Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 evaluate: Foldable telephone nirvana (for a value)
After a number of generations of iterative updates, it looks like Samsung tossed the Galaxy Z Fold 7 right into a Hyperbolic Time Chamber to create a surprising gadget that is leaner, stronger and extra highly effective than earlier than. The very best half although is the telephone appears and capabilities identical to an everyday handset now that there’s much less bulk to lug round. However at a second’s discover, it will possibly go Tremendous Saiyan by opening as much as reveal a good bigger 8-inch show to turn into a real multimedia Raidboss. Sadly, it is nonetheless extraordinarily costly at $2,000. Although in case you can deal with the value, in a whole lot of methods, Samsung has lastly achieved foldable telephone nirvana with the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
Design: Chef’s kiss
When Samsung debuted its up to date tremendous glossy design language on the , it felt like a novel approach to reimagine the S25+ as a extra partaking gadget. However when the corporate gave the identical remedy to the Z Fold 7, that engineering grew to become one thing really transformative. In comparison with its predecessor, Samsung’s huge foldable for 2025 is 10 % lighter at simply 215 grams. The larger drop is available in thickness with Galaxy Z Fold 7 measuring a whopping 26 % thinner (simply 8.9mm when folded). This represents the most important generation-over-generation lower for all the Z Fold line, which is sort of surprising contemplating it is taking place seven years in. The result’s a foldable that’s principally the identical dimension and weight because the Galaxy S25 Extremely (it is really just a little narrower), which isn’t any imply feat for a category of devices that has been tormented by further heft since they first got here out.
Billy Steele for Engadget
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has reached foldable telephone nirvana due to main reductions in its dimension and thickness. Although at $2,000, it stays extraordinarily costly.
- Exquisitely skinny design
- Sleeker hinge
- Huge 200MP important digicam
- Bigger shows
- Prime-tier efficiency
- Very costly
- No S Pen assist
- Mediocre charging speeds
What may be simply as spectacular is that Samsung hasn’t actually reduce corners to ship the Z Fold 7’s streamlined dimensions. You continue to get an IP48 ranking for mud and water resistance (which may deal with submersions of as much as 5 toes for half-hour) together with Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 in entrance and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 in again. Samsung additionally fully re-engineered its Armor FlexHinge, which glides open and closed like a dream. Samsung even says that Z Fold 7’s ultra-thin glass is 50 % thicker than earlier than whereas additionally sporting a brand new titanium lattice that provides extra assist and sturdiness to the telephone’s versatile show.
Inside, Samsung has switched away from the under-display sensor used on earlier fashions in favor of a extra conventional hole-punch digicam. This can be a little bit of a disgrace because it provides a small blemish to that in any other case attractive display. Nevertheless, with the panel now measuring 8 inches throughout (up from 7.6 on the Z Fold 6), there’s extra of it to get pleasure from even after you account for the small cutout. Plus, the transfer to a higher-res 10-megapixel sensor for this digicam ends in considerably higher picture high quality than any of Samsung’s under-display modules.
The one small design quirk is that generally the telephone would not unfold all the way in which, typically stopping simply quick at 179 levels — very like the unique . That mentioned, you’ll be able to at all times make it go totally flat with a bit of additional strain, although more often than not I do not even trouble as a result of that is the sort of factor that you do not actually discover until you are particularly in search of it.
Shows: Now even greater, each inside and outside
As for brightness and picture high quality, Samsung’s panels are nonetheless unmatched. Along with a bigger important show, the Z Fold 7’s exterior Cowl Display screen is barely greater at 6.5 inches. Extra importantly, it is noticeably wider too whereas sporting even thinner bezels, which makes the entire telephone really feel extra usable. The sensation of holding a thin baton I received on earlier fashions is totally gone. Each screens additionally assist a 120Hz refresh price and might hit a peak brightness of two,600 nits. And when in comparison with rivals just like the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, the Fold 7’s shows simply pop a contact extra due to barely richer colours and saturation.
After introducing S Pen integration on the Z Fold 3, Samsung has eliminated stylus assist for this mannequin — an enormous downgrade that will anger longtime Z Fold followers. The corporate claims it made this choice after seeing “very low” S Pen utilization on earlier generations, which frankly is not all that shocking. However, as one of many spotlight options that separated Samsung’s huge foldables from virtually all of its rivals, it is nonetheless unhappy to see it go.
