Samsung Galaxy Flip 7 Review: To Flip or Not to Flip?

I’ve always had a soft spot for tech that tries to be different, not just for the sake of it, but with a purpose.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 aligns perfectly with that philosophy.

I’ve been using it for almost a month now, and let me tell you, it’s one of those devices that gets more enjoyable the more you live with it.

Design

First, let’s talk form factor, because that’s the whole point of the Flip.

Folded, it slips into pockets that other 6.9-inch phones wouldn’t even dream of fitting into.

And yes, I’ve sat with it in my jeans and not once feared it would crack or bend.

The hinge feels stronger this year, though you still need two hands (and a bit of patience) to flip it open.

I say patience because it’s kinda hard getting your finger into the almost-airtight space between the two slabs.

The IP48 water resistance is great, but dust resistance still isn’t a thing, so keep that in mind if you live on construction-heavy streets or take it to the beach.

That said, I’ve kept it in a dusty backpack more times than I should admit, and I still haven’t noticed anything worrisome.

Display & Sound

Unfold the Flip7, and you’re greeted by a gorgeous 6.9-inch AMOLED display that’s smooth, vibrant, and fast (thanks to 120Hz refresh rate).

Scrolling through Instagram, editing Reels, and watching Netflix looks stunning.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Review: Elegant, Durable, And Unabashedly Pricey

However, under sunlight, the inner screen still reflects a bit too much, and yes, the crease is still there.

You stop noticing it after a while, but it hasn’t disappeared. I’ve got no complaints about the brightness.

This screen can go up to 1,500 nits in HBM, and moreover, its peak brightness can scale up to 2600 nits, giving users splendid contrast levels in their streaming media.

Speaking of the outer screen, things remain pretty much the same, except for the size, of course.

The 4.1-inch display is now corner to corner, accommodating the two cameras beautifully in its estate.

The great part is that it’s got the same amount of brightness as the main screen and even the same refresh rate, leading to a rather consistent user experience when switching between the two with a flick.

Coming to speakers, again, they’re surprisingly good. I was extremely pleased at how well they held things together at high volume.

The mids have seemingly received more attention from Samsung, with dialogue being crystal clear.

And the balance between the highs and lows is also pretty good.

The aural experience while scrolling through Reels was a highlight for me.

Cameras

At first glance, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 doesn’t bring any radical changes to its camera setup.

In fact, the hardware is nearly identical to the Z Flip 6, and Samsung seems to have made little to no tweaks to its image processing pipeline, so don’t expect flagship-tier surprises.

Starting with the 50MP main sensor, it performs well under good light, but it does struggle with its dynamic range.

The details in the shadows aren’t what you’d expect them to be for a phone that’s priced this high.

Yes, the images are sharp and the colours are good, and that makes them worthy of social media uploads, but any amateur photographer with a keen eye will notice that this main camera is falling short of justifying the phone’s price.

Plus, there’s no telephoto camera here, which makes it all the harder to recommend to a camera enthusiast.

Night mode kicks in automatically in low light and does a decent job of boosting brightness, but again, details take a good beating when the light is low.

You’ll also notice occasional exposure issues and noise in scenes with mixed lighting.

Moving on to the 12MP ultrawide lens, it adds useful flexibility with its wide 123° field of view.

Detail and colour are a notch below the primary lens, but the ultra-wide is seldom employed for artful photography anyway, so I can say it’s good enough for landscape shots or large group selfies.

One of the Z Flip 7’s strengths lies in its ability to use the rear cameras for selfies.

The main sensor captures skin tones beautifully, and portrait mode delivers a natural background blur.

For wider group shots, switching to the ultrawide works great, and the gesture-activated shutter (just raise your palm) is a neat, user-friendly touch.

The 10MP front-facing camera is on par with most premium smartphones, but it’s hard to imagine a reason to use it over the rear cameras, aside from video calls.

That’s probably the only time I’d rely on it.

When it comes to video, the Z Flip 7 offers 4K recording at 30fps, though most users will default to 1080p.

OIS helps keep things steady, but footage can sometimes look a bit washed out, and dynamic exposure shifts remain a weak point.

It’s fine for casual content and social media, but serious creators might find it limiting.

Performance & Battery Life

Let’s be honest, this isn’t a gaming phone. But I did play Call of Duty: Mobile and Asphalt 9 without frame drops.

The Exynos 2500 inside holds its ground, but it does get warm under pressure.

Nothing alarming, but noticeable.

Also Read: A Battle of Foldables: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 vs. Vivo X Fold 5

Battery life? I consistently got a full day with light to moderate use that included social media, email, messaging, and YouTube.

But on days with heavy camera usage or cricket viewing, I needed a top-up by dinner.

Thankfully, it charges 50% in 30 minutes.

Wireless charging is a bonus, but no charger in the box still annoys me.

Software

Samsung’s One UI 8 runs smoothly here and brings some surprisingly useful AI features.

I used the transcription tool during a meeting, tried Circle to Search during a live cricket match, and messed around with AI wallpaper generation.

All worked well. I also love the Now Bar, as it keeps track of everything currently playing or running.

These tiny refinements make One UI feel more mature than ever.

This year, Samsung has almost doubled down on the outer display, and for good reason.

I found myself replying to WhatsApp texts, checking Google Maps directions, and even starting Spotify playlists all without opening the phone.

Although one big caveat for me was that the outer display only supports Samsung’s proprietary keyboard, giving Gboard lovers like me a mild annoyance.

The experience is smooth, although Samsung still doesn’t let all apps run on it unless you use their Good Lock plugin.

Honestly, that should be built-in by now.