Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Is the thinnest foldable worth the splurge?

They said phones couldn’t fold any thinner, but Samsung said, “Hold my hinge.” The Galaxy Fold 7 has slipped into the scene like that friend who shows up overdressed but somehow makes it look effortless. This time around, it’s slimmer, sleeker, and sassier than ever; basically the tech equivalent of showing up in couture at a brunch. 

Foldables have always been the runway models of the smartphone world. Gorgeous, yes, but not exactly practical for those who like to travel light. Enter the Galaxy Z Fold 7, now just 8.9mm when closed and 4.2mm when open, shedding 24 grams from last year’s model. Suddenly, the bulky foldable stigma doesn’t stick anymore.

I’ve been living with the Fold 7 for nearly two weeks now, unfolding it like a sci-fi paperback, showing off its creaseless curves, and grabbing eyeballs like it’s my day job. But does all that beauty keep up to the snack-crumb fingers, back-to-back doomscrolling, and a group chat that refuses to sleep? Is it just a pretty face, or does it earn its ₹1,86,999 price tag? Time to find out.

My Couture Week plus one!

Coincidence or kismet, India Couture Week 2025 coincided with my first week using the Z Fold 7, and it didn’t miss a single beat. The triple camera system, headlined by a 200MP primary lens delivered crisp, zoomed-in runway shots that rival DSLR clarity. Samsung’s new camera stack, featuring 44% brighter imaging in low light, proved a saviour in dim-lit venues packed with fashionistas and flashbulbs. These camera samples make a strong case for the aforesaid!

Sushi, my fur baby and forever muse happily stepped into the spotlight, striking a pose for the ultimate zoomed-in glam portrait shot.

The camera now comes with a new Audio Eraser shortcut that lets you mute noisy videos faster than you skip ads on YouTube. And yes, selfie stans, the rear-camera preview on the cover screen means your glam is always in check.

Generative Edit got a facelift too; it now cleans up backgrounds like your bestie scrubbing your Insta feed before a date.

Multi-tasking has never looked better

With One UI 8 and a sleeker-than-ever design, the Galaxy Z Fold7  is a pocket-sized productivity suite. Unfold it, and an expansive 8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, now 11% larger, turns everyday tasks into something that feels almost indulgent. I was toggling between The Summer I Turned Pretty, my grocery calculator, and a barrage of group texts- all without breaking a sweat or switching apps. Peak modern romance, right?

Colours are punchier than your iced latte. True blacks, ultra-rich contrast, and up to 2,600 nits of brightness make binge-watching an art form and casual scrolling feel cinematic.

But what really sets it apart is that Armor FlexHinge. Thanks to a smart water droplet design and a new multi-rail structure, the dreaded fold-line is practically invisible, making that crease non-existent. And while Instagram occasionally gets confused and crops a post or two, the experience of scrolling the gram on that wide, immersive screen is nothing short of a main character moment.

Battery life & performance

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 retains the dependable 4,400mAh dual-cell battery from its predecessor, and it performs impressively in real-world use. Over the course of a full day packed with high-demand tasks like continuous browsing, shooting, creating content, streaming, and music playback, the device comfortably maintained 30% battery by day’s end, demonstrating notable power efficiency for a foldable.

When it finally needed a top-up, it zipped from 0% to 42% in just 30 minutes, and hit 100% in under 90 minutes. Fast, fuss-free, and ready to flex again!

Should you upgrade?

While the Galaxy Z Fold 7 doesn’t reinvent the wheel in terms of raw performance, its ultra-slim profile and near-invisible crease deliver an experience you wouldn’t wanna miss. ‘Cuz once you go thin, there’s no going back.

At a hefty price of ₹1,86,999 and four stunning colours to choose from- Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow, Jetblack, and Mint, it’s an investment, no doubt. But if you’re someone who values cutting-edge design, multitasking real estate, and a camera that delivers on every tap, the Fold 7 could very well be your next flex.

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