Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 7 made a big splash when it was launched last month at the company’s Galaxy Unpacked event. With its stunning foldable display, premium build, and top-tier specs, it’s clear Samsung is aiming to push the limits of smartphone design. But if you’re someone who values repairability, or just wants to be able to replace a battery someday, the news isn’t so great.
iFixit, the go-to name in tech teardowns, recently took the Z Fold 7 apart, literally, and gave it a pretty brutal verdict. In an almost eight-minute teardown video, the team dives into the inner workings of the foldable, only to find that getting inside is a huge challenge, and fixing it yourself might be close to impossible.
Getting to the Batteries? Not Easy.
Inside the Z Fold 7 are two separate battery cells, but accessing either one isn’t straightforward. To get to the first battery, iFixit had to remove several ribbon cables, a whole bunch of screws, and disassemble the lower portion of the phone, which includes the USB-C port. While there is a pull tab for removing the battery (usually meant to make things easier), the adhesive Samsung used is so strong that it doesn’t help much.
The second battery is even harder to reach. The team had to heat the cover screen and use a suction cup to remove it, a delicate and risky move, especially with something as fragile as a foldable. After that, they had to remove even more small parts, including a SIM card tray that was glued in place.
Screens That Don’t Like Being Touched
The video also highlights how fragile the inner folding screen is. It’s surrounded by glued-in bezels and tight spaces, so any wrong move during disassembly can easily cause damage. Even the outer display is extremely sensitive to pressure, dirt, or even your fingernail. iFixit points out that screen repairs often require replacing the entire screen and chassis, a costly and complicated process.
Hard to Fix, Harder to Find Parts
To make things worse, finding official replacement parts for Samsung’s foldables is still a major headache. Even if you’re tech-savvy and willing to take on a tricky repair, you might not be able to get the parts you need.
In the end, iFixit gave the Galaxy Z Fold 7 a repairability score of just 3 out of 10, calling it a “repair nightmare.”That’s a tough pill to swallow for anyone who hoped Samsung’s latest foldable would be easier to fix.
Quick Specs Recap
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip and comes with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. It features an 8-inch inner screen, a 6.5-inch cover display, and a 200MP triple rear camera setup. It packs a 4,400mAh battery with 25W fast charging, weighs 215 grams, and measures 4.2mm thick when unfolded. It launched in India at Rs. 1,74,999.
So while the Z Fold 7 is undeniably impressive on the outside, what’s inside tells a different story, one that might leave DIY repair fans feeling pretty disappointed.
