Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultimate Review: Thinner Faster More Expensive

Forget incremental upgrades. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 isn’t just a step forward; it’s a quantum leap. Whispers have been circulating: "Samsung’s finally catching up." But that’s an understatement. The Z Fold 7 isn’t just neck-and-neck with the likes of OPPO and HONOR; it’s redefining the foldable landscape. For years, Samsung played it safe. Not anymore. This year? Expect a revolution.

Seven Galaxy Folds have crossed my desk, each promising a revolution, each ultimately falling short of daily-driver status, often before the review was even finished. But the Z Fold 7? This one’s different. Two weeks in, and my primary eSIM is still nestled inside. Samsung even provides a temporary T-Mobile SIM, yet I’ve actively chosen to stick withmynumber,mysetup. That speaks volumes, especially considering I’m not exactly Samsung software’s biggest fan.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series, long plagued by niggles, finally seems to have hit its stride with the Z Fold 7. But has it truly conquered all? With a wallet-wincing $1,999 price tag, the question isn’t justis it good?butis it worth it?Dive into our Galaxy Z Fold 7 review to see if this foldable lives up to the hype – and the hefty price.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultimate Review: Design and Build Quality

One year, Samsung’s foldable felt like carrying a brick. The next? It’s neck-and-neck for the title of "thinnest book-style foldable" on the market. Talk about a glow-up! Forget the rumors about HONOR – the real story is Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 (alongside the OPPO Find N5) is leading the slim revolution. Suddenly, folding phones feel less like a compromise and more like a glimpse into the future.

Forget pocket bricks. The key to foldable phones isn’t just about a bigger screen; it’s about shrinking the bulk. Imagine a Galaxy Z Fold 7, magically slimmed down to rival your everyday phone. Suddenly, carrying a foldable isn’t a chore, it’s a choice. Samsung’s nailing this – the Z Fold 7 feels so natural in hand, so effortlessly portable, that unfolding it almost feels optional. And honestly? Sometimes it is. The sleek profile and that surprisingly useful front display mean you’re not always compelled to unleash the full tablet experience.

To achieve the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s impossibly sleek profile, Samsung made tough choices. The S Pen? It’s gone. Unlike ordinary styluses, the S Pen requires a display-embedded digitizer, adding precious millimeters. Samsung’s gamble: most Fold users skipped the S Pen and its case anyway, prioritizing a slimmer device above all else. Did they make the right call?

But here’s the silver lining: ditching the digitizer actually allowed Samsung to bulk up the ultra-thin glass, making it less prone to cracking. Plus, they re-engineered the hinge, streamlining the design for a smoother fold that all but erases that dreaded crease.

Slipping the Galaxy Z Fold 7 into my palm felt like holding a whisper of technology. Granted, I’ve been cozying up with the OPPO Find N5’s slim profile for months, acclimated to the world of wafer-thin foldables. Yet, the Z Fold 7 possesses an undeniable allure. Perhaps it’s the subtly squared-off edges, a confident geometry that nestles perfectly. Or maybe it’s the tactile embrace of the rear panel, a material symphony against my skin, surpassing even the Find N5 in sheer hand-hugging satisfaction.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7’s front display stretches impressively, almost bezel-less, though atouchmore trimming would be ideal. Turning it around, the showstopper is undeniably the new 200MP camera, flanked by the familiar 10MP telephoto and 12MP ultrawide lenses. While the main camera shines with its upgrade, the telephoto’s stagnation leaves you yearning for next year’s model. However, the pursuit of thinness has a price: the camera bump. Resting the Z Fold 7 flat on a surface is a wobbly affair, practically begging for a case – and even then, a perfectly flush fit isn’t guaranteed.

Let’s dive into colors, shall we? High-end devices often play it safe, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 initially seemed to follow suit with predictable hues. However, Samsung threw us a curveball with the breathtaking Blue Shadow edition. This color is a knockout! Samsung’s been on a blue streak this year, and I’m here for it. But Blue Shadow is moodier, a touch deeper than the Navy gracing the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus. It’s sophisticated, alluring, and genuinely eye-catching.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultimate Review: Displays

Forget thinness – the real Galaxy Z Fold 7 revolution is in your hand before you even unfold it. Remember squinting at that sliver of a screen on the original Fold? Or even the Z Fold 6’s still-too-narrow attempt? Those days are history. Samsung has finally delivered a cover display that’s, dare we say,almostnormal. Sporting a 21:9 aspect ratio, it’s still a touch taller than your average smartphone, but now, it’s actually, genuinely usable. Prepare to ditch the unfold for quick tasks – this front screen is ready for primetime.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7’s outer display has completely changed how I use the device. I almost never unfold it anymore. With 90% of my tasks easily handled on the cover screen, the inner display feels almost…optional. And with Samsung cranking up the brightness on both screens to a scorching 2,600 nits, visibility in direct sunlight is absolutely phenomenal.

