In the foldable phone market, Samsung lives in the shadow of Motorola. Even with the Motorola Razr Ultra 2026With price increases, it will be the foldable phone of the Galaxy Z Flip 8 to win. Before you decide whether to buy the Razr Ultra 2026, the Galaxy Z Flip 8, or an older model, you might want to know how Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 It remains a year later.
I spent exactly a year with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, testing Samsung’s foldable model against the previous one. Galaxy Z Flip 6 and all the Motorola Razr 2026 line. Truth be told, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is a bit underrated. It’s easy to ridicule the foldable phone for its poor clamshell display software, but beyond that, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 features polished hardware and excellent hardware support.
It’s still going strong in 2026, and these are the things I love (and don’t love) about the Galaxy Z Flip 7 after extended use.
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Samsung’s foldable design is still better than Motorola’s
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7’s IP48 certification won’t win any awards, but overall, this is the best-built foldable you can buy in North America. It’s sturdy, with a strong hinge and a nearly wrinkle-free screen. My favorite part of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is its form factor. The foldable phone weighs just 188 grams and measures just 13.7mm when folded, which seriously undermines the Razr Ultra 2026.
I can guarantee that you’ll notice the slimmer, lighter build of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 as you live with it for months. it’s not Galaxy Z Fold 7 – flips simply have less internal space to work with, resulting in thicker builds, but it’s still impressive. More importantly, I like the rectangular shape of the Galaxy Z Flip 7. It feels polished and premium, while the curved design of the Razr Ultra 2026 feels thicker to me than it actually is.
Motorola gets credit for the stylish PANTONE colorways available across the Razr line, but I’ll take the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s cue anyway.
Galaxy Z Flip 7 cover screen software remains disappointing
The only drawback of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 that borders on disqualification is the phone’s cover screen software. It’s more limited than the Motorola Razr Ultra 2026: you need to use additional apps like MultiStar to run basic apps on the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s cover screen. The real problem is the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s Flex Window software pales in comparison to the Galaxy Z Flip 6.
You used to be able to add widgets and use full screen widgets on the cover screen. Now you have to open the phone to add widgets, and the largest widgets (with the exception of launchers) are 2×2. As such, you can see less information on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 cover screen than on the Galaxy Z Flip cover screen. I was expecting updates to improve the functionality of the cover screen, but running A user interface 8.5, it’s the same story.
If running full-screen apps on the cover screen and enjoying data-heavy widgets is important to you, unfortunately the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is not a real option. You will have to opt for a Motorola flip.
The foldable screen’s aspect ratio is almost perfect
After using the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, it’s clear that wider screens can’t be underestimated. The Galaxy Z Flip 7’s 6.9-inch foldable screen measures 68.6 millimeters wide. This makes him feel like a Galaxy S25 Edge either Galaxy S26 Plusand as a result, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is a joy to use. Foldables typically compromised the traditional smartphone experience with narrow screens and awkward aspect ratios, but the Galaxy Z Flip 7 doesn’t.
Although the software on the cover screen leaves a lot to be desired, the Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel inside is exceptional. The aspect ratio and size are two big reasons, but the 120Hz refresh rates and 2,600 nits of peak brightness are others. This is more like a flat phone that you can fold in half, rather than a foldable phone with a protective screen designed to prevent you from opening it. A year with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 taught me that flips from Samsung and Motorola can serve different audiences.
Camera sensors are mediocre, even for a foldable
The slow pace of updating Samsung smartphones is well documented, and the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s camera system is further proof. There’s a 50MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide camera, which isn’t great compared to Motorola’s dual 50MP sensors on the Razr Ultra 2026.
Yes, Motorola’s phone is a year newer and more expensive, but the brand’s latest generation Razr Ultra 2025 It also had dual 50MP rear cameras and costs less than the Galaxy Z Flip 7 today. I didn’t find the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s camera system to be terrible, but there are certainly foldable phones with better deals.
A user interface is excellent and there is long software support
It’s easy to forget that, aside from the limitations of the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s clamshell display, the foldable model comes with excellent software. One UI 8 was great out of the box and One UI 8.5 is better. Soon, the foldable phone will get a boost from One UI 9. For many people, One UI will feel smoother, cleaner, and more versatile compared to Motorola’s My UX.
The most important thing to remember is compatibility with the phone’s software. With a seven-year warranty, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 will receive updates for years to come. The Razr Ultra 2026 is supported for less than half as long, with just three guaranteed Android OS updates. Especially considering the high cost of Motorola’s foldables, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 (and the new Galaxy Z Flip 8) seem like the best deal thanks to software support.
Battery life and charging could use some work
As silicon-carbon batteries become more common in phones sold in the US, the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s battery is looking worse. It’s just a 4300mAh battery with 25W wired trickle charging, and without Qi2 magnets. Compared to the 5000mAh Razr Ultra 2026, it’s not even a competition. Although the Galaxy Z Flip 7 has a larger battery than the Galaxy Z Flip 6, I found that the battery life was about the same between generations.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7 could be old news with the arrival of the Galaxy Z Flip 8but that doesn’t mean it’s out of order. This is still a great phone that can rival Motorola’s best in some areas. It is also woefully outdated in others. However, if you already have a Galaxy Z Flip 7, there is no need to replace it yet.
still going strong
Even with the Galaxy Z Flip 8 available for pre-order, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is an attractive option. I’ve used it for a year and the design, performance and build quality are solid. Reasons to skip include poor cover screen software, average battery life, and old camera hardware.
