Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 hands-on: all about that cover screen

A bigger cover screen and battery are at the core of the experience for Samsung's newest flip phone

Jul 09, 2025

Update: Our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 hands-on just launched, with full reviews for both the Flip 7 and the Fold 7 in progress. We also published an in-depth article on the Fold 7 colors and Flip 7 colors, as well as the specs for both phones.

🤳 I went hands-on with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 at Samsung Unpacked
📺 The new flip phone comes with a much larger cover display, catching up to Motorola
🔋 The battery and folding screen have also grown compared to the Fold 6
📸 You still get dual rear cameras, flagship performance, and Galaxy AI as well
🧠 Here are my early thoughts on Samsung’s latest $1,099 folding phone

Finally, a larger cover display.

After years of reviewers like me critiquing its flip phones for limiting the size of their cover displays, Samsung has delivered a screen on the new Galaxy Z Flip 7 that extends to every edge of the device's front. In my Motorola Razr Ultra review, I noted how useful it is to have such a large screen up front, and I’m glad that Samsung has finally brought it to the Flip series.

But that’s not all the Galaxy Z Flip 7 has in store. Samsung’s newest flip phone, which still starts at $1,099, also comes with a list of upgrades we’re used to seeing year-over-year. A faster processor, a new version of One UI, new AI tricks - you know, anything to convince you to upgrade to an otherwise familiar-looking phone.

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I got to spend some time with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 ahead of Samsung Unpacked, and while it’s not as big of an upgrade as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, it’s got a lot going for itself.

Hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

Bigger is better

📐 Bigger, brighter screens all around. Look at how gorgeous this new cover screen is. Samsung went all-out and increased the size of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FlexWindow from 3.4 inches to 4.1 inches, making the first AMOLED panel you see when you pick up the phone much more useful. The folding screen also increased in size from 6.7 inches to 6.9 inches, giving you a bit of extra room for scrolling your socials and multitasking. Both displays can also reach 2,600 nits of brightness and come with 120Hz refresh rates.

🤖 Quicker AI access. Samsung is opening the door for more AI experiences thanks to the larger cover display, including the ability to use Gemini Live without having to open your phone. You can also type to Gemini if you’d like, although talking right at the screen was a much more enjoyable experience in my hands-on.

📰 Stay on top of things. The FlexWindow also gets upgraded with Samsung’s Now Brief, which can deliver timely content and updates based on what you’re doing and what’s on your calendar. The Now Bar has also been added so you can track real-time progress of things like Ubers and sports games.

🎨 Customize away. You also have a lot of ways to customize the look of the FlexWindow, including custom wallpapers and clock type faces. There are plenty of widgets to choose from as well so you can quickly glance at the info you need the most.

📱 Playing catch-up. With the new cover screen, Samsung is playing catch-up to what Motorola has been offering for a few years now with its Razr lineup. The company’s highest-end Razr Ultra has a similarly-sized display that reviewers have praised time and time again, so it’s about time the Galaxy Z Flip makes the switch and gets the upgrade.

A few design tweaks

🤏 It’s thinner. Like the Fold 7, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is a bit thinner than the Flip 6. When folded, it’s 13.7mm thick versus 14.9mm, and when it’s open, it’s 6.5mm versus 6.9mm. For some reason, it’s a gram heavier at 188 grams versus 187 grams, but you can’t tell the difference whatsoever.

💪 It’s stronger. Over the years, foldables have become increasingly durable, and the Z Flip 7 is Samsung’s strongest flip phone yet. It comes with a thinner Armor FlexHinge that has a restructured design for better durability over time, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 sits on the front and back of the phone, and the IP48 rating helps to protect even more of the internals from water and dust.

🎨 Some good-looking colors. Samsung is also shipping a fresh slate of colors with this phone, and they look really good in-person. The Shortcut team is partial to Coral-red, but the Blue Shadow and Mint (a Samsung.com exclusive) also look great. For those who want something a bit more generic, there’s always Jetblack.

