Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 review: Brilliant flip phone fun, but with a catch

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 has a tough job ahead of itself this year. It faces the best compact folding phones Motorola has made yet, a vastly improved Galaxy Z Fold 7 for those who can stomach its high price, and even the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE for anyone unwilling to pay over the odds for a taste of the folding life.

It has to impress if it’s going to beat all of these and become a recommended purchase, and can’t just coast along on its good looks and ever-expanding cover screen to win us over. I’ve used it for the past 10 days to find out if it’s still the top compact folding phone to buy.

Staff pick

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

8
/
10

SoC

Exynos 2500

RAM

12GB

Storage

5256GB/12GB

Battery

4300mAh

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is a fun, fashionable phone with cool features related to its flip style, a camera ideal for social media, and the latest software already installed.

Pros & Cons

• Large high-res cover screen
• IP48 dust and water resistance
• Compact and lightweight
• Fun flip features
• Great camera for social media and selfies

• Short battery life
• Slow charging
• Processor lacks power for top games

$900 at Samsung

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Specs, price, and availability

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 starts at $1,100 for the 256GB/12GB version, and increases to $1,220 if you want the top 512GB version. There are three main colors available — black, coral red, and blue — plus a special Mint color available only through Samsung’s online store. Purchase through Samsung, and the phone will be unlocked. Additionally, the Z Flip 7 will also be available through most major carriers and many MVNOs. It’ll be released on July 26.

All-new cover screen

It’s bigger, but is it more useful?

There’s no question the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s 4.1-inch cover screen looks very modern, especially when placed alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Flip 6’s 3.4-inch screen, and the increase in resolution to 1048 x 948 pixels is noticeable despite the small size. It’s the same for the 120Hz refresh rate, and combined it makes a closed Z Flip 7 more pleasurable to look at and use. However, the problem is exactly how often you’ll find a reason to use it.

The redesigned widget view, which displays multiple small cards on a single screen ready to be expanded, is ideal for at-a-glance information. Still, I find the notification system less useful. Notifications are displayed as available with a single, tiny orange marker on the side of the screen, and it remains invisible from a distance. To view them, you unlock the device and swipe right. Although it doesn’t sound like much, it feels tedious, and it’s often just as fast (if not faster) to open the screen and swipe down to see the notification center.

You can add a selection of apps to use on the cover screen using the MultiStar app from the Galaxy Store, but it’s limited to just a few. However, the list does include Messages, WhatsApp, and Google Maps. Again, apps like WhatsApp work, but it’s cramped to type quickly on the full-size keyboard with the phone closed, and if you’re writing a long message, it’s better to open the phone. Also, visiting a link in a delivery SMS requires you to open the phone to view it.

The result is that I found myself opening the phone in the first place and bypassing the cover screen entirely. Spotting the notification indicator is annoying, and the addition of Samsung’s Now Brief, the AI-powered daily planner, hasn’t encouraged me to stick around on the cover screen either. Technically, the Z Flip 7’s cover screen is a vast improvement over previous models, and the upgrades are genuinely noticeable. Unfortunately, it hasn’t greatly improved its usefulness, and it remains a fancy lock screen with a few helpful widgets.

Snappy design

Beautifully made, but not subtle

Close the Galaxy Z Flip 5, and it snaps shut with a noisy clap, and unless you really make an effort to close it quietly, it’ll happen every time with varying degrees of anger. There’s no smooth, dampened motion here, and little subtlety to the action either. Whether the hinge calms down over time remains to be seen, but I’ve been using the phone daily for more than a week, and it’s as urgent as it was on day one.

However, there’s no unsettling grinding or sound from the hinge, and a constant level of resistance is maintained after you start to close it, until it snaps shut. The flat sides offer little grip, though, and you need to take a firm hold to initiate the opening process. I found it far too easy to juggle the phone at this stage. Not only does it mean you may drop it, but it also breaks any coolness spell you may cast by nonchalantly opening your flashy folding phone.

The phone opens completely flat and closes without a gap between the two sections. The hinge is protected at the corners by unobtrusive guard plates. The metal feels expensive and strong, and there’s an IP68 dust and water resistance rating. It all gives you confidence in the phone’s build. The crease is still visible from certain angles, and you can feel it under your finger, but it’s marginal and will only bother some people. I have already stopped noticing it.

Everyone is talking about the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s thinness and relative lightness, but special mention should go to the Z Flip 7 in these areas too. It’s only 188 grams and 6.5mm thick unfolded, making it very lithe by modern phone standards. Folded up, it’s a compact square measuring 13.7mm thick. I’ve happily carried it around unnoticed in my pocket and bag, and it’s ideal for those who don’t want to be weighed down by a large phone every day.

A decent camera made for fun

But this is not a phone for photo enthusiasts

The Galaxy Z Flip 7’s camera is made for fun, and isn’t a “serious” camera made to compete with the Galaxy S25 Ultra. A perfect example is the Flex Cam mode, where you can set the half-open phone on a table so it acts like a tripod, then show the camera viewfinder on the cover screen. It’s brilliant for selfies, and Samsung’s palm gesture to activate a countdown timer is always accurate.

If this sounds like something you’d use, you’ll love the Z Flip 7’s camera, as it utilizes the main 50-megapixel camera, not the lower-spec 10MP selfie camera. The main camera also features a 2x optical quality zoom, which captures suitably sharp and detailed images, adding a touch more versatility. Meanwhile, the 12MP wide-angle camera represents a marked improvement over the wide-angle camera used on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, as I discovered in a recent camera test.

