I Tested the Galaxy Z Fold 7: It's Slim, Powerful and Surprisingly Practical

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7 hours ago

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8.5
/ 10
SCORE Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 $2,000 at Samsung Pros Thin 4.2mm design
200-megapixel main camera
Powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite processor
Durable build Cons Steep $2,000 price tag
Same 4,400 mAh battery as last year's Fold
25-watt wired charging
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
8.5/10 CNET Score
$2,000 at Samsung
Samsung has achieved quite a feat with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Yes, it's a spectacularly thin phone, but an even greater accomplishment is that using both the cover and main display on this book-style foldable finally feels like an almost perfect experience. Almost.
I spent a week scrolling, snapping photos and texting on Samsung's new premium foldable, and it really was a "feeling is believing" experience. Because the Z Fold 7 is only 8.9mm thick when closed and 4.2mm when open, it's not clunky in either configuration. (For comparison, last year's Z Fold 6 was 12.1mm thick when closed and 5.6mm when open. That makes the new foldable phone just a bit thicker than the 7.2mm Galaxy S25 when closed.)
The generous 6.5-inch cover screen means I hardly feel the need to pry the phone open and use the more sprawling internal display – even though that's kind of the whole point. And snapping photos on this foldable doesn't feel like a compromise, thanks to an impressive triple camera system that includes a 200-megapixel sensor.
Now Playing: Ultra Thin: First Look at the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7
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But there are still moments where the Z Fold 7 comes off as a work in progress. Formatting issues on the internal display occasionally persist, and the 4,400-mAh battery pales in comparison to what you'll find in other slim foldables, like the Oppo Find N5's 5,600-mAh capacity and the Huawei Mate X6's 5,110-mAh battery (not to mention the Z Fold 7's meager 25-watt charging). Samsung also dropped S Pen support with this device. Overall, though, the downsides are minimal.
What's not so minimal is the Z Fold 7's $2,000 price tag, up $100 from the starting price for last year's Z Fold 6. But Samsung's slim book-style offering strikes that sweet spot between a novel experience and a wonderfully ordinary one, at least most of the time.
The Z Fold 7 is just 8.9mm thick when closed and 4.2mm when open.
Numi Prasarn/CNET
How the Galaxy Z Fold 7 feels
In addition to being thin, the Z Fold 7 is also lightweight, especially for a foldable, at 215 grams. That's 3 grams lighter than the S25 Ultra, 12 grams lighter than the iPhone 16 Pro Max and 14 grams lighter than the Oppo Find N5. In my hand or pocket, the Z Fold 7 feels better than most flagship slate phones, which in itself is pretty extraordinary.
I've tested a handful of phones that serve as great conversation starters, but the Z Fold 7 has definitely received the most attention. Pulling the phone out at a birthday party, I was met with gasps of, "Woah, that's so thin," and my colleagues were in awe of how ordinary the phone looks when folded shut. I can comfortably use it while closed if I don't want to draw attention or cause a bit of commotion around me and pop it open.
I ended up using the Z Fold 7's cover display about 70% of the time, and primarily for tasks like messaging, taking photos and scrolling through Instagram and TikTok. That 6.5-inch screen is one of the phone's most pleasing features because of how practical it is, and it is long overdue. Because the cover screen isn't awkwardly narrow, using the inside display is now less of a necessity and more of a choice. Switching from the cover display to the main one when opening the phone is seamless, and apps transfer without any hiccups.
The 6.5-inch cover display makes scrolling and texting feel a lot more natural than on last year's Z Fold 6.
James Martin/CNET
I opted for that wider 8-inch real estate when watching videos and multitasking, like texting while online shopping. It's neat that you can have up to three apps on screen at the same time, so I can have YouTube, my texts and my photo gallery pulled up simultaneously, because my brain isn't already overstimulated enough. The 2,600-nit peak brightness helps with viewing such a big screen outdoors, and Samsung's new tech also makes it easier to see the display while wearing polarized sunglasses.
There were a handful of instances in which posts on Instagram and TikTok were weirdly cropped on that main screen, which was disappointing. But the majority of the content showed up the way it was supposed to. And while I appreciate that the inside display is 11% larger than the Z Fold 6's, typing can be a bit tricky on such a wide expanse, even with bigger hands and the split keyboard.
