Galaxy Z Fold 7: Flagship Face-Off

Samsung's Flagship Phones Battle for Dominance

Samsung currently offers two of its most expensive and technologically advanced smartphones: the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the S25 Ultra. For consumers navigating these high-end options, understanding their distinct advantages and compromises is crucial. While previous generations saw a clear distinction between the foldable and slab form factors, the Fold 7's significant design refinements, including a new cover display aspect ratio, reduced weight, and thinner profile, now make a direct comparison more relevant than ever. This article breaks down the key features, performance, and value propositions of each device, providing clarity for those deciding between these premium offerings.

Design & Portability: The Evolving Fold

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 marks a substantial leap in portability, challenging the conventional slab phone's convenience. Previously, Galaxy Folds were often considered heavy and bulky, making them less ideal for active users. However, the Fold 7 is now "a tiny bit lighter than the S25 Ultra," and its thickness when folded is "really, really comparable" to its slab counterpart. This means users can now carry a device that functions as both a phone and a tablet, yet feels "virtually identical to a regular phone" in the pocket. When unfolded, the Fold 7 is considerably thinner than the S25 Ultra, offering a sleek, expansive display.

Display & Multitasking: A Productivity Powerhouse

The most prominent advantage of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is its expansive inner screen, which is comparable in size to an iPad Mini. This large display significantly enhances entertainment, video watching, reading, browsing, and even productivity tasks like editing videos or viewing spreadsheets. The Fold 7 supports a "laptop setup" when paired with a Bluetooth keyboard, transforming into a portable workstation. Its "laptop mode" allows for videos on one half and controls on the other, proving useful for casual viewing. Moreover, the Fold 7's optimized aspect ratio facilitates multitasking, enabling two "fully optimized apps side by side" or multiple "pop-up multitasking" windows. This capability allows users to accomplish more in less time, whether for work—such as managing Slack and email simultaneously—or for personal use like watching YouTube alongside a social media feed.

Camera Capabilities: Zooming Ahead

Both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the S25 Ultra offer excellent camera performance, sharing "identical main sensors" for their primary lenses, resulting in "virtually identical" shots from 1x to 3x zoom. However, the S25 Ultra decisively wins in zoom capabilities beyond 3x, thanks to its Periscope 5x optical lens. This feature allows the Ultra to deliver "much cleaner images with less noise" from 5x to 10x, significantly outperforming the Fold 7's 3x telephoto lens. Additionally, the S25 Ultra features better macro photography and slightly superior dynamic range in its ultrawide lens. The Fold 7, on the other hand, utilizes its cover display as a convenient viewfinder for vlogging with its ultrawide-angle lens, and its inner selfie camera is noted for its wide angle, suitable for vlogging while stationary.

Performance & Durability: Ultra's Edge

While both phones are equipped with the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, providing similar day-to-day performance, the S25 Ultra holds an edge in sustained performance. The Fold 7's thinner, tighter form factor leads to "more throttling in terms of performance" and it reportedly lacks the vapor chamber cooling found in the S25 Ultra. This gives the Ultra "slightly higher peaks in terms of gaming" and better sustained performance. In terms of durability, the S25 Ultra boasts an IP68 rating, offering superior protection against dust and water compared to the Fold 7's IP48 rating. The S25 Ultra's "simpler device" design means there's no soft inner screen to worry about, reducing complexity and potential damage concerns. Furthermore, the S25 Ultra features a "faster and way more responsive" ultrasonic fingerprint reader on the screen, which some users find more convenient than the Fold 7's physical side-mounted reader. As a more "mature category phone," the S25 Ultra also benefits from a wider array of accessories and cases, and avoids the "weird app scaling" issues that some developers haven't optimized for foldable screens.

Battery & Charging: Surprising Similarities & Clear Differences

Despite the S25 Ultra housing a larger 5,000 mAh battery compared to the Fold 7's 4,400 mAh, their real-world battery life is "surprisingly really, really similar". The S25 Ultra offers slightly more screen-on time at approximately 6.5 hours versus the Fold 7's 6 hours. However, the Fold 7's multitasking efficiency allows users to "get more done in a shorter amount of time," often balancing the perceived difference in battery longevity. Where the S25 Ultra truly wins is in charging speed, peaking at 45 watts, enabling a full charge in under an hour. The Fold 7, by contrast, peaks at a slower 25 watts, taking about 1.5 hours for a full charge—a point noted as "not great" for a $2,000 phone.

Software & Value: The Total Package

From a software perspective, both devices offer a "tie in terms of the software experience," running the latest version of One UI. They share advanced features like Galaxy AI, edge panels, modes, routines, a customizable camera app, Samsung Dex, experimental features via HomeUp, and a commendable 7 years of OS and security updates. While the Fold 7 leverages its larger screen for expanded functionality, the core software experience remains consistent. However, the S25 Ultra presents a clear value proposition, being $700 cheaper than the Fold 7, starting at $1,300 MSRP compared to the Fold 7's $2,000 MSRP. This price difference means one could potentially purchase an S25 Ultra and an iPad Mini or iPad Air for similar functionality to a single Fold 7. Ultimately, the S25 Ultra is considered a "better all-around product" due to its maturity and superior performance in several individual areas. The Fold 7, however, offers a "much more dynamic phone experience" for those who prioritize multitasking, vlogging, and productivity, and prefer carrying a single device over a phone and a tablet separately.

FAQs

• Q: What are the main price differences between the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and S25 Ultra? A: The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 starts at $2,000 MSRP, while the S25 Ultra is considerably cheaper, starting at $1,300 MSRP. This $700 difference allows for potentially purchasing an S25 Ultra and a separate tablet for the same cost as a Fold 7.

• Q: Which phone offers superior camera zoom capabilities? A: The S25 Ultra wins hands down in zoom quality, thanks to its Periscope 5x optical lens. It significantly outperforms the Fold 7's 3x telephoto lens from 5x to 10x, providing much cleaner images with less noise.

• Q: Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 more portable than previous models? A: Yes, the Fold 7 has been significantly improved in terms of weight and thinness, making it feel "virtually identical to a regular phone". Its thickness when folded is comparable to the S25 Ultra, offering a phone-plus-tablet experience in a similar form factor.

• Q: How do the battery lives of the Z Fold 7 and S25 Ultra compare? A: Despite the S25 Ultra having a larger 5,000 mAh battery compared to the Fold 7's 4,400 mAh, their real-world battery life is surprisingly similar. The S25 Ultra offers about 6.5 hours of screen-on time, while the Fold 7 achieves around 6 hours, often balanced by its multitasking efficiency.

• Q: What are the key advantages of the S25 Ultra's design and features? A: The S25 Ultra is a simpler, more mature slab phone with an IP68 durability rating, offering peace of mind against dust and water. It also boasts a faster ultrasonic fingerprint reader, more accessory availability, and avoids app scaling issues.