With the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung has once again demonstrated its ability to reinvent the foldable segment. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 was a great device, but it followed a design language that didn’t feel like an upgrade over its predecessor. Samsung, during closed-door briefings for the Fold 7, claimed that it almost made the new foldable from the ground up. And, the moment you hold the Fold 7 and 6 simultaneously in your hands, you can see for yourself the enormous difference. While of course, the sleek profile is the biggest highlight of the Fold 7, the upgrades don’t stop there.
Apart from being thinner and lighter than its predecessor, the Fold 7 features a cover screen upgrade that allows you to use it like a regular bar phone, providing more screen real estate. Even the inner display receives a bump in size, matching that of a small-screen tablet. Of course, the camera gets a massive upgrade over the Fold 6, which we will break down in our camera section. Samsung hasn’t just kept the surprises limited to hardware, but also on the software side.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 daylight samples (tap to see larger image)
Switching to the telephoto camera (3x), the Fold 7 proves to be a capable shooter, boasting a solid setup for zoom shots. In daylight, the telephoto manages to capture plenty of details.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 telephoto (3x) samples (tap to see larger image)
The zoom performance of the Fold 7 is also decent, although the digital zoom is primarily unusable, and you should not exceed 10x. Like in the images below, you can see the zoom performance of the Fold 7
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 telephoto (3x) sample (tap to see larger image)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 10x sample (tap to see larger image)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 20x zoom sample (tap to see larger image)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 30x sample (tap to see larger image)
The ultrawide camera with autofocus support has been a great addition to the Fold 7, something I missed on the Fold 6. The dynamic range is good, and details are decent. The colour accuracy and sharpness are also good, and you can check some samples below. However, the ultrawide sensor isn’t as good as the primary camera, which shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 ultrawide camera samples (tap to see larger image)
For selfies, the Fold 7 offers dual cameras – one on the cover screen and another on the inner display. Both are capable, and you will not be disappointed. The skin tones are captured well, and there are enough details. The daylight selfies are top-notch, while low-light selfies lose some details, and some amount of grain is also visible in the selfies.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 indoor camera samples (tap to see larger image)
Moving on to the low-light performance of the Fold 7, I’m not as impressed as I am with the S25 Ultra, but it still excels in the foldable category. The details drop a bit in pitch-dark conditions, while colour accuracy is also slightly off. Some of the night samples I clicked came out as soft and had plenty of noise. However, the camera does justice when there’s a light source around and it kind of nails the frame with accurate colours, a good amount of details, better white balance, and controlled noise. The telephoto and ultrawide samples in low light are not as good as the primary camera, but are usable for your social media uploads.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 low-light camera samples (tap to see larger image)
This year, Samsung has also upped the ante when it comes to video quality. It can record up to 8K at 30 frames per second (fps) with the primary camera. It can also record slow-motion videos at 240fps in Full HD and 120fps in Full HD. For professional users, the company has added the Galaxy Log video feature, which allows you to download these videos to your system and perform colour grading. There’s also an AI Audio Eraser feature on the Fold 7 that will enable you to adjust volumes of different elements in the video. The video quality is excellent from the primary camera.
Overall, the Galaxy Fold 7 is a giant leap in terms of cameras for the Samsung line-up and puts it next to the best – Galaxy S25 Ultra.
The phone sports a 10-megapixel 100-degree camera on the main display that expands the frame
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Performance: Finally, a foldable that feels like a flagship
- Processor – Snapdragon 8 Elite
- RAM and storage – 12GB + 256GB, 12GB + 512GB, 16GB + 1 TB
- OS – Android 16 based One UI 8
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 features the top-tier processor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, which has been seen in Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra this year. Every day tasks are handled smoothly, and there are no issues with multitasking. The app opens super quickly, and switching between apps is effortless. While Samsung isn’t pushing the Fold 7 as a gaming device, this foldable is a very capable one.
The Galaxy Z Fold7 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, which also powers the Galaxy S25 Ultra
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is available in three RAM and storage configurations: 12GB of RAM with 256GB of storage, 12GB of RAM with 512GB of storage, and 16GB of RAM with 1TB of storage. Samsung should have offered a 16GB RAM option for all SKUs, considering the substantial price tag. Samsung uses LPDDR5x RAM and UFS 4.0 on the Fold 7. To provide a better perspective, I ran our suite of synthetic benchmark apps, and the results are below, compared to the Fold 6.
| Benchmark | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 (Cover/ Main) | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 (Cover/ Main) | Pixel 9 Pro Fold (Cover/Main) |
| AnTuTu v10 | 1,820,509 / 1,845,876 | 1,642,118 / 1,695,896 | 11,15,037 / 10,65,151 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 | 15,854 / 16,187 | 18,688 / 18,460 | 13,686 / 12,744 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,784/ 1,923 | 2,216/ 2,197 | 1,872 / 1,651 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 8,239/ 8,798 | 6,725/ 6,689 | 3,734 / 3,971 |
| GFXB T-rex (fps) | 120 / 120 | 120 / 120 | 120 / 119 |
| GFXB Manhattan 3.1 (fps) | 120 / 120 | 120 / 120 | 119 / 86 |
| GFXB Car Chase (fps) | 119 / 119 | 119 / 119 | 78 / 49 |
| 3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL ES 3.1 | Maxed Out / Maxed Out | Maxed Out / Maxed Out | Maxed Out / Maxed Out |
| 3DM Slingshot | Maxed Out / Maxed Out | Maxed Out / Maxed Out | Maxed Out / Maxed Out |
| 3DM Wild Life | 16,474 / 16,742 | 15,678 / 15,210 | 8,683 / Maxed Out |
| 3DM Wild Life Stress Test | 18,871 / 18,336 | 18,786 / 17,898 | 8,948 / 9,273 |
The foldable does get warm while gaming and when using the phone for extended periods, such as for navigation or when the camera app is in use. But it never reaches a point where it becomes too warm to handle.
