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Business Standard
a day ago
- Business Standard
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review: Big displays, compact body, smarter UI
Samsung has made considerable progress in refining its book-style foldable smartphone since the category's debut in 2019. The seventh-generation model, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, is a significant departure from the original. It introduces comprehensive upgrades over its predecessor, making it more of an evolution than the incremental updates seen in earlier models. Key enhancements include larger cover and foldable displays, improved durability, a thinner and lighter form factor, foldable-specific software experiences, and an enhanced camera system. But do these changes collectively offer a more refined foldable experience? Let us find out: Design The bulky form factor once synonymous with foldable smartphones becomes a thing of the past with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The device measures 8.9mm at its thinnest point when folded and an impressive 4.2mm when unfolded. These figures may seem abstract in isolation but contribute to a seamless transition from traditional bar-shaped smartphones. It is worth noting that these measurements exclude the protruding rear camera bump, a vertically aligned unit placed in the top-left corner. This results in a noticeable wobble when the device is laid flat on surfaces such as tabletops. However, at 215g, the Z Fold 7 is lighter than many premium bar-style smartphones, including the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max. The device features an aluminium frame, Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 on the front, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the rear, and a thicker ultra-thin glass layer on the foldable screen. It is rated IP48 for dust and water resistance. Although the durability appears comparable to bar-type smartphones, users are advised to handle the device with care, as neither accidental damage nor dust and water ingress are covered under the standard warranty. As with its predecessor, the Z Fold 7 folds completely flat, eliminating the visible gap along the hinge. Despite protective elements in place, dust does manage to find its way in, as observed during usage. Displays The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is thinner, lighter, and marginally wider than its predecessor. This broader design accommodates a 6.5-inch cover display and an 8-inch foldable inner screen. Samsung stated that the broader design enables a 21:9 aspect ratio for the cover display, offering an experience akin to that of a bar-shaped smartphone when folded, and it largely succeeds in doing so. Although most bar-style smartphones have long since moved away from the 16:9 aspect ratio, only a few adopt 21:9. Despite this, 21:9 is considered the second-best aspect ratio, with 16:9 still dominating content formats such as movies and TV shows. The 21:9 display provides an enhanced experience for supported video content and offers more information per scroll for vertical-feed apps like Instagram, X, and LinkedIn. The same holds true for gaming, where select titles benefit from a wider field of view. However, the tall aspect ratio makes single-handed use impractical. To address this, Samsung has optimised One UI 8: the universal app menu search is now bottom-aligned, the quick settings menu is better laid out, and select Google apps like Chrome support relocating the address bar to the bottom. Even so, many commonly used third-party apps still necessitate two-handed use. The inner foldable display has an aspect ratio approaching square. This makes it suitable for productivity tasks rather than video consumption or gaming. With a default taskbar and multi-view interface, it delivers a tablet-like experience. While multitasking remains a strength, competing devices such as the OnePlus Open offer more advanced multitasking capabilities. Samsung could have further refined the foldable display's software functionality. Interestingly, the S Pen, a defining feature of the Fold series, has been omitted in favour of a thinner and lighter build. Cameras Samsung claims to deliver an 'Ultra' camera experience on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 by equipping it with the same primary sensor as the Galaxy S25 Ultra. This sensor is also found in the Galaxy S25 Edge (review). Additionally, the camera on the main display now uses a punch-hole cutout instead of an under-display configuration for improved clarity. Other camera modules remain unchanged from the previous generation. While these upgrades may appear incremental on paper, they translate to noticeable improvements in use. The primary sensor captures high-quality images with strong detail, contrast, and a wide dynamic range. It consistently performs well across conditions, though it occasionally struggles with neon lighting in artificial environments. The large sensor offers enhanced depth-of-field, emulating portrait effects even for non-human subjects. With a resolution of 200MP, the sensor enables default 2x and 3x zoom shots, despite the presence of a dedicated telephoto lens. The telephoto sensor performs well but lacks the uniform colour science of the main sensor, leading to visible discrepancies. Although the impact on photography is minimal, this inconsistency is noticeable in video footage. The telephoto lens excels in well-lit conditions but falters in low light, often softening details to reduce noise. The ultra-wide sensor delivers good performance but introduces softens on the edges as it irons out distortion, resulting in some detail loss. It also shows colour inconsistency compared to the main sensor. Autofocus support in the ultra-wide module enables the 'Samsung Focus Enhancer' mode, facilitating macro-style captures – a practical if not standout addition. Regarding front cameras, the unit on the cover display is centre-aligned and doubles as a