Samsung not too long ago unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip 7, and whereas the telephone remains to be costly — it’s going to set you again $1,100 to begin — it is matching the worth of its predecessor. That’s admirable contemplating this latest iteration of the Flip telephone sequence options a number of upgrades, together with larger screens and extra highly effective {hardware}. But the Z Flip 7 is not the one clamshell foldable Samsung is debuting this summer season. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is barely smaller and bridges the hole between the 2 generations of Flip fashions. This “fan edition” is positioned as extra of a midrange telephone, however the $900 price ticket is a considerable chunk of change — to place it into perspective, that is nonetheless $200 greater than the newest iteration of Motorola’s Razr.
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The Z Flip 7 and Z Flip 7 FE share plenty of similarities, particularly relating to Samsung’s sturdy dedication to software program assist. At the tip of the day, although, you may have a transparent choice for one design over one other — and that choice may be price throwing an additional $200 at.If you do not have the time to dive into each aspect of those telephones, here is the TL;DR: If cash is not an object and also you’re searching for a Flip mannequin with a leading edge processor and marginal enhancements to the display measurement, digicam system and battery life, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is the clear selection for you. If you are searching for one thing near the Z Flip 7 that has a extra conservative function set for much less cash — however you are still prepared to spend a bit more cash than the common midrange telephone — the Galaxy Z Flip FE positively iterates on the Z Flip 6’s processing energy, battery and working system. The Z Flip 7 contains a bigger cowl display than any of its predecessors. Patrick Holland/CNETDesign and displayCandidly, the most important and most direct variations between the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Z Flip 7 FE are discovered within the designs of those telephones. If you are shelling out an additional $200 for the Z Flip 7, it is most likely due to its bigger cowl display and thinner physique.The Z Flip 7 is available in 4 completely different colours. You’ll have the ability to select from black, grayish blue and pink colours in-store, with a further cool mild inexperienced Mint coloration obtainable when you’re ordering the foldable on-line direct from Samsung. The Z Flip 7 FE does not function practically as many coloration choices — this explicit clamshell gadget is available in basic black or white, that is it. Those are clear designs, however you lose out on the broader berth of colours obtainable on the Z Flip 7.The Galaxy Z Flip 7 contains a 4.1-inch cowl display, which is a reasonably substantial enhance over its predecessor’s 3.4-inch front-facing show. It does this through the use of the whole space across the digicam lenses, that are reduce out of the show, as a substitute of the “folder tab” design of the Z Flip 6 and the Z Flip 7 FE. The Z Flip 7’s cowl display has a 948×1,048p decision, which ought to imply it gives you with a sharper picture than the Z Flip 7 FE’s 720x748p cowl display. The Z Flip 7 is a extra colourful telephone than its “fan edition” counterpart. Screenshot by James Martin/CNETAdditionally, the Z Flip 7 has a 6.9-inch inner show, which is marginally bigger than the Z Flip 7 FE’s 6.7-inch flipped-open display. In phrases of decision, nevertheless, the Z Flip 7 FE display is barely greater than the Z Flip7, although in sensible phrases they’re remarkably comparable: The Z Flip 7’s inner display has a 2,520×1,080p decision and the Z Flip 7 FE has a 2,640×1,080p decision, whereas each foldables ought to assist a refresh fee of as much as 120Hz.The Z Flip 7 could also be thinner than the Z Flip 7 FE, but it surely does not lose a lot in the best way of heftiness. The Z Flip 7 weighs 188g whereas the Z Flip 7 FE weighs 187g, so they need to really feel pretty comparable stowed away in your pockets.The bigger cowl display of the Z Flip 7 will make it simpler than ever to arrange widgets, test notifications and extra. But when you plan to make use of your telephone for gaming or watching movies, you are not dropping a lot display area with the Z Flip 7 FE’s inner display — each telephones ought to carry out pretty equally in that regard. The three-camera methods of the Z Flip 7 and Z Flip 7 FE are pretty much like each other. Joe Maldonado/CNET/PCMagCamerasIt’s pretty possible that budding photographers will not be giving up something by selecting the Z Flip 7 FE over the Z Flip 7. Both telephones are slated to have a three-camera system, together with a 50-megapixel fundamental digicam and a 12-megapixel ultrawide digicam on the again and a 10-megapixel front-facing inner digicam.If you are accustomed to Samsung’s Z Flip sequence, you may acknowledge that this appears like the identical digicam system included inside 2024’s Z Flip 6 mannequin. As far as we all know, it has merely been introduced ahead and built-in into the following era of Z Flip foldables.With that being stated, CNET consultants have not been in a position to completely take a look at these telephones simply but — whereas the cameras look the identical on paper, it is laborious to say simply how your photos will end up as you snap pictures with the Z Flip 7 and the Z Flip 7 FE. But each foldables assist Samsung’s Galaxy AI pictures options. That means you can edit and alter your photos on the Z Flip 7 and Z Flip 7 FE on the fly with options like Sketch to Image, which lets customers deliver doodles to life within the background of their pictures. The clear white Z Flip 7 FE begins out $200 cheaper than the Z Flip 7, though the {hardware} is not as highly effective. Joe Maldonado/CNET/PCMagBattery, processor and storage specsSlight variations within the batteries on the Z Flip 7 and the Z Flip 7 FE will immediately