The foldable’s interior screen jumps to a spacious 8 inches, boasting a stunning 90% screen-to-body ratio. That’s a genuinely impressive feat in the foldable world, where chunky bezels often linger. But the biggest news? Samsung ditched that awful under-display camera! Good riddance. A standard 10-megapixel hole-punch camera is back, and frankly, it’s a massive upgrade. Plus, the dreaded crease? Considerably minimized for a smoother, more immersive viewing experience.

Forget the Grand Canyon, this year’s crease is more like a subtle valley. You still see it playing peek-a-boo in the right light, a ghostly reminder of folding physics. But here’s the kicker: when you’re actuallyusingthe device, it practically vanishes. Credit Samsung’s new "wingplate" hinge. It’s not just a hinge; it’s a crease-erasing magician. This clever engineering lets the device open wider, resulting in a noticeably flatter display. Remember those older foldables where the crease was front and center, a constant distraction? Those days are gone. Now, the screen is so seamless, the crease rarely crosses my mind. It’s a difference you have to experience to believe, a leap from annoying eyesore to nearly invisible.

Blazing at 2,600 nits, both screens are sun-drenched powerhouses. Direct sunlight? No problem. Visibility is crystal clear… until the heatwave hits. My review unit’s been baking under the summer sun, and that intense brightness becomes a liability. Crank up the screen outdoors, and it starts dimming drastically, vanishing into near-invisibility. The culprit? We’ll dive deeper later, but spoiler alert: the Galaxy Z Fold 7 seems to be missing a vital cooling system.

Buttery smooth visuals and vibrant colors practically leap off the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s display; resisting its allure is a genuine challenge.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultimate Review: Performance

Unleash raw power with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Yes, it’s a $2,000 marvel, and it performs like one. Under the hood roars the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, a beastly overclocked version, paired with a standard 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. But here’s the kicker: Samsung tempts with a 1TB model, supercharging the RAM to 16GB. Planning to ride this foldable stallion for years? Future-proof your investment. That extra RAM isn’t just bragging rights; it’s your ticket to seamlessly handling the deluge of AI innovations on the horizon. Splurge. You won’t regret it.

Is 12GB RAM enough for future AI-powered smartphones like the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Z Fold 7? Right now, it handles all the Gemini and Galaxy AI features just fine. But here’s the head-scratcher: Google’s upping the ante with 16GB on the Pixel 9 Pro, Pro XL, and even the Pro Fold – and they did itlast year! So, why is Samsung holding back? Is it cost? Power consumption? Or are they betting 12GB will still cut it when AI gets evenmoredemanding? Only time will tell, but it’s a gamble that could leave Samsung users feeling shortchanged.

Performance? Flawless. I threw everything at the Galaxy Z Fold 7 – a barrage of apps, multi-window madness, pop-up pandemonium, even picture-in-picture overload. It didn’t flinch. Not a single stutter, hiccup, or moment of lag. The only sign of strain? A gentle warmth, a subtle reminder of the beast lurking beneath the sleek exterior.

Summer sun turns up the heat on this device, dimming the vibrant display. While it stops short of becoming a hand-searing inferno like some competitors, the warmth is noticeable. The culprit? A missing cooling system. It’s a head-scratcher, especially considering last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 sported one. Did the relentless pursuit of thinness claim another victim? OPPO managed to squeeze a substantial vapor chamber into the Find N5, begging the question: Why couldn’t Samsung? Perhaps this is a feature being strategically held back, a cooling comeback destined for the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Heat hasn’t been a persistent problem during my week and a half with the phone. Whether it’s a significant issue is debatable. However, users in warmer climates, such as India, might experience more noticeable heat-related effects.

Benchmarks

The Galaxy Z Fold 7’s benchmark results? Let’s just say they were… temperamental. I chased the numbers, running Geekbench not once, not twice, butfourtimes before the foldable finally coughed up the performance I anticipated. Initial runs? Disappointing. Scores laggedbehindits predecessor, the Z Fold 6. I was aiming for a single-core score flirting with 3000, and a multi-core score flexing between 8000 and 10000. Finally, on the fourth attempt, the Z Fold 7 delivered. The lesson? Benchmark once? Fool me once. Benchmark four times?That’show you get the truth.

