Samsung’s unleashing a foldable frenzy this year, dropping not one, butthreebendable beauties. While the Z Fold 7 flexes serious muscle with a next-gen processor and camera array that rivals DSLRs, the Z Flip 7 plays it a little safer. Don’t get us wrong, it’s still sleek, but the real showstopper is the dramatically expanded Flex Window – that’s Samsung’s name for the front display, and this year, it’s bigger and bolder than ever. Think less peek-a-boo, more full-blown interaction without even flipping it open.
Samsung’s pulled off a magic trick: a bigger battery in a thinner foldable. The engineering is undeniable. But beyond the battery boost, the upgrades feel…polite. Are these tweaks enough to truly wow, or just whisper improvements?
Hardware
Mat Smith for Engadget
Samsung’s upped its foldable game, closing the gap with competitors by supercharging the cover display. Say goodbye to squinting at a postage stamp – you now get a generous 4.1-inch canvas for all your essential tasks. The vibrant screen is only broken by two subtle camera cutouts, letting you dive deep into an immersive experience.
The Flip 7 isn’t just bigger and longer-lasting; it’s shedding weight, too. Slimming down to a mere 6.4mm (0.25 inches), it eclipses last year’s model. Think Galaxy S25 edge thin – that’s the territory we’re talking about. Of course, the laws of physics still apply: folded, it’s a still-pocketable 13.7mm (0.54 inches). But make no mistake, this is the leanest Flip ever.
Samsung / Engadget
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7
The Z Flip 7: A tempting flip phone with a few glaring flaws. Boasting all-day battery, expansive displays, and a brainy AI, it almost sticks the landing. Sadly, the camera tech feels like a throwback, and Samsung’s skimped on truly useful cover screen features.
Pros
- Bigger front screen
- Better battery life
- Slimmer design
Cons
- Cameras are dated
- Front screen utility is still limited
- Sluggish charge speed
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Prepare to be dazzled: The Flex Window just redefined smartphone brilliance. Blazing with a 120Hz refresh rate and scorching peak brightness of 2,600 nits rivaling even the Galaxy S25 Ultra this display is pure visual fire. But the real magic? A near-invisible bezel, a mere 1.25mm, the slimmest ever on a Samsung. Imagine glancing at notifications in piercing sunlight – now effortless. Samsung’s secret? A revolutionary waterproof coating, allowing them to stretch the AMOLED to its absolute limits, banishing the bezel like never before.
“Samsung didn’t just nudge the foldable’s main screen bigger; they cranked it up to a sprawling 6.9 inches, a real estate upgrade from the previous 6.4 inches that’s immediately noticeable. More than just size, Samsung smartly tweaked the aspect ratio, edging closer to the familiar 21:9 format we love. While it’s not quite mirroring your Galaxy S25 or iPhone 16, binge-watching videos suddenly feels less cramped and much more immersive.”
The Z Flip’s tall, narrow screen has always been a reach, especially one-handed. The Z Flip 7 promised a fix with its tweaked aspect ratio. But bigger isn’t always better. The expanded screen, while welcome, still leaves you stretching for those top corners. A shorter, wider screen might have been the ergonomic holy grail Samsung was chasing.
Samsung claims the Flip’s hinge is tougher than ever again. Durability remains to be seen, but the Flip 7 now snaps shut with a satisfyingly robust “thunk,” a sound its forebears could only dream of.
That satisfyingthunkas you pry it open? It speaks to the phone’s build quality. Think Fort Knox, but pocket-sized. Now, about that crease. The dream of a disappearing divide lives on, but not this year. New to the fold? Don’t sweat it. You’ll likely forget it’s even there.
The cameras
Mat Smith for Engadget
Flip’s latest camera? Prepare for déjà vu. The Flip 7 stubbornly clings to the familiar: a 50MP f/1.8 main shooter, complete with OIS, partnered with a 12MP ultra-wide boasting a 123-degree view. Sure, a 10MP internal camera exists, but with Flip’s front screen now flexing its muscles, why not unleash the main camera’s power for those selfies? Ditch the inside shot; the outside’s got it covered.
Unlock stunning photos, day or night, with the Z Flip 7. While its Night Mode fearlessly brightens even the darkest scenes, prepare for slightly smoothed skin. Crave detail? Unleash the 50MP mode, but hold steady! The Z Flip 7 shines, but its zoom maxes out at 2x crop due to the missing telephoto lens. For ultimate foldable photography, the Fold series remains king.
