The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has arrived, bringing a refined take on the foldable smartphone with a slimmer design, upgraded camera, and powerful performance. Launched in July 2025, this flagship foldable pushes the boundaries of what a phone-to-tablet hybrid can achieve. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review, we dive into its standout features, performance, and whether it justifies its premium $1,999.99 price tag.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 Design Review: Slimmer, Lighter Foldable

Samsung has made significant strides in addressing past criticisms about the bulkiness of its foldable phones. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is remarkably thin, measuring just 8.9mm when folded and an astonishing 4.2mm when unfolded. Weighing only 215 grams, it’s lighter than the Galaxy S25 Ultra (218g) and competitors like the Oppo Find N5 (229g). This makes it feel like a standard flagship phone when closed, a feat that redefines the foldable experience.

New Armour Flex Hinge with a multi-rail structure enhances durability, and the phone uses Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 on the front and Advanced Armor Aluminum for the frame. It retains an IP48 rating, offering water resistance but limited dust protection. Available in Blue Shadow, Jetblack, Silver Shadow, and a Samsung-exclusive Mint color, the Z Fold 7 is as stylish as it is functional.

The slim design comes with trade-offs. The S Pen support, a staple of previous models, has been removed due to the thinner display lacking the necessary digitizing layer. While this may disappoint stylus enthusiasts, the wider 6.5-inch cover display with a 21:9 aspect ratio feels more like a conventional smartphone, making it ideal for typing and media consumption.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 Display Review: Bigger and Brighter

The Z Fold 7 boasts a 6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X cover display (2520 x 1080, 120Hz) and an 8-inch main foldable AMOLED display (2814 x 1968, 120Hz). Both screens support HDR10+ and reach a peak brightness of 2,600 nits, ensuring vibrant colors and excellent visibility in bright conditions. The larger inner display is perfect for multitasking, gaming, and productivity, with Samsung’s One UI 8 optimizing split-screen and floating window features.

Display crease remains noticeable but is slightly less pronounced thanks to a 50% thicker ultra-thin glass layer. Removal of the under-display selfie camera in favor of a traditional 10MP hole-punch camera improves selfie quality but adds a small cutout to the inner screen.

Samsung Z Fold 7 Performance Review: Snapdragon 8 Elite Powerhouse

Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset, the Z Fold 7 delivers top-tier performance. With up to 16GB of RAM and storage options of 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB, it handles demanding tasks like gaming and multitasking with ease. In early tests, it launched games like Sword of Convallaria 25% faster than the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, clocking in at 13 seconds versus 18 seconds.

Running Android 16 with One UI 8, the Z Fold 7 offers a polished software experience. Galaxy AI features, including generative photo editing, live translation, and Circle to Search with Google, enhance productivity. The ProScaler feature, borrowed from the Galaxy S25 Ultra, upscales videos for sharper playback, developed in collaboration with Samsung’s 8K TV division. Some users reported the device feeling warm during light use, which could be a concern with its slim chassis.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Camera Review: Flagship-Level Upgrade

Previous Z Fold models lagged behind Samsung’s Galaxy S series in camera quality, but the Z Fold 7 closes the gap with a 200MP main camera, matching the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Paired with a 12MP ultrawide (with autofocus for macro shots) and a 10MP 3x telephoto lens, it delivers sharp, vibrant photos with improved low-light performance. The 200MP sensor allows for high-quality 2x and 3x digital zooms, though the 3x telephoto lacks the 5x optical zoom found on some competitors.

Both the cover and inner displays feature 10MP selfie cameras, a significant upgrade from the Z Fold 6’s 4MP under-display camera. Early samples show strong detail and dynamic range, but the telephoto and ultrawide lenses remain unchanged from the previous model, which may feel limiting for a $2,000 phone.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Battery Life and Charging Review: Room for Improvement

The Z Fold 7 retains the 4,400mAh battery of its predecessor, a decision that feels underwhelming given competitors like the Honor Magic V5 pack larger 5,850mAh batteries. Samsung claims up to 24 hours of battery life, with early tests suggesting around 5 hours and 36 minutes of screen-on time under heavy use. Standby performance is impressive, but real-world battery life needs further testing.

