Galaxy Fold 7: Samsung finally nailed it! (hands-on)
One of the most dramatic and welcome changes to the Samsung Galaxy Fold 7 is in its physical footprint. When closed, the Fold 7 measures just 8.9mm thick, matching the Oppo Find N5, and only slightly edged out by the Honor Magic V5, which comes in at 8.8mm. Unfold it, and the Fold 7 becomes an astonishingly thin 4.2mm device. It's really nice.
That's a massive drop from the Fold 6's chunky 12.1mm thickness when closed.
But the Galaxy Fold 7 is not just slimmer – it's lighter too! At just 215 grams, the Fold 7 becomes the lightest book-style foldable ever released. That's a 10% reduction in weight compared to its predecessor, and it definitely makes a noticeable difference in the hand.
And while I can't prove this personally, Samsung hasn't just put the Fold 7 on a diet – it also claims the device has actually gotten stronger and more durable. There's a brand-new Armor FlexHinge with a multi-rail design for improved strength and smoother folding. The back of the phone is now protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, the front by even tougher Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2, and the frame is made from Samsung's strongest Armor Aluminum yet. While this design is not dust-resistant yet, it should make it harder for careless users to accidentally crack, scratch or break the Fold 7 .
The Fold series has long been criticized for its narrow and awkward cover display, and rightfully so, but the Galaxy Fold 7 finally addresses that kink.
The outer screen now has a much more practical 21:9 aspect ratio, and at 6.5 inches, it actually feels like a regular phone when closed. It's perfectly usable for typing, navigation, and day-to-day tasks – something that couldn't always be said of previous Folds. My initial impressions are that it really feels that good. With its reduced thickness and wider stature, the Fold 7 is now absolutely in line with those forward-looking foldables we've seen out of companies like Oppo, Vivo, Huawei and Honor. I can't wait to use the Fold 7 more so I can give you a fuller picture of what it's like in day-to-day use.
Unfold the Samsung Galaxy Fold 7 and you're greeted by a large, 8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, now supported by a new grade 4 titanium lattice beneath the panel. I'm still not sure what the titanium lattice is, but it definitely sounds cool. That said, the ultra-thin glass has, somewhat ironically, become 50% thicker this year, which is not only going to make the flexible display more resistant to damage, but also lead to a reduction of the crease. From what I've seen during my hands-on session, the crease is definitely less prominent on the Fold 7 – easily among the best I've seen on a foldable to date. I'd say it's right up there with Oppo's best efforts, but don't quote me on that yet. I'll need more time with the device before giving a final verdict. For the first time, Samsung is giving the Fold series the same flagship camera sensor as the S Ultra series. The Galaxy Fold 7 features the 200MP main sensor from the Galaxy S25 Ultra, complete with 2X lossless crop zoom! This is a major leap from the Fold 6, and I expect significantly sharper, more detailed photos in pretty much all conditions.
The rest of the camera setup includes a 10MP 3x telephoto, a 12MP ultra-wide, and dual 10MP selfie cameras – one on the cover screen, and one under the main screen. The under-display camera also gets a wider field of view this year, growing from 85° to 100°, with the idea to let you fit more people in the frame. I haven't had time to test the full camera suite just yet (it's a lot of cameras!), but stay tuned for our full review where we'll put all of these through the PhoneArena Camera Test.
As expected, AI is everywhere on the Galaxy Fold 7 . Samsung has been an early adopter of AI tech in its phones, and this trend doesn't change with the Fold 7 .
There's the new ProVisual Engine, which helps reduce noise and motion blur when capturing moving objects – great for kids, pets, or city shots in motion. Generative Edit now includes Erase Suggestions, proactively identifying distractions and helping you clean up images with just a tap. From my early look, it works really, really well.
Then there's Audio Eraser, which can intelligently strip out background noise, including wind, crowd noise or chatter, not just from video recordings, but also from voice memos and even call transcripts. And yes, Gemini Live is built in and tightly integrated. You can summon it with the power button, ask questions about what's on screen – even in a game – and choose how results appear: in a convenient pop-up or in side-by-side view. It's a versatile, multi-modal experience, and it works seamlessly across both the cover and main display. I can't wait to put all these AI features through their paces for my full review!
The Galaxy Fold 7 feels like the foldable Samsung fans have been waiting for. It's not just thinner and lighter – it's more refined in pretty much every way. The new screen ratio makes it more usable when closed, the crease is less annoying, and the design finally feels modern and competitive with what we've seen from Oppo, Honor, Vivo and Huawei. If there's one area of concern, it's the battery. The Fold 7 still uses the same 4,400mAh cell as before, and that might end up being a limiting factor, especially for heavier users. I'm also not sure what type of impact the new Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy will have on power consumption. In other words, it would've been nice to see silicon-carbon battery tech here, but here's what – let's hold final judgment until we've tested it properly on the PhoneArena Battery Test.
Sadly, the Galaxy Fold 7 is also getting more expensive. It now starts at $2,000 for the base model with 256GB storage and 12GB RAM. The 512GB version comes in at $2120, and the top-tier 1TB variant jumps to $2420 but finally brings 16GB of RAM to the table.
Pre-orders are open now, and Samsung is expected to start shipping units on July 25. The silver lining here is that Samsung also tends to offer strong pre-order deals and trade-in values, so be sure to check your options before hitting that buy button.
What do you think about the Galaxy Fold 7 ? Is Samsung finally catching up, or even pulling ahead in the foldables game? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! Secure your connection now at a bargain price!
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