Galaxy Z Fold 7, Panasonic S1 II, Samsung QS700F and more
Engadget review recap: Galaxy Z Fold 7, Panasonic S1 II, Samsung QS700F and more
A roundup of the reviews published on Engadget over the last few weeks.
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
We’ve been busy in the Engadget reviews department over the last few weeks, keeping up with Prime Day, product launches and the accumulating stack of devices on our desks. If you missed any of our in-depth testing recently, you can quickly catch up on the latest camera, laptop, phone and soundbar reviews in the list below.
Peak foldable phone design
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
Canon EