The first time I saw the Samsung Fold smartphone back in 2019, I questioned whether Samsung had just delivered its first ‘Lemon’ weeks later as the first samples were being reviewed the device literally fell apart in reviewers’ hands.
Six years later and after several versions of their Samsung Fold I have their latest offering in my possession for review and finally, Samsung have got it right with the South Korean Company delivering a wafer thin powerhouse where technology innovation and practical design has come together in a device that is now the benchmark for foldable devices.
Despite previous offers from Samsung to use the Fold as my day phone, I have always gravitated back to my Galaxy Ultra device with its powerful camera array stunning display and great battery life.
That is until now.
The one single standout with the new Fold that convinced me that this device had come of age was the display when closed.
In the past the closed display was simply too small, and one always felt cramped when typing.
Now the front display is 6.5-inch which is almost 5% per cent bigger than the previous model and trust me this makes a big difference when it comes to everyday use.
The external display is also sharp due to the use of a 2520 x 1080 (FHD+) screen.
The main display when opened is 8.0″ inches, this allows users to watch video’s or easily read documents on the 2184 x 1968 (QXGA+) screen which is in essence a mini tablet that fits into the palm of your hand.
Apart from the significantly improved closed display the big thing you notice is that the latest Fold 7 is only 8.2mm thick, compared with the Fold6 which came in 4mm thicker at 12.1mm.
When unfolded, the device has been slimmed down to a mere 4.2mm leaving one to ponder how Samsung has packed so much powerful spec into a device so thin.
This device is the closest yet to a normal smartphone, but it will cost you at $2,899 at JB Hi Fi and The Good Guys.
This is the ultimate device where weight also comes into play with the all new Fold weighing in at just 215 grams, compared with 239 grams for the Fold6.
It’s also lighter than my the S25 Ultra making it easy to carry around.
The biggest hardware problem is the design of the three cameras that push out of the back of the wafer thin back.
Put the device down on a flat surface and it immediately wobbles with the cameras taking the full weight of the device.
Turn it over and your display is suddenly on a hard surface.
The answer I suspect is a cover that stops the camera protruding to the extent that one is always in fear that one could damage the device.
As for those three cameras the Samsung Fold 7 packs a serious capability in the camera department with the same camera rig found in the popular S25 Ultra now packed into the Fold 7.
As for camera hardware you now have the following options.
Rear Camera Array:
– 200MP wide-angle main sensor – same powerhouse found in the Galaxy S Ultra series
– 12MP ultra-wide lens – now with autofocus, enabling macro shots
– 10MP telephoto lens – supports 3x optical zoom
Front & Cover Cameras:
– 10MP cover selfie camera – for quick snaps when folded
– 10MP inner selfie camera – wide 100° field of view, ideal for group selfies and video calls
This setup not only boosts photo clarity and versatility, but also supports 8K video recording, 30x digital zoom, and AI-powered enhancements like background audio elimination and generative edits.
Generative photo editing is built in however the lack of a pen similar to what’s built into the S25 Ultra to outline images does restrict what you can do.
Using one’s finger, we found that Samsung’s AI photo editing was nowhere near as good as with a pen especially when trying to take out small objects.
Using a finger the AI tended to pick up everything around the object Vs the object you want to remove which can be outlined easily with a pen.
A big improvement over past Samsung AI offerings is that you can place the original and edited image side by side, rather than having to go back and forth between shots.
If you’re weighing it up against the S25 Ultra, the Fold 7’s imaging capabilities are now much closer—without giving up the foldable form factor which for me is a big plus because I am constantly shooting images with my S25 Ultra that we use in our digital magazines across double page spreads and I now feel confident enough that the new Fold 7 will deliver the same quality.
As you start using this device for everyday use you realise that the hinge has been strengthened and that the large display presents better due to the OLED display being pulled tighter across the width of the device.
Though you do have to have good fingernails because the two displays when closed are harder to open and this is a good thing as it means less dust getting in between the two displays.
The Fold 7 is powered by Qualcomm Inc.’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, also built in is a 200 megapixel Sony sensor which is remarkable considering the width of the device.
In the past normal smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S24 and S25 devices have outperformed foldables since they have more internal space for larger sensors but not anymore with the new Fold 7 now deliver a lot of high performance capabilities.
As for software Samsung has opened up a pandora’s box of issues such as why they have gone back to flogging their house brand Bixby when you have a Google OS and Google’s Gemini AI assistance which when married with Samsung’s AI offering is enough in cutting edge software.
Google’s Gemini AI assistant has been optimised for the large inner display and supports features like Circle to Search within games so that tips can be delivered to a screen.
Then there is the issue of Samsung security.
In all of the years that I have been using Samsung mobile devices with their Knox software built in I have never had a security problem.
Now Samsung is pushing Intel’s questionable McAfee.
A visit to Security in settings and you are prompted to switch on App protection and that means paying a fee to Intel the owners of McAfee.
I simply went to apps and started uninstalling unnecessary software such as games and McAfee software which I suspect is going to be reinstalled when I do an update.
The good news at this stage is that Samsung has no plans to charge for Galaxy AI features provided by default.
Conclusion
If you have always wanted a foldable device but have held back, now is the time to bite the bullet as the new Fold 7 is a dramatic improvement both in looks, performance and in what one can now do with a wafer thin high performance portable device that you can hold in your hand.
At just 4.2mm, the Fold 7 is almost as thin as a USB-C port in a normal phone.
At 8.9mm (down from 12.1mm) this device takes thin without compromising performance to a new level.
It has the looks that scream advanced technology and it’s AI capabilities such as audio and video editing it apart from anything that Apple has.
For Apple fans wanting to make the leap to Android this is the devious that will make you look good while delivering you the comfort of knowing that you have technology in your hand that Apple doesn’t have which justifies the reason why you made the move in the first place.
Downside
Flogging third party software which I suspect is part of the Google licencing agreement and taking a cut if Intel’s MacAfee subscription is something that Samsung needs to seriously think through. Know is rock solid and so is Samsung and Google AI. To go back to pushing Bixby is totally unnecessary, it’s another optional layer of software that’s not necessary and that’s before you get to Microsoft a key Samsung partner trying to get their Copilot used ahead of Google and Samsung offerings.
Rating 9/10
