Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: I Finally Get The Folding Phone Hype

As somebody who writes about telephones for a residing, there’s one class of system that I constantly like to hate.

Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration, however for the longest time, I couldn’t get my head round (book-style) folding telephones in any respect. Why on earth would you spend greater than double the value of an everyday smartphone on a fats, cumbersome system that provides little or no real-world profit?

Nevertheless, when looking for a Samsung cellphone to change to final month (I used to be craving the candy, candy flavour of One UI 8 software program), the Galaxy Z Fold 7 was the one one I may monitor down.

So, I had a choice to make: persist with the Pixel 10 Professional XL that had served me properly for a number of months, or change to the software program I wished in a kind issue I actually didn’t. In different phrases, proceed with my £1,099/$1,099 handset or transfer to a £1,799/$1,899 one. I’m positive you’re very sympathetic to this dilemma.

In the long run, I reluctantly opted for the Z Fold 7, urging myself to maintain an open thoughts about foldables. Possibly they’re really good now?

Virtually 4 weeks later, I’m sitting right here scripting this as a modified man. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 has been a pleasure to make use of, and helped persuade me of the long-term prospects of foldables. Simply as with Google’s Gemini AI assistant, my opinion has been completely remodeled.

A daily smartphone – till it isn’t

Traditionally, the most important drawback I’ve had with foldables has been their design.

Early folding telephones had been laughably cumbersome, with a chunky, heavy construct that felt like two handsets clumsily caught collectively.

Reviewing 2024’s Honor Magic V3 helped me realise simply how far they’d are available just some years, however that system was badly let down by a cluttered, complicated software program expertise. Against this, Samsung’s equal Galaxy Z Fold 6 nailed the software program however paired it with a dated design.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Final 12 months, Samsung lastly noticed sense, delivering the wholesale chassis upgrades that many had been craving.

The general footprint of the system shrank massively, igniting a debate with the Honor Magic V5 over which was the world’s thinnest folding cellphone.

However I didn’t care about that: the essential factor is that it’s simply 8.9mm when closed – barely thicker than most common telephones. The define in my pocket definitely wasn’t very noticeable.

And at 215g, it’s a full 24g lighter than its predecessor. A couple of years in the past, switching to a foldable that weighed lower than an everyday cellphone would’ve been unthinkable. However that’s precisely what occurred after I moved from the 232g Pixel 10 Professional XL.

The opposite large compromise of early foldables – the crease down the center of the inner show – has additionally mainly been eradicated. You’ll be able to nonetheless really feel it while you run your finger down it, however there’s no impact on the beautiful 8-inch panel and its excellent viewing expertise.

Instantly after switching, I marvelled on the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s design and was quickly exhibiting it off to family and friends. After almost seven years as a tech journalist, that’s one thing I mainly by no means do nowadays.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

And crucially, the dramatic {hardware} enhancements aren’t confined to the design and construct…

The times of spec compromise are over

For much too lengthy, shopping for a foldable meant severely compromising on core specs. Whether or not it was efficiency, battery life or (mostly) cameras, there was at all times a vital ingredient lacking. Contemplating their sky-high value tags, this was understandably a serious dealbreaker for most individuals.

Nevertheless, I’m glad to report that Samsung has gone a protracted method to closing that hole (actually) on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The system is each bit pretty much as good because the Galaxy S25 Extremely in all of the areas that matter most to me.

Its Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset is an identical, as is the superb 200Mp major rear digital camera – the one one you need to actually care about, on condition that it may be used for selfies in addition to common pictures.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

With two beautiful shows as an alternative of 1, the Z Fold 7 delivers a fair higher viewing expertise, particularly for Netflix and YouTube. The boxy 6:5 side ratio means you’ll get the black bars (letterboxing) above and past the content material, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a serious web acquire.

It’s additionally proved very helpful for shared experiences. If I’m doing an NYT Video games crossword with my mum or exhibiting pals some pictures, it feels a lot extra pure to only open up the system and share the display comfortably from a distance.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

I used to be anticipating the smaller 4400mAh battery to be a giant trade-off, nevertheless it hasn’t been. I’ve been getting between two and three days of sunshine utilization on a single cost, so even heavy customers ought to have the ability to go a full day with out too many points.

The one actual snag is charging speeds, that are nonetheless painfully sluggish, at simply 25W. Over an hour for a full cost feels glacial by trendy requirements, particularly with the newest Galaxy S26 Extremely introducing 60W assist to widen the hole.