A funny side effect of the Z Fold 7's sleekness is it can be a little tricky to, well, unfold. I kind of have to wedge my nail within the crevice to pry it open, and it's game over if you're wearing acrylics, as my colleague Alexandra Able confirmed (she did eventually get it open with some extra effort). But snapping the phone shut is so satisfying that it kind of makes up for it, at least in my book.
A thin, lightweight design helps me forget I'm even using a foldable sometimes.
Numi Prasarn/CNET
A thin yet durable design
The Z Fold 7 helps to explain the existence of its skinny sibling, the Galaxy S25 Edge, which came out in May. The latter phone was a way for Samsung to show what it's capable of, even if the $1,100 device comes off as a bit frivolous. (I personally found the lighter phone to be a game changer, but it comes at a high price.) The Z Fold 7 gives that slim profile a purpose, turning a formerly bulky foldable into one that feels wonderfully ordinary where it counts.
Despite how thin the Z Fold 7 is, it's nice and sturdy, with a Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 cover and a Victus 2 backing. That makes me feel better about refusing to slap on a case and add even a millimeter of thickness. I toted the Fold around New York City with the peace of mind that hopefully all would be well if it took a tumble (it didn't), and it made it through the chaos of JFK Airport unscathed (though I'm not sure I did). Back at home in San Francisco, I've been throwing it into my bag and carrying it while out and about without worrying too much about anything happening to it. So far, it hasn't sustained any scuffs or scratches.
The Fold 7's hinge has also gotten a makeover; it's thinner and lighter, according to Samsung, and the aluminum design makes it 10% stronger. I can't bend the phone, open or closed, even when applying considerable force. So you should be able to put it in your back pocket without folding it even further.
The Z Fold 7 has a triple rear camera system with a 200-megapixel wide, 12-megapixel ultrawide and 10-megapixel telephoto camera.
James Martin/CNET
Galaxy Z Fold 7 camera
What's not so thin is the Z Fold 7's camera bump. I like that it doesn't take up the expanse of the phone and is instead relegated to the left side of the device, but that definitely results in some wobbling when the phone is placed on a table, though there are some cases to help with that.
The triple camera system, headlined by the 200-megapixel main camera, delivers crisp, vibrant shots, defying the hardware compromises so many foldables have had to make over the years. There's also a 12-megapixel ultrawide and 10-megapixel telephoto camera, as well as a 10-megapixel selfie camera in the cover and main displays.
Photos on the Z Fold 7 are comparable to what you'll get shooting on the Galaxy S series, including the top-of-the-line S25 Ultra.
The amount of detail in this room at The Morgan Library in New York is spellbinding and well-captured by the Z Fold 7.
Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET
Even rooms with minimal lighting maintain an impressive level of detail; you can clearly see the textures across everything from the wallpaper to the desk to the chair.
Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET
Food mode is great for adding a slightly dramatic effect to your meal.
Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET
The glass dome in the ceiling here presents a lighting challenge, but the camera did a good job balancing it all.
Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET
This portrait mode shot of my colleague Tara keeps everything in the foreground in crisp focus and does a good job balancing all the different lighting.
Portrait mode on objects also presents a pleasingly dramatic effect, like with this re-creation of Jane Austen's writing desk at The Morgan Library.
Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET
Nighttime images are brightened up with the help of AI, which also removes noise.
Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET
Generative Edit isn't new, but Samsung says it's gotten better at seamlessly filling in the gaps after you remove people and objects from your photos. This is one of my favorite Galaxy features for making photobombers or anything cluttering your photo disappear. (Yes, I am ruthless with this tool.)
This is a great sweeping image, but what if I wanted to get rid of the other people and make it look like I'm the only one in the room?
Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET
Generative Edit makes it happen.
Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET
Audio Eraser, which also isn't new, gets a designated button under videos in your gallery, so you can quickly tap to launch the feature. It uses AI to clean up background noises so you can focus on what you actually want to hear.
Audio Eraser can now automatically detect what to tune out, like the crowd or the wind. I used the feature on a video of me talking to camera during Samsung's Unpacked evening event as the DJ was spinning and folks were chattering, and it did a good job reducing the sound of voices in the background, but it did warp my voice a bit. I'm sure it'll only get better with time, but it's neat to have even its current rudimentary capability.
