Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 FE review

Design, build quality, handling

Both real Galaxy 7-series foldables brought in relatively major design changes compared to last year's models, but the Z Flip7 FE misses out on that. Instead, it's essentially a Galaxy Z Flip6 with toned-down camera ring accents. Or a Z Flip5 in the cameras, but with the Z Flip6's flatter sides. Either way, it's a very familiar sight.

That does make the Z Flip7 FE somewhat more compact than the regular Z Flip7, depending on how you look at it. It's 1.6mm shorter, which is no big deal, but it's 3.3mm narrower, which is more easily felt. That's a direct result of the Z Flip7's reimagining of the internal screen's aspect ratio and increased size, so you could say that the Z Flip7 FE is a bit easier to operate - reaching across with your thumb is less of a stretch.

That said, the FE is indeed thicker, both unfolded and folded - the Z Flip7 is sleeker and more modern-looking, while the FE is a bit more old-school. The notched cover display with plenty of black around it reinforces that feeling.

Both handsets weigh virtually the same, and at 187g, the Z Flip7 FE isn't really going to weigh you down.

When you unfold the FE (which is a little easier here than it is on the non-FE), you get that classic tall 22:9 aspect ratio. There is some crease, but as we've said time and time again, it's only reviewers that complain about creases, while foldables users just use their foldables. You never notice it in daily use, that's all.

The Z Flip7 FE still relies on the side-mounted fingerprint sensor in the 'power' button, and the FE adopts the new approach with the swipe-around-to-register procedure in place of the multiple taps of yesteryear. Well, it's no under-display fingerprint reader, but it does work without incident.

Just like last year's Galaxy clamshell, the Z Flip7 FE is IP48-rated. Samsung foldables have had protection against water subversion for several generations, but the 6s brought in a rated dust tightness protection - okay, it's not strictly 'dust', but the 4 means no particles larger than 1mm can enter the Z Flip7 FE.

The materials are no different than on the Z Flip6 either. The outer panels are made of Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while the exposed flat frame is what Samsung calls Armor Aluminum.

In a way, the Z Flip7 FE is a downgrade compared to the Z Flip6 - it only comes in two of the old phone's 5 colorways. Black or White does make it a simpler choice compared to Black, White, Yellow, Silver Shadow, Mint, Blue, or Peach but it's also a buit more boring.