translate to how a lot uptime you get along with your telephone between charging durations.The Z Flip 7 is powered by a 4,300 mAh battery, which is a 300mAh improve from the battery within the Z Flip 6. We count on that homeowners will have the ability to put this mannequin by its paces with some extra strenuous use and nonetheless get a full day of battery life out of it, however we’ll know for certain after we can absolutely take a look at the telephone.On the opposite hand, the Z Flip 7 FE contains a 4,000-mAh battery, which seems to be the identical measurement you would be getting with final yr’s Z Flip 6 mannequin. Make no mistake about it: You ought to nonetheless have the ability to eke out a day’s price of exercise earlier than needing to cost this telephone. But CNET knowledgeable Patrick Holland wasn’t thrilled with the battery when testing the Z Flip 6, concluding that it was solely marginally higher than the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s battery life, so we’d count on comparable efficiency from the Z Flip 7 FE.The solely practical distinction between the Z Flip 7 and the Z Flip 7 FE on this regard is that 300mAh capability distinction, however most individuals possible will not really really feel it of their day-to-day lives.If you are consistently filming, video chatting and scrolling by social media at excessive brightness (or when you’re an avid cell gamer), the Z Flip 7 might allow you to keep glued to your display for a bit longer than the Z Flip 7 FE.The different distinction between these two foldables lies of their processor specs. The Z Flip 7 is powered by Samsung’s personal high-end Exynos 2500 chip, whereas the Z Flip 7 FE has the Exynos 2400. We’re assuming the Z Flip 7 will present barely higher processing energy, however extra testing shall be required to suss out the variations. An analogous chip, the Exynos 2400e, within the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE resulted in barely decrease efficiency than the Samsung Galaxy S24 (working 2023’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip) in our versus testing.Crucially, each telephones ought to have sufficient reminiscence to assist AI instruments — the Z Flip 7 FE is straddling the road with 8GB of RAM — which is a vital benchmark for any new telephone proper now. The Z Flip 7 comes with 12GB of RAM, so it has stronger assist for the built-in AI instruments.If storing pictures and downloading apps and video games is one thing you do usually, the Z Flip 7 has the sting over the Z Flip 7 FE. The Z Flip 7 begins at 256GB of storage with pricier fashions that includes a reasonably large 512GB, whereas the Z Flip 7 FE begins with 128GB of storage and caps out at 256GB of area. The Z Flip 7 mannequin with the least storage capability matches the Z Flip 7 FE mannequin with probably the most storage capability. The Z Flip 7 and Z Flip 7 FE each run Android 16. Joe Maldonado/CNET/PCMagSoftware assist and AIWhen it involves software program assist for these two fashions, you are not lacking out on an excessive amount of by choosing one over the opposite. Both telephones run Android 16, which is an improve over the Galaxy Z Flip 6’s Android 14 working system — a results of Google releasing the most recent model of Android months sooner than it sometimes does.Samsung has dedicated to delivery updates for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE for seven years after their launch date. That means you possibly can count on the newest in software program and safety capabilities for each telephones till at the very least 2032.If you are the kind of particular person that may commerce your telephone in each few years, this most likely will not be what sways you towards choosing up one of many newest Flip telephones. But when you’re like me, and you retain utilizing a telephone till it is on its final legs, this promise means you may be in good arms when you select to improve to both the Flip 7 or the Flip 7 FE.If AI options are your make-or-break variable for a brand new telephone buy in 2025, you will not discover that a lot of a distinction between the Flip 7 and the Flip 7 FE in that regard, both. Both telephones assist the complete suite of Galaxy AI instruments in addition to Google’s Gemini assistant — the Flip 7 FE’s 8GB of RAM ought to be sure that it might function these instruments, whereas we count on that the Flip 7’s 12GB of RAM may allow you to run a pair extra taxing apps in tandem with the AI.Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FECover show measurement, tech, decision, refresh fee 4.1-inch AMOLED, 948×1,048p, 120Hz refresh rate3.4-inch AMOLED; 720 x 748 pixels; 60Hz refresh feeInternal show measurement, tech, decision, refresh fee 6.9-inch AMOLED, 2,520×1,080p, 1-120Hz refresh rate6.7-inch AMOLED; 2,640 x 1,080 pixels; 1-120Hz refresh ratePixel density Cover: 342ppi; Internal: 397ppiCover: 306 ppi; Internal: 425 ppi Dimensions (inches) Open: 2.96 x 6.56 x 0.26 inches; Closed: 2.96 x 3.37 x 0.26 inchesOpen: 6.5 x 2.83 x 0.27 in Closed: 3.35 x 2.83 x 0.59 inDimensions (millimeters) Open: 75.2 x 166.7 x 6.5mm; Closed: 75.2 x 85.5 x 13.7mmOpen: 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9mm Closed: 85.1 x 71.9 x 14.9mmWeight (grams, ounces) 188g (6.63 oz.)187g (6.6 oz)Mobile software program Android 16Android 16Cameras 50-megapixel (fundamental), 12-megapixel (ultrawide)50-megapixel (large), 12-megapixel (ultrawide)Internal display digicam 10-megapixel10-megapixelVideo seize 4K at 60fpsTBDProcessor Samsung Exynos 2500Samsung Exynos 2400RAM/storage 12GB + 256GB, 12GB + 512GB8GB + 128GB, 256GBExpandable storage NoneNoneBattery 4,300 mAh4,000 mAhFingerprint sensor YesSideConnector USB-CUSB-CHeadphone jack NoneNoneSpecial options One UI 8, IP48 water resistance, 25W wired charging, Qi wi-fi charging, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, Galaxy AIIP48 ranking, 25W wired charging, wi-fi charging + powershare, 2x optical zoom (as much as 10x digital)US worth begins at $1,100$900UK worth begins at £1,049£849Australia worth begins at AU$1,799AU$1,499