Then there’s Samsung’s AI-powered photo-editing tools. In Portrait Studio, you can generate an AI version of a pet or person, in the style of a 3D cartoon, an oil painting, a studio portrait, or through a fisheye lens. It’s as silly as it sounds, but it’s undeniably well-made, and the effects are eye-catching and surprisingly natural. Because the AI tools are built into the editing suite and take just seconds to generate, you’ll happily keep trying them out.

Shots taken with the Z Flip 7 are natural with realistic colors, but occasionally do lack some of the vibrancy many will want before sharing the image on social media. Here, you’ll find Samsung’s editing suite, featuring a range of filters that can be individually tuned and applied to other photos in your gallery, giving them a consistent look ready for sharing. It’s that kind of camera, with well-judged features and a style that will appeal to casual photo fans keen to share their shots with friends.

The latest software is a joy

But the AI remains a niche benefit

Android 16, the very latest software from Google, comes installed on the Galaxy Z Flip 7, complete with Samsung’s One UI 8 over the top, and it’s a match made in software heaven. The pair is fast, smooth, reliable, and feature-packed, with plenty of customization available. Like all Samsung phones, it requires careful setup, from activating the always-on screen to switching Samsung’s keyboard to Google’s Gboard. However, once you’re done, it’s remarkably easy to live with.

If you’ve used a Samsung phone with One UI 7, the new version won’t feel or appear all that different. I did spot the updated weather app, and really like the 90:10 app multitasking view where you can tap between two open apps, with one taking up the majority of the screen and the other just waiting in the wings until it’s needed. Samsung’s seven-year software update commitment shows it’ll remain fresh and modern, and splashing out on the Z Flip 7 may mean you won’t feel the need to upgrade your phone for a good few years.

Then there’s Samsung’s Galaxy AI, which I don’t think I’ve found a reason to use once. Google Gemini is also built in, and perfectly adequate for voice search and quick commands. Using voice to locate Settings speeds things up too. Some features require you to use Samsung’s keyboard, such as the Writing Style and grammar checks. However, not only is Gboard the better option, but features like Writing Style remain ridiculous.

The Now Brief hasn’t become more intelligent or useful, and unless your life is chaotic, and you struggle to keep up with appointments, it doesn’t do much outside of showing the weather. The Galaxy AI suite is nice to have, but most of its features are unlikely to be used often.

Performance and battery life

It’s not all perfect

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 has Samsung’s own Exynos 2500 processor inside along with 12GB of RAM, and a 4,300mAh battery. It’s charged at 25W wired and 10W wireless speeds. Samsung’s decision to use its own chipset may be the Z Flip 7’s downfall, as despite a small increase in battery capacity over the Z Flip 6, it’s not the most efficient or long-lasting combination.

My normal use is relatively low intensity with minimal gaming, but I haven’t really seen much beyond three hours of screen time on a single charge, which is very poor performance. Play Asphalt Legends Unite for 30 minutes, and you can expect 10% of the battery life to disappear. Although it never gets too hot to hold, there’s more heat built up around the cover screen than I’d like, and you notice it when playing games.

If you play more graphically intensive games, expect more heat to build up and even worse battery life. Running the 3DMark benchmark test saw the cover screen area and chassis around it get very warm, and the 20-minute Solar Bay Stress Test took 8% of the battery. I’ll note that during regular use and non-gaming apps, the phone is never slow, and I’ve found it perfectly comfortable to use. Additionally, I’ve been using it connected to a Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, which may slightly affect battery life.

The charging speeds are slow compared to phones like the OnePlus 13 and even the Galaxy A56 has faster wired charging, plus you don’t get a charger in the box. A thirty-minute charge takes the battery to about 50%, which is a useful amount, but only if the resulting battery life is long. A full charge takes up to 90 minutes, depending on the charger used. Battery life and gaming performance are not the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s strong points, and if you’re a demanding phone user, it may be better to look elsewhere.

Should you buy the Galaxy Z Flip 7?

Keep your expectations in check

I’ve really enjoyed the Galaxy Z Flip 7. The very action of opening and closing the phone is always a joy, despite the snappy action, and the phone feels futuristic and unusual. I love how convenient it is, the large inner screen is great for video, and the multi-tasking features make it useful. The camera is fun, especially if you take a lot of selfies or group photos, and the cover screen’s updated tech makes it look excellent.

What the Galaxy Z Flip 7 isn’t is a hardcore gaming machine or a battery life monster. If those aspects are important to you, this will not meet your mobile needs. Neither are especially important to me, and I’ve been able to enjoy the wonderful convenience of the folding design with few concerns, provided I remember to charge it every night. I’d consider an upgrade if I owned a Galaxy Z Flip 5, but not if I owned a Galaxy Z Flip 6.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is a polished, well-made, high-quality, and downright fun smartphone with character that’s missing from many non-folding phones. However, the Motorola Razr 2025 costs less and is even more stylish, plus it should return more battery life and has faster charging. The Razr Ultra is more expensive, but the colors and finishes make it really tempting. All three are great buys, but Samsung hasn’t managed to make the Z Flip 7 more tempting than either.

Staff pick

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

8
/
10

SoC

Exynos 2500

RAM

12GB

Storage

5256GB/12GB

Battery

4300mAh

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 faces some stiff competition from Motorola, and although it’s beautifully made and has excellent software, it’s let down by ordinary performance and short battery life. This doesn’t stop it being a superb purchase though, as it’s so highly polished and fun to own and use, you’ll forgive its shortcomings.

$900 at Samsung

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