The foldable phone market has been dominated by Samsung for years, and while the Galaxy Z Fold 7 grabs headlines as a tablet that folds into your pocket, its smaller sibling—the Galaxy Z Flip 7—offers a very different experience.
This isn’t a phone that wants to replace your tablet or laptop. Instead, it’s designed to be compact, stylish, and above all, fun. And after spending a couple of weeks with the device—including a camping trip in Alberta—I can confirm that “fun” is the perfect word to describe it. But at $1,100, the question is whether fun alone is worth the price tag.
First Impressions: The Magic of a Flip
Unboxing the Galaxy Z Flip 7 feels special in a way most modern phones don’t anymore. From the moment you unfold the screen for the first time, there’s this almost magical quality—like rediscovering the joy of the classic flip phone but in a futuristic package.
The phone’s cover display immediately grabs attention. It’s sharp, sleek, and looks ultra-modern with slim bezels that make it feel like a tiny flagship in your hand. But once you flip it open, you’re met with a 6.9-inch 120Hz AMOLED display in a tall 21:9 aspect ratio.
Yes, the crease is there. You can see it in the right light and feel it when swiping across, but in day-to-day use, it fades into the background. What doesn’t fade is the sheer delight of snapping the phone shut after a call.
Living With the Flip 7
I’ll be honest—the outer screen looks cooler than it is useful. Sure, you can check notifications, swipe through widgets, or even reply to texts in a pinch, but nine times out of ten, I found myself instinctively flipping the phone open.
That said, the cover screen does serve as an excellent viewfinder for selfies with the main cameras, and it offers quick access to essentials like the clock and weather. Think of it like an Apple Watch built into your phone—it’s handy but not a replacement for the main display.
The tall inner screen, however, is excellent for scrolling social feeds and watching videos. Interestingly, when watching 2:1 ratio YouTube videos, the punch-hole camera doesn’t cut into the content, which is a subtle but thoughtful touch.
Performance and Everyday Use
Under the hood, the Flip 7 runs on Samsung’s Exynos 2500 chip with 12GB of RAM. While it doesn’t have the Snapdragon 8 Elite like the Galaxy S25 Ultra or Fold 7, performance is still fast and fluid. Apps open quickly, multitasking is smooth, and One UI 8 (based on Android 16) feels well-optimized for this form factor.
Samsung also promises seven years of software updates, which is huge for a foldable. Longevity has always been a concern for these types of devices, but with this level of support, the Flip 7 could easily last as long as any traditional flagship.
Battery life is… fine. The 4,300mAh cell isn’t the biggest, but it can comfortably last a day with moderate use. Charging is capped at 25W wired and 15W wireless, which isn’t groundbreaking but gets the job done. During my time testing, I did notice the phone warming up when using the camera extensively, though never to an uncomfortable level.
Camera Experience: Fun Over Function
The Flip 7’s 50MP main camera and 12MP ultrawide are the same as those found in the Galaxy S25 and S25+. This means photos are good—sharp, colorful, and reliable in most conditions—but you won’t get the zoom versatility of Samsung’s Ultra models since there’s no telephoto lens here.
Where the Flip 7 shines is in creative shooting styles. Thanks to the hinge, you can fold the phone halfway and use it like a camcorder, or prop it up on a table for hands-free group selfies. And with the cover screen, you can take selfies with the main camera, which are miles ahead of the 10MP internal selfie shooter.
So while the Flip 7 won’t win any photography awards, it makes up for it with versatility and playful use cases.
Durability and Compromises
Samsung has made big strides in foldable durability, but the Flip 7 still isn’t perfect. The screen has a slightly plasticky feel, and it comes with a built-in screen protector that you’re not supposed to remove. It’s also water-resistant but not dust-resistant, which means you’ll want to be extra careful when snapping it shut outdoors.
I was cautious during my review, yet I still ended up with a small scratch on the inner screen. It’s nothing major, but it’s a reminder that foldables require more care than glass slab phones.
Value: Who Should Buy the Flip 7?
At $1,100, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 isn’t cheap. And while there’s a Flip 7 FE model at $900, I’d recommend skipping it. The standard Flip 7 offers a sleeker design, more storage (256GB base vs. 128GB), and overall better specs, making it the smarter buy if you’re already investing in a foldable.
The closest competition comes from Motorola’s Razr, which looks strikingly similar. But unless you’re deeply tied to Motorola’s ecosystem, Samsung’s longer software support and ecosystem integration make the Flip 7 the safer choice.
Final Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is not the most practical smartphone—but it might be the most fun one you can buy right now. It’s stylish, compact, and turns heads everywhere you go. The cover screen still feels a bit undercooked, the cameras lack a telephoto option, and the screen durability isn’t perfect.
But if you’re willing to accept those compromises, you’ll get a phone that feels fresh, nostalgic, and futuristic all at once.
This isn’t the phone for everyone. But for those who want something different, playful, and unique, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 delivers an experience that no slab phone can.
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