The fears and concerns of using a foldable phone, back when they first started popping up on the market, are no longer an issue. While they have more moving parts than your 'candy bar' handset, as they're known, companies have been making them stronger and more powerful over time. That's especially true of the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 line, and if you want to try a new type of Android tech, you can save up to $1200 when pre-ordering.
I've always been a fan of large phones, but I do miss the ease of having a smaller device that fits easily in your pocket. Sure, the best gaming phone right now is, in our opinion, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, but it's a behemoth that regularly feels like it's weighing me down. Sure, that's hyperbole, but after using a foldable a few times, the appeal is clear: you get the best of both worlds, just like Hannah Montana taught us.
After using the Honor Magic V2 and eventually testing out the Z Fold6, I was surprised how much I enjoyed playing the best mobile games on them. Even if both of them ran a little hot when playing the best gacha game, Zenless Zone Zero, it was a great experience having a larger device that fit easily and safely into my pocket.
However, I can't say I didn't have my problems with the Z Fold6, some of which are fixed with the latest iteration. Firstly, it offers a larger front screen, coming in at 6.5 inches, a minor but noticeable improvement, one that also means the inner screen also comes at the larger size of 8 inches. Secondly, the wide camera lens has seen a boost from last year's model, going from 50MP to a whopping 200MP.
Despite holding the same battery size, which is admittedly disappointing compared to other entries in the best foldable phones, Samsung promises a better battery life. Even with a larger screen, which means more energy is required to run the handset, the company says you'll get an extra hour of battery life with "up to 24 hours of video playback."
The Z Fold lineup isn't the only one getting major improvements, as the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 has a larger cover and inner screen, those being 4.1 inches and 6.9 inches, respectively. There's also a big increase in the battery size, with the new Z Flip model offering a 4,300mAh capacity, a 300mAh jump from the last model. The display is also a lot brighter, but I'm a little worried about the Exynos 2500 chipset as opposed to the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Still, I'll have to test the phone out to see if my performance concerns are warranted.
If you're keen to get your hands on either of these devices, well, they're not exactly the best budget gaming phones, let's be honest. Fortunately, you can save up to $1200 on a Samsung Z Fold7 using this link, offering $50 exclusive credit, $150 towards a storage upgrade, and up to $1000 off when trading in your old device with Samsung's store.
Alternatively, if you prefer the clamshell ease of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7, you can save up to $770 using this link for the Samsung store. That's the same exclusive $50 credit, while you can also get up to $600 off when trading in, and you get a free storage upgrade up to 512GB, so you won't have to worry about storing all of those best Android games and running out of space for a little while.
After getting your brand-new handset, whether it's the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 or the more expensive Z Fold7, you should opt for one of the best mobile controllers, which we regularly update to provide the top choices right now. Alternatively, if Android isn't your thing, you could always take a look at the best iPhone for games, especially if Apple Arcade takes your fancy.