# Samsung finally made an interesting foldable again!

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGTynMFKBOY
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/kGTynMFKBOY
Generated: 2025-07-10T19:46:57.778+00:00

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## Quick Overview

The Samsung Z Fold 7 represents a significant leap in foldable phone design, achieving a much thinner and lighter form factor that makes it feel like a regular smartphone when folded, despite compromises like the removal of S-Pen support and unchanged battery/charging speeds. This iteration marks the biggest design jump for Samsung foldables since the Fold 2, addressing previous bulkiness and improving usability.

## Summary

**Key Points:**
- The Z Fold 7 features a completely overhauled design, making it significantly thinner and lighter than previous models.
- When folded, the phone is just 8.9mm thick, comparable to non-folding smartphones like the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
- The device weighs 215g, making it 3g lighter than the S25 Ultra and 24g lighter than the Fold 6, despite larger screens.
- The outer screen now has a standard 21:9 aspect ratio, greatly improving usability and making it feel like a regular phone.
- Samsung removed S-Pen support to achieve the thinner design, citing low user adoption in previous Fold models.
- The battery capacity remains 4400mAh with 25W charging, which is unchanged and potentially a limitation for heavy users.
- The main camera is upgraded to a 200MP sensor from the S25 Ultra, and the inner screen's under-display camera is replaced with a punch-hole for better image quality.

![Screenshot at 0:00: Hand holding three Z Fold 7 phones in different colors, highlighting the new design.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/kGTynMFKBOY/00-00-00.png)

**Context:** The reviewer, a long-time Samsung Fold user (Fold 2, 3, 5), initially expected another iterative update for the Z Fold 7. However, after experiencing the device firsthand at a Samsung event, he realized the company made substantial design and feature improvements, finally catching up with and even surpassing some Chinese foldable competitors in key areas like thinness and usability.

## Detailed Analysis

The Samsung Z Fold 7 introduces a complete design overhaul, making it significantly thinner and lighter than its predecessors and even some non-folding flagships. When unfolded, it measures just 4.2mm thick, barely thicker than its USB-C port, and folds to 8.9mm, comparable to a non-folding Galaxy S25 Ultra. The device weighs 215g, which is 3g lighter than the S25 Ultra and a substantial 24g lighter than the Fold 6, despite having larger screens. The outer screen now features a standard 21:9 aspect ratio, making it feel like a regular phone for daily use, including typing and app navigation. Samsung also redesigned cases to be extremely thin, only covering the back, and now includes a screen protector. However, the Z Fold 7 no longer supports the S-Pen, a trade-off for its reduced thickness, as the digitizer layer was removed due to low user adoption. The battery remains at 4400mAh with 25W charging, which is a potential drawback given the larger displays and competition offering higher capacities and faster charging. On the positive side, the main camera is upgraded to a 200MP sensor from the S25 Ultra, and the inner screen's under-display camera is replaced with a standard punch-hole for improved image quality. While the price increased by $100/€100, the significant hardware improvements justify the cost, making it a compelling upgrade for those seeking a truly sleek foldable experience.

### Design & Ergonomics

- Z Fold 7 is significantly thinner (4.2mm unfolded, 8.9mm folded) and lighter (215g) than previous models and even some non-folding phones
- The hinge is much thinner, contributing to the overall slim profile
- The outer screen now has a standard 21:9 aspect ratio, improving usability for typing and apps when folded
- New official cases are extremely thin and only cover the back, with a screen protector included.

### Display Experience

- The wider outer screen makes the Z Fold 7 feel like a regular phone in hand
- Viewing videos on the outer display is much nicer due to smaller black bars
- The inner display is significantly larger, offering a tablet-like experience for content consumption beyond video.

### Feature Changes & Compromises

- S-Pen support is removed to achieve the thinner design, as the digitizer layer adds thickness and Samsung noted low S-Pen usage on previous Folds
- Battery capacity remains 4400mAh, which is on the smaller side for a foldable, and charging is still limited to 25W, lagging behind competitors.

### Camera Upgrades

- The Z Fold 7 features the same 200MP main sensor as the S25 Ultra, which is 18% slimmer and doesn't stick out as much
- The under-display camera on the inner screen is replaced with a standard punch-hole camera, which should result in better image quality.

### Pricing & Specifications

- The base model comes with a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy Edition and 12GB RAM + 256GB storage
- Prices increased by $100/€100, making the base model $1999/€2099
- Despite the price increase, the meaningful upgrades justify the cost, especially with potential pre-order deals and aggressive price drops over time.

![Screenshot at 0:00: Hand holding three Z Fold 7 phones in different colors](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/kGTynMFKBOY/00-00-00.png)
![Screenshot at 0:04: Close-up of Z Fold 7 camera array on blue phone](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/kGTynMFKBOY/00-00-04.png)
![Screenshot at 0:37: Side-by-side comparison of Fold 5 and Fold 7 thickness](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/kGTynMFKBOY/00-00-37.png)
![Screenshot at 0:46: Stack of folded phones showing thickness differences](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/kGTynMFKBOY/00-00-46.png)
![Screenshot at 0:54: Folded Z Fold 7 and another phone on a table, showing thickness](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/kGTynMFKBOY/00-00-54.png)
![Screenshot at 1:11: Side view of unfolded Z Fold 7 showing its thinness](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/kGTynMFKBOY/00-01-11.png)
![Screenshot at 1:46: Folded Z Fold 7 next to a regular phone, comparing outer screen size](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/kGTynMFKBOY/00-01-46.png)
![Screenshot at 2:26: Z Fold 7 with case compared to Z Fold 6 with case](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/kGTynMFKBOY/00-02-26.png)
![Screenshot at 2:30: Z Fold 7 and Fold 5 displaying video side-by-side](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/kGTynMFKBOY/00-02-30.png)
![Screenshot at 2:43: Hands holding unfolded Z Fold 7, showing inner display](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/kGTynMFKBOY/00-02-43.png)