The speakers on the Fold 7 aren’t very loud, but are good enough to fill a medium-sized room, and the clarity is there. Calls on the phone are decent, with no call drops due to network issues or the handset’s inability to latch on to networks. I tested the Fold 7 for 5G on Airtel and Jio networks, and it works without a sweat. One of the strengths of the Fold 7 is its ability to latch onto a mobile network in areas with limited connectivity, such as basements or inside elevators.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 runs One UI 8 on Android 16 out of the box
Thanks to the slim profile and an extended aspect ratio, the Fold 7’s cover screen can be used as a regular phone, and I had a great time typing long emails, texts, and even doing some light photo editing on apps like Canva. In the real world, the Fold 7 is light years ahead of the Fold 6, which was powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
Jumping to the software side, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is among a handful of Samsung devices launching before the new Pixels with Android 16. That’s something we don’t often see, but that’s also Samsung for you. The One UI 8 is based on Android 16. Talking about the interface in general, the One UI 8 doesn’t bring ground-breaking changes, as One UI 7 last year already introduced massive upgrades.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 users will be among the first to get access to experience Android 16
Much like Android 16, which focuses on improving the under-the-hood aspects of the UI, One UI 8 also brings minor changes, including an improved split-screen multitasking feature (90:10 from the earlier 70:30 split). The Now Bar and Now Brief are part of One UI 8 and will be rolled out to all compatible devices. The Now brief will provide personalised briefings with suggested content and actions that update in real-time, depending on the time of day you check. It sits on the Home screen and is a nice touch. The Reminder app has also undergone an overhaul and will serve as a companion app for planning your next family holiday. It can also take your to-do lists and drop you reminders on time. The Quick Share has also received some upgrades, making it easy to share files with just one tap.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 brings AI features like Gemini Live, Photo Assist, Portrait Studio, Audio Eraser, and Circle to Search, among others
Of course, there is the usual AI suite of features, including Call Assist, Writing Assist, Interpreter, Note Assist, Transcript Assist, Browsing Assist, Photo Assist, Drawing Assist, Audio Eraser, Photo Ambient Wallpaper, and Health Assist.
The camera app also receives handy additions that enable you to swipe up or down to switch between rear and front cameras. The default browsing app has also received an update that displays all options for sharing and other features in the menu. Overall, One UI 8 is a nice update for Samsung users, and it comes in handy on the Fold 7.
Samsung claims that the main display has been redesigned to be thinner, lighter, yet stronger
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Battery: Same old, same old
- Battery – 4400mAh unit
- Charging support – 25W wired and 15W wireless
- Charging speed – 50% in 30 minutes
If there is one department that completely missed the upgrade cycle on the Fold 7, it has to be the battery. The phone packs the same 4,400mAh battery, which, on paper, appears to be on the lower side when compared to new-age flagships launched this year. The charging speed is again an Achilles’ heel for the Fold 7, capped at 25W.
There’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back of the Fold 7
In real-world usage, the Fold 7 lasts about a day with a full charge and offers a screen-on time of over 5 hours. I preferred a slightly better battery backup. The good thing is that Samsung now offers a range of granular controls for battery settings, allowing you to limit charging to 80% or slightly more.
When folded, the Galaxy Fold 7 can be used with just one hand with ease
For charging, the Fold 7 takes approximately 30 minutes to charge to 50%, while a full charge (0-100%) takes around 80-90 minutes. This is on the lower side, and I wish Samsung could have acknowledged this issue.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Verdict
This year, Samsung has made sure that its Fold 7 comes out as a solid package combining power and panache. It offers top-tier specs in a beautifully crafted, sleek body that can turn heads. It features a top-tier processor that guarantees uncompromising performance, and then there’s a massive camera upgrade that brings the best from the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The One UI 8, based on Android 16 with 7 years of software support, is the best you can get on any Android device at the moment. The lightweight and sleek design is the USP of the device, solving the foldable conundrum that has been there for years.
The Fold 7 starts at Rs. 174,999 and goes up to Rs. 216,999
Of course, there are a few pain points, such as the charging speed now feeling dated, and I wish Samsung had acknowledged it this year. The battery performance isn’t something that sets a benchmark, and with the missing S Pen support, the Fold loses its charm as a true multitasking device. Not skipping the price bump, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is an expensive device, much like its predecessor.
The upgraded Armour FlexHinge is thinner and lighter, thanks to a newly implemented multi-rail structure that reduces visible creasing
For alternatives, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a solid contender for the Fold 7, if anyone wants a non-folding device. The Vivo X Fold 5 is the closest rival in the book-style folding segment. In the coming days, we can expect the new Pixel Fold from Google to join the foldables league.
