Samsung’s seventh-generation foldable smartphone represents a dramatic evolution in the foldable market. After years of incremental updates, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 emerges as the company’s most refined and compelling foldable device yet. With its dramatically thinner profile, larger displays, flagship camera system, and enhanced user experience, this device addresses many of the criticisms that have plagued previous generations
The Galaxy Z Fold7 arrives at a critical juncture for the foldable market, which has experienced stagnant growth at under 3% year-over-year. Samsung’s response is a device that finally feels like a mainstream smartphone that happens to fold, rather than a folding gimmick with phone capabilities.
Revolutionary Design: Samsung’s Thinnest Foldable Yet
The most immediately striking aspect of the Galaxy Z Fold7 is its dramatically improved form factor. Measuring just 8.9mm when folded and an impressive 4.2mm when unfolded, this represents Samsung’s thinnest foldable smartphone to date. At 215 grams, it’s remarkably lighter than premium flagship phones like the Galaxy S25 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max
This achievement in engineering comes with trade-offs. Samsung eliminated S Pen support entirely to achieve this slim profile, a decision that may disappoint productivity-focused users who relied on stylus functionality. The device features an aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 on the front, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the rear, and maintains the IP48 dust and water resistance rating.
The hinge mechanism has been refined to fold completely flat without gaps, though dust infiltration remains a concern during extended use. The camera bump, positioned vertically in the top-left corner, does cause some wobble when placed flat on surfaces.
Alt text: Close-up view of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 hinge mechanism showing ultra-thin profile and premium materials
Display Excellence: Bigger Screens, Better Experience
Samsung has significantly upgraded both displays in the Z Fold7. The cover screen expands from 6.3 inches to 6.5 inches, while the inner foldable display grows from 7.6 inches to 8.0 inches. These improvements address long-standing usability concerns, particularly making the outer display wide enough for comfortable typing and everyday smartphone tasks.
The enhanced proportions mean users can accomplish most daily tasks on the cover display without needing to unfold the device, which contributes to improved battery efficiency5. The inner display offers a more immersive tablet-like experience with better aspect ratios for productivity and multimedia consumption.
Both screens feature adaptive refresh rates and improved brightness levels, while the crease – a persistent criticism of foldable devices – is noticeably less prominent than in previous generations. The displays support Samsung’s latest One UI 8 based on Android 16, providing enhanced multitasking capabilities and foldable-optimized software experiences.
Camera System: Flagship Performance in a Foldable
The Galaxy Z Fold7 marks a significant leap in camera capabilities for Samsung’s foldable lineup. The device incorporates the flagship 200MP main sensor borrowed directly from the Galaxy S25 Ultra, delivering exceptional image quality that rivals traditional flagship smartphones.
The camera system includes enhanced video recording capabilities with 4K at 60fps support across all lenses, HDR10+ recording, 8K at 30fps, and even 4K at 120fps slow motion. The front-facing camera supports log video recording, a feature not found on the S25 Ultra.
However, the telephoto lens remains a weak point with its 10MP sensor offering 3x optical zoom, which struggles in low-light conditions and produces merely adequate results at higher zoom levels. The upgraded 10MP selfie camera delivers significantly improved image quality for video calls and front-facing photography.
Samsung’s Pro Visual Engine and Galaxy AI features enhance the photography experience with capabilities like Suggest Erases for removing photobombers and Generative Edit for advanced photo manipulation, all processed on-device.
Performance and Battery: Flagship Power with Thermal Concerns
Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, the Z Fold7 delivers flagship-level performance suitable for demanding applications and multitasking scenarios. The device excels at productivity tasks and offers the best multitasking experience in the foldable category.
However, thermal management presents challenges during intensive workloads such as 4K video recording, demanding gaming, or GPS navigation. These thermal issues can impact battery performance, which remains modest despite the improved power efficiency from the new processor.
The device retains the same 4,400mAh battery capacity as its predecessor, paired with 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging – both considered slow by current flagship standards. Full charging takes over an hour, which may disappoint users expecting faster charging speeds.
Despite these limitations, many users report satisfactory all-day battery life under normal usage conditions, particularly when utilizing the more efficient outer display for routine tasks58.
Should You Buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 represents the most complete foldable smartphone Samsung has produced. Starting at $2,000 (₹174,999 in India), it’s positioned as a premium device that finally delivers on the promise of practical foldable technology.
Key strengths include:
- Ultra-thin profile that feels like a conventional smartphone when folded
- Larger, more usable displays with improved aspect ratios
- Flagship camera performance rivaling traditional premium smartphones
- Enhanced software optimization for foldable experiences
- Industry-leading build quality and materials
Notable limitations:
- Removal of S Pen support disappoints productivity users
- Thermal throttling during intensive tasks
- Modest battery life and slow charging speeds
- Premium pricing limits mainstream adoption
The Galaxy Z Fold7 succeeds in making foldable technology feel mainstream and practical. It’s the first Samsung foldable that doesn’t require significant compromises in daily usability. For users seeking cutting-edge technology and willing to pay premium prices, the Z Fold7 represents a compelling choice that sets new standards for the foldable category.
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