Galaxy Z Fold7 Review
“If you’ve been eyeing a foldable and the bulkiness of previous generations put you off, the Z Fold7 is a serious contender. It feels more refined, the screens are fantastic, and the camera is a solid upgrade”
Samsung’s premium foldable smartphone is back and it looks bigger and better than ever. Release in July this year, the Galaxy Z Fold7 promises to be bigger, faster, and have better features than last year’s predecessor. With so many other premium foldables out there, is the new Z Fold7 gonna take the starting line-up, or will it warm the bench? Let’s see from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 review and see if it’s worth the buy.
Overview
The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 brings some serious upgrades to the table, especially in the areas where the previous versions were falling behind. One of the first things you’ll notice is that the Z Fold7 is finally catching up with the competition in terms of portability. It’s now noticeably thinner and lighter, which is a huge win for a foldable.
Samsung also managed to improve the displays. Yes. The outer screen is now 6.5 inches, up from 6.3, and the inner foldable display has grown from 7.6 to a full 8.0 inches. There’s one trade-off, though: to make the device thinner and give us those larger screens, Samsung had to remove the S Pen holster and S Pen support entirely. It’s a bit of a bummer, but it’s how they managed to kill two birds with one stone.
The upgrades don’t stop there. The camera system has also gotten a major overhaul. The new Z Fold7 borrows the impressive 200MP main sensor from the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The other cameras are largely the same, but the ultrawide camera now has autofocus, which means you can take some awesome close-up shots. And get this: the internal selfie camera is no longer a measly 4MP. It’s now a much sharper 10MP shooter with an ultrawide lens, giving you a significantly wider field of view for your selfies.
Despite the Z Fold7 being thinner and lighter, it has the same 4,400mAh battery capacity as last year’s model, with the same 25W wired and 15W wireless charging speeds. Finally, this year’s foldables are a big deal on the software front. They’re launching with a brand-new One UI 8, which is based on the still-unreleased Android 16, making them the very first devices to run it. From overall first impressions, the Galaxy Z Fold7 looks like a truly competitive high-end solution, but its rivals aren’t sitting still. Let’s see how it stacks up against the other foldables on the market.
Specs
Reasons to Buy
1 – Thinner & Lighter Design
For a long time, foldable phones were criticized for being bulky and heavy. The Z Fold7 directly addresses this by being considerably thinner and lighter than its predecessors. This is huge as it means the foldable is more portable, making it more comfortable to hold, making it easier to slip into your pocket. This improvement makes the phone feel more like a conventional device while still offering the unique foldable experience.
2 – Bigger & Immersive Displays
Samsung has managed to increase the screen size and ratio without sacrificing portability. Both the inner and outer displays are now larger, with the outer cover screen grown to 6.5 inches, and the main foldable panel is a massive 8.0 inches. This solid upgrade means you get more room for everything you do, from multitasking on the inner screen to quickly checking notifications and using apps on the outer display.
3 – Impressive Performance
Despite being so thin, Samsung didn’t skimp on the processor—they’ve equipped it with the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, which is the same chip you’ll find in their other top-tier phones this year, such as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
The “for Galaxy” part of the name isn’t just for show. It means the chip is a slightly overclocked version of the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite. We’re talking about the two main CPU cores running a little faster and the Adreno GPU getting a speed boost too. Unlike other chips that use Cortex cores, this one uses Qualcomm’s custom Oryon cores, which are designed to deliver top-notch performance.
The GPU, called the Adreno 830, is built on a brand-new sliced architecture. This setup helps it handle demanding tasks more efficiently, which is great for gaming and heavy-duty apps.
Let’s get this out of the way: The Z Fold7 is not a gaming mobile device. Samsung just included an overclocked processor just so that it performs well for daily tasks and competes with other foldable smartphones. Plus, once you start gaming, it drains the battery relatively quicker than moderate use.
In the end, the Z Fold7 performs impressively. No lag or slowdown experience here, so there’s no need to worry. This phone is powerful and can handle everything you throw at it without missing a beat.
4 – Impressive Camera Performance
The camera system has seen significant improvements, making the Z Fold7 a much more capable device for photography. The primary camera comes with a triple camera sensor system, that includes: 200 MP main sensor, a 12 MP ultrawide sensor, and a 10 MP telephoto sensor that includes a 3x optical zoom.
It borrows the high-grade 200MP main sensor from the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which means you can expect sharper, more detailed photos. The ultrawide camera now supports autofocus, which unlocks the ability to take impressive close-up and macro shots. The internal selfie camera also gets a big boost, with a new 10MP ultrawide lens that provides a much better field of view for video calls and selfies
5 – Battery Life Slightly Better
When it comes to battery life on the Galaxy Z Fold7, it seems like Samsung took a balanced approach. The new Fold features the same 4,400mAh battery capacity as last year’s model. This is a bit of a surprise, especially since both the inner and outer screens are now larger. Bigger displays typically require more power, which could be a concern for those long days away from a power outlet.
The new Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset might help to offset some of that increased power consumption. While the chip is more powerful, its new architecture is also designed to be more efficient. This suggests that the Z Fold7’s battery life will likely be on par with, or perhaps a little better than, its predecessor, even with the bigger screens.
6 – New Android Software
The Z Fold7 isn’t just about hardware; it’s also a pioneer in software. It’s the first device to launch with One UI 8, which is based on the brand-new and still-unreleased Android 16. This means you get a fresh, new user experience right out of the box. More importantly, being the first to run the latest OS ensures that the Z Fold7 will be at the forefront of software updates for years to come, keeping your device secure and up-to-date.
Reasons Not to Buy
1 – Slow Charger
As for charging, the speeds remain the same as last year: slow with a 25W wired and 15W wireless charging. You can get half a charge in 30 minutes, and a full charge at almost 90 minutes. These speeds are reliable, but they don’t quite match the faster charging technology found on some other flagship phones. While it won’t break any speed records, you can still expect a full charge to get you through a busy day.
2 – No S Pen Support
One of the most significant changes is the removal of the S Pen holster and S Pen support entirely. For many users, especially those who rely on the S Pen for productivity, note-taking, or creative work, this is a major dealbreaker. Samsung sacrificed this key feature to achieve a thinner profile and larger displays, so if the S Pen is a must-have for you, the Z Fold7 is not the right choice.
3 – Decent Telephoto Camera
As impressive as the overall camera performance with sharp detailed picture quality, the telephoto sensor is the least favored. As it’s an impressive sensor for day time and outdoor conditions, it lacks during night time and low-lit conditions. The reason for this is that the telephoto sensor is small, as a result poses a limitation with the hardware, which means lower quality pictures.
4 – Other Minor Things
The overall sound quality is okay. It’s not impressive, as there’s a lack of good bass, so the music sounds flat. But, the vocals and highs sound fine. Like all foldable phones, the Z Fold7 comes with a high price tag. The technology is still expensive, and the device will likely cost significantly more than a traditional flagship smartphone.
Verdict
To be honest, I’m pretty impressed with this one. Samsung has definitely taken note of some of the biggest problems about previous Folds. Making it noticeably thinner and lighter is a game-changer for everyday use, where you’re often on the move. And those bigger screens? They’re fantastic for everything, whether you’re trying to get some work done on the go or just kicking back to watch some YouTube videos.
The camera upgrades are a real step up too, especially with that main 200MP sensor. You’re going to be snapping some seriously good pictures that’s for sure. Plus, being the first to rock the new Android 16 OS with One UI 8 is pretty cool. However, it’s not all sunshine and daisies, is it? The big one for me is the missing S Pen support. If you’re someone who loved jotting down notes or sketching some ideas, that’s a real loss.
The battery life seems decent enough for most days, but it’s not a massive leap forward, and the charging still feels a tad slow compared to some rivals. And let’s be real, these foldables still come with a hefty price tag – you’re definitely paying a premium for that folding magic.
So that’s my verdict. If you’ve been eyeing a foldable and the bulkiness of previous generations put you off, the Z Fold7 is a serious contender. It feels more refined, the screens are fantastic, and the camera is a solid upgrade. But if you’re a die-hard S Pen user, or if top-tier battery life and super-fast charging are non-negotiable for you, you might want to weigh those compromises carefully.
That’s all from me. If you like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 review, and wish to express yourself, you may do so at the bottom on the comments section. And if you want to find out more then CLICK HERE. Stay safe until next time 😀