Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review: The foldable that can convert skeptics into believers

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

I’ve always been the less adventurous one in the room when it comes to phones. While a few flirted with experimental devices, flipping and folding their way through airports and coffee shops, I stuck to the iPhone. Year after year. Not because I lacked curiosity, but because I’ve always valued one thing above all else: convenience. My life runs on the Apple ecosystem — from AirPods to Apple Watch to iCloud backups that Apple makes it wonderfully seamless and simple. So yes, I review devices — even for long-termish — but always come back to the trusty iPhone.

And yes, I’ve handled foldables before. I’ve reviewed the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and was quite impressed with the OnePlus Open. I admired their engineering, appreciated their ambition, and then happily went back to my trusty slab phone. None of them convinced me to make the leap. Foldables, especially the book-style ones, always felt too fragile, too clunky, too unfinished.

Until the Galaxy Z Fold 7 landed in my hands.

I told myself it was going to be another fling — a novelty to play with for a few days. But after spending a considerable time using the Fold 7, I’m starting to question assumptions I’ve held for over half a decade about foldables.

Slimmer, lighter, more polished — finally

Let’s start with the obvious: the Fold 7 doesn’t feel like previous folds. Samsung has shaved the weight down to just 215 grams — lighter than the iPhone 16 Pro Max and even the Galaxy S25 Ultra. That’s absurd for a phone that unfolds into an 8-inch AMOLED tablet.

It’s also ridiculously thin. Unfolded, it feels more like two iPhone Airs pressed together than the bulky bricks that earlier Folds resembled. Samsung deserves credit here — this is not an “early adopter” product anymore. This is a genuinely refined piece of hardware.

But make no mistake: you’ll need both hands. Yes, Samsung’s One UI gives you one-handed tricks like the Now Bar and dead-simple one-handed mode, but to fully enjoy that massive screen, you’ll find yourself holding it like a book. And honestly? That’s the fun of it.

The crease? Less of a hindrance than I expected

As a foldable skeptic, I thought the crease would drive me mad. It didn’t. Samsung has been refining it over the years and it truly hit mark with the Fold 7.

Yes, it’s visible in certain lighting and more noticeable on dark backgrounds. And yes, you feel it when your finger swipes across the centre. But it never got in the way of watching videos, reading articles, or multitasking. Within hours, my brain tuned it out.

Samsung’s tweaks help. The Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) layer is now 50% thicker, giving the display a sturdier, more premium feel. This isn’t the fragile plastic of the first Folds — it feels closer to a real phone screen.

Unlike some brave reviewers who go case-free, I slapped on a slim protective case almost immediately. The Fold 7 is thin, elegant, and yes, a little terrifying. Between the warnings that popped up during setup and the sense that I was holding something precious, I didn’t want to risk it.

And here’s the thing: even with a case, the Fold 7 feels manageable. It doesn’t become bulky or unwieldy. Instead, it gives just enough grip and reassurance when I’m juggling it in a crowded metro or flipping it open at my desk.

The IP rating isn’t stellar, but Samsung has done a much better job sealing gaps and preventing dust from sneaking in. It’s not indestructible but it doesn’t feel like a delicate prototype anymore.

Multitasking works like a charm

This is where I went from skeptic to convert. The Fold 7 is a multitasking champ.

On any slab phone, productivity apps feel cramped. Switching between Slack, browser, and Twitter is always a compromise. On the Fold 7, I can run them side by side by side — and still feel like I have space to breathe. The ability to resize windows and prioritise one app while keeping others hanging out in smaller panes is applause worthy.

Unlike split-screen gimmicks on other phones, Samsung’s execution feels usable, elegant, and deliberate. You really feel more productive on the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

And it’s not just work. I found myself casually dragging a YouTube video into one corner while messaging friends on WhatsApp and scrolling Instagram. It’s the kind of fluid multitasking that makes you rethink what a phone can be.

What about the AI experience?

Using Galaxy AI on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 does not feel less like dipping into a gimmick and more like discovering features you might actually reach for every day. The phone’s sprawling inner display gives these tools the space they need, and Samsung has clearly leaned into that canvas.

The headliner is Live Translate in calls and apps, which works surprisingly smoothly on the Fold’s big screen. Split-screen conversations — your language on one side, the other person’s on the opposite — feel natural, and the larger display makes following along easier than on a regular phone. Note Assist in Samsung Notes is another highlight: summarising, formatting, and even translating lengthy scribbles into something tidy and shareable. On the Fold 7, with S Pen support, it finally feels like digital note-taking that justifies itself.

Photo editing via Generative Edit is quick and mostly seamless, though heavy edits can leave faint artefacts. Still, being able to shift objects or fill backgrounds on a foldable screen is a step closer to desktop-class control.

Layered on top is Google’s Gemini AI. Gemini Live works like an always-available conversational partner, great for quick fact-checks or brainstorming without switching apps. Circle to Search feels tailor-made for the Fold’s display — circle anything on-screen with your finger or S Pen, and Gemini instantly pulls up context, whether it’s shopping links, translations, or background info. The integration makes the Fold 7 feel less like a phone with AI bolted on, and more like a device designed to think with you.

Streaming, apps, and those little annoyances

Of course, not everything is perfect. Some apps — Netflix and YouTube, for example — handle the inner and outer screens beautifully. Others, like Prime Video and Apple TV, lag behind. Aspect ratios don’t always scale properly, and Flex Mode support is inconsistent. Or at least, I didn’t find it to be too consistent.

Samsung’s One UI does give you granular controls to tweak how apps behave, which helps. But there were still moments where I felt like I was beta testing the ecosystem.

And then there’s the issue of accidental touches. With so little bezel to grip when unfolded, my fingers often triggered playback controls while streaming. Some apps have a lock option, but not all — and it reminded me just how much I appreciate those small UX details.

I haven’t gone deep into cameras here (that’s a whole other review Moneycontrol published earlier), but suffice it to say, the Fold 7 holds its own. It’s not Galaxy Ultra-level, but it’s more than good enough for a flagship.

What impressed me more was how polished One UI feels on this hardware. Samsung has clearly thought about the foldable form factor for years, and it shows. From app continuity to gesture tweaks, it feels natural — not bolted on.

Verdict: This is the benchmark

For years, I dismissed foldables as flashy experiments destined for enthusiasts. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 has changed that. It’s slimmer, lighter, and more durable than its predecessors. It nails multitasking in a way slab phones simply can’t. It makes me think differently about what a phone can and should be.

And here’s the kicker: I actually want to keep using it. That’s not something I ever thought I’d say about a foldable.

Does it replace my iPhone entirely? Not yet. The existing ecosystem still make everyday use too seamless to give up. But for the first time, it feels like if the big players don’t deliver something genuinely extraordinary, Samsung’s push on design and innovation may end up shaping the next era of smartphones. At least, outside of China.