Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 Review: The Thinnest and Lightest Phone in the Z Series!

Samsung is introducing a brand new addition to their foldable phone lineup with their brand new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7! An incredible new device that combines the best of the features from the Galaxy series into the thinnest and lightest Galaxy Z Fold series to date. In this review article, we’ll be taking a closer look at the Galaxy Z Fold7’s design, display, camera system, performance, multitasking capabilities, and AI features to find out if it’s the ultimate foldable phone for you.

Design

The Galaxy Z Fold7 boasts a striking and clean appearance which gives it both a premium and modern design, and one that will surely turn heads whether it's folded or unfolded. Not only that, but its stylish appearance is combined with a sleek and lightweight build which definitely complements the flexibility of this foldable phone. In fact, as of now, the Galaxy Z Fold7 has been officially recognised as the thinnest and lightest device in the Galaxy Z Series, which is an impressive feat.

The phone’s thickness is only 8.9mm when it's folded and only 4.2mm when it’s unfolded, and this proves to be an impressive feat as the Galaxy Z Fold7 is 26.5% thinner than its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold6 which makes it easy to hold it even with one hand. Besides that, the phone also comes at 215 grams, which not only makes it more portable and easier to carry around, but it’s also lighter than Galaxy S25 Ultra which weighs 218 grams.

Alongside its stylish appearance, the Fold7 also comes with an enhanced durability as it comes with a Corning® Gorilla® Glass Ceramic 2 paired together with the Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 while also being wrapped by a light aluminium frame, known as the Armor Aluminium. This extra shield ensures that the screen will be protected from everyday accidents.

In addition to this, the device also comes with an advanced Armor FlexHinge which allows it to fold thinner compared to the other Galaxy Z Fold models.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is available in 4 different colours, the Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow, Jetblack and Mint (which can only be purchased on their official website). The variant that I received is the Blue Shadow, and I feel that it has the most striking appearance between the four.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 features an incredible 8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display when the phone is unfolded and a 6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display when it's folded, which results in a clear and smooth viewing experience, and this display is paired with a QXGA+ (when unfolded) and a FHD+ (when folded) resolution which ensures vivid and lifelike colours, creating a more immersive visual experience.

Also with the phone’s expanded 21:9 aspect ratio results in greater usability as everyday tasks such as typing, browsing, and navigating apps will feel much easier compared to using a regular smartphone. Asides from that, users will also be able to have a more enjoyable experience whether it's watching videos or gaming on this device.

And speaking of gaming, you’ll be able to enjoy smooth gameplay while using this device as it comes with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, which not only makes the game feel incredibly fluid, but it would also make it more responsive, especially during fast-paced action matches where every moment matters.

Camera

When looking at its camera features, the Fold7 offers a triple-camera setup which delivers a powerful photography experience that will ensure that you will be able to capture professional-like pictures, as it comes with an impressive 200MP main camera which is powered by the ProVisual Engine. Through this intelligent system, which utilises AI, it is able to help enhance the colour accuracy and detail of the pictures that you take, making them appear more lifelike.

Complementing the main camera would be a 10MP Telephoto camera paired together with a 12MP Ultrawide camera which will allow you to capture everything from expansive landscapes to detailed zoom shots with ease.

When snapping pictures using the Fold7’s camera, it’s clear to see that the images that were taken all come out looking sharp and vibrant, with excellent detail and vivid colours.

In addition to this, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 also features an enhanced Nightography Mode which will allow you to capture stunning images with incredible detail even in low-light environments. In fact, the difference between the pictures that were taken with Night Mode and without Night Mode is rather noticeable, as the images appear sharper and the colours appear more vibrant.

With Nightography:                            Without Nightography:

With Nightography:                            Without Nightography:

Performance

Powering the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is the most advanced Snapdragon® mobile processor, the Snapdragon® 8 Elite, delivering exceptional performance across gaming, multitasking, and AI-driven tasks. 

Not only that, but there are also enhancements made to the CPU, GPU, and NPU which results in a smoother and responsive gameplay, elevating the overall experience. As a result, the Fold7 has faster processing speed by 38% compared to its predecessor, the Fold6. 

The Fold7 also comes with up to 16 GB RAM which is paired together with a large 1TB of storage space, and this large amount of storage will ensure that you will be able to have more than enough space in order to keep games, applications and other files in your phone with worry.

