Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Evaluation: Again In The Recreation! | Devices

Alright, I switched to a foldable telephone after almost a yr. With a number of apprehensions about battery, cameras and total usability. Two weeks into it, I’m blissful to report that Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has been a delight. It’s probably the most polished foldable smartphone I’ve used up to now. It’s additionally probably the most improved foldable telephone I’ve used. And, it’s in all probability the closest we now have come to perfecting the foldable telephones.

The most spectacular half is that Samsung has taken the suggestions significantly. It has addressed most considerations concerning the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and foldable telephones on the whole. Result? The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is lighter and thinner which fully adjustments the best way you utilize the telephone.

At the identical time, it has a much bigger shows — each on the quilt and inside. And, then you’ve gotten a lot improved digital camera system — almost equivalent to the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Yes, there are few different features that might have improved and the pricing nonetheless stays to be on the upper facet. But, I can confidently say that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the primary telephone in a very long time that has actually tempted me to return out of the Apple ecosystem.

Far Better Usability

Samsung has been enhancing the performance of its foldable telephones year-on-year. However, these enhancements are actually noticeable on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Anyone who sees the telephone can work out how slim and modern it has change into. Some of my associates even mistook it for a Galaxy S25 Ultra.

That’s as a result of Samsung has decreased the load to 215 grams — 24 grams lower than final yr’s mannequin and almost the identical as the massive slab telephones. In truth, it’s unbelievable that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is now lighter than the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

It’s additionally amazingly slim — 8.9mm when shut and simply 4.2mm when unfolded — permitting it to simply match into the pocket and making it a delight to make use of. It looks like an everyday telephone when folded. So, I’ve been doing most of my common duties like replying to messages, taking calls, clicking footage and utilizing Google Maps, instantly from the quilt display itself. I’ve solely used the primary display largely to observe a video or have a look at an image intimately.

So, the adjustments in design are actually constructive and will certainly change the best way individuals work together with the telephone.

The total construct of the telephone is kind of premium. It needs to be, given the value. There is IP48 ranking for mud and water resistance (which might deal with submersion as much as 5 toes for half-hour), together with Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 on the entrance and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the again. All of this ensures that you’ve got some form of safety in opposition to unintentional drops. It’s essential as a result of the repairability value for Samsung’s foldable telephones remains to be fairly excessive.

It’s additionally essential as a result of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a slippery telephone. It snuck out of my pocket at the least 4 occasions within the first week. Thankfully, the telephone is completely advantageous, proving that it’s each sturdy and durable.

Dual Screen Fun

With all its adjustments, the Galaxy 7 Fold basically solves the identical drawback: to offer each smartphone and pill expertise on the identical machine. It largely succeeds due to the improved display measurement and total expertise. On the entrance, you’ve gotten a 6.5-inch FHD+ (2520×1080) AMOLED show whereas the primary show has a 8-inch QXGA+ (2184×1968) AMOLED display. Both of those shows help 120Hz refresh fee.

Both of those are completely superb screens to work on. I’ve already established how helpful the quilt display has change into. But on the whole, it’s vibrant, sharp and a number of enjoyable to have interaction with. While the quilt display provides you these additional inches, I nonetheless discover the primary show ideally suited for watching movies and taking part in video games. Now that the telephone is so modern, it additionally provides you a greater grip.

From generic YouTube movies to OTT exhibits and cricket matches, I used the Galaxy Z Fold 7 to stream almost every part and the outcomes have been nice. I watched the ultimate day of the fourth Test between India and England on this telephone itself. And, I preferred how issues ‘unfolded’ between Ben Stokes and Ravindra Jadeja. Apart from this, I watched just a few episodes of Special Ops 2 and Wheel Of Time. The expertise was fairly good.

Both the screens are additionally ample vibrant for outside utilization.

What units the Galaxy Z Fold 7 other than different different telephones although is that I can open it and rework right into a mini-tablet because of that 8-inch cowl display, which by the best way can do much more than my iPad Mini. I actually like Samsung’s trick of breaking the keyboard into two components when the telephone is unfolded. It’s extraordinarily helpful whereas typing emails or enhancing tales on the go.

Then, you’ll be able to open three apps on the similar time. So, there have been days after I was replying to an e mail whereas referring to a doc on the facet window. That simply helps save a number of time. Also, the primary display is usually good for studying ebooks, enhancing photographs and even for on-line buying.

Solid Performance

One factor you anticipate on each flagship nowadays is the most recent chipset. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is Qualcomm’s quickest chip available in the market proper now, and the SoC that powers the Galaxy S25 Ultra, OnePlus 13 and a bunch of different flagship gadgets. That’s mixed with 12GB of RAM and as much as 1TB of storage.

One would anticipate completely prime of the road efficiency from that the mix. However, that’s not the case. Samsung has been a little bit reserved with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The telephone scored a little bit over 1.8 million on AnTuTu which is means lower than the S25 Ultra and different Snapdragon 8 Elite telephones. It’s additionally lower than what Vivo X Fold 5 scored with an inferior Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset.

The Geekbench 6 scores are barely extra promising with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 scoring 2365 within the single core take a look at and 8446 within the multi-core take a look at. Given that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is primarily made for multi-tasking, these are the numbers that ought to matter extra.

But, for severe avid gamers, there might be some challenges. During our common CPU throttling take a look at, the telephone noticed important dips in efficiency and was redudced to solely half of its potential. While this didn’t result in any main efficiency points throughout my utilization, the telephone would warmth up in each jiffy.

Here are some observations:

Asphalt Legends Unite

– The telephone helps 120fps at highest settings.

