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Tom's Guide
17 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I just tried the new Samsung DeX on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 to replace my laptop — here's the good and the bad
Last year when Samsung launched its foldable phones, it was a no-brain decision on which one I wanted to make my new daily driver. Since it offered support for Samsung DeX, I chose the Galaxy Z Fold 6 without hesitation over the Galaxy Z Flip 6. In fact, I even managed to ditch my laptop for 2 weeks with the Z Fold 6. Samsung has long neglected to bring DeX to its flip-style phones, but that all changed this year with the reveal of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 — and I couldn't be more thrilled about it. Ever since the first Flip, I've been wanting to use one as my daily driver, but no support for DeX was a big dealbreaker. In my Galaxy Z Flip 7 hands-on, I say how it feels like perfection due to the bigger upgrades it's been given over previous years. I've been testing out the new Samsung DeX for the last few days now, so here's the good and bad about it. Samsung DeX has been a long time coming for the Galaxy Z Flip line, so needless to say I'm stoked for its arrival. First and foremost, Samsung DeX on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 supports either a wired or wireless connection. I'd recommend the former since I've seen some latency issues whenever I connected it to my Amazon Fire TV OMNI. Just like DeX running on other new phones, like my Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 6, I get access to that PC-like desktop experience that lets me run multiple apps simultaneously. It makes me almost as productive as using my Windows 11 laptop, complete with the ability to have apps running side-by-side with one another. When I do this, I can even resize one of the windows and the other will dynamically adjust to fill out the rest of the screen. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Apart from the new set of wallpapers included with this version of DeX, which is running on top of One UI 8, there's nothing visually or functionally different. The bottom left corner of the task bar has buttons for the home, back, and recent apps; the middle packs buttons for the apps panel, pinned apps, and opened apps; and the icons on the right lets me access different settings. I've even connected my Galaxy Z Flip 7 to my Xreal Air 2 Pro glasses for that private experience when I'm in a public space. The beauty of Samsung DeX in this particular situation is that I can continue to use DeX even when my phone's turned off. Unlike the traditional screen mirroring feature in many of today's best phones, it's a totally separate experience from my phone — so I can even watch something on Netflix without the need to keep my phone on. As much as I'm thankful for the utility that Samsung DeX brings to my Galaxy Z Flip 7, I was hoping for Samsung to bring new features and changes. Just not long ago, Google revealed how it was building a desktop mode for Android 16 with help from Samsung, but it doesn't influence the DeX experience on the Galaxy Z Flip 7. Considering how it's running One UI 8 on top of Android 16, I was hoping for bigger changes with the experience. Unfortunately, the bad thing about DeX on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is that Samsung does nothing to refine it — and I think it's a big missed opportunity — much like the sentiments I had when I tried DeX on the Galaxy S25 Ultra earlier this year. Samsung's the only one who's really offering this kind of feature, even though Motorola has something similar with its Smart Connect feature in some of its phones like the Razr Ultra (2025). The difference is that DeX can run through a wired connection, whereas Smart Connect is exclusively a wireless one. One particular feature I was hoping to see would be something along the lines of Snap Layouts with Windows 11, which would allow for better snapping between the open windows. You're only able to snap two windows at one time, leaving others to float on their own. This continues to be my biggest criticism about DeX because it has the potential to make me more productive if it could do this, but it doesn't. Despite the lack of anything new, Samsung DeX on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is a big deal. Although I'm disappointed by the lack of innovation around it, there's still time for Samsung to work on it with subsequent updates. It's one of those features you can't appreciate until you begin to use it and realize how much it can satisfy your daily routine. More work is obviously needed before it can totally replace my laptop, but I can tell you from experience how helpful it is to use as a fallback. I like to travel as light as possible, and given the compact size of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 over the Z Fold 7, it proves a point that you can still have the power of a computer in your pocket.
