Galaxy Z Fold7 Evaluate: Samsung’s Gorgeous Folding Cellphone Revival

	Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 – Beginning At $1,999, Discover It On Amazon The Galaxy Z Fold7 is Samsung’s finest folding telephone but. The ultra-thin and lightweight design is excellent and the software program is feature-rich, although its battery life is middling and telephoto efficiency is lackluster.
	Extremely skinny and lightweight design Stunning shows Wonderful fundamental digicam High quality audio system Robust day-to-day efficiency Function-rich software program Sharp, shiny show with 120Hz refresh ×Quick 80W charging and included plug ×Wonderful efficiency with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 ×Alert slider is again	Costly Lackluster telephoto Vital efficiency throttling Middling battery life Gradual charging speeds, no charger in field No pen assist

Regardless of having pioneered folding telephones, Samsung misplaced its edge over the previous couple of years. By the point the Galaxy Z Fold6 launched final summer time, the corporate was significantly lagging behind Chinese language producers like Oppo, Honor, and Xiaomi – and even Google right here within the US – in terms of design and specs. Nonetheless, the Galaxy Z Fold7 that Samsung not too long ago revealed at its Unpacked occasion brings the corporate again into the fold.

However whereas it now typically matches the competitors by way of thickness (8.9mm folded, 4.2mm unfolded), weight (215g), and kind issue, the Z Fold7 lacks the silicon-carbon battery tech and flagship-grade telephoto cameras present in Chinese language folding handsets. It additionally drops assist for the S Pen, which is a bummer. That is odd, contemplating Samsung retains utilizing the phrase “extremely” to market the Z Fold7. After which there’s the worth: $1,999 is an enormous price ticket. Regardless, except for its smallish 4,400mAh battery and fundamental 10MP 3x telephoto lens, did Samsung make some other {hardware} compromises within the identify of thinness and lightness? How does Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite carry out in such a slim chassis?

And, taking Samsung’s broad ecosystem and feature-rich software program under consideration, is the Galaxy Z Fold7 the brand new book-style folding telephone to beat? As you have in all probability seen, there’s an Editor’s Alternative emblem in our abstract right here above (for good purpose), so let’s discover out extra in our full evaluate.

Galaxy Z Fold7 {Hardware}, Design, And Construct High quality

For too lengthy, Samsung made thick, slender, tall, and awkwardly proportioned book-style folding telephones whereas Chinese language producers had been striving to make folding telephones that feel and appear no completely different than a bar-style flagship when folded. The Galaxy Z Fold7 modifications all this. With a thickness of simply 8.9mm folded and 4.2mm unfolded, it matches the earlier thinness champ, the Oppo Discover N5 (successor to the Oppo Discover N3 or OnePlus Open).

And at 215g, it weighs barely lower than the Honor Magic V5, the present thinness document holder (217g, 8.8mm folded, 4.1mm unfolded). Actually, the Z Fold7 is even lighter than Samsung’s very personal Galaxy S25 Extremely (215 vs. 218g) and is simply barely thicker (8.9 vs. 8.2mm). That’s really spectacular. In addition to being slim, the Z Fold7 adopts an everyday bar-style kind issue when folded due to a 6.5-inch cowl display with a regular 21:9 side ratio.

It’s arduous to convey in phrases, images, and even video how extremely skinny and lightweight the Z Fold7 truly is, and the way comfy it’s to carry. Identical to with the Galaxy S25 Edge, it’s essential expertise this system in individual to actually perceive it. Plus, the Z Fold7’s squared off design appears unbelievable. Construct and materials high quality are high notch, and the hinge feels extremely stable but silky clean, and gives simply the correct quantity of resistance. 

Talking of sturdiness, the Z Fold7 is rated IP48 for mud and water resistance, and is product of Superior Armor Aluminum (body), titanium alloy (hinge), Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 (cowl display), and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (again panel). The primary show has grown to eight inches, and is strengthened with a titanium mesh, considerably lowering the crease whereas serving to shield the folding panel’s new, more durable ultra-thin glass by dispersing stress.

The Z Fold7’s vertical digicam pod reverts to the Galaxy Z Fold5’s design, with three silver-rimmed lenses jutting from a pill-shaped island, and the flash mounted to the facet, flush with the rear glass. Like with the Galaxy S25 Edge, this digicam bump is thicker (about 6mm) then the unopened handset itself, and because it’s mounted within the high left nook of the again panel, the Z Fold7 wobbles like a drunken sailor when positioned on a flat floor.

With the Z Fold7 unfolded, you’ll discover the quantity rocker, and energy/lock key (which doubles as a capacitive fingerprint sensor) on the precise facet, and nothing however antenna bands on the left. The SIM tray, a pair of mics, and one speaker are mounted on the highest edge, whereas the USB Kind-C port, one other pair of mics, and the opposite speaker are positioned alongside the underside. Apparently, there aren’t any seen mmWave 5G antenna home windows on the Z Fold7.

You may get the Z Fold7 in 4 completely different hues: Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow, Jet-black, and Mint (a Samsung retailer unique). We’re glad Samsung is providing enjoyable colours once more as a result of our Blue Shadow evaluate unit is especially hanging.

