Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 5: The right time to upgrade?

Apart from a few leaked renders of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, we don't officially know yet what the new phone will look like or what features it will have. Considering Samsung's cautious approach to its phones over the past few years, it might ultimately resemble the renders after all.

This is a good thing, as we would finally be getting the edge-to-edge outer display we've all been wanting, among other upgrades. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 should offer enough reason to trade in your Galaxy Z Flip 5, but the question is, should you do it? We'll be able to answer this for certain once the new phone launches, but till then, we can do a speculative comparison based on what we know and expect from Samsung's next best foldable phone.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 5: Spec differences

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 was launched for $999 in 2023, and last year's Z Flip 6 received a $100 price increase. We're hoping Samsung sticks to last year's pricing and doesn't increase it further, which seems likely. What we'd all love is if Samsung went back to the $999 pricing, which would instantly make the Z Flip 7 more appealing to those who were not even considering it in the first place.

Aside from the usual spec upgrades, we hope that Samsung finally equips the Z Flip 7 with faster charging, although this seems unlikely. It has begun doing so with its mid-range A series phones, so it'd be laughable if its flagship series still had 25W charging. I'm not pinning my hopes too much on a significantly larger battery, although a mild bump is to be expected. The big changes should hopefully be in the phone's design and display.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 5: Display and design

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is expected to have a slightly larger 6.8-inch folding display, and depending on what aspect ratio changes are made, the phone will either be a bit taller or wider when opened. We should expect a brighter screen, and perhaps more sturdier ultra-thin glass (UTG) capable of handling more folds and unfolds.

The big change we're all curious to see is if Samsung actually goes with a larger, edge-to-edge cover display this time. If it hopes to compete in sales with Motorola's Razr Plus, it had better do it well.

The cover display on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is expected to enclose the two cameras in a manner similar to many other flip phones. The big question is, will Samsung limit the functionality to just widgets, or will you be able to use full-fledged apps too? The latter is possible even on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and 6, but not without jumping through hoops. I believe Samsung should at least offer the option to do so for those who want to, rather than dictating what can and cannot be done.

If the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is anything like the renders, we're in for a boxier design this generation. The corners are less rounded than the Galaxy Z Flip 5, and the sides appear to be flatter and sharper. There's a possibility that the Flip 7 could be less comfortable to hold than the Flip 5, but we'll wait and see.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 5: Cameras

Cameras are an area where we're confident the Galaxy Z Flip 7 will best the Galaxy Z Flip 5. The latter has two 12MP sensors on the outside, which are serviceable but not great in terms of capturing very good details. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 will most likely have a 50MP main camera like the Flip 6, but the sensor is still unknown. I'm hoping the ultrawide also gets a resolution bump to 50MP for better low-light performance.

Samsung has stuck to a 10MP camera in the folding screen for the past few generations, and it's expected to use a similar one for the Flip 7. We can hope for a larger sensor, but for the kind of usage this inner camera gets, it's not a deal-breaker if Samsung sticks to the same sensor.

More than the hardware, we should expect new Galaxy AI camera features to debut with the Galaxy Z Flip 7. Some of them should roll over to the Flip 6, but I wouldn't expect many to come to the Z Flip 5.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 5: Performance and battery life

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 will reportedly launch with One UI 8, based on Android 16. The fact that Samsung is already testing this next version on the Galaxy S25 series, there's a strong chance we might see this debut with the Galaxy Flip 7. It's still too early to tell what new features we can expect, but I estimate it shouldn't be wildly different from One UI 7, which was a big overhaul to begin with.

The performance of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 should be miles ahead of the Galaxy Z Flip 5, thanks to the latest processor. There were talks that the 7 might have an Exynos SoC, but it's possible Samsung will stick to the custom 'Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy' chip from the S25 series.

The Flip 7 should also have 12GB RAM as standard, which should make the latest software feel more responsive and snappy compared to the Galaxy Z Flip 5. The latter's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is still a solid chip for powering through your social and productivity apps, but heavier games should fare better on the Flip 7's newer processor.

Then there's the concern of battery life. Samsung has to fight certain restrictions on battery capacity due to the very nature of a folding phone, so we're not expecting a massive jump in capacity. We already have that with the Flip 6, and the Flip 7 is expected to take it a bit further.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 5: Which one should you buy?

Samsung has made this decision a lot easier by essentially killing off the Galaxy Z Flip 5 from its online store. Samsung U.S. displays a "sold out" message for the Flip 5 and directs you to check out the Flip 6 instead. You can still find the Z Flip 5 on Amazon, but at the same $999 price tag, which is absurd to pay in 2025.

If Samsung were officially selling it at a lower price, it could be a good low-cost alternative, but Motorola already has you covered with its latest offerings. Additionally, Samsung allegedly plans to introduce a budget flip phone, rumored to be called the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, with a Q4 2025 release.

Debating between the Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 6 is a lot more interesting as the Flip 6 won't be phased out so soon, and it could drop in price once the Flip 7 is out. In any case, you'll have to wait for Samsung's official announcement before making your decision, and we'll be right here where more great content around the Z Flip 7 to help you with that.