Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

Key takeaways

• The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 has officially launched with a starting price of$1,099
• With a bigger cover screen, thinner form factor, and improved battery life, it is Samsung's best take yet on the foldable
• To better compete in the foldable market, it could use a better camera system and faster charging.

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The Galaxy Z Flip lineup has been the most popular of Samsung's foldable devices, and its appeal is clear -- who can't benefit from a device with all the functionalities of a regular smartphone that can also shape-shift into a smaller phone for everyday ease of use? 

With its latest addition to the lineup, theGalaxy Z Flip 7 , Samsung leaned into the phone's most attractive feature, making it even more portable with a slimmer design, while also more capable, with the intent to improve user experience for power users and everyday users alike. 

Also: 24 hours later with Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Why I'm leaving the S25 Ultra behind

However, at$1,099, the Z Flip 7 is still in the higher price range of phones. To determine whether it's worth your money, I replaced my daily driver, an iPhone 16 Pro, with the Z Flip 7 for the entire weekend -- the results left me pleasantly surprised. Let's dive right in.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

The latest flip phone from Samsung features larger internal and external displays, a more enduring battery, and a new 3nm processor.

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The FlexWindow refresh we've been waiting for

The most visible, and perhaps anticipated, change is the FlexWindow (the outer screen). The screen is now larger, spanning from one corner of the phone to the other, with the bezels barely visible -- a big upgrade from its predecessor, as seen in the photo above. Not only is it most aesthetically pleasing to look at, resembling the look of the Moto Razr 60 Ultra, but it is also more practical. 

The 4.1-inch FlexWindow is brighter, with 2,600 nits of peak brightness and a smoother 120Hz refresh rate. It also has VisionBooster, a feature that enhances outdoor visibility, making it the brightest and highest-functioning FlexWindow yet. When using the Z Flip 7 on outdoor walks, I was able to look at the screen with no real strain, even with the NYC sun beating down on my phone and reflecting off the pavement and every shiny building in the city.

Also: iOS 26 envy? 5 iPhone features you can already use on your Android (Samsung included)

So, why does this make it a win? To get more than just nostalgia out of the clamshell design, you need to be able to use the outer screen for basic tasks, and the larger screen and faster refresh rate make it tempting to forgo opening your phone. 

Within the first 24 hours of using the phone, I found myself using the cover screen to do basic tasks such as taking photos, viewing notifications, and even looking up information more than with the past models. This is likely because on the older models, the limited screen size and less smooth refresh rate weren't really enticing for me to stop opening the phone. 

After an entire weekend, I noticed that I was leaning on the cover screen so much that it actually deterred me from my typical, not ideal, phone usage habits. These include accidentally doom-scrolling on social media every time I go to look at a notification, which I found to be a major win. 

Of course, you can work around this by using the Good Lock app and adding social media apps to your cover screen, and with the bigger screen, you may actually be able to have a decent experience. That said, if you want full-on in-app experiences on the cover screen, even if you enable it through Good Lock, the functionality is limited and will likely require you to open your phone. 

One thing the cover screen was useful for was accessing the latest AI features, which leads me to the next section.

Easier AI access

If you care about AI on your mobile device, this cover screen makes it easier to get the immediate assistance you want without even opening your phone. Gemini Live is now accessible on the cover screen, whether through a long press of the side button or through the app. It can answer questions quickly for you on the go or access apps that take action for you, such as creating a note or adding a calendar event. 

If you often use multimodal AI assistance, as I do, you'll be happy to learn that you can now share the camera right from your FlexWindow -- meaning you prop your phone up and use the camera to get multimodal Gemini assistance from Gemini Live. 

Now, instead of having to prop my iPhone 16 Pro on a water bottle or other item to fully take advantage of the multimodal assistance, I can just open the phone and set it on the nearest surface to ask a question. The clamshell design also makes it easier to take photos or watch videos, unlocking a range of experiences you typically wouldn't have with a standard brick phone. 

Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE hands-on: The 'cheaper' foldable phone got me very confused

You can also access a Personalized Now Bar and Now Brief from the cover screen, a feature previously limited to the Galaxy S25 Ultra. This makes it easy to get a quick rundown of personalized insights such as weather, event summaries, and news. Beyond these, One UI 8 brings other helpful AI features such as improved photo and audio editing. 

