Latest news with #foldingphone
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Samsung Z Fold 7 smartphone review: A leap forward
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Price : €2149 Website : Where To Buy : Samsung Samsung has noticeably stepped up its game with its latest folding phone. Everything about it feels like what the Fold was striving for over the last 6½ years. The hinge is stronger, snappier. The phone itself is thinner, even when closed, and lighter than its predecessor. It even beats the S25 Ultra on weight by a few grammes, and is just a shade thicker than Samsung's flagship device when folded up. That instantly makes it a much more attractive phone. The previous versions of the Fold felt slightly clunky to use as a standard phone. The Fold 7 doesn't feel any different from picking up the S25+ or Ultra. Unlike previous versions, the proportions don't feel off. You could be picking up any regular smartphone, with a high-quality 6.5-inch cover screen. Unfolded, it is the thinnest tablet you have held in your hand. It is an impressive feat of engineering, one that doesn't feel flimsy. READ MORE That thinness has a trade off, of course. Much like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge , the Fold 7 comes with a prominent camera bump. That houses the 200 megapixel main camera, although the ultrawide is bumped down to 12 megapixels from the S25 Ultra's 50 megapixel resolution. You also get the 10MP 3x telephoto cameras, and two selfie cameras – one on the outside and one on the inner screen. But the camera set-up does the job. The photos are clear and detailed, even when light levels drop below optimal. It is the typical Samsung camera – saturated, vivid colours – so if that doesn't suit you, perhaps you might be best looking elsewhere. The main issue with the Fold 7 is that it is trying to do a lot You can edit the photos easily on the extra space that inner screen gives. The new version bumps up the screen area from 7.6in to 8in, which is a decent-sized tablet even if the aspect ratio isn't quite suited to everything. I found it most effective by pinning two apps side by side – email and documents, for example – although you can add more if you are okay with working in smaller windows. The other chief complaint about folding phones was the crease on the inner screen; on the Fold 7's Amoled screen, it is less noticeable than before, but like many things on this device, they become less noticeable over time. The main issue with the Fold 7 is that it is trying to do a lot. In theory, it can replace three devices: your smartphone, your tablet and your laptop. In practice, the latter would need a full keyboard and monitor set up to be comfortable, which it is perfectly capable of doing thanks to the Dex functionality that Samsung builds in, but it will add to the extra costs. And the Fold 7 is expensive. It starts at €2,149, and while most people will buy this on a contract from an operator, it will still add up to a sizeable investment. Good This is Samsung's best folding phone yet. It is not just an incremental upgrade, it feels like a whole new device. Closed, it looks similar to any of the Galaxy devices; open, it brings an 8-inch display to the mix. And it doesn't feel flimsy when open either, which is an impressive feat when you consider that it is only 4.2mm thick – fractionally bigger than the USB C port. Bad The camera bump is a little too prominent, but that is a niggle. Ditto for the placement of the under-screen selfie camera, which shows up on the right-hand side of the main screen. The crease is still evident, but less defined than in previous versions of the phone, and over time you will notice it less in my experience. Everything else Capacity starts at 128GB, but you can bump it up to 1TB if you have the spare cash. You get Samsung's latest UI8, which has all the AI-enabled features that are designed to make your life easier – AI-enabled writing tools search and photo editing among others. The phone is IP48 rated – still not at the flagship S series level but on a par with the Fold 6. Best to keep it away from the beach, to avoid trapping sand in the crucial parts. Battery life is decent, but below what you get with the S range. You should get a full day at least out of a full charge, and it supports wireless charging too. The verdict Folding phones are coming into their own, and Samsung's Z Fold 7 is making strides.