The foldable arena is heating up! We pitted the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 against its predecessor, the Z Fold 6 (boosted with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 "for Galaxy"), Google’s contender, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold (fueled by Tensor G4), and the dark horse, OPPO Find N5 (packing a Snapdragon 8 Elite with a 7-core GPU). Buckle up, because the results are about to unfold.

| Device | Geekbench CPU Single-Core | Geekbench CPU Multi-Core | Geekbench GPU | | — | — | — | — | | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 | 3,009 | 9,385 | 18,294 | | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 | 2,107 | 6,319 | 13,541 | | Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold | 1,900 | 3,598 | 6,448 | | OPPO Find N5 | 2,916 | 8,138 | 17,661 |

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 shreds the Z Fold 6 in performance tests, boasting a 40% CPU and 35% GPU speed increase – a solid win for Samsung’s bold claims. But hold on! The OPPO Find N5 puts up a fight, its Snapdragon 8 Elite with vapor chamber nearly matching the Z Fold 7’s might. Meanwhile, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold? Let’s just say it’s lagging far behind.

AnTuTu throws everything but the kitchen sink at the Galaxy Z Fold 7, stress-testing every internal component. The resulting score? Predictably powerful.

| Device | AnTuTu Score | | — | — | | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 | 2,060,275 | | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 | 1,932,987 | | Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold | 1,191,078 | | OPPO Find N5 | 1,787,849 |

Time to crank up the heat and see if the Galaxy Z Fold 7 melts under pressure! We subjected it to the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme Stress Test, a true thermal gauntlet. The results? Let’s just say the Z Fold 7 blinked. Its peak performance hit 5,913, but then the dreaded throttling kicked in, dragging it down to a low of 3,269. This yielded a stability score of 55.3%. Ouch. For comparison, most devices breeze through this test with stability scores in the upper 60s and 70s. Only the titans of cooling, like the OnePlus 13 (boasting an 80%+ stability), stand unscathed. So, throttling is definitely present, but don’t panic. In real-world use, you probably won’t notice the performance dip.

Thermals

Let’s dive into the heat. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 faces a thermal gauntlet, especially crucial given the absence of its predecessor’s cooling system. We push it to its limits with three rigorous tests. First, the 3D Mark Wildlife Extreme Stress Test, a brutal trial that simulates peak performance and exposes the phone’s hottest potential. We meticulously map the device’s surface temperature, pinpointing the thermal hotspots – predictably, the camera area, where the powerful chipset resides, consistently registers the highest temperatures.

| Device | 3D Mark Wildlife Extreme Stress Test – Temp | | — | — | | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 | 110.1 | | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 | 100.4 | | Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold | 109.4 | | OPPO Find N5 | 104.5 |

The heat is on! This test reveals the cooling kings: the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and OPPO Find N5, thanks to their vapor chamber tech. The Galaxy Z Fold 7? Surprisingly, it ran hotter than even the notoriously toasty Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

We pushed the Galaxy Z Fold 7 to its limits, diving into an hourlong Genshin Impact session cranked to maximum brightness and graphics. The result? While it edged out the Pixel 9 Pro Fold by a hair, the Z Fold 7 still ran noticeably hotter than the competition rocking vapor chamber cooling solutions. Prepare for some serious heat!

| Device | Genshin Impact – Temp | | — | — | | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 | 101.2 | | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 | 99.6 | | Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold | 106.7 | | OPPO Find N5 | 92.5 |

Let’s crank up the heat – literally! We put the Galaxy Z Fold 7 through a 4K60 torture test, recording for a grueling 10 minutes. Five minutes in, we checked its temperature, then again at the 10-minute mark. The verdict? The Z Fold 7 shrugged it off like a polar bear in July. While other phones might melt down, the Z Fold 7 kept its cool, staying well within our "not-gonna-fry-an-egg" zone of under 100 degrees at 10 minutes. Consider it a win for thermal management!

| Device | Camera Test – 5m | Camera Test – 10m | | — | — | — | | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 | 95.7 | 99.8 | | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 | 92.8 | 95.5 | | Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold | 84.5 | 85.6 | | OPPO Find N5 | 99.2 | 104.1 |

Forget the shivers – the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is running ice cold, likely a testament to Google’s camera optimization wizardry. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is bringing the heat, outperforming even the OPPO Find N5 in thermal tests.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultimate Review: Battery life and Charging

Forget the spec sheet. Yes, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 sticks with a 4,400mAh battery. Disappointing, right? Hold that thought. Remember how the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with its “measly” 5,000mAh battery, crushed the OnePlus 13 and its seemingly superior 6,000mAh power pack? This isn’t just about numbers; it’s a masterclass in optimization.

