Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 is rated to withstand up to 500,000 folds, double that of its predecessors. To evaluate its real-world durability, YouTuber Tech-it manually folded the device over 200,000 times.
Unlike automated folding machines that apply consistent speed and force, Tech-it’s manual folding introduced natural variations, simulating everyday use more accurately.
Despite Samsung’s claims, the phone began showing problems after just 6,000 folds. Between 6,000 and 10,000 folds, the device experienced reboot errors, which recurred about every 10,000 folds thereafter. At 46,000 folds, creaking noises emerged near the hinge.
Further issues appeared at 75,000 folds, when a mysterious black liquid leaked from the hinge, though it did not reoccur. By 175,000 folds, all speakers—including top, bottom, and earpiece—ceased to function.
Additionally, the hinge became smoother to operate, but the new folding technology appeared to lose elasticity even though the Free-stop feature remained functional. These problems surfaced well before reaching the 200,000 folds tested and far below the official 500,000-fold rating.
The findings raise questions about the Z Fold 7’s long-term reliability and whether other issues may develop before achieving the claimed durability threshold.