Digital Trends
5 days ago
- Digital Trends
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 isn't the thinnest foldable but it has the best design
If you're interested in technology, you'll know that every phone maker is pushing to claim the title of world's thinnest phone. A further subplot to this is the battle to be crowned the world's thinnest folding phone, a mantle that has already traded hands several times. Phone makers have long competed over various specifications, including display size, bezel size, battery capacity, camera quality, and more. Design is the latest in this trend, and the key quantitative measure is thickness. Samsung's a key player in both races. The Galaxy S25 Edge is currently the world's thinnest phone, although it's expected to be replaced by the iPhone 17 Air in September, which is expected to be considerably thinner. Recommended Videos The Galaxy Z Fold 7 offers a revolutionary design that is almost a third thinner than last year's model. It's not the world's thinnest folding phone – although it comes very close – but it does have the best design. Here's why. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is not the world's thinnest folding phone Yes, despite Samsung making the Galaxy Z Fold 7 significantly thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, it is still not the world's thinnest folding phone. However, at 4.2mm thick when unfolded, it is just 0.1mm thicker than the current mantle holder, the Honor Magic V5. This is key to know, as this thinness enables the Galaxy Z Fold 7 to be virtually indistinguishable from a regular smartphone. At 8.9mm thick when folded, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is just 0.7mm thicker than the flagship Galaxy S25 Ultra, and the same thickness as the Oppo Find N5. Meanwhile, the Honor Magic V5 is both thinner and denser, as the white version is 8.8mm thick when unfolded. In contrast, the more plush materials used in the black, gold, and reddish brown colors result in those versions being 9mm thick when folded. However, while all three companies have split the difference when it comes to unfolded thickness, there's more variability in the weight. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 weighs 239 grams, while the other current-generation folding phone sold in the US, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, weighs considerably more at 254 grams. Meanwhile, the international competition has shed grams considerably, with the Find N5 weighing 229 grams, and the Magic V5 even lighter at 217 grams. Samsung's answer is to be the lightest yet. Part of the Galaxy Z Fold 7's appeal is that it's three grams lighter than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, weighing 215 grams. This also contributes to its standout feature: its design. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 design is second to none When I first held the Galaxy Z Fold 7, I instantly recognized that this phone is special. I've held the Honor Magic V5 and used the Find N5 as my main folding phone since its launch, but the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has blown me away. Showing it to 30 people for the first time also reaffirmed that Samsung's revamped Galaxy Z Fold 7 design is excellent. It begins with the experience when the phone is folded. The Cover Display measures 6.5 inches, which is smaller than many of the best phones. This proves to be a blessing, as the front screen is narrower than that of other phones — folding or otherwise — making it comfortable for me to use with one hand. It has made the use case extremely compelling: an easy, one-handed experience that can transform into a two-handed, tablet-like experience in just a few seconds. While showing the Galaxy Z Fold 7 to friends and family, I asked everyone to close their eyes and then hold the phone. Most commented how light it felt, and despite the Galaxy S25 Ultra being 0.7mm thinner and just three grams heavier, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 feels refreshingly light. When asked to unfold it, most are amazed that it's a folding phone, and that the crease has been considerably improved to the point that it's indiscernible when you run a finger across it. Despite the incredible in-hand feel, there are still areas where Samsung can improve the design. Like its ultra-thin rivals, the Galaxy Z Fold 7's rated thickness only applies to the thinnest part of the phone, and the camera protrudes considerably from the back. Yet, it does so less than the Find N5 and the Honor Magic V5, which both feature a circular camera array on the back; however, the position of the camera poses a challenge as well, as it means the phone has an extreme wobble when placed on its back on a flat surface. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the best folding phone for many people The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is an interesting folding phone, as while it's not the absolute best folding phone available, it is the best option for most people. After spending the past two weeks with Samsung's new folding phone, I've come to realize that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 transcends the sum of its parts, offering an experience that is second to none. This is not due to specifications, as many global competitors offer thinner designs, better cameras, and/or larger batteries; rather, it is due to the combination of hardware and software on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The Galaxy Z Fold 7's design is so good that I don't want to put it down Key to the Galaxy Z Fold 7's likely eventual success is the in-hand experience. The ergonomic feel is indistinguishable from that of a regular phone, and it is one of the few phones that genuinely exudes a wow factor. However, as Samsung's rivals have proven, even an incredible in-hand experience has little value if few people can experience it. This brings us to the competition. It's been a few months since the Oppo Find N5 was released, and customers were upset as OnePlus confirmed it had no plans to launch this as the OnePlus Open 2. Despite the Find N5 also possessing star power like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the latter's broad global availability means far more people will experience the Galaxy Z Fold 7 than other folding phones. After speaking with more than 100 individuals about the Galaxy Z Fold 7, including a diverse mix of industry experts, tech and lifestyle creators, tech enthusiasts, and average customers, one thing is clear: everyone is raving about the Galaxy Z Fold 7's design. Two weeks after I started using it, I have to agree: the Galaxy Z Fold 7's design is so good that I don't want to put it down.
