C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series is the most widely available book-style foldable phone family. However, I’ve only begrudgingly recommended these devices to people wanting a large foldable. That’s mostly because Samsung has coasted on the design and hardware front while rivals have sprinted ahead with exciting designs and impressive hardware.
After laying my hands on the Galaxy Z Fold 7, though, I’d argue that in some ways, it’s the most cutting-edge foldable phone of 2025. I spent a little time with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 ahead of Samsung’s Unpacked event, and here are my thoughts.
Would you upgrade to the Galaxy Z Fold 7? 1 votes Yes, from the Fold 6 0 % Yes, from the Fold 5 or earlier 100 % No, I'm waiting for next year 0 %
Where is Samsung, and what have you done with it?
Easily the first thing that caught my eye about Samsung’s new Fold was just how thin it was. Samsung says it’s actually 8.9mm thin when folded, which means it’s tied with the OPPO Find N5 as the thinnest foldable phone so far. Check out the third photo above, showing off the Z Fold 7 compared to the negligibly thinner S25 Ultra. It really drives home this thin form factor — it’s finally almost the same size as a regular slab smartphone when folded.
Samsung says the Z Fold 7 is light, too, weighing just 215 grams. That makes it the lightest book-style foldable phone in the world so far. It’s slightly lighter than the Galaxy S25 Ultra (218 grams), although I think that has more to do with some other hardware sacrifices that we’ll get to in a bit.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 really feels like the biggest leap for the Fold line in years.
Samsung has also opted for larger screens this time, namely an 8-inch 120Hz folding screen and a 6.5-inch cover display (OLED). This is a significant jump on paper and once again marks Samsung catching up to competitors. The larger folding screen isn’t something I immediately noticed. However, I didn’t have to struggle to see a display crease despite the company saying it should be less visible.
I’m more enthused by the Fold 7 finally embracing a cover screen aspect ratio of 21:9, as that’s closer to conventional smartphones. And it’s something I noticed in my short time with the phone. Between the thin, light design and this aspect ratio, this is as close as a foldable phone has gotten to a conventional phone.
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