A leaked render of the Galaxy Z Flip 7. | Image by AndroidHeadlines

When it comes to foldables, the general advice is: if you're looking for one, go with a Galaxy Z phone — whether that's the clamshell-style Flip or the book-fold Fold that becomes a mini-tablet when opened.

But you, dear reader — yes, you — are not just any consumer. You know that there’s an entire world of foldable phones outside Samsung’s ecosystem. Phones that are powerful, innovative, and tempting in their own right.

Right now, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is shaping up as the most anticipated clamshell foldable on the market. And by "most anticipated," I mean "most talked about" — after all, we’re talking about Samsung here — not necessarily "the best" or even "the most exciting." Samsung is expected to officially reveal the Galaxy Z Flip 7 (alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and some new smartwatches) on July 9, likely at an event in New York City, according to recent reports.

But does Samsung’s marketing power and global brand recognition make the Galaxy Z Flip 7 the king of flip-style foldables?

I don’t think so. Here’s why.

Who’s stepping into the ring?

Say hello to the similarly sized contender in orange shorts: the Xiaomi Mix Flip 2. I’m not saying it’ll have an orange back panel — that’s just Xiaomi’s brand color. Now you know.

Both the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Xiaomi Mix Flip 2 are rumored to feature a 6.85-inch internal display. That would be a slight upgrade from the 6.7-inch screen found on the Galaxy Z Flip 6. The Z Flip 7 may also boast thinner bezels and a larger outer display — possibly 4 inches compared to the previous model’s 3.4 inches — making it easier to use while folded shut. Meanwhile, the Xiaomi Mix Flip 2 will carry over the original Mix Flip’s 4-inch cover display.

We might get official confirmation about the Xiaomi Mix Flip 2 sooner than expected — potentially in late June, assuming rumors hold true. That could put its debut a week or two before the Galaxy Z Flip 7, though initially only in China. A global release could come later.

It’s clear that Xiaomi timed its launch to compete directly with Samsung’s upcoming device — especially considering the rumored July 9 release date for the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

And compete they do. Let’s look at three key areas that matter to nearly every smartphone buyer: chipset, battery, and camera.

Chipset showdown

The rumors surrounding the chipset inside the Galaxy Z Flip 7 are conflicting:

• Snapdragon 8 Elite
• Exynos 2500

Or perhaps both? Samsung has a history of using different chipsets depending on region — Snapdragon for the US, Exynos elsewhere. So don't be surprised if that happens again this year.

Early Geekbench 6 scores for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 aren’t impressive: 2,012 points in single-core and 7,563 in multi-core. For comparison, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 with the older Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 scored 2,251 and 7,131 respectively. This suggests that the Exynos 2500 may not perform as well as expected.

On the other hand, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is a major step up from the previous generation.

Battery battle

Here, the Xiaomi Mix Flip 2 clearly takes the lead unless Samsung pulls off something extraordinary through software optimization or thermal management:

• Xiaomi Mix Flip 2: 5,100 mAh battery, 67W wired charging, 50W wireless
• Galaxy Z Flip 7: 4,200 mAh battery, 25W wired charging, 15W wireless

That’s nearly a 1,000 mAh difference — which users will definitely notice in real-life usage. When combined with Xiaomi’s faster wired and wireless charging speeds, Samsung doesn’t look great here.

Camera face-off – almost there, but not quite

Both phones are expected to feature dual rear cameras — main and ultra-wide.

The Xiaomi Mix Flip 2 appears to lose the telephoto lens from its predecessor, but its ultra-wide sensor jumps up to 50MP. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 may stick with a 12MP ultra-wide camera — in 2025, no less. Samsung, really? Twelve megapixels? On a premium phone? Come on.

Xiaomi also has another ace up its sleeve: Leica-tuned photography. Having used a Xiaomi 13 Ultra during a trip to Singapore last year, I can personally vouch for the stunning Leica color science — even if my unit was already considered “old” by 2024 standards.

Samsung might try to close the gap with AI enhancements, but matching Leica’s image quality won’t be easy.

Global reach: Samsung’s secret weapon

Based on current rumors, neither the Galaxy Z Flip 7 nor the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be revolutionary upgrades in 2025. They appear more like iterative updates — still nice, still useful, but not groundbreaking.

The biggest advantage the Galaxy Z Flip 7 holds is its availability. Many phones from Chinese manufacturers never see a global launch, leaving Western users with little choice beyond Samsung or Apple.

Some people are hesitant to spend big money on a device from a less familiar brand — even though Xiaomi is widely known around the world — and instead opt for the safer Samsung option.

Make no mistake, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 isn’t a bad phone. Not at all. It just loses a bit of luster when placed side-by-side with strong competition.

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