Mat Smith for Engadget
The Z Flip 7 elevates video recording with a leap to 10-bit HDR, painting your memories with richer colors and finer detail than ever before. Nostalgia also gets a modern twist: unfolding the Z Flip 7 and holding it like a classic camcorder? Still ridiculously fun, and now with breathtaking video quality to match.
Software
Mat Smith for Engadget
The Samsung Z Flip 7’s Flex Window is bigger, but the software refinements are subtle, not seismic. Taking front-display selfies? Clever interface icons now dance around your framing, intelligently sidestepping your subject. And finding the perfect filter? See themliveon the Flex Windowbeforecommitting. It’s evolution, not revolution, but these thoughtful tweaks make a difference.
Forget digging through notifications – Samsung’s Galaxy S25 flips the script with the “Now Bar.” Think of it as your phone’s sixth sense, a sleek strip serving up real-time intel. Part Dynamic Island inspiration, part Samsung innovation, the Now Bar surfaces need-to-know info at a glance. Tracking your morning jog? The Now Bar displays your fitness stats live. Waiting for your Uber? Watch its progress unfold in real time. Dodging raindrops? Weather updates pop up instantly. The Now Bar and its companion, the Now Brief, make the S25 more than just a phone; it’s your information hub.
Unleash the power of your Z Flip 7 without even flipping it open. The Now Bar grants instant access, while Google’s Gemini Live awaits your voice, no unfolding required. This hands-free interaction, a perfect harmony of hardware and software, elevates the foldable experience to a new dimension.
Want to actuallyuseyour Z Flip 7? Prepare for a Samsung-sized hurdle. While the Flex Window offers a tantalizing glimpse of functionality, you’re chained to a paltry selection of six apps – a bizarre mix featuringNetflix, of all things. To unleash the power of Gmail and Chrome, you’ll be wrestling with Samsung’s Multistar launcher. It’s a clumsy workaround; a clear sign that Samsung’s vision for the Flex Window is, for now, disappointingly limited.
Battery life and performance
Mat Smith for Engadget
The impossibly slim Flip 7 somehow packs a bigger punch than ever. Squeezed inside its even-thinner frame is a beefy 4,300mAh battery, a full 300mAh larger than last year’s. But the real magic? A cutting-edge, in-house designed 3nm Exynos 2500 processor that unlocks a truly remarkable leap in battery life. Prepare for endurance you won’t believe.
The Flip 7’s battery life is a marathon runner in disguise. Forget a quick sprint – we’re talking an endurance test winner. Our video rundown clocked in at a staggering 18.5 hours, leaving the Flip 6’s 13-hour performance in the dust. Honestly, I thought my testing rig was glitching. I double, then triple-checked, running the test again and again, and the Flip 7 kept going strong, proving it wasn’t a fluke.
The new chip handled everything I threw at it – gaming, Galaxy AI, the works – without a hint of lag. Performance was consistently smooth. However, push it hard, especially with the camera or location apps like Google Maps and CityMapper, and the phone would transform into a pocket hand warmer.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7’s battery life? A trooper, lasting a day and a half under serious pressure before begging for juice. Now, about that “Super Fast Charging”… topping out at 25W feels like a cruel joke. Seriously, Samsung? My old Z Flip 6 and even the base S25 pulled the same speed. In a world of blazing-fast 45W chargers (and beyond!), plugging in the Flip 7 feels like waiting for dial-up. On a premium device, shouldn’t charging be, well, a bit more premium?
Wrap-up
Mat Smith for Engadget
Samsung’s Z Flip got a serious glow-up. This isn’t just a nip and tuck; it’s a full-blown makeover. They shaved off the excess, making it feel even sleeker in your palm, while somehow packing in bigger, bolder screens and a battery that actually lasts. It’s engineering sorcery, pure and simple. But, (and there’s always a but, isn’t there?) the camera feels…familiar. Like seeing last year’s fashion still rocking the runway. While everything else screams “future,” the camera whispers “same old, same old.”
Samsung’s Flex Window, while functionally sound, feels like a missed opportunity. Imagine unlocking the power of your favorite apps on that compact front display, seamlessly integrated and optimized for its unique dimensions. Sadly, the current experience is clunky, many apps feel crammed and unrefined. The Z Flip 7 stagnates, failing to truly innovate and elevate the foldable category, leaving us yearning for a Flex Window that actuallyflexesits potential.
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