biometric sensor. Visual cues like a moving white ring improve the facial recognition process, although the unlocking speed is modest. Face unlock is also available on the inner display, and interestingly, enrolment through one camera enables it on both displays. The inner display camera unit is placed at an odd spot though, adding to distractions. Video capabilities match those of the Galaxy S25 series. Features include 10-bit HDR video for enhanced contrast and colour, log format for improved post-processing flexibility, UHD 4K recording at 60 fps across all sensors, and seamless switching between front and rear cameras during recording. The device also supports 8K video capture at 30 fps. Software and AI The Galaxy Z Fold 7 debuts with Samsung's One UI 8, based on Android 16. The software is optimised to fully leverage the foldable form factor, particularly the main inner display. As mentioned earlier, the user interface has been adjusted for improved one-handed usability on the cover screen. On the foldable display, tablet-style features enhance productivity and multitasking. These include a taskbar for quick app access, multi-view functionality for split-screen use in supported apps (e.g., WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Outlook), and the ability to maintain distinct layouts for the cover and main displays. Artificial Intelligence remains central to Samsung's ecosystem. While the Galaxy Z Fold 7 introduces few new AI features, enhancements to existing ones place it ahead of most rivals. New AI-powered features include: Side-by-side comparison of original and edited images in generative editing mode Suggested erasures for one-tap removal of image distractions An 'audio eraser' toggle now available within the main video interface In collaboration with Google, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 introduces an improved 'Circle to Search' feature, which now includes in-game support. Users can access gameplay tips in a floating window, though the implementation is still rudimentary. A similar feature is under trial by Microsoft in Xbox via Copilot, which may have served as inspiration. Performance and battery Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, the Z Fold 7 offers flagship-level performance. However, it heats up significantly under sustained workloads such as 4K video recording at 60 fps, graphically demanding gaming, multimedia editing, and GPS navigation. This thermal issue adversely affects battery life, which remains modest even under normal usage conditions. The device supports 25W wired and 15W wireless charging. Both are relatively slow by current standards, with the device taking over an hour to fully charge via the fastest available method. Verdict The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 advances the foldable smartphone category with meaningful upgrades that go beyond superficial refinements. With a starting price of Rs 174,999, it remains a premium offering, but its combination of a thin-and-lightweight design, enhanced camera system, foldable-optimised software experience, and industry-leading AI capabilities justify the investment for users seeking both innovation and utility. The device excels in key areas: its broader cover display brings usability closer to conventional smartphones, the inner foldable screen offers a tablet-like experience tailored for productivity, and the refined One UI 8, based on Android 16, supports enhanced multitasking and one-handed operation. Imaging performance, particularly through the main camera, is reliable and consistent, with support for high-quality video capture across all sensors. On the flip side, some limitations persist: app optimisation for the tall 21:9 cover screen remains a work in progress, thermal management under intensive workloads needs improvement, and the battery performance is modest at best. Additionally, the absence of S Pen support, once a key differentiator, may disappoint long-time Fold users. Nonetheless, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 represents a significant step forward in making foldable smartphones more practical for everyday use. It sets a new benchmark in design, functionality, and software synergy, positioning itself as a genuinely viable flagship device that could turn foldables mainstream. 12GB RAM + 256GB storage: Rs 174,999 12GB RAM + 512GB storage: Rs 186,999 16GB RAM + 1TB storage: Rs 210,999
Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Tom's Guide
Galaxy Z Fold 7 hinge comes under fire from Reddit — I fixed smartphones for a living and I'm not worried
There's a lot that can go wrong with even the best phones, and it's easy to see every reported issue as an inherent fault with a design. However, there's a lot more to consider than just how the phone is built. Take the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is an impressive piece of hardware and a noticeable improvement over the prior Galaxy Z Fold 6. However, while the Z Fold 7 features a larger display and is significantly thinner, it appears that there may be a potential issue with the hinge. In a recent Reddit thread (via Android Central), several users reported that certain demo models of the phone in stores would not fully open. The Reddit post includes an image (above), of what appears to be a Z Fold 7 that hasn't opened fully. Instead, the phone appears slightly bent rather than being flat. Now, it is worth noting that, while several users have reported seeing the same issue, some posts indicate that the fault is not apparent in other demo units. So, that suggests this isn't an inherent flaw with demo units. Having spent some time with the Z Fold 7, I will say the phone's unfolding action is smooth and doesn't require any real force to open. So then, with all these reports, what's the likely cause of this problem? Galaxy Z Fold 7 preorder: up to $1,150 off w/ trade-in @ SamsungFree storage upgrade! Samsung 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 hands-on, we called it the first foldable we'd want to carry and use all day. Here's the thing: One of the challenges when making phones thinner is you have to adapt and change a lot of the design to support it. This includes finding ways to maintain a phone's durability while not increasing its mass or thickness, which can be a major challenge. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. In the case of the Galaxy Z Fold 7's Armor FlexHinge, Samsung completely redesigned it with a new multi-rail structure that uses Advanced Armor Aluminium for increased strength. Not only that, the hinge also features a water-droplet-shaped curve that aims to increase the overall durability of the phone. The thing to note is that demo units tend to go through a lot more stress than personal phones, even over a short time. For one thing, they are opened and closed constantly, and often not in the most caring way. In my time working as an engineer in a Samsung store, I saw people treat demo units in ways that would shock you. With that in mind, I wouldn't rush to the conclusion that this is an inherent design flaw. In my time working as an engineer in a Samsung store, I saw people treat demo units in ways that would shock you. That isn't to say we've never seen faults in the hinges on other Galaxy Z models, but those are often down to blockages in the mechanism. For instance, we saw faults arise in the Galaxy Z Fold 4, with the screen not opening fully due to the glue that held the brushes wearing away. Before anyone jumps to any conclusions, the newer Z Fold models no longer have these brushes. In my opinion, this doesn't look like it's indicative of a major issue with the design. However, I would understand anyone wanting to wait for a bit to see if the issue arises in users personal devices. With that in mind, we'd love to hear from you, especially if you've experienced this fault in any of the demo units you've seen, and if this has turned you off from buying Samsung's next foldable phone. 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
a day ago
- Tom's Guide
I've been testing the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 for a week — 7 things I like and 4 things I don't
I've been carrying the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 around in my pocket ever since it launched. Not just because it's my job to try out new devices like this, but because Samsung's biggest foldable phone upgrade yet is genuinely a fantastic product to use. While we wait for our full Galaxy Z Fold 7 review to arrive, I've distilled what I love about the Galaxy Z Fold 7 into, conveniently enough, seven specific points. I still have a few nits to pick, but we'll get into those later. On balance, it still feels likely that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is going to make it onto our best foldable phones list. Here's what I like — and what I don't like — about the Z Fold 7 so far. Samsung made the Galaxy Z Fold 7 thinner, lighter and tougher than previous Z Folds — the holy trinity of improvements for a smartphone body. The 26% reduction in the Z Fold 7's thickness compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 6's is an incredible leap to make in a single generation. The 10% weight reduction is welcome too, especially considering the overall increase in screen size (which we'll look at more in a moment) and the new tougher materials. There's Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back, Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 on the outer screen and new, thicker ultra-thin glass on the inside, along with a returning IP48 rating for dust/water resistance, should all help to keep this valuable phone intact and functional for as long as you use it. Galaxy Z Fold 7 preorder: up to $1,150 off w/ trade-in @ SamsungFree storage upgrade! Samsung 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 hands-on, we called it the first foldable we'd want to carry and use all day. Samsung used to be a bit stingy with the cameras on its foldables, but that's changing with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Its 200MP main camera means you're now on par with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and likewise with the upgraded ultrawide camera that now features autofocus and support for macro shots. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Samsung could still have bumped up the Z Fold 7's ultrawide camera to 50MP, plus its 3x 10MP telephoto is starting to show its age. But the overall loadout is now worthy of a two-grand foldable, with the benefits clear to see in comparisons such as my Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Galaxy Z Fold 6 camera shoot-out. The enlarged 8-inch inner display of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 means you now basically have a pocketable iPad mini, similar to rival devices from China. You do lose a little bit of space to the new camera punch-hole, but like on a regular phone, the cutout virtually disappears as soon as you start focusing on your game, video or feed. This increased size didn't come at the expense of the crease down the center of the panel. These are present on all foldable phones to one extent or another, but Samsung revised its hinge technology to make the Z Fold 7's crease look and feel less obvious. Samsung also made the smaller cover screen of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 wider and larger at 6.5 inches (up from 6.3 inches). That makes the new Z Fold much more comfortable to use closed up. Previous Z Folds only worked at their best when open, as their outer screens were awkwardly narrow for typing. With the Galaxy Z Fold 7, it's now up to you which configuration of the phone works best for what you're doing at the moment. A Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset is as good as it gets for an Android phone, and the "For Galaxy" edition is even better. Only Apple's A18 chipsets do better, and even then only on select benchmarks. This makes playing games like Wuthering Waves immersive on the