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Tom's Guide
20 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I put the Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra through a 7-round face-off — here's the winner
The No. 1 question many people have when they look at the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is whether it's good enough to beat the Galaxy S25 Ultra. In my Galaxy Z Fold 7 review, I really loved the super thin and lightweight design and huge 8-inch display, plus the upgraded 200MP main camera. In fact, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is even lighter than the S25 Ultra. But as you'll see in my Galaxy S25 Ultra review, this big-screen phone has some advantages, including a much cheaper starting price, a bigger battery and S Pen support. So which Samsung flagship is right for you? I put the Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra side by side to help you pick the best phone for you. Galaxy Z Fold 7 Galaxy S25 Ultra Price From $1,999 / £1,799 / AU$2,899 From $1,299/ £1,249 / AU$2,149 Main display 8 inches AMOLED (2184 x 1968, 1-120Hz) 6.9 inches (3120 x 1440, 1-120Hz) Cover display 6.5 inches AMOLED (2520 x 1080, 1-120Hz) N/A Chipset Snapdragon 8 Elite Snapdragon 8 Elite RAM 12GB (16GB for 1TB) 12GB Storage 256GB/512GB/1TB 256GB/512GB/1TB Rear cameras 200MP wide (f/1.7), 12MP ultra-wide (f/2.2), 10MP telephoto (f/2.4, 3x optical, 30x space zoom) 200MP wide (f/1.7), 50MP ultra-wide (f/1.9), 50MP telephoto (5x optical, f/3.4), 10MP telephoto (f/2.4, 3x zoom, 100x space zoom) Front camera 10MP (f/2.2) 12MP (f/2.2) Main display camera 10MP (f/2.2) N/A Charging 25W 45W Battery 4,400 mAh 5,000 mAh Dimensions 158.4 x 72.8 x 8.9 mm (6.24 x 2.87 x 0.35 inches) folded, 143.2 x 158.4 x 4.2 mm (5.64 x 6.24 x 0.17 inches) unfolded 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm Weight 215 grams (7.5 ounces) 218 grams (7.,7 ounces) IP Rating IP48 (water) IP68 (water, dust) S Pen support No Yes Colors Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow, Jet-black, Mint Titanium Silverblue, Black, Whitesilver, Gray This one is an easy round for the S25 Ultra. The Galaxy S25 Ultra starts at $1,299/ £1,249 / AU$2,149 for 256GB of storage, while the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is super premium at $1,999 / £1,799 / AU$2,899 for 256GB. Buy your Galaxy S25 Ultra via Best Buy and you'll get it for just $1,024. That's a whopping $275 off for a phone with a bright and colorful 6.9-inch display, powerful camera system with 100x Space Zoom and built-in S Pen. So the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a good $700 less than the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Of course, there are plenty of Galaxy Z Fold 7 deals, and the same goes for S25 Ultra deals, so you won't have to pay full price. Galaxy Z Fold 7: up to $1,000 off w/ trade-in @ SamsungSamsung is knocking up to $1,000 off its Galaxy Z Fold 7 when you trade-in an older phone. The phone features an 8-inch AMOLED (2184 x 1968) 120Hz main display, 6.5-inch AMOLED (2520 x 1080) 120Hz cover display, Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. In the rear, you get a 200MP f/1.7 main wide-angle lens, 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens, and 10MP f/2.4 telephoto lens. Selfie cams include a 10MP f/2.2 main display and cover camera. In our Galaxy Z Fold 7 review, we called it the first foldable we'd want to carry and use all day. But it's worth noting that you could get the 1TB version of the Galaxy S25 Ultra for $1,659, which is still $340 less than the entry-level Z Fold 7. Winner: Galaxy S25 Ultra The funny thing about going back to using the Galaxy S25 Ultra after using the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is how chunky it feels. I'm not saying it's a brick, but the Z Fold 7 looks and feels more like the future. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 measures 158.4 x 72.8 x 8.9 mm when folded and 143.2 x 158.4 x 4.2 mm when unfolded. Compare that to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which is 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm. So unfolded the Fold 7 is thinner than the S25 Ultra, and it's only a smidge thicker when it's closed up. The Z Fold 7 is somehow lighter than the S25 Ultra, weighing 215 grams (7.5 ounces) vs 218 (7.7 ounces) for the S25 Ultra. And while that might seem light a big difference, I notice it when putting both of these phones in my pockets. In terms of colors, the S25 Ultra options are somewhat subdued with Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Whitesilver, Titanium Gray and Titanium Black. The Z Fold 7 has a bolder Blue Shadow option along with the more mundane Silver Shadow and Jet Black. And there's a exclusive color in Mint. The S25 Ultra pulls ahead in durability, though. It's IP68 rated for water and dust resistance. The Z Fold 7 is rated only IP48 for water resistance, so I would not bring this flagship to the beach. It's definitely worth noting that only the S25 Ultra has a built-in S Pen. The Z Fold 7 dropped support for the accessory for the sake of thinness, and I think it's a worthy trade-off. But others do not agree! Winner: Galaxy Z Fold 7 The Galaxy Z Fold 7 enters this round with a built-in advantage in that it packs dual displays. There's a 6.5-inch OLED panel up front and a whopping 8-inch screen on the inside. The Galaxy S25 Ultra has a 6.9-inch screen, which is by no means small. But here's where you'll really notice the difference. Hint: it's not when watching videos. Because of the Z Fold 7's aspect ratio, watching movies gives you about the same size window on the S25 Ultra. You can zoom in on the former, but you'll lose some detail on either side of the frame. Brightness (Nits, HDR) Color (DCI-P3) Accuracy (Delta-E) Galaxy Z Fold 7 2,310 96%/105.2% (Natural/Vivid) 0.22/0.28 (Natural/Vivid) Galaxy S25 Ultra 1,860 90.8%/107.3% (Natural/Vivid) 0.24/0.25 (Natural/Vivid) However, the Z Fold 7's extra real estate definitely comes in handy for apps like Google Sheets. I can see a lot more rows and columns at once. And in apps like Chrome, I can easily switch between tabs right up top. Plus, in apps like Gmail you get a handy dual-pane view so you can see your messages on the left and their content on the right. Games are particularly more immersive on the Z Fold 7, especially when playing console-like titles with top-notch graphics like Wuthering Waves. In our labs, the Galaxy Z Fold 7's main display delivered higher brightness scores, but the color reproduction and accuracy were quite similar between the two phones. So what about the crease on the Fold 7? Samsung has worked pretty hard to minimize it, to the point where it's barely noticeable. So it's not a reason to skip this phone at all. More noticeable is the punch hole camera on the Z Fold 7's interior display. It's no longer hidden like the under display camera on the Z Fold 6. But the pay-off is a higher resolution one (10MP vs 4MP). Winner: Galaxy Z Fold 7 The Galaxy Z Fold 7 steps up to Ultra-level status with its 200MP main wide camera, matching the Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, the S25 Ultra still has a couple of advantages. For one, the Galaxy S25 Ultra has two zoom lenses with a 50MP 5x telephoto and 10MP 3x lens, and it has a max digital zoom of 100x. The Z Fold 7 maxes out at 30x digital zoom with its 10MP 3x telephoto lens. The S25 Ultra also benefits from a sharper 50MP ultra-wide shooter, compared to 12MP for the Z Fold 7, though at least the latter now has autofocus and can capture macro shots. So how about the image quality? In this first Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra comparison, I slightly prefer the Z Fold 7's shot as the water up top looks sharper. But both cameras do an excellent job bringing out the details in the fountain while keeping the flowers in focus. I'm kind of torn by this ultra-wide shot of Bryant Park. The buildings have more detail in the Z Fold 7 photo, but the S25 Ultra delivers a brighter pic overall and the grass in particular looks more vibrant. I give the edge to the Galaxy S25 Ultra in this portrait. It's a brighter overall image, and I pop more off of the background. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 image if a bit too dim and it's not something I'd be keen to share. To test the zoom of these camera phones I pointed them at a building across the street at 30x zoom, and it's not even close. The figure on the Z Fold 7 is downright blurry, while the S25 Ultra provides more detail around the head and back and shoulder muscles. It's not close. Both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy S25 Ultra deliver an exceptional macro shot of this Rose of Sharon flower. You can make out even fine particles of pollen around the stamen. But thanks to the Ultra's sharper 50MP ultra-wide lens, you can make out even more detail in the petals. In low light the Galaxy Z Fold 7 shines as evidenced by this pic of a checkered lamp in near darkness. The images from both phones are almost equally bright, but the S25 Ultra does a better job rendering the light from the faux candle. Because the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy S25 Ultra have the same powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and 12GB of RAM, it's not a surprise that the turned in very similar results on our lab tests. Geekbench Adobe