The Galaxy S25 Edge walked so the Galaxy Z Fold 7 could run
I spent a long time dismissing the Galaxy Z Fold as a ho-hum foldable that didn’t seem like it was interested in innovation. Maybe it’s because I’ve always been more of a fan of flip phones, but I never really felt like I wanted to give Samsung’s original foldable the time of day. And then, I got pushed out of my comfort zone. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 arrived on my doorstep, ready for review, and I decided to make the most of my adventure.
I can’t believe I waited this long. After years of ignoring the Galaxy Z Fold series as best I could, I have to admit I wasn’t prepared for just how good the latest model would feel in my hands. I owe Samsung an apology, and I think everyone should at least take a chance to hold the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Here’s why.
I couldn’t see the foldable forest for the trees
Taking a longer look at the Galaxy S25 Edge through the lens of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 also reminded me of something else: Most people don’t upgrade their phones every year. I mean, why should they when Samsung offers as many as seven years of Android updates and security patches for its flagship launches? Yet, as a tech reviewer, my job is to look for the biggest, best upgrades from one year to the next to justify spending a lot of money on a brand-new phone, and I often find myself at least a little disappointed.
Maybe the Galaxy Z Fold 5 feels a bit like the Galaxy Z Fold 6… but it’s nothing like the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
However, when you put the Galaxy Z Fold 5 next to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, they hardly look like they’re from the same family. Alright, the camera bumps are similar, putting three small circles on a pill-shaped island, and One UI is One UI until the end of time, but the Fold 7 is nearly 2mm thinner when unfolded — it’s hard to emphasize just how thin it feels — and offers an IP48 rating that adds a little bit of reassurance against dust to go with the very good protection against water.
And then, there’s Galaxy AI — the real reason Samsung wants you to update your phone. Once again, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Fold 7 launched with pretty similar options. They have wrinkles like Drawing Assist, Browsing Assist, and Live Translate for calls. The Galaxy Z Fold 5? Nada. Well, it’s gained a few Galaxy AI tricks, but not to the same extent as Samsung’s newer foldables. And, with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 under the hood, it won’t get as much long-term love as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy or the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy.
Once you look at Samsung’s slow, steady innovation through a wider lens, minor upgrades suddenly become much more meaningful (well, outside of the Galaxy S25 series, sorry). Fractions of a millimeter become giant, and a few extra megapixels make a big difference. Maybe I’ll still grumble about the Fold’s limited battery and charging setup, but I’ll never be quite so quick to dismiss the original foldable phone again.
