The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 features a major redesign with a thinner, lighter build, a more conventional outer display, and upgraded cameras, marking the most significant foldable upgrade in years. However, it drops S Pen support, retains a modest battery and charging speed, and comes with a higher price, making it a premium but potentially divisive choice.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 marks a significant leap forward in Samsung’s foldable phone lineup, breaking away from the iterative updates seen in previous models. The design has been completely overhauled to catch up with the advancements made by Chinese competitors. When unfolded, the phone is impressively thin at just 4.2 millimeters, and when folded, it measures only 8.9 millimeters thick—comparable to the non-folding Galaxy S25 Ultra. The hinge is much slimmer, and the overall weight has been reduced to 215 grams, making it lighter than both its predecessor, the Fold 6, and the S25 Ultra, despite having larger screens.
One of the standout improvements is the outer display, which now features a standard 21:9 aspect ratio, making it feel like a regular smartphone when folded. The wider screen and reduced weight enhance usability, and Samsung has redesigned the cases to be extremely thin, though they now only protect the back of the phone, leaving the front exposed but including a screen protector. Video viewing on the outer display is improved with smaller black bars, while the inner display is larger and more tablet-like, though it retains thicker bezels at the top and bottom.
However, there are some notable omissions and compromises. The Fold 7 no longer supports the S Pen, as Samsung removed the digitizer layer to maintain the phone’s slim profile, citing low usage among customers. The battery capacity remains unchanged at 4,400 mAh, which is relatively small given the larger displays, and charging speed is limited to 25W. This could be a downside for users who need long battery life or fast charging, especially compared to Chinese competitors who offer larger batteries in similarly slim devices.
On the positive side, Samsung has upgraded the camera system by incorporating the 200-megapixel main sensor from the Galaxy S25 Ultra, redesigned to be slimmer and less protruding. The under-display camera on the inner screen has been replaced with a standard punch-hole camera, likely improving image quality. The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy Edition chipset and comes with a base configuration of 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, ensuring flagship-level performance.
Despite these improvements, the Fold 7 comes with a higher price tag, increasing by about $100 or €100 compared to last year, making it an extremely expensive device. However, Samsung typically offers pre-order deals and trade-in offers, and prices tend to drop quickly after launch. Overall, the Fold 7 represents the most meaningful upgrade in Samsung’s foldable series in years, justifying the premium price to some extent, though whether users will upgrade depends on the deals available and personal preferences.