First Impressions: Why the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Matters
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is more than the next iteration of Samsung’s premium foldable line—it’s a statement of where mobile hardware is headed in 2025. In our exclusive hands-on, the lighter 215-gram chassis immediately stands out, shaving crucial grams off last year’s Fold Special Edition. Slip the device in your pocket and you can feel Samsung’s commitment to comfort without compromising durability. The hinge feels tighter, the frame flatter, and the sharp edges give it a refined, almost Note-like silhouette. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is, on first touch, the most polished Samsung foldable phone yet.
Samsung has timed its innovation perfectly. Global demand for large-screen multitasking phones is climbing, and competitors like Google’s Pixel Fold and OnePlus Open are nipping at Samsung’s heels. By dropping weight, narrowing bezels, and partnering with Google AI Pro for creative tools, Samsung aims to lock in its lead. In short, this hands-on confirms the Fold 7’s mission: deliver true tablet power in a smartphone footprint.
If you’re comparing devices, check our deep dive into Galaxy Z Flip 7 rumors and last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 review for context. For now, let’s explore what makes the Fold 7 the most anticipated Galaxy yet.
Design & Build: Slimmer, Lighter, and Wider Than Ever
Samsung’s design team has delivered a dramatic redesign with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Measuring an expected 3.9 mm when fully unfolded, this device is poised to be the thinnest large-screen foldable on the market, eclipsing the 12.1 mm profile of the Fold 6. The widened cover display—rumored to gain over 10 mm in width—finally feels like a traditional smartphone screen instead of a narrow remote control. Everyday tasks such as messaging, casual browsing, and mobile payments become natural rather than cramped.
Weight is another headline spec. At just 215 g, the phone is noticeably lighter than the Fold Special Edition’s 236 g, a cut that users will appreciate after a full day of commuting, streaming, or gaming. Samsung achieves this by switching to a magnesium alloy mid-frame, trimming hinge components, and refining its Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) layers.
Aesthetics haven’t been ignored either. While the classic Phantom Black returns, the new Blue Shadow variant—rich, metallic, and vibrant—offers a refreshing departure from the usual monochrome palette. The protruding triple-lens camera module asserts the phone’s flagship status and subtly hints at the 200-megapixel main sensor hiding beneath.
Curious about past design iterations? Our Galaxy Z Fold 5 teardown article and durability testing report provide valuable historical context on how Samsung’s hinge technology evolved.
Display Innovations: Cover Screen Convenience & 8-Inch Immersion
Display upgrades define the Galaxy Z Fold 7 experience. Up front, a 6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with 120 Hz adaptive refresh finally reaches a comfortable 20:9 aspect ratio, eliminating the narrow feel of previous generations. Open the phone and an expansive 8-inch QXGA+ inner screen awaits, ideal for multitasking, gaming, and content creation. This inner screen retains Samsung’s Ultra-Thin Glass but adds a new anti-reflection layer that cuts glare by 30 %—crucial for outdoor use.
A subtle yet meaningful change is the reduced crease depth. Hands-on inspection reveals a gentler valley, making stylus input smoother. While an S Pen Fold Edition is still sold separately, the bigger canvas turns note-taking or sketching into a near-tablet experience.
Brightness is expected to peak at 2,800 nits, matching Galaxy S25 Ultra rumors and ensuring HDR10+ movies look punchy. Paired with Dolby Atmos speakers, Netflix binge-watching on that 8-inch display feels cinematic, whether you’re on a flight or your living-room couch.
After this section we embed the full YouTube hands-on video so you can assess the panels in motion and judge color fidelity for yourself.
Performance & Hardware: Snapdragon 8 Elite and Google AI Pro
Powering the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite (tentative branding for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4), fabricated on a 3 nm process for improved efficiency. Benchmarks leaked on Geekbench point to a multi-core score 18 % higher than the Fold 6, translating to smoother multitasking across the inner screen’s triple-app layout. Paired with 12 GB or 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage up to 1 TB, the phone is a pocket powerhouse.
Samsung’s partnership with Google AI Pro steals headlines. Every Galaxy Z Fold 7 buyer is rumored to receive a six-month subscription valued at $19.99 a month. Features include Chat V3 Fast for instant content summaries, Flow AI for automated video edits, and real-time language transcription—perfect for business travelers who need an AI assistant on standby.
Thermals worried you last year? The Fold 7 employs a redesigned vapor-chamber cooling solution that spans both halves of the chassis. Early stress tests show sustained GPU performance in 20-minute Genshin Impact runs without throttling. Battery life should also improve: a 4,700 mAh dual-cell pack combined with a more efficient chipset targets a full 24 hours of moderate usage.
For readers interested in raw numbers, don’t miss our upcoming benchmark comparison pitting Galaxy Z Fold 7 against the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Pixel Fold 2.
Camera & Software: 200 MP Sensor Meets One UI 7.0
Samsung elevates mobile photography with a 200-megapixel ISOCELL HP-type sensor on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. This is the first time a Fold series device inherits Ultra-class imaging hardware. Pixel-binning down to 12.5 MP yields brighter low-light shots, while an updated laser autofocus system reduces focusing lag in night portrait mode. The protruding lens is no vanity choice; it houses a new ƒ/1.7 aperture that captures 23 % more light than the Fold 6.
Complementing the main shooter is a 12 MP ultra-wide and a 10 MP 3x telephoto capable of 30x digital zoom. Video recording expands to 8K at 30 fps, aided by improved optical image stabilization. During our hands-on, pans across a city skyline were silky smooth, with minimal rolling-shutter wobble.
One UI 7.0 builds on Android 15 and introduces Dual Capture Flex Mode. Prop the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 halfway open on a table and the phone records with both front and rear cameras simultaneously—perfect for vloggers who want reaction videos without extra gear. AI-powered photo editing, borrowed from the Galaxy S25 series, lets you erase objects, extend backgrounds, and convert portrait photos into 24-fps cinemagraphs in seconds.
Looking for more imaging tips? See our Galaxy S25 Ultra camera guide, which shares sensor-tuning tricks that also apply here.
Galaxy Z Fold 7 Release Date, Price Expectations & Final Verdict
Mark July 9 on your calendar: Samsung will unveil the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 at an in-person Galaxy Unpacked event in New York, simultaneously livestreamed worldwide. Pre-reservations are rumored to open on July 1, with retail availability by late July. Industry analysts predict a starting price of $1,799 in the U.S.—unchanged from the Fold 6—to remain competitive as Google and Huawei intensify foldable competition.
Early-bird buyers may receive a free storage upgrade or a pair of Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, but the headline perk is that six-month Google AI Pro subscription bundled across both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and its clamshell sibling, the Galaxy Z Flip 7. For power users, the value proposition is clear: top-tier hardware, AI-driven productivity tools, and a form factor versatile enough for work and play.
In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 delivers meaningful upgrades in every key area—design, displays, performance, and camera. Our Galaxy Z Fold 7 hands-on leaves little doubt that this is the most complete Samsung foldable phone to date. If you have been waiting to jump into foldables, this release is the one to watch. Stay tuned for our full review, in-depth battery tests, and durability teardown once retail units arrive.
