Should You Buy A Refurbished Galaxy Z Fold 7?

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Samsung announced a Certified Re-Newed program for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 on April 22 that offers buyers the chance to purchase one of its newest foldables for a discount, assuming they don't mind buying a refurbished version. The deal comes about three months before Samsung's expected summer Unpacked launch event, where the Korean company is expected to unveil at least two new foldable phones. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8 are the obvious candidates, with rumors pointing to a wider version of the Fold 8 as a surprise addition to the Galaxy Z Fold lineup. That's one reason to avoid buying a Samsung foldable in the spring, whether it's refurbished or not. That said, foldable fans who don't want the latest hardware could still purchase one of last year's models, including refurbished models sold through Samsung's Certified Re-Newed program.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the more technically advanced version of Samsung's 2025 foldable phones, but comes in a much thinner form factor. Unfolded, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 measures 4.2 mm, while folded, the device is 8.9 mm thick. For reference, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 measures 5.6 mm when unfolded and 12.1 mm when folded. The Fold 7 is also lighter than the Fold 6, at 7.58 oz compared to 8.43 oz.

Measurements aside, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a high-end Android phone, featuring premium hardware, including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, 12 GB or 16 GB of RAM, and at least 256 GB of storage (storage options up to 1 TB). Add the large 8-inch foldable screen, the 200-megapixel camera on the back, the Galaxy AI package, and seven years of software upgrades, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 becomes a stronger value proposition.

The 256 GB variant of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 Certified Re-Newed costs $1,699. That's $300 cheaper than the phone's regular price. However, when Samsung launched the refurbished program for the 2025 foldables, the company was running a promotion on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 that Android Authority and 9to5Google observed. A brand-new Galaxy Z Fold 7 cost $1,599.99 on April 22 – $100 cheaper than the refurbished model. That deal is no longer available as of this writing. But in that scenario, the refurbished model didn't make much sense. You'd want to purchase a new device if the prices are comparable. Interested buyers may find better deals at other retailers. For example, Amazon sells the 256 GB Galaxy Z Fold 7 for $1,675, which is still cheaper than Samsung's refurbished offer.

These prices don't include additional discounts, like carrier offers and trade-ins. For the refurbished Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung offers trade-ins of up to $582 on its website. But if you choose the new Galaxy Z Fold 7, the trade-in ceiling rises to $1,000. Depending on what smartphone you own, you may get a better deal trading it in for a new Galaxy Z Fold 7 instead of the Certified Re-Newed model.

If you want the newest hardware, you should avoid the Galaxy Z Fold 7, new or refurbished. The next-generation devices are coming in a few months, and you'd be better off waiting for those models. It's likely that carriers and Samsung will offer good deals and trade-in options for the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Buying a refurbished Galaxy Z Fold 7 from Samsung makes sense if the price is better than buying the brand-new device. Samsung has recently increased the prices of the 512 GB and 1 TB Galaxy Z Fold 7 models. They're both $80 more expensive than what Samsung announced last year: $2,199.99 and $2,499.99. Amazon offers better deals for the two models: $1,772.53 and $2,419.99. But the Certified Re-Newed prices are even better: $1,749 and $1,879 for the refurbished 512 GB and 1 TB versions. The refurbished 1 TB model is the highlight here, offering buyers savings of $540 over Amazon's current price. That said, interested buyers may want to act fast, as the Certified Re-Newed stock may be limited.

That said, buying a used foldable phone is somewhat risky because foldables rely on hinges and flexible displays. Samsung has increased the durability of foldable phones, but that doesn't change the fact that these handsets have moving parts that can be damaged, especially the foldable screen. If you were to buy a refurbished foldable, getting it from Samsung is the safer option. Samsung said in a press release that "all Certified Re-Newed devices have been serviced by Samsung specialists and repaired with 100% Samsung genuine parts, including a certified new battery, and backed by Samsung's one-year manufacturer warranty." Those protections are important for a previously owned foldable phone.

Additionally, you may want to buy Samsung Care+ for the handset to ensure access to cheaper repairs. Samsung Care+ with Theft and Loss ($18 per month) includes unlimited display repairs for screen damage. The cheaper Samsung Care+ plan ($13 per month) also offers unlimited display repairs, but each one will cost $29.