Samsung is redefining what a premium phone can be in a market that’s rapidly evolving. Smartphone buyers today are faced with two types of choices: go for a reliable affordable smartphone or make a big leap into the future with a device like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7. While budget-friendly smartphones continue to attract first-time users, Samsung’s latest foldable raises the bar for innovation, productivity, and AI smarts.
We didn’t test the Galaxy Z Fold7 ourselves, but based on early hands-on impressions and reviews, it’s clear this device represents the most polished version of Samsung’s foldable vision yet.
A Refined Design That Finally Delivers
Unlike previous versions, the Samsung Z Fold7 doesn’t feel experimental anymore. It feels complete. This time, Samsung has nailed the design, slimming the device down and smoothing out the folding mechanism. The Z Fold7 now folds flat, eliminating the annoying hinge gap seen in earlier models. It’s wrapped in a polished aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass Victus, which adds to the premium feel and durability.
At 260 grams, it’s not light, but foldable users are used to the weight trade-off for getting two screens in one. For those moving from a basic phone like an affordable itel smartphone, the Z Fold7 might feel bulky, but also futuristic.
Outer and Inner Screens: Big, Bright, and Useful
The outer screen finally gets a useful size upgrade, making it much more practical for tasks like messaging, social scrolling, and replying to emails. But when unfolded, the real magic happens — a massive 7.6-inch AMOLED display with vibrant colors, 120Hz refresh rate, and smooth interactions.
Even under direct sunlight, reviewers note that the display remains bright and visible. The crease is still present, but quickly forgotten during use. The under-display camera has also improved, blending in better with the screen for a cleaner view.
Power Meets Practicality
Running on the latest Snapdragon chip and 12GB RAM, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 handles multitasking like a pro. You can easily open three apps at once, reply to messages while editing a document, or watch a video during a call — all without lag.
Samsung’s One UI takes this even further with features like the taskbar and split-screen view, offering a near-laptop experience in your pocket. While an affordable itel smartphone like the City 100 is built for everyday tasks like browsing and calling, the Z Fold7 is designed to replace multiple devices for power users.
Battery Life That Lasts
Despite packing a 4,400mAh battery, the Z Fold7 reportedly lasts a full day of heavy use. Social media, gaming, streaming, and multitasking don’t seem to drain it too quickly. However, Samsung still limits its fast charging to 25W, which feels outdated when budget brands are already offering 45W or more.
Cameras
Samsung has added a strong triple camera system to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, including a 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, and 10MP telephoto lens. It captures sharp, colorful photos in daylight, performs well in low light, and offers flagship-grade video quality.
While it won’t replace the S24 Ultra for long-range zoom, it’s still powerful enough for content creators and photo enthusiasts. On the flip side, the inner selfie camera under the display feels like a compromise, working fine for calls but not for top-tier selfies.
Smart AI Features That Actually Help
AI integration is more than a buzzword here. The Z Fold7 offers real-time call translation, AI text summarization, smart photo editing, and even voice note transcription. These aren’t just cool features, they’re genuinely useful, especially in a multi-language market like India or Nigeria.
While AI is also beginning to appear in affordable itel smartphones, the depth and polish in Samsung’s implementation is next level.
Verdict: Innovation Comes at a Price
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is a bold step forward for foldables. It fixes previous design flaws, enhances everyday usability, and makes multitasking feel natural. For professionals, creators, or tech lovers, this is one of the best premium phones you can buy — if you’re willing to pay for it.
Still, if your needs are simple and you’re more concerned about battery life, essential apps, and cost, an affordable itel smartphone like the City 100 offers fantastic value. For just ₦110,900, you get a large screen, smart AI tools, long battery life, all available at Rifugio Nigeria stores. Or check out our Samsung store for exclusive Samsung products.
So, whether you’re aiming for the future with the Galaxy Z Fold7 or sticking to what works with an itel, the market has a smartphone for every need.
Also check out our review of the Galaxy Z Flip7
Full Specifications
| Body | Dimensions | Unfolded: 158.4 x 143.2 x 4.2 mmFolded: 158.4 x 72.8 x 8.9 mm |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus Ceramic 2) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame | |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + multiple eSIM (max 2 at a time) | |
| IP48 dust and water resistant (dust > 1mm; immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min)Advanced Armor aluminum frame |
| Display | Type | Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak) |
| Size | 8.0 inches, 204.2 cm2 (~90.0% screen-to-body ratio) | |
| Resolution | 1968 x 2184 pixels (~368 ppi density) | |
| Protection | Mohs level 1 | |
| Titanium plate layer for display supportCover display:Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 26.5 inches, 1080 x 2520 pixels, 422 ppi |
| Platform | OS | Android 16, up to 7 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8750-AC Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm) | |
| CPU | Octa-core (2×4.47 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6×3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M) | |
| GPU | Adreno 830 (1200 MHz) |
| Main Camera | Triple | 200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3″, 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom12 MP, f/2.2, 120Ëš (ultrawide), 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/120/240fps (gyro-EIS), 720p@960fps (gyro-EIS), 10-bit HDR, HDR10+ |
| Selfie camera | Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 18mm (ultrawide), 1.12µmCover camera:10 MP, f/2.2, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm |
| Features | HDR | |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 3.5mm jack | No | |
| 32-bit/384kHz audioTuned by AKG |
| Comms | WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 5.4, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | |
| Positioning | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS | |
| NFC | Yes | |
| Radio | No | |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| Features | Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Samsung DeX (desktop experience support)Ultra Wideband (UWB) supportCircle to Search |
| Misc | Colors | Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow, Jet Black, Mint |
| Models | SM-F966B, SM-F966B/DS, SM-F966U, SM-F966U1 | |
| SAR | 1.24 W/kg (head) 1.36 W/kg (body) | |
| SAR EU | 1.42 W/kg (head) 1.24 W/kg (body) | |
| Price | $ 1,999.99 / € 1,599.00 / £ 1,152.30 / ₹ 160,999 |
| Our Tests | Performance | AnTuTu: 1995132 (v10)GeekBench: 9152 (v6)3DMark: 5952 (Wild Life Extreme) |
| Display | 1408 nits max brightness (measured) | |
| Loudspeaker | -28.0 LUFS (Good) | |
| Battery | Active use score 11:44h | |
| EU LABEL | Energy | Class B |
| Battery | 40:28h endurance, 2000 cycles | |
| Free fall | Class A (210 falls) | |
| Repairability | Class C |
