Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE overview: Solid however complicated

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is Samsung’s first try at creating a extra reasonably priced turn telephone, following Motorola’s established playbook with its entry-level merchandise just like the Razr 2025.

As the tale is going, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is designed for price-conscious shoppers and gives a pared-down model of final 12 months’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 — and this 12 months’s flagship Galaxy Z Flip 7 — at a 30% saving.

This sounds interesting, except for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 continues to be broadly to be had at a reduced fee from lots of the identical reasonably priced outlets and carriers that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is destined for.

Despite this complicated marketplace positioning, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is a forged telephone that excels in numerous spaces, but it surely lacks one of the vital soul that makes turn telephones really feel particular. Much of that is associated with the design, a space the place the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE struggles towards its leader rival in america.

It’s highest if you wish to have a no-frills turn telephone, but when you wish to have a telephone that elicits emotion, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE falls brief. At a cheaper price than at release, it may well be an implausible deal, so long as the Flip 6 isn’t additionally discounted.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE: Price and availability

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE begins at $899.99 for the 128GB model, with the 256GB garage variant costing $60 extra. However, on the time of writing, Samsung is recently nonetheless operating its pre-order promotion, discounting the 256GB model to a cheaper price.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is to be had in simply two colours — Black and White. Unlike the Flip 6, there aren’t any further colour choices, nor any colours unique to Samsung’s direct gross sales channels like its on-line and bodily shops.

The premise of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is that it’s reasonably priced sufficient for MVNOs to provide it without cost, or just about it. So some distance, Boost Mobile is the one one to take action, with the service providing as much as $899 off the handset fee with an infinite knowledge plan from $65 monthly. The highest section? There’s no trade-in requirement. As for the primary carriers, you gained’t to find the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE there. Instead, those carriers are specializing in offering the most productive Galaxy Z Flip 7 offers.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE: Design & show

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• The identical folder-like design because the Galaxy Z Flip 6
• Refined and polished in-hand revel in
• Lack of colours makes it really feel no longer very attention-grabbing

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If you’ve attempted a contemporary Samsung turn telephone, you’ll to find the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE in an instant acquainted as it’s just about just like the Galaxy Z Flip 6. It’s a refined folding telephone revel in, although I to find the entrance display restricting (extra on that underneath).

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE has the similar weight and measurements because the Flip 6, however it is thinner and lighter than the Razr 2025, which is wider, thicker, and heavier — but the textured end at the latter makes it extra relaxed to carry within the hand.

The squared design is not essentially the most pleasant within the hand, and it may be uncomfortable in sure positions to grip the telephone for a very long time. That stated, it’s a vital design to allow the other flex modes. The hinge is implausible and lets you stay the telephone open throughout a extensive vary of levels, and just like the Flip 6, there is various nifty instrument tips to optimize the revel in on this mode.

Unfolded, the primary show is identical 6.7-inch show discovered at the Galaxy Z Flip 6, whole with a 120Hz refresh price, HDR10+ toughen, and as much as 2,600 nits of top brightness. While the crease is extra pronounced than at the Flip 7, it’s nonetheless a very good all-around show.

The quilt show measures 3.4 inches with a folder-like design, a 60Hz refresh price, and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 coverage. It’s the similar because the Flip 6, except for this 12 months’s fashion is considerably brighter at 2,600 nits of top brightness. Like maximum turn telephones, you’ll be able to additionally use the quilt show as a viewfinder to take selfies the use of the primary cameras. That stated, the bigger quilt show at the Galaxy Z Flip 7 makes the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE really feel dated.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE design is as sturdy because the Flip 6 final 12 months, however whilst the use of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, I’ve found out that one thing is lacking. It’s taken me weeks to pinpoint it: it is missing persona.

Some of that is because of Samsung’s number of colours, or whole loss of them. I believe Samsung utterly neglected the mark right here; whilst the black and white colour choices are same old, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is going up towards the Razr 2025, which is available in a number of colours, together with a good looking inexperienced colorway.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE: Hardware and specifications

• Mostly-flagship specifications sheet very similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 6
• Notable adjustments in processor from Qualcomm to last-gen Exynos 2400
• Only 8GB of RAM limits its functions

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Much just like the design, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE has just about equivalent specifications to the Galaxy Z Flip 6, except for for one key package deal: the processor and RAM.

Whereas Qualcomm has powered nearly all of Samsung’s foldables, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE ditches Qualcomm in prefer of Samsung’s personal Exynos 2400 processor. Samsung is the use of the similar 4nm fab procedure used to create the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 within the Flip 6, however that was once Qualcomm’s flagship processor on the time, and the Exynos is a step underneath.

In day by day utilization, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE’s efficiency is most commonly applicable, however there is a noticeable lag in comparison to the most productive Android telephones at this fee. The RAM might also reason this, as Samsung has paired this processor with simply 8GB of RAM, a notable downgrade from the 12GB used within the Flip 6.

Look past the processor, and you’ll be able to most commonly get a flagship telephone with just about equivalent specifications to final 12 months’s flagship.

As lengthy as you are not looking for the very best efficiency, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE delivers a forged revel in. Yes, it does combat underneath heavy load, however not more so than the Razr 2025, so that is most certainly to be anticipated on this reasonable turn telephone class.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE: Cameras

• An improbable all-around digicam
• Class-leading digicam efficiency
• Some stutter led to by way of Exynos

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One house the place the lag is especially pronounced is within the digicam, with some footage dealing with noticeable delays in shooting the picture after you press the shutter button. This has led to a couple blurry photos and frustration against the telephone, however with the exception of this, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE digicam if truth be told stands proud as being among the finest on a turn telephone.

