In the ongoing human pursuit of tools that extend our capabilities, Samsung has placed two distinct philosophies side by side: the refined mastery of the traditional smartphone form and the ambitious promise of the foldable future. Tested against each other in early 2025, the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Z Fold 6 reveal that innovation in shape does not always translate to superiority in substance. For most people navigating the premium tier of mobile technology, the S25 Ultra emerges as the more complete instrument — faster, longer-lasting, better equipped, and less costly — while the Z Fold 6 en
Galaxy S25 Ultra edges Z Fold 6 in flagship showdown
The S25 Ultra delivers more value across nearly every dimension that matters.
Mark
Why does the processor matter so much here? Both phones handle everyday tasks fine, right?
Mimi
True, but the S25 Ultra's chip is 30 percent faster at the CPU level and 40 percent faster at the neural processing unit. That gap widens when you're gaming, editing video, or running multiple heavy apps. The Z Fold 6 won't struggle with normal use, but the S25 Ultra stays ahead longer before you feel slowdown.
Mark
The Z Fold 6 has a bigger screen when it's open. Doesn't that matter more than raw speed?
Mimi
It does for specific uses—photo editing, gaming, watching video. But you have to unfold it every time. The S25 Ultra's 6.9-inch screen is the largest non-foldable Samsung makes, and it's always ready. For most people, that convenience outweighs the extra inch of screen real estate.
Mark
What about the battery situation? Is the Z Fold 6 really that bad?
Mimi
It's genuinely limiting. One day of use, sometimes less if you're gaming or on calls. The S25 Ultra easily does two days. If you're away from a charger for extended periods, the Z Fold 6 becomes a liability. That's not a minor difference.
Mark
But the Z Fold 6 is still a good phone, right? You're not saying people shouldn't buy it.
Mimi
Not at all. If you want a foldable—if that form factor genuinely appeals to you—the Z Fold 6 is the best option available. The multitasking with three apps open is legitimately useful. But you're paying more for that privilege, and you're accepting real trade-offs in battery and charging speed.
Mark
What would make someone choose the Z Fold 6 over the S25 Ultra?
Mimi
Someone who values the tablet experience enough to carry the extra weight and endure the battery limitations. Someone who edits photos or videos regularly and wants that larger canvas. Someone who wants to stand out—the foldable is still a conversation piece. But those are specific needs, not general ones.
Der Puls
- Samsung's two most expensive phones are locked in a quiet rivalry that forces buyers to choose between raw capability and transformative form — and the stakes are real at over $1,300 a device.
- The S25 Ultra's Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, four-camera array, and two-day battery life create a performance gap that the Z Fold 6's older processor and smaller battery simply cannot close.
- The Z Fold 6 fights back with its 7.6-inch unfolded display and the ability to run three apps simultaneously, offering a tablet-in-your-pocket experience no slab phone can replicate.
- Battery anxiety haunts the Z Fold 6 — a 30-minute gaming session drains 11 percent, a video call eats 18 percent, and its slower 25W charging offers little relief compared to the S25 Ultra's 45W speed.
- With the S25 Ultra starting $139 cheaper, including a built-in S Pen, and weighing 21 grams less, the value equation tilts decisively — leaving the Z Fold 6 to justify its premium on form factor alone.
- Both phones secure seven years of software updates and Galaxy AI features, ensuring longevity, but the S25 Ultra lands as the clearer recommendation for anyone not specifically drawn to the foldable experience.
In the ongoing human pursuit of tools that extend our capabilities, Samsung has placed two distinct philosophies side by side: the refined mastery of the traditional smartphone form and the ambitious promise of the foldable future. Tested against each other in early 2025, the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Z Fold 6 reveal that innovation in shape does not always translate to superiority in substance. For most people navigating the premium tier of mobile technology, the S25 Ultra emerges as the more complete instrument — faster, longer-lasting, better equipped, and less costly — while the Z Fold 6 endures as a compelling vision of what mobile computing might yet become.
Samsung's two flagship phones represent fundamentally different bets on what a premium smartphone should be. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is a refined slab with a 6.9-inch display; the Z Fold 6 is a foldable that shifts between a 6.3-inch phone and a 7.6-inch tablet. For most buyers, the comparison resolves more cleanly than expected.
The S25 Ultra runs on the newer Snapdragon 8 Elite chip — roughly 30 percent faster than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 inside the Z Fold 6 — and pairs it with improved cooling hardware for sustained performance. Both phones offer up to 12GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, but the processing advantage belongs firmly to the S25 Ultra.
The camera gap is equally pronounced. The S25 Ultra's quad-camera system, anchored by a 200-megapixel main sensor and a 50-megapixel ultrawide, delivers sharper detail and stronger low-light performance than the Z Fold 6's three-camera setup, which reviewers found muddy in dim conditions and limited in zoom range. The Z Fold 6's large screen is excellent for viewing and editing images, but it is not a photographer's tool.