Charging speeds remain at 25W wired and 15W wireless, lagging behind rivals offering up to 66W wired charging. No charger is included, which is disappointing at this price point.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Pricing and Availability Review

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 starts at $1,999.99 in the U.S. for the 256GB/12GB RAM model, a $100 increase over the Z Fold 6. Other configurations include 512GB/12GB for $2,099 and 1TB/16GB for $2,349. In the UK, pricing starts at £1,799, with no price hike from the previous model. Pre-orders began on July 9, 2025, with general availability from July 25. Samsung offers a free storage upgrade (e.g., 512GB for the price of 256GB) for early adopters.

Verdict: Is the Galaxy Z Fold 7 Worth It?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a leap forward for foldables, offering a sleek design, flagship-level camera, and powerful performance. Its slim profile and larger displays make it feel like a mainstream smartphone when folded, while the 8-inch inner screen excels for productivity and entertainment. However, the lack of S Pen support, modest battery capacity, and high price may deter some buyers. Compared to rivals like the Oppo Find N5 and Honor Magic V5, it holds its own but falls short in battery and charging speed.

For those invested in Samsung’s ecosystem or seeking a premium foldable, the Z Fold 7 is a compelling choice. If battery life or stylus support is critical, you may want to explore alternatives or wait for further refinements in future models.

FAQs

What are the key improvements in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 compared to the Z Fold 6?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 features a significantly thinner and lighter design (8.9mm folded, 4.2mm unfolded, 215g), a larger 6.5-inch cover display with a 21:9 aspect ratio, an 8-inch inner display, and a 200MP main camera matching the Galaxy S25 Ultra. It also includes the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, One UI 8 with Android 16, and improved durability with Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 and an Advanced Armor Aluminum frame. It no longer supports the S Pen due to the removal of the digitizing layer to achieve the slimmer design.

How is the battery life of the Galaxy Z Fold 7?

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 has a 4,400mAh battery, the same as the Z Fold 6. Samsung claims up to 24 hours of battery life, but real-world tests suggest it struggles to last a full day under heavy use, dropping to 15-20% after 16 hours. Battery-saving mode can extend usage slightly, but the 25W charging speed is slower than competitors, taking about an hour to fully charge.

How does the camera performance of the Z Fold 7 compare to previous models?

The Z Fold 7 features a 200MP main camera, a significant upgrade from the 50MP sensor in the Z Fold 6, offering 44% brighter photos and a 4x boost in detail. It performs similarly to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, capturing sharp, vibrant images even in low light. The 12MP ultrawide now supports autofocus and macro shots, but the 10MP telephoto is limited to 3x optical zoom, lacking the 5x zoom of some competitors.

Does the Galaxy Z Fold 7 support the S Pen?

No, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 does not support the S Pen. Samsung removed the digitizing layer to achieve the thinner 4.2mm unfolded design, sacrificing stylus compatibility. This may disappoint users who relied on the S Pen for note-taking or drawing.

How durable is the Galaxy Z Fold 7?

The Z Fold 7 features Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 on the front, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back, and an Advanced Armor Aluminum frame with a reinforced Armour FlexHinge. It maintains an IP48 rating, offering water resistance up to 1.5m for 30 minutes but limited dust protection. The crease is slightly less noticeable due to a 50% thicker ultra-thin glass layer.

What are the display upgrades in the Galaxy Z Fold 7?

The Z Fold 7 has a 6.5-inch cover display (2520 x 1080, 21:9 aspect ratio) and an 8-inch inner display (2814 x 1968), both Dynamic AMOLED 2X with 1-120Hz refresh rates and up to 2,600 nits brightness. The wider cover display feels like a standard smartphone, while the larger inner display enhances multitasking and media viewing.

How does the Galaxy Z Fold 7 compare to competitors like the Oppo Find N5 or Honor Magic V5?

The Z Fold 7 is competitive with its 8.9mm folded thickness and 215g weight, closely matching the Oppo Find N5 (8.9mm, 229g). However, the Honor Magic V5 is slightly thinner (8.8mm in one color). The Z Fold 7’s One UI 8 and 200MP camera give it a software and photography edge, but its 4,400mAh battery is smaller than some rivals, impacting endurance.

What software features does the Galaxy Z Fold 7 offer?

The Z Fold 7 runs Android 16 with One UI 8, offering enhanced multitasking, Galaxy AI features like photo and audio editing, and Circle to Search. The software is optimized for the foldable form factor, making the cover and inner displays seamless for productivity and entertainment.

What colors are available for the Galaxy Z Fold 7?

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is available in Blue Shadow, Jetblack, Silver Shadow, and Mint (Samsung Store exclusive). The Blue Shadow color is particularly praised for its aesthetic appeal.