Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 hands-on: It’s not perfect, but I still want it in my pocket

As disappointed as I am about the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, I’m equally excited about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7.

It’s not perfect, and I still have plenty of questions I want answered, but I finally feel that Samsung understands why people buy clamshell folding phones.

It’s not necessarily about having the most powerful chipset at your fingertips. It’s about an experience. People buy flip phones because they are stylish and compact, but not full of compromises when unfolded.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 checks many of those boxes for the first time. And while Samsung charges all the money again this year for its flagship clamshell, it’s a smartphone I’m looking forward to having in my pocket.

Samsung files one in the win column

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 rights a lot of wrongs

I’ve waited for the day when Samsung would give us a larger cover screen on the Z Flip series, and it’s arrived.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 sports a 4.1-inch Super AMOLED FlexWindow (Samsung’s term for the outer display). It’s vibrant and bright, reaching a peak of 2,600 nits.

It was pleasant to use, and the thin 1.25mm bezels enhance the experience.

The larger outer screen means the Galaxy Z Flip 7 also unfolds to reveal a more expansive 6.9-inch inner panel, which is wider than in previous years.

It’s a bright and vibrant, vintage Samsung panel, and while I wish it had a slightly higher resolution than 1080p, it’s still gorgeous to look at.

Although I enjoy using the revamped outer screen, some old limitations remain. Even with One UI 8, it appears you still need Good Lock to add more than just widgets to the FlexWindow.

I was hoping against hope that Samsung would eliminate the need for Good Lock with Android 16, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Regardless, I’ll take what I can get, and when set up with full apps, I’m looking forward to scrolling through Instagram on the new cover screen.

I’ve never preferred the more utilitarian design of the Galaxy Z Flip, but Samsung’s made it work this year, thanks to a color-matched aluminum frame and some stylish colors.

Thanks to a slimmer FlexHinge (lots of Flex branding this year for Samsung) and an edge-to-edge cover screen, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 appears less boxy than its predecessors.

It’s not curvy like the Motorola Razr design, but Samsung strikes a solid balance.

Samsung offers some saturated colors this year, but if you get anything other than Coral, you’re doing it wrong.

A few changes under the hood

The Exynos 2500 takes the stage

Unlike previous generations, you won’t find a Snapdragon beating at the heart of the Galaxy Z Flip. Samsung opts for an Exynos 2500 in the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

I’m not worried. I had concerns when I heard the Galaxy S24 FE would be powered by an Exynos 2400e, but I was pleasantly surprised.

It will have to be proven in testing, but I expect the Exynos 2500 to be both powerful and power-efficient, even if it doesn’t benchmark as well as the Snapdragon 8 Elite. I don’t need all that power in a clamshell smartphone.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 even features Samsung DeX for the first time. It appears that Samsung has run out of excuses for not including it on such an expensive device.

The rest of the spec sheet follows a similar pattern to last year, with 12GB of RAM and a dual-camera setup featuring a 50MP primary lens and a 12MP ultrawide lens.

Samsung increased the battery size for 2025 to 4,300mAh, one of the few devices in the company’s lineup to receive any kind of battery upgrade.

We’ll have to see what kind of performance that translates to with the Exynos 2500, but a larger battery capacity will always be welcomed.

Unfortunately, the Z Flip 7 is still saddled with 25W wired charging speeds, meaning you won’t be topping off in a hurry.

All told, I expect the Galaxy Z Flip 7 to be a solid performer, but its position in the broader marketplace is an interesting conversation.

The Motorola Razr Ultra looms large

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 falls somewhere in the middle

I’m thankful Samsung didn’t raise the price of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 again this year. The Z Fold 7 wasn’t as lucky, and I was fearful Samsung would creep pricing a little too close to the Motorola Razr Ultra.

Even still, at $1,100 for the base model, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 sits between the Motorola Razr+ 2025 and the wallet-punishing $1,300 Motorola Razr Ultra.

It’s a frustrating comparison because the Galaxy Z Flip 7 sits exactly where it should. It’s better (on paper) than the Razr+, but it lags behind the Motorola Razr Ultra in a few areas.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 has enough advantages over the Motorola Razr+ to justify the extra $100. Samsung’s superior software support alone breaks any ties.

While the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is slated for seven years of support, the Moto barely straddles half of that.

So, while I wish the Galaxy Z Flip 7 were still $1,000, I understand I can’t have everything, and Samsung at least provides the additional value to offset the cheaper Moto.

The Motorola Razr Ultra is an intriguing comparison. The Moto undoubtedly packs the superior spec sheet, with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset paired with 16GB of RAM and a base model that boasts 512GB of storage, but I’m not sure how much that matters.

It also packs a larger 4,700mAh battery, which will make a material difference.

Still, I think Samsung captured the essence of why people buy clamshell foldables better than Motorola this year — a stark contrast to recent history.

Motorola offers three models to choose from, and the base Razr remains my top pick for those looking to save a few bucks.

However, Samsung strikes an excellent balance of performance and style with the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

It’s all to play for

Unlike previous years, Samsung will at least take the field against Motorola in 2025. The Motorola Razr Ultra is too expensive to win by default, and the Razr+ doesn’t boast enough upgrades to box out the Galaxy Z Flip 7. I

t’s not a perfect device by any means, and Samsung is still Samsung in many respects. Still, the company, at least momentarily, appears to grasp why people enjoy clamshell foldables — and that’s enough for me.