Samsung’s latest Fan Edition phone is a foldable with flagship DNA — and at R18,499 for the 128GB model, it sits in the same price range as the HONOR 400 Pro, vivo’s V series, and even undercuts some of OPPO’s Reno lineup. It’s not just about price, though. Launched alongside the Galaxy Z Fold7, this is Samsung’s first foldable aimed squarely at the person who’s been on the fence. Someone who doesn’t want to drop over R25K for the cool factor, but also doesn’t want to miss out on the future of phones.
If Samsung’s goal is to make foldables mainstream, the Z Flip7 FE is the first smart move in a while.
What do you lose? Not much.
Let’s be clear: this is not the full-fat Z Flip7, but it’s also not some gutted knock-off.
You still get a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED display on the inside, a 3.4-inch cover screen on the outside, a 50MP main camera, IP48 water resistance and wireless charging. The processor is Samsung’s own Exynos 2400, which is no slouch, and the 4,000mAh battery should get you through a day comfortably. And yes — it folds.
The biggest giveaway that this is the FE model? The smaller cover display and less premium finish. But if you weren’t comparing side-by-side with the regular Flip7 (which starts at R24,999), you might not even notice.
A foldable for people who aren’t “foldable people”
There’s a kind of person who buys foldables for the novelty. This phone isn’t for them. The Flip7 FE is for people who are buying their next phone and want something different, but don’t want to compromise on the things that matter: a great camera, good battery, and futureproof features like AI.
You still get Galaxy AI — including Gemini Live right on the cover screen, Now Brief to surface your calendar and traffic info, and Photo Assist with live filters and Zoom Slider support. And yes, you can take selfies from the cover screen without ever flipping the phone open.
This isn’t a half-baked foldable. It’s the real deal, just at a price that actually makes sense.
Let’s talk competition
At R18,499, the Flip7 FE lands in the middle of South Africa’s most competitive price bracket. It goes up against phones like the HONOR 400 Pro, vivo V50, and OPPO Reno13 — all solid choices with premium cameras, big batteries and decent AI smarts.
But here’s the thing: none of them fold.
None of them feel futuristic. None of them make people say “wait, what phone is that?” when you pull it out of your pocket. And none of them can sit on a table at 90 degrees for hands-free selfies, TikToks or video calls.
Flagship feel, fan-friendly price
The regular Galaxy Z Flip7 still has a role to play — with its larger 4.1-inch edge-to-edge FlexWindow, 4,300mAh battery, and support for Samsung DeX. But it also starts at R24,999, climbing to R27,499 for the 512GB version. That’s a lot of money.
By contrast, the Flip7 FE starts at R18,499 for 128GB, or R21,499 for 256GB. And that could be a gamechanger. It’s rare that Samsung undercuts competitors this clearly — and when it does, it tends to shake the market.
Is this the moment foldables go mainstream?
Maybe. South Africa’s been slow on foldables, and price has always been the main barrier. The Flip7 FE slices through that problem with style — and for many people, it’ll be their first encounter with the form factor.
If Samsung can market this right, and if the performance lives up to the promise, this could be the foldable that finally convinces people that yes, foldables are actually worth it.
Pre-orders for the Galaxy Z Flip7 and Z Flip7 FE are open now. General availability starts 25 July. The Flip7 FE comes in Black and White.