I recently decided to carry around the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 for an entire week to get a sense of why you’d spend the extra money on a book-style foldable.
I like the improvements Samsung made to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but you still pay a significant premium over the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
That value has to be made up somehow, and while I love what the Galaxy Z Trifold offers, even at a higher price, I wanted to find out if book-style foldables have a place.
The answer is complicated, although the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is an ideal choice if you want to try out a folding phone for the first time.
I still believe the Galaxy S25 Ultra is the wise decision for most, but if you’re wavering between the two, here’s why you might consider spending up for the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
What I love about the Galaxy Z Fold 7
Light and thin design with a large display
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the first Samsung foldable I can have this conversation about.
Previous devices were binary because of their size and bulk. You either needed the extra screen real estate and paid up, or you didn’t.
But with the smaller cover screen, you really need to use the internal screen all day, and that’s a pain.
I’m still wary of unfolding my phone while walking, and sometimes you need to type that quick WhatsApp response or email.
The wider 6.5-inch cover screen on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 makes the phone more versatile.
I can go an entire day without unfolding the phone and not feel like I have a substandard smartphone experience.
My thumbs have plenty of room, and apps are a pleasant experience.
When I need more space and can open up the phone, I get to unfold it and enjoy the expansive internal display, but I never feel like it’s a requirement, unlike with previous Galaxy Z Folds.
At only 215g and 8.9mm thick when folded, there’s also no penalty for carrying the Galaxy Z Fold 7 around in your pocket all day, even if you don’t use the 8-inch internal display.
With previous devices, it was a headache given the bulk, but that’s not a concern anymore.
Samsung’s multitasking was stuck in 2017, but the company changed that with One UI 8. 90:10 multitasking is ideal for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, making the device much more enjoyable to use.
I can quickly switch between Gmail, my calendar, and several productivity apps while still having enough space for everything.
Samsung also made other small changes, such as allowing you to view before-and-after photos side by side during editing.
My primary frustration with book-style foldables is that they just felt like regular smartphones with bigger screens.
I’m still not totally convinced, but Samsung has made strides in the right direction by adding features that wouldn’t work the same on a traditional phone like the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
The battery life is solid, but you’ll still see better overall performance on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which isn’t a surprise.
It features a larger 5,000mAh battery and doesn’t have to power an 8-inch internal display.
Still, battery life is important, and if you want to make it all day with moderate use and then into a second, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 shouldn’t be your choice.
Similarly, the Galaxy S25 Ultra camera system is more versatile, even though Samsung improved the Galaxy Z Fold 7 primary sensor for 2025.
What I love about the Galaxy S25 Ultra
Excellent performance and support
The form factor isn’t exciting like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but it’s hard to beat the Galaxy S25 Ultra. I admit the phone is uninspiring, but it does a lot of things right.
Samsung’s software is excellent, and One UI 8 brings many meaningful upgrades. It’s running well, and it’ll chew through anything you throw at it, thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset.
Performance is similar between the two phones, but you get the larger 6.9-inch display on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which matters if you know you won’t bother to unfold the Galaxy Z Fold 7 too often.
I mentioned earlier that shutterbugs should still favor the Galaxy S25 Ultra. You get more lenses and higher quality photos — it’s just the smart choice.
You also still have the S Pen, even though Samsung nerfed it heavily. However, it’s better than not having any S Pen support at all, which is the case on the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
Foldables are more durable and dependable than they used to be, but by nature, they won’t be as sturdy as the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
There is still a hinge and the possibility of dust, along with a more fragile inner display, problems you won’t worry about on a traditional slab device.
If you watch content and rely on your phone’s speakers, the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s sound is significantly better than the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s.
I don’t know what Samsung did with the speakers on its top-tier foldable, but the sound is hollow and tinny — not a premium experience.
Still, the biggest factor is price. This is where carrier finance contracts and deals have made foldables more attainable.
If you can pick up a Galaxy Z Fold 7 for $40 a month on your AT&T or Verizon bill, you’re more likely to take a chance on something new. If you’re laying out the entire $2,000, it’s more of a conversation.
It’s not like the Galaxy S25 Ultra is cheap, but deals currently put it under $1,000, making it an attractive option.
It’s a closer call than ever
I wouldn’t recommend buyers rush out and choose the Galaxy Z Fold 7 over the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
However, it’s closer than ever, and I can see casual users, content creators, business owners, and even students getting much more benefit from the larger internal display than they did just a few generations ago.
If you’ve been on the fence, it’s an excellent device, and you’ll notice less difference carrying it around in your pocket compared to the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
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Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
$950
$1300
Save $350- SoC
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Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
- RAM
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12GB
- Storage
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256GB, 512GB, 1TB
- Battery
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5,000mAh
- Ports
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USB-C
Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra leaves the Note-like design behind for the very first time. With flat edges, curved corners, and a massive 6.9-inch display, this is a modern flagship through and through — and yes, that S Pen is still here too.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
- SoC
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Snapdragon 8 Elite
- RAM
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12GB or 16GB
- Storage
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256GB, 512GB, or 1TB
- Battery
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4,400mAh
- Ports
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USB-C
- Operating System
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One UI 8
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the thinnest and lightest in the series to date, integrating a powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor for enhanced AI capabilities and a 200MP pro-grade camera. Built for enhanced durability with an Armor FlexHinge and Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2, the device features a wider 6.5-inch cover screen and unfolds into an expansive 8.0-inch main display for immersive viewing and productivity.
