Samsung’s 7th generation flip phone sheds unnecessary features, boasting an expansive cover screen outside and a spacious folding display within, yet it doesn’t drastically change the existing formula.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7 will join the Book Style Z Fold 7 as Samsung’s two flagship folding devices in 2025. Similar to its predecessor, the Flip’s main allure is the ability to fold one of Samsung’s largest screens in half, making it ideal for pocket transport.
Prices starting at £1,049 (€1,199/$1,099/$1,799) align closely with the standard S25+ and Super Thin S25 Edge, yet offer slightly larger displays.
The Flip 7 operates just like a standard Android device, showcasing a flexible OLED screen and a generous 6.9-inch OLED main display. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The Flip 7 is a touch taller than its predecessor, supporting a larger 6.9-inch inner screen. Additionally, it’s thinner by 1.2mm when folded. However, unlike the noticeable upgrades introduced with this year’s Fold 7, the changes may not be readily apparent.
The new outer cover display envelops the camera and LED flash at the top half of the Flip 7. It accommodates more text from notifications and widgets, significantly enhancing its appearance compared to prior iterations. Selecting an appealing wallpaper can make the dark metallic blue shade especially striking.
The hinge offers a reassuringly robust closure, though operating the Flip 7 with one hand can be quite challenging. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The Flip 7 features a glass exterior, but the inner screen is shielded with a softer material that tends to collect fingerprints, exhibit glare, and show marks easily. It demands more care than a conventional flat phone. While the Flip is water-resistant, it’s not dust-proof, meaning the hinge should be safeguarded from tiny particles that could cause issues.
Specifications
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Main screen: 6.9in FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED INFINITY FLEX Display (397PPI)
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Cover screen: 4.1 inch AMOLED 120Hz (345PPI)
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Processor: Samsung Exynos 2500
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RAM: 12GB
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Storage: 256 or 512GB
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Operating system: One UI 8 based on Android 16
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Camera: 50 +12MP rear, 10MP front
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Connectivity: 5G, Nano SIM + eSIM, Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, GNSS
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Water resistance: IP48 (up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes)
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Folded dimensions: 85.5 x 75.2 x 13.7mm
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Expanded dimensions: 166.7 x 75.2 x 6.5mm
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Weight: 188g
Performance and Battery Life
The Flip 7 charges fully in approximately 90 minutes, utilizing a power adapter of 25W or greater (not included) to reach 50% in 30 minutes. It also supports 15W wireless charging. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Equipped with the Samsung Exynos 2500 chip, the Flip 7 features a high-end processor comparable to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite found in other flagship devices from Samsung. Although it may not claim top performance accolades, the Flip 7 delivers a solid gaming experience, even if the phone heats up during extended sessions.
Battery performance falls slightly short compared to its predecessor, typically lasting around 36 hours between charges while utilizing a mix of 5G and Wi-Fi, and supports roughly 6 hours of screen time. This aligns closely with the base S25 model, implying that most users will likely need to charge the Flip 7 nightly, especially considering that prolonged 5G usage leads to greater battery depletion than on Qualcomm-powered Samsung devices.
One UI 8
In Flex Mode, tools such as the trackpad, scroll wheel, playback, and camera controls appear on the upper half of the screen. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Alongside the Z Fold 7, the Flip 7 is among the initial Samsung devices running One UI 8 (based on Android 16) at launch. It’s a robust Android version offering extensive customization and stable performance.
The interface closely resembles that of the standard S25 series software, featuring multiple AI capabilities for tasks like lighting adjustments, image modification and generation, transcription, and translation. Additional Google AI services such as Gemini and Circle to Search are also present. The Now Bar is a fantastic feature that displays current activities such as sports scores, music playback, timers, alarms, and more.
The Flip 7 includes various tools specifically for foldable devices. A convenient “flex mode” allows content, websites, or applications to shift to the top half of the screen while folding the Flip into an L shape, placing controls on the lower half.
Currently playing music album art displays beautifully on the Flip 7’s external cover screen. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Numerous tools for utilizing external screens are available. You can view notifications, reply to texts, manage music and system settings, access a range of widgets like audio recorders and calculators, and interact with Gemini without needing to open the phone. Some applications like Google Maps, Messages, WhatsApp, Netflix, and YouTube can also be accessed on the external screens. However, to run additional apps on the cover screen, downloading Samsung’s MultiStar plugin from the Galaxy Store is necessary—though this should ideally be a built-in feature.
Samsung pledges to provide Android and security updates until July 31, 2032.
Camera
Flex mode encourages creativity in photography, allowing for diverse angles and configurations. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Cameras are a less impressive aspect of the Flip 7. It includes a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, and a 10MP selfie camera on the inside.
While the selfie camera performs adequately, it’s not exceptional and struggles in low-light conditions for video calls. Instead, you might opt to use the main camera for selfies, utilizing the cover screen as a viewfinder for improved results.
The main camera shines outdoors, capturing detailed and vibrant colors, although indoor shots can suffer from murkiness and graininess due to lower lighting. The ultra-wide camera is decent for landscapes but struggles significantly in dim conditions.
The camera comes loaded with playful modes, including features for taking photos or videos in a traditional handicam style, which supports hands-free selfies.
Overall, the Flip 7 captures acceptable photos, but its camera quality falls short compared to traditional flagship devices.
Sustainability
Although there is a small gap near the hinge, the rest of the phone is sealed shut to prevent dust and fluff from entering. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The battery is designed to retain at least 80% of its original capacity over a maximum of 2,000 complete charging cycles.
The device is generally repairable, with internal screen repairs estimated at around £294. Samsung also provides CARE+ insurance for accidental damage, reducing repair costs to £119.
The Flip 7 utilizes recycled materials such as aluminum, cobalt, copper, glass, gold, lithium, plastic, rare earth elements, and steel, accounting for 18.2% of the device’s weight. Samsung operates trade-in and recycling programs for older devices and documents the environmental impact of its phones in reports (PDFs).
Price
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 starts at £1,049 (€1,199/$1,099/$1,799).
For comparison, the Z Fold 7 is priced at £1,799, the S25 Edge at £1,099, the S25+ at £999, the Z Flip 7 FE at £849, the Motorola Razr 60 Ultra at £1,099, and the Xiaomi Mix Flip at £640.
Verdict
The Flip 7 stands as Samsung’s most appealing flip device, with the most notable enhancement being its larger outer screen.
Most other features mirror those of its predecessor. While the interior folding display is impressive, it is also delicate and requires careful handling. The side-mounted power button fingerprint scanner is functional yet somewhat inconveniently positioned. The camera quality is decent but does not compete with standard flagship models, and the battery life leaves much to be desired. However, the software is robust, with 7 years of updates promised. Overall, it feels somewhat repetitive.
The Flip 7 is an excellent choice for those wanting a substantial display in a compact form factor, yet it lacks the transformative redesign seen in its larger Fold 7 counterpart released this year.
Strengths: Bigger outer screen, ample inner display, IP48 water resistance, 7 years of updates, a variety of AI features, attractive design, enjoyable software.
Drawbacks: High price point, less durable than conventional phones, repairs may be costly, no dust resistance, camera lacks telephoto zoom, and its performance does not reach flagship standards, coupled with a lack of significant updates.
The Flip 7 offers stunning aesthetics and can perform numerous tasks while closed, though most functions are better executed on the main internal display. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Source: www.theguardian.com
