In the wake of several years where Samsung had decidedly changed very little in the way of device thickness, the company has officially reached a halfway point. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is half the size of the original Galaxy Fold, and that’s something to celebrate.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 marks a device that’s actually worth upgrading to, as opposed to years prior, where Samsung’s foldable models came with little international changes. The newest one, however, brings such a massive jump in thickness and build quality that it’s hard to argue against the company.
Where hardware has fallen short in the past, software has always been strong. Even through delayed OS rollouts, Samsung has offered a powerful One UI with well-placed AI integrations that don’t feel gimmicky or a waste of RAM. For some of the previous Z Fold lineups, it felt as though the software demanded a better product.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 comes as the company’s newest foldable phone. It packs a lot to like, including a 200MP camera with nice improvements and a Snapdragon 8 Elite in the US. That comes paired with 12GB of RAM and a 4,400mAh battery.
The biggest changes are apparent in thickness. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is 8.9mm thick, which is remarkable. That puts the phone at almost half of the original Galaxy Fold’s 17.1 mm thickness. Looking back, that device was undoubtedly substantial and nowhere near pocketable. Cut to 2025, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 feels like an average slab-style phone.
Samsung also managed to make the outer display feel more prominent and usable. One of the biggest points of contention was Samsung’s execution of the outer display. In the past, it’s felt too thin to use on a regular basis. The overall experience was tenuous at best. This year, Samsung seems to have finally acknowledged that the inner display isn’t going to be used for absolutely everything, and making the outer panel a comfortable screen to use is a big deal. Now, the Fold 7 feels like a normal device when closed, and that’ll make it all the more easy to use as an everyday Android phone.
The original Galaxy Fold was a massive launch, and it shaped what the foldable industry looks like now. This year alone, both Honor and Samsung have released ultra-thin foldable phones that bid for attention, though Samsung is ahead in software functionality.
Of course, Samsung contributes that thinness to the “trade-off” of a missing S Pen digitizer. Without it, the phone is able to come in as thick as it is. Still, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has come a very long way.
Pre-orders are still available for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 series, and trade-in offerings are boosted. If you’re still using a Galaxy Z Fold 5 or older, the difference in comfort might make the upgrade worth it. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 currently trades for $900 while the Fold 6 goes for $1,000. With our links, there’s an added $50 credit attached.
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