Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Galaxy Z Fold 5: will this summer be the time to upgrade?

Samsung’s foldables are coming in hot this summer, and while the Galaxy Z Flip 7 will likely continue to be the playful, fashion-forward option, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is where the real evolution is expected to happen.

Now, if you’re still holding on to the Galaxy Z Fold 5, you are probably still fine. That’s a piece of futuristic tech that barely feels old in 2025. But the Fold 7 may be the time when Samsung makes an effort in pushing the big-screen foldable forward.

We’re hearing about meaningful changes this time: a sleeker body, better usability, maybe even a camera that doesn’t feel like a last-gen hand-me-down. So if you’re wondering whether the Fold 7 finally makes a proper case for an upgrade, let’s break it down.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Galaxy Z Fold 5 expected differences:

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The Galaxy Z Fold 5 was lighter, flatter, and had a new hinge that finally folded flush—nice! But beyond that, it still felt… a bit chunky. The outer screen was too narrow, and that 13.4mm folded profile? Not exactly pocket-friendly, especially with its added weight.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7, though, is shaping up to be a real design refinement. Rumors point to a folded thickness of just 8.2mm. If true, we’re talking about a foldable that starts to feel like a regular phone in your hand and pocket.

We’re also expecting some screen growth. The cover display could stretch from 6.2 to 6.5 inches, and the inner screen may nudge from 7.6 to 8 inches. But the best part? The cover screen will likely get wider, not taller. That means no more typing like you’re trying to send a text on a TV remote.

Its bezels should also be thinner than the ones on the Fold 5, which are starting to get unsightly when compared to modern competitors. And yes, IP48 or better water resistance should still be there. Foldables aren’t meant to swim — but they shouldn’t fall apart in the rain either.

If you liked the displays on the Z Fold 5, you’ll probably love what’s coming on the Fold 7. We’re still expecting Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels on both the inner and outer screens, each with a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate, high resolution, and insane peak brightness—2,600 nits or more.But the real story here is shape and usability.

The cover screen getting wider means it should finally feel less claustrophobic when dual-thumb typing on it. And the inner screen may also shift slightly away from the square and more towards a widened aspect ratio, so it may be better for content consumption.

Oh and yes, we might finally get a real solution to the crease. Multiple leaks hint that Samsung may have tamed that visible dip in the middle of the display. Will it disappear completely? Probably not. But if it becomes less annoying, that’s still a win.

This is where things really start to split.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy—a great chip in 2023, still good for daily use, but already starting to show its limits in sustained performance and AI tasks. The Fold 7 will most likely be powered by the 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, which already proved its grit on the Galaxy S25 series.

Not only will this translate to faster performance, but also better battery efficiency and cooler thermals. Early whispers also suggest Samsung will keep the 12GB RAM baseline, with a possible 16GB variant if AI features demand more memory headroom, but we wouldn’t bet on the upgrade just yet.

Software-wise, the Fold 5 shipped with Android 13 and One UI 5.1. It did get an Android 15 update this year, after months of delays — hopefully that was just a snag in the path to seamless updates from Samsung.

Meanwhile, the Fold 7 should arrive with Android 15 and One UI 7 out of the box, but some rumors suggested Android 16? That’d be… an interesting turn of events.

Both devices are expected to enjoy 7 years of software support, which is fantastic for future-proofing, but again — don’t make us wait for months to get the next Android build, please. 

One of the biggest knocks on the Fold 5? The camera system. It borrowed the same 50MP main shooter, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP 3X telephoto from the Fold 4 — and while it was fine, it felt outdated for a $1,800 phone.

The Fold 7 might finally change that. Rumors suggest Samsung is packing in a new 200MP main sensor — the same monster seen in the Galaxy S25 Ultra. That would instantly leapfrog the Fold’s photography game from “pretty good” to “flagship-grade.”

Here’s where Samsung still refuses to evolve.

Both the Fold 5 and the rumored Fold 7 pack around 4,400mAh of battery — give or take a few mAh. And neither one is pushing charging boundaries. The Fold 5 capped out at 25W wired and 15W wireless, and all signs point to the Fold 7 sticking with the same setup.

In 2025, that’s going to draw some ire — especially when foldables from China are pushing 100W+ charging and 6,000mAh silicon-carbon batteries.

The only silver lining? With a newer, more efficient chip, the Fold 7 might still outlast the Fold 5 on a single charge, even with the same capacity. But don’t expect a two-day phone here.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 was reliable, refined, and very Samsung. But if you skipped it hoping for something better, the Z Fold 7 might be your reward. A sleeker design, a flagship-level camera, and a much more powerful internal setup will keep the Z Fold 7 in the game. But will it help it stay ahead?

Some long-standing weaknesses remain. Charging speed is stuck in the past, and battery innovation continues to be MIA. But for anyone holding out for the right moment to fold, this might be it.