CNET
a day ago
- CNET
Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs. Z Fold 6: Slimmer Body, Bigger Screens and Slightly Higher Price
At Samsung Unpacked in July, the phonemaker introduced its most advanced foldable yet: the Galaxy Z Fold 7. It supersedes last year's Galaxy Z Fold 6 with upgrades big and small (or rather, big and thin), but how exactly do they compare? Here's the Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 6 specs comparison. Samsung has been releasing foldable phones for over half a decade now since the initial Galaxy Fold (no "Z" back then) launched in 2019, and the company has gotten pretty good at the newer smartphone format. Gone are the days of display and hinge durability issues; now, Samsung's foldable phones are as reliable as their flat counterparts… though at $2,000, the Z Fold series' prices are still high enough to put them out of reach of all but deep-pocketed enthusiasts. The Z Fold 7 packs the latest Samsung upgrades and some design innovations, while the Z Fold 6 is still a powerful and capable device, leaving either a great choice for those who can afford them -- just note the $100 difference in list price, as all those upgrades have led the Z Fold 7 to start at $2,000 while the Z Fold 6 starts at $1,900. Here's how both foldable phones compare. The Galaxy Z Fold 6. Lisa Eadicicco/CNET Design and display Both the Z Fold 7 and Z Fold 6 follow the same broad design: a book-style foldable that has an outer screen to function more or less like a flat smartphone when folded closed. It can be unfolded to reveal its wider, more tablet-like inner display, providing more screen real estate for tasks, games and watching media. The Z Fold 7, however, takes the Z Fold 6's design and slims down its thickness so it takes up even less space in pockets or bags. The Z Fold 7 is 8.9mm when folded up, down from 12.1mm thick in the folded-up Z Fold 6. Likewise, when unfolded, the Z Fold 7 is only 4.2mm thick, down from the 5.6mm in the Z Fold 6. That's even thinner than the Galaxy S25 Edge's 5.8mm thickness, which commands an $1,100 price because of its own deliberately thin and light design. Galaxy Z Fold 7. Numi Prasarn/CNET While users may not see how much thinner the Z Fold 7 is unless they put it side by side with another phone, there are areas where it's noticeably trimmed down -- there's hardly any bezel left around the top and bottom of the USB-C port. The new foldable comes in at 215 grams, which is about the weight of most flatphones, and lighter than the Z Fold 6's 239 grams. Both foldables are IP48 rated for dust and water resistance, meaning while they may survive being dunked in water for at least 30 minutes (the "8" in that rating), they won't protect against molecules smaller than 1mm (the "4" in that rating, lower than the "6" in most phones' IP68 rating) -- so keep either foldable away from dust and sand. Read more: I Held the Galaxy Z Fold 7. It's So Thin I Almost Forgot It's a Foldable The Z Fold 7 is overall slightly taller and wider than its predecessor, which results in bigger screens. The new foldable has a 6.5-inch AMOLED Full HD Plus (2,520x1,080 pixels) cover display, up from the 6.3-inch AMOLED Full HD Plus (2,376x968 pixels) cover display on the Z Fold 6. Both models have 1 to 120Hz variable refresh rates. Similarly, the Z Fold 7 has a larger 8-inch AMOLED tablet-like (2,184x1,968 pixels) inner display compared to the Z Fold 6's 7.6-inch AMOLED tablet-like (2,160x1,856 pixels) inner display. Both also have 1 to 120Hz variable refresh rates. The Galaxy Z Fold 6's camera block. Lisa Eadiccico/CNET Cameras The Z Fold 7's camera array is mostly unchanged from last year's model, with one glaring exception: the 200-megapixel main camera, which it inherits from the Galaxy S25 Ultra that launched in January (and also made it to the Galaxy S25 Edge that arrived in May). While we haven't had much time to try it out, the Z Fold 7's main camera should take sharper photos than the 50-megapixel one on last year's Z Fold 6. On paper, the Z Fold 7's remaining cameras seem otherwise identical to their counterparts on the Z Fold 6: a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto and a 10-megapixel front-facing camera on the cover screen. The 10-megapixel camera on its internal display is now inside of a display cutout, moving away from the under-display camera that prior Fold phones used. Both foldables shoot video in 8K at 30 frames per second. Galaxy Z Fold 7. Numi Prasarn/CNET Specs and battery It's not surprising that the Z Fold 7 gets a boost in specs over last year's Z Fold 6. The most notable is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite in the Z Fold 7, which is more powerful and efficient than the Z Fold 6's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The Z Fold 7 has the same internal storage options as its predecessor: 256GB, 512GB and 1TB. But whereas the Z Fold 6 only offered 12GB of RAM for all three of those storage options, the new foldable kicks it up a notch by offering 16GB of RAM for its largest storage (the 256GB and 512GB are again paired with 12GB of RAM). The Z Fold 7 has the same 4,400mAh battery capacity as last year's Z Fold 6. But until we test out the new foldable, we won't know whether its particular setup will result in more or less battery life -- the slightly larger displays on the Z Fold 7 would suggest it would drain its battery faster, and prior testing