It is January 2026. For years, Samsung was the “bulky uncle” of the foldable world. While Chinese rivals like Honor and Vivo were making paper-thin foldables, Samsung gave us bricks.
With the Galaxy Z Fold 7, that changes.
Samsung has finally put the Fold on a diet. It is now 8.9mm thin (folded) and weighs just 215g. It feels like a normal S26 Ultra in your pocket. But in 2026, thinness isn’t enough. With the OnePlus Open 2 offering better cameras and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold dominating AI, is the ₹1.65 Lakh price tag justified?
I swapped my daily driver for the Fold 7 (Silver Shadow) for 3 weeks. Here is the unfiltered truth.
1. QUICK SPECS TABLE: The Numbers
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Specifications |
| Inner Display | 8.0-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1-120Hz, 2600 Nits |
| Cover Display | 6.5-inch (Wider Aspect Ratio), 120Hz LTPO |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3nm) |
| RAM/Storage | 12GB/16GB LPDDR5X |
| Main Camera | 200MP (Isocell HP2) + 12MP (UW) + 10MP (3x Tele) |
| Battery | 4400 mAh (The weak link?) |
| Charging | 25W Wired (Still?!) + 15W Wireless |
| IP Rating | IP48 (Water Resistant + Dust Resistant) |
| Price | Starts ₹1,64,999 |
2. DESIGN & BUILD: Finally, A Normal Phone
The moment you pick it up, you realize this isn’t the Fold 6.
- The Hinge: The new “Armor Flex Hinge” is invisible. There is virtually zero gap when folded. It feels stiff, reassuring, and can hold any angle between 75° and 115° (Flex Mode).
- The Aspect Ratio: The cover screen is no longer a TV remote. It’s a comfortable 6.5-inch panel that feels just like a standard Galaxy S25. You can type on it without making typos.
- Durability: Samsung claims IP48. This means it can survive a dunk in the pool AND (finally) resists dust particles larger than 1mm. No more “crunchy hinge” anxiety at the beach.
3. DISPLAY: 2600 Nits of HDR Glory
- The Crease: Is it gone? No. Is it better? Yes. It’s roughly 30% shallower than the Fold 6. You won’t see it when watching YouTube, but you will feel it when swiping.
- Brightness: The peak brightness of 2600 nits is blinding. I used it under direct sunlight in Mumbai traffic, and Google Maps was perfectly legible.
- S-Pen: It still supports the S-Pen (Fold Edition), but there is no slot inside the phone. You still need that bulky case to carry it. In 2026, this is annoying.
4. PERFORMANCE & MULTITASKING: The Productivity Monster
The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy is overkill for Instagram, but perfect for power users.
- App Pairs: I have a setup called “Work” -> Slack (Left), Chrome (Right), Spotify (Floating). One tap, and my office is ready.
- Gaming: Genshin Impact runs at 60fps High without throttling. The larger vapor chamber keeps the phone cool (42°C peak), unlike the toaster-like Fold 5.
- Galaxy AI: The new “Live Translate” works in real-time during WhatsApp calls (not just regular calls). The “Circle to Search” on the massive 8-inch screen feels like magic.
5. CAMERA: 200MP comes to the Fold
Finally, Samsung stopped treating Fold users like second-class citizens. The Fold 7 borrows the main sensor from the S25 Ultra.
- Main Camera (200MP): Detail is incredible. You can crop into a photo 4x and still have a usable shot. The shutter lag is significantly reduced compared to the Fold 6.
- Telephoto (3x Only): This is where it loses to the competition. The OnePlus Open 2 has a 6x Periscope. The Fold 7 is stuck with a measly 3x optical zoom. At 30x digital zoom, the AI tries hard, but the image looks like an oil painting.
- Under Display Camera (UDC): The inner selfie camera (4MP) is still trash. It’s fine for Zoom calls, but please don’t take selfies with it. Use the cover camera.
6. BATTERY: The Achilles Heel
Here is the bad news. While Vivo and OnePlus are packing 5500mAh+ Silicon Carbon batteries, Samsung stuck with 4400 mAh.
- Real World Test:
- 7:00 AM: Unplug (100%)
- Usage: 3 hours inner screen (work), 2 hours cover screen (maps/social), Bluetooth on.
- 5:00 PM: 15% Battery Left.
- The Verdict: You will need a power bank by evening if you are a heavy user.
- Charging: It still charges at 25W. In 2026, waiting 85 minutes for a full charge is insulting when the OnePlus Open 2 charges in 35 minutes.
7. THE COMPETITION: Fold 7 vs The World
We compared the Z Fold 7 against its fiercest 2026 rivals.
| Feature | Samsung Z Fold 7 | OnePlus Open 2 | Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold |
| Price | ₹1,64,999 | ₹1,39,999 | ₹1,72,000 |
| Thickness | 8.9mm | 8.5mm (Winner) | 9.1mm |
| Battery | 4400 mAh | 5700 mAh (Winner) | 4800 mAh |
| Charging | 25W (Slow) | 67W (Fast) | 30W |
| Camera | 200MP Main | Hasselblad Tri-Main | AI Magic |
| Software | OneUI (Best Multitasking) | OxygenOS (Clean) | Pixel UI (Smartest) |
| Updates | 7 Years | 4 Years | 7 Years |
The Comparison Verdict:
- Winner for Hardware: OnePlus Open 2. Better battery, faster charging, better zoom, cheaper price.
- Winner for Software: Samsung Z Fold 7. OneUI is simply the most mature platform for foldables. The taskbar and window management are unmatched.
- Winner for AI: Pixel 10 Pro Fold. If you want the phone to book appointments for you, get the Pixel.
8. FINAL VERDICT: The “Safe” Choice
Rating: 4.2/5 Stars
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the iPhone of foldables. It is polished, reliable, durable, and has the best software. But it is also boring. It refuses to innovate on battery or charging speed.
Read More : Apple iPhone Fold
Buy it if:
- You live in the Ecosystem: You have a Galaxy Watch, Buds, and Tab.
- You need Multitasking: No other phone handles 3 apps on screen as smoothly as OneUI.
- Resale Value Matters: Samsung Folds hold value better than OnePlus or Vivo in India.
Skip it if:
- You hate slow charging: 25W in 2026 is painful.
- You want the best Zoom: The 3x lens is outdated; get the Vivo X Fold 5 or OnePlus Open 2 for 6x/10x zoom.
- You are on a budget: At ₹1.65 Lakh, it is expensive for hardware that isn’t class-leading.
9. FAQs (People Also Ask)
Q: Does the Galaxy Z Fold 7 have an S-Pen slot?
A: No. Despite the rumors, there is no built-in slot. You have to buy the “Slim S-Pen Case” separately to carry the stylus.
Q: Is the crease visible?
A: Yes, but only at extreme angles. When looking directly at the screen, it disappears. It is much better than the Fold 5 or 6.
Q: Does it come with a charger in the box?
A: No. You only get a USB-C cable. You need to buy a 25W (or higher) adapter separately.
Q: Is the cover screen wide enough now?
A: Yes! The aspect ratio is now similar to a standard phone (21:9), making typing and using apps like Instagram much more comfortable than the narrow “remote control” screens of the past.
Q: How many updates will it get?
A: Samsung promises 7 Years of OS and Security Updates, meaning this phone will be supported until Android 23 (2033).