GoKawiilThe Galaxy Z Fold 7 was one of my favorite phones of 2025. It was spectacularly thin and light, and unlike other Samsung foldables of the past, it felt like a regular phone in everyday use. The Korean phone-maker also added a few crucial upgrades like a stronger hinge, 200-megapixel main camera and a bigger cover screen, helping it win the CNET Editors' Choice Award in Abrar Al-Heeti's review.
A year later, it remains one of the slimmest and lightest book-style folding phones, setting the stage for its successor, the rumored Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. That's right, Samsung is rumored to add an "Ultra" moniker to its book-style fold, while the all-new wide-screen device that's also rumored could be named the Galaxy Z Fold 8. The two phones are likely to be announced within a few weeks, but ahead of the launch, there are tougher challengers out there.
I'm coming from the Oppo Find N6 and Honor Magic V6, and I noticed several meaningful quality-of-life features that I wish Samsung would add to its upcoming device. I enjoyed using a less reflective inner screen with a minimal crease and didn't miss out on a good zoom camera.
If Samsung wants to retain the Fold 7 momentum and take on Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone Ultra challenge, it'll need to do more than just launch a wide-screen foldable. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra needs to borrow these few features from its Chinese rivals to earn a permanent spot in people's pockets.
Add a bigger battery
Galaxy Z Fold 7 doesn't even compete with rivals like the Honor Magic V6 (left) and Oppo Find N6 (right) in terms of battery capacity. Prakhar Khanna/CNET
The Galaxy Z Fold 7's battery has the lowest capacity compared with other recent book-style foldable phones.
While I liked its battery optimization in my first month of use, during which the 4,400-mAh cell was getting me through the day, things changed when I started traveling. Once I was on the road, the constant navigation, messaging and camera use didn't help, and I was left with middling battery life.
By contrast, both the Oppo Find N6 (with a 6,000-mAh battery) and Honor Magic V6 (with a 6,600-mAh battery) fared better in similar usage. The phones have batteries with silicon-carbon anode tech, which allows for more capacity without adding additional weight. Both the Oppo and Honor phones are slightly thicker and heavier than their Samsung rival, but I don't mind because they remain comfortable to hold and use with one hand.
I hope Samsung adopts silicon-carbon battery technology for its upcoming foldable phones, but there are no rumors pointing towards any such adoption. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is tipped to pack a larger 5,000-mAh battery in a thinner design, weighing the same 215 grams as the Z Fold 7.
... continue reading