with Snapdragon 8 Elite phones found they drained more power. Connectivity-wise, the Z Fold 7 has the edge with its Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 support, which are newer and more advanced than the Z Fold 6's Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support. But there's still one area where the Z Fold 7 remains painfully behind the times: charging. The foldable still has 25-watt maximum charging, which is pretty dismal and borderline embarrassing in 2025 for a phone of this price -- even the flawed OnePlus Open that launched in 2023 had faster 67-watt charging, which filled that foldable from dead to 76% in half an hour. As a point of comparison, last year's Z Fold 6 (also 25 watts) recharged just over 40% in 30 minutes. Both phones also have Qi wireless charging. Samsung is selling magnetic cases for the Fold 7 that add compatibility with Qi2 wireless chargers and other magnetic accessories. Galaxy Z Fold 6. Lisa Eadiccico/CNET Software, support and AI The Galaxy Z Fold 7 launches with Samsung's One UI 8 and Android 16 out of the box, which is an improvement over the Z Fold 6 arriving with Android 14. Yes, despite being a year apart, Samsung's biggest foldable will arrive with the newest version of Google's mobile operating system, which the software giant surprise-dropped back in June months ahead of its usual release window. While this is obviously a big win for the new foldable to not have to wait weeks or months for Android 16, it's also a longevity upgrade: Samsung is once again promising seven years of software and security updates for the Z Fold 7, which means it should get annual upgrades until 2032. But while the Z Fold 6 has the same number of upgrades, one of those was Android 15 that came out later in its launch year -- meaning it should only get upgrades until 2030. Both folding phones get the full suite of Samsung's Galaxy AI features as well as Gemini access. From Google's Circle To Search to erasing objects in photos, there's a range of little tools and tricks. But because the Z Fold 7 gets more years of Android updates (and has a newer processor), it could get more Galaxy AI features in the future. Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 6 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Cover display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate 6.5-inch AMOLED, 2,520x1,080p, 1-120Hz refresh rate 6.3-inch AMOLED; 2,376x968 pixels; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate Internal display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate 8-inch AMOLED, 2,184x1,968p, 1-120Hz refresh rate 7.6-inch AMOLED; 2,160x1,856 pixels;1-120Hz variable refresh rate Pixel density Cover: 422 ppi; Internal display: 368ppi Cover: 410 ppi; Internal: 374 ppi Dimensions (inches) Open: 5.63 x 6.24 x 0.17 inches; Closed: 2.87 x 6.24 x 0.35 inches Open: 6.04x5.21 x0.22 in; Closed: 6.04x2.68x0.48 in Dimensions (millimeters) Open: 143.2 x 158.4 x 4.2mm; Closed: 72.8 x 158.4 x 8.9mm Open: 153.5x132.5x5.6mm; Closed: 153.5x68.1x12.1mm Weight (grams, ounces) 215g (7.58 oz.) 239g (8.43 oz) Mobile software Android 16 Android 14 Cameras 200-megapixel (main), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (telephoto), 10-megapixel (cover screen, selfie) 50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto) Internal screen camera 10-megapixel 4-megapixel (inner screen under-display); 10-megapixel (cover screen) Video capture 8K at 30fps 8K Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 RAM/storage 12GB + 256GB, 12GB + 512GB, 16GB + 1TB 12GB + 256GB, 512GB, 1TB Expandable storage No None Battery 4,400 mAh 4,400 mAh Fingerprint sensor Yes Side Connector USB-C USB-C Headphone jack No None Special features One UI 8, 25W wired charging speed, Qi wireless charging, 2,600-nit peak brightness, Galaxy AI, NFC, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, IP48 water resistance IP48 rating, 25W wired charging, wireless charging + powershare, 3x optical zoom (up to 10x digital and 30x Space Zoom with AI Super Resolution tech) US price starts at $2,000 (256GB) $1,900 (256GB) UK price starts at £1,799 (256GB) £1,799 (256GB) Australia price starts at AU$2,899 (256GB) AU$2,749 (256GB)
Daily Record
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Best pre-order deals on the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7
For those wanting to get their hands on Samsung's newest flip phone, here are some of the cheapest pre-order deals. Samsung fans will be over the moon to hear that the latest range of Samsung's foldable phones are now available for pre-order. With the last smartphones in this range released on July 10 last year - Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 - fans have been waiting in anticipation for the newest release. Featuring significant improvements to the older models, the new editions to the Z Fold and Z Flip series were first showcased at Unpacked event in New York last Wednesday, July 9, wherethe Samsung Galaxy Watch8 and Watch8 Classic were also unveiled. The biggest difference fans noticed was to the Fold 7, which has been designed to be more pocket-friendly despite the size it can expand to, reports the Mirror. Additionally, the device now boasts an enhanced triple-lens camera with a primary 200MP lens. On the flip side, the Flip 7 will be equipped with superior screens, upgraded cameras and speedier processors. Both phones are expected to go on general sale on July 25, according to the Radio Times. For those potentially wanting to make the switch to a more unique smartphone, or are looking for an upgrade, we have comprised some of the best current pre-order deals on the market so you can find the plan that works best for you. If shoppers are looking to spread the cost, Three Mobile has a few monthly contract deals available. For those interested in the Fold 7, shoppers can pay £45.50 a month in a 36-month contract, along with an upfront cost of £60. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 £45.50 per month Three Buy Now Product Description In terms of the Flip 7, Samsung fans can enter a 36-month contract for £25.25 per month and an upfront cost of £40. Both of these deals come with double the storage - 512GB - and a variety of trade-in deals to help save more money. However, it should be noted that both of these contracts don't include your data allowance, so shoppers will need to consider this when they calculate their overall monthly cost. Sky is also offering a fast selling deal on the Fold 7, which sees shoppers get double storage and a free Watch8 Classic worth £449 for free. With a 36-month contract, shoppers will need to pay £58 per month and an upfront cost of £36. Alternatively, the Flip 7 is available for pre-order for £35 per month for 36 months, with a £12 upfront cost. This device comes with the Watch8, which is worth £319, for free and is available in blue shadow, coral red and jet black. A similar deal can be found on EE for the devices. However, shoppers are able to choose how much they want to pay upfront, which could lessen the amount they need to pay every month. The upfront cost starts at £30 and goes up to a whopping £1724 for the Fold 7. Additionally, the Carphone Warehouse has variety of deals that may be worth exploring, which includes your data package in overall price. This website is also helpful as it warns shoppers of yearly data price increases. For those able to pay for the newest Z series phones upfront, shoppers can pre-order the Z Fold 7 for £1,799 from Amazon, while the Z Flip 7 is priced at £1,049. Both of these are £100 off the full retail price. Additionally, Amazon is giving Prime Student members an extra £100 off at the checkout on both of these devices. For those wanting a slightly older model, Amazon is also selling the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 for £999 with 512GB of storage available. Alternatively, for those who favour Apple, Argos has slightly dropped the price of the iPhone 16e down from £599 down to £549. With 128GB of storage, this budget Apple flagship phone is available in white or black. Back to the Z series, Samsung itself is offering the best deal for those willing to pay the full fee. With an up to £935 trade-in value and a £100 discount for shoppers who pay using PayPal, shoppers will be able to see significant reductions in price on both the Fold 7 and the Flip 7. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Mint
2 days ago
- Mint
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Fold 6 vs Fold 5: Battery comparison
Samsung has launched the Galaxy Z Fold 7, its latest foldable smartphone that introduces updated displays and the new Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. However, despite these upgrades, the device retains the same 4,400mAh battery capacity that has been used since the Galaxy Z Fold 3. This upgrade has sparked discussions about the phone's real-world battery performance and whether it offers significant improvements over previous models. To test the Galaxy Z Fold 7's battery life, tech YouTuber Ben from Lover Of Tech conducted a detailed battery drain test comparing it to the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 5. The test involved running a series of power-intensive activities for an hour each, including 4K video recording, Instagram Live streaming, TikTok browsing, YouTube playback, and music streaming. These tasks were designed to simulate heavy daily usage. The results showed the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has achieved a screen-on time of 5 hours, 36 minutes, and 31 seconds. This marks an improvement over the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which lasted 5 hours and 15 minutes, and outperformed the Galaxy Z Fold 5 by about an hour. The better battery life on the Fold 7 can be attributed to the efficiency gains of the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. Additionally, the Galaxy Fold 7 stayed cooler during the test, likely due to enhanced heat management in its slimmer design. Despite these gains, the fixed 4,400mAh battery limits the potential for major improvements in endurance. Users who wish to upgrade from the Fold 4 or Fold 5 may notice the difference, but those coming from the Fold 6 will find the battery life improvement less significant. In short, the Galaxy Fold 7 offers a modest boost in battery performance, but it still faces constraints because of the unchanged battery size. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is available in four colour options: Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow, Jet Black, and Mint (exclusive to Samsung's online store). The device is priced at Rs. 1,74,999 for the 12GB RAM with 256GB storage model. The 12GB + 512GB variant is priced at Rs. 1,86,999, while the top-tier 16GB + 1TB model is priced at Rs. 2,16,999.
