Samsung’s Next Flip: Galaxy Z Flip 7

The resurgence of flip phones, the latest superhero blockbuster dominating cinemas, and whispers of an Oasis reunion tour – it’s easy to feel transported back to the early 2000s. But the flip phones of today are a far cry from their predecessors, as exemplified by the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7.

Samsung’s journey into the world of foldable phones began in 2019 with the Galaxy Z Fold. Now, several years and iterations later, the Korean tech giant treats its foldable line with the same care and attention as its flagship Galaxy S series. The Z Flip 7 represents a significant leap forward, incorporating lessons learned from previous generations to create one of the most compelling foldable smartphones available. This is particularly important given the high bar set by recent Samsung handsets.

Last year’s Z Fold 6 surprised many with its impressive display and audio capabilities, while the video upscaling technology debuted on the Galaxy S25 Ultra earned that premium phone a top rating. So, can the Z Flip 7 deliver a comparable audio-visual experience?

Pricing and Availability

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 starts at £1049 for the 256GB model, with a 512GB version available for £1149. Both configurations include 12GB of RAM and Samsung’s Exynos 2500 processor. This places the Z Flip 7 firmly in the premium smartphone market. While it’s slightly more affordable than the Galaxy S25 Ultra (£1249), it’s pricier than the widely praised Apple iPhone 16 Pro (£999). A more direct comparison might be with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which starts at £1199.

Design and Build Quality

As a foldable phone, the design is a central feature of the Z Flip 7. It adopts a clamshell-style form factor reminiscent of classic flip phones, allowing you to satisfyingly snap the phone shut after a call. However, unlike those older models, the Z Flip 7 boasts a 4.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display on its outer surface. This edge-to-edge screen provides access to various applications and at-a-glance information, such as weather updates and calendar appointments. A particularly appealing use of this display is controlling music playback, evoking memories of dedicated portable music players.

Unfolding the phone reveals a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 21:9 aspect ratio, a welcome feature for video enthusiasts. This ratio is ideal for watching movies, and Samsung’s decision to incorporate it into a foldable design is a smart move. The long, narrow form factor of previous 21:9 phones could make them unwieldy to carry, but the Z Flip 7’s foldable design addresses this issue by offering a compact shell that easily fits in your pocket.

The Z Flip 7 is also remarkably slim, measuring just 13.7mm when folded and 6.5mm when unfolded. Despite its slim profile, Samsung has prioritised durability, incorporating an Aluminium Armour frame and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 to protect against scratches and cracks.

The hinge has been upgraded with Samsung’s latest-generation Armour FlexHinge, promising enhanced durability, a tighter seal when closed, and a smoother folding action. Samsung has also made significant progress in reducing the visibility of the screen crease, making it barely noticeable to the eye or touch.

The phone is available in four finishes: Jetblack, Coral Red, Shadow Blue, and Mint. The Shadow Blue model has a metallic sheen that subtly shifts the colour depending on the lighting. One minor drawback is that the Z Flip 7 is prone to fingerprints, particularly on the internal screen.

Features and Performance

Samsung’s smartphones are known for their extensive feature sets, which have expanded considerably with the integration of AI. The Galaxy AI suite is present on the Z Flip 7, offering features like Circle to Search with Google, Live Translation, Writing Assist, and a range of photo and video editing tools. Samsung has a history of updating existing models with new AI features, so the Z Flip 7 is likely to become even more AI-powered over time.

Samsung has committed to providing seven years of software updates for the Z Flip 7. The main display has a resolution of 2520 x 1080, resulting in a pixel density of 397ppi. The OLED display delivers deep blacks, and the 1080p resolution is sharp enough for most users.

The 21:9 aspect ratio of the Z Flip 7 is ideal for watching films, eliminating the black bars that often appear at the top and bottom of the screen. However, 16:9 content will have black bars on the sides. Both the internal and external displays utilise Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X technology, supporting variable refresh rates up to 120Hz for smooth gaming and UI interactions. The screens can intelligently adjust the refresh rate to conserve battery life when displaying static content.

