The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is the angriest phone of the year

Go on, ask me what I remember most about my weekend with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7. I don’t even need to think about the answer. It’s not the speed, software, or larger cover screen. It’s how angry it is.

When you close a brand-new Galaxy Z Flip 7, it shuts like a mousetrap, complete with an audible snap echoing around the room as if I spent the weekend with Thanos.

There’s a subtlety missing from the Z Flip 7’s folding motion, but has it ruined my first few days with the phone? Let’s go into more detail.

Early days for the hinge

Alright, calm down, calm down

I’m going to address the hinge, the movement, and the whole snappiness of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 first. Opening the phone, like the Galaxy Z Flip 6, needs quite a tight hold on the smooth sides due to the flatness and relative lack of grip.

It’s a two-handed affair, but during the first 72 hours of using it, the hinge does not seem to have relaxed itself much, so you have to make the effort to pry the phone open.

There’s certainly no concern over the phone accidentally flopping open, and no chance it’ll start to close on itself either, as after the Z Flip 7 is locked open, it’ll absolutely stay that way.

When it comes time to close the phone, that’s when things get really quite urgent. After it passes the mid-way point of closure, it’ll snap closed with very little finesse if you haven’t been mindful of what you’re doing.

You can minimize the anger if you use one finger and gently close it all the way, but really, who is going to do that?

Most of the time, the hinge quickly takes over to snap the phone shut, complete with a noisy crack. It’s like you’re making a statement every time you do it. It’s the flip phone equivalent of slamming the receiver down on an old phone, every single time.

That’s fine if you want to give that impression, but if you open the phone to check the weather, it will feel a bit weird when everyone looks in your direction when it slams closed like Arkwright’s cash register. It made me miss the days of the lovely, dampened motion many old cassette decks had.

I don’t want the Z Flip 7 to take ages to close itself, but I’d take a tiny dab of the brakes near the end. Instead, the Z Flip 7 stops itself by metaphorically slamming into a wall.

Bigger cover screen

Same long-winded customization

Now the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is closed, and you’ve escaped with your fingers intact. What’s the new 4.1-inch cover screen like? It’s big, bright, and more usable than ever, but it’s also time-consuming, due to the extra apps and steps required to make it more useful.

If you want apps to run on the cover screen, you have to activate the option in the Samsung Labs menu, then install the MultiStar app, and even then, you’re limited to a small selection.

If you don’t perform this extra step, you’re left with widgets showing the weather, clock, calendar, health, and quick access to tools like the voice recorder and calculator.

Performance on the cover screen is fine, and inputs are recognized quickly and reliably, but I’m not convinced about the Exynos 2500 processor and the phone’s connectivity yet.

I’m only a few days into using the phone, and it’s still just ahead of the final public release, but the Samsung-made Exynos 2500 doesn’t give the software the same instant reactions as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite inside the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

It’s far from ponderous, but I’d hesitate to call it fast, resulting in the phone being snappy in all the wrong places.

What about connectivity? I often work in my garden when the weather is agreeable, and about 10 meters from my internet router.

My Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, MacBook Air, and most other phones I’ve used recently pick up and maintain a decent Wi-Fi signal, but the Galaxy Z Flip 6 has been a little inconsistent and struggles to always hold a steady connection.

It’s not unusable, but it did demonstrate the Wi-Fi range may not be as long as some other phones.

Higher than usual ambient temperatures have seen the Z Flip 7 feel warmer to the touch than expected during extended outdoor use sessions too.

Have I fallen for the Z Flip 7?

Or am I hankering for the Z Fold 7?

I love the convenience of the Z Flip 7, as it slips unnoticed into my pocket or bag. The cover screen is useful for at-a-glance notifications and replying to messages, plus the way it can be used for selfies is really cool.

I showed a friend this feature, and they spent ages using and enjoying it. If you’ve never used a compact folding phone before, the Z Flip 7, like its predecessor, is a brilliant introduction.

However, I also have a Galaxy Z Flip 5, and it’s not only more pleasing to hold and open due to the slightly curved sides, but the hinge is also far less snappy when closing the phone, even when new.

It actually goes in the opposite direction, with more resistance when opening up compared to the new phone. It’s entirely possible the Z Flip 7’s hinge may calm down over time, though.

While the Z Flip 5 doesn’t have such an expansive cover screen, One UI 7 still runs perfectly, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 never feels slow. I’d certainly not rush to upgrade from it.

The Z Flip 7’s biggest problem is that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is also on my desk, waiting to be used after I’ve finished reviewing the Z Flip 7, and I absolutely cannot wait.

The Z Fold 7 looks, feels, and operates like a considerable step forward over the Z Fold 5 and Z Fold 6, while the Z Flip 7 doesn’t dramatically improve over the Galaxy Z Flip 6.

The Z Fold 7 is shaping up to be an outstanding Samsung folding phone, and at this stage, it doesn’t feel like the Z Flip 7 can compete. Maybe that’s why it’s so angry.