For years, Samsung’s Flip series nailed the vibe but always felt like it was one smart feature short of being truly great. It had the flair, the compact cool factor, and that addictive snap shut.
But that tiny outer display? It held the whole experience back. It was there, sure—but more as a glanceable widget window than a usable screen. Until now.
With the Galaxy Z Flip 7, Samsung’s finally gone all-in on functionality. The outer display now stretches edge to edge, and it’s not just a design flex; it completely changes how you use the phone. You can reply to messages, run apps, even snap selfies without ever flipping it open. It finally feels like the Flip series is done playing sidekick to the Fold. It’s ready to lead its own story.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Review: Design
When I first picked up the Flip 7, I had a bit of deja vu — it looked almost exactly like last year’s Flip6. But after using it for a few days, the subtle changes started making themselves known. It’s slightly wider and noticeably slimmer, and that small design shift actually makes a big difference. Folded shut, it comes in at just 13.7mm thick, and when opened up, it’s barely 6.5mm. To put that into perspective, it’s even sleeker than the S25 Ultra, which I already thought was thin at 8.2mm.
That slim profile also sits very well with most pockets. I didn’t have to wrestle with my pockets to get it in or out. It just slid in effortlessly, no weird bulges or awkward angles. Even my mum — who swears by her Flip 4 and is extremely particular about how a phone fits in her jeans — gave this one a nod. That says a lot.
Build-wise, Samsung’s sticking with what works. The front and back are coated in Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and the frame is made from their sturdy Armour Aluminium. It still has an IP48 rating too, which means I didn’t have to panic when it got dusty during a shoot or caught in a quick drizzle.
The hinge felt a little tighter than I expected at first. It also shuts with a satisfying snap — maybe a little too satisfying the first few times. But once I got used to the motion, it felt solid and reassuring. No wobble, no softness.
Button layout hasn’t changed. The power button (which doubles as the fingerprint scanner) and the volume rocker are still on the right side. I did notice the fingerprint sensor sometimes needed a second touch, but it wasn’t a huge deal. Ports and speaker are down at the bottom — USB-C, mic, and a single bottom-firing speaker.
Now let’s talk colour. I had the Blue Shadow model, and honestly, it’s stunning. The matte back and frame blend into each other perfectly. When the cover screen’s off, the top half just fades into black, giving the whole phone a two-tone, stealthy vibe that I really liked.
The camera rings on the back are slightly raised, but they don’t stick out awkwardly. Overall, this isn’t a loud redesign, but a kind of upgrade that just feels better the more you use it. Subtle, clean, and polished, exactly what a modern flip phone should be.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Review: Displays
The Flip 7’s most noticeable upgrade is its display setup, especially the outer screen. Samsung has expanded it from 3.6 inches to a much more usable 4.1 inches. With barely-there 0.05-inch bezels and a sharp Super AMOLED panel, it finally feels like a proper screen rather than just a window for widgets and notifications.
It also gets seriously bright. The cover screen peaks at 2,600 nits and supports a variable refresh rate between 60Hz and 120Hz. Thanks to Vision Booster, I could clearly see it even in direct sunlight. Whether I was checking directions, snapping quick selfies, or replying to messages, the outer display felt far more useful than on any previous Flip. Typing was slightly more comfortable too, though some software limitations still get in the way. I’ll cover that in the next section.
Once opened, the Flip 7 reveals a larger 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. It offers the same peak brightness and a smooth adaptive refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz. This tall, narrow form factor is great for scrolling through apps or reading. However, watching widescreen videos still feels a bit constrained, with black bars on either side.
The crease is still there but fades into the background once the screen is on. What stood out more was the inner display’s reflectiveness in bright rooms. It was a little distracting, but the excellent brightness mostly made up for it.
These aren’t just spec boosts. They genuinely improve how the Flip 7 works in everyday life.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Review: Cameras
On the hardware front, not much has changed with the Flip 7’s cameras. It’s still rocking a 50MP main sensor with OIS, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 10MP selfie camera inside. But if I’m being honest, I barely used the inner selfie shooter at all. For most selfies and quick snaps, I stuck to the main camera via the cover screen. It’s faster, looks better, and just feels more natural to use.
