The new Galaxy clamshell
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is here, with a redesigned edge-to-edge cover screen in tow. It's also sporting an Exynos 2500 chipset, a slimmer profile, and software improvements. Plus, it keeps the same starting price.
Pros
- Larger cover screen with a snappier 120Hz refresh rate
- Improved battery life
- Still IP48 water and dust-resistant
- Android 16 out of the box with 7 OS updates
Cons
- Same old cameras
- Stale charging specs
- Still an iterative upgrade
The older model
While the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 brought iterative upgrades to the crowd favorite Flip 5, it is a better value now that it's older and cheaper. The battery life and photography are better than the Flip 5, although the charging specs remain unchanged. The IP48 rating is robust for a foldable and the Snapdragon processor is pretty powerful.
Pros
- New and improved cameras compared to last-gen
- Improved battery life over Flip 5
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 delivers impressive performance
- IP48 water and dust-resistant
- Android 14 out of the box with 7 OS updates
Cons
- Unchanged charging specs for a while
- Very iterative upgrade
Samsung didn't think outside the box with the Galaxy Z Flip 6, bringing fairly minor upgrades to the popular foldable. With the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, there are more significant upgrades, but also much of the same. A bigger cover screen and slimmer design represent some of the key changes, and stalling performance and camera updates are a few holdovers.
More importantly, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 leaves Qualcomm behind in favor of Samsung's own Exynos 2500 processor. For people who prefer Snapdragon over Exynos, that makes things complicated. There is enough overlap to make both the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 attractive to the right kind of person, so which should you buy? Let's find out.
For more news and information on Samsung’s latest foldables, check out our Ultimate Guide.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 6: Display and design
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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 features much slimmer bezels and larger displays, both internally and externally, making for a fresh look overall. The outer cover screen is significantly larger, expanding from the 3.4-inch AMOLED display on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 to a 4.1-inch AMOLED screen. Additionally, the screen refresh got a significant boost, increasing from 60Hz to a buttery smooth 120Hz.
The main screen got a bump too, growing to become a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel. That replaces the older 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X LTPO display on the older Galaxy Z Flip 6. Aside from the display and size changes, the overall form factor of the two foldable generations is quite similar between models. Both have a rectangular, boxy design with slight chamfered edges.
The big difference between the two models is their thickness and weight. The newer Galaxy Z Flip 7 measures 85.5 x 75.2 x 13.7 mm when folded, and weighs only 188 grams. That's slightly heavier than the Galaxy Z Flip 6, but much thinner. When unfolded, you'll notice the bigger inner screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 compared to the older Galaxy Z Flip 6.
Both phones are durable, supporting IP48 certification against dust and water ingress. They also feature Armor Aluminum side rails and a durable FlexHinge that keeps a low profile.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 6: Hardware and specs
Performance is could the highlight of the Galaxy Z Flip 7, but we'll have to run our own tests to know for sure, because Samsung is making a big change. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 opts for the Exynos 2500 processor instead of the industry-leading Snapdragon 8 Elite. Despite the apparent downgrade, Samsung claims this 3nm chip provides more power than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor inside the older Galaxy Z Flip 6.
An Exynos processor paired with a larger battery capacity could make the Galaxy Z Flip 7 the longest-lasting Galaxy clamshell foldable yet. This phone includes a 4,300mAh battery, replacing the Galaxy Z Flip 6's 4,000mAh cell. This, paired with the more efficient display and processor, should result in a markedly improved uptime compared to the Galaxy Z Flip 6.
Category | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 |
|---|---|---|
Display | 6.9-inch, 2520 x 1080, FHD+, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, LTPO (1-120Hz) | 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x, LTPO (1-120Hz), 2640 x 1080 resolution, 22:9 aspect ratio, 2600 nits |
Cover display | 4.1-inch Super AMOLED, 60/120Hz, 948 x 1048 | 3.4-inch AMOLED, 60Hz, 720 x 748, 306 ppi |
Operating System | Android 16 (One UI 8) | Android 14 (One UI 6.1.1), upgradable to Android 15 |
Chipset | Samsung Exynos 2500 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy |
RAM | 12GB | 12GB |
Storage | 256GB, 512GB | 256GB, 512GB |
Rear Camera 1 | 50MP, f/1.8 wide | 50MP wide, f1.8, 1.0μm, Dual Pixel AF, OIS, 85˚ |
Rear Camera 2 | 12MP, f/2.2 ultrawide | 12MP ultrawide, f2.2, 1.12μm, 123˚ |
Front-facing Camera | 10MP, f/2.2 wide | 10MP wide, f2.2, 1.22μm, 85˚ |
Battery | 4,300mAh | 4,000mAh |
Charging | 25W wired charging, 10W wireless charging, 4.5W reverse wireless charging | 25W wired charging, 15W fast wireless charging 2.0, 4.5W reverse wireless charging |
Connectivity | 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC | 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC |
Weight | 188g | 187g |
Dimensions (folded) | 85.5 x 75.2 x 13.7 mm | 71.9 x 85.1 x 14.9mm |
Dimensions (unfolded) | 166.7 x 752.2 x 6.2 mm | 71.9 x 165.1 x 6.9mm |
Protection | IP48, Armor Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (cover display, rear panel), PET screen protector (inner display) | IP48, Armor Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (cover display, rear panel), PET screen protector (inner display) |
The software improvements continue, as the Galaxy Z Flip 7 starts off with One UI 8, based on Android 16. It's the first set of Galaxy foldables to launch with the newest Android version. In fact, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is part of the first Android phones to run Android 16 out of the box.
Naturally, all the Galaxy AI goodies featured on the Galaxy S25 series will make their way to the Galaxy Z Flip 7 as well. There are some unique tricks too, like Gemini Live with camera support on the Flex Window cover screen.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 6: Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 finally bumped the primary camera of Samsung's more stylish foldable lineup. Unfortunately, there are no camera upgrades for the Galaxy Z Flip 7. That said, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 produces very respectable images with impressive zoom quality and color reproduction. It's not the best, but it definitely gets the job done.
Therefore, we have identical cameras on the Galaxy Z Flip 7, with the primary sensors being 50MP wide and 12MP ultrawide cameras. The front facing camera is still the same 10MP, f/2.2 lens as well. Any camera quality improvements to hit the Galaxy Z Flip 7 will likely result from software tweaks as a result.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 6: Which one should you buy?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 probably doesn't bring enough to the table to warrant an upgrade if you own a Galaxy Z Flip 6 already. The cameras and charging speed are the same, and it's unclear whether the Exynos 2500 chip is an upgrade or a downgrade. The larger screens and Samsung DeX support probably aren't enough to sway Galaxy Z Flip 6 owners.
If you're not a Galaxy Z Flip 6 owner, though, getting the latest version of Android out of the box, along with tons of fun AI features and the promise of seven years of OS and security updates, is reason enough to buy the Flip 7.
A minor upgrade
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 features an edge-to-edge cover screen, but that's about where the major upgrades end. If you already own a Galaxy Z Flip phone, there probably isn't a huge reason to buy the newer model, especially if you're a Snapdragon fan.
A cheaper option
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 goes on sale so frequently now that the Flip 7 is here. It's an excellent foldable phone with six more years of software updates left. That, coupled with the reliable hardware, is good enough to make you buy the Flip 6 now — with a healthy discount of course!
