When Samsung teased the Z Fold 7, I thought "wow, that looks incredibly thin." But nothing prepared me for actually holding it.
I was pleasantly surprised. Actually, shocked is more accurate.
Even my video editor walked into the office, picked it up, and asked: "How is this even possible? How did they build this?"
Kudos to Samsung. While other brands launched thin foldables, Samsung said "challenge accepted"—and made something even better.
Here's the truth: holding the Z Fold 7 doesn't feel like holding a foldable phone. It feels like a candy bar phone. And not even a heavy one.
Let me explain why this changes everything.
The Unboxing: Flat Box, Flatter Phone
The Z Fold 7 comes in an absolutely flat box—because this is genuinely a thin phone.
What's inside:
- The phone (obviously)
- SIM card tool
- USB-C to USB-C charging cable
- Documentation
That's it. Simple, minimal, focused on the device itself.
The Moment of Truth: Holding It
The first time you pick up the Z Fold 7, something feels wrong. Not bad wrong—wonderfully wrong.
I use the Galaxy S25 Ultra daily, and somehow this foldable feels lighter than that candy bar flagship.
The numbers prove it:
- Z Fold 7: 217 grams
- S25 Ultra: 228 grams
Think about that for a second. A foldable phone with two screens is 11 grams lighter than a traditional flagship. That's engineering magic.
The Thickness Evolution Is Insane
Let's put this in perspective:
- Z Fold 1 (first generation): 17.1mm thick
- Z Fold 6 (last year): 12.1mm thick
- Z Fold 7 (this year): 8.99mm thick
That's nearly a 40-50% reduction over the previous generation. And remember—this is folded thickness. When unfolded, it's even thinner.
Want to know how thin? Look at your USB-C port. That's roughly the thickness of this phone when unfolded. Yeah, it's that thin.
The Drop Test: Surprisingly Durable
Despite being incredibly thin, Samsung didn't compromise on durability.
Protection includes:
- Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front cover display
- Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back
- IP48 certification (upgraded from IPX8)
I dropped it from 3.5 feet—both front and back. Not a scratch. Not a crack. Completely fine.
(And no, the "camera reflection" people see in some angles isn't damage—it's just how light hits the camera module.)
The Cover Display Problem Is Finally Solved
This was my biggest complaint with the Z Fold 6 after using it for 3-4 months. The cover display was too narrow, making typing cramped and awkward.
The Z Fold 7 fixes this completely:
- 6.5-inch cover display
- 21:9 aspect ratio (much wider than before)
- LTPO display with 120Hz refresh rate
- 2,600 nits peak brightness
You can do 95-98% of your daily tasks on this cover screen without ever opening the phone. It feels like using a normal candy bar phone—because it basically is one now.
The keyboard is no longer cramped. Typing feels natural. WhatsApp messages, emails, social media—everything works perfectly in folded form.
The Inner Display: Tablet-Sized Excellence
When you do unfold it, you're greeted with an 8-inch display that's nearly square (slightly tall, but close).
Specs:
- 8-inch main display
- LTPO technology with 120Hz refresh rate
- 2,600 nits peak brightness
- Samsung's Vision Booster for outdoor visibility
Both displays—front and inside—share the same 2,600-nit peak brightness. That means excellent outdoor visibility whether you're using it folded or unfolded.
Camera: Serious Upgrade Over Z Fold 6
Samsung clearly used the S25 Edge as a testing ground for this camera system, and it shows.
Camera setup:
- 200MP primary sensor
- 12MP ultra-wide camera
- 10MP 3x telephoto camera
- 10MP selfie camera (cover display)
- 10MP under-display camera (main display—now a proper punch hole)
The shift from a 4MP under-display camera to a 10MP punch-hole is noticeable and welcome. I'm perfectly fine with this change.
Portrait mode is exceptional. The 3x telephoto produces stunning portraits. Even 2x zoom from the 200MP sensor delivers optical-quality results.
I shot tons of photos in various conditions in New York and locally—the results are consistently impressive. Colors are accurate, dynamic range is excellent, and detail is sharp.
Video Capabilities
All sensors can shoot 4K 60fps. Plus:
- 10-bit HDR video support
- Galaxy Log video for professional color grading
- Pro Visual Engine for better low-light performance
Whether you're shooting for professional work or social media, this camera system delivers.
Performance: Snapdragon 8 Elite Dominates
The Z Fold 7 runs on Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Elite processor.
Available configurations:
- 12GB RAM + 256GB storage
- 12GB RAM + 512GB storage
- 16GB RAM + 1TB storage (new!)
All variants use LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage—the fastest currently available.
Benchmark scores:
- AnTuTu: 2.2 million+
- Geek Bench multi-core: Over 10,000
These are excellent numbers, and more importantly, the phone feels optimized. After 3-4 days of heavy use—lots of photos, videos, multitasking—I haven't experienced a single bug, stutter, or lag.