Additionally, the purchase of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 or Flip 7 will also come with six months of Google AI Pro, which retails for$19.99 a month. The plan gives you access to some of Google's most advanced AI offerings, including more access to Google's most capable model, Gemini 2.5 Pro; Flow, Google's AI filmmaking tool built with Veo 3 Fast, which makes hyper-realistic videos; and more. 

If you are big into AI or have wanted to try it, this is clearly a good way to access some of the latest features.

More power in a slimmer package

The Flip 7 is thinner, coming in at 13.7mm thick, compared to last year's 14.9 mm. While the difference in measurements may seem minimal, it is visibly less chunky, as seen in the image below. This makes it more comfortable to slip into your pocket, minimizing the uncomfortable feeling of having two tiny phones stacked on top of each other. 

Even though it is slimmer, Samsung didn't compromise on key components, including a larger inner display of 6.9 inches, compared to the 6.7-inch screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 6, and a larger 4,300mAh battery (up from 4,000mAh) that can handle up to 31 hours of video playback time, according to Samsung. 

Also: Your Android phone and watch are getting a major upgrade for free - Samsung models included

Throughout my daily usage, I have had no issue with having it last an entire day. In fact, I have been ending my days with a lot more juice than I typically would -- hovering around the 30% mark. In part, I attribute the extended battery life to the fact that, as mentioned above, I was spending significantly less time on my phone since the cover screen told me most of what I needed to know. One caveat with the battery is how long it takes me to charge it; the wait for the 25 W wired charging is as painful as watching water boil. 

Instead of the expected Snapdragon 8 Elite, the Z Flip 7 is powered by the Exynos 2500, the first 3nm in-house processor, released just last month. The performance differences between both chipsets shouldn't be noticeable, other than the in-house processor enables new experiences such as DeX support on the Z Flip for the first time, allowing users to plug their phone into a monitor and use it like a desktop computer.  

Back to the screen: When I first heard of the screen increase, compared to the other specs, it got drowned out by the noise. However, after having used it for a weekend and scrolling on social media, although less than usual, I remembered how much I really enjoyed using a phone with a larger screen. 

Typically, what turns me off larger screen models is having a yet bulkier device to carry around -- hence why I purchased the 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro versus the 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max. With the Z Flip 7, I was able to take advantage of a 6.9-inch screen for my TikTok scrolls, while at most times using a 4.1-inch phone.  

Also: I spent a week in New York City with the Samsung Z Fold 7 - and it spoiled me big time

It has the same camera specs as last year, with a 50MP wide-angle and a 12MP ultrawide sensor. In last year's Z Flip 6, this camera system was a major boost from the Z Flip 5, and 's review found that while it didn't offer flagship-tier performance, it was still a capable system, excelling in well-lit conditions and producing vibrant, detailed photos. 

Samsung also claims to have made upgrades to the image processing, including Enhanced Nightography and 10-bit HDR for more detailed videos, which should boost and differentiate the camera's quality from the preceding model. I took a range of photos this weekend, from my walks, errands, hangouts, and more, and was satisfied with the results. Below are some photos I took in different light conditions and settings so you can take a look for yourself.

's buying advice

I have genuinely enjoyed my experience with theSamsung Galaxy Flip 7 . Overall, Samsung upgraded the Z Flip 7's specs in almost every way, addressing most of the users' complaints about the predecessor and making it a strong competitor in the flip phone market. 

You can order yours now for a starting price of$1,099 (with a$50 discount happening now), and several promotions and offers are already active. The colors include Coralred, Jetblack, Blue Shadow, and the online-exclusive Mint, and storage sizes are 256GB to 512GB. 

Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Motorola Razr Ultra: I tested both foldables, and here's the winner

If you are a power user who could benefit from a better camera system and get more out of your cover screen with a better refresh rate, peak brightness, and more app interoperability, you may want to consider the Motorola Razr Ultra. However, it starts at a higher premium of$1,300. For more on how they compare, read 's take here. 

You can keep up with my latest stories and tech adventures on social media. Follow me on Twitter/X at @sabrinaa_ortizand on Instagram at @sabrinaa.ortiz

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