Galaxy Z Fold 7: Is This Really an Ultra Foldable?

Samsung recently teased its upcoming Galaxy Z Fold launch with a bold statement: “The Ultra experience is about to unfold.” Naturally, that sparked speculation about the debut of an Ultra-tier foldable. While a Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultra may not actually be on the cards next month, Samsung is hinting at a foldable that matches the flagship pedigree of its Galaxy S Ultra line. Still, it might be wise to keep your expectations in check.

Why does Samsung claim the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is an “Ultra” foldable?

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 brings a few notable upgrades over the Fold 6. For one, Samsung is making it taller and wider, while simultaneously cutting on thickness. This redesign allowed for bigger screens, with rumors suggesting a 6.5-inch cover screen and an 8.2-inch inner foldable screen. That’s a notable improvement, especially for users who’ve felt the previous Fold models were too narrow and cramped.

The external display, in particular, now offers an identical aspect ratio to regular smartphone screens. It should be a Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X panel with a 120Hz variable refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2600 nits or higher. With S Pen support, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 delivers a similar display experience to the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Upon unfolding it, you get an expansive screen ideal for content consumption and multitasking.

On top of this, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is expected to sport a 200MP main camera, a significant jump from the 50MP sensors found in its predecessors. On paper, that sounds like Ultra territory. In fact, we should be looking at the same 200MP sensor as the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which is great.

The new Fold also matches the S25 Ultra in several other areas, including performance. It is powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, with early benchmarks hinting at a similar performance to the Ultra flagship. Its slimmer design — measures just 3.9mm when unfolded (without display numbers) and under 9mm when folded — is also a step in the right direction. The S25 Ultra is 8.2mm thick and weighs 218 grams.

But is this enough for an Ultra foldable?

While these display, camera, and design upgrades are welcome improvements, that’s as good as it gets. There’s nothing particularly groundbreaking or Ultra-worthy beyond that. Aside from the 200MP main camera, the rest of the camera setup tells a different story, a not-so-Ultra-ish one. The Galaxy Fold 7 will likely retain the 3x zoom camera from earlier models, skipping out on a 5x periscope lens entirely.

Samsung’s Ultra flagships offer both 3x and 5x (or even 10x in older models) dedicated zoom lenses. Having just a 3x zoom camera on an “Ultra” device in 2025 feels like a missed opportunity. Let’s not even talk about the underwhelming under-display selfie camera on the inside, while there’s no hint of an upgrade for the ultrawide camera either.

Battery life is another sticking point. Samsung’s Ultra phones — every single one of them — have come with a 5,000mAh battery. The Galaxy Z Fold 7? It’s sticking with the same 4,400mAh unit used in the last several Fold generations. Samsung claims that AI-powered optimizations will help stretch battery life across a day of use. But let’s be honest: software can only go so far. And over time, battery degradation will only make things worse.

And what about the charging speed? Samsung’s 45W charging on the Galaxy S25 Ultra already feels slow compared to its competition, though we are fine with it. But 25W? On a phone that costs $2,000? Let’s hope that’s not happening.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 also appears to miss out on a titanium upgrade. It might stick with an aluminum body, and possibly the same IP48 dust and water resistance. Simply put, Samsung is turning “Ultra” into a buzzword rather than a standard of excellence. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 will almost certainly be its most refined and feature-rich foldable to date, but it may fall short of delivering the full Ultra experience many are hoping for.

Unless the company surprises us with a separate Fold Ultra next month, which is highly unlikely, it should stop branding the Galaxy Z Fold 7 as “Ultra.”

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