They are here – Samsung launched its next-gen foldables this week. This includes a new Fold and a new Flip model and, for the first time, a cheaper Flip FE. Do you have your eyes set on a particular model – and if yes, which one?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is significantly thinner than its predecessor – it went from 12.1mm/5.6mm to 8.9mm/4.2mm when folded/unfolded. It’s lighter too, 215g vs. 239g. That’s 3g less than the S25 Ultra!
However, Samsung had to make some sacrifices: the battery capacity stayed the same (4,400mAh) as did charging (25W/15W) and S Pen support has been removed.
Both displays have gotten bigger – 6.5” cover display (up from 6.3”) and 8.0” inside (up from 7.6”). This comes with increased dimensions, though, a folded phone now measures 158.4 x 72.8mm, compared to 153.5 x 68.1mm before. For what it’s worth, the vanilla S25 is 70.5mm wide and the Edge is 75.6mm, so the Z Fold7 is still usable one-handed.
The phone now boasts a 200MP main camera and other upgrades – check out the camera samples we took out and about in New York. One change that may prove less popular is that Samsung removed the under-display camera inside and replaced it with a 10MP punch hole camera – it offers better quality, sure, but now there’s a hole in the 8” display.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 has slimmed down as well – from 14.9mm/6.9mm on its predecessor to 13.7mm/6.5mm (the weight is essentially unchanged at 188g). However, this model brings a bigger battery – 4,300mAh isn’t huge, but surprising to see given the slimmer build (and since Samsung couldn’t increase the capacity of the Z Fold7 battery).
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7
This one also has bigger displays inside and out – an edge-to-edge 4.1” cover display and a 6.9” inner display. However, the only notable change in the camera setup is the 10-bit HDR video support (also available on the Z Fold7). That means no dedicated zoom lens, so you’ll have to make do with 2x in-sensor zoom from the 50MP main. Check out our camera samples to see what that looks like.
Don’t miss our Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 hands-on if you want to know more about these foldables.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 FE is kind of a re-release of the Z Flip6. Here’s the comparison – long story short, last year’s Exynos 2400 (from the S24 series) replaces the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy. The performance is about the same, but efficiency is a concern. The S24+ (Exynos 2400, 4,900mAh battery) scored 12:30 in our Active Use test, while the S24 Ultra (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, 5,000mAh) lasted longer and scored 13:49.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 FE
The FE has the same battery capacity as the Z Flip6, 4,000mAh, despite being thicker than the Z Flip7. Also, it has less RAM, 8GB vs. 12GB. And if that wasn’t enough, the Z Flip7 FE is not available from US carriers (retailers do sell unlocked units, though).
While we’re on the topic of chipsets, we should note that the premium Galaxy Z Flip7 is powered exclusively by the Exynos 2500 – yes, even in the North American market.
Have a look at the pricing. The Z Flip7 FE starts at $200/£200/€200 less than the Z Flip6 did last year, but you can still find Z Flip6 units – and they often cost less than the FE. As for the other two, the Z Fold7 got pricier, while the Z Flip7 costs the same as the Z Flip6 did at launch.
Samsung’s new foldables
Has the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 won you over with slimmer and lighter design or has it turned you away with its price hike? Or was it the removed features? Vote below and leave a comment with your thoughts.
What about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7? It fixes most of the major complaints we had with the Z Flip6, other than the camera and charge speed. What do you think?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 FE is necessary – foldables can be quite expensive! But it’s still more than something like a Motorola Razr or Razr+. How do you feel about the FE?