Head to head

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs iPhone 16

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 leads 10 to 3 on the 13 rankable specs, but iPhone 16 costs $1,100 less.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Weight: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 lists 239 g (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 lists 170 g (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Size: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 lists 7.6 inches inner / 6.3 inches cover (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 lists 6.1 inches (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Chipset: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 lists Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 lists Apple A18 (3 nm) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
RAM: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 lists 12 GB LPDDR5X (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 lists 8 GB (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Max optical zoom: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 lists 3x optical (30x Space Zoom) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 lists 2x optical quality crop (10x digital) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).

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

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: 10 to 3

Buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.

Leads 10 of 13 rankable overall specs; iPhone 16 takes 3.
Size: 7.6 inches inner / 6.3 inches cover vs 6.1 inches
RAM: 12 GB LPDDR5X vs 8 GB
iPhone 16 is $1,100 cheaper. Pay the difference only if size matters to you.

Check first: the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is not IP68. Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

10 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 613 rankable of 48 specsiPhone 16 3

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No stylusrow
No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.
Clear:Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 · S Pen Fold Edition supportTrips:iPhone 16 · No
No headphone jackrow
Wired headphones need a USB-C dongle.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 · NoTrips:iPhone 16 · No
No charger in the boxrow
Budget another $20 to $40 for a fast charger.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 · NoTrips:iPhone 16 · No
60 Hz screenrow
Scrolling looks noticeably less smooth than a 120 Hz rival.
Clear:Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 · 1–120 Hz LTPOTrips:iPhone 16 · 60 Hz
Not IP68row
Less dust and water protection than an IP68 rival.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 · IP48 (water resistant to 1.5m + solid p…Clear:iPhone 16 · IP68 (6 m / 30 min)
No microSD slotrow
Storage is fixed at what you buy.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 · NoTrips:iPhone 16 · No

At a glance

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

6 of 6 differ

Weight

Samsung

239 g

Apple

170 g

Size

Samsung

7.6 inches inner / 6.3 inches cover

Apple

6.1 inches

Chipset≠

Samsung

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)

Apple

Apple A18 (3 nm)

RAM

Samsung

12 GB LPDDR5X

Apple

8 GB

Max optical zoom

Samsung

3x optical (30x Space Zoom)

Apple

2x optical quality crop (10x digital)

Capacity

Samsung

4,400 mAh (dual-battery)

Apple

3,561 mAh

True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Upfront price + 3 years of consumables, fees & essential add-ons

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

Upfront list price$1,899

3-Year Estimated Total$1,899

iPhone 16

Upfront list price$799

Essential add-ons (20W USB-C charging brick (no charger in box))+$29

3-Year Estimated Total$828

Pocket, Palm & Desk Usability Check

One-handed reachability, pocket weight, and table wobble when typing without a case.

Ergonomic & Spatial Check

One-Handed Palm Reach

Widths under 72mm allow thumb access to opposite screen edges without shifting grip.

Samsung

Standard smartphone width

Apple

6.1" display with 71.6mm width (easy one-handed thumb reach)

Desk Typing Table Wobble

Horizontal visor cameras sit flat on desks without annoying rocking while typing.

Samsung

Corner camera bump causes minor wobble

Apple

Vertical pill camera bump causes minor tilt on flat surfaces

Pocket Weight & Heft

Samsung

Standard phone weight

Apple

170g (featherweight in pocket)

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

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

Post-Purchase Truths

Samsung: 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.

Apple: 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.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6$1,89910 wins

iPhone 16$7993 wins

Body Display Platform Memory Rear camera Front camera Battery & charging Audio Connectivity Features

43 of 48 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Body

leads 1-0

Body specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is iPhone 16.
Dimensions	Unfolded: 153.5 × 132.6 × 5.6 mm / Folded: 153.5 × 68.1 × 12.1 mm	147.6 × 71.6 × 7.8 mm
Weight	239 g	170 g (wins this row: lower)
Build	Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover/back, Enhanced Armor Aluminum frame	Ceramic Shield front, color-infused glass back, aluminum frame
Water / dust rating	IP48 (water resistant to 1.5m + solid particles >1mm)	IP68 (6 m / 30 min)
Colors	Silver Shadow, Pink, Navy, Crafted Black, White	Black, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine
Stylus	S Pen Fold Edition support (inner screen only, sold separately)	No

Display

leads 5-1

Display specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is iPhone 16.
Type	Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X foldable inner + AMOLED cover	Super Retina XDR OLED
Size	7.6 inches inner / 6.3 inches cover (wins this row: higher)	6.1 inches
Resolution	Inner: 2160 × 1856 / Cover: 968 × 2376 (wins this row: higher)	1179 × 2556
Pixel density	~374 ppi inner / ~410 ppi cover	~460 ppi (wins this row: higher)
Refresh rate	1–120 Hz LTPO (both screens) (wins this row: higher)	60 Hz
Peak brightness	2,600 nits peak (both screens) (wins this row: higher)	2,000 nits outdoor / 1,000 nits typical
HDR	HDR10+	Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG
Protection	Ultra Thin Glass (inner) / Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (cover)	Latest-generation Ceramic Shield
Always-on display	Yes (wins this row: has it)	No