Digital Trends
23-07-2025
- Digital Trends
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 proves foldables have reached peak design
Ask most average people why they weren't willing to buy one of the best folding phones, and the answer often includes the price, size, or weight. The new Galaxy Z Fold 7 addresses two out of these three issues and, in turn, resolves one of the key problems with folding phones. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is thinner than any previous folding phone available in the US, measuring 4.2mm thick when unfolded, and is only second in thickness to the Honor Magic V5, which is 0.1mm thinner when unfolded. Yet, that phone has a much larger circular camera hump, so it feels similar, if not slightly thicker, in the hand. Recommended Videos The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is also considerably lighter, weighing 215 grams, compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which weighs 24 grams more. The Magic V5 is just two grams heavier than the Samsung; the Oppo Find N5 is a further 12 grams heavier, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the heaviest at 254 grams. Ultimately, the design of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 raises one key question: has folding phone design peaked? How the Galaxy Z Fold 7 gets the design so right When designing the new Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung began with a primary goal that has proven essential: can they build a folding phone that is indistinguishable from a regular phone when folded? The Galaxy Z Fold 7 mostly ticks this box, as although it's 0.7mm thicker than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, it's three grams lighter. When we showed the Galaxy Z Fold 7 to 30 average users, more than a third commented on the thickness when they first felt the device, and almost another third commented on its weight. These in-hand improvements have made the Galaxy Z Fold 7 feel nearly identical to a regular phone, to the point where many of those same people were surprised when they unfolded it. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 isn't the first device to achieve this, but it's the first folding phone that feels distinctly normal in the hand. This makes it a stunning alternative for those who want the folding form factor, but don't want the added heft that has accompanied folding phones from Samsung, Google, and others. The epitome of the perfect foldable design The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is so enjoyable in the hand that it raises the question of what comes next, at least in terms of design. Samsung itself mentioned that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 could be around 0.2mm thinner without affecting the USB-C port, but no thinner, so just making it thinner wouldn't justify an upgrade. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a worthy upgrade over last year's Galaxy Z Fold 6 or any previous Samsung folding phone, but a Galaxy Z Fold 8 that's 0.2mm thinner wouldn't be as newsworthy. One area that could be improved further is the camera. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 camera features the same 200MP main camera as the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and our testing has proven that the camera is just as capable. However, the camera bump is considerable — albeit less pronounced than the Magic V5 — and its position on the left side of the phone means it rocks noticeably when laid flat on a table. The Magic V5 and Oppo Find N5 both address this wobble with a circular camera design on the rear, ensuring it lies flat, but this design results in a thicker overall phone. Then there are the subtle, rounded corners, or lack thereof, on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Most of its rivals feature subtle rounded edges on the front display, which reduces the screen size but makes it easier to reach the far corners. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 features squared edges to the display, and while it's uncomfortable for some, it nestles perfectly in the palm of my hand. All of these complaints ultimately nitpick a fundamentally excellent design, raising the question of whether the foldable design has now reached its peak. At least in terms of design, there's nothing I would change about the Galaxy Z Fold 7 design that I think would fundamentally change the design or form factor, so the answer seems to be yes. However, while the design is perfect, there are still areas Samsung can improve. The non-design parts that could be improved As I covered in our Galaxy Z Fold 7 review, Samsung's newest folding phone offers numerous improvements over the previous generation, but there is still room for improvement. First, there's the battery; the 4,400 mAh battery is smaller than the Honor Magic V5 (5,820mAh) and the Oppo Find N5 (5,600 mAh), yet both of those are almost as thick as the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Then there's the camera. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 features a 200MP main camera, but its 12MP ultrawide and 10MP telephoto cameras are not as competitive as those of its rivals. However, each of these improvements shouldn't come at the expense of the design. It's the key reason I recommend the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and Samsung would do well to ensure it doesn't stray from this design in the future. It's so good that I hope other phone makers follow suit. This Galaxy Z Fold 7 proves foldables have reached peak design
