Fold, Flip, or FE: Which of Samsung’s New Foldables is Worth Buying?
Samsung’s new foldables finally feel like a response, not just a refresh.
After a few years of playing it safe, Samsung’s foldable lineup is finally stepping out of its comfort zone. At its July 2025 Unpacked event, the company pulled back the curtain on not one, but three foldables — the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the Galaxy Z Flip 7, and a new Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. It’s the most dramatic update we’ve seen in a while, and it couldn’t have come at a more critical time.
Samsung’s dominance in the foldables market has been quietly slipping. Brands like Honor and Oppo have been turning heads with slimmer, sleeker designs, and Counterpoint Research says Samsung’s global market share dropped to 45% last year, down from 54% the year before.
This new trio feels like a direct response. And for once, it’s not just a bunch of spec bumps. There are real shifts happening in design, usability, and how these devices are positioned.
So how do they stack up, not just against each other, but against everything else out there? Let’s get into it.
Louis Eriakha
Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a thinner, lighter Fold with a few strings attached.
Starting at $1,999, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 isn’t just about unfolding anymore but about refining the experience and concept. Compared to the previous model at 239 grams, Samsung has shaved things down to just 215 grams, making its new model lighter than even the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and officially the lightest book-style foldable you can buy.
It’s also impressively slim at 8.9mm when folded, and just 4.2mm when open. Only the Honor Magic V5 is thinner, and even then, not by much.
But the hardware isn’t just about shaving millimeters. When unfolded, the Fold 7 turns into a different kind of device entirely, one that feels built for multitasking, editing, and making the most of Galaxy AI tools. It’s a setup that pushes the foldable form beyond novelty and into real utility.
You’re getting a 6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X cover screen with a new 21:9 aspect ratio — wider and more natural to use than before. And for processing power, there’s Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite “for Galaxy” chip, which brings big gains: 41% better NPU performance, 38% in CPU, and 26% in GPU. That’s the kind of boost that lets you run more AI features directly on the device without lag or offloading to the cloud.
Battery-wise, though, not much has changed. It still carries a 4,400mAh cell — the same as last year — which might leave power users wishing for more, especially with all that new AI capability humming in the background.
Galaxy Z Flip 7 is finally catching up, and maybe even pulling ahead.
The Flip 7 might not scream “new” on a spec sheet, but in everyday use, the changes could make a real difference.
First off, the new 4.1-inch FlexWindow cover screen now stretches edge to edge, and it’s easily the most useful outer display Samsung’s ever put on a Flip. You can reply to messages, check maps, and use full widgets without opening the phone, putting it on par with the Motorola Razr+, which introduced a similar design last year.
Samsung also improved battery life with a 4,300mAh pack (up from 3,700mAh in the Flip 6), promising up to 31 hours of video playback. That’s a big leap for a flip phone, and one that fixes a long-standing user complaint.
You also get DeX support, a 50MP camera, and a slimmer build (just 6.5mm when unfolded). But at $1,099, it’s quite pricey especially compared to the Motorola Razr+ which offers similar features at $999. Overall, though, the Flip 7 seems to hit a solid balance between performance, portability, and polish.
Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is for foldable first timers.
With the Flip 7 FE, Samsung is testing how low it can go without breaking the Flip experience. Starting at $899, it’s the most affordable model in the lineup, though still not exactly budget-friendly.
It keeps last year’s folder-style cover screen and a slightly thicker build, but you still get that satisfying flip-open experience. It won’t wow you with cutting-edge features, but it’s a gentler entry point for anyone foldable-curious, especially if you’re upgrading from an older phone and want something that stands out.
That said, it’s in a tricky spot. With Motorola’s Razr starting at $699, the Flip 7 FE might need stronger carrier deals or bundle offers to truly win buyers over.
Which one would we pick?
The Fold 7 might be Samsung’s most impressive foldable yet from a hardware perspective: thinner, lighter, and more usable than ever. But at ~$2,000, it’s hard to justify unless you really need that expanded screen real estate.
The Flip 7, though, finally feels like the phone the series was meant to be. It’s compact, powerful, and the new outer display makes it genuinely useful without needing to open it all the time. If we had to choose, this is the one we’d go for as it nails the balance between fun and function and doesn’t feel like a compromise anymore.
And for those who want to dip a toe into foldables without burning through a full paycheck, the Flip 7 FE at $899 is worth a look, though we’d probably still save up for the regular Flip 7.
