Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Galaxy Z Fold 6: what's going to change?

Phone Arena

14-05-2025

Samsung's next big foldables — the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 — are just around the corner, likely arriving this summer. And while the Z Flip 7 is expected to stick closely to the familiar formula, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is tipped to receive the juicier upgrades. Finally.We're talking a thinner profile, a higher-res main camera, and perhaps even a redesign that nudges the Fold lineup into its next era.The Z Fold 6 wasn't exactly a radical leap forward. A modest refresh with a flatter design and slightly tweaked dimensions, it felt like a device Samsung released just to tick the yearly upgrade box. But the Z Fold 7 ? That might be the real refinement we've been waiting for.
So, is the Galaxy Z Fold 7 finally the Fold to get if you've been holding out? Or is it just another baby step?
Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Galaxy Z Fold 6 expected differences:
Table of Contents:
Design
Display
Performance
Camera
Battery
Specs
Summary The Galaxy Z Fold 6 was flatter, sharper, and marginally lighter than the Fold 5 — but let's be real, it was more iterative than innovative. With the Z Fold 7 , Samsung might actually be going bold.
According to multiple reports, the Fold 7 could be Samsung's thinnest foldable yet — possibly clocking in at just 8.2mm when closed. That's a huge drop from the 12.1mm of the Fold 6. If this pans out, we're talking about the first Fold that might actually feel sleek in your pocket.
The screens are expected to grow slightly, too. The external display could expand from 6.3 to 6.5 inches, with the inner screen stretching from 7.6 to 8 inches. That means a wider, more usable outer screen — finally putting an end to the skinny remote-control vibes — and a squarer inner display better suited for multitasking.
Design-wise, though? Expect more of the same. Flat edges, familiar hinge, and likely IP48 water-and-dust resistance. Samsung has found its groove here, and it's not about to throw that out the window. Display Differences Both displays on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are expected to grow, but the real win could be in the proportions. The outer screen's width bump will drastically improve usability, while the inner screen's squarer shape will bring it closer to the format used by foldable champs from China.Samsung's excellent Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels aren't going anywhere—expect buttery-smooth 1-120Hz refresh rates, high resolution, and searing brightness that could exceed 2,600 nits. Inner display? Still using ultra-thin glass. Outer display? Protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
One wild card here is the crease. Samsung's been struggling to smooth out that valley in the middle of its foldables for years. The rumor mill hints that the Fold 7 might finally flatten it out — literally. Here's hoping. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 will most probably drop with a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy — the same chip that delighted us from inside the latest Galaxy S25 series. It's built on a 3 nm process, and is probably the most powerful chip you can find on an Android phone right now. By comparison, the Fold 6 runs on the tried-and-true Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, which is still absolutely great.
RAM is still likely at 12 GB, which is more than enough for now. But don't be surprised if Samsung sneaks in a 16 GB variant for AI bragging rights. Software-wise, leaked benchmarks suggest that the Fold 7 could debut with Android 16 and One UI 8. That's... unexpected, and kind of sounds like a wishful thinking. If true, it means Samsung might beat Google to its own software punch, but given that these companies have been in close partnership for some years now, it's less of a race between them and more of them boosting each other.
It's kind of funny to think that the 2024 Samsung flagships just got Android 15 a month ago, and we are now expecting the next foldable with Android 16 like 2 months from now. Granted, this year's update slowdown was very obviously due to some trouble behind the scenes — possibly with AI features and integration.
Both devices will enjoy Samsung's new 7-year software update policy, which is great future-proofing, so long as these updates are timely from now on. Cameras have always been the weak spot for Samsung's Fold line. But that might change with the Z Fold 7 , which is rumored to rock a new 200MP main sensor. Finally!
The rest of the setup? Business as usual: 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3X telephoto, and a pair of inner and cover selfie cameras that get the job done without fanfare.
Compare that to the Fold 6, which kept the same 50MP main camera we've seen since the Fold 4. A solid sensor, but hardly exciting in 2025.
If the Fold 7 really brings a 200MP sensor, we could finally see the Fold family catch up to the Galaxy S series in photography — not just in hardware, but hopefully in processing, too. Samsung isn't rocking the boat here. Expect the Fold 7 to have a similar 4,400mAh battery to the Fold 6, with no sign of those fancy new silicon-carbon cells that push the 6,000 mAh limit.
Charging speeds? Also unchanged. The Fold 6 tops out at 25W wired and 15W wireless, and the Fold 7 will likely stick to those numbers. Again, Samsung has been incredibly conservative with its battery upgrades ever since the big Galaxy Note 7 debacle years ago. Better to be safe than sorry!
Battery life on the Fold 6 was okay — roughly a day of moderate use, especially if you can't get enough of that internal screen. The Fold 7 's efficiency gains might stretch that out a bit, thanks to the newer chip, but don't expect miracles.
Here's how the Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Galaxy Z Fold 6 will likely compare, based on rumored specs. Of course, reality may differ slightly once the Z Fold 7 is revealed:
Also read: While the Galaxy Z Fold 6 was mostly a safer refinement, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 might be the long-awaited glow-up this form factor needs. Thinner, lighter, more powerful, and with a potential camera overhaul — Samsung isn't ready to give up the race for the foldable market just yet. And it had better! The company may have been first on the scene, but the competition has definitely caught up and, some might say, has surpassed Samsung with thinner, faster, and more enduring foldables. We'll see about that when the Z Fold 7 launches!
If you held out on upgrading last year, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 might finally be your moment, fingers crossed!