Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Review: The First to Get Me off iPhone

For years, I’ve been fascinated by Samsung’s foldable lineup. Having gone hands-on with the likes of its Z Fold and Z Flip series time and time again, I’ve fallen in love with the novelty of each device, but never found myself wanting to ever make them a daily driver. The latest Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is now available in Canada, is the first to change that entire narrative. The foldable doesn’t necessarily do anything different from its predecessors. However, Samsung’s assortments of meaningful upgrades present an argument for why I may put down the iPhone 16.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 continues to carry the legacy of Samsung’s book-style foldable. However, this year, the device is bridging the gap between the Galaxy Z Fold series and the Galaxy Ultra series. Presenting a best-of-both-worlds scenario, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 offers a stunning display to use when unfolded and the Galaxy S25 Ultra‘s suite of cameras to use. The best of all, the design is compact and small enough that even when folded, it’s barely thicker than an iPhone. While the sticker price can be daunting on paper, I’m actually pleased that Samsung’s able to make meaningful refinements without increasing the price in Canada. Galaxy Z Fold 7 launches at $2,499 in Canada, less than the $2,564 price tag of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 at launch

Out of the box

Samsung folds in so much of the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s design philosophy into the Galaxy Z Fold 7. This works in the company’s favour in this case, as I’m a massive fan of this year’s Ultra already. Using it earlier this year, I found it to be a powerhouse in performance, as well as having an exceptional camera array. Thankfully, much of this has been adopted in this year’s foldable. It’s also paired with new device engineering like the ‘Armor FlexHinge’, designed to disperse stress across the hinge, to help prevent wear and tear.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 features an astounding 8-inch AMOLED display when unfolded, an increase from last year’s 7.6-inch full screen. The cover display is a sizeable 6.5 inches with a small bezel surrounding it. When unfolded, the device is 6.24 × 5.64 × 0.17 inches (6.24 × 2.87 × 0.35 inches folded). Unfolded, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is nearly as thin as its own USB-C port. It’s quite surprising to take in considering some of the internals the device includes. In comparison, the iPhone 16 Pro Max measures in to be 6.42 x 3.06 x 0.33 in. For someone who consistently enjoys Apple’s larger devices, it’s been a no-brainer for me to gravitate to Samsung’s Ultra series and Galaxy Z Fold 7 naturally. It feels really good to hold, weighing only 7.58 oz. When unfolded, it becomes a two-handed device, akin to a tablet. But overall, I’ve been loving how portable and user-friendly the design of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, this is the most comfortable foldable I’ve used by Samsung.

Looking at internal specs, Samsung utilizes the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset from Qualcomm. Bringing over the same processor from the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is equipped to perform well with multitasking and more demanding tasks. The device can also provide AI-assisted tools like Gemini Live and Galaxy AI. All of this is supported by One UI 8. Samsung continues to use a 4,400mAh battery, the same as its predecessor. Despite a larger screen size, I haven’t run into any problems with the battery, averaging around 11 hours of intensive use.

Turning our attention towards the camera array, the device sports a three-lens array, including a 200-megapixel main wide shooter with 2X optical quality zoom, a 12-megapixel ultra wide lens and a 10-megapixel 3x telephoto lens. This is the same three-camera setup as the S25 Ultra. The camera bump is very noticeable. Lying the Galaxy Z Fold 7 down flat, the camera juts out, making it wobbly when on a flat surface. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 also features a 12-megapixel front-facing lens, a substantial upgrade from the 4-megapixel lens of last year’s model. Complimenting the suite of cameras is Samsung’s ProVisual Engine, which uses AI to analyze scenes and improve low-light photos and optimize the images.

A display made for multitasking

Galaxy Z Fold 7 captured my attention with the new 8-inch AMOLED display, presented when the device is unfolded. The added screen real estate now provides a solid middle ground between smartphone and mini tablet. I’ve been finding it ridiculously gratifying to have the option of using the main 6.5-inch cover display for quick replies to messages or navigating an email. However, the true magic of the device is unlocked when starting a video on YouTube on the outer display, unfolding the device, and the video continues on the larger display. 