Twelve days into my Galaxy Z Fold 7 experiment, and the battery life is putting in work. My typical day starts around 6 or 7 am when I yank it off the charger. I push it hard until around 11 pm, squeezing out a solid 5-7 hours of screen time. By the time it hits the charging pad at night, it’s flirting with the single digits. It’s a daily marathon runner, not an ultra-marathoner. It conquers the full day, but don’t expect it to power through a second.

It can get me through a full day, but not much more than that, to be honest.

Color me surprised! I braced myself for a measly 3-5 hours of screen-on time with this battery, but it blew past my predictions. Battery life lands somewhere between "decent" and "impressive," but it’s not dethroning any kings. The OPPO Find N5 still reigns supreme in my foldable world, consistently delivering a glorious 10 hours of screen time.

The Galaxy Z Fold’s charging speed feels like a step behind. 25W? C’mon, Samsung! Let’s bring it up to par with the S25 Plus and Ultra’s 45W. Overnight charging softens the blow, sure, but a quicker power boost is always welcome. Thankfully, wireless charging and reverse wireless charging offer some convenient alternatives.

Benchmarks

"To gauge real-world endurance, each phone faces our grueling battery test. Forget synthetic simulations – we’re talking a full-on, 24-hour YouTube marathon. We max out the brightness to around 200 nits, ensuring a visual feast, then unplug the device. We let the video stream uninterrupted, draining the battery to its last gasp of 1%. How did the Galaxy Z Fold 7 fare in this ultimate stamina challenge?"

| Device | Battery Time | Charging Time | | — | — | — | | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 | 20:02:30 | 1:16:49 | | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 | 15:35:03 | 1:19:00 | | Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold | 18:35:25 | 1:27:33 | | OPPO Find N5 | 20:17:45 | 0:50:10 |

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 isn’t just an upgrade; it’s a leap. Surpassing the Z Fold 6 and rivaling the OPPO Find N5, Samsung clearly poured its energy into optimizing video playback. Prepare for a dramatically enhanced viewing experience.

Charging gets a speed boost, trimming over two minutes compared to last year, even with identical capacity and wattage. The outlier? The OPPO Find N5, flaunting 80W charging via USB-A, leaving the competition in the dust.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultimate Review: Software

Hold the phone – literally! Samsung just flipped the script with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Forget playing catch-up, this foldable powerhouse is blazing a trail, launching with Android 16 and One UI 8 right out of the box. It’s a bold move for Samsung, a company known for its foldables arrivingbeforethe latest Android fanfare. But this year? They’re leading the charge. And the real shocker? One UI 8, despite a lighter beta testing period than its predecessor, feels surprisingly refined. Get ready for a foldable experience that’s both cutting-edge and polished.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 is future-proofed with an impressive 7-year update guarantee, mirroring the commitment seen in the Z Fold 6 and other recent Samsung flagships. This long-term support places Samsung in an elite tier, currently shared only by Google, ensuring your foldable stays cutting-edge for years to come.

Samsung’s foldable software reigns supreme, largely due to its optimization magic. Mastering a unique aspect ratio is key when your phone transforms into a mini-tablet. Samsung excels at coaxing apps to fill that glorious 8-inch inner display. The result? An immersive experience, though not always flawless. Zoom issues can crop up, ironically shrinking content compared to the 6.5-inch cover screen. The culprit? Many Android apps still stumble on tablet-sized stages, a challenge Google’s been tackling to refine software.

Unleash Samsung’s multitasking prowess with a simple swipe! Transform your apps into nimble pop-up windows with a swift downward gesture from the right edge of the screen. Craving a dual-screen experience? Just slide inwards from the left or right and dive into the world of multi-window mastery. While Samsung’s gesture is undeniably useful, I can’t help but feel a tinge of envy for OPPO’s elegant Boundless View. The ability to split the screen with a single downward swipe in the center feels intuitively brilliant.

AI’s inescapable. Gemini’s landed on the scene. The Galaxy Z Fold 7? A little Gemini-lite. The real AI fireworks are on the Flip 7. Gemini Live? It works. Power button shortcut? Ditto. But Circle to Search? That’s where the magic is. Picture this: in-game hints, pulled up on demand. Game changer.

