Samsung Galaxy Flip 7 and Flip 7 FE hands-on: One's a powerhouse, one's recycled

As someone who prefers the larger book-style foldable phones, I just haven't been all that interested in the more compact flip phones that are seemingly more popular than ever. In the week leading up to Unpacked and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 unveiling, I spent some time with the Galaxy Z Flip 6, so I wasn't coming into it with no reference point.

After going hands-on with the Flip 7, my immediate impressions were surprisingly more positive than I expected. Despite only using the Flip 6 for about a week, the Flip 7 seems like a massive upgrade.

It's all about the FlexWindow

The most obvious reason why I feel this way has to do with the FlexWindow, which is getting supercharged. The screen itself is much larger, as it now wraps around the dual cameras that are still found in the bottom right corner, similar to the Razr Ultra 2025. We also have a bunch of new AI features, with the most notable being the ability to access Gemini and Gemini Live without opening the phone.

Not only that, but like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung is bringing the Now Bar and Now Brief features from the Galaxy S25 Ultra to the Flip 7 with One UI 8. And there's even a Now Brief button that appears in the opposite corner of the dual cameras. Samsung also explained that while the Now Bar works with Google and Samsung apps, it's working with partners to bring even more apps into the mix.

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Customization is just another layer that Samsung is improving, with things like auto-curated wallpapers. And if you're tired of the clock widget hiding the face of a loved one on the FlexWindow, it's been updated to adapt and fit around the subject. I can't really help but feel like Samsung took a page from Apple and iOS 26, but it's still a welcome addition.

The last thing that I want to mention about the FlexWindow isn't all that great. Samsung spent a lot of time talking about all of the functionality being added, which is wonderful, but you still can't use any app without Good Lock and MultiStar.

I'm genuinely curious and confused as to why Samsung didn't make this one of the defining features of the Flip 7. It would've been the best time to do so, given the expanded cover screen. And while the other new features are more than welcome, it just feels like a missed opportunity.

Exynos replaces Snapdragon

Of course, the FlexWindow isn't the only attraction of the Flip 7, as the main display has also been improved. It sports a 6.9-inch Dynamic 2X AMOLED panel, with Samsung opting to make it a bit wider than the Flip 6, with the company pointing out that the Flip 7 is almost as wide as the Galaxy S25 Plus.

While the upgrades are definitely welcome, I was pretty surprised to learn that the Flip 7 will not be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. Instead, we have the Exynos 2500, which is Samsung's first 3nm SoC and was only announced a few weeks ago. Performance shouldn't take too much of a hit, as the Flip 7 recently appeared on Geekbench with scores that put it on the same level as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

However, we weren't told the reason for the change, but we can surmise that it might have something to do with the heat generated by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. This is kind of funny, as I noticed at one or two units that were noticeably warm to the touch despite nothing intensive being done with the devices.

On the flip side, as someone who's a big proponent of desktop-like experience on phones, I'm ecstatic to see that Samsung DeX is available on the Galaxy Z Flip for the first time. I wouldn't be surprised if this has something to do with Google adding Desktop Mode in Android 16, but frankly, the reason doesn't matter. It's just cool seeing Samsung get DeX Mode into the hands of more and more people.

One more thing...

Samsung had "one more thing" to show off, and it wasn't the rumored G Fold. Instead, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE was introduced, coming as little surprise to many of us in the audience who already had a pretty good idea this would be added to the lineup.

There's really not all that much to cover here, as the Flip 7 FE is basically the Galaxy Z Flip 6 with a lower price and a different processor. Speaking of which, the Z Flip 7 FE is powered by the Exynos 2400. This is the same SoC that powered the European variants of the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus.

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From there, you'll still get many, if not all, of the same Galaxy AI features on the FlexWindow, along with a 50MP primary wide-angle lens paired with a 12MP ultra-wide. Besides that, you can head over to your local big box or carrier store and check out the Z Flip 6 to get an idea of what the Flip 7 FE feels like.

Impressive, but not enough to sway me

Like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, it feels like the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is going to make a lot of people happy. With strong competition from Motorola and its Razr Ultra, Samsung had to go big or go home, and it definitely went big.

Although I'm not the demographic for a phone like this, I still understand and appreciate the appeal. And I would be lying if I said that I didn't think about trying to pick up the Flip 7 for myself once it launches just to see what the hubbub is really all about.

Nevertheless, I'll probably reserve any final decisions until Derrek Lee, AC's Managing Editor, renders his verdict about the Flip 7. If anything, I have to give Samsung its due for at least making me a bit intrigued about what these flip phones have to offer.