Multitasking is great on the main display, which is 11% bigger than last year's Z Fold 6.
James Martin/CNET
Battery life and performance
I was worried Samsung would scale back the Z Fold 7's battery with a slimmer design, as it did with the S25 Edge. But the Fold 7 maintains the 4,400 mAh of last year's Z Fold 6. That's still notably less than the capacity on similar phones from Chinese companies like Huawei, Honor and Oppo, but I'm just glad the Fold's battery didn't take a hit. It also only features 25-watt wired charging (and 15-watt wireless charging), which is significantly less than its competitors.
The Z Fold 7 lasted me about a day and a half with my usual routine of scrolling through social media, checking emails, watching YouTube videos, texting, using Google Maps and taking photos. (You know, just your healthy daily dose of screen time.)
In CNET's 45-minute endurance test, which includes a combination of streaming, scrolling through social media, joining a video call and playing games on the inside screen, the Galaxy Z Fold 7's battery went from full to 93%. For comparison, in the same test, the Oppo Find N5 dropped to 95%, and Google's Pixel 9 Pro Fold hit 96%.
And in a 3-hour streaming test over Wi-Fi, in which I watched a YouTube video in full-screen mode at full brightness using the main screen, the Z Fold 7's battery dropped from 100% to 84%. Last year's Z Fold 6 reached 82% in the same test, so it's a welcome, if modest, improvement.
When it was time to charge, the Z Fold 7 went from 0% to 42% in 30 minutes and reached full battery in about an hour and a half.
The Z Fold 7 comes with 12GB RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage, as well as 16GB of RAM with 1TB of storage. I tested the 256GB version.
The phone packs a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, powering the many Galaxy AI and Gemini features Samsung has been touting. It comes out of the box with Android 16 and One UI 8, and you'll get seven years of OS and security updates to help stretch your many, many dollars spent.
Benchmark tests for the CPU in Geekbench 6 place the Z Fold 7 well above the full Galaxy S24 lineup. In a graphics test using 3DMark's Wild Life Extreme, the Z Fold 7 exceeded the performance of the iPhone 15 Pro, Galaxy S24 Ultra and Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Check out the graphs below for more specifics.
Geekbench v.6.0
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
2,944
9,379
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
2,136
6,675
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
3,507
8,750
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
2,152
6,574
Pixel 9 Pro Fold
1,949
4,407 Single-core
Multi-core Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
6,424
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
4,415
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
4,672
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
3,912
Pixel 9 Pro Fold
2,608 Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Is a thin design enough to justify the high price of the Z Fold 7?
Numi Prasarn/CNET
Final thoughts: Should you buy the Galaxy Z Fold 7?
It's a good sign when you become so used to a phone's design that you forget how extraordinary it really is. That's certainly been the case with the Z Fold 7.
This phone's thinness, paired with its wider cover screen, makes it feel wonderfully normal when closed, and the inside display has become my go-to way to watch movies and multitask. It's great that the camera and battery didn't end up being the trade-offs I was bracing myself for with that slimmer build, and the phone feels surprisingly durable. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before more companies take a page out of Samsung's book and slim down their phones, too. (Looking at you, Apple.)
The price of being fairly early to a trend comes at a high cost; $2,000 is tough to stomach. This continues Samsung's practice of raising prices on its Fold devices by $100 over the last few years. So it can be a difficult purchase to justify. But there are a handful of carrier deals that can help soften the blow.
If you're all about having a sleek device with the option of a bigger screen, and a solid camera is one of your top priorities, the Z Fold 7 could be the right fit for you. It has many of the same AI features you'll get on last year's Z Fold 6, along with some new additions and updates. And while battery life isn't as great as on some competitors' phones, it certainly gets the job done.
But make no mistake: the Z Fold 7's fresh, slim form factor steals the spotlight here, and makes using this book-style foldable truly feel like a novel experience.
Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs. Z Fold 6 vs. Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs. Opp Find N5
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Oppo Find N5 Cover display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate 6.5-inch AMOLED, 2,520x1,080p, 1-120Hz refresh rate 6.3-inch AMOLED; 2,376x968 pixels; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate 6.3-inch OLED; 2,424x1,080 pixels; 60-120 Hz variable refresh rate 6.62-inch OLED; 2,616 x 1,140 pixels; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate Internal display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate 8-inch AMOLED, 2,184x1,968p, 1-120Hz refresh rate 7.6-inch AMOLED; 2,160x1,856 pixels;1-120Hz variable refresh rate 8-inch OLED; 2,152x2,076 pixels, 1-120 Hz variable refresh rate (LTPO) 8.12-inch OLED; 2,480 x 2,248 pixels; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate Pixel density Cover: 422ppi; Internal display: 368ppi Cover: 410 ppi; Internal: 374 ppi Cover: 422 ppi; Internal: 373 ppi Cover: 431 ppi; Internal: 412 ppi Dimensions (inches) Open: 5.63 x 6.24 x 0.17 inches; Closed: 2.87 x 6.24 x 0.35 inches Open: 6.04x5.21 x0.22 in; Closed: 6.04x2.68x0.48 in Open: 6.1x5.9x0.2 in; Closed: 6.1x3x0.4 in Open: 6.3x5.77x0.16 in; Closed: 6.3x2.93x0.35 in Dimensions (millimeters) Open: 143.2 x 158.4 x 4.2mm; Closed: 72.8 x 158.4 x 8.9mm Open: 153.5x132.5x5.6mm; Closed: 153.5x68.1x12.1mm Open: 155.2x150.2x5.1 mm; Closed: 155.2x77.1x10.5 mm Open: 160.87x146.58x4.21mm; Closed: 160.87x74.42x8.93mm Weight (grams, ounces) 215g (7.58 oz.) 239g (8.43 oz) 257g (9.1 oz) 229g (8.08 oz) Mobile software Android 16 Android 14 Android 14 Android 15 Cameras 200-megapixel (main), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (telephoto), 10-megapixel (cover screen, selfie) 50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto) 48-megapixel (wide), 10.5-megapixel (ultrawide), 10.8-megapixel (5x telephoto) 50-megapixel (main), 8-megapixel (ultrawide), 50-megapixel (periscope telephoto) Internal screen camera 10-megapixel 4-megapixel (inner screen under-display); 10-megapixel (cover screen) 10-megapixel (inner screen); 10-megapixel (cover screen) 8-megapixel (inner screen); 8-megapixel (cover screen) Video capture 8K at 30fps 8K 4K 4K Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Tensor G4 Snapdragon 8 Elite RAM/storage 12GB + 256GB, 12GB + 512GB, 16GB + 1TB 12GB + 256GB, 512GB, 1TB 16GB + 256GB, 512GB 16GB + 512GB Expandable storage No None None None Battery 4,400 mAh 4,400 mAh 4,650 mAh 5,600-mAh Fingerprint sensor Yes Side Side Side Connector USB-C USB-C USB-C USB-C Headphone jack No None None None Special features One UI 8, 25W wired charging speed, Qi wireless charging, 2,600-nit peak brightness, Galaxy AI, NFC, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, IP48 water resistance IP48 rating, 25W wired charging, wireless charging + powershare, 3x optical zoom (up to 10x digital and 30x Space Zoom with AI Super Resolution tech) IPX8 rating, 7 years of OS, security and Pixel Drop updates, Satellite SOS, Wi-Fi 7, ultra wideband chip, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover and back glass, cover screen peek brightness 2,700 nits, internal screen peek brightness 2,700 nits, 45W wired fast charging (Charger not included), Qi-certified, free Google VPN, Super Res Zoom, Add Me, Face Unblur, Made You Look, Magic Editor, Magic Eraser, Best Take, Video Boost, IPX9 rating, 80W fast wired charging, 50W wireless charging, nanocrystal glass cover display, anti-reflective film on inner display, cover screen peek brightness 2,450 nits, internal screen peek brightness 2,100 nits, LTPO OLED display US price starts at $2,000 $1,900 (256GB) $1,799 (256GB) $1,870 UK price starts at £1,799 £1,799 (256GB) Converts to £1,410 (256GB) £1,482 Australia price starts at AU$2,899 AU$2,749 (256GB) Converts to AU$2,770 (256GB) AU$2,930
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