Premiere Rush 3DMark Solar Bay Unlimited Galaxy Z Fold 7 3,052 / 9,735 52 seconds 41.2 fps / 10,812 Galaxy S25 Ultra 3,031 / 9,829 52 seconds 42.4 fps / 11,140 On Geekbench, which measures overall performance, the Fold 7 turned in scores on the single- and multi-core portion of the test that are nearly identical to the S25 Ultra. We saw the same thing on our video editing test using Adobe Premiere Rush, with both phones needing 52 seconds to transcode a 4K video to 1080p. The S25 Ultra had a slightly higher graphics score on 3DMark, but not enough to be significant. Where the Z Fold 7 pulls ahead is multitasking, as you can run three apps on screen at once. The S25 Ultra can run only two apps at once via its split screen view. Winner: Draw Here comes the bad news. The Galaxy Z Fold 7's battery life is way behind the S25 Ultra based on our testing. Anecdotally, I could get through a full work day with the Fold 7 and still have 40% juice left, but the S25 Ultra has a lot more endurance due to the size of it's battery and the fact that it has a smaller screen to power. Battery size (mAh) Battery life (hrs:mins) Galaxy Z Fold 7 4,400 mAh 10:55 Galaxy S25 Ultra 5,000 mAh 17:14 On the Tom's Guide Battery Test, which involves continuous web surfing at 150 nits of screen brightness, the Galaxy Z Fold 7's 4,400 mAh battery lasted 10 hours and 55 minutes on T-Mobile's 5G networks. The Galaxy S25 Ultra's beefier 5,000 mAh battery lasted for a much longer 17 hours and 14 minutes, landing it a spot on our best phone battery life list. The charging picture doesn't get much better. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 has a charging speed of 25W, allowing it to get to 54% charge in 30 minutes. The S25 Ultra reached 71% in the same time span. Winner: Galaxy S25 Ultra As you might expect, AI is front and center on both of these phones, but the Z Fold 7 goes a bit further than the S25 Ultra. For example, with Samsung's One UI 8 software, you can load Gemini in a floating window on the Z Fold 7's bigger display without covering up much other content. The S25 Ultra simply doesn't have that kind of real estate. But you can certainly do a lot with Gemini Live on both of these phones. Just long press the side key and you can enjoy multi-modal AI advice on the fly. You can speak to Gemini, show it your live camera view or even share your screen and ask questions in real time. You can also perform cross-app actions with AI on these two flagships. So, for example, you can ask about nearby steakhouses, send them to a friend via text and create a calendar reminder for your night out with one command. The Z Fold 7 is a bit more versatile, though. You can see the before and after of what happens when you remove people or objects from an image with Photo Assist. And you can drag and drop AI images you generate from one window into another. For now only the Galaxy Z Fold 7 runs the latest Android 16, which delivers new features like live updates for ride-share and food delivery apps. And you get grouped notifications from a single app. But the S25 Ultra should be getting this update soon. Speaking of updates, both the Z Fold 7 and S25 Ultra get 7 years of OS and security updates. This might sound surprising but I actually like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 more than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, at least for my needs. You get a compact phone when you want it and a big-screen tablet in one device — without the usual compromise of carrying around a thick and heavy device. The Z Fold 7 is a marvel of engineering, and it's backed by smart software that's is well suited to the form factor. I really like, for example, that I can run three apps at once, look at spreadsheets without going blind and get side-by-side comparisons of before and after edits on my photos. However, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is the more practical choice. It not only costs hundreds of dollars less, it delivers much longer battery life and an S Pen for those who want it. And while the Z Fold 7 and S25 Ultra both share a 200MP main camera, the S25 Ultra pulls ahead with its more robust zoom and sharper ultra-wide shooter. So I personally prefer the Z Fold 7 as a multitasker who likes the idea of leaving my laptop behind more often. But if you prefer a more traditional phone design, the S25 Ultra is a more well-rounded flagship. 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
7 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Pixel 10 Pro Fold: Here's how Google can beat Samsung
