, the deltas are not large enough.
From a regular phone, considering your first foldable: this is the first one I would recommend without an asterisk.
About the data
A note on what the numbers in this post represent so you can read them with the right confidence:
- "My own bench" rows are personal measurements on my own hardware. They are honest about my setup and reproducible there, but they should not be treated as universal benchmark scores.
- Benchmark numbers attributed to public sources (Geekbench Browser, DXOMARK, NotebookCheck, FIA timing) are illustrative, the trend is what matters, not the third decimal place. Cross-check against the source for anything you would act on financially.
- Client outcomes and ROI percentages in business-focused posts are anonymised composites drawn from my own consulting work. Real numbers, real direction, sanitised so individual clients are not identifiable.
- Foldable crease-depth and similar engineering measurements are estimates pulled from teardown reports and reviewer claims; manufacturers do not publish these directly.
- Forecasts and "what I bet" lines are exactly that, opinions, not predictions with a track record yet.
If you spot a number that contradicts a source you trust, tell me, I would rather correct it than be the chart that was off by 6 percent and pretended otherwise.