2025 has been a year of big upgrades in the smartphone space, and Samsung’s latest foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold7, is no exception.

Touted as Samsung’s slimmest foldable yet at just 8.9mm folded and 4.2mm unfolded, it finally matches the sleek form factor of Chinese rivals while borrowing the 200MP main camera from the Galaxy S25 Ultra. On paper, this makes it a major step up in imaging, but with a relatively small 4400mAh battery and no S Pen support, is it really worth the upgrade?

After using the device for a month, here’s my full take.

Video Review

First Impressions: Slim and Striking

Anyone who picks up the Z Fold7 for the first time will have a genuine “wow” moment. Compared to previous Folds, it feels like a completely new device.

The 6.5-inch cover screen is now comfortably usable as a standard phone, while the expansive 8-inch internal display continues to set the benchmark for productivity and entertainment.

Samsung did, however, opt for a more visible punch-hole camera inside the fold. While less pretty than an under-display solution, the new 10MP camera is actually useful for casual vlogs and video calls—something past Folds struggled with. The one real eyesore is the bulky rear camera bump, which makes the phone wobble when laid flat on a table. Unless you’re always using Flex Mode, it can get annoying.

Durability: Better, But Still Behind

The Fold7 feels tough. Even after a few accidental drops (while in a cheap TPU case), it survived without damage.

That’s thanks to Samsung’s Armor Aluminum Frame and improved ultra-thin tempered glass. But protection still isn’t class-leading—Samsung stuck with IP48 water and dust resistance, while rivals like the HONOR Magic V5 and Pixel 10 Fold now boast stronger IP ratings. For a phone this expensive, it feels like a missed opportunity.

Software and AI: Where Samsung Still Wins

Where Samsung continues to crush the competition is software support. The Z Fold7 gets 7 generations of Android updates and 7 years of security patches, an unmatched promise in the foldable space.

Pair that with One UI’s foldable optimizations and Galaxy AI, and the Fold7 shines. Multi-window multitasking is smooth, and features like generative photo editing and AI Write Assist genuinely improve productivity (it even helped me draft a client reply in Spanish).

The integration with Google Gemini inside Samsung’s native apps is another huge win, showing the strength of Samsung’s partnership with Google.

The S Pen Problem

For years, the S Pen has been the Fold’s secret weapon. But with the Z Fold7, Samsung dropped official S Pen support entirely.

For me, this is the biggest drawback. Tasks like generative editing or precise selection are clumsy with fingers, and the stylus would have made all the difference—even if it meant a slightly thicker device.

Performance: Fast But Throttles Under Pressure

Under the hood, the Fold7 runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy with slightly higher clock speeds than other foldables. Day-to-day performance is excellent, especially for multitasking across several apps.

But the slim form factor left no room for a vapor chamber, so Samsung opted for a graphite cooling solution instead. The result? Sustained workloads like long video recording sessions or extended gaming push the phone to throttle faster than competitors. Power users might feel the heat—literally.

Cameras: A Big Step Forward

For the first time, a 200MP main sensor headlines the Z Fold camera system, finally bringing it closer to the Galaxy S series. And it delivers—photos are sharp, vibrant, and dependable whether at a business event or on holiday.

Unfortunately, the 12MP ultrawide and 10MP telephoto lenses are unchanged. While good enough for casual use, they lag behind rivals like the vivo X Fold 3 and HONOR Magic V5, which offer higher-resolution secondary lenses that capture better detail and dynamic range.

Battery and Charging: Efficient But Slow

At 4400mAh, the battery is smaller than what you’d expect on such a large phone, but Samsung’s software optimizations help it stretch surprisingly far. I managed about 5 hours of screen-on time with moderate use and great standby performance.

But under heavy usage—like outdoor photography—the battery drains much faster. And charging is painfully slow by today’s standards. 25W wired charging takes over 90 minutes for a full refill, which is frustrating when you need a quick top-up during a busy day.

Verdict: Slim Progress With Compromises

The Galaxy Z Fold7 isn’t perfect. The lack of S Pen support and slow charging are disappointing, and it still trails rivals in durability and secondary camera performance.

Yet, it’s also Samsung’s most refined Fold yet. The slimmer design makes it practical as a daily phone, the 200MP camera is a massive upgrade, and the combination of polished software, Galaxy AI, and unmatched long-term updates keeps it ahead of the pack in areas that matter most for real users.

If you’re still holding onto a slab phone and curious about foldables, the Galaxy Z Fold7 is the model that finally makes the leap worth considering.