It options the similar triple digicam array because the Flip 6, that means it nonetheless boasts a flagship digicam. The digicam is a lot better than the Razr 2025, and simply as succesful because the flagship Galaxy Z Flip 7.

Like many telephones, the 50MP major digicam additionally provides 2x in-sensor cropping, in addition to 4x and 10x presets. The latter may be very succesful and outperforms Motorola’s base folding telephone. Yes, it’s no longer as succesful because the Galaxy S25 Ultra or turn telephones just like the Huawei Pura X, however it’s extra succesful than the identical dual-camera array at the ultra-thin Galaxy S25 Edge.

Given the digicam specifications are just like the Galaxy Z Flip 6, it’s no marvel that the Flip 7 FE digicam supplies necessarily the similar in real-world efficiency as smartly. Yes, the previous is quicker at processing and the latter every so often struggles when shooting a couple of footage in brief succession, however differently, it’s necessarily the similar digicam revel in.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE: Battery and charging

• Near equivalent battery lifestyles to the Galaxy Z Flip 6
• The 25W charging pace is underneath moderate
• Battery is significantly smaller than the Razr 2025

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The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE additionally options the similar battery and charging specs because the Galaxy Z Flip 6, and unsurprisingly, it has just about equivalent battery lifestyles as smartly. That manner the 4,000 mAh battery delivers the similar 4 to 6 hours of display time on a complete price as earlier years, despite the fact that total longevity has progressed quite to round 27 hours.

These specs are lovely same old among Samsung turn telephones, but it surely’s no longer fairly as simple: the Razr 2025 prices $100 much less and has a larger 4,500 mAh battery with 30W charging. It works out to be quite slower than the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, however so far as longevity is going, the Razr 2025 lasts significantly longer.

That’s to not say the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE’s battery lifestyles is dangerous; moderately, it may well be considerably progressed. The battery must be offering a complete day’s utilization for lots of consumers, however in case you are a heavy consumer, you could wish to price it sooner than the top of the day.

The 25W charging is quite sooner total than the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Flip 7. A fifteen-minute price boosts the battery to 30%, whilst a 30-minute price boosts it to 53%, an building up of four% and seven%, respectively, over the Galaxy Z Flip 6. However, it’s round 10% slower than the 30W charging at the Razr 2025. Total price time at the Flip 7 FE is 1 hour and half-hour, 8 mins sooner than the Flip 6, however over part an hour slower than the Razr 2025.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE: Software

• Excellent revel in if you spread the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE
• An extraordinarily restricting Cover Screen revel in

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Unlike Motorola, which has followed an means that treats the quilt show like a small telephone, Samsung has opted to construct a extra curated revel in with optimized widgets and panels. For some customers, that is greater than applicable, however should you’re used to the Razr revel in, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE will most probably depart you in need of.

That stated, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE advantages from the similar enhancements to Good Lock because the Flip 7, in particular that Samsung has considerably decreased the selection of steps had to allow any app to run at the Cover Display.

Despite this, it’s nonetheless extra convoluted than Motorola’s means, and whilst it’s great to look Samsung iterate and strengthen this revel in each and every 12 months, there are nonetheless a number of enhancements that I’d like to look.

If you’re questioning why any individual would purchase the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE over the Razr 2025, the instrument may but turn out to be a key reason why, as we now have discovered many causes to revel in the use of One UI 8 for the reason that beta first landed previous this 12 months. Motorola has sponsored its folding telephone with 3 years of instrument updates and 4 years of safety updates, however the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is supported by way of seven years of each updates. This manner it’ll final significantly longer than Motorola’s base folding telephone.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE: festival

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE poses a conundrum for Samsung and carriers. On one hand, it provides the most productive of the Galaxy Z Flip 6; at the different, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 continues to be broadly to be had, options the similar specs, higher colour alternatives, and is typically to be had for inexpensive. If the costs are equivalent, make a choice the Galaxy Z Flip 6 for its colours.

However, additionally it is wroth taking into account the Moto Razr 2025. This is one among my favourite telephones presently as Motorola’s way to the Cover Screen is a lot better than Samsung, being able to run any app, a bunch of optimized panels inclduing video games, and several other tips to benefit from the shape issue.

The Razr 2025 is $100 inexpensive and to be had from all primary carriers; it additionally is available in colourful colours and has higher battery and charging. The key downsides? Performance and digicam don’t seem to be as excellent as Samsung, and Motorola’s instrument dedication of 3 primary updates is not up to part Samsung’s dedication of 7.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE: Should you purchase it?

You must purchase this if…

• You desire a no-frills reasonably priced turn telephone
• You need the most productive turn telephone digicam
• You care about how lengthy your telephone shall be supported

You must no longer purchase this if…

• You need the most productive battery lifestyles
• You desire a full-featured Cover Display
• You can get the Flip 6 for a similar or identical fee

Flip telephones are supposed to elicit a sense, however the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is distinct in simply how detached I think against it. The loss of colours and dated entrance show design detracts significantly from what’s in the long run a forged turn telephone.

On one hand, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is a brilliant selection if you wish to have a no-frills, extra reasonably priced folding telephone, or if the digicam is similarly as necessary because the price range. Plus, at $300 not up to the Flip 7, it’s a compelling providing. However, it isn’t as convincing whilst you imagine the choices, such because the Galaxy Z Flip 6 or Razr 2025.

Overall, whilst the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is a relatively complicated product, it’s a forged telephone by itself however hampered by way of final 12 months’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 and the very good Galaxy Z Flip 7. Against the rising festival, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE struggles to face out although it’s a excellent, if unspectacular, folding telephone.