Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review – Better than ever

Where to buy

Would I recommend the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7?

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

If you've been eyeing a Samsung foldable for a while or been wanting to upgrade from an older model, then it's the year to consider the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Normally, year-on-year upgrades are minimal but this time around, the design changes alongside other incremental upgrades have made the latest foldable stand on its own two feet.

My absolute biggest caveat here is that it's hella pricey, especially following price bumps this year.

• $2,899 for 256GB
• $3,099 for 512GB
• $3,549 for 1TB

You could get a tablet and a flagship phone at those prices, and that begs the question - would you prefer an almost two-in-one device or would you prefer two separate gadgets?

Keep in mind there's no stylus pen support anymore, which I'm not super mad about, but it could be a dealbreaker for S-Pen loyalists.

The only silver lining is that Samsung and other retailers tend to sling really good deals on Android phones (such as trade-in offers) at various points of the year.

Even if you missed out on pre-order offers, you could still get lucky with a good deal, and I would urge you to consider the gorgeous Blue Shadow colour unless you plan to slap a cover on it.

Here's a comparison of the specs for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Z Fold 6 vs the S25 Ultra.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 design is the update we've been waiting for

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

My main gripe with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and previous iterations has always been their bulkiness and narrow screens. Samsung's finally gotten that right with some magical reworking of the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

It's 24g lighter than the previous model and looks more like a normal handset when closed - both the cover and main screens have sized up, and when unfolded, you barely notice the crease unless you hold it at a certain angle.

In fact, the cover screen truly hits the sweet spot, and I've found myself using it the majority of the time unless I'm gaming, streaming videos or multitasking. Typing away is so much easier now, too.

You also couldn't ask it to be any thinner. There would be no space for a charging port, and I'd fear for its fragility even more than I do already, even though it's using Samsung's Enhanced Armour Aluminium material, which is meant to be pretty tough!

Despite the thin form factor, the fingerprint sensor on the side works like a charm, but pressing the power button gets a bit annoying as it's almost flush with the device.

My only other issue is that the camera bump is quite chonky and makes the phone wobble when it's face up on flat surfaces. It's not a dealbreaker, but again, slightly annoying.

Galaxy Z Fold 7's performance is hard to beat and the software keeps up

As expected, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 excels in performance thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. Every action seems instantaneous, whether you're jumping from one app to another or running AI functions such as live chatting with Gemini.

I even took the Asphalt Legends game for a spin, and everything held up fantastically, graphics and all. The phone did heat up slightly, but it wasn't worrisome.

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

The One UI 8 on Android 16 really enhances the multitasking possibilities. You can have up to 8 apps open in the internal screen at the same time, or have a 90:10 split where you can keep one app easily slid into a corner for when you need it.

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

Expect the usual slew of AI features from the S25 series, such as transcription and audio editing tools, Circle to Search, and Now Brief. The Generative Edit feature also lets you split-screen to see your original image next to your edited one. I've specifically found this very handy.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 battery life is still pretty good

A fair few people have been complaining about the Galaxy Z Fold 7 having unchanged battery specs from the Fold 6.

Now the battery capacity (4,400mAh) isn't going to win any crowns, but it's not a setback either, as it's comfortably lasted me over a day with moderate use. You can expect about 5-6 hours of screen time in general.

Much-needed camera upgrade

Finally, we now have a 200MP main camera similar to what you get on the S25 Ultra and S25 Edge.

The camera setup also includes a 12MP ultra-wide camera and a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x zoom.

The front-facing camera on the main display has also had a glow-up, moving from an under-display 4MP to a much clearer 10MP punch-hole camera. It may seem like a minor change, but it offers a big impact, especially when you're on a video call.

All these upgrades have been much needed, given the asking price of the phone. The only thing I wish is the 5x zooms you find on flagship slab phones to avoid the often soft and grainy output when capturing distant objects.

Otherwise, I can't complain. The photos are crisp, true to colour, and low-light images look pretty good too. So while it's not the same setup as the S25 Ultra, I don't see much reason to fault it.

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

Image: Mariam Gabaji/Finder

Final musings

Regurgitating what I've already said at the start, I'm more than impressed by the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and if you were on the fence about it, I'd say this is the year to potentially put those reservations at bay.

Especially if you're after a 2-in-1 phone and tablet situationship.

The phone is as smart as it gets and makes it high on my list of tech releases for the year, even despite some minor grievances.

My main caveat still stands, though. It's an expensive beast and more fragile than a normal handset.

I've personally been terrified of taking it around with me to test, more so than I would with any other regular phone.

But if you put the quirks or concerns aside, it's undeniably an exciting phone to have.

All opinions expressed in this review are based on the author's own experience with the phone. Use this review for informational purposes only.

How to buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 on a phone plan

You can sign up for a 12-, 24-, or 36-month phone repayment plan with Optus, Telstra or Vodafone.

How to buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 outright

Price

From $2,899

Where to buy

Check availability at eBay

Check availability at Amazon