Galaxy Z Fold 7 Appears Thinner Than Honor’s “World’s Slimmest Foldable,” Samsung Explains S Pen Trade-Off, Exynos 2600 Still Not Confirmed for Galaxy S26

Highlights

• Galaxy Z Fold 7 revealed to be slimmer than Honor’s Magic V5 in a recently leaked comparison video. Samsung dropped S Pen support for Fold 7 to achieve a thinner design, using lighter components and a redesigned hinge.
• Future stylus inclusion depends on tech improvements and demand.
• Exynos 2600 chip for Galaxy S26 is still uncertain due to yield issues.

Honor recently claimed its new Magic V5 is the “world’s slimmest foldable,” but a side-by-side comparison with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 tells a different story. Despite Honor listing the Magic V5 at 8.8mm when folded and Samsung stating the Fold 7 is 8.9mm thick, a hands-on video suggests Samsung’s foldable may actually be thinner.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Honor Magic V5 – What the Video Shows?

Tech leaker @UniverseIce posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) comparing the two foldables. At first glance, both devices appear equally slim, but placing a card across the top reveals that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 edges out the Magic V5 ever so slightly. In fact, a small ball rolling along the card highlights the height difference even more.

There is no accurate measuring tool, but we can still draw a rigorous conclusion: Galaxy Z Fold7 is the thinnest folding mobile phone in the world.
I switched the positions of two mobile phones during the test, and the results remained the same, which showed that the factors of… pic.twitter.com/irlNgKOtH0

— PhoneArt (@UniverseIce) July 15, 2025

A micrometre reading also backs up this observation, showing that Samsung’s device is technically thinner. Another video even suggests the Magic V5 looks more like Oppo’s Find N5 in terms of thickness.

We have to thank folks at 9to5Google for combining the two videos and making it easier to understand the comparison. You can check out the joint video here –

While Honor claims 8.8mm for the Magic V5 (specifically the Ivory White variant), it’s possible the company is using a different measuring method. As of now, Honor hasn’t responded to the claims. Honor’s official website, however, adds the following text as a disclaimer to the 8.8mm measurement –

“Data comes from the HONOR Lab. 8.8mm refers to the thickness of the Ivory White model in the folded state. The overall thickness does not include the inner and outer screen protective films and the raised part of the camera… The actual data may vary depending on configurations, manufacturing processes and measurement methods. Please refer to the actual device.”

Samsung Explains Why Galaxy Z Fold 7 Dropped S Pen Support

In separate news, Samsung is finally being open about the changes made to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, especially the decision to drop S Pen support. In an interview with ET News, Samsung MX Managing Director Kang Min-seok admitted the move was intentional.

“The Fold 7 emphasised that consumers want a ‘thin and light product,” Kang said. “Please think of it as a ‘trade-off’ where you lose one if you choose one.”

Kang explained that removing features like the digitiser for S Pen, the under-display camera, and skipping battery or charging upgrades was all done to achieve the Fold 7’s ultra-slim 8.9mm profile.

Samsung isn’t done with the S Pen, though. Kang said they’re “researching and developing thinner and innovative technologies” to possibly bring the stylus back in future models when the “level of perfection” is high enough and consumer demand justifies it.

To make the Fold 7 lighter and thinner, Samsung reworked the frame and hinge. The new “Armor Flex” hinge is 27% thinner and 43% lighter than what was used on the Fold 6. The 8-inch foldable display is also 39% thinner and 43% lighter with a layer of titanium at the base to improve durability.

Even the 200MP camera sensor was made smaller, down by 18%, though the camera bump is still quite prominent. On the Flip 7, Samsung used high-density circuit boards to create more internal space, which helped increase battery capacity by 300mAh without making the device thicker.

Kang said both devices reflect Samsung’s goal of delivering products that are “perfected in all experiences”, even if some design choices remain controversial.

Is Galaxy X26 Getting an Exynos Chip?

Meanwhile, there’s still uncertainty about whether Samsung’s Exynos 2600 chip will power the upcoming Galaxy S26 series, expected to launch in January 2026. At a recent event, Park Yong-in, President of Samsung System LSI, said the chip is “progressing well” and teased “good results,” but didn’t confirm its use in the S26.

Interestingly, Samsung used the Exynos 2500 in the Galaxy Z Flip7 and the Exynos 2400 in the Z Flip7 FE, breaking from its usual reliance on Qualcomm Snapdragon chips. But the Fold 7 stuck with Snapdragon, hinting that the Exynos 2500 might not have met performance or efficiency targets.

The Exynos 2600 reportedly faces yield issues, just like the 2500 did. Mass production requires at least 70% yield, and sources say the chip hasn’t hit that number yet. Samsung originally planned to use the Exynos 2500 for the Galaxy S25, but scrapped it in favour of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 Elite.

So while Samsung is pushing its own chips, whether the Exynos 2600 powers the S26 will ultimately depend on whether the company can get production levels high enough in time.

FAQs

Q1. Is the Galaxy Z Fold 7 thinner than Honor’s Magic V5 foldable?

Answer. Despite official specs listing Fold 7 at 8.9mm and Magic V5 at 8.8mm, hands-on videos and micrometre readings suggest the Fold 7 may actually be slimmer.

Q2. Why did Samsung remove S Pen support from the Galaxy Z Fold 7?

Answer. Samsung prioritized a thinner design by removing the digitizer for S Pen, under-display camera, and skipping battery upgrades to achieve the 8.9mm profile.

Q3. Will the Galaxy S26 use the Exynos 2600 chip?

Answer. Samsung hasn’t confirmed it yet; the chip faces yield issues and must hit a 70% production threshold before it can be used in mass-market devices like the S26.

Also Read – Leak Reveals Galaxy Z Fold 7, Flip 7, and Flip 7 FE Full Specs Ahead of Launch; All to Ship with Android 16

Also Read – Galaxy Z Fold 7 New Leaked Promo Stand Image Hints at a Much Thinner Design