Samsung used to release Fan Edition phones to show that it listened to what its fans wanted.
The idea was to drop the flashy features and focus on the essentials like the processor and RAM without paying extra for all the bells and whistles.
But the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE flips the whole Fan Edition idea. This one uses a recycled body from the 2024 Z Flip 6 but packs in weaker chips, slower storage, and less memory.
It’s hoping the “new” label will distract buyers from the fact that the hardware isn’t up to scratch, and this is a problem.
The Flip 7 FE’s recycled design problems
Iteration is part of industrial design, but Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE crosses the line into outright recycling.
When you dig into the size, materials, and build, it becomes clear that Samsung basically cloned the Z Flip 6 to save costs.
Folded or unfolded, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE matches the Z Flip 6 down to the millimeter.
Holding on to flagship materials but losing the value in Flip 7 FE
The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE uses Samsung’s Armor Aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back.
Marketing will hype this as flagship-grade durability, and technically, it is. But this is exactly what the discounted Z Flip 6 has.
Samsung missed a chance to make a Fan Edition move.
Had it gone with a polycarbonate back or matte finish, the phone might’ve been lighter and cheaper to make, possibly hitting the sub-$800 price point. But holding onto premium materials kept costs high.
Where’s the color? Flip 7 FE’s bland palette misses the point
If Samsung is copying everything from the Flip 6, I wish it would have at least copied the colors! The Z Flip 6 launched with bold choices. But the Z Flip 7 FE only comes in Black and White.
This blandification of the FE line misses the point.
Flip phones are all about fashion and self-expression. Taking away color options is a huge misstep for the audience they’re trying to reach.
The Flip 7 FE’s silicon downgrade could cost you battery life
Credit: Steven Winkelman | Samsung
Reusing the design is disappointing, but swapping out the silicon is the real betrayal.
First, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE runs on Samsung’s Exynos 2400 chipset, replacing the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 that powered the Z Flip 6.
When it comes to raw processing power, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 leads in both CPU and GPU.
But honestly, both chips are powerful enough that most users won’t notice a difference. Unless gaming is your thing, and if it is, why choose a flip phone in the first place?
The bigger issue is the cut in system memory. While the Z Flip 6 packs 12GB of RAM, the Z Flip 7 FE has only 8GB.
On-device Galaxy AI features need a lot of memory, so with only 8GB, the FE will probably have to offload more tasks to the cloud or aggressively kill background apps.
7 years of updates won’t save hardware from aging
There are a few areas where the Z Flip 7 FE holds its ground. Samsung is promising seven years of Android OS and security updates, the same as the Flip 6.
That means the FE will get updates slightly longer at the tail end of that timeline. But here’s the catch. A seven-year software promise doesn’t line up with the reality of foldable hardware.
Foldable screens are consumables. They wear out long before the software support window ends.
The glass and the polymer protective layer degrade with every fold. The hinge gathers dust. Updates may be free, but components definitely aren’t.
Flip 7 FE is a poor value compared to Flip 6 and Razr
To get the same 256GB storage as the base Z Flip 6, you have to shell out extra. This is mathematically a bad deal.
At that point, you’re paying flagship money but still stuck with the slower chip and only 8GB RAM.
Samsung might market the FE as the cheaper choice, but the market disagrees. The Z Flip 6 has already had a year of price drops, so you can find it for less than the retail price.
We also can’t ignore the Motorola Razr 2025, which is basically haunting the Z Flip 7 FE.
The Moto Razr 2025 is what a budget foldable should be and humiliates the Z Flip 7 FE in almost every tangible metric of fun.
It looks better, feels better, and works better as a closed device. Its processor is mid-range, but at $700, the compromise is acceptable.
Choose Flip 6 for quality, Razr for fun and skip the Flip 7 FE
The Z Flip 7 FE works. It turns on, takes photos, and folds. But it’s also a value trap wearing a 2025 sticker.
Samsung reused the Flip 6 shell, downgraded the internals, and slapped on a $900 tag, hoping no one would compare prices.
So here’s the closing chapter. Choose the Flip 6 if you want Samsung done right. Choose the Razr 2025 if you want a foldable done fun.
The 7 FE is yesterday’s hardware pretending to be tomorrow’s deal.
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Moto Razr (2025)
- SoC
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MediaTek Dimensity 7400X
- RAM
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8GB
- Storage
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256GB UFS 2.2
- Battery
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4500mAh
- Ports
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USB-C
- Operating System
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Android 15
Motorola’s most affordable Razr gets a glow-up for 2025. With new colors, a more powerful processor, and all sorts of AI tools, this might be the most exciting $700 folding phone you’ve ever seen.
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Source: Best Buy
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
$950
$1100
Save $150- SoC
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Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
- RAM
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12GB
- Storage
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256GB or 512GB
- Battery
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4,000mAh
- Ports
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USB-C
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is Samsung’s most evolved take yet on the flip-style foldable form factor. Its 3.4-inch AMOLED cover screen supports Galaxy AI features without opening the device, along with upgraded widgets and suggested replies, but its gorgeous 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED folding display will still have you flipping the phone open quite a bit.
