Smartphone Awards Est. 2014 · Archive 2025 Awards

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Honor Magic V4: 2025's Top Foldables Compared

MKBHD's 2025 Best Foldable winner (Z Fold 7) and runner-up (Honor Magic V4) compared head-to-head. Both are excellent book-style folds with the most refined hinges in the category. Honor wins on hardware specs; Samsung wins on software ecosystem and US support.

Updated · Verdict based on MKBHD Smartphone Awards results and spec analysis.

Round wins

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: 4 · Honor Magic V4: 1 ·Ties: 4

Specs side-by-side

Spec Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Honor Magic V4
Display 7.9-inch inner AMOLED, 6.5-inch outer AMOLED, 120Hz 7.92-inch inner OLED, 6.43-inch outer OLED, 120Hz
Processor Snapdragon 8 Elite Snapdragon 8 Elite
RAM 12GB 16GB
Camera 50MP main + 12MP ultrawide + 10MP 3x telephoto 50MP main + 40MP ultrawide + 50MP 3x telephoto
Battery 4,400 mAh 5,150 mAh
OS Android 15 (One UI 7) Android 15 (MagicOS 9)
Starting price $1899 $1699
Released 2025 2025

Round-by-round breakdown

Hinge & build

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

Z Fold 7 has the most refined hinge in the industry — 7 generations in. Magic V4 is excellent but less proven over time.

Inner display

Tie

Both excellent — Z Fold 7 is brighter; Magic V4 is wider aspect ratio. Pick on usage preference.

Outer display

Tie

Both ~6.5-inch traditional aspect-ratio outer displays. Roughly equivalent.

Performance

Tie

Same Snapdragon 8 Elite. Functionally identical.

Camera

Tie

Both have triple-camera arrays with periscope telephoto. Image quality is similar; Honor's color science is bolder, Samsung's is more neutral.

Software for folding

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

Samsung has the most mature foldable-specific software (split-screen, app continuity, Flex Mode). Honor's MagicOS is newer to the category.

AI features

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

Galaxy AI is broader and more deeply integrated than Honor's AI features. The gap is meaningful in 2026.

Software updates

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

Z Fold 7: 7 years of major Android updates. Magic V4: 4 years. Big gap on long-term value.

Price & availability

Winner: Honor Magic V4

Honor Magic V4 typically launches $200–$300 below the Z Fold 7 in markets where it's sold. Samsung is more expensive but available everywhere.

Final verdict

Buy the Galaxy Z Fold 7 unless you live in a market where Honor has strong distribution and software support. Samsung's hinge has 7 generations of refinement, the software ecosystem for foldables is the most mature, and the 7-year update commitment is unmatched. Honor Magic V4 is the better hardware deal but trades it away on software polish and support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Z Fold 7 or Honor Magic V4: which is the better foldable?

Z Fold 7 — winner of MKBHD's 2025 Best Foldable. More mature hinge, broader software ecosystem, and 7-year update commitment. Magic V4 is the runner-up and is excellent hardware but loses on long-term support.

Is the Honor Magic V4 available in the US?

Limited US availability — Honor sells the Magic V4 in some markets but not through major US carriers. You'll likely need to import. We don't recommend the V4 for US buyers unless you specifically want its hardware.

Which has the slimmer body, Z Fold 7 or Magic V4?

Honor Magic V4 is slightly slimmer when folded. Z Fold 7 closed the gap significantly with its 7th-gen design. Both are dramatically slimmer than 2022-era folds.