Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Review: From Flip Phone Newbie to True Believer?

After years of observing foldable clamshell smartphones from a distance, I finally took the plunge with the Galaxy Z Flip 7. As someone accustomed to book-style formats like my Pixel 9 Pro Fold and traditional flagships like the recent Galaxy S25 Ultra, I’m entering a different world here.

This year, Samsung is promising its best Flip yet, complete with a true external screen and plenty of enhancements. After 10 days of heavy use, here’s what you really need to know.

Technical Specifications: The Good and the Not So Good

The Flip 7 features Samsung’s Exynos 2500 instead of the usual Snapdragon. This was an unexpected change, and not necessarily a good one. The 3nm chip is paired with 12GB of RAM and starts with 256GB of storage, with no option for expansion.

As for the battery, it’s increased to 4300 mAh from 4000 mAh on the Z Flip 6. Charging remains sluggish at 25W wired and 15W wireless. For the cameras, Samsung is sticking with the same sensors: a 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, and 10MP selfie. There’s zero hardware evolution, which is disappointing on paper.

The unit tested was provided by Samsung.

Design and Ergonomics: Samsung Finally Catches Up

This year marks a significant shift. Samsung has addressed criticisms regarding previous Flips being too thick with excessively small external screens. The Flip 7 sports sleeker lines and a rethought hinge that now competes with the likes of Motorola, Xiaomi, and others.

The build inspires confidence. Aluminum and Gorilla Glass Victus 2, IP48 certification. After 10 days of rough use, not a scratch. The phone handles everyday knocks quite well. Samsung has finally mastered the mechanics of folding.

When folded, it fits everywhere. Even in tight jeans, no problem. Unfolded, it offers a standard 6.9-inch form factor. The only downside: the buttons are higher than on a regular phone. It takes some getting used to.

One-handed opening remains a hassle. It requires a bit of force; it resists a bit too much. Samsung hasn’t yet solved this basic issue. However, closing it is a breeze with a satisfying snap.

The color options are well-executed. The shadow blue is subtle, while the coral red is eye-catching. I particularly love the blue—it seems to be a hit with everyone. The textured sides provide a good grip, even with wet hands. The overall quality is palpable.

The fingerprint sensor works… when your fingers are dry. Otherwise, it’s a struggle. Thankfully, facial recognition compensates effectively. I find the unlock button-fingerprint reader too close to the volume buttons, leading to frequent mistakes.

The balance is surprisingly good. Unlike the earlier wobbly Flips, this one feels solid in hand whether folded or unfolded.

The stereo speakers do their job without excelling. Fine for YouTube, but don’t expect miracles. Sound spatialization obviously works better with the phone open.

Minimal connectivity: USB-C with DisplayPort (you can connect it to a display via USB-C), SIM/eSIM slot, that’s it. No headphone jack, obviously, nor a microSD slot.

The “tent mode”—phone semi-open—quickly becomes essential. Videos, video calls, selfies: this position naturally integrates into daily use.

What’s the Point of the Flip Format?

A valid question: why opt for a clamshell phone in 2025? The main appeal is compactness. Folded, the Flip 7 is half the size of a standard smartphone. It fits everywhere: small pocket, handbag, breast pocket. No more phones sticking out of the back pocket of jeans. Especially for women, this is a game changer—their pockets are often ridiculously small (blame the brands; pants pockets aren’t designed for smartphones), and the clamshell format finally solves this problem.

In an August 2018 study, Jan Diehm and Amber Thomas—two journalists for The Pudding—analyzed jeans from 20 popular brands in the United States.

In total, 80 pairs of jeans were examined for this study. The result won’t surprise most women, but here it is: women’s front pockets are overwhelmingly smaller than men’s.

The other significant use is the “hands-free” aspect for selfies and videos. Set up in tent mode, the phone becomes its own tripod. No need for an external stand or to ask someone to film you.

The external screen serves as a viewfinder, and the actual photo sensors ensure quality. For content creators, influencers, or simply those who like to document their lives, this is a real plus. Plus, it’s discreet: quickly check notifications without pulling out a large screen that draws attention on public transport.

Screens: The Real Revolution of This Generation

The external screen changes everything. With its 4.1-inch edge-to-edge display, it moves from a gimmick to a truly useful tool. Gone are the frustrations of previous generations with their tiny screens. Now, you can actually work on this screen. Unfortunately, you need to activate some options… but more on that in another section of the review.

2600 nits of brightness are immediately noticeable in the sun… but we couldn’t measure this with our probe since the app doesn’t work on the external screen.

Responding to messages, reading emails, checking social networks: 80% of interactions are now possible without opening the phone. This is exactly what we’ve been expecting for years from a worthy clamshell. But all this is enabled by a few tweaks… which we’ll discuss a bit later.

The main 6.9-inch screen follows Samsung’s usual standards. AMOLED, 120 Hz, 2600 nits: nothing to complain about technically. But above all, the crease is almost invisible. Samsung has done a remarkable job here.

You quickly forget it’s a foldable screen. Only when your finger runs exactly down the center do you feel a slight ridge. But it never interferes with normal use. Huge progress compared to the first generations.