– I used to be solely getting a median fps of 78-84 and failed to succeed in wherever close to 120fps.

– The gameplay was clean although and the general expertise was good.

– However, the telephone obtained heat close to the digital camera module.

Genshin Impact

– The telephone helps 60fps on the highest settings and by default.

– I persistently obtained 58-60fps on the telephone which was nice.

– Surprisingly telephone by no means obtained heat and the gameplay was clean with no lags.

BGMI

– The telephone helps Ultra HDR at extremely body charges and Smooth at excessive+ body charges.

– I obtained a median 88-90 fps throughout gameplay. gameplay avg fps had been 88-90.

– The recreation ran advantageous even throughout lengthy hours and there was not a lot heating.

– This is one recreation that I actually loved taking part in on the massive fundamental display.

More than this, Samsung’s focus with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is on productiveness and AI options. I’ve not been large on AI however used each Gemini and ChatGPT on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for research-related work and to plan an upcoming journey. I additionally used the Circle to look characteristic. The response in all these circumstances was fast and snappy.

For somebody who hasn’t used an Android telephone for too lengthy currently, Samsung’s OneUI 8 felt such a refreshing and good expertise. I’ve had a lot enjoyable utilizing this telephone that I’ve deliberate my subsequent journey fully on the Galaxy Z Fold 7: from making the itinerary to reserving flights and accommodations, even to buy it.

I’ve customised the entire telephone to my wants: inserting apps foundation the place my fingers would go, organising totally different app structure for fundamental and canopy screens — issues which you can’t do on an iPhone. There are nice inclusions just like the Now Bar on the backside which exhibits dwell music, scores and extra. The UI can be very clear and even in case you don’t discover that, you’ll be able to personalise the entire expertise.

Big Camera Upgrade

The second greatest improve on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 other than the show, is the digital camera system. The giant digital camera bump on the again homes a fundamental 200-megapixel sensor (similar because the Galaxy S25 Ultra), a 12-megapixel ultra-wide digital camera and a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom. The Galaxy Fold 7 additionally has two 10-megapixel selfie cameras — on in every display and right here, the beneath display digital camera on the primary show has been changed with a correct selfie shooter.

Before I get to the digital camera efficiency, right here is one other remark: until just a few years again, I all the time discovered the massive cowl display on foldable telephones as an excellent viewfinder to border my pictures. But, this yr I realised, I’ve barely clicked something within the unfolded kind issue. Again, this has to do with how good and usable the quilt display has change into.

– The fundamental digital camera is unquestionably one of the best of the bunch and an enormous improve over the earlier era. It is a top-drawer sensor that captures gorgeous photographs throughout a spread of lighting circumstances.

– I had the telephone for just a few hours earlier than throughout my final New York journey and I clicked closed to 200 footage throughout that point.

– Most of the photographs from the primary digital camera are vibrant, colourful and intensely pleasing to the eyes.

– I might additionally discover that Samsung has made adjustments to its put up processing algorithms. So, the ultimate photographs are extra pure and have higher colours.

– The fundamental digital camera does an equally nice job in lowlight circumstances. As you’ll be able to see within the hooked up photographs, even the darkish areas are well-lit and uncovered.

– The 2x crop from the first sensor is first rate. It retains most particulars and sharpness. It additionally allowed me to border my footage higher.

The 3x telephoto digital camera is not so good as the Galaxy S25 Ultra however affords sturdy efficiency throughout the day. It maintained first rate readability even until 10x zoom however fails to impress past that. Also, the photographs begin dropping particulars in difficult gentle circumstances.

The ultra-wide digital camera is strong and able to taking superb footage. I clicked just a few photographs of the 9/11 warfare memorial in New York utilizing the ultra-wide sensor for higher area of view and so they have come out very well. The selfie cameras are good for outside and daytime pictures, however the footage clicked indoor are nonetheless grainy.

The rear digital camera can shoot as much as 8K movies at 30fps. I truthfully don’t see lots of people doing that. The video high quality at each 1080p and 4k is de facto strong although. There are additionally a number of modes throughout the digital camera app for each footage and movies. They be certain that the images expertise is enjoyable.

Average Battery

If there may be one factor foldable telephones can enhance it’s the battery. That’s wanting tough given the elevated give attention to the slimness of the machine. One of the the reason why the Galaxy Z Fold 7 retains the identical 4400mAh battery pack as final yr’s Galaxy Z Fold 6. This is a good battery that lasts almost a day however nothing to put in writing dwelling about.

I’ve been reaching dwelling with almost 40 pct battery and getting about six and a half hours of screen-on-time persistently on the machine.

The different drawback is that Galaxy Z Fold 7 continues to have sluggish charging help amongst foldable telephones and in any other case. The Vivo X Fold 5, for instance, helps 80W of wired charging and 40W of wi-fi charging. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 solely helps 25W of wired and 15W of wi-fi charging.

So, it could actually take over an hour to cost the telephone from 0 to 100 per cent.

Final Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 might not be probably the most good telephone. But, I strongly imagine that that is the closest we now have come to perfecting the foldable telephones. Yes, there are issues that may nonetheless be improved, just like the battery capability, charging and the show decision of the primary display. But, there are such a lot of issues that go in its favor.

Both the shows are wider, sharper and fully practical. When folded, it looks like a typical flagship machine that matches very effectively in pocket and in palm. The digital camera system has been fully upgraded with a greater fundamental digital camera, a good ultra-wide sensor and good selfie cameras. Add to it that that is the slimmest and lightest telephones within the phase. And, that Samsung is again within the recreation!

I want the telephone was priced rather less. But, that’s too many needs without delay. For now, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a good bundle, despite the fact that at a premium.