I’ll admit it: trendy flip telephones nonetheless confuse me. Greater than 5 years after the unique Galaxy Z Flip arrived, I’m nonetheless unsure who should purchase one.
Often, you find yourself paying a premium for worse battery life and inferior cameras. Is what you get in return – a way more pocketable system and sensible selfies – actually price it? In my view, it’s by no means improved my smartphone expertise total.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t cease me from being excited when a brand new flip telephone is launched (I’m Tech Advisor’s Cellular Editor, in any case). Samsung has simply unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip 7, and it’s robust competitors for one of the crucial fascinating telephones of the yr to this point, Motorola’s Razr 60 Extremely.
Samsung’s new flagship flip (we additionally now have a extra inexpensive model within the Z Flip 7 FE) delivers most of the upgrades I’ve been craving, however there are nonetheless important shortcomings that make it laborious to advocate, at the very least to this point.
The duvet display screen I’ve been ready for… nearly
A lot has been product of the Razr 60 Extremely’s full-screen cowl show, which makes the Galaxy Z Flip 6 look virtually historic by comparability.
Nevertheless, Samsung has determined that now could be the time to fireplace again, and it means enterprise. The 4.1-inch, 120Hz ‘FlexWindow’ on the Z Flip 7 is definitely larger than Motorola’s model, and it seems to be beautiful in particular person.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
I actually loved my jiffy attempting it out, particularly with the spectacular new Gemini Dwell integration. One UI 7 staples, such because the ‘Now Bar’, make it simple to see at-a-glance info from the likes of timers and third-party apps corresponding to Uber with out opening the telephone, whereas a few of the new widgets and customisation choices look nice.
The Z Flip 7 is sensible for taking selfies, particularly with the brand new choice to routinely zoom out and in to maintain you within the body. It may well additionally use AI to detect when there’s one thing important within the background (the Eiffel Tower was used for instance in my briefing) and never crop that out, both.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
That each one being mentioned, you continue to can’t simply run any app on the duvet display screen! In the event you’ve learn my Galaxy Z Flip 6 evaluate, I’m in all probability sounding like a damaged file, however the hoops it’s essential to soar by way of to entry all Play Retailer apps are nothing wanting ridiculous.
I perceive that not each app will play properly with the weird side ratio of the show, and essential instruments corresponding to Google Maps are natively supported. However with the digital camera lenses now obscuring elements of the show anyway, it actually doesn’t matter if issues look a bit bizarre infrequently.
The hoops it’s essential to soar by way of to entry all Play Retailer apps are nothing wanting ridiculous
Motorola solves this by merely displaying a warning whenever you open the app for the primary time. Why does Samsung proceed to make it so troublesome?
Sturdy design, however nonetheless not absolutely secure from the weather
One of many primary issues that struck me when attempting out the Galaxy Z Flip 7 was its sturdiness. I used to be involved that the bigger cowl display screen would make it extra fragile, but when something, it feels extra sturdy than the Z Flip 6.
The upgraded ‘Armour Flex’ hinge feels particularly powerful, but the crease is barely much less noticeable on the 6.9-inch inner show than final yr.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Nevertheless, it’s not completely secure from mud. An IP48 ranking is on par with the Razr 60 Extremely, which means it might probably survive a dunking in as much as 1.5m of water however remains to be prone to any stable objects smaller than 1mm. In different phrases, be careful for sand on the seaside.
I used to be involved that the bigger cowl display screen would make it extra fragile, but when something, it feels extra sturdy than the Z Flip 6
I perceive the issue in reaching an IP68 ranking on even non-folding flagship telephones, but it surely’s nonetheless a compromise you’ll want to concentrate on.
Promising cameras, however why nonetheless no telephoto?
Samsung is sticking with the 50Mp primary sensor that carried out so effectively on the Galaxy Z Flip 6. No complaints right here – it delivered glorious picture high quality in quite a lot of eventualities, together with selfies.
The tough lighting of the hands-on space doesn’t present a great state of affairs for testing, however preliminary proof suggests picture high quality on par with – if not higher than – final yr.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
The front-facing digital camera is far much less necessary on flip telephones, however the 10Mp lens seems to be to be simply tremendous for video calling and the like. And whereas it’d be good to have a greater ultrawide, I discovered the 12Mp sensor to ship respectable photos, particularly when the lighting was good.
Nevertheless, I nonetheless don’t perceive why Samsung hasn’t added a devoted telephoto lens for optical zoom. With out it, you’re completely reliant on the inferior digital zoom, with picture high quality deteriorating quick when you transcend 2x.
If Samsung actually needs its flip telephones to have no-compromise cameras, the shortage of a telephoto have to be mounted
As somebody who usually goes to live shows, I can just about overlook about getting good photographs until I’m proper subsequent to the stage. And the argument of not having sufficient house for one more lens isn’t legitimate when the duvet display screen is a lot bigger.
If Samsung actually needs its flip telephones to have no-compromise cameras, the shortage of a telephoto have to be mounted.
An even bigger battery, however what about charging?
In my Z Flip 6 evaluate, I complained about its subpar battery life. A 4000mAh cell simply isn’t large enough on an Android telephone in 2025.
On the Z Flip 6, Samsung has addressed this… form of. The brand new 4300mAh cell is an enormous gen-on-gen enchancment, with the corporate now claiming as much as 31 hours of video playback on a single cost.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Nevertheless, that is based mostly on a 720p video working regionally, so it doesn’t present an correct reflection of battery life. I hope the brand new Exynos 2500 chipset and software program optimisations will ship snug all-day battery life, however I nonetheless have my doubts.
Oh, and charging remains to be a measly 25W! Come on, Samsung, you are able to do higher than that. A minimum of give us the 45W of the S25 Extremely – it isn’t a lot to ask.
Charging remains to be a measly 25W! Come on, Samsung, you are able to do higher than that
Cheaper than the Razr 60 Extremely, however nonetheless costly
Regardless of some significant upgrades on the Galaxy Z Flip 7, I’m happy to see the value stay the identical. When the telephone is launched on 25 July, it’ll begin at the very same £1,049/$1,099 as its predecessor, which means it’s now cheaper than the Razr 60 Extremely (from £1,099/$1,299), particularly within the US.
Nevertheless, that is nonetheless so much to pay for a telephone with apparent compromises. Except you’re actually bought on the flip kind issue, it’ll in all probability be laborious to justify.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is an enormous step in the precise path, but it surely doesn’t look like the game-changing system that Samsung is hoping for. I actually hope I’m flawed, however you’ll have to attend for my full evaluate to search out out.
We’ve additionally received early hands-on evaluations of the 7 Fold 7 and the 7 Flip 7 FE, if you wish to try extra of the brand new lineup.