The 8-inch screen of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 also gives way to many opportunities for multitasking. You can have up to eight apps open on the internal display and create different layouts. Thanks to the power of One UI 8, it’s easy to manipulate apps into any size you’d like and move them between the outer display and the internal. I’ve found myself using a dual-app layout, one with a productivity app open and the other with, say, Google Docs. It’s also really helpful when looking up the best restaurants in the area on Google and then having Google Maps open next to it, seeing the travel locations between them all.

How Samsung’s new device handles colours and contrast is quite nice. App icons pop off the screen. Skimming through photos, the details and colours are a marvel. Supporting 120Hz, navigating the display is smooth and fluid. The middle crease at this point is almost nonexistent. This used to be a hangup of mine in previous years. My brain could not ignore the eyesore. However, since the Galaxy Z Fold 6, this has become less of an issue. It’s barely noticeable on the Z Fold 7, aside from moments when the light strikes it at the right angle.

The larger 8-inch display is also really great when using some of the onboard AI software and editing tools. Returning once more is Google’s Circle to Search, which has been growing on me the more I use it. Gemini Live has also become a core piece of AI software with user benefits. It’s still a novelty tool in my opinion. Opening up my camera with Gemini Live enabled, I can scan the clothes in my closet and have Gemini Live naturally provide suggestions. Like all Samsung devices, your mileage with the suite of AI tools will boil down to how you use the device. At the bare minimum, Generative Edit and suggestions for photos still impress and outpace Apple’s AI editing software.

Ultra camera experiences

One of the strongest aspects of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is its triple camera array. Bringing over the 200-megapixel camera from the Galaxy S25 Edge, the foldable’s stable of cameras is the strongest yet. It’s built to provide a great amount of detail in your photos. The best aspect is that I’ve never felt as though I was at a disadvantage while in different lighting conditions. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a marvel to use in the daytime when the sky is free of clouds. However, it can still grab some great shots in low-light settings as well.

Samsung pairs the 200-megapixel camera with the 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens, which can grab some great close-up, macro photos. While I don’t typically leverage this camera nearly enough, it’s a nice novelty when taking photos of a nice dish of food or a flower that catches my eye on a walk. The 10megapixel 3x telephoto camera is a star once again. It’s great at capturing portraits or mid-range photos of a subject. Sure, Samsung’s lens still can’t outpace ones with 5x zoom, but it’s still a great option to use when taking a photo. If I had to nitpick, I don’t think the selfie camera is great in lower lighting environments or with shadows. There’s a great amount of detail in perfect lighting conditions, but the image gets a bit grainy otherwise.

Overall, though, Samsung continues to be a leader in smartphone photography when compared to the likes of Apple and Google. Adopting its best camera array, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is easy to use and gratifying for photography. If camera features are important to you, I’d argue that the cost of entry on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 can be justified by the returns the camera array offers.

Final thoughts

Although I’m still not convinced that such an emphasis on Galaxy AI and Gemini warrants annual updates, the software suite on Galaxy Z Fold 7 is snappy and takes full advantage of the improved processor and display size. I just wish we were getting more software innovation than modest improvements to AI, like the Now Brief and Now Bar being optimized for the larger screen.

Being so heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem, I’ve often flirted with the idea of jumping over to a Galaxy device. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the first that could make me abandon ship. To me, Samsung’s latest foldable has everything I’ve wanted from an Android device, making it a worthy contender for my daily driver. The exceptionally sized 8-inch AMOLED display is a major step up for multitasking and content streaming. The camera array is phenomenal to use in various settings, providing premier-level photos and videos against Apple and Google. Aside from the odd nitpick, it’s a wonder that Samsung’s $2,499 foldable is as thin as it is without compromising premier specs. And for that, it’s one of my favourite devices of the year.