The Verge
19-07-2025
- The Verge
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review: stunning, bendy, and spendy
I've been using the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for a week, and I've run out of ways to say 'It's so nice.' It's not essential, or life-changing; it's nice. It's an understatement, though. Samsung joins the likes of Honor and Oppo in making a folding phone that's almost as thin as a regular phone, and it's a trend with real benefits. Compared to the previous six generations of Samsung folding phones, the Z Fold 7's inner screen feels like a bonus — one that doesn't require the sacrifice of carrying a bigger, bulkier device to get. It is thin. It is luxurious. Also: it is two thousand dollars. It's so nice. It's two thousand dollars. Somewhere in between those two statements, you'll know whether the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is for you. If the size and bulk of previous foldables deterred you, then this is the phone you've been waiting for. Provided you have, you know, a couple grand lying around. 8 Verge Score Writing a review of the Fold 7 feels like writing a review of two devices: the one you use with the phone closed, and the one that's available with the phone open. The former got a major upgrade this year: it uses a normal 21:9 aspect ratio. Previous versions of the outer screen were longer and skinnier than your average phone, and I never quite got used to typing on them. I sometimes forget I'm using a folding phone when the Z Fold 7 is closed. It works just like a regular slab-style phone outside of some extreme use cases. And for a folding phone? That's mission accomplished. Here's the Z Fold 7's dilemma: that outer screen is a 6.5-inch 1080p display that's not as sharp or as pleasant to use in bright light as the outstanding screen on the far cheaper Galaxy S25 Ultra. That's a point I kept revisiting as I used the Z Fold 7. As a total package there's almost nothing like it, but plenty of its individual features fall short of the best slab-style phones. Non-foldy phones offer better battery life, but the margin isn't as wide as I feared. How much you use the inner screen will dramatically affect battery life; I got through a day of moderate use and occasional inner screen use with around 50 percent left. With more time on the inner screen and about an hour of hotspot use, the battery was down to around 30 percent by bedtime. Nobody's buying a folding phone for its power efficiency, and I think these results are pretty good. As soon as I open the inner screen, the slight shortcomings are out of mind. I kept forgetting that the inner screen even existed, but I quickly got into the habit of opening it. Do you know how nice it is to use Chrome on your phone with normal-ass tabs at the top of the screen? Do you know how much less fiddly a game like Diablo Immortal is on a big screen? Do you know how useful it is to keep the Uber app open on one side of the display so you can keep track of your driver's arrival while you finish a sudoku on the other half? I do. Once you start using the inner screen, you keep finding new ways to use it. None of the above is new or exclusive to the Fold 7, but I can't emphasize this enough: this all feels like you're getting away with something, because the experience of using this phone while it's closed feels normal. No more chunky brick in the side pocket of my yoga pants. One nitpick: I don't love how stiff it feels when I'm opening the phone. The grip from a case would help here. Overall, a slimmer, lighter, well-proportioned foldable really is a whole new ballgame. There's some bad news. I'm not one to get worked up about the way any camera bump looks, but this one protrudes a lot. The phone sits crooked on surfaces and wobbles when you tap the screen, which encourages you to put it on a table screen-side-down. Fewer distractions from notifications? Good! The screen is slippery and the phone slides off the edge of the bathtub? Bad! There wasn't any water in the tub when that happened, but still. The wobble is annoying; I have to prop it up on a couple of drink coasters if I'm using it on the dining room table. Samsung's silicone grip case seems to mitigate it, but stand cases don't fix it. A case feels like a