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Tom's Guide
15 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I put the Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Galaxy Z Flip 6 through a 7-round face-off — here's the winner
Now that I've had plenty of time putting them to the test, I have a good idea of how this Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Galaxy Z Flip 6 face-off will turn out. In my Galaxy Z Flip 7 review, I was delighted by the bigger upgrades that Samsung gave its latest flip-style phone. In fact, I'm so impressed by it that it has replaced the Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) as the best foldable phone you can buy right now. Just with any other year-over-year update, I still want to show how much of an improvement the Z Flip 7 makes over the Z Flip 6. One of the biggest areas I was concerned about was its performance and battery life, as Samsung opted to go with its own, in-house Exynos 2500 chipset instead of Qualcomm's. I'll definitely cover that and many other things in my 7-round Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Galaxy Z Flip 6 comparison. Here's how the latest Samsung flip-style phone compares to last year's model. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Main Display 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (2520 x 1080_ 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED (2640 x 1080) Cover Display 4.1-inch Super AMOLED (948 x 1048) 3.4-inch AMOLED (720 x 748) Chipset Exynos 2500 Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 RAM 12GB 12GB Storage 256GB, 512GB 256GB, 512GB Cameras 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP selfie 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP selfie Battery size 4,300 mAh 4,000 mAh Size 2.96 x 3.37 x 0.54-inches (closed), 2.96 x 6.56 x 0.26-inches (open) 3.35 x 2.83 x 0.58 inches (closed), 6.5 x 2.83 x 0.27 inches (open) Weight 6.63 ounces 6.59 ounces I'm happy to report that there isn't a price hike with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, making it the same $1,099 starting cost just like the Galaxy Z Flip 6 last year. Given the hardware upgrades, paired with some incredible Galaxy Z Flip 7 deals going on right now, I would give this one to the Z Flip 7. From what I've seen so far, most carriers and retailers haven't slashed the price of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 in a substantial way to clear out stock. Depending on where you look, you might actually snag one for free — but that usually requires you to commit to a specific cell phone plan, just like what T-Mobile's offered last year. In fact, that's the same offer the carrier has right now for the Z Flip 7. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 Although the overall design language doesn't differ between the two, there are a few noteworthy achievements that make the design of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 better. First of all, there's not a substantial change to its size and weight — given how it features a larger battery and bigger screens. They both feature similar armor aluminum frames that make them incredibly durable, but the Z Flip 7 benefits from a new Armor Flex Hinge that makes it smoother to open and close. There's still a crease with the new hinge, but it doesn't appear to be as deep as the Z Flip 6. I will say, though, that I like the color options available to the Z Flip 6. You have a total of seven to choose from, versus the four with the Z Flip 7. However, I do anticipate Samsung coming out with more colors in the coming months. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 Starting off with their main displays, the Z Flip 7 gets the nods for its larger 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x display. In addition to that, it's also brighter according to our display benchmark test — where it reached a peak brightness of 1,989 nits. That's a smidge brighter than the 1,835 nits recorded from the Z Flip 6's 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x display. Even though the Z Flip 6 has a higher resolution, I can hardly notice this miniscule difference. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Screen size 6.9-inches 7 inches 6.7 inches Brightness (nits) 1,989 1,835 1,942 sRGB % 151.7 (Vivid) / 126.7 (Natural) 214.3 (Vivid) / 123.2 (Natural) 135.8 (Vivid) / 119.9 (Natural) DCI-P3 % 107.4 (Vivid) / 89.8 (Natural) 151.8 (Vivid) / 123.2 (Natural) 96.2 (Vivid) / 84.9 (Natural) Delta-E score (closer to zero is better) 0.23 (Vivid) / 0.23 (Natural) 0.33 (Vivid) / 0.26 (Natural) 0.24 (Vivid) / 0.24 (Natural) What I think is more impressive though is how Samsung upgraded the Z Flip 7 with a larger 4.1-inch cover display. It's noticeably larger than the 3.4-inch one with the Z Flip 6, and as a result, it makes using apps and capturing content with the cameras much more satisfying. I can't tell you how much the extra room makes, especially when it comes to running full apps — or typing with the keyboard. All of it is much easier with the larger cover screen of the Z Flip 7. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 When Samsung showed off the Z Flip 7 during its Galaxy Unpacked event, I was a little surprised by the camera specs. On paper, it doesn't appear like any changes were made to its camera because it has the same 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP selfie cameras as the Galaxy Z Flip 6 — including the same aperture values. However, Samsung did spend time explaining how its updated ProVisual Engine enhances the results. I've already detailed their differences in my Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Galaxy Z Flip 6 photo shoot-out, which ultimately gave the performance to the Z Flip 7. I'll explain some of the biggest differences I noticed below. There are still new features and upgrades that make the Z Flip 7 the better camera phone. For starters, I can't stress enough the advantage of having a larger cover screen here because it makes selfies and vlogs easier to capture. Over on the video side, the Z Flip 7 also gains the same LOG video recording mode that debuted with the Galaxy S25 Ultra. As someone that edits video a lot, this flat picture profile gives me more flexibility in the editing room to tweak the colors to my liking. Despite having the same camera as the Z Flip 6, I can tell that the ProVisual Engine is working its magic ever so slightly with the Z Flip 7's shot above of the parking lot. That's because it's boosting the exposure of the trees in the background, which reveals details that are hidden there in the Z Flip 6. I thought their 10MP selfie cameras would produce the same results, but there's one key difference that gives a boost to the older Flip 6. Due to how the built-in screen protector of the Z Flip 7 goes over the selfie camera, it results in a slightly softer look. In contrast, the screen protector doesn't go over the selfie camera on the Z Flip 6 — so it retains a sharper look overall. Again, the updated ProVisual Engine of the Z Flip 7 is working its magic in the portrait shots I captured of myself above. You might think the results are identical, but there are clues in the details that make the Z Flip 7's shot look more realistic. If you take a look at the strap on my shoulder, you'll notice that some parts of it blurred out — whereas the Z Flip 6 keeps it all in focus. The reason why the Z Flip 7 does this is because it replicates the behavior of an actual camera whose focus is squared on the face. It's exactly the look I'd get from using my mirrorless camera. Zooming is done through their respective main cameras, as they lack the dedicated telephoto shooters that other phones offer. The difference boils down to the enhancements made by the ProVisual Engine of the Z Flip 7, which gives more definition to the sign in the middle of the shot and the chain link fence in the background. Low light is where the updated ProVisual Engine really flexes its muscles. While both shots are bright given that they were shot in near pitch dark conditions, the Z Flip 7 benefits from capturing more definition all around the tree. When I zoom to it, I can make out the finer details of the tree's bark and its textures. They look softer and muddy with the Z Flip 6. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 Out of all the categories I'm judging, this is the one I'm most interested in because of Samsung's decision to ditch Qualcomm for the Z Flip 7. It's powered by an Exynos 2500 SoC and paired with 12GB of RAM, versus the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 12GB of RAM in the Z Flip 6. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Chipset Exynos 2500 Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Geekbench 6 (single/multicore) 2286 / 8079 2091 / 7022 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited (fps) 114.64 113.4 Adobe Premiere Rush video transcode (Miins:Secs) 1:04 0:46 While I don't see a huge difference in how they perform with my day-to-day tasks, like checking emails, surfing the web, gaming, and checking out my social feeds, their benchmark performance scores show something different. The Exynos 2500 barely beats out the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in GeekBench 6, but their graphics processing performances are almost identical. In a strange turn of events, the Z Flip 7 renders video slower with the Adobe Premiere Rush test. Really, I was hoping for a wider gap — but this isn't the Snapdragon 8 Elite. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 gets a technical win here, but it really exposes how there's not a huge improvement. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 There's a relationship between a phone's chipset and its battery life, so given the minor performance boost of the Z Flip 7, I wasn't expecting much in terms of its battery life. Thankfully I'm proven wrong because it seems as though Samsung invested more on making the Exynos 2500 power efficient, which could also be aided by the optimizations of One UI 8. Average Battery life (Hrs:Mins) Charging % in 15 minutes Charging % in 30 minutes Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 12:24 29% 55% Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 11:01 27% 55% Regardless, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 cruised to the finish line with its time of 12 hours and 24 minutes on our battery drain test. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 ran the same exact test, but falls a bit behind with its 11 hours and 1 minute clocked time. But to be fair, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 has a larger 4,300 mAh battery — whereas the Z Flip 6 has a smaller 4,000 mAh. Over on the recharge side, the Z Flip 7 gets the same 25W wired and 15W wireless speeds as the Z Flip 6. Yet, it charges a smidge faster after 15 and 30 minutes in our testing. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 On the surface, their interfaces may not look or feel all that different, but there are features that give the Z Flip 7 the more compelling software package. For starters, it benefits from having the latest One UI 8 software on top of Android 16. Visually it's not a huge departure, but new additions like the Now Bar and Now Brief are helpful. There's also the cross actions apps feature with the Z Flip 7, which makes it even more intuitive to perform complex actions all through voice commands. While it's only a matter of time before the Z Flip 6 gets the new One UI 8 software, which should bring the Now Bar and Now Brief, I'm not confident it'll get cross app actions. When it comes to AI features, the Z Flip 7 introduces a few new things. The most notable, of course, is the multimodal AI experience with Gemini Live. This allows me to tap into the Z Flip 7's cameras to allow Gemini see what I see, then ask it questions or make commands. I've actually used it to help me with a problem with my electrical breaker, which I know I couldn't do on my own. Secondly, there's the Audio Eraser feature that lets me remove unwanted noise in my videos. It's a handy tool that lets me tweak the audio on the device, rather than using software on my computer. And finally, Samsung finally brings DeX support to the series for the first time with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 — and I couldn't be happier about this. That's because Samsung DeX means I can now connect the Z Flip 7 to a monitor and essentially have access to a desktop PC-like interface. In some ways, it can replace my laptop because of how well it multitasks apps. I'm not surprised by how this Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Galaxy Z Flip 6 face-off turned out. The new Galaxy Z Flip 7 wins every category, with a few where there's a substantial improvement. Not only do I love the larger and brighter displays of the Z Flip 7, but I think its updated software also helps out. Both Samsung DeX support and multimodal AI Gemini Live are two big features you're not going to get with the Z Flip 6, which also helps when its price remains unchanged. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Tom's Guide
5 days ago
- Tom's Guide
I put the Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 6 through a 10-round photo shootout — here's the winner
Before the Galaxy Z Flip 7 debuted, I was worried about the cameras on Samsung's latest foldable flip phone. Rumors surrounding the Z Flip 7 hinted at no hardware changes — and that's exactly what happened once the phone became official. Camera performance is one of the key areas I always look at with year-to-year upgrades and this one's no exception. In my Galaxy Z Flip 7 review, I mention how the phone's updated ProVisual Engine helps to enhance its shots — proven by how it drew out better details at 10x zoom in my 10-round Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Razr Ultra (2025) photo face-off. That bodes well for the newer phone in this Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Galaxy Z Flip 6 photo shootout. Just a reminder, both phones pack the same cameras — 50MP main cams, 12MP ultrawides, and 10MP selfie shooters — right down to the same aperture for each lens. While the hardware is unchanged (a bummer in my opinion), the Galaxy Z Flip 7 benefits from a larger Flex Window display on the exterior of the phone. It makes vlogs and selfies a lot easier to pull off, primarily due to the extra real estate where you can see the video preview through that cover display. Similar to my other photo shootouts, I take both best foldable phone contenders and capture the same scenes and then preview them on a monitor. I can't stress enough how a lot of the emphasis will come down to the newer image processing algorithms with the Z Flip 7. Galaxy Z Flip 7 Galaxy Z Flip 6 Main Camera 50 MP main (f/1.8) 50 MP main (f/1.8) Ultrawide 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2) 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2) Selfie 10MP (f/2.2) 10MP (f/2.2) Video Recording up to 4K 60 fps up to 4K 60 fps It's an even match up with the daytime shots I captured using the main cameras on both Flip models. All the details are nicely captured, including the license plates on the cars, the texture of the pavement in the foreground, and the sign on the light pole. The only difference I can make out is how the Galaxy Z Flip 7 gives the trees in the background a little boost in the shadows. Those darker areas are exposed more to draw out the details there, while the Z Flip 6 looks dark. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 Sticking to the same spot with the parking lot, I switched over to the ultrawide shooters on both phones. Again, it's almost identical in terms of their details captured and field of views. This time, there's no exposure bump whatsoever applied to the Galaxy Z Flip 7, so the only difference comes down to their color temperature. While the Z Flip 7 skews warm, I also like the Z Flip 6 because it also looks warm. Winner: Tie I have to admit, these shots of the yellow flowers look amazing. However, trying to determine which of the two Flip models produces the better colors is tough because they're very close. There's just a tiny bit more saturation with the yellow from the Galaxy Z Flip 6 shot, but the Z Flip 7 isn't too far off. I can also see the same with the green leaves and stems all around the scene, as the Z Flip 7 sprinkles a small dose of saturation. It's honestly a good shot, but the Z Flip 7 has a slightly more true-to-life tone. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 Now this one's interesting because upon closer inspection, I can make out a difference between them. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 has the better selfie due to the sharpened effect it applies, which draws out more of the details around my face. Initially I was surprised by the results, but there's a reason why the Z Flip 6 captures the better selfie. All you need to do is look closer at the selfie cutout on the interior display. Both phones come with Samsung's pre-applied screen protector (which you shouldn't remove), but the Z Flip 7's screen protector goes over the selfie camera — whereas the Z Flip 6 cuts around it. As a result, the Z Flip 6's selfie camera isn't obscured, which I think explains the results. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 6 Here's a perfect example of new image processing algorithms that help to improve a shot. If you look closely at the edges of my portrait shot, you can see how both phones apply the usual blurring effect to the background. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is pretty spot on with the blurring effect, but it does it in a linear way. Meaning, it detects me from the shot and blurs out everything else so that the effect goes all the way around the edges. However, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 applies the effect in a more realistic way by not keeping it uniform. Take a look at the strap around my neck and even my right shoulder. They're slightly blurred out, which is what happens when you place the focus on a face. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 I captured a shot of the gazebo in the park with the sun behind it, so that it casts a shadow around the foreground, which helps to show off their dynamic range performance. Even though the Z Flip 7 has the sharper details, there's not an overwhelming difference with their dynamic range performance. Both the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Flip 7 boost the exposure in the shadows to better balance out the highlights, which I can see in the shadowed parts of the trees in the background and the flower bed directly in front of the gazebo. Meanwhile, the sky is properly exposed without losing details in the clouds. Winner: Tie Neither phone has a dedicated macro mode, but that doesn't stop me from taking close-up shots. While the Galaxy Z Flip 6's slightly saturated colors are present here again, both phones actually match each other in terms of detail and clarity. I really like how they both capture the texture in the petals, along with the strong details of the stem in the middle of the flower. And if you look close enough, you can make out the tiny bits of pollen that are sticking all around the stem. Winner: Tie Despite the lack of telephoto cameras, both phones can still whip up decent 2x zoom shots. The flowers in the foreground appear identical with both and I like how they retain the textures of the leaves with some of the plants. Looking elsewhere in the shots, the Z Flip 7 does a better job of cleaning up the background — especially around the upper right corner with the bench and street sign. They appear blurred with the Z Flip 6, but they're crystal clear sharp with the Z Flip 7. In fact, I can make out the name of the street sign. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 Any of those discrepancies at 2x zoom only become exemplified when you go to their maximum 10x zoom level. I have to pixel peep with these shots above because they look very similar at a cursory look. The first thing I lock on is the sign on the post in the middle of the shot, where the words look more defined with the Z Flip 7. It's not by a tremendous amount, but still one I notice. Elsewhere, I look at the chain link fence and trees in the background, which look a bit murky on the Z Flip 6. And finally, the concrete pavement has more detail and looks a bit sharper with the Z Fold 7. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 Out of all the categories, this is the one with an overwhelming advantage for the Galaxy Z Flip 7. First of all, I have to tell you that both phones are low-light beats — which is impressive for a foldable. They take the nearly pitch black conditions in my backyard and make it look like a light source is shining onto the tree. The details in the tree are more defined with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, whereas the Z Flip 6 softens them. Further back with the sidings on my garage, the Z Flip 7 also neutralizes the small section that's lit there to better expose the siding. That same spot looks overexposed with the Z Flip 6. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 Even though I would've loved to see hardware upgrades to the camera, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 benefits largely from Samsung's updated ProVisual Engine, and as a result, manages to come out on top with this shoot out. The improvements are minor at best, so if you're considering upgrading, I'd actually tell you to wait — that's unless the other upgrades are worthwhile for you. What I'm interested next, though, is to put the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE through its own photo shoot out. It has the same camera setup at the Z Flip 7 and Flip 6, but presumably gets treated to the same enhancements with this updated ProVisual Engine. And yes, it does come in at a lower cost and sticks to a smaller Flex Window display. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Tom's Guide
5 days ago
- Business
- Tom's Guide
I was underwhelmed by the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE — here's why it could be worth buying anyway
