Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: Comparing the premium handsets (2024)

Samsung has just announced its latest smartphone, the Galaxy Z Fold 6. A book-style design, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 promises to “provide more opportunities to maximise AI capabilities.”

We’ve compared the Galaxy Z Fold 6 to Samsung’s current premium handset, the Galaxy S24 Ultra and highlighted the key features between both below.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 has a 7.6-inch inner display

If screen real estate is a necessity for you, then you couldn’t do much better than the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Its 6.3-inch outer screen opens to reveal a 7.6-inch inner display, that boasts up to 2600 nits maximum brightness and a 120Hz refresh rate. Samsung also promises the Z Fold 6 will offer “an upgraded gaming experience” supported by Ray Tracing.

Although it’s not as big, the S24 Ultra still features a 6.82-inch AMOLED screen, which can also reach up to 2600 nits brightness, and boasts a 120Hz refresh rate, which we concluded is “just stunning in everyday use”.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 has optimised Galaxy AI for its display

One of the biggest talking points from January’s S24 series lineup was its inclusion of Galaxy AI. Samsung’s all-encompassing term for the AI-powered features found across its flagship devices, Galaxy AI includes numerous tools for productivity, travelling and photography.

These tools consist of Live Translate which allows you to seamlessly converse in real-time with someone speaking another language, Circle to Search and Portrait Studio which allows users to generativity edit various images with just a few taps.

All of the S24 series’ Galaxy AI tools can be found on the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Not only that but the tools have been optimised for the larger Fold display, removing any potential limitations during use.

Both run on Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy

Both handsets run on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset. Although the chipset launched alongside the S24 series launch, in the UK it is only found in the S24 Ultra with the cheaper Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus running on Exynos 2400 for Galaxy instead.

The chipset promises to boost performance based on its predecessor and enables all the Galaxy AI features. In our tests of the S24 Ultra, we found the handset felt fast in everyday use with apps opening instantly and high-end mobile games working seamlessly too.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra has an IP68 rating

The Galaxy S24 Ultra has an IP68 rating, up from the IP48 rating on the Fold. This means it is water resistant in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. Not only that, but the handset is equipped with an Armour Aluminium frame and the latest Gorilla Glass Armor screen.

The Z Fold 6 is also equipped with an Armour Aluminium frame but instead utilises a Gorilla Glass Victus 2 display. Samsung also explains the dual rail hinge structure is “further supported by a strengthened folding edge, better distributing the shock of external impacts.”

It’s worth noting that in our early verdict of the Z Fold 6, the crease “that runs down the middle of the screen is still present and still an eyesore”.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is cheaper

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is available in a choice of up to seven colours (but only if you order directly from the Samsung website) and has a starting RRP of £1249/$1299 for the 256GB sized model. This RRP rises to £1349/$1419.99 for 512GB and up to £1549/$1659.99 for the 1TB handset.

The Z Fold 6 is available in a choice of up to five colours (like the S24 Ultra, some colours are only available directly through the Samsung website) and has a starting RRP of £1799/$1899.99 for the 256GB handset, which rises to £1899/$2019.99 for 512GB and £2099/$2259.99 for the 1TB handset.