Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Review: Merges style with smartness

The Hindu

5 days ago

The flip and fold technologies in smartphones have seen quite an evolution, and that too in a very short span of time. This section remains incomplete without mentioning Samsung as the company has rightly earned its place as the segment leader. However, what was once dominated by Samsung faces competition from the likes of Motorola in the flip segment and Vivo in the fold segment. But with its every new launch, Samsung seems to raise the benchmark, showcasing its tech prowess. All this being said, the company has launched its latest Galaxy Z Flip 7 along with its Fold sibling and an FE edition.
Design
The Galaxy Z Flip 7 carries forward Samsung's legacy of stylish foldables, this time refining the formula with subtle yet meaningful upgrades. The most obvious change comes with the thinner Armor FlexHinge, making the folding experience smoother and the device slimmer when closed, just 13.7mm thick, compared to the Flip 6's slightly chunkier build. The design looks more seamless, aided by a sleeker silhouette and an edge-to-edge FlexWindow that finally feels integral rather than an afterthought. Compared to the Moto Razr 60 Ultra, the Galaxy Flip 7 feels more polished with its sturdy build and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on both sides, though the Razr 60 Ultra arguably carries a more premium leather-backed feel in hand.
In terms of ergonomics, the Flip 7's 188g weight strikes a perfect balance, light enough for comfortable one-handed use yet solid enough to feel reassuringly durable. The Armor Aluminum frame and redesigned hinge offer better durability while maintaining the Flip series' signature compact charm. The matte finish of the back helps resist fingerprints, and the hinge feels better constructed than on the Flip 6, though Motorola's hinge mechanism on the Razr 60 Ultra still folds flatter when shut. The button placements remain Samsung-standard: volume rocker and fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button on the right, with USB-C at the bottom and speaker grilles flanking it.
On the front, the new FlexWindow is the showstopper, spanning 4.1 inches, it blends almost seamlessly with the body, and the slim bezels ensure a modern aesthetic. The IP48 rating is a noteworthy addition this year, improving on Flip 6's IPX8 rating by offering limited dust resistance, something the Razr 60 Ultra still lacks with its IP52. This makes the Flip 7 not just stylish but also slightly more rugged against everyday mishaps.
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Display
Samsung's mastery over displays shines again with the Galaxy Flip 7. The main 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel offers vivid colours, deep blacks, and a 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate, delivering a buttery smooth experience whether you're scrolling social feeds or binge-watching Netflix. Thanks to the refined hinge, the crease is now barely visible, both visually and to the touch, which is a noticeable improvement over both the Flip 6 and the Razr 60 Ultra, with the latter still showing a faint line at certain angles.
The 4.1-inch Super AMOLED FlexWindow is now genuinely usable, not just a gimmick. With 2,600 nits peak brightness and Vision Booster, it stays legible even in harsh sunlight, rivalling the external display experience of the Razr 60 Ultra. Both inner and outer screens support a high refresh rate (up to 120 Hz), making everything feel fluid. This generation finally nails the promise of a foldable being both stylish and practical, though Motorola's taller external display still edges out Samsung's FlexWindow for sheer multitasking versatility.
OS and AI
Out of the box, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 runs One UI 8 on top of Android 16, and it feels smoother and more polished than ever. AI is tightly woven into the experience, thanks to Samsung's Galaxy AI suite that elevates personalisation and usability. FlexWindow now supports Gemini Live, allowing you to handle tasks like searching, setting reminders, or even getting outfit suggestions, straight from the cover screen. Compared to the Flip 6, the integration feels deeper and more natural, giving the Flip 7 a meaningful AI edge over the Razr 60 Ultra, whose AI functions feel more app-based and less system-level.
Now Bar and Now Brief bring real-time updates and personalised notifications to the cover screen, much like Motorola's Peek Display but more customisable and informative. The ability to run Gemini Live directly on the FlexWindow without opening the phone is a productivity boost. It feels like Samsung finally understands the flip user's craving for convenience, giving the Flip 7 an AI advantage that the Flip 6 lacked and the Razr 60 Ultra hasn't quite matched.