The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold will debut at the Made by Google 2025 hardware event on August 20. But even before the new version of the foldable phone hits retail shelves, it's already facing a big challenge. And the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the reason why. Samsung's own updated foldable phone goes on sale this Friday (July 25). And though the $1,999 starting cost is a steep price to pay, you get an impressive phone in return In fact, in his Galaxy Z Fold 7 review, my colleague Mark Spoonauer calls the new Samsung model the foldable phone he's been waiting for, thanks to an ultra portable design that's uncommon for devices this big. We've got the Galaxy Z Flip 7 ranked as the best foldable phone thanks in part to its more palatable price tag, but the Galaxy Z Fold 7 isn't that far behind. And that poses a problem for Google, which is about to roll out a new version of its foldable phone immediately after Samsung has seriously stepped up its game. It's certainly a formidable prospect for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold to take on, but it's not an impossible task. Even with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 raising the standard for foldable phones, here's how the Pixel 10 Pro Fold can answer back. Galaxy Z Fold 7: from $799 w/ trade-in @ SamsungSamsung is knocking up to $1,150 off Galaxy Z Fold 7 preorders when you trade-in an older phone. Additionally, you'll get a free storage upgrade with your preorder. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 features an 8-inch AMOLED (2184 x 1968) 120Hz main display, 6.5-inch AMOLED (2520 x 1080) 120Hz cover display, Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. On the rear you get a 200MP f/1.7 main wide-angle lens, 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens, and 10MP f/2.4 telephoto lens. Selfie cams include a 10MP f/2.2 main display and cover camera. To understand exactly what the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is up against, let's first look a little closer at what the Galaxy Z Fold 7 gets so right. And a lot of it comes down to the phone's design. We can argue about what foldable is the thinnest in the world when it's opened up — Samsung's latest or a couple of foldable phones largely available only in China. But the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is certainly in the conversation. An opened Z Fold 7 is 4.2mm thin, and even when snapped shut the 8.9mm profile isn't that much thicker than conventional phones. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is light, too, tipping the scales at a mere 7.5 ounces. For context, that's lighter than the Galaxy S25 Ultra (a shade under 7.7 ounces) and iPhone 16 Pro Max (8 ounces). It's definitely lighter than the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which is 1.5 ounces heavier than Samsung's latest. We've heard the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will slim down the size of the hinge compared to the current model, but it's unclear how that would translate to the new phone's dimensions. Even so, Google would have to shave nearly a millimeter off the 5.1mm Pixel 9 Pro Fold to make its new model as thin as an opened Galaxy Z Fold 7. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 ushers in other improvements, particularly to the cameras — long a strength of Google's phones. You get a 200MP main camera with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, along with a much improved 10MP selfie cam on the phone's interior display. Throw in an improved ProVisual Engine, and the new Fold produced detailed, colorful photos in our testing. Samsung also tweaked its Galaxy AI features to take better advantage of the Galaxy Z Fold 7's unique design, from accessing the Now Brief and Gemini Live features from the phone's larger cover display to side-by-side comparisons of generative AI edits on the super-sized 8-inch main screen. That last area — AI capabilities — gives Google an in with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. While Samsung's Galaxy AI features certainly impress, Google's no stranger to developing on-device AI features of its own, as evidenced by the company's win in our recent AI phone face-off. Besides, as great as Samsung's use of Gemini is, let's not forget that's Google's assistant will be very present on the new Pixel 10 models coming out, the Fold included. While Google may have a hard time out-designing the Galaxy Z Fold 7, there are apparently other steps the phone maker can take to make the Pixel 10 Pro Fold stand out. One of those ways apparently involves increased durability, as leaked Pixel 10 Pro Fold specs suggest that the phone will boast a dust-and-water resistance rating of IP68 — a first for foldable phones. The higher rating means that Google's new