Platform

5 differences

Platform specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is iPhone 16.
Operating system	Android 14 with One UI 6.1.1	iOS 18
Software support	7 major OS versions + 7 years security	Typically 6+ years of major iOS versions
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)	Apple A18 (3 nm)
CPU	8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 5× A720 + 2× A520)	6-core (2 performance + 4 efficiency)
GPU	Adreno 750	5-core Apple GPU

Memory

leads 2-0

Memory specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is iPhone 16.
RAM	12 GB LPDDR5X (wins this row: higher)	8 GB
Storage	512 GB UFS 4.0 (wins this row: higher)	128 GB NVMe
Storage options	256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB	128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB
microSD	No	No

Rear camera

leads 2-0

Rear camera specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is iPhone 16.
Main	50 MP, f/1.8, 23 mm, 1.0µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS (wins this row: higher)	48 MP Fusion, f/1.6, 26 mm, sensor-shift OIS, 2x in-sensor zoom
Ultrawide	12 MP, f/2.2, 12 mm, 123°	12 MP with Macro photography, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120°
Telephoto	10 MP, f/2.4, 66 mm, 3x optical, PDAF, OIS	None (2x optical-quality crop from main sensor)
Max optical zoom	3x optical (30x Space Zoom) (wins this row: higher)	2x optical quality crop (10x digital)
Stabilization	OIS on main and 3x telephoto	Sensor-shift OIS on main camera
Video	8K 30 fps, 4K 60 fps, 1080p 240 fps	4K 24/25/30/60 fps Dolby Vision, Spatial video capture

Front camera

leads 1-0

Front camera specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is iPhone 16.
Selfie camera	10 MP cover selfie + 4 MP under-display inner camera	12 MP TrueDepth with autofocus, f/1.9 (wins this row: higher)
Selfie video	4K 60 fps (cover camera)	4K 60 fps Dolby Vision

Battery & charging

leads 1-0

Battery & charging specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is iPhone 16.
Capacity	4,400 mAh (dual-battery) (wins this row: higher)	3,561 mAh
Wired chargingNot on the official sheet	25 W fast wired (50% in 30 min)	~20–25 W USB-C
Wireless charging	15 W Fast Wireless	MagSafe up to 25 W, Qi2
Reverse wireless	4.5 W Wireless PowerShare	No
Charger in box	No	No

Audio

1 differences

Audio specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is iPhone 16.
Speakers	Stereo speakers tuned by AKG	Stereo speakers
Headphone jack	No	No

Connectivity

4 differences

Connectivity specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is iPhone 16.
Cellular	5G (sub-6 + mmWave)	5G (sub-6 + mmWave)
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6E / Wi-Fi 7 ready	Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
NFC	Yes (Samsung Pay / Google Wallet)	Yes (Apple Pay)
USB	USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (DisplayPort support)	USB-C 2.0 (480 Mbps)
SIM	Dual nano-SIM + eSIM	eSIM (US) / nano-SIM + eSIM

Features

3 differences

Features specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, right column is iPhone 16.
Biometrics	Capacitive side-mounted fingerprint + Face unlock	Face ID
Extra controls	Side key with integrated fingerprint reader	Action Button, Camera Control
Standout features	Dual-screen form factor, Flex Mode, App Continuity, Samsung DeX, Galaxy AI	Dynamic Island, Apple Intelligence, Spatial audio and video capture

Most rows are from the official spec sheet. Marked rows are other published figures or our summary, not lab tests we ran.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 source iPhone 16 source

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

Full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 specs →

Pick this one if

iPhone 16

Standard flagship featuring A18 chip, Camera Control button, Action button, and 48MP Fusion camera.

Powerful Apple A18 processor built for Apple Intelligence
Camera Control button and Action button included on standard tier
Vibrant saturated color-infused back glass designs

What you give up

Display still restricted to 60Hz refresh rate
No dedicated optical telephoto camera lens

Full iPhone 16 specs →

Best for each use

Photos

Camera first: zoom reach, sensors, stabilisation and video

For photos, buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.

Leads 2 of 3 rankable photos specs; iPhone 16 takes 1.
Max optical zoom: 3x optical vs 2x optical quality crop
Main: 50 MP, f/1.8, 23 mm, 1.0µm, Dual Pixel PDAF,… vs 48 MP Fusion, f/1.6, 26 mm, sensor-shift…
iPhone 16 is $1,100 cheaper. Pay the difference only if max optical zoom matters to you.

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 ~20–25 W USB-C
Wireless charging: 15 W Fast Wireless vs MagSafe up to 25 W, Qi2

Games & video

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

For games & video, buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.

Leads 4 of 4 rankable games & video specs.
RAM: 12 GB LPDDR5X vs 8 GB
Size: 7.6 inches inner / 6.3 inches cover vs 6.1 inches
iPhone 16 is $1,100 cheaper. Pay the difference only if ram matters to you.

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.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 spec sheet iPhone 16 spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 ↗ · iPhone 16 ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 or the iPhone 16?

iPhone 16 costs $1,100 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 or iPhone 16?

iPhone 16 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 iPhone 16?

For photos, buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. Leads 2 of 3 rankable photos specs; iPhone 16 takes 1. Max optical zoom: 3x optical vs 2x optical quality crop

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 48 specs tracked here, 35 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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