Nevertheless, my conclusion stays the identical: the Galaxy Z Fold 7 doesn’t compromise on any of the smartphone specs that matter most to me. And the second show affords a viewing expertise that no common smartphone can match.

No-one does software program like Samsung

Software program was the massive motive I wished to change to a Samsung cellphone, and it hasn’t upset.

I already knew that One UI 8 was my favorite cellphone software program. It’s slick, intuitive and extremely customisable, whereas providing a few of the finest first-party widgets within the enterprise.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

However what actually shocked me was how properly it labored on the bigger inside display. All of Samsung’s inventory apps have been optimised to profit from the additional area, that means you’ll be able to usually see twice as a lot data at a look.

Impressively, this extends to third-party apps I exploit every day. The addition of a everlasting sidebar transforms WhatsApp, whereas Google Images permits you to entry all the important thing choices with out leaving the principle gallery display. Even NYT Video games, the app I exploit most proper now, makes the puzzles a lot larger than they in any other case could be.

Alongside easy-to-use multitasking options similar to break up display for as much as three apps, floating home windows and Edge panels for a built-in pace dial of types (I’m not a fan), it’s a complete setup.

Luke Baker

Additionally, I actually admire that the default launcher permits you to disable the app drawer. I’ve been attempting to cut back my senseless cellphone utilization lots over the previous few weeks, and eradicating such quick access to my most distracting apps has helped lots. By stowing them away in folders, I’m pressured to be extra intentional.

Oh, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will likely be supported with working system and safety updates for greater than six extra years, that means it’ll be secure to make use of till 2032. Very good.

Whereas software program stays the most important weak point of the Honor Magic V5, I’d argue it’s one of many Galaxy Z Fold 7’s core strengths.

Not as costly as it could appear

Regardless of all its steps ahead, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 stays a prohibitively costly system for a lot of. Its £1,799/$1,899 RRP remains to be eye-watering, and I doubt even a giant low cost could be sufficient for most individuals to noticeably contemplate shopping for it.

In truth, if you wish to purchase your cellphone outright, I’d argue that the £199/$199.99 Galaxy A17 5G affords all the things most individuals are in search of at a fraction of the value.

After all, you may desire to get your cellphone on contract, because it means that you can break up the price of a dear handset into extra manageable month-to-month funds.

And, while you have a look at it that manner, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 doesn’t appear so extortionate – not less than within the UK.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

I’m not about to counsel that paying £62.99 a month for twenty-four months is affordable, however is it far more than you’d cough out for non-folding flagships? A fast have a look at costs for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Extremely, Google Pixel 10 Professional XL and iPhone 17 Professional Max suggests not.

Confronted with paying only some kilos further every month, many individuals would fortunately stretch to a tool that higher fits their wants. So, in the event you genuinely assume you’ll get worth out of the inner show, choosing the Z Fold 7 won’t be so ridiculous in any case.

Galaxy Z Fold 7: Stick or twist?

Given how impressed I’ve been, you may assume that I’ll proceed to make use of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for the foreseeable future.

However that’s not the case. In truth, I’m very eager to maneuver to an everyday Samsung Galaxy cellphone with just one display as quickly as doable.

The rationale for that is easy. My cellphone is enjoying an more and more peripheral function in my life, as a instrument to have interaction with life somewhat than substitute it with a web-based existence.

For analysis and productiveness, I a lot desire the bodily keyboard on my laptop computer. For leisure, nothing comes near a devoted TV and soundbar. And, as my gaming is restricted to NYT Video games puzzles, cell titles aren’t on my radar in any respect.

Luke Baker

These are the three situations wherein the Galaxy Z Fold 7 affords huge advantages in comparison with an everyday smartphone. As I don’t need to use my cellphone for any of them, I’ll persist with a superb old style common cellphone.

I’m eyeing up a transfer to final 12 months’s Galaxy S25+, which affords all the advantages of One UI 8 inside a single-screen system and a a lot lighter 190g chassis.

I’m not ruling out returning to the world of foldables longer-term, however Samsung (and others) should do much more to persuade me {that a} second display is indispensable.

Possibly the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8, which is rumoured to be out there in a brand new widescreen variant, would be the system that does it. Or it would even be the long-awaited foldable iPhone.