What keeps the Flip camera experience interesting is, once again, the folding design. FlexCam mode activates when the phone is bent halfway, and it’s genuinely useful. I could adjust settings with just one hand and shift the focus point without tapping awkwardly. It works brilliantly for hands-free shots, group selfies, or even quick videos.
Samsung may not have changed the lenses, but image quality has improved. The new ProVisual Engine, paired with the Exynos 2500, does a lot of behind-the-scenes work. Colours look more balanced, contrast is better, and you get 10-bit HDR+ enabled by default.
The main sensor produced sharp, punchy images that looked great on screen. The ultrawide was a pleasant surprise during daytime use. And when it came to video, I mostly shot in 4K at 60fps with HDR on, because the colours and detail just looked that good.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Review: Performance & Software
This year, Samsung ditched the usual Snapdragon chip for its in-house Exynos 2500, and I was curious to see how it would hold up. On paper, the specs look strong with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. And in day-to-day use, it did feel fast enough. App launches were snappy, multitasking was smooth, and the camera app never stuttered on me.
In benchmark tests like Geekbench and Antutu, the scores were decent for a foldable, even if they didn’t break any records. But where I started noticing some limits was during gaming. Running graphically heavy games drained the battery quicker than I expected, and the phone got noticeably warm after just a few rounds.
Even basic tasks like setting up the phone or taking a burst of photos made the frame feel a bit toasty. It never became uncomfortable to hold, but the heat build-up was obvious. Extended gaming sessions turned the warmth into a constant presence.
Clearly, the Exynos 2500 prioritises power over thermal control. If you’re using it casually, it should be fine. But if you push the phone with long gaming sessions or heavy multitasking, it’s worth using a case just to keep things feeling cooler.
I found the Flip 7’s software to be mostly solid, though it occasionally tripped over its own ambition.
It runs One UI 8 on top of Android, and while it feels familiar and well-polished, a few quirks held it back from being truly great. If you’ve used One UI 7 before, you’ll feel right at home. Visually, not much has changed, but the overall experience is still smooth and refined.
Multitasking has definitely improved. I liked how easily I could toggle between two apps — one full-screen and the other minimised in a floating window. It made juggling tasks feel a lot more natural.
This is also the first Flip model to get Samsung DeX support. I didn’t end up using it much, but the fact that I could plug it into a monitor and get a full desktop-style layout is pretty cool. Some people will love having that flexibility.
Galaxy AI is built in too, but I found myself relying more on Google’s Gemini. The new Live AI Mode worked surprisingly well. I could chat, ask follow-ups, or even share my screen for visual searches — and on a foldable like this, that added a fun layer of utility.
The main letdown, though, was the outer display setup. Out of the box, it’s limited to basic widgets. To use real apps, I had to go through Good Lock, install MultiStar, configure it manually, and only then could I get it working the way I wanted. For a phone in this price range, that setup should have been much simpler.
There are a few other oddities too. I couldn’t use Gboard on the cover screen, and replying to WhatsApp messages often forced me to open the phone. The seven-year update promise is great, but Samsung still has work to do on the software side to match how good the hardware feels.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Review: Battery
Battery life on the Flip 7 was solid for everyday stuff. I could scroll, chat, stream, and map my way through the day without running for a charger. But throw in a gaming session, and things dropped fast. The Exynos 2500 clearly isn’t built for efficiency under pressure. What’s more disappointing is that charging still hasn’t improved. It’s capped at 25W wired, and a full charge took around 90 minutes. For a premium phone, that feels slow. Great for casual use, but if you’re a power user, you’ll definitely want to keep your charger close.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Review: Verdict
The Flip 7 is the first time I’ve felt like Samsung truly nailed the flip phone formula. It doesn’t shake things up dramatically, but the upgrades make a real impact.
The slimmer design feels great, the displays are a big step up in brightness and usability, and the camera results were consistently solid. I also liked how useful Google Gemini felt on this form factor. That said, the Exynos chip didn’t wow me. It runs warm under load, and the battery dips quickly with heavy use.
Still, for anyone curious about foldables, this is the most convincing Flip yet. It finally balances style and substance in a way that makes it easy to recommend.
