Galaxy Unpacked Hands-On: A Thinner Fold 7 and a Smarter Flip 7 Redefine Samsung's Foldable Lineup

Samsung's mid-year Unpacked event is all about the future of mobile, and that future is foldable. While the new Galaxy Watch 8 series made its debut, the undeniable stars of the show were the next-generation Z Fold and Z Flip devices. After a couple of years of more iterative updates, Samsung has delivered significant, meaningful changes to its foldable lineup. We went hands-on with the new Galaxy Z Fold 7, the Z Flip 7, and a brand-new addition, the Z Flip 7 FE. Here's our first look.

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The Galaxy Z Fold 7: A Masterclass in Refinement

The first thing that strikes you about the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is its impossibly slim profile. Measuring just 8.9mm thick when closed and an incredible 4.2mm when unfolded, it's a massive 26% thinner than last year's model. At 215 grams, it's also Samsung's lightest Fold yet, making it barely thicker than a traditional candy bar phone like the S25 Ultra. This isn't just a numbers game; the device feels substantially more elegant and manageable in hand.

Unfolding the device reveals another major upgrade: the main screen is now the largest ever on a Samsung foldable, expanding to a massive 8 inches flat, up from 7.6 inches on the Fold 6. The bezels have been slimmed down, creating a truly immersive tablet-like experience. Interestingly, Samsung has retreated from its under-display camera technology, opting for a standard 10-megapixel hole-punch selfie camera on the inner display. While a step back technologically, the improved image quality will likely be a welcome trade-off for most users.

The new "Armor Flex Hinge" is thinner and engineered to more evenly disperse pressure, though the device maintains its IP48 rating for dust and water resistance. Inside, the Z Fold 7 is powered by the formidable Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, the same chip found in the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The battery remains at 4,400mAh, but Samsung promises efficiency gains from the new chip will improve longevity.

The camera system sees a monumental leap, with the main sensor now being the 200-megapixel beast from the S25 Ultra. This is flanked by a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and a 12MP ultrawide, making the Z Fold 7 a true flagship camera contender.

However, there's one piece of bad news for longtime fans: the Z Fold 7 no longer supports the S Pen. Samsung cited very low usage rates and explained that removing the digitizer layer was crucial to achieving the new, ultra-thin design. It's a pragmatic decision, but one that will surely disappoint power users.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7: Bigger, Bolder, and Smarter

The clamshell Z Flip 7 has also received a transformative upgrade. The cover screen has been expanded to 4.1 inches (up from 3.4 inches), finally giving it an edge-to-edge look that rivals its main competition. With bezels trimmed to just 1.25mm, a 120Hz refresh rate, and 2,600 nits of peak brightness, the front "Flex Window" is more useful and beautiful than ever. You can now fully interact with AI features like Gemini Live without opening the phone.

The main internal screen has also grown to 6.9 inches, and the battery gets a significant boost to 4,300mAh (up from 4,000mAh). The big surprise here is the processor: unlike its bigger brother, the Z Flip 7 will use Samsung's own Exynos 2500 chip. It will be fascinating to see how its performance and efficiency stack up against the Snapdragon equivalent.

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The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE: A New, More Affordable Entry Point?

For the first time, Samsung is bringing its "Fan Edition" (FE) branding to its foldable line. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is designed to be a more affordable entry point, starting at $900 compared to the Z Flip 7's $1,100 price tag. In many ways, it's a re-badged Galaxy Z Flip 6, featuring the smaller 3.4-inch cover screen and a noticeably thicker body. It also has a smaller 3,700mAh battery. While it's nice to have a cheaper option, the timing is slightly awkward, with last year's Z Flip 6 often available for less during sales events.

Final Thoughts

After a couple of slightly underwhelming generations, Samsung has come out swinging. The improved designs on both the Fold and Flip lines are a massive step forward, making the devices feel sleeker, more refined, and vastly more pocketable. The Z Fold 7 is still a very expensive device at $2,000, but the Z Flip line now offers more choice than ever.

Pre-orders for all new devices are live today, with general availability starting on July 25th.

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