Samsung is already on its umpteenth iteration of a foldable phone and smartwatch, but the company keeps upping its game in both respects. At its annual Galaxy Unpacked event this year, Samsung introduced several new products, including the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Watch 8. Since these two devices work beautifully hand in hand, I decided to review them together.
Before diving into my review, let’s take a look at the basics of these two devices.
About the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 foldable phone is the thinnest and lightest yet in the line-up, folding up to 9mm thin, unfolding to just 4.2mm, and weighing just 215 grams. It has an 8-inch 2,184 x 1,968 QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x inner screen and 6.5-inch 2,520 x 1,080 HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x cover screen with a wider display than its precedessor at a 21:9 aspect ratio. The cover display is made from Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 to protect it against cracks while the inner display boasts Vision Booster and up to 2,600 nits peak brightness.
Finished in Silver Shadow, Blue Shadow, or Jetblack (as well Mint as an online exclusive colour), it’s powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy with 12GB RAM and comes with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB non-expandable storage. It has a thinner and lighter Armor FlexHinge with a multi-rail structure that has been re-engineered to better disperse stress and protect the integrity of the display and reduce visible creasing.
Equipped with the same 4,400mAh battery as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, it also affords the same charging speeds at 25W wired, 15W wireless, and Wireless PowerShare.
Boasting Galaxy AI with One UI 8, the AI experience has been optimized for the larger screen. New features include the ability to instantly share your large screen with Gemini Live. You can use natural voice commands to get context-based answers and leverage other Samsung Vision AI features. Drag and drop AI content from multiple windows and use features like Circle to Search while playing games. To access Gemini, simply tap and hold the side button.
You get a 200MP wide camera, the first in a Galaxy Z series phones, along with a 12MP ultra-wide, and 10MP telephoto lens on the rear and a 10MP main screen and 10MP cover camera. Some enhanced camera features include the ability for the phone to automatically detect distractions in photos and remove them, and side-by-side editing for a real-time comparison as you edit. There are improvements for video capture as well, including Night Video that can intelligently detect motion and separate moving subjects from still backgrounds to help reduce noise.
The phone maintains the same IP48 water and dust resistance rating and comes with a side capacitive fingerprint scanner and facial recognition.
It is now available for pre-order starting at $2,500 and will officially be on sale starting July 25, 2025.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (starts at $500) is powered by Wear OS 6 and comes with new features like a personal AI assistant that helps provide answers, assistance, and keep you on schedule using Galaxy AI and Gemini, right from your wrist. You can do things like say “start a 30-minute run” or “find a nearby café and text Joe to meet me there.”
As the thinnest and purportedly most comfortable Galaxy Watch in the line to date, it has a 50% brighter display with a peak brightness of 3,000 nits for easy visibility outdoors in direct sunlight. It also now includes dual frequency GPS and a more powerful processor with greater power efficiency. The BioActive Sensor affords deeper and more accurate health insights, says Samsung.
There’s also advanced sleep coaching and advanced health tracking with features like Sleep Apnea detection, circadian rhythm, and ECG (no word if either is approved in Canada). Also track vascular load, which monitors stress levels on your vascular system during sleep, and antioxidant index, which measures carotenoid levels to help you make better choices to support healthy aging.
Running Coach can calculate your fitness level on a scale from one to 10 and develop a tailored training plan with real-time guidance and motivational insights. The updated Together feature now supports running so you can challenge family members and friends.
The watch will send a high stress alert to advise you to take a break if this is detected while the mindfulness tracker allows you to record your mood and receive guidance for breathing exercises to help reduce stress. Additionally, you’ll get an AI-powered Energy Score that provides a snapshot of your energy level, combining metrics for both physical and mental energy.
Available in Graphite or Silver and 44mm or 40mm sizes, it boasts a 325-435mAh battery. There’s also the larger 46mm Galaxy Watch8 Classic version that has a 445mAh battery, slimmer design, rotating bezel, and larger screen compared to the Galaxy Watch7 Classic. There’s also a quick button for instant access to frequently used functions.
Galaxy Z Fold 7 Review
Pros
- Incredibly thin design
- Crease is barely noticeable
- Outer and inner screen both comfortable to use
- Seven years of software and security support
Cons
- Battery life and charging speed isn’t great
- It doesn’t sit flat on its back because of the camera lenses
- No stylus support
I’ll preface by noting that this is my first time with a foldable phone, so I’m not comparing the Galaxy Z Fold 7 to the Galaxy Fold 6 or other models from other brands. I’m merely looking at it from the perspective of someone considering the switch from a standard bar phone to a foldable.
I was immediately impressed with the design, especially how incredibly thin this phone is. Opening the phone and typing two-handed is comfortable, a beautiful sweet spot between a phone and a tablet. It’s comfortable to type on the outer screen as well, though it feels narrower than most other traditional phones. But you still get a pleasant experience.
The phone doesn’t sit flat because of the protruding camera lenses on the back, unless you place it face down. That makes operating the front screen while the phone is beside you on a desktop virtually impossible unless you’re using a case with a kickstand. It’s a small annoyance for those who would want to use the phone like they might a traditional one. The trade-off with the larger inner screen, however, will be worth it for some.