Performance
The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is powered by Samsung's own Exynos 2500 chipset, a surprising move given Samsung's preference for Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon processor in recent S series. While the choice raised eyebrows, the Flip 7's performance is undeniably solid. The 12 GB RAM paired with 256 GB storage ensures the phone handles daily tasks with ease, whether it's multitasking, browsing, or running multiple apps. It feels fluid, though if you're expecting a performance leap from the Snapdragon powered Flip 6, you might be disappointed.
On Geekbench, the Flip 7 scored 1641 in single-core, 7725 in multi-core, and 18,663 on the GPU benchmark. These are decent figures but shy of setting any flagship records, which suggests that the Flip 7 is more of a steady performer than a power beast.
The gaming experience is good too. Titles like Call of Duty Mobile and BGMI ran on high settings with zero lag. However, if used for an extended period, you might see a slight increase in the body heat. The Flip 7 didn't throttle noticeably, something the Flip 6 struggled with under pressure. While hardcore gamers may still lean towards dedicated gaming phones, the Flip 7 holds its own for mainstream use, providing a good balance between power and portability.
Camera
Armed with a 50 MP wide and 12 MP ultrawide camera, the Galaxy Flip 7 ticks the flagship camera specs box, at least on paper. In daylight, the camera impresses with excellent dynamic range, sharpness, and natural colour reproduction. Contrast and detailing in shots are top-notch, and Samsung's ProVisual Engine does a fine job optimising scenes without over-processing. Compared to the Flip 6, there's a noticeable improvement in clarity and colour balance.
The night photography, however, left me wanting. Despite Enhanced Nightography and AI-driven noise reduction, images taken in low light showed unexpected grain and softness, something I didn't expect from a Samsung flagship.
Night mode does help a bit, but even then, results were inconsistent. The Flip 6 showed similar issues, so it seems this remains a weak spot for Samsung's flip lineup. The Razr 60 Ultra, while not perfect, handles night shots slightly better in terms of reducing noise, even if it sacrifices some sharpness.
Portrait shots, especially in daylight, are where the Flip 7 redeems itself. Edge detection is accurate, backgrounds blur naturally, and the skin tones are beautifully rendered.
The selfie camera, 10 MP, also benefits from the AI enhancements. Selfies came out crisp with natural skin tones and good contrast. Using the FlexWindow for selfies remains a standout feature, giving you flexibility and framing control that neither the Flip6 nor the Razr 60 Ultra nails as effectively.
Battery
The Galaxy Flip 7 houses a 4,300 mAh battery, the largest ever in Samsung's flip series. It comfortably lasts a full day with moderate to heavy use, and I consistently got around with 6 hours of screen time. That's an improvement over the Flip 6's 3,700 mAh cell, which often felt lacking. Compared to the Razr 60 Ultra's 4,000 mAh, Samsung gives a slight edge in endurance, though real-world difference isn't vast.
Charging speeds, though, are middling. With a 25 W fast charger, the Flip 7 goes from 0 to 50% in about 30 minutes, not bad, but not groundbreaking either. Wireless charging and PowerShare are useful additions. The Razr 60 Ultra edges ahead slightly with its faster wired charging, hitting 100% quicker in most tests. Still, for a foldable, the Flip 7's endurance is respectable and a definite improvement over its predecessors.
Verdict
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 represents a refined step up from the Flip 6 with a sleeker design, smarter AI, a larger and brighter FlexWindow and a better battery life. The hinge feels sturdier, the design more premium and the AI features bring genuine value. Yet, the night camera performance remains a concern, especially on a flagship in this price bracket.
Despite this, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 holds its own against the Motorola Razr 60 Ultra. Where Motorola impresses with its design and raw power, Samsung counters with a more refined user experience, superior display tech and AI integration. If you want a compact flip phone that merges style with smartness, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 stands tall, albeit with some room for improvement in the camera department.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 starts at ₹1,09,999.