Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review: Slimmer, smarter and finally ready

After using the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for over a month, I can finally say this: Samsung has figured it out. The Fold 7 feels like the most complete, confident foldable yet. From the second you pick it up, the difference is clear. It’s thinner, lighter and just better built. In fact, it’s the thinness that immediately won me over. At 215 grams, it finally feels closer to a regular phone when closed, but when you unfold it, you still get that beautiful, expansive 8-inch display. The hinge is sturdy, the crease is practically invisible unless you go hunting for it, and the whole design feels more elegant than ever.

This generation also loses S Pen support, which may frustrate some loyalists, but the upside is a thinner and tougher screen. The displays themselves are superb. The outer 6.5-inch AMOLED feels natural to use for calls, messages and photography, while the inner screen remains the big draw. Watching content or multitasking on that gorgeous QXGA+ AMOLED with its 120Hz refresh rate and 2,600-nit peak brightness is genuinely delightful.

Performance is flagship-level across the board. The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy and 12 GB RAM make the Fold 7 fly. Nothing lags, apps switch smoothly and heavy multitasking never feels like a chore. I frequently had YouTube open while running Docs and email side by side, and it never stuttered. One UI 8 makes excellent use of the foldable format, offering a persistent taskbar, improved Flex Mode, and AI tools that actually help, like on-device transcription and smart photo editing. It’s all layered on top of Android 16, and for once, it feels like software and hardware are in sync.

The camera setup has caught up too. The 200 MP main sensor is the standout here, capable of sharp, balanced shots in most lighting. Night performance has improved noticeably, and the 3x telephoto works well for portraits. The ultrawide still lags slightly, especially in tricky lighting, but the Fold 7 is no longer a compromise in the camera department.

Battery life is another pleasant surprise. Despite its 4,400 mAh cell, it lasts a full day and then some, likely due to improved chip efficiency. Charging, however, remains a weak spot. It supports only 25W wired and 15W wireless, which feels slow by today’s standards. Still, for me, it wasn’t a deal-breaker.

At ₹1,74,999, the Fold 7 is expensive, especially with competitors like Vivo’s X Fold 5 undercutting it. But Vivo’s foldable runs on last year’s chip and lacks Samsung’s mature ecosystem. With the Fold 7, you get seven years of software updates, deep integration with other Galaxy devices, and software polish that’s finally catching up to the hardware.

This is no longer a proof-of-concept or a device for early adopters. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a foldable that’s ready for the mainstream, ready to be your daily driver, and in my case, ready to make you stop carrying a tablet altogether.