Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 was widely regarded as one of the best smartphones of 2025, but its high price remained a major hurdle.

Now, with fresh discounts and trade-in offers, the foldable finally makes financial sense — and challenges the idea of buying a phone and tablet separately.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is currently available on Samsung.com in the US with a flat $400 discount, even without a trade-in. For users with eligible devices, trade-in bonuses go even higher.

In the US, trading in a Galaxy S25 Ultra or Galaxy Z Fold 6 can fetch up to $1,000 off. In Australia, trading an iPhone 16 Pro Max reduces the price by AU$1,000.

This marks the first time the Fold 7’s price aligns with what many consumers consider fair for a device that replaces both a phone and a tablet.

How it compares to buying two devices

The ideal benchmark for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the cost of a flagship smartphone plus a compact tablet.

Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge, which shares a similar slim profile and a 200MP camera, starts at $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849. For an 8-inch tablet, Apple’s iPad mini (2024) remains the closest alternative, priced at $499 / £499 / AU$799.

Combined, these two devices cost around $1,598 / £1,598 / AU$2,648 — placing them squarely in the same price range as the discounted Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Why choose Galaxy Z Fold 7 instead?

Unlike the iPad mini, which relies on Wi-Fi or a phone hotspot, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is always connected. Because the tablet is also the phone, users avoid draining extra battery or mobile data to keep a second device online.

Switching from phone to tablet is seamless — opening the Fold instantly turns the smaller screen into a larger workspace, without syncing files or switching apps.

Foldable phones are often questioned for durability, but the Galaxy Z Fold 7 stands out. It offers water resistance strong enough for accidental splashes or even brief submersion.

Apple’s iPad mini does not offer similar ingress protection. Samsung’s own water- and dust-resistant tablets are limited to larger models like the Galaxy Tab S11 and Tab S10 FE, making the Fold 7 one of the most rugged compact tablets available.

Samsung’s tablet software quietly outperforms much of the competition. Multitasking features allow users to open, resize, snap and move multiple app windows with ease.

Compared to iPadOS 26, Samsung’s Android-based interface offers more flexibility for productivity. The Fold 7 functions as a powerful work device, especially for users who frequently juggle documents, emails and multiple apps.

Better cameras than any tablet

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 also delivers camera performance far beyond what any tablet can offer. While tablets are typically secondary camera devices, the Fold 7 brings flagship-level photography into a tablet-sized form factor.

This makes it particularly appealing for content creators and professionals who want one device for communication, work and photography.

Battery life

Battery capacity remains the Fold 7’s biggest compromise. The device uses two cells with a combined capacity of 4,400mAh, which is smaller than the total battery power you’d get from carrying a phone and an iPad mini separately.

In testing, both the Fold 7 and the iPad mini delivered just under 11 hours of screen time. However, owning two devices still provides more overall endurance if both screens are used heavily throughout the day.

For users who rely on continuous, all-day productivity across multiple screens, buying a phone and tablet separately may still make sense.