For the past few years, whenever users considered foldable phones, they were met with complaints like "too heavy" and "too thick." These stigmas have prevented them from becoming a popular choice among consumers. We acknowledge their coolness and marvel at the large, unfolded screen and diverse interactive options, but when it comes to using them as our primary daily device, the weight and bulk often lead people to abandon them at the last minute.
However, in recent years, major manufacturers have been diligently reducing the weight of foldable phones, repeatedly reducing their thickness and weight. This has led more users to realize that times have changed.
The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is another example of a device that has successfully reduced its weight. Compared to previous generations, it offers significant upgrades, becoming not only thinner and lighter, but also addressing some of the shortcomings of previous experiences. It can be said that these thin and light foldable phones are attracting consumers' attention with a fresh attitude.
If there were one word to describe the Galaxy Z Fold7's most significant design change, it would definitely be "lighter." The reduction in both thickness and weight creates a completely new user experience.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 measures 8.9mm thick when folded and just 4.2mm when unfolded, bringing the total weight down to 215g. These figures show that the Galaxy Z Fold7 is comparable in weight to many mainstream flagship candy-bar phones and even lighter than Samsung's own flagship imaging device, the S25 Ultra. The first time you pick it up, you'll be surprised by its unexpectedly light feel. Even after opening it, you'll notice the device is only slightly thicker than the USB-C port. Compared to the weighty feel of previous generations of Folds, the new Galaxy Z Fold7 possesses a perfectly solid feel, never feeling overly heavy.
The overall design of this year's Z Fold7 continues the square, sturdy style of its predecessors. The lines of the body frame remain straight, and the transitions at the corners are crisper, giving the phone a more modern and premium look, more in line with Samsung's foldable screen positioning.
Samsung has also paid considerable attention to detail. First, dual speakers, located at the top and bottom of the body, provide immersive stereo sound whether the phone is folded or unfolded. Furthermore, the Chinese version of the Z Fold7 still supports dual SIM cards, with the SIM card slot located at the top. And if you look closely, you'll notice the return of the in-display front-facing camera hole. Compared to the hidden under-screen camera designs of previous generations, this direct hole design significantly enhances the clarity and experience of the in-display camera.
In terms of color options, in addition to the "Frost Green" available exclusively on the Samsung Store, "Shadow Blue" is also a standout. This blue color shifts from deep to bright in different lighting conditions, creating a calm yet stylish hue that perfectly matches the business and professional positioning of the foldable flagship. The back panel also features a frosted glass texture, making it fingerprint-resistant. With AI becoming a standard feature in smartphones, more and more features are making them even easier to use. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is the first to be equipped with Samsung's latest Samsung One UI 8 operating system. This system not only adopts the latest Android 16 but also features deep optimizations specifically for the foldable, large-screen form factor.
For example, in split-screen mode, the Galaxy Z Fold7 allows you to fully display two apps on a single screen and switch between them with a single tap. You can also combine frequently used split screens and save them for easy access next time. This flexible and efficient multitasking experience allows you to fully utilize the Galaxy Z Fold7's large screen.
A host of Galaxy AI features also make the Galaxy Z Fold7 even easier to use. For example, the upgraded Photo Assistant uses AI-powered generative editing for more efficient blemish correction. Thanks to its large internal screen, the Galaxy Z Fold7 displays the original and edited photos side-by-side by tapping "Show Original" for easy comparison. Furthermore, Samsung's generative editing features leverage AI to move, erase, zoom, adjust angles, and fill backgrounds, offering a wealth of functionality.
The new "Instant Briefing" also fully utilizes the large internal screen. My favorite feature is the newly added "Highlights" module, which captures the most recent moments we've captured on our phone. Photos, videos, calendar events, and more are displayed in the instant briefing, along with personalized information like status and energy scores, all visible on the immersive, large internal screen.
The foldable screen is also a favorite among business professionals. Galaxy AI is also present in the Samsung Notes app, a popular business app. For example, Galaxy AI can generate summaries for recorded meetings or optimize edited notes, greatly improving recording efficiency.
"Circle Search," a signature feature of Galaxy AI, has been a hit with users. When browsing a webpage or image, simply circle something of interest on the screen with your finger, and the system will instantly identify and provide relevant search results. Whether you're looking for celebrity outfits or looking up information about a landmark, it's all within reach.
Of course, these are just the tip of the iceberg of Galaxy AI capabilities. From photo editing to information processing, AI is ubiquitous, making the Galaxy Z Fold7 even smarter and easier to use, becoming a personal assistant that truly understands you.
As a top-tier flagship, performance is naturally a priority. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Extreme Edition Mobile Platform (for Galaxy), a platform deeply customized for Galaxy devices. The Galaxy Z Fold7 also comes standard with 12GB of RAM and up to 16GB of RAM, ensuring a smooth experience when multitasking or running complex AI functions.
To achieve ultimate thinness and lightness, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 maintains the same 4400mAh dual-cell battery as its predecessor. Frankly speaking, this capacity isn't huge among today's foldable flagships. However, thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Extreme Edition's excellent power efficiency and Samsung One UI 8's battery-saving optimizations, it easily lasts a full day of moderate use. It also supports wireless charging, making it easy to recharge at home or in the office.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 also boasts an upgraded imaging system. Its rear triple-camera setup consists of a 200-megapixel wide-angle main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. Despite its 200-megapixel main camera, the Galaxy Z Fold7 maintains excellent camera decoupling. Furthermore, this 200-megapixel main camera boasts excellent resolution, allowing for more detailed photos in brightly lit environments. In low-light conditions, its pixel-binning technology produces brighter, less noisy night photos.
In addition to taking photos, more and more people are also enjoying using their phones for video. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 also boasts enhanced video recording capabilities. Leveraging a high-resolution sensor and enhanced Super Vision Engine, the phone captures high-quality footage even in low-light environments.
During post-production, the Galaxy AI's "Audio Eraser" feature is a highly user-friendly feature. Leveraging AI, the Galaxy Z Fold7 can identify human voices and background noise, then remove distracting noise based on your needs. This feature makes footage more usable during the initial stages of video production and improves your productivity during everyday production.
While retaining the powerful functionality and stunning form factor of a foldable screen, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, through a significant breakthrough in foldable design, truly addresses the challenge of thinness and lightness for the first time. It no longer forces users to compromise on the benefits of a larger screen, making it a truly versatile and everyday workhorse.
The all-new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 may be the "iPhone 4" moment in the history of foldable phones. Its uncompromising, comprehensive evolution demonstrates the maturity of the foldable phone market. For those who are eager to embrace foldable screens but are unwilling to make any compromises in their daily experience, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 may be the most suitable choice at the moment.
