The Galaxy Z Fold7 is my new favourite phone, and most of the early coverage has been very positive. First-lookers love the thin design, roomy cover and main screens, improved camera, powerful processor, and lovely Blue Shadow colour. However, no device is perfect, and after a couple of days of using it, there are a few areas that could use a tweak or two:
It’s tricky to open
The Fold7 has two very thin ‘halves’ (4.2mm each) and a stiff hinge. When closed, getting enough grip on each half with your fingers is tricky. And since it’s made from metal and glass, it can be slippery. This is by no means so bad that you need to pry it apart with a sharp object, but both myself and a few other journalists testing it have found the same thing.
It gets quite hot
After shooting some video and a series of consecutive 200-megapixel photos, the Fold7 overheated and shut down. To be fair, this was on a hot summer’s day in New York City, and it was running pre-release software. However, the very thin design and metal chassis don’t leave a lot of room for airflow and can heat up quickly. Using the large 8-inch inner screen in direct sun probably didn’t help. Apart from needing a short heat nap, I also noticed that the phone got quite warm in the area where the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip is positioned.
Punch-hole camera is back
The internal “punch-hole” camera has returned on both the inner and outer displays. This means the screens are interrupted by a small, visible hole where the camera sits. Samsung ditched the punch-hole design on the Fold6 in favour of an under-display camera (UDC), but perhaps the image quality was impacted too much. Some reviewers have complained that it’s really obvious, but I hardly notice the holes after a while.
Big camera bulge
It’s fantastic that the Fold7 gets a very capable camera; however, the 3-lens assembly does stick out quite a bit. In fact, it protrudes about 4mm – about as much as the thickness of the phone itself. And since the camera bump is on the top-left edge, the phone rocks from side to side when placed on a flat surface, like a table with a short leg.
No S-Pen support
Even though Samsung’s S-Pen didn’t physically fit into the Fold6, there was still support for it. Not so with the Galaxy Z Fold7, which has completely dropped the S-Pen. Perhaps Samsung didn’t see the demand, or there were technical constraints due to the thinner case. Regardless, some users will miss it.
Older battery tech
Samsung Fold7’s battery capacity has remained at 4,400mAh, as previous year’s models, and still uses traditional lithium battery technology, compared to newer silicon-carbon anode-based batteries. These can store more energy in a similar package – such as the 5,600mAh battery found in Oppo’s N5, a worthy Fold7 competitor. Apart from longer battery life and better temperature resistance, these batteries can also charge faster. The Oppo N5, for example, supports 80W charging, whereas the Fold7 maxes out at 25W.
It’s very expensive
Starting at $2,899 (Australian) and maxing out at an eye-watering $3,549 for the 1TB model, this phone is not priced for the faint of heart – and costs more than many laptops. However, if you want the pinnacle of foldable tech, then you’ve come to the right place. Also, many will be purchasing this as a corporate device or part of a mobile plan rather than outright. We’ve already seen some impressive pre-order offers from Australian telcos, with savings up to $800, and you can discount further with a trade-in, so shop around!
It’s still Samsung’s best Fold ever
Most of these issues mentioned above are relatively minor and don’t outweigh how good the new Fold7 really is. We’ll be publishing a full review on GadgetGuy.com.au very soon, but here are some of our favourite things so far:
- The thin, lightweight design feels great in the hand and is super compact when closed
- The new screens are very bright, responsive and larger than ever
- The Fold7 is super-premium, with some lovely colour choices and textures
- I took some superb photos with the new 200MP sensor, and the Fold7’s camera is almost as good as the Galaxy S25 Ultra (minus the 100x zoom), and fitting of a flagship device
- The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip is very powerful and efficient – looking forward to playing some games on it!
- I liked the updated OneUI 8 and Galaxy AI integration. The new multi-modal AI capabilities are pretty impressive.
Valens Quinn attended Galaxy Unpacked in Brooklyn as a guest of Samsung Australia.
The post Hands-on with the Galaxy Z Fold7: Love it, but… appeared first on GadgetGuy.
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