The Fold7 also comes with a Game Booster mode which can be used in order to improve the gaming performances of your device. With the Game Booster mode, users can switch between three different optimisation options, Performance, Balanced and Battery Saver, depending on the user’s preference and to provide better and smoother gameplay.

AI Features

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 truly showcases its AI capabilities as it comes with a wide range of AI features to help users in order to make everyday tasks faster and run smoother. Powered by the Galaxy AI, the Fold7 provides intelligent tools that will help, whether it’s searching for stuff online or editing your photos; these AI features ensure a smoother, more efficient experience.

Now Brief

With the Now Brief feature, users will be able to get quick and relevant updates based on the chosen content that you have selected throughout the day. Users will be able to pick through various apps such as the weather, music, timers as well as alarms. Furthermore, when combined with the Fold7’s expansive display, users will be able to enjoy an elevated user experience that will help you find out all relevant information at a quicker rate.

Now Bar

Similarly, the No Bar feature is also a feature that is provided to users, and this feature is able to display real-time notifications directly from your lock screen, which means that you don’t need to unlock your phone, which makes it more convenient for you.

Gemini Live

Asides from that, the Fold7 also comes with Gemini Live, and this is an incredibly helpful feature that will be able to assist users in their everyday lives. So, if you’re looking to get insights on a particular topic or learn something for classes, then you’ll be able to use Gemini Live. The best part is, you’ll be able to review the conversations made with Gemini at any time.

Writing Assist

With the Writing Assist feature, users will be able to effortlessly create and write emails, messages, notes, and even social media captions. Whether it’s an important work email or an energetic message to friends, this feature will be able to help you save time from thinking on what to write.

Transcript Assist

And when using the Transcript Assist, users will have an easier time in managing important points made during meetings, interviews or lectures, as the Fold7 is able to record speech and generate a real-time transcription of what’s being said. This is especially useful for those students and those who attend meetings often.

Circle to Search

Another AI feature that the phone comes with is Circle to Search, and as its name suggests, you’ll be able to get instant search results on the products, landmarks or texts that you have circled on your screen, allowing you to easily search for whatever you’re looking for.

Battery

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is equipped with a dependable 4400mAh battery which will ensure that the device will be able to go through the day without the user having to constantly worry about the phone running out of battery. So, whether you’re working, multitasking, or streaming content, the device is certainly built to last.  In fact, the device is able to last up to 24 hours of video playback, and this will allow users to be able to watch their favourite videos or shows for the entire day.

In addition, to further enhance its battery performance, the Galaxy Z Fold7 also features Samsung’s advanced mDNIe (mobile Natural Digital Image engine) technology which is able to optimise the power efficiency of the device without compromising on the visual quality. This allows users to enjoy stunning visuals and smooth performance while conserving battery life.

So, I decided to conduct two tests in order to measure the battery life of the device after an hour of usage. The first test would be a game test where I would play two different games, and set to Performance Mode.

The two games that I selected for the test were Wuthering Waves and Honor of Kings. After an hour of gameplay for both games, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the battery consumption wasn’t too great, as Wuthering Waves only consumed 23% of the battery whereas Honor of Kings consumed 18% of the battery.

Wuthering Waves

Honor of Kings

The second test that I decided to test out would be for video streaming, and so I decided to watch YouTube videos at 1440p for an entire hour. Once the hour had passed, the results showed that the Fold7 consumed only 8% of the battery, and this shows how effective this device is at watching videos for prolonged periods.

Accompanying this, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 supports a 25W wired fast charging, in order to recharge your device back to full. Although the charging speed can be considered a bit slow in today’s market, the Fold7 is still able to return to action in an instant. When measuring the charging speed of the device, the phone was able to reach 30% in 15 minutes and was able to fully charge in just 86 minutes, which is alright, but slower compared to other devices.

Verdict

In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is an exceptional new foldable phone that comes with many cutting-edge features and a fascinating design meant to help enhance your everyday life. From its lightweight build, its powerful performance or even ultra-powered camera system, the Galaxy Z Fold7 is able to provide a seamless experience whether you’re working, gaming, or snapping pictures.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is priced at RM 7,799 for the 12GB + 512GB variant while the 16GB + 1TB variant is priced at RM 9,299. While the price may feel daunting at first, I feel that the device is definitely worth its price, especially with all of the amazing features that it offers. So, if you feel the same and are looking for a new device, then you should definitely go and get one for yourself.