These 3 Galaxy Z Fold 7 Problems Don’t Bother Me At All

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is officially here. After a July 9th launch filled with plenty of excitement, the device goes on sale in stores and at carriers on July 25th. I’ve had the Galaxy Z Fold 7 in my pocket for 2 weeks now. I’ve lived with the device as my daily driver during that time, and it’s damn impressive. It also has a few quirks and legitimate problems that prospective buyers should be aware of. Luckily, none of those issues bothered me enough to give up this beautiful piece of hardware. Let’s take a look at what you should consider before buying Samsung’s latest foldable.

Battery Life

When Samsung decided to slim down the Z Fold lineup, it also meant retaining the same battery capacity for the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Honestly, the fact that they managed to keep the 4,400mAh cell is impressive when you realize how slim the phone is — just 4.2mm when unfolded, and 8.9mm when folded. For comparison, the Fold 6 is 5.6mm and 12.1mm thick, respectively.

I agree, 4,400mAh is not a lot of juice to get through the day. My S25 Ultra has a 5,000mAh battery inside, and I still find myself topping up late in the evening on occasion. Of all the numbers on the Fold 7’s specs sheet, the battery had me most concerned on launch day. Unfortunately, those concerns aren’t entirely unfounded. While some users boast impressive numbers, the battery life isn’t amazing in my testing.

Sure, you can probably make it through your work day. I averaged around 4.5 hours of screen-on time per day and found myself around 15% remaining at 7 PM in the evening each day. There were a few heavier days when I needed to top up around 4:30 or 5 PM before leaving my office. These numbers lag far behind what I see on the S25 Ultra, which typically gets me at least 6 hours of screen-on time daily.

But I’m not mad about the battery performance on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. One appealing aspect of purchasing a book-style foldable is that it serves a dual purpose. You have a phone in your pocket that easily unfolds into a small tablet. I use my Fold 7 as my phone and my tablet throughout my work day. It often handles certain multi-tasking workloads that I would not attempt on my S25 Ultra.

For this reason, I expect the battery life to be a bit worse. Of course, I’d love to see around 5-5.5 hours of screen on time eventually. Samsung may be able to tune things in a future software update to get to that level. I’m confident that, as a dual-purpose device, I can make the Fold 7 work as my daily driver.

Thermal Concerns

The thin profile also brings some thermal concerns, and the lack of a vapor chamber inside does little to reassure prospective buyers. In my 2 weeks with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, I did notice the device getting a bit warm in certain situations. When multitasking, particularly outside in the Arizona heat, the device could get rather hot.

Of course, Phoenix is around 115 degrees Fahrenheit (approx. 46 degrees Celsius) right now, so I can’t place the blame fully on Samsung. Still, the thermal management is definitely not as good as the S25 Ultra. Under heavy gaming or multi-tasking loads indoors (with nice cool AC), the Z Fold 7 does get a bit warmer to the touch.

Luckily, I did not notice any significant performance issues when the device heated up. The temperature was not warm enough to bother me, nor would it cause any discomfort if you use the device without a case. Samsung added graphite sheets to replace the vapor chamber, and it seems to do a good-enough job of keeping performance in check.

Still, the threat of thermal throttling might be enough to keep serious gamers away from this device. For average users who enjoy casual mobile gaming, I don’t think it will be a massive problem. Perhaps Samsung can find a way to cram a proper vapor chamber or better cooling solution inside the Galaxy Z Fold 8 next year.

Build Quality Issues and Gap Gate

It wouldn’t be a smartphone launch without some kind of hardware ‘gate’. For the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the issue of choice on Reddit is build quality. Enthusiasts have zeroed in on two main issues. First, many complain that the device doesn’t lie flat when unfolded. This is a complete nonissue. Every book-style foldable on the market and every one before it has the same quirk.

If the Fold 7 sits completely flat, 180 degrees when open, this would make the device more prone to cracks. All OEMs implement this hinge structure to prevent long-term damage to the main display and keep the device operating normally. The Fold 7 is rated for 500,000 lifetime folds, which is incredibly impressive. It would take you 30 years with 50 folds per day to accomplish that feat! Independent durability tests also show that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is no slouch.

The second issue identified on Reddit is a gap in the frame when folded. Many users say that the device has a noticeable gap between the titanium frame at the top of the Z Fold 7, which isn’t visually appealing. My review unit did not suffer from this defect, but I do see why it would annoy some users. It does not appear to harm the operation of the device, but it may be worth exchanging your unit if you find it bothersome.

I love the Galaxy Z Fold 7. So much so that I’m going to switch to this foldable as my daily driver. Every year, I keep my main sim in the S Ultra line, but this year feels different. Samsung truly accomplished something incredible this time around.

The Fold 7 feels like the device that delivers on the original promise of foldables. You have a regular phone that becomes a small tablet when you need it, 24/7. If you’re planning to preorder the Galaxy Z Fold 7, time is running out! Hit our link to buy and get a free mystery box full of accessories as a thank you for supporting the site. If you have any questions, hit me up on X or YouTube.