I didn’t think foldables were for me. After two months with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, I was wrong

Source: Android Authority

Photo credit: Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority

Ever since foldable phones came on the scene, I’ve wanted to use one. I have a Galaxy Z Fold 4, and while there was a lot to love, it was far too compromised for me to use every day. I liked the idea of a folding phone, but my experience with the Fold 4 led me to believe I couldn’t live with one long‑term.

That all changed two months ago, however, when I got to try the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for the first time — and I haven’t been able to put it down since.

Would you use a foldable as your daily phone?

31 votes

Why the Z Fold 7 Completely Changed My Mind About Foldables

Zac Kew‑Denniss / Android Authority

My Galaxy Z Fold 4 was heavy and awkward to hold. I loved the larger inner screen and Samsung’s multitasking software, but at 15.8 mm thick and 263 g it felt more like a brick than a daily driver.

The Fold 6 improved the profile to 12.1 mm / 239 g, but it was still noticeably bulkier than a regular phone. The Z Fold 7 slashes that down to 8.9 mm and 215 g—only 3 g heavier than a Galaxy S25 Ultra and just 0.7 mm thicker. For a device that packs a hinge, two batteries, and two displays, that’s impressive. If you’ve never held an older Fold next to a Fold 7, you can’t fully appreciate the difference.

Larger Cover Display

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority

The Fold 7’s cover screen grew from 6.2 in (Fold 4) to 6.5 in, making one‑handed use far more comfortable. Foldables have a taller‑narrower aspect ratio than typical phones, so a 6.2‑in screen can feel cramped. The 6.5‑in panel strikes a good balance: it’s easier to operate than Samsung’s Ultra phones while still feeling spacious.

Battery Life

The Z Fold 7 retains the 4,400 mAh battery found in the Fold 3‑6. Despite the unchanged capacity, real‑world endurance has improved dramatically:

• Typical day: 6–7 hours of screen time (8 AM – 12 AM) with mixed Wi‑Fi/5G usage.
• Heavy use test: On a four‑hour road trip with wireless Android Auto, 5G streaming, GPS navigation, and Telegram location sharing, the charge dropped from 65 % to 20 % without the device getting warm. A similar scenario would have drained my Pixel 10 Pro quickly.

“The Fold 4 usually ran out of battery by 6 PM; I haven’t been able to kill my Fold 7 before midnight.”

Everyday Workflow

My daily routine on the Fold 7 looks like this:

The larger inner display and smoother software multitasking make switching between apps feel natural, while the slimmer profile keeps the device comfortable in the pocket.

The “Wow” Factor

Lanh Nguyen / Android Authority

Even after seven generations, the novelty of opening a phone hasn’t faded. The Fold 7 feels almost magical—thin enough to surprise anyone watching you unfold it, yet solid enough to command attention. People frequently ask, “What phone is that?” whether I’m pulling it out in line or folding it to pay at a shop. The device proves that foldables are more than a gimmick; they retain that special, fun factor.

The Bottom Line

The Z Fold 7 builds on everything I loved about the Fold 4—software, inner display size, and multitasking—while fixing its biggest pain points:

• Much slimmer & lighter (8.9 mm / 215 g)
• Bigger cover screen (6.5 in)
• Noticeably better battery endurance despite the same capacity

There are still minor annoyances, but overall the Fold 7 feels like an almost perfect phone—almost being the operative word.

Not Everything Is Perfect, but It’s Pretty Close

I’ve just praised how thin the Z Fold 7 is, but some sacrifices had to be made. The digitiser layer that allowed the S Pen to work is gone, and I miss it all the time. I’ve loved using the S Pen with every device I’ve owned that supports it, including my old Fold 4.

Fingerprint scanner

The Fold 7 keeps the fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button, just like its predecessors. I’ve always preferred this implementation to in‑display readers because it feels more accurate. Unfortunately, the button is now so thin that it often takes two or three attempts to read my thumb correctly. Using a case makes it even harder to locate the sensor, and Samsung has also removed the swipe‑down‑to‑open‑notification‑shade gesture that I enjoyed on the Fold 4.

Inner‑screen selfie camera

The Fold 3‑6 used an under‑display camera (UDC). It sacrificed image quality for a near‑seamless look; the sensor was barely noticeable unless you looked for it. Samsung reverted to a traditional hole‑punch camera on the Fold 7. While the image quality is better, the hole interrupts full‑screen content and can be distracting when watching video.

I wish Samsung had kept the UDC, but I understand why they opted for a higher‑quality sensor. I also wish the camera were placed elsewhere—Google’s foldables, for example, hide the camera in the far‑right corner, where it interferes less with text and video.

Main camera system

The cameras are, unsurprisingly, a weak point.

• Shutter lag is still noticeable in anything but ideal lighting.
• The 3× telephoto lens performs so poorly that cropping the 200 MP primary sensor yields better results.
• The 50 MP ultrawide found on the S25 Ultra is gone; the Fold 7 returns to a 12 MP sensor.

I’ve been unhappy with Samsung’s cameras for a long time—one of the reasons I bought a Pixel 10 Pro. Even after using the Fold 7 as my primary phone since December, I keep a Pixel in my other pocket for cat photos that aren’t unrecognizably blurry.

Strengths

Those complaints pale in comparison to the Fold 7’s strengths:

• Weight & size feel comfortable for daily use.
• The cover screen is noticeably improved.
• I haven’t needed to swap SIM cards after a few weeks, unlike with my Fold 4.

The Fold 7 is the first foldable I feel comfortable using long‑term, and—despite its flaws—it’s the most usable foldable I’ve tried in 2026.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 – Quick Specs

Tagline: Thin, light, high‑powered, and it folds!

Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

Follow Us

Thank you for being part of our community. Please read our Comment Policy before posting.