foldable will not only be able to survive a dunk in water but keep out dust as well. That's been a challenge for other foldable phones, as the moving parts leave plenty of areas for finer particles to get inside the device. As durable as the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is, for example, it still offers an IP48 rating, as it's not graded to repel smaller dust particles. There's one other area where Samsung has left the door open for other foldable phone makers to challenge the Galaxy Z Fold 7 — battery life. While the new Samsung phone lasts longer than its predecessor, it's only a slight gain and barely ahead of the average battery life for phones that we test. That's likely a reflection of the fact that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 features the same size battery as the Galaxy Z Fold 6. That's not a mistake Google sounds like it's going to make with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. According to those leaked specs, the new foldable Pixel could offer a 5,015 mAh battery, which would be a fairly noteworthy step up from the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's 4,650 mAh cell. Assuming that's accurate, we'd expect the new model to improve up the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's 11.5-plus hour result on our battery test, especially if the Tensor G5 chipset likely to power the Pixel 10 Pro Fold proves to be more power efficient. Any phone that takes on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is going to have its work cut for it, given all the positive changes Samsung has introduced to this year's model. But focusing on AI features, durability and longevity would give Google an in for making a splash with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. 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
21-07-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
The best Galaxy Z Fold 7 deal drops its price to $799 — but it ends soon
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is an incredible foldable. The Editor's Choice phone has all the features we've ever wanted in a foldable like a thin design, big display, and excellent cameras. Unfortunately, its $1,999 price tag is out of this world. But I have some good news to share. Samsung's foldable is slated to release on July 25 and right now you can get the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for just $799 at Samsung via trade-in. Even better, you'll get a free storage upgrade. (For more ways to save, check out our guide to today's best Galaxy Z Fold 7 pre-order deals and the best Samsung promo codes). Galaxy Z Fold 7: from $799 w/ trade-in @ SamsungSamsung is knocking up to $1,150 off Galaxy Z Fold 7 preorders when you trade-in an older phone. Additionally, you'll get a free storage upgrade with your preorder. The phone features an 8-inch AMOLED (2184 x 1968) 120Hz main display, 6.5-inch AMOLED (2520 x 1080) 120Hz cover display, Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. On the rear you get a 200MP f/1.7 main wide-angle lens, 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens, and 10MP f/2.4 telephoto lens. Selfie cams include a 10MP f/2.2 main display and cover camera. In our Galaxy Z Fold 7 review, we called it the first foldable we'd want to carry and use all day. This deal does have some requirements. First, you must trade in your old phone and in return Samsung will offer up to $1,000 in trade-in credit. You'll also get a $120 upgrade credit and a $50 limited time credit. In total, you could pay as little as $799 for this epic phone. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is $100 pricier than its predecessor. However, there are a lot of welcome improvements. For instance, its thinner than the Z Fold 6 and it also sports bigger displays in the form of an 8-inch main display and 6.5-inch inner display. There's also a better 200MP main camera. Despite its thinner design, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is made to be tougher than its predecessor. It features a new Armor FlexHinge with a "water droplet design" and "multi-rail structure" for increased durability. It also uses a grade 4 titanium lattice and 50% thicker ultra thin glass for the main display. Powering this beast is a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which is the same silicon Samsung uses in its Galaxy S25 phones. Similarly, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 offers all of the same Galaxy AI features as the Galaxy S25 series. In our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review, we said it feels like the holy grail of foldables with a terrific design, excellent displays, and great overall performance.