Battery life and performance get a boost

🔋 Hello, 4,300mAh. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 will likely last longer on a charge than the Flip 6 thanks to its larger battery. Samsung threw in a 4,300mAh cell (300mAh extra compared to last year’s model) despite making the phone thinner, which is a nice touch. The company says you’ll get up to 31 hours of video playback on a full charge, but we’ll need to put it through real-world tests before we can conclude anything. You still get 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging, as well as reverse wireless charging.

🏎️ Exynos speeds. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 swaps the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 from the Flip 6 for the Exynos 2500, Samsung’s own flagship chip. The processor should prove to be an improvement over last year’s phone, but we’ll need to test it to be sure. It’s backed by 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage.

Cameras are cameras

📸 Same as last year. If you were hoping that Samsung would revamp the camera system on the Galaxy Z Flip 7, I’m sad to report that’s not the case. Instead, you get the same 50MP main camera and 12MP ultra-wide. Samsung did tell us it uses the improved ProVisual Engine from the Galaxy S25 series for enhanced photos and videos, but beyond that, it seems like these cameras could be a repeat of last year.

🌃 Better at night and video. Samsung notes that the Z Flip 7 should be able to capture more vivid videos at night thanks to “Enhanced Nightography.” You can also capture videos in 10-bit HDR for richer, deeper contrast in any lighting condition.

👁️ Zooming upgrades. There are also a couple of new zooming tricks on the device. Prop it up in stand mode for hands-free video and the Z Flip 7 can automatically zoom in on you and keep you in the frame. When taking a selfie, you can now drag your finger across the screen to crop in or out so you can get the people you want in your shot.

Software and AI

🤖 Doubling down on Gemini. The AI vibe of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is much more centered around Gemini than Galaxy AI, which wasn’t the case last year. It seems that Gemini is taking center stage on Samsung’s new devices, which makes sense – it’s a much more versatile AI platform that’s built into the phones anyway. Being able to speak to Gemini Live on the cover screen, using it in conjunction with the cameras to ask about the things around you, and rely on it for everyday queries could make the Z Flip 7’s form factor the perfect solution for those who want an AI device that feels closer to a dedicated chatbot than a traditional smartphone does.

📲 Android 16 out of the box. While on the topic of software, Samsung is loading in Android 16 with One UI 8 out of the box. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Z Fold 7 both get the updated software with a tweaked UI and a few quality-of-life improvements sprinkled in.

7️⃣ Seven years of upgrades. What’s more, Samsung also says both devices will get seven years of major software upgrades and security updates, meaning the Z Flip 7 could be running Android 23 one day. It’s perfect if you’re a stickler who likes to use their phone until it physically dies.

What’s up with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE?

Samsung had another Galaxy Z Flip 7 to show off at Unpacked as well. This time around, it’s a “budget” offering called the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE.

I say “budget” because this phone is $899.99, which isn’t necessarily considered budget-friendly. Nonetheless, it’s Samsung’s first FE foldable, and there are three things you should know about it.

📱 It’s basically the Galaxy Z Flip 6, but cheaper. The Z Flip 7 FE has the same design as the Z Flip 6 from last year, all the way down to the same dimensions and weight. It comes with the older 3.4-inch FlexWindow cover screen and 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X folding screen, the same 4,000mAh battery, and the same IP48 rating. It’ll more than likely fit in any Flip 6 case you can find on the market.

👾 It’s powered by an Exynos chip. The biggest difference is the chip. Samsung dropped the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 it used in the Flip 6 for its own Exynos 2400 processor. While this will help cut costs, it’s unclear what effect this will have on performance. We’ll need to test it to know whether the chip swap was worth it. It’s backed up by 8GB of RAM instead of 12GB and comes with up to 256GB of storage.

🐼 It comes in two colors. Like the iPhone 16e, Samsung is sticking with very boring black and white finishes for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. Most people will probably put this phone in a case anyway so it makes sense, but if you want something more vibrant, you’ll want the standard Flip 7 instead.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 release date

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is up for preorder starting today. For a limited time, you can get a $50 Samsung.com credit good towards accessories and other items on Samsung’s website. The device, along with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, will launch on July 25.

We have a ton of Samsung coverage in the pipeline, so be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out.

Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.

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