That's rare for a new phone, especially with new software.
Battery: Smaller Capacity, Better Optimization
The battery remains 4,400mAh—same as the Z Fold 6.
Charging specs:
- 25W wired charging
- 15W wireless charging
- 4.5W reverse wireless charging
Despite the unchanged capacity, Samsung claims full-day battery life thanks to the more efficient Snapdragon 8 Elite and One UI 8 optimizations.
My real-world testing: 5.5-6 hours screen-on time with mixed usage of both displays. For a normal user, this easily lasts a full day.
If you use the cover display 90-95% of the time (which is likely), battery life will be even better.
Software: One UI 8 on Android 16
The Z Fold 7 ships with One UI 8 based on Android 16—one of the first phones to do so.
Key software features:
Enhanced Security
Knox provides sandbox protection. Your WhatsApp data, messages, and media are completely isolated—no other app can access them. It's like building a wall around your sensitive information.
Customization Options
- Customizable wallpapers with more options
- Interactive widgets that actually do things
- Highly customizable lock screen
- Dynamic elements throughout the UI
Galaxy AI Features
- Now Brief for contextual information
- Now Bar on the lock screen
- Writing Assist for better text composition
- Transcript Assist for recordings
- Photo Assist with generative AI editing
Important clarification from the launch event: Galaxy AI subscriptions are NOT coming for at least 2-3 years. Everything is free, and you have control over whether AI processing happens on-device or in the cloud.
Multitasking: Where Foldables Shine
The 8-inch display makes multitasking genuinely useful, not just a gimmick.
- Run two apps side-by-side seamlessly
- Bottom taskbar for quick app switching
- Create app pairs for common combinations
- Edit photos while referencing source material
The optimizations Samsung has made for this foldable form factor are unmatched. No other manufacturer comes close to this level of software polish for foldables.
The Google-Samsung Partnership Shows
It's clear Google and Samsung are working closely together. The integration shows in One UI 8's polish and optimization.
Even though this is a brand new software version on a brand new Android build, the experience feels mature and refined.
Audio and Multimedia: Excellent Despite Thinness
Given how incredibly thin this phone is, I was concerned about audio quality.
I shouldn't have been.
The stereo speakers deliver very good sound quality. Not groundbreaking, but definitely good enough for multimedia consumption.
HDR support works across Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube. The large 8-inch display makes content consumption genuinely enjoyable.
Haptic Feedback: No Compromises
When making a phone this thin, haptic feedback often suffers. Not here.
The haptic motors are excellent—satisfying, precise, and responsive. Samsung nailed this detail that many manufacturers overlook.
Sensors and Connectivity
Biometrics:
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor (perfectly positioned)
- Face unlock
Connectivity:
- Wi-Fi 7 support
- Bluetooth 5.4
- All 5G bands supported
- Ultra-wideband
- NFC for tap-and-pay
- eSIM support (dual eSIM capable)
- USB 3.2 Gen 1 for fast data transfers
What's missing:
- No notification LED
- No FM radio
- No IR blaster
- No S Pen support (still)
The IP48 certification is an upgrade from the Z Fold 6's IPX8 rating—now you get dust resistance too.
Durability: Built to Last
While Samsung hasn't specified an exact fold count rating, based on the build quality and previous generations, 400,000-500,000 folds should be no issue.
Importantly: After-sales serviceability has improved significantly. Repairs are much easier now, which matters for long-term ownership.
Color Options
Three standard colors:
- Blue (the one I'm reviewing—it's stunning)
- Silver Shadow
- Jet Black
Online exclusive: Mint color (also very nice)
Should You Buy It?
This is one of the best foldable phones ever made. Actually, let me go further: it's one of the most optimized foldables that delivers on every expectation.
You'll love it if:
- You've been waiting for a foldable that feels like a normal phone
- Thinness and weight matter to you
- You want excellent multitasking capabilities
- The 6.5-inch cover display solves your usability concerns
- You appreciate top-tier optimization and polish
You might skip it if:
- You need S Pen support (still not included)
- You want the absolute longest battery life possible
- You're perfectly happy with your current phone
The Experience is Indescribable
I keep saying this: go to a Samsung store and hold it. If you don't think "wow" (at least mentally, if not out loud), let me know.
The in-hand feel is something I genuinely can't fully describe in words. It needs to be experienced.
After using it for several days, I'm convinced this is the foldable many people have been waiting for—one that doesn't feel like a compromise, but rather like the future of smartphones that's finally arrived.
Have you been holding off on foldables because of thickness or usability concerns? Does the Z Fold 7 finally address your hesitations? Let me know in the comments!