Galaxy Z Fold 7 might be Samsung's lucky seven, but it's a hard pass for me

Lately, I've been encountering more and more people with foldables in their hands, be it on the subway or wherever – and not just hardcore tech geeks or flashy yuppies. A substantial amount of those who are brave enough to embrace modernity are using Galaxy Z Fold devices.

I expect that trend to be very much valid in the near future here in Europe: I expect the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 to be well received by the public. If I was located in the Far East, I'd probably see way more non-Samsung foldables, but I'm not, so my eyes are currently full of Samsung.

Funny thing: in 99% of the cases, I see foldable owners using their fancy gadgets via the outer screen instead of the big inner display. The cynic in me wants to tell those people to unfold their displays and make the rest of us melt with envy and despair at the spot. However, it's dubious that if I had a foldable for a daily driver, I'd be using it in its unfolded state all the time.

I really like foldables and if I wasn't prioritizing mobile photography – and foldables are not yet matching or surpassing the cameras on traditional slab phones – I'd probably get one.

If I had to get a foldable in the near future, though, I wouldn't reach in my (not that deep) pocket for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 – I'd spend my hard-earned money elsewhere.

Don't get me wrong

Yup, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is shaping out to be a solid foldable. I'm not trashing it just because. Actually, I'm not trashing it at all – it just so happens that it doesn't float my boat.

What do we know about the Galaxy Z Fold 7?

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is still months away, but leaks suggest a slimmer, sleeker design with slightly larger displays. One major point of speculation is S Pen support – some reports indicate it may be removed, while others suggest the stylus could not only remain but also receive a redesign.

The device is also rumored to feature the top-shelf Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. While there's still uncertainty about whether some regions will see a Samsung-made Exynos variant, the US should get the Snapdragon variant.

Additionally, Samsung may improve the display by reducing the visibility of the crease, though the overall design is expected to remain largely unchanged.

In terms of hardware, the camera setup could see a major upgrade, with rumors pointing to a 200MP main sensor. However, battery and charging specifications appear to remain unchanged from the Galaxy Z Fold 6, with a 4,400 mAh capacity and 25W wired charging. Wireless charging is also expected to stay at 15W, with reverse charging at 4.5W.

Considering the competition, battery life may be a disappointment to some.

Thanks to its sturdy hinge, polished software, long updates and satisfactory performance, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 – Samsung's current foldable flagship – is the "best overall" foldable phone in our Best Foldable Phones: Our Top Picks for 2025 list.

If the Galaxy Z Fold 7 stays true to its predecessor, I assume it will make it to the top of the list once again.

So why am I hesitating to embrace it as well?

Jeremy Clarkson said it best

Eleven years and a month ago, Top Gear aired an episode that provided yet another meme template for us to use, and I'm going to use it right now.

Jeremy Clarkson, standing between a red car and a white car, admitted that while the red was "brilliant", he actually liked the white one better (he then proceeded to compare it to his beloved dog drawing big laughs):



While I don't have any dogs around me to bring them into the conversation, I can tell you right away which is "the white car" for me. Actually, it's two phones, not just one.

The upcoming Vivo X Fold 4 is the first, since it's an upcoming device, just like the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Vivo's flagship foldable is about to bring an amazing battery – in fact, if rumors hold true, its potential 6,000 mAh capacity cell might be the largest in a foldable.

Having three screens (OK, two, but one is double in size) is not exactly easy for the battery, especially if you want to use the inner display a lot. That's a mini tablet, so it needs lots of mAh.

That's why I just wouldn't risk it with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and its alleged 4,400 mAh capacity battery.

There is, however, a twist in the story: Samsung's upcoming foldable flagship might be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is claimed to be very power efficient. The Vivo X Fold 4, in contrast, is about to get the previous high-end silicon by Qualcomm – Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

But will the Elite chip be so efficient that it makes the 4,400 mAh feel like the 6,000 mAh on the Vivo? We'll check that, but I kind of doubt it.



I suspect Vivo's battery to be one that supports fast charging and that's another selling point for me: at this point, I can't imagine having to wait more than 30–35 minutes to charge a phone.

Add to the mix the Vivo X Fold 4's potential 50-megapixel periscope camera, and the Galaxy is lagging behind in my book.

Let's not forget the Oppo Find N5 – a beast of a foldable that's insanely thin and sturdy at the same time – this is the OnePlus Open spiritual successor and some call it "the foldable king". So, if I was looking for a foldable, I'd wait for the Vivo X Fold 4 unveiling, then compare some sample shots, and only then make a decision.

There's nothing wrong with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 (hey, Samsung, don't prove me wrong!) and if you want to stick with the familiar thing, that's perfectly fine. Experimenting with exotic brands is also perfectly fine.

Plus, it's fun!