In yet another thrilling round of tech endurance testing, YouTuber Zack Nelson of JerryRigEverything fame has subjected Samsung’s latest foldables—the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Fold 7—to his notorious durability challenge. How do these latest iterations of foldable phones hold up when life throws a curveball? Well, buckle up as we dive into the gritty details.
Zooming In
What’s at stake here is more than just the phones. Samsung’s Z Flip series has traditionally been the bargain hero of the foldable world, coming in at a much friendlier $1,100 compared to the $2,000 Galaxy Z Fold 7. However, the cheap option usually comes with its own asterisks—chief among them being durability.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 has already proven its mettle by surviving Zack’s bend test, despite its slim 4.3 mm unfolded chassis—an impressive feat to say the least. Now, it’s the Z Flip 7’s turn under the spotlight, and with a gorilla-glass-clad exterior, it’s already scratching at Mohs level 6—par for flagship course. Deeper scratches start making an appearance by level 7, making it more or less industry standard.
Switching gears to the more delicate interior, the Z Flip 7’s polymer-coated screen gives way at Mohs level 2, meaning anything more substantial than a fingernail is going to leave a mark. Samsung’s safety net here is a free replacement of the inner screen protector within the first year—a gesture that signals they’re aware of the Achilles’ heel in the foldable armor.
Given the current narrative around foldables, this is a heavyweight bout of resilience vs. aesthetics wrapped up in a neat, foldable package. The broader implication for consumers is the understanding that while these phones are maturing, their durability under extreme conditions remains a mixed bag—especially for those who might enjoy testing the limits of their tech.
Samsung isn’t resting on its laurels, and neither are its potential consumers, who are becoming increasingly picky. Whether you’re a fan of these bending beauties or eyeing them with skepticism, it’s clear that foldables aren’t just a fad—they’re here to stay and evolve.