When the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE made its debut last week alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, it's safe to say my initial impression of Samsung's attempt at offering a lower-cost foldable phone was less than enthusiastic. And that's coming from someone who celebrates the arrival of every cheap handset like it's Christmas for cheapskates. So why did my initial Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE reaction put the "hmmmmmm" in "ho-hum?" Because to me, this new phone felt like a Galaxy Z Flip 6 with a new name slapped on it. If you're going to do that, just keep the old model around and slash the price. Still, I want to be encouraging to phone makers that at least try to offer low-cost options like the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. And I also recognize that not everyone's going to want to pay more than $1,000 for a foldable phone, and just want to know if the trade-offs they have to make to get a cheaper device are worth it. With that in mind, I'm going to take a more open-minded approach toward the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE and highlight what the new phone has to offer. Having already outlined my concerns about this device, here's the case for getting a Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE and saving yourself the extra money that you'd have to pay for Samsung's other foldable offerings. It may be the cheapest of the three phones announced at Galaxy Unpacked July 2025, but that doesn't mean the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is immune from all the pre-order offers currently available ahead of the phone's July 25 release. Play your cards right, and you can lower the cost of a Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE even further from Samsung's usual $899 asking price. Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE preorder: up to $560 off w/ trade-in @ SamsungSamsung is knocking up to $560 off Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE preorders when you trade-in an older phone. Additionally, you'll get a free storage upgrade with your preorder. This Fan Edition phone is a less expensive version of the Galaxy Z Flip 7. Trade-in a phone when purchasing a Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE at Samsung, and you can get up to $560 in credit, which would put a foldable phone in your hands for less than $400. Best Buy is offering credits for trade-ins, too. Don't have an eligible trade-in device? Best Buy will take $100 off the cost of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE if you activate the phone with a carrier at purchase. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip ZE 7 FE: was $959 now $799 @ SamsungSamsung is selling the 256GB Galaxy Z Flip for $899, the regular cost of the 128GB phone. And if you activate the phone with a carrier at checkout, you can save another $100, bringing your cost to $799. Trade-in a phone and Best Buy is offering up to $550 in credits. Even better, both Samsung and Best Buy are giving you a free storage upgrade on top of any credit you receive for a device trade-in. So you're able to pick a 256GB Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE for what the 128GB base model would normally cost. I may have called the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE a repackaged Z Flip 6, but let's not forget that last year's foldable flip phone from Samsung was a very good handset. In fact, we ranked the Galaxy Z Flip 6 as the best camera phone among foldable devices, and that 50MP main/12MP ultrawide camera setup is yours if you opt for the new FE model. Yes, you are missing out on some updated specs that you would get with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 — namely bigger screens, a larger battery and an updated processor. Those aren't insignificant sacrifices but if you value sharp images, particularly in low-light settings, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE should deliver what you're looking for. One thing I appreciate about Samsung's approach to AI is that it doesn't favor more expensive models with more elaborate features. The same Galaxy AI capabilities available to anyone who's bought the $1,299 Galaxy S25 Ultra are also available on the $799 Galaxy S25. And so it is with Samsung's foldable flip phones, too. In the case of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, that means Now Brief updates directly on the phone's outer screen, alerting you about upcoming appointments, weather forecasts and traffic jams on your commute. Now Bar updates also appear on the outer screen, and you've got access to Gemini Live via the FE, too. Both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE join other premium Samsung phones in receiving a guaranteed seven years of software and security updates. That same level of support extends to the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, extending the value of this phone even further. With Android 16 already pre-installed on the FE, that means your phone will still be up to date by the time Android 23 — or whatever Google winds up calling that version — rolls around. And that's pretty impressive for the least expensive foldable phone in Samsung's lineup. None of this is to say that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE will grab the mantle of the best low-cost foldable phone by default. Not only will we have to review Samsung's phone on its own merits, we'll need to compare it to the $699 Motorola Razr (2025) and $999 Motorola Razr Plus (2025) to see how it measures up to Moto's sub-$1,000 foldables. It figures to be a very interesting comparison. Rather, the point here is that there are plenty of reasons to consider pre-ordering the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, even if its specs seem to have more in common with last year's model than a new release. Yes, you're making some trade-offs, but the ultimate value may be worth it in the end.
