I went hands-on with Samsung’s Z Flip 7 FE, and it left me with more questions than answers

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is a big upgrade over its predecessor. It features an edge-to-edge cover-screen display, a bigger battery, and more polished AI features. It retains the $1,099 price tag, but Samsung needed a flip phone under $1,000 to address the increasing competition from Motorola Razr. Enter the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE.

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The new entrant in Samsung’s flip lineup isn’t as affordable as the Motorola Razr, nor does it share many of the upgrades from the Galaxy Z Flip 7. However, at $900, it is the only Samsung foldable phone available under a thousand bucks. It retains many of the Galaxy Z Flip 6’s features and pairs them with the smarts of Android 16-based One UI 8.

I went hands-on with the new flip phone at Galaxy Unpacked. While I appreciate Samsung for adding a more affordable Flip to the lineup, it might have missed the mark with pricing.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE looks a generation-old

I tried both the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Flip 7 FE, and the latter was thicker and felt heavier, despite weighing one gram less than the Flip 7. Samsung hasn’t released any details on the hinge, but in my experience, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE doesn’t take advantage of any of the latest-gen hardware upgrades.

The hinge is tight and solid, but it isn’t as smooth as the Flip 7. As a result, the crease is also deeper than that of its new sibling.

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Apart from the hinge, one of the key differences between the two new Galaxy Z Flip phones is the cover-screen design. The Flip 7 now offers a Motorola Razr-like full-screen display, whereas the Z Flip 7 FE features the Flip 6 look, with limited space from a 3.4-inch AMOLED panel on the cover screen.

It is good for glanceable information, but might not be great for quick replies or running apps. The Flip 7’s back has a glossy finish instead of a matte one.

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE sports a 6.7-inch main display with thicker bezels than the Flip 7. It sports a 50MP primary camera alongside a 12MP ultrawide-angle sensor.

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You can use them in Flex Mode to capture good-looking selfies without opening the device. It packs a 4,000 mAh battery, which I expect to last all day. It is powered by the in-house Exynos 2400 chipset, paired with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB or 256 GB of storage.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE scores a few points in design, nonetheless. It is rated IP48 for dust and water resistance, and is covered by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection.

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The biggest advantage of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE isn’t its hardware or price

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7’s biggest advantage is its software. It runs Android 16-based One UI 8 out of the box and thus gets many of the same Galaxy AI features as its more expensive Z-series siblings.

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For instance, it supports Now Brief for helpful updates, including weather, daily schedules, and commute alerts on the cover screen. Samsung says the Now Brief layout is “optimized for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE’s compact form factor.”

It edges out the Motorola Razr in terms of OS fluidness and software support. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is like a Galaxy Z Flip 6 for cheaper, but with upgraded software support. It would have been a fantastic deal for around $750 to $800, but the $900 price tag puts it $200 above the cheapest Razr 2025 model.

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I’m looking forward to using it in the coming weeks before landing on a verdict. However, the Motorola phone might deliver better value for money, but this Samsung flip phone could last you longer.
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