Galaxy Z Fold 7 Thickness Mystery SOLVED! Is it 3.9mm or 4.5mm?
The exact thickness of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has been a subject of much debate and varying figures over the past few weeks. Initially, a report from Android Headlines, in collaboration with OnLeaks, suggested a mere 4.5mm thickness when unfolded, a significant reduction from the Galaxy Z Fold 6's 5.6mm. This put it close to the Oppo Find N5's 4.2mm but not quite surpassing it, leading to considerable excitement.
Adding to the confusion, a less credible Greek tech blog floated an even thinner folded dimension of around 8.2mm, which I immediately dismissed as unlikely. Then, reputable leaker Ice Universe weighed in, claiming an even slimmer 3.9mm unfolded thickness for the Z Fold 7, potentially making it the thinnest book-style foldable. Interestingly, Ice Universe's reported length and width matched those provided by Android Headlines/OnLeaks, leaving the discrepancy solely in the thickness.
The reason for these differing measurements appears to lie in whether the protruding bezel of the phone is included in the thickness calculation. A recent exchange on social media between OnLeaks and Ice Universe has shed light on this. OnLeaks inquired about the precise thickness of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, prompting Ice Universe to reveal his Z Fold 7 data excludes the thickness of this protruding bezel, which he estimates to be an additional 0.5mm. OnLeaks corroborated this, showing that if you add that bezel estimate to Ice Universe’s 3.9mm figure, their numbers suddenly align.
This bezel is the small raised edge around the display that prevents the inner screens from touching when the device is folded. Therefore, measuring just the body of the phone (as Ice Universe seemingly did, aligning with Samsung's internal measurements) yields a thinner number than measuring the entire device including this protrusion. It's akin to measuring someone's height without including the height added by a hat.
To investigate further, I used a caliper to measure the thickness of a Galaxy Z Fold 6. The measurement came in at approximately 6.2mm, notably thicker than the officially stated 5.6mm. Similarly, the Oppo Find N5, with a listed thickness of 4.2mm, measured around 4.56mm. This suggests that online specifications often do not include the bezel in their thickness measurements.
Therefore, considering the bezel, the anticipated thickness of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is likely around 4.4mm or 4.5mm. When the Galaxy Z Fold 6's bezel is also accounted for (bringing its thickness closer to 6.2mm), and comparing it to the Oppo Find N5's measured 4.56mm (including its smaller bezel), it appears the Z Fold 7 and the Find N5 will likely be very close in thickness.
In conclusion, the discrepancy in reported Z Fold 7 thickness seems to stem from whether the protruding bezel is included in the measurement. With the bezel factored in, the Z Fold 7 is expected to be around 4.4mm to 4.5mm thick, putting it in the same ballpark as the Oppo Find N5. If you measure excluding the bezel, as every OEM seems to, the Z Fold 7 is apparentky thinner than the Find N5 at 3.9mm. This clarification resolves the earlier confusion and provides a more accurate understanding of the device's likely dimensions.