Tom's Guide
7 days ago
- Tom's Guide
I put the Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Razr Ultra (2025) through a 10-round photo shootout — here's the winner
When it comes to flip-style phones, the two that should be on your radar should be the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Razr Ultra (2025). Not only do they have more utility than the average slate phone, but they're also incredibly gifted at taking photos. In my Razr Ultra (2025) review, I said how I was thrilled to see that the phone returned to form by ditching the telephoto camera of last year's Razr Plus and replacing it with an ultrawide — so it now consists of a 50MP main shooter and a 50MP ultrawide. What's even more impressive is that I said it's the most powerful flip phone to date. Samsung would beg to differ now that its new flip phone is official, and if any of my past photo shootouts have any indication, I would bet the result would be the same. Even though I've had it for less than a week, I didn't waste time snapping photos with the Galaxy Z Flip 7. It features a 50MP main camera paired with a 12MP ultrawide, which are identical on paper to last year's Galaxy Z Flip 6. I've taken several shots from both phones under different circumstances with their cameras, then previewed the results on my laptop to see how they differ. Here's how they stack up against one another. From a quick glance, the two flip phones appear to deliver the same performance under daytime settings. When I zoom into the tree's bark on the left hand side, I really like how both phones capture the same amount of detail — like how the knots all around it are clearly defined. Upon closer inspection, though, I can tell how the Razr Ultra (2025) boosts the shadows by a smidge, which results in giving the overall shot a slightly flatter look. In comparison, the contrast is much stronger and more pronounced with the Z Flip 7. It's a narrow margin, but I'm giving it to the Galaxy Z Flip 7. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. When it comes to grading their ultrawide cams, the first thing I take note of are their field of views. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 has a 123-degree FoV, while the Razr Ultra (2025) has a 122-degree one. That's not enough of a difference in my opinion because it's almost impossible to tell which has the wider shot of the water fountain at Bryant Park. Instead, my attention is drawn to the brighter, overall picture of the Razr Ultra. It looks much bolder than the Galaxy Z Flip 7, but I'm also impressed by its superior detail capture — like the carvings all around the base of the fountain. Winner: Razr Ultra (2025) Due to the contrast in light with the shots above, it really impacts how they produce colors. Usually I'm a fan of more natural color tones, but the Z Flip 7 has a low contrast look that makes colors flat. The pinks in the flowers specifically show this. Meanwhile, the Razr Ultra (2025) continues to favor a higher contrast that makes the colors pop a bit more. Winner: Razr Ultra (2025) There's an overwhelming advantage on paper for the Razr Ultra (2025) and its 50MP selfie camera, especially compared to the Galaxy Z Flip 7's 10MP one. But yet again, it proves my point that you shouldn't just look into the numbers. Despite the pixel crunching numbers, the Razr Ultra suffers from overexposing the shot — including my skin tone that's unusually on the lighter side. In addition, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 does a much better job at capturing the fine details around my face and shirt. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 I have to admit, the portrait shots I captured look pretty convincing thanks in part to how well they lock the focus on me while blurring out the background. Samsung's phone is a tad bit more aggressive with the bokeh on the default setting, but I also noticed how it overexposes the entire shot by a smidge. My neckline is an example of this, as the shadowed areas seem to lose detail due to the overexposure. Between them, I prefer the more realistic look of the Razr Ultra (2025) — primarily for its more accurate blurring of the background and how it keeps the better contrast on the subject. Winner: Razr Ultra (2025) When I captured the panoramas above of Bryant Park's lawn, I held both phones vertically. While the Galaxy Z Flip 7 gives me the choice of using the main or ultrawide camera, the Razr Ultra (2025) locks it to the main one. However, the Galaxy Z Flip 7's panorama shot with its main camera still captures more of the scene vertically. One thing I noticed is that both flip phones struggle with the brighter areas, like the buildings in the far background, which are way overexposed. Neither phone impresses me with the way they turned out, but the only reason why the Galaxy Z Flip 7 wins out here is because it lets me use both cameras — and gets more of the scene included in the shot. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 With the shot of the flowering cactus, it's really easy to tell which phone is better for macro photography. Since it features a dedicated macro mode, I'm able to get significantly closer with the Razr Ultra (2025) — while also capturing more details around the sprouting buds coming from it. I had to move the Galaxy Z Flip 7 back further to ensure the focus was just right, but it clearly doesn't have the same closeup abilities. It's still a nice shot that softens the background, but the bland colors and weaker details capture don't make it as good. Winner: Razr Ultra (2025) All zooming is done through their respective main cameras, which places a lot on image processing algorithms to enhance their shots. Starting at 2x zoom, I feel the results are just as good as a dedicated zoom camera with an optical lens. Between them, the Razr Ultra produces the better shot by far due to its brighter overall picture. The shadows get treated with enough exposure without causing the highlights to overexpose. I really like how the sky still manages to retain an even exposure as the rest of the scene, and that's despite how the entire image gets an exposure boost. It also helps the Razr Ultra that details look a smidge sharper too. Winner: Razr Ultra (2025) Now at 10x zoom, this is where it gets interesting because this is where Samsung's updated ProVisual Engine works its magic to draw out more detail from the shot. I prefer the Razr Ultra's better contrast, but the Z Flip 7 combs over the entire shot and pulls in more detail — like the leaves on the tree and the poster on the lamp in the upper right corner. I can clearly read what the poster is showing, including the text on it, whereas the Razr Ultra's shot isn't as defined. Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7 With the sun setting over the horizon, I captured the shots above to see how they handle the shadowed areas of the beach. Right away, I'm honestly shocked that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 has a much softer and lower contrast look. Yeah, the entire scene has an even exposure, but the Razr Ultra (2025) photo is emphasized by its stronger contrast. The grassy area in the foreground is proof of this, as it does a substantially better job at exposing individual blades of grass. There's also more detail in the sand near the middle, while the clouds don't suffer from the noisier look that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 casts with its shot. Winner: Razr Ultra (2025) Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) Galaxy Z Flip 7 Daytime X Ultrawide X Colors X Selfie X Portrait X Panorama X Macro X 2X zoom X 10X zoom X Low light X Total 6 4 In this round, the Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) takes the checkered flag for winning more of the categories — but I do plan on covering a more comprehensive look at their performances with a proper 200 photo shootout. This is a big victory for the Razr Ultra (2025), seeing that past Razrs have always fallen short against Samsung's flip phones. Needless to say I'm shocked that Samsung doesn't come out on top here, but things could change the more photos I take with the two phones to really get a feel for how they handle. Samsung's historically been better at low light, so I'm surprised by how it comes up short here. I'll need to get more shots to see if it's indeed the better camera phone, but this one's a big win for Motorola.
Tom's Guide
16-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: 5 reasons to buy (and 3 reasons to skip)
After Motorola released a trio of foldable flip phones earlier this year, Samsung is firing back with two new models of its own, highlighted by the Galaxy Z Flip 7. The latest version of Samsung's modernized take on the flip phones of a generation ago introduces a number of changes from previous models, as Samsung looks to re-establish itself as the device maker to turn to for the best foldable phones. And the new flip phone makes a pretty compelling case if our Galaxy Z Flip 7 hands-on is anything to go by. Along with some design changes that particularly boost the displays on the new model, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 sees software changes that deliver a more useful flip phone overall. Still, whether you've got an earlier version of the Galaxy Z Flip or are just trying to decide if you should finally give foldable phones to try, we've spotted some very good reasons in our initial testing to give the Galaxy Z Flip 7 a miss. With Galaxy Z Flip 7 preorders underway in advance of the phone's July 25 release, here are the reasons you may wind up buying the Galaxy Z Flip 7 along with reasons to pass up the chance to get this particular phone. The last version of Samsung's flip phone, the Galaxy Z Flip 6, made no changes to either of its displays, delivering a 6.7-inch main panel augmented by a 3.4-inch screen on the outside of the phone. That's a stark contrast to Motorola models like the Razr Plus and the Motorola Razr Ultra, both of which have 4-inch cover displays. The interior screens are larger, too, at 6.9 inches and 7 inches, respectively. It's safe to say that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 attempts to catch up with the latest Razrs when it comes to display size. The interior panel on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 now reaches 6.9 inches while the outer Flex Window stretches to 4.1 inches. It's not just size that makes the Z Flip 7 more usable than its predecessors. Samsung extends that Flex Window all the way to the edge of the phone, even wrapping it around the outer cameras to free up more space for you. And that interior screen delivers some nice viewing angles with vivid colors. Samsung's foldables have struggled to last a long time on a charge. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 endured for a bit more than 11 hours on our battery test, which is only a little bit ahead of the average time posted by smartphones. Can the Galaxy Z Flip 7 improve on that performance? We won't know until we finish testing the new phone. But Samsung has at least set itself up for success for increasing the size of the battery in the new model. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 offers a 4,300 mAh power pack, a modest increase from the 4,000 mAh battery that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 used. It may not be a big gain, but every little improvement helps when it comes to eking out more time between charges. Samsung isn't slowly down its Galaxy AI push, and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is one of the big beneficiaries. Features like the Now Brief and Now Bar added with the Galaxy S25 release earlier this year are included with Samsung's latest foldable phones — with Now Bar updates even appear on the Z Flip 7's outer screen. The real boost comes from support for multimodal AI, where the Gemini assistant on board the Galaxy Z Flip 7 can use the phone's cameras to see what you're seeing — and then provide information about what it observes. My colleague John Velasco has only had a little hands-on time to test this particular feature so far, but the way he describes it certainly feels like the future. Samsung DeX is a hidden weapon on many of the best Samsung phones where you can plug your phone into a display and use it as a makeshift desktop computer. But it's also a feature that hasn't been available to Galaxy Z Flip owners — until the arrival of the Z Flip 7. DeX support has been one of the most requested features by many of my Tom's Guide colleagues, especially John Velasco. He's had a chance to try out DeX on the Galaxy Z Flip 7, and while it's not without its issues — DeX hasn't been refined for the Flip — the arrival of a long-missing feature should be celebrated. We live in a world where a Galaxy Z Fold 7 now costs $1,999 — a $100 price hike from the previous model. So any time Samsung holds the line on pricing, we're going to breathe a sigh of relief. And that's the case with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, which starts at the same $1,099 price as the Galaxy Z Flip 6 before it. Would we have preferred to see a price cut back down to the $999 cost of the Galaxy Z Flip 5? Sure, but you could argue that's the point of the $899 Galaxy Z Flip FE 7, which scales back on some of the Z Flip 7's features to offer that lower price. The point is that prices may be on the rise everywhere, but at least that doesn't apply to Samsung's new flip phones. Galaxy Z Flip 7 preorder: up to $770 off w/ trade-in @ SamsungSamsung is knocking up to $770 off Galaxy Z Flip 7 preorders when you trade-in an older phone. Additionally, you'll get a free storage upgrade with your preorder. The phone features a 6.9-inch AMOLED (2520 x 1080) inner display w/ 120Hz refresh, 4.1-inch AMOLED (948 x 1048) outer display w/ 120Hz refresh, Exynos 2500 CPU, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. You also get 50MP f/1.8 main and 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide rear cameras and a 10MP f2.2 selfie cam. If you own a recent Galaxy Z Flip model, you probably can get by without an upgrade to the latest version unless the allure of larger screens proves too great to ignore. In other areas, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 shares a lot in common with its predecessors. Take the camera hardware, which is unchanged from the 50MP main shooter and 12MP ultrawide lens on the Galaxy Z Flip 6. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as the Z Flip 6 has been the best camera phone among foldables, but Samsung is clearly relying on its ProVisual Engine photo-processing to boost camera performance with the Z Flip 7. Likewise, Samsung hasn't changed charging speeds for the Galaxy Z Flip 7. You'll still get the 25W wired charging Samsung has offered since the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which will benefit from the processing power of Qualcomm's impressive Snapdragon 8 Elite system-on-chip, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is turning to Samsung's own Exynos 2500 silicon. And while we'll need to run benchmark tests on the flip phone to see what that means for performance, it's safe to assume that the Exynos 2500 isn't going to be able to keep pace. Samsung's Exynos chips tend not to match the CPU and GPU performance numbers that top-of-the-line Snapdragon silicon posts in benchmarking. You can argue that may not matter in terms of real-world performance, but it's still a compromise you'd be making with the Galaxy Z Flip 7. And it's a particularly notable compromise since past Flip models have used Snapdragon chips. One of our favorite things about Motorola's Razr lineup is the ability to run apps on the cover displays of those phones. That's not something you can necessarily do on the Galaxy Z Flip 7, not even with the larger 4.1-inch panel on the phone's exterior. While some apps have been optimized for the Galaxy Z Flip 7's Flex Window, if you want to run apps natively, you'll need to download the Good Lock app. While that's a proven workaround, it feels like an unnecessary inconvenience, especially when a Z Flip rival shows just how easily native app support can be implemented. We'll have our full review of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 out soon, along with our definitive buying advice for the latest foldable flip phone from Samsung. But from what we've seen so far from this phone, its biggest strengths are the larger displays and new features, particularly when it comes to AI. The biggest reason to pass up the new phone boils down to how much it really improves upon older models — and from a camera and performance standpoint, the gains could be minimal.
