When the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE made its debut last week alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, it’s safe to say my initial impression of Samsung’s attempt at offering a lower-cost foldable phone was less than enthusiastic. And that’s coming from someone who celebrates the arrival of every cheap handset like it’s Christmas for cheapskates.
So why did my initial Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE reaction put the “hmmmmmm” in “ho-hum?” Because to me, this new phone felt like a Galaxy Z Flip 6 with a new name slapped on it. If you’re going to do that, just keep the old model around and slash the price.
Still, I want to be encouraging to phone makers that at least try to offer low-cost options like the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. And I also recognize that not everyone’s going to want to pay more than $1,000 for a foldable phone, and just want to know if the trade-offs they have to make to get a cheaper device are worth it.
With that in mind, I’m going to take a more open-minded approach toward the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE and highlight what the new phone has to offer. Having already outlined my concerns about this device, here’s the case for getting a Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE and saving yourself the extra money that you’d have to pay for Samsung’s other foldable offerings.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE pre-order deals are really compelling
It may be the cheapest of the three phones announced at Galaxy Unpacked July 2025, but that doesn’t mean the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is immune from all the pre-order offers currently available ahead of the phone’s July 25 release. Play your cards right, and you can lower the cost of a Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE even further from Samsung’s usual $899 asking price.
Trade-in a phone when purchasing a Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE at Samsung, and you can get up to $560 in credit, which would put a foldable phone in your hands for less than $400. Best Buy is offering credits for trade-ins, too. Don’t have an eligible trade-in device? Best Buy will take $100 off the cost of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE if you activate the phone with a carrier at purchase.
Even better, both Samsung and Best Buy are giving you a free storage upgrade on top of any credit you receive for a device trade-in. So you’re able to pick a 256GB Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE for what the 128GB base model would normally cost.
The phone still has some impressive specs for the price
I may have called the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE a repackaged Z Flip 6, but let’s not forget that last year’s foldable flip phone from Samsung was a very good handset. In fact, we ranked the Galaxy Z Flip 6 as the best camera phone among foldable devices, and that 50MP main/12MP ultrawide camera setup is yours if you opt for the new FE model.
Yes, you are missing out on some updated specs that you would get with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 — namely bigger screens, a larger battery and an updated processor. Those aren’t insignificant sacrifices but if you value sharp images, particularly in low-light settings, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE should deliver what you’re looking for.
The same Galaxy AI features as more expensive phones
One thing I appreciate about Samsung’s approach to AI is that it doesn’t favor more expensive models with more elaborate features. The same Galaxy AI capabilities available to anyone who’s bought the $1,299 Galaxy S25 Ultra are also available on the $799 Galaxy S25. And so it is with Samsung’s foldable flip phones, too.
In the case of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, that means Now Brief updates directly on the phone’s outer screen, alerting you about upcoming appointments, weather forecasts and traffic jams on your commute. Now Bar updates also appear on the outer screen, and you’ve got access to Gemini Live via the FE, too.
Extensive software support
Both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE join other premium Samsung phones in receiving a guaranteed seven years of software and security updates. That same level of support extends to the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, extending the value of this phone even further.
With Android 16 already pre-installed on the FE, that means your phone will still be up to date by the time Android 23 — or whatever Google winds up calling that version — rolls around. And that’s pretty impressive for the least expensive foldable phone in Samsung’s lineup.
Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE outlook
None of this is to say that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE will grab the mantle of the best low-cost foldable phone by default. Not only will we have to review Samsung’s phone on its own merits, we’ll need to compare it to the $699 Motorola Razr (2025) and $999 Motorola Razr Plus (2025) to see how it measures up to Moto’s sub-$1,000 foldables. It figures to be a very interesting comparison.
Rather, the point here is that there are plenty of reasons to consider pre-ordering the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, even if its specs seem to have more in common with last year’s model than a new release. Yes, you’re making some trade-offs, but the ultimate value may be worth it in the end.