The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Bigger Screen, Bigger Battery, But Is It Enough?

Samsung's latest foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Flip 7, brings some notable improvements, but does it do enough to stand out in the crowded tech market? Let's dive in and find out. First off, the Z Flip 7 sports a larger front display, now 4. 1 inches compared to the previous 3. 4 inches. This bigger screen is not just about size; it's also brighter, with a 120Hz refresh rate and peak brightness of 2, 600 nits. Samsung has managed to make the phone slimmer too, measuring just 6. 4mm thick when open and 13. 7mm when closed. That's a significant achievement, making it the thinnest Flip yet. The main screen has also seen an upgrade, growing from 6. 4 inches to 6. 9 inches. The aspect ratio has been adjusted to a more standard 21:9, which is great for watching videos. However, the larger size means it's still a bit of a stretch to reach the top corners with one hand. Samsung claims to have strengthened the hinge mechanism, and it does feel more robust. The crease on the display is still there, but for first-time foldable users, it's hardly noticeable. Now, let's talk cameras. The Z Flip 7 comes with the same 50-megapixel primary camera and 12MP ultra-wide lens as its predecessor. The camera performance is decent in well-lit scenes, and the Night Mode is great for low-light shots, although it can be a bit overzealous with skin tones. Video capture has been upgraded to 10-bit HDR, offering more color accuracy and detail. The software side of things is a bit of a mixed bag. The Flex Window has seen some improvements, like floating interface icons for selfies and live filter previews. Samsung has also introduced the Now Bar and Now Brief, features that were first seen in the S25 series. These additions are useful, but the lack of app support for the Flex Window is still a letdown. Battery life is where the Z Flip 7 really shines. Despite being slimmer, it packs a 4, 300mAh battery, a 300mAh increase from the previous model. This, combined with the new 3nm Exynos 2500 processor, results in a significant leap in battery life. In standard tests, the Flip 7 lasted 18. 5 hours of continuous video playback, a big jump from the 13 hours of its predecessor. However, the charging speeds are still a letdown. The Flip 7 tops out at 25W, which is the same as the previous model and feels slow compared to other phones on the market. In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is a solid improvement over its predecessor. It offers a larger, brighter display, better battery life, and some useful software additions. But the cameras are unchanged, and the Flex Window still lacks app support. Is it enough to make you switch? That depends on what you're looking for in a foldable phone.