Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 makes the Fold 6 look ancient
Until now, that is. Thanks to a tech-focused Korean YouTube channel, we now have our first look at a realistic dummy of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 next to a Fold 6. And, let me tell you, the Fold 6 looks positively ancient compared to its successor.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 dummy hands-on
A look at a dummy unit of the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7. | Video credit — The Sinza
Samsung has made strides in foldable innovation, relatively speaking, and the Fold 7 is both larger and slimmer than the Fold 6. It’s hard to believe that this happened in just one generation leap, but the Fold 7 is only 4.5 mm thin when unfolded, compared to the Fold 6 which measures at 5.6 mm. To put that into perspective, the Galaxy S25 Edge is 5.8 mm thick, and that’s a phone whose main selling point is its slim form factor.
Galaxy Z Fold 7 looks like a worthy upgrade to the Fold 6. | Image credit — The Sinza
When folded, the Fold 7 measures at 9 mm, compared to the 12.1 mm of the Fold 6. The Fold 7 will also have a main display of around 8.2 inches, while the Fold 6 was 7.6 inches across. Samsung has also promised the “lightest” Galaxy foldable smartphone yet, so it’s confirmed that the Fold 7 will weigh less than its predecessor.Lastly, the dummy unit also shows off what the punch hole camera will look like on the main display. Samsung is ditching the under-display camera and instead replacing it with a traditional punch hole on the Fold 7, possibly to improve photo quality. That might not be the most popular change, but hopefully Samsung will go back to an under-display camera in 2027.
Fold 7 is almost identical to the Fold 6 SE
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE. | Image credit — Flossy Carter
There was a special model of the Fold 6, called the Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE, that saw a very limited release. It was mostly made to compete against domestic offerings in the Chinese market, which had left the traditional Fold 6 behind in terms of hardware. What’s curious is that the Fold 7 resembles the Fold 6 SE quite heavily.
For starters, the display is the same size as the Fold 6 SE. However, due to ever so slightly thinner bezels, you’ll get around 0.2 mm more screen real estate. Hardly noticeable, despite being a big jump from the base model Fold 6. Furthermore, the aforementioned punch hole replacement for the under-display camera on the main screen was also first seen on the Fold 6 SE. Even the thickness is only marginally better: the Fold 6 SE was 4.9 mm and 10.6 mm when folded and unfolded respectively.
Naturally, the Fold 7 will be powered by the latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, the same processor that is found across the entire Galaxy S25 series. However, for people who were able to purchase a Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE, the Fold 7 will not be a noticeable upgrade, as far as I can tell.
One giant leap for Samsung
Compared to alternatives like the Oppo Find N5, the Fold 6 looks very outdated and bulky. The Fold 7 is Samsung’s way of catching up with the competition in more than one aspect. If you want the seven years of software support that Samsung provides, and are okay with sacrificing a negligible amount of slimness, then the Fold 7 is for you. I think this will easily be one of the best foldables of 2025.
For a smaller device, you can opt for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 instead. It may be powered by the Exynos 2500 in some markets, however, so that might be a dealbreaker for you. And, if you’ve always wanted to try out foldables but considered them too expensive, you’ll have the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE.
After years of rumors, it’s looking more and more likely that an FE Galaxy foldable is going to be a reality this year. Or, you might just want to wait till next year for the foldable iPhone to come out, barring any unforeseen complications. Though I’d wager that Apple’s take on a foldable is going to cost a pretty penny.
