Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 survives bend test despite being unbelievably thin

When Samsung dropped the Galaxy Z Fold 7 at its Unpacked 2025 showcase, most people were focused on one stat – just 4.2mm thin when unfolded. That’s tablet-level screen real estate in a form factor sleeker than ever; practically a tech flex in your pocket. But with all that slimming down came a natural worry, is this thing built to last?

Cue Zack Nelson (aka JerryRigEverything), the YouTube torture tester known for turning flagship phones into expensive jigsaw puzzles. The Fold 7 got the full Zack treatment including scratch tests, sand tests, and of course, the infamous bend test. And to everyone’s surprise, Samsung’s latest foldable didn’t just survive, it held its ground.

Bend it like Samsung

Let’s be real. Most foldables don’t have the best reputation when it comes to durability. Hinges crunch, screens crease, and one accidental pressure point can leave you with a glorified paperweight. But the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has clearly been hitting the resilience gym.

During the bend test, even when forced backwards while unfolded, the device flexed alarmingly but didn’t break. Folded shut, it felt more rigid, with a little give, but nothing catastrophic. It held together through the kind of pressure that would’ve snapped most of its ancestors. The redesigned hinge, now slimmer than ever, didn’t cave in either.

So, Samsung’s claim that the Fold 7 can handle over 500,000 folds, most likely, isn’t just marketing spin. It’s backed up by some serious abuse on JerryRigEverything’s part.

Sand, scratches, and screen scars

In the sand test, Nelson poured a generous helping of loose grit across the hinge and inner display. The hinge let out a concerning crunch or two, but then powered through. The inner screen, protected by Samsung’s now 50 percent thicker Ultra Thin Glass (UTG), stayed functional, though some scratches did show up thanks to its still-flexible nature.

Scratch-wise, the outer 6.5-inch AMOLED cover screen (protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2) showed signs of wear at Moh’s level 6, with deeper grooves at level 7, meaning coins and keys are fine, but maybe keep it away from steel tools or sandpapered pockets. The inner display? Still soft enough to mark with a fingernail. Yes, really.

Samsung’s obsession with refinement has paid off. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a remarkable piece of engineering. Thinner, lighter, and somehow tougher than before. It’s still not invincible (this is a foldable phone, not a Nokia brick), but it no longer feels like a fragile prototype masquerading as a flagship.

In a year where foldables are finally starting to feel normal, Samsung just reminded everyone that thin doesn’t have to mean weak, and that sometimes, a little bend doesn’t break the best.