Our measurements with the probe confirm the improvements of this screen. On the positive side, color accuracy is better: average DeltaE from 5.45 to 4.48, maximum DeltaE from 7.63 to 6.4.

Maximum brightness (in HDR) has increased slightly from 2134 to 2261 nits (+6%), as well as in SDR (from 1200 to 1378 nits). But the coverage of color spaces has decreased: DCI-P3 from 88% to 85%, BT.709 from 131% to 126%. All these measurements were taken with the default “Vivid” mode, but you can improve them by fine-tuning the settings.

If you didn’t understand any of those numbers: these are good values for a high-end screen.

One annoying detail: the protective film now covers the selfie camera, unlike on the Flip 6. As a result, selfies are less sharp. Why this regression? Samsung doesn’t explain.

Performance: The Controversial Choice of Exynos

Samsung has switched from Qualcomm to its own Exynos 2500. A surprising and not necessarily fortunate decision. This 3nm chip is energy-efficient but significantly lags behind the Snapdragon 8 Elite from the Fold 7.

For everyday use, it’s acceptable. Web browsing, social networking, light multitasking: the Exynos handles it well. The 12GB of RAM helps, and slowdowns are rare. One UI 8 maintains its usual smoothness.

Gaming exposes its limitations. On Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile, it’s impossible to maintain 60 fps at maximum quality. You need to lower the settings to keep it smooth. The Snapdragon 8 Elite doesn’t have this issue.

The device stays cool during extended gaming sessions. It warms up but never becomes uncomfortable. Samsung has done a good job with thermal dissipation. This contributes to the generally good battery life.

By the way, Samsung DeX has finally arrived on the Flip series. This feature transforms the phone into a desktop PC. The Exynos 2500 is adequate for this use, although heavy multitaskers might prefer the Fold 7.

Benchmarks confirm the lag as you can see in the graph. Fortunately, it’s not noticeable in most real-world uses.

My stress test on the Exynos 2500 of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 shows a dramatic drop: from 100% to 80% in a few minutes, then stabilization at only 59% of maximum performance.

In short, the Exynos 2500 generates significant heat under heavy load. To protect the processor, the system reduces CPU frequencies, hence performance drops.

This may be due to the constraints of the form factor, with limited space for heat dissipation, the foldable design probably limits cooling solutions. Or perhaps it’s due to the higher density of components. In any case, it’s common in a folding format like this, observed everywhere, including in competitors like the Razr 60 Ultra.

The onboard AI works adequately but doesn’t match Snapdragon. AI photo processing, translation, summaries: everything works within reasonable times. Samsung has optimized its algorithms for this chip.

5G ensures decent speeds, Wi-Fi 7 brings improvements on compatible networks. UFS 4.0 storage provides excellent speeds. The base 256GB is enough for most people.

This Exynos strategy raises questions. Cost savings? Supply issues with Qualcomm? A desire to push its own technology? As a result, users end up with a decent but not exceptional processor for 1200 euros.

Personally, in everyday use, I haven’t felt a significant difference compared to my other high-end phones. But on paper and in gaming, it’s more limiting.

Software: One UI 8 with Avoidable Frustrations

One UI 8 under Android 16, very similar to what’s found on the S25 Ultra. Samsung promises 7 years of updates, which is serious for a phone at this price.

Here, the interface adapts well to the specifics of the foldable. Gemini Live activates directly from the lock screen with a long press on the power button. This multimodal AI analyzes the screen, answers voice questions, identifies objects. Handy, even if it’s improvable.

The “Now” bar offers contextual suggestions and daily summaries. After a few days of learning, it starts to produce relevant information. But it would benefit from more customizability.

The external screen has its own interface with widgets and shortcuts. Samsung has planned personal pages with timers, media controls, notifications, Smart Things. It works well for routine tasks.

But here’s the big problem: Samsung artificially restricts app usage on the external screen. Only a few “approved” apps work natively. For the rest, you have to open the phone. It’s ridiculous considering the size of this screen.

Fortunately, there’s a workaround via Good Lock and MultiStar. This Samsung app, available on the Galaxy Store, unlocks the use of all apps on the external screen. Installation in two steps: Good Lock first, then MultiStar from the “Labs” tab.

Once activated, it’s a game changer. YouTube, Gmail, Instagram, WhatsApp: everything becomes usable on the external screen with automatic adaptation to the square format. Samsung even planned an indicator to avoid areas obscured by sensors.

Second method: go through the advanced settings, hidden “Labs” section at the bottom of the menus. Same principle but even more complicated access. Samsung apparently reserves this function for tinkerers.

These adapted apps work perfectly. Watching YouTube, replying to messages, browsing: everything feels natural on the external screen. The only limit: the imposed Samsung keyboard, less practical than Gboard with its voice recognition.

Why doesn’t Samsung activate this by default? Mystery. Fear of bugs? Commercial strategy? In any case, it’s a pity because it completely transforms the user experience.

Transitions between screens have improved. Opening the phone during the use of an app automatically transfers to the main screen. Some apps take a second to adapt, but it’s generally seamless.

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Maya Singh

Maya Singh is a senior editor covering tablets and hybrid devices. Her work explores how these tools reshape digital productivity and learning. She also contributes to feature editorials on emerging tech.