Tom's Guide
18-07-2025
- 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
10-07-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, Classic and Ultra pre-order deals — save up $200 right now
Samsung has a new batch of watches, after the Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy 8 Classic debuted at Galaxy Unpacked July 2025 event. And you can now preorder either model, along with the revamped Galaxy Watch Ultra, ahead of their full release on July 25. The new Galaxy Watch 8 costs $50 more than its predecessor, meaning you'll be paying $349 for Samsung's base model smartwatch. The Watch 8 Classic is $100 more than the two-year old Watch 6 Classic at $499. As for the Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025), which gets a new color and double the storage, it's still $649, the priciest smartwatch in Samsung's lineup. In the current economy, those prices can be tough to swallow, but fortunately there are several Galaxy Watch preorder deals that you can take advantage of before those new watches land in stores. And some of the best preorder deals come courtesy of Samsung via its trade-in program. For a limited time you can save up to $200 off of the Galaxy Watch 8 at Samsung when you preorder and trade in an older smartwatch. Both the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic and the Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) have preorder deals at Samsung that can knock off up to $250 with a preorder and trade in. The Galaxy Watch 8 boasts a redesigned case design from its predecessor with more of the Ultra's squircle design, plus an upgraded display, new health tools and a bigger battery. The higher prices are still a lot to ask, so we've picked the best Galaxy Watch deals. (For more ways to save, check out our guide to today's best Samsung promo codes). Galaxy Watch 8 preorder: up to $200 off w/ trade-in @ SamsungSamsung is knocking up to $200 off the Galaxy Watch 8 with preorders when you trade-in an older smartwatch. The Watch features an 1.34-inch and comes with 32GB of storage and features an Exynos W1000 processor. It also comes with a variety of new health features as well as access to Galaxy AI tools. In our Galaxy Watch 8 hands on we said found that the new holitistic and fitness features are promising.. Galaxy Watch 8 preorder: save $100 @ AT&TNew and existing customers can take $100 off the Galaxy Watch 8 in this preorder offer. You'll need to open a new line with AT&T and pay for the watch in installments over 36 months. Your discount will appear as a bill credit. Additional savings are available with trade-ins. Galaxy Watch 8 preorders: free $50 e-gift card @ Best BuyBest Buy is offering a $50 gift card when you order the Galaxy Watch 8. (The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 are eligible for $100 gift cards.) You can save up to $200 on your watch purchase with a trade-in. Galaxy Watch 8 preorder: Free with phone order @ VerizonIf you buy a Galaxy Z Flip 7 or Galaxy Z Fold 7 on one of Verizon's myPlans, you can also pick up a Galaxy Watch 8 for free, receiving your $399 in credits over 36 months. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is available for $5/month on the same offer. You'll need to add the watch to your wireless plan. Galaxy Watch 8 preorder: up to $150 off w/ trade-in @ Xfinity MobileXfinity Mobile is offering up to $150 off its Galaxy Watch 8 preorders (via trade-in). It does depend on the condition of the device you're trading in. Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: was $399 now $349 @ AmazonYou can save $50 on the cost of a Galaxy Watch 8 at Amazon and get yourself a $50 gift card from the retailer as a bonus. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is available for $100 off at Amazon and includes a $100 gift card. Galaxy Watch 8 preorder: free with new Watch plan @ T-MobileRight now, you can get a new Galaxy Watch 8 for free, but you need to active a new line of service on a qualifying Watch Plan. You'll receive your $399 purchase price back in the form of 24 monthly bill credits. Here's a look at how the latest Galaxy Watch models compare to help you decide which one you want to preorder. Galaxy Watch 8 Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) Starting price at launch $349 (2025 launch) $499 (2025 launch) $649 Sizes 40mm, 44mm 46mm 47mm Dimensions 40mm: 42.7 x 40.4 x 8.6 mm / 44mm: 46 x 43.7 x 8.6 mm / 46.4 x 46 x 10.6 mm 47.4 x 47. 1 x 12.1 mm Weight 40mm: 30.0 g / 44m: 34.0 g 46mm: 63.5 g 60.5 g Display 40mm: 1.34" (438x438) / 44mm: 1.47" (480x480) 1.34" (438x438) 1.5" (480x480) Max screen brightness 3,000 nits 2,000 nits 3,000 nits Durability 5ATM + IP68 5ATM + IP68 10 ATM, IP68 Processor Exynos W1000 Exynos W1000 Exynos W1000 Battery capacity 40mm: 325mAh / 44mm: 435m / 445mAh 590mAh Storage 32GB 64GB 64GB Starting at $349, the Galaxy Watch 8 costs $50 more than last year's model. However, it does come with a few improvements including a slightly bigger and bright display plus a larger battery. The Galaxy Watch 7 also featured a rounder case versus the Watch 8 which takes more inspiration from the Galaxy Watch Ultra. The new model is also thinner, though it weighs a bit more than the older model. The 8 Classic is a big upgrade over its 6 Classic predecessor with a larger screen, storage capacity and battery. It also has a design more in line with the Ultra, with the square circle case design and a rotating bezel. It's also made of stainless steel versus the aluminum case of the Watch 8. The updated Galaxy Watch Ultra is a slight refresh with a larger 64GB storage capacity and a new navy colorway. Remember, these Galaxy Watch preorder deals are only available for a limited time.