Efficiency and software program: The quickest huge foldable telephone
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 unquestionably packs top-tier efficiency. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip together with 12GB or 16GB of RAM and as much as 1TB of storage. All the things feels quick and snappy whereas OneUI 8 and Android 16 deliver app optimizations that assist profit from the telephone’s huge show.
The most important eye-opener for me was after I in contrast how lengthy it took the Z Fold 7 to launch my present favourite cellular sport, Sword of Convallaria, in opposition to the Pixel 9 Professional Fold. Even with the elevated efficiency of Google’s latest Tensor chips, Samsung’s foldable loaded the sport in 13 seconds in comparison with 18 seconds for the Pixel. That may not sound like a ton, but it surely’s round 25 % sooner and when it is one thing you do a number of instances a day, shaving off even a number of seconds provides up quick..
Cameras: A significant decision bump
Whereas the Z Fold 7’s ultrawide and 3x telephoto cameras are largely unchanged, the telephone encompasses a huge picture improve due to a brand new 200MP sensor for its important digicam. That is primarily the identical part Samsung used within the S25 Extremely and S25 Edge, and it delivers a much-needed bump in picture high quality.
In vivid mild, the Z Fold 7 simply retains tempo with the Pixel 9 Professional Fold. In sure conditions like when snapping pics of meals, some could desire its pictures due to Samsung’s hotter shade profile. The telephone nonetheless tends to oversharpen issues, however colours are vibrant. For many who wish to maximize decision, you’ll be able to choose the telephone’s full 200MP mode (pictures are captured at 12MP by default). At evening, the Fold 7’s pictures remained surprisingly sharp. I nonetheless desire the Pixel 9 Professional Fold as a consequence of its extra correct white stability and infrequently sharper focus, although Samsung’s telephone is not far behind.
Doubtlessly the most important shortcoming on the Fold 7 is that its 3x optical zoom cannot fairly match the 5x telephoto cam on the Pixel 9 Professional Fold. However for followers of group pictures, Samsung added a brand new selfie digicam with a wider 100-degree area of view.
Battery life and charging: Strong longevity, however nonetheless solely Qi 2 prepared
Whereas the Z Fold 7’s 4,400mAh battery is similar dimension as its predecessor, you’re going to get barely elevated longevity as a consequence of improved energy effectivity from its processor. In our native video rundown check, the Z Fold 7 lasted 20 hours and 50 minutes when utilizing its important 8-inch show and 26 hours and 22 minutes with its exterior display. Relying on which show you employ, that is between 45 minutes and an hour longer than what we received from the earlier mannequin, which is good to see contemplating battery life was already fairly stable.
Sadly, Samsung hasn’t modified a lot relating to recharging. The Z Fold 7 helps wired charging at as much as 25 watts — which is moderately common for a contemporary flagship — alongside 15 watt wi-fi charging. And like the remainder of the 2025 premium Galaxy line, this telephone is merely Qi 2 prepared, which suggests there isn’t any built-in attachment system for magnetic equipment like charging pucks, card holders and battery packs. So if you wish to use peripherals like these, you may must get a case with full assist for Qi 2.
Wrap-up
I’ve at all times mentioned that Samsung is at its finest when it focuses on {hardware} design, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 could also be top-of-the-line examples of that. With its newest flagship foldable, Samsung has eliminated one of many remaining obstacles stopping individuals from attempting out the brand new breed of telephones: extreme dimension and weight.
By widening its cowl show, the Z Fold 7 appears and acts identical to an everyday smartphone, which is nice for checking messages, trying up instructions or snapping a photograph. Whenever you wish to get actually immersed in a present, film or sport, you’ll be able to open up that stunning versatile show, which is now even bigger to your viewing pleasure. The telephone’s higher-res important digicam additionally brings upgraded picture high quality whereas its Snapdragon 8 Elite chip provides it a efficiency edge over rivals just like the Pixel 9 Professional Fold.
I do not love how Samsung is backtracking on options by eradicating S Pen assist and reverting to an old-school digicam cutout as a substitute of an under-display sensor for its important show. However not less than within the case of the latter, that change comes with a lot improved picture high quality, which is an enormous improve for video calls.
With the Galaxy Z Fold 7, you actually do get the very best of each worlds. Its new design is simply as glossy as comparable conventional flagships whereas hiding a bigger show that makes the necessity for small tablets out of date. Sadly, with a beginning value of $2,000, Samsung hasn’t addressed the final roadblock stopping individuals from attempting out a tool that may fully change the way in which they use their telephone.