requirement here (and I say that as a case hater!), but they're thin enough they don't erase all the benefits of a slim foldable. The Fold 7 uses a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset tuned for Samsung, along with 12GB of RAM in the 256GB model I tested. It keeps up just fine, and I had no problems running Diablo Immortal at the highest display settings. The phone didn't even get very warm. The Z Fold 7 did get mighty toasty in a bit of a torture test: using it as a hotspot on a coffee shop patio on a high-80s afternoon. I put it in the direct sun, which you should not do, and sure enough, it started closing apps after about 10 minutes to try and cool itself down. Extreme, yes, but good to know if you live in a place with high temperatures. Another environmental consideration: dust resistance. The Z Fold 7 still doesn't have a formal dust resistance rating; its IP48 means it's fully water-resistant but only immune to very small particles, not specks of dust. Take extra care and consider adding Samsung's extended warranty plan to cover pricey inner screen repairs. The Z Fold 7's 200-megapixel camera is adapted from the S25 Ultra's, and it's a great camera here, just as it is in the Ultra. Low-light photos are detailed, provided your subject isn't moving too much, and Samsung's preference for vibrant reds and blues is on full display. There's also a 10-megapixel 3x telephoto and a 12-megapixel ultrawide — both solid performers if you don't ask too much from them. Digital zoom past 5x from the telephoto lens looks pretty watercolor-y. But Samsung's portrait mode with the 3x camera remains the best in the game, as it has been for years. Segmentation is so good it's uncanny — isolating a subject down to the eyelashes on my son's eyes. If you compare the Z Fold 7 to a top-tier slab phone like the S25 Ultra spec by spec, the folding phone often comes up short. It's less durable, battery life isn't quite as good, and the camera system isn't as versatile. But that misses the point of the Z Fold 7. This phone is a luxury and an engineering marvel. If you have the deep pockets and a mind open to the benefits of the big screen, then I think you'll agree with me: it's just so nice. Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It's impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit 'agree' to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don't read and definitely can't negotiate. To use the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, you must agree to: There are many optional agreements. If you use a carrier-specific version, there will be more of them. Here are just a few: There may be more. For example, Samsung's Weather app also has its own privacy policy that may include sharing information with Final tally: there are five mandatory agreements and at least 10 optional ones.
Digital Trends
19-07-2025
- Digital Trends
I tested the Galaxy Z Fold 7 camera, it's almost as good as S25 Ultra
The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 represents a significant upgrade over the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and previous generations. It's thinner and lighter with bigger displays and excellent performance. It's an incredible upgrade on many fronts, and as we found in our Galaxy Z Fold 7 review, it's the best folding phone for most people, despite its shortcomings. One of these is the camera, although it's a complicated situation. In designing the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung aimed to create a device that offers a similar experience to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but with a foldable design. On the design front, they've achieved that – it's just 0.7mm thicker, although it feels thinner due to its three grams of weight reduction. However, on the camera, it's a mixed bag. Recommended Videos Like the ultra-thin Galaxy S25 Edge, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 features a 200MP main camera designed to provide an experience similar to that of the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Does it deliver? How does it compare to the iPhone 16 Pro, whose users Samsung would love to court? I tested the camera against both of these, and this is what happened. Setting the scene A few days after the Galaxy Z Fold 7 launch last week in New York, I visited the iconic Times Square both during the day and at night. It's an iconic place that we've all seen in many photographs, and is the type of test that a regular user may subject the camera to. I attempted to take the same photo on every phone; however, the orientation of selfies and the exact alignment of photos may vary. This test primarily compares the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 7, given that they share many similar characteristics. However, the iPhone 16 Pro has also been included in a few galleries below. For all the photos, we've compressed their size to make