Galaxy Z Fold 7, although you'll have to get used to playing your games in a square window if you want the big screen open. Opening up multiple apps for productivity works brilliantly, too, and all without taking a major toll on battery life. Samsung's under-display camera on the inside display of the previous Z Folds helped make the display look cleaner (minus a few odd-looking pixels), but it severely impacted the camera's performance. Even companies dedicated to perfecting the UDC, such as ZTE, have yet to get it right. Samsung's decision to go back to a more typical punch-hole camera is overall better for the phone, even if a few users won't like the new hole in their screen. You can see the difference it makes to photography in my selfie comparison with the Galaxy Z Fold 6. I'm not huge on AI features, but Samsung, with the help of Google in some cases, has thought carefully about ways to make these features work better on a foldable's big inner screen. My favorite is how you now get a before/after view when editing photos, a really simple idea but one with a lot of potential value. You can also move Gemini and other AI prompt windows freely around the display, letting you get answers or images without obscuring your other apps, and copy the output into those apps more conveniently. A $100 increase to $2,000 for the Fold 7 really stings. And this comes after a $100 price increase last year as well. Granted, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 still costs the same as last year here in the U.K. at £1,800, so while Samsung gets a point for not increasing the price here, you can't deny it's an expensive phone, even compared to other foldables. Considering how excellent the Galaxy S25 series is, while costing up to half as much, it can be hard to justify spending so much more for a foldable. You'll have to be certain you want to go the foldable route before you commit to spending this much money. I've been able to get a day's use from the Galaxy Z Fold 7 without an issue. But that doesn't detract from the fact that Samsung could have done even better. While the batteries in the Z Fold 7 take up less space than previous generations, it still has the same 4,400 mAh battery capacity that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 introduced four years ago. Considering that rival foldables like the Honor Magic V5 and Oppo Find N5 are fitting close to 6,000 mAh of capacity — thanks to new silicon carbon technology — there's a lot of space for Samsung to grow into. Samsung lets you open up to three apps, plus one slide-over app, at the same time on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. This works decently, but it's not as good as OnePlus' Open Canvas system for its OnePlus Open. Although that foldable's coming up to two years old, the ability to open apps in larger windows and slide between them as needed is a much smarter use of screen space than the cramped look of the Galaxy Z Fold 7's interface with all possible apps open. The Z Fold 7 does offer a DeX desktop mode too, but that's designed for use with a dedicated monitor rather than just the device. Samsung gave up S Pen support with the Z Fold 7 in favor of thinning out the design. And while I'm full of praise for how far Samsung's engineering has come, I wish this was one caveat it didn't come with. I admit I never used the S Pen much, but I still liked the availability being there, as it rounded out the Z Fold's versatility and identity as a pocketable tablet. Especially considering that rival foldables are just as thin and still offer stylus support. I'm not just talking about the iinner display, but on the outer display too, which is something Samsung somehow never managed to offer.
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Tecno reveals Phantom Ultimate Fold G — a bold challenger to Samsung's foldables
With Samsung's rumored tri-folding Galaxy G Fold missing in action, a new company is throwing its hat into the triple-ring. Tecno just teased its Phantom Ultimate G Fold, which the company claims is the world's thinnest tri-folding phone, measuring 11.49mm folded and 3.49mm opened, less than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. Of course, the Z Fold 7 is a real phone, while this is a concept. According to Android Central, the hinges on the Phantom Ultimate G Fold are different, with a larger main hinge and a smaller "waterdrop hinge" on the right side. Similar to Samsung's rumored tri-fold, the Phantom concept features a "G-style" inward-folding design with two hinges. This style of fold is designed to protect the interior displays. The conceptual phone is reportedly going to debut at MWC 2026, which typically takes place in February. It is reportedly equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery that powers a 9.94-inch interior display. When it comes to Tecno, its Phantom phones tend to be conceptual and don't actually become reality. Last summer, Tecno teased the Phantom Ultimate 2, another tri-folding device that also featured a "G-style" hinge system. Even if it were to release, neither the G Fold nor the Ultimate 2 are likely to come to the United States, as the phone maker largely sells in China and India. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Meanwhile, Samsung's much-rumored tri-fold is expected to launch in October. That's after the release of a second-generation Huawei Mate XT tri-fold in September. Huawei released the first tri-folding phone in the Mate XT last fall. We found it amazing, and we're looking forward to the next generation of foldable evolution.
News18
2 days ago
- News18
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 First Look: Thinner And Lighter But Better Value?
1/9 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 features a metal design and a new engineered hinge to give more durability and number of fold cycles. 3/9 The Z Fold 7 weighs 215 grams which is significantly trimmed down from the 239 grams on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 model.
