Here's why I'd buy a Galaxy Z Fold 7 now instead of a phone and tablet

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is finally cheaper than getting a phone and tablet separately - here’s why you want to buy it Opinion (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future) (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol) Philip Berne published Greater than the sum of its parts, at last The Galaxy Z Fold 7 was arguably the best phone of 2025, and it’s truly an engineering marvel. It feels impossibly thin and light, especially when it’s closed, and you know that you’re holding a full-sized mini tablet, even though it feels like a normal big-screen smartphone. The biggest problem - maybe the only big problem - was the price. Thankfully, deals like today’s sale on Samsung.com finally drop the Z Fold to a price that makes perfect sense. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is on sale right now on Samsung.com with a $400 discount in the US, even if you don’t have a phone to trade. There are huge trade bonuses happening as well, if you have the right phone. In the US, a Galaxy S25 Ultra or Galaxy Z Fold 6 will earn you $1,000 in trade (instead of that $400 discount). In Australia, an iPhone 16 Pro Max will drop the price of a new Fold 7 by AU$1,000. The perfect price for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 would be the price of a 6.5-inch, flagship smartphone plus the price of an 8-inch tablet. The Galaxy S25 Plus starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,699, though the Galaxy S25 Edge ($1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849) is probably a closer comparison, since it’s thinner and it packs the same 200MP camera as the Galaxy Z Fold. Samsung doesn’t currently make a premium 8-inch tablet, so the Apple iPad mini (2024) is the best 8-inch tablet to consider. The iPad mini costs $499 / £499 / AU$799 for the latest model. Put that price together with a Galaxy S25 Edge, and you’re paying $1,598 / £1,598 / AU$2,648 for both devices. Why would you want a Galaxy Z Fold 7 instead of just buying a fancy new smartphone and a mini tablet together? That’s a great question! Here are four reasons why I’d prefer a foldable (and one big reason why not): My Galaxy Z Fold 7 is always connected, unlike my iPad mini To be fair, you can get an iPad mini for $499 / £499 / AU$799, but you’ll need a Wi-Fi connection to make it surf. You can use your phone as a hotspot, but when your phone is also a tablet - like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 - you don’t need to burn through your data allotment or battery power to connect a second device. Your tablet is your phone, so it’s always connected. This also means you won’t have to worry about sharing files between devices. If you want to edit a...

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