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7.5 / 10
SCORE Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE $700 at Amazon $700 at Walmart Pros The same software experience as the Z Flip 7
Smaller cover screen is still functional
Cameras the same as the Flip 6 and Flip 7 Cons Fingerprint and dust magnet
May run warm
Battery life gets through a day, but not much more
I've spent a few weeks testing Samsung's $900 Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, and while I'd love to say it's just a slightly less powerful version of last year's Z Flip 6 and a less-expensive alternative to the $1,100 Galaxy Z Flip 7, there are moments when the phone feels a little too cheap for its price.
That's not to say the Flip 7 FE is bad, because the phone does use the same body as last year's Flip 6. This means it has the same 3.4-inch cover screen that is easy for me to tap out quick texts or glance at map directions, along with the same cameras that are powerful enough to use in dark and bright settings. Its ability to fold in half makes it easy to use the phone as a tripod for my photos, or to prop up on my desk to play YouTube videos. It's even able to use the same phone cases as the Galaxy Z Flip 6.
But you'll likely find that a case is necessary in order to truly enjoy using the Z Flip 7 FE. That's partly because of the phone's oleophobic coating is a fingerprint magnet -- at least on the black review sample I tested. Its hinge easily accumulates skin oil and pocket lint on the outside which is something I find to be more common on phones that cost $300, not $900.
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