Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 may have this major screen downgrade

Good Lock app showing off full apps on Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Flex Window cover screen
(Image credit: Future)

Recent leaks have indicated that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 could see a downgraded outer screen, despite otherwise using the same one as the current Galaxy Z Flip 5.

We recently saw a major leak from Evan Blass that revealed the majority of the specs for the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 6. Within that post, it was noticed that the front panel for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 was listed as an IPS LCD unit.

For reference, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 uses an AMOLED panel for its front panel. This could be a considerable downgrade for the device, even with the few benefits of an LCD screen. 

The main advantages of OLED screens are that they are more power efficient when showing the color black since they can turn each individual pixel fully off, rather than just dimming a backlight like LCD displays have to.

This also allows the screen's black colors to appear darker than other screens and offers better contrast between colors. However, LCD panels have some benefits too, as they are less prone to screen burn compared to OLED screens, so therefore tend to last longer. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 mid fold

(Image credit: Future)

Another benefit of LCD screens is that they tend to be much cheaper to produce than OLED panels. This could mean that Samsung made this choice to lower the overall production cost, and potentially avoid the rumored price increase coming for the next generation of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6. However, there is no current indication of if the price change will be seen by the consumer just yet.

Overall we know a fair bit about the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 6 due to the massive amount of leaked info, which included details about the upgraded camera, which will now be a 50PM sensor instead of the prior 12MP on the Galaxy Z Flip 5.

There is also a needed RAM boost apparently on the way, with the new phone coming with 12GB, upgraded from the previous 8GB. This improved RAM should help power the Galaxy AI features that will likely ship with the device. 

If the rumors about a potential price increase turn out to be accurate, then this LCD outer screen will be a rather unforgiving downgrade. However, the added longevity of LCD panels may help to convince some people. We will only know for certain once Galaxy Unpacked happens on July 10. 

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Josh Render
Staff Writer

Josh is a staff writer for Tom's Guide and is based in the UK. He has worked for several publications but now works primarily on mobile phones. Outside of phones, he has a passion for video games, novels, and Warhammer.