them suitable for web publishing, but no other edits were made. Here's a quick reminder of each phone's camera specifications. Galaxy Z Fold 7 Galaxy S25 Ultra iPhone 16 Pro Wide (main) 200MP, f/1.7, 24mm 0.6µm, PDAF, OIS 200MP, f/1.7, 24mm 0.6µm, PDAF, OIS 48MP, f/1.8, 24mm 1.22µm, PDAF, OIS Ultrawide 12MP, f/2.2, 120° 1.4µm, PDAF 50MP, f/1.9, 120° 0.7µm, PDAF 48MP, f/2.2, 13mm 0.7µm, PDAF Telephoto 1 10MP, f/2.4, 67mm 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 3x optical zoom 10MP, f/2.4, 67mm 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 3x optical zoom 12MP, f/2.8, 120mm 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS 5x optical zoom Telephoto 2 – 50MP, f/3.4, 111mm 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS 5x optical zoom – Selfie Camera 10MP, f/2.2, 24mm 12MP, f/2.2, 26mm 12MP, f/1.9, 23mm Samsung also achieved its primary goal of replicating the Galaxy S25 Ultra camera experience in a foldable, as the Galaxy Z Fold 7 shares the same 200MP sensor and 3x telephoto lens as Samsung's camera flagship. The ultrawide is not as good, but it's the same one found in the Galaxy S25 Plus. For years, we've asked Samsung to improve the cameras in its folding phones, and on paper, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 appears to deliver. However, as has been proven time and time again, there's more to the camera than just the specs. Here's how the camera stacks up. 200MP battle: Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Galaxy S25 Ultra Out of the box, both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy S25 Ultra shoot at a 12MP resolution by default. This involves combining multiple pixels into a much larger one that allows more light to pass through and helps produce better photos, especially in low-light conditions. The 12MP mode also ensures that you need less storage. Across hundreds of photos taken on each phone, I've found that 200MP photos take about ten times as much space as the 12MP photos, and the latter takes better photos overall. That said, the 200MP resolution mode can be useful, so here's the same photo captured on both phones. It's worth noting that you need to keep the phone fairly stable when using the full resolution of the sensor. You can also shoot in a still-binned-but-far-less-so 50MP mode, which creates smaller pixels but produces a higher-resolution image. 200MP photo from the Galaxy Z Fold 7 (left) and the Galaxy S25 Ultra (right) These two photos are virtually identical, but the Galaxy S25 Ultra focuses on the scene directly in front of the camera at the expense of the periphery, while the Galaxy Z Fold 7 does the opposite. This is likely due to differences in framing, so overall, these two images are essentially the same. Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Camera Test Now that we've got that out of the way, let's take a look at how the main camera performs in both daylight and low-light conditions across all three phones. This is after ensuring the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and S25 Ultra are set to the default 12MP capture mode, which restores the pixel-binning feature necessary for optimal low-light photos. The iPhone stayed in its default 12MP pixel-binned mode throughout the test. In this photo of the iconic Carlo's Bakery (albeit not the original), the Galaxy Z Fold 7 captures my favorite photo. It seems less bothered by the LED boards than the competition, despite the tap-to-focus point being almost identical. The iPhone 16 Pro and Galaxy S25 Ultra are a fairer comparison, with Samsung winning as it processes conflicting light sources better than Apple. The iPhone appears a little washed out here, and it's not related to the camera lens being dirty. I've noticed that the iPhone can suffer from lens flare in the presence of bright light, which appears to be the case here. The Galaxy S25 Ultra vs the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a much closer fight, and the S25 Ultra wins as the Galaxy Z Fold 7 suffers from more rolling shutter. This is when I first noticed a trend that would continue. There are differences in the board to the left of the sign, but this is nonetheless an interesting test that aims to demonstrate how each phone would handle a random photo you might take. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 handles the conflicting light fairly well, and while the Galaxy S25 Ultra appears to be the best thanks to the blue, it's completely missing the little hints of pink in the original scene. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 wins this one. Galaxy Z Fold 7 (left) vs Galaxy S25 Ultra (right) Here's the first scene without an iPhone 16 Pro sample (mainly as these phones were tested on four different occasions, and the iPhone wasn't always available). There's little difference between the two photos, and it's a scene that reaffirms my initial impression that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 camera is the same as the S25 Ultra. The latter has slightly richer colors in the Lion King sign, but we can chalk this up to the different billboard content. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a little blurry, as this was one of a few moments with a slight lag between pressing the camera shutter button and the phone capturing the photo. The iPhone's warmer photo is much more pleasing here, whereas aside from the motion blur, the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 7 capture similar photos. Galaxy Z Fold 7 (left) vs Galaxy S25 Ultra (right) It took four attempts to capture this photo, as the Galaxy Z Fold 7 photos usually had slight or severe rolling shutter. This is a problem that's fairly common on all phones, but is more pronounced on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 than the S25 Ultra. That said, the photos are otherwise fairly similar, and spotting the difference would be a case of splitting hairs. Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Zoom Test The Galaxy Z Fold 7's main camera lives up to its billing, as it performs as well as the Galaxy S25 Ultra in most of our tests. Both phones also share the same 3x telephoto lens, but the Galaxy S25 Ultra has the added benefit of a secondary telephoto lens that offers 5x optical zoom. What about the iPhone 16 Pro, which also offers 5x optical zoom and can zoom to 25x? This is a surprising test, as the Galaxy Z Fold 7 outperforms the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Details are sharper in the 1x and 2x camera samples, while both have the same challenge: a blown-out board when using the 3x telephoto lens. Both phones use the same processor — the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy — and the same Samsung ISOCELL HP2 200MP sensor. Therefore, the improved performance is likely due to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 utilizing a newer, smaller, and more fine-tuned version of the 200MP camera module. What about the iPhone? How does its zoom compare to the Galaxy Z Fold 7? First, the iPhone surprised me with its 10x quality, especially as Apple isn't renowned for its zoom performance beyond the optical zoom. Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 performs the worst at the 10x mark, and although it has the same color science as the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the photos are considerably noisier. This is another test that demonstrates the Galaxy Z Fold 7's capability at up to 3x zoom, but reveals its limitations beyond this point. The photos at 10x and 30x aren't that noisy on the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but the Galaxy S25 Ultra's photos are considerably better. Galaxy Z Fold 7 (left) vs Galaxy S25 Ultra (right) at 30x zoom This image shows the difference at the 30x zoom, and it has me considering what a future folding phone could be like if it had the same four cameras as the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 image is usable, but the Galaxy S25 Ultra photo is sharp and fantastic. The final test brings us back to all three phones, focusing on the detail and bokeh captured when zooming in on a statue in Times Square. All four phones perform admirably well, even at the 10x mark. There is a noticeable difference in the shade of the stone in photos captured on all three phones, with the iPhone 16 Pro the darkest, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 slightly blown out. At 10x, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is slightly blurry due to motion blur, while the iPhone 16 Pro captures a great photo, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra reigns supreme. Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro: The Verdict This camera test has confirmed my initial suspicions that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 camera is as good as the S25 Ultra, at least until you need to zoom beyond a 3x zoom focal length. Here's where the Galaxy Z Fold 7 struggles, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra's second telephoto lens with a higher resolution ensures the Galaxy S25 Ultra can capture great photos at much longer focal distances. That said, this comparison has shown me that the Galaxy Z Fold 7's camera is better than I even expected. Yes, the Galaxy S25 Ultra has a better zoom, but otherwise, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 essentially has the same camera and a large secondary screen. Although some people may still be disappointed that the Zoom performance isn't better, overall, the camera is good enough to compete with many of the best phones in the most common real-world use cases. Coupled with the incredible design, hinge, and display improvements, this is an upgrade worth considering, even if you have last year's Galaxy Z Fold 6. It's the folding phone that many of us have been waiting for.
