Is anyone else starting to feel like Samsung already has very few surprises left up its sleeve as far as the still-distant Galaxy Z Flip 6 is concerned? Well, here's an interesting twist for you today. Remember that pre-release unit benchmarked last week with a totally unsurprising Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and 8GB RAM on deck?
As it turns out, that's (probably) not the only configuration currently being tested by the world's smartphone manufacturer, and a second one discovered in the Geekbench database packs both a different chipset and different memory count.
Are we looking at a Galaxy Z Flip 6 FE model here?
That's definitely one possibility, but while it would explain the use of last year's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC in lieu of the newer and faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, it obviously doesn't make a lot of sense for a Fan Edition device to offer more RAM than a "regular" Galaxy high-ender.
The thing with benchmarks of unreleased phones is that they can be very easily manipulated, so another possible explanation for what we're dealing with here is an entirely different Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-powered product (like, say, the Galaxy S23 Ultra) disguised under the SM-F741U model number to mislead us.
This new Z Flip 6 (or Z Flip 6 FE) prototype packs a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC and 12GB RAM.
We know that combination of letters and numbers pertains to an upcoming member of the Galaxy Z Flip family, mind you, as it comes after the SM-F731U designation of the existing Z Flip 5 in a US unlocked variant.
Assuming all the information listed here today is legit, we could also speculate that Samsung is preparing to launch both the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 FE in 8 and 12GB RAM models. The Galaxy Z Flip 5, remember, only comes with 8 gigs of the good stuff, so an additional 4GB would certainly represent a significant and more than welcomed upgrade for flip phone-loving multitaskers.
As you probably already know if you've ever tested a Z Flip 5, Z Fold 5, or a member of the S23 family, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor is plenty fast for whatever task you throw at it right now, and that's unlikely to change in the next few months... or even the next couple of years. Otherwise put, a Galaxy Z Flip 6 or Z Flip 6 FE with this "outdated" chip under its hood should deliver a more than satisfying level of raw performance for the vast majority of potential buyers out there.
What about an Exynos version?
While everything remains hypothetical and theoretical, we can't help but wonder what most people would choose between an Exynos-powered Galaxy Z Flip 6 and a Z Flip 6 FE with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC... if they ever got that choice.
Those recent rumors calling for a processor divide for the Z Flip 6 for different regions obviously hinted at Exynos 2400 "international" use, and yes, in case you're wondering, that's an objectively more powerful silicon than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Still, we know a lot of you continue to have this inherent skepticism towards everything Exynos, which makes us doubt that Samsung will ultimately release Exynos 2400, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 versions of the Z Flip 6 and Z Flip 6 FE.
This slightly older pre-release Galaxy Z Flip 6 unit features a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and just 8GB RAM.
Keep in mind that we don't even know if the Galaxy Z Flip 6 FE is actually a thing yet, and the same (more or less) goes for the Z Fold 6 FE or Z Fold FE.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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