Galaxy AI just got a shot of adrenaline! It’s noticeably quicker now than on the original Galaxy S25 Ultra release. Forget gimmicky AI fluff; Samsung’s packing genuinely useful features that seamlessly integrate into your workflow. This isn’t just about checking an "AI" box; it’s about tools thatwork.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7, graced with the fluidity of One UI 8, delivers a near-flawless experience. I encountered just a fleeting hiccup with YouTube, a momentary stutter that felt more like a heat-induced siesta than a software stumble. Otherwise, silk smooth.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultimate Review: Camera

Foldable phones: they promise the future, but their cameras? Usually a compromise. That was before the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra landed on my desk. Coming fresh off reviewingthatcamera setup, the difference between it and the upgraded-but-still-lacking Galaxy Z Fold 7 is… well, let’s just say the bar phone world isn’t looking back anytime soon.

The camera gets a megapixel injection, jumping to a 200MP main sensor – the same powerhouse found in the Galaxy S25 Ultra and S25 Edge. It’s a solid performer, sure, but let’s be honest, it doesn’t quite reach the astronomical heights of some camera-centric phones blazing trails in China. Sadly, the 3x 10MP telephoto lens clings on for another round, alongside the familiar 12MP ultrawide. Silver lining? The ultrawide finally gains autofocus, unlocking a world of crisp, detailed macro photography.

The primary sensor? A solid performer, though not quite a chart-topper. In ample light, it snaps images with pleasing clarity and detail. However, as the sun dips, its performance noticeably falters, struggling to maintain image quality in dimmer environments.

The 3x telephoto lens? Let’s just say it’s a fair-weather friend. When the sun shines bright, it delivers decent shots. But dim the lights even a little, and the image quality takes a nosedive. Frankly, I question its necessity. That 200-megapixel main sensor packs enough punch to digitally zoom to 3x with impressive results, rendering the dedicated telephoto somewhat redundant.

The 200MP sensor? A respectable effort, but frankly, it’s playing in the minor leagues compared to the camera behemoths ruling the Chinese smartphone market.

Considering it’s packing a modest 10-megapixel sensor, the zoom capabilities are surprisingly punchy, especially at 10x and even pushing to 30x. Sure, details soften as you crank up the magnification, but remember, we’re talking about digital zoom on a 10MP canvas. To see how it handles the stretch, check out these shots at 3x, 10x, and then a full-throttle 30x.

While the zoom isn’t exactly a superpower, check out these 3x magnified moments I managed to capture.

Generative Edit: Still mind-blowing. While not exactly "new," the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Z Fold 7 are wielding seriously impressive photo-editing superpowers. Think vanishing acts for unwanted objects, effortless resizing, and the ability to completely rearrange your compositions. Want proof? I snapped a photo jammed with parked cars. With a few taps, they were GONE. See the before-and-after below. Honestly, the execution still feels like magic.

While not the undisputed champion, the new camera shows definite improvement. The primary sensor holds its own against the OPPO Find N5, though OPPO still reigns supreme in telephoto prowess. Fingers crossed for a telephoto upgrade from Samsung next year! Its current 1/3.94″, 10-megapixel sensor feels a bit outdated. Historically, Samsung refines one camera per year on its Galaxy S Ultra line, and we anticipate a similar upgrade trajectory for the Galaxy Z Fold.

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7?

Another foldable review, another fleeting romance. Usually, these gadgets become my daily obsession, only to be replaced by my trusty iPhone within days. Battery woes, app compatibility, the sheer heft – the iPhone always lures me back. But the Galaxy Z Fold 7? This is different. I’ve tried. Multiple times. I tell myself the iPhone is better, I miss it, then… I’m unlocking the Fold 7 again. Samsung has brewed something addictive this year. It’s fantastic. And the best part? They can still one-up themselves next year.

The Galaxy Z Fold’s price tag just jumped to $1,999. Ouch. Is it still worth bending over backward for? If you’re itching to join the foldable revolution and have a decent trade-in, absolutely. Deals are making the Z Fold 7 practically a steal. But dropping two grand outright? That’s a tougher call. Unless you’reabsolutely certaina foldable future is for you, hold onto your wallet.

"The missing S Pen? Honestly, good riddance. It was gathering digital dust on my S25 Ultra, a stylus-shaped paperweight. So, its absence on the Z Fold 7? Not a deal-breaker. More like a freeing experience."

It took 7 generations, but Samsung has finally given us what we’ve always wanted from a foldable.

You should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 if:

• You want a thin foldable, with great software.
• You want the best foldable in the US.
• You want the only new foldable with Android 16 (for now).

You should not buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 if:

• You use the S Pen constantly.
• You want the best battery life on a foldable.

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