It’s insane how slim this phone is not only when unfolded, but also when folded: it’s not much thicker than a traditional phone with a bulkier case on it. In fact, it’s thinner than my iPhone 15 Pro with a large Casetify case for protection. It is unwieldy to handle for some tasks, like taking photos or shooting videos handheld unless you fold it a certain way. However, my 13-year-old had fun relaxing while gaming and remarked that it’s as comfortable to use as a larger tablet, if not more so since it’s slightly more compact while still affording a bigger and better view than on a phone held horizontally.
I love features like an image capture preview, and controls on the bottom half of the screen while video plays back on the top with YouTube. I wish that worked with other apps like Netflix. Nonetheless, it’s convenient to be able to prop the phone up and watch without needing a stand, or open it and see the video in full view.
The hinge is noticeable with a slight crease, but nothing that impedes the experience when watching videos, surfing the web, checking social media, or other tasks. Opening and closing is comfortable and simple.
The phone takes decent photos with good zoom capability and good clarity even for night shots. Here are a few examples of some random photos I took both at home and while out and about.
The generative editing is just as impressible as with other similar phones that can do things like remove objects and fill in the space, like Google Pixel and Apple iPhone. In the above example, I removed a distracting garbage can from a photo taken at my son’s baseball game. As you can see, you can compare the two photos as you edit to get it just right.
The one downside is charging, which maxes out at 25W. Considering other foldable phones like the OnePlus Open charge at 67W with a SUPERVOOC charger, it’s unfortunate that the Galaxy z Fold 7 charges at a glacial pace in comparison. That said, if you plug it in overnight or at your desk during the day, it should last through a full day with light use.
Overall, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is an expensive device, it’s a good option for those who are considering switching to a foldable. With seven years of software support, you’ll be able to amortize the cost over a long period of time, or get good resale value if you decide to upgrade. The hinge is sturdy, operation wonderful, camera decent, and the design convenient.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Review
Pros
- Built-in Gemini assistant is handy
- New health features like antioxidant index
- Automatic workout detection works great
Cons
- Expensive
- Not a huge upgrade from the Galaxy Watch 7
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 isn’t a huge departure from the Galaxy Watch 7, which I reviewed earlier this year. What sets it apart is the built-in personal assistant. Connect your Google account and activate Gemini, then say “Hey Google” at any time to ask a question or give a command. I tried it out in various scenarios, like to ask about the weather or to start a daily walk. To compare, when asking Siri on my Apple Watch Series 10 how long to cook green beans in the oven at 425°F, it sent me a list of web links to find the answer. When I asked Gemini on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, I got the exactly answer audibly and on-screen so I could quickly pop it into the oven and set the time.
I had some trouble with other commands, like asking it to start a weight machines workout: I would just get an “unknown error” notification on screen. However, I can say “Hey Google, start a workout” to begin tracking a catch-all workout without a specific label, so that’s a reasonable workaround. Overall, it’s nice to have a personal assistant right on the wrist.
Auto tracking of workouts works accurately as well. It always knew when I was going for a walk, and often even triggered a walk when I didn’t really consider adding one, like while strolling around a shopping mall. Runners will appreciate the Running coach option.
Measuring antioxidant index is useful though it’s annoying to have to remove the watch to do it, pressing and holding your finger on the back of the sensor for several seconds to trigger the reading. I learned that mine was very low, and it encouraged me to make healthier choices in my diet, adding more fruits and vegetables to my meals on a daily basis.
It’s also nice to be able to measure data like AGEs, advanced glycation end products, harmful compounds that can form in your body caused by the reaction of sugars with proteins, lipids, and nucleic acid. As these accumulate, they can lead to conditions like diabetes, atherosclerosis, and Alzheimer’s.
Overall, data and vitals were in line with other devices I wore at the same time, including my Apple Watch Series 10 on the opposite wrist and an Oura Ring 4 smart ring (review coming soon!) on my finger.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is a solid smartwatch for Android users and, most fittingly, owners of a Samsung Galaxy smartphone. It’s not a massive step-up from the Galaxy Watch 7 unless you plan to leverage these new features, however.
Should You Buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and/or Galaxy Watch 8?
Realistically, the $3,000 this phone and smartwatch combo will cost you could easily go towards a $1K non-foldable premium phone and a smartwatch that’s half the price with plenty of dough leftover. And you’d still get a fantastic experience. But if you love Samsung Galaxy devices and you want the latest and greatest, you can’t go wrong with his pairing.
There are ways to save on the Galaxy Z Fold 7, including with subsidized monthly pricing with a carrier or trade-in credits with older phones. For the smartwatch, if you don’t think you need the top-line new features like Gemini and antioxidant index measurements, consider buying the Galaxy Watch 7 instead, which you can find on sale nowadays for as little as $230. But if you want a foldable phone, splurge on the newest Galaxy Z Fold 7 because it is thinner and lighter than the Galaxy Z Fold 6 with a larger outer display and better cameras. It doesn’t support a stylus, however, an odd decision for a phone that opens up so big. So, if that feature is more important to you, go with the previous-generation Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Bottom line: these are two premium devices designed for premium Samsung Galaxy users. You’ll love the attention the Galaxy Z Fold 7 gets you and appreciate the data collected by the Galaxy Watch 8 along with the ability to access an intelligent personal assistant right from your wrist. You won’t be disappointed with either but you’ll have to start saving now and seek out deals if you want this elite package.