Battery life reinforces the divide. The S25 Ultra's 5,000mAh cell stretches across two full days and recharges in about 70 minutes at 45W. The Z Fold 6's 4,400mAh battery struggles through a single heavy day, charges more slowly at 25W, and drains noticeably fast under gaming or video calls.
The Z Fold 6 earns its place for users who genuinely want the multitasking freedom of a foldable — three simultaneous apps, a floating fourth window, and a tablet-scale display without a second device. Both phones promise seven years of software support and access to Samsung's Galaxy AI ecosystem.
On price, the S25 Ultra starts at $1,300 versus the Z Fold 6's $1,439 entry point, a gap that widens sharply at higher storage tiers. The S25 Ultra also includes an S Pen and weighs noticeably less. For most people shopping Samsung's premium lineup, the S25 Ultra delivers more across nearly every meaningful dimension — the Z Fold 6 remains compelling only if the foldable form factor is the point.
Samsung has released two flagship phones that couldn't be more different in philosophy, yet both demand the same premium price. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is a traditional slab of glass and metal with a 6.9-inch display, while the Z Fold 6 is a foldable device that transforms from a 6.3-inch phone into a 7.6-inch tablet. For anyone trying to decide between them, the answer is clearer than it might seem.
The S25 Ultra arrives with Samsung's newest processor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, which the company claims delivers a 30 percent faster CPU than the chip powering the Z Fold 6. That older processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, still handles everyday tasks without complaint, but the gap is real. The S25 Ultra also carries 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage, paired with improved cooling hardware designed to keep the phone running smoothly during intensive work. The Z Fold 6 matches the RAM and storage options but can't match the raw processing power.
Where the differences become most visible is in the camera systems. The S25 Ultra packs four rear lenses: a 200-megapixel main sensor, a 50-megapixel ultrawide, a 50-megapixel telephoto with five times optical zoom, and a 10-megapixel telephoto with three times zoom. Samsung promises the ultrawide delivers four times more detail than the previous generation, with sharper night photography. The Z Fold 6 offers three rear cameras—a 50-megapixel main, a 10-megapixel telephoto, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide—but reviewers found the ultrawide muddy in low light and the zoom performance disappointing outside of the three-times setting. The Z Fold 6 excels at viewing and editing photos on its expansive screen, but it's not the device for serious mobile photographers.
Battery life tells a similar story. The S25 Ultra houses a 5,000-milliamp-hour battery that easily lasts two full days of use, with Samsung claiming up to 31 hours of video playback. It charges at 45 watts, reaching a full charge in around 70 minutes. The Z Fold 6's 4,400-milliamp-hour battery is a one-day device at best. Gaming for 30 minutes drained 11 percent of its charge, and a one-hour video call consumed 18 percent. Charging takes 80 minutes at 25 watts, making it slower and less capable of powering through a full day of heavy use.
The Z Fold 6 does have genuine strengths. Its unfolded display is larger and better suited for multitasking, allowing three apps to run simultaneously with a fourth floating window if needed. The form factor appeals to people who want a tablet experience without carrying two devices. Both phones run Samsung's One UI and qualify for seven years of software updates, ensuring longevity. Both include Galaxy AI features, though the S25 Ultra adds new tools like Now Bar and Now Brief for daily planning.
Price is where the S25 Ultra's advantage becomes undeniable. It starts at $1,300 for the base 256-gigabyte model, with the 512-gigabyte version currently available at the same price and the 1-terabyte model at $1,420. The Z Fold 6 begins at $1,439 for 256 gigabytes and climbs to $2,260 for the maximum storage. You're paying roughly $140 more just to enter the Z Fold 6 ecosystem, and significantly more if you want maximum capacity. The S25 Ultra also includes an S Pen stylus in the box, while Z Fold 6 owners must buy one separately. The S25 Ultra weighs 218 grams compared to the Z Fold 6's 239 grams, making it noticeably lighter for one-handed use or pocket carry.
The verdict is straightforward: the Galaxy S25 Ultra is the better phone for most people. It's faster, has superior cameras, lasts longer on a charge, charges quicker, costs less, and includes more in the box. The Z Fold 6 remains one of the best foldables available and deserves consideration if you specifically want that form factor for multitasking and content consumption. But if you're simply shopping for the best flagship Samsung has to offer, the S25 Ultra delivers more value across nearly every dimension that matters.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
The Z Fold 6 is still one of if not the best foldables on the market and we'd be more than happy to own either of these devices.— Digital Trends review
The Z Fold 6's battery is good for around five hours of screen time, provided you're not gaming, which may not be enough for power users.— Digital Trends review
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