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Tom's Guide
I just tested the Galaxy Z Fold 7's new selfie camera vs. the Fold 6's under-display camera — and the results are drastically different
So much has changed with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 that you may not have noticed one of the most crucial differences between it and the Galaxy Z Fold 6. After four generations of under-display cameras on the Z Fold's main screen, Samsung has finally called it quits and moved back to a punch-hole camera. It's also over twice as detailed, using a 10MP sensor rather than a 4MP one (that is technically 16MP - it's complicated). Arguably, the punch-hole is less optimal for the big inner display that defines the Z Fold, but it should be much better for taking actual photos. So to see what difference this and other upgrades have made to the inner (and outer) front cameras of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, we're doing a full selfie camera comparison against the Z Fold 6. How big a difference is there? Does it really matter? We're gonna find out. Taking both foldables out on a particularly sunny London day, I found a nice shady spot to start off this comparison. The Galaxy Z Fold 6's shot is quite dark given how bright it was when I shot this, and also makes every bright spot in the shot look pixellated, thanks to the display being in the way of the camera sensor The Z Fold 7 shot just looks like a normal selfie, which is appropriate since it's a normal camera. The highlights are a bit too bright for my liking, but it's still the far stronger shot and quickly shows exactly why Samsung made this change. There's no hardware difference between the outer selfie cameras of the Z Fold 6 and the Z Fold 7, but in the interest of science, I tried these too. And as it turns out, you can in fact see some differences. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 looks over-sharpened in comparison, which has me leaning towards the Z Fold 7 still as the superior shot. but the Z Fold 7 has made my face look quite pink, which isn't necessarily the most flattering either. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. One of the key special features of selfie cameras is their ability to use a bokeh effect to center the subject (you) against the background. Hence why this was my next step in testing the Z Fold 6 and Z Fold 7's selfie photography abilities. Beginning with the outside cameras this time, we again see more extreme colors on the Z Fold 7, and increased sharpness on the Z Fold 6. But both have a similarly strong bokeh effect and accurately cut around my glasses. The Galaxy Z Fold 7's new inside camera not only brings enhanced quality, but also brings portrait mode with it. It works just as competently as the outer cameras, while the Z Fold 6's inner camera is stuck taking regular photos only. Software and firmware updates can have an impact on camera performance in the dark just as much as the physical sensors. So while hiding indoors from the heat, I did another round of inner and outer selfie shots. In our first pair, using the outer cameras, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has picked up a lot more of the red color present in the room than the Z Fold 6 has, and has lost detail in return. Samsung's clearly tweaked something in the Z Fold 7's image processing pipeline to make its selfies like this, and I hope that this gets changed with an update in the future. As for the inner camera comparison, we have the starkest quality difference we've seen so far. The Z Fold 7's image is again rather pink-looking, but the Z Fold 6's under-display camera takes a photo is so noisy that it looks decades older. One benefit of foldables you may forget about is the option to take selfies with the main camera by opening up a preview window and camera controls on the outer screen. It seemed an appropriate place to finish off this comparison, especially now that Samsung has switched the Galaxy Z Fold 6's 50MP main camera for a 200MP camera on the Z Fold 7. That said, there is not as much of a difference as I expected. Granted, both of these cameras still shoot by default at 12MP, but I still thought there would be more dividing these shots beyond the color tuning differences that we've already observed. Swapping to portrait mode, we finally see the Z Fold 7 produce the less intensely-colored shot of the two. The Z Fold 7's portrait effect is slightly better too, cutting around my ear and the back of my head properly, unlike the Z Fold 6. Obviously I am just one person with one particular hair color, skin tone and pair of glasses, so things may vary for other people trying to snap themselves. But as this test shows, Samsung's big inner selfie camera switch pays off in terms of quality. Maybe some users felt that the quality loss from the under-display camera was worth it for a more seamless-looking display, but I and likely many others will much prefer having a usable inner camera over a few more square millimeters of active screen space. That said, the color of the Galaxy Z Fold 6's shots were generally more to my liking, especially on the outer screen selfie camera which is identical to the Z Fold 7's. Fingers crossed this is a temporary issue, otherwise it's going to be a bit embarrassing for Samsung. We'll keep testing how other cameras compare in the coming days, so stay tuned for that. But check out our Galaxy Z Fold 7 hands-on review for our thoughts as they stand.