The cover and main displays are rated at 2600 nits peak brightness, and the main screen supports HDR10+ for enhanced video playback. Major streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+ support HDR10+ content.

Dolby Atmos audio is supported via the phone’s stereo speakers (a downward-firing speaker and the earpiece) and through wired or wireless headphones. There is no headphone jack, but a 3.5mm to USB-C adapter can be used for wired headphones. Wireless audio is available via Bluetooth 5.4 with A2DP and LE codecs.

The Z Flip 7 has a triple-camera system: a 50MP main lens, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 10MP front-facing camera. The flip design allows you to use the main camera for selfies, using the cover screen as a viewfinder. The camera performance is generally strong, producing colourful and detailed images suitable for social media.

The battery capacity has been increased to 4300mAh, which Samsung claims is the largest battery in a Z Flip device to date. They estimate 31 hours of video playback. In practical use, the phone can easily last a full day with moderate to heavy use, including music and movie streaming.

Picture Quality

The Z Flip 7’s main display is well-suited for watching movies due to its specifications and dimensions. When streaming content from services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+, the picture quality is generally impressive, but not without some shortcomings.

The best results are achieved with cinematic content that fills the 21:9 aspect ratio, such as Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning on Netflix. The Z Flip 7 produces a crisp and detailed image with a good sense of depth. There is ample detail in textures, and skin tones are generally well-handled, although perhaps slightly vivid.

Users can choose between vivid and natural colour presets. The natural preset is generally more accurate, although the ability to adjust the colour temperature in the vivid mode is appreciated. Motion handling is generally good, although some brief stuttering was observed in panning shots in Blade Runner 2049.

One area where the Z Flip 7 disappoints is brightness. Despite being rated at 2600 nits peak brightness, the same as the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the S25 Ultra is noticeably brighter in a side-by-side comparison. Even in isolation, the Z Flip 7’s display appears somewhat dim, even with auto-brightness disabled and the extra brightness setting enabled. This dimness detracts from the overall impact of the picture.

Dark details are well-handled, with sufficient detail visible in shadowed areas. While the Z Flip 7’s picture performance is generally good, it doesn’t quite match that of other top-rated handsets. The iPhone 16, while lacking a folding form factor, delivers a richer and more cinematic viewing experience. The iPhone also offers a slightly warmer tone and better contrast, and it costs less. However, users committed to the Google operating system may not consider the iPhone as an alternative.

Sound Quality

Samsung’s recent smartphones have delivered good, but not exceptional, sound quality, and the Z Flip 7 is no exception. When listening to music through wired headphones, the Z Flip 7 performs well in many areas but doesn’t necessarily excel.

Testing with a range of tracks from artists such as Hans Zimmer, Aurora, Kansas, Taylor Swift, and Hozier, the Z Flip 7 consistently delivers a crisp and detailed sound with a solid sense of timing. Voices sound clean and natural, and there is good spatial separation between vocals and instruments. Activating the Dolby Atmos feature enhances this effect, creating a more open soundstage, although it may slightly compromise focus.

In terms of dynamics and subtlety, the Z Flip 7 is arguably better than the pricier S25 Ultra, which can sound strained at higher volumes and somewhat flat at lower volumes. However, the iPhone 16 once again stands out, offering a richer, more natural, and harmonious sound. Instruments have more texture, and voices are more detailed, with greater emphasis on low-level dynamics, resulting in a more emotive performance.

Conclusion

Foldable phones have matured rapidly in a short period, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 exemplifies this progress. It’s intriguing enough to spark conversation, yet familiar enough that users transitioning from a traditional phone won’t face a steep learning curve.

For those seeking a portable device for consuming movies and music, the Z Flip 7 is a solid option with thoughtful features, such as the 21:9 display and the ability to use it as a compact music player when folded. However, the Z Flip 7 falls slightly short in terms of pure picture and sound performance. If a top-tier audio-visual experience is your priority, you may want to consider traditional, non-flexible smartphones.