However, earlier than we proceed, do not miss our hands-on video:

Galaxy Z Fold7 Specs And Options

Galaxy Z Fold7 Show High quality

Samsung has upgraded the Galaxy Z Fold7’s screens for 2025. You’re now getting a 6.5-inch FHD+ (2520 x 1080 pixels. 422ppi) cowl show with a regular 21:9 side ratio, alongside an nearly sq. 8-inch QXGA+ (2184 x 1968 pixels, 368ppi) folding fundamental display. These are LTPO AMOLED panels (Dynamic AMOLED 2X) with a 120Hz adaptive refresh price, HDR10+ assist, and 2600 nits of very punchy peak brightness.

As you’d count on from Samsung, these are beautiful shows – with vibrant colours, deep blacks, and broad viewing angles – which are shiny sufficient to learn in direct daylight. The folding panel’s crease is way much less noticeable than earlier than, besting the competitors. Each screens function slim, even bezels all the best way round, and 10MP shooters behind punch holes, placing an finish to the 4MP UDC (beneath show digicam) from earlier generations.

Sadly, the Z Fold7 additionally lacks S Pen assist. Samsung claims that the ultra-thin design doesn’t depart sufficient area to incorporate a digitizer, however the Oppo Discover N5 is about the identical thickness because the Z Fold7, and does assist an energetic stylus on each its internal and outer screens.

Galaxy Z Fold7 Digital camera Efficiency And Picture High quality

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold7 boasts the identical shooters because the Galaxy S25 Edge, however supplemented by the Galaxy Z Fold6’s telephoto. Sadly, that 3x telephoto doesn’t make an enormous distinction. The Z Fold7 struggles simply as a lot because the S25 Edge when zooming. On the plus facet, that 200MP fundamental sensor is stable, and the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s highly effective ISP is greater than able to squeezing essentially the most picture high quality from these cameras.

Clearly, images and movies shot with the Z Fold7 are just like these taken with the S25 Edge, and telephoto efficiency mirrors final yr’s Z Fold6. Whereas that’s superb, it’s no match for what the Chinese language competitors can obtain – and even the OnePlus Open from 2023 – particularly when zooming. It’s definitely not “extremely”. Even Google’s Pixel Professional 9 Fold outperforms the Z Fold7, regardless of additionally having small ultrawide and telephoto sensors.

The Z Fold7 packs the identical 200MP f/1.7 0.6-micron fundamental shooter with dual-pixel PDAF and OIS (1/1.3-inch Samsung ISOCELL HP2) and 12MP f/2.2 1.4-micron 120-degree ultrawide with dual-pixel PDAF because the S25 Edge. It additionally inherits the 10MP f/2.4 1.0-micron 3x telephoto with PDAF and OIS from the Z Fold6, and includes a pair of 10MP f/2.2 1.12-micron selfie cameras within the internal display (18mm, ultrawide) and outer show (24mm, broad).

As we talked about above, Samsung selected to switch the middling 4MP UDC (beneath show digicam) from the internal display with a correct 10MP ultrawide shooter behind a punch gap, which is an enormous enchancment. General, the Z Fold7 takes wonderful images and movies, with sharp element, punchy colours, correct publicity, respectable dynamic vary, and superior low-light efficiency. Selfies are stunning and Samsung’s portrait mode stays best-in-class.

Zooming is the place issues crumble. Whereas on paper, the Z Fold7 tops out at 30x magnification (3x optical plus 10x digital), it doesn’t carry out any higher than the Galaxy S25 Edge, which doesn’t have a telephoto digicam and tops out at 10x (digital) magnification. The Z Fold7’s 10MP 3x telephoto doesn’t appear to enhance zoom efficiency. Samsung isn’t utilizing sensor fusion, or any intelligent AI zoom algorithms like what we noticed on the OnePlus 13.

In follow, 10x pictures are usable however endure from a noticeable loss intimately. Zooming past 10x merely leads to disappointing photographs vs. the competitors and non-folding flagships. Even footage captured on the telephoto’s native 3x magnification are sometimes softer than anticipated, and we’ve skilled issues focusing with the telephoto in low gentle. In contrast, the Oppo Discover N5’s 50MP 3x periscope telephoto merely delivers nicer images at 10x and past.

Capturing modes embody macro, portrait, night time, professional, 200/50MP (fundamental solely), panorama, meals, macro video (as much as 4k 60fps), extremely regular (1440p/1080p 60/30fps), portrait video (4k/1080p 30fps), professional video (8k 30/24fps / 4k 60/30/24fps / 1080p 120/60/30/24fps), gradual movement (4k 120fps, 1080p 240/120fps), hyperlapse (4k/1080p 30fps), Single Take, and Twin Rec (4k/1080p 30fps) – which helps you to mix any two of as much as 4 cameras.

The Z Fold7 information stabilized video at as much as 8k 30fps (fundamental) and 4k 60fps (all shooters) with 10-bit HDR and LOG assist, and stereo or 360-degree audio (utilizing appropriate headphones and earbuds). Like with different Samsung flagships, the Digital camera Assistant app means that you can superb tune imaging settings, and the Skilled RAW app allows further digicam options, together with RAW assist, a 24MP mode, and astrophotography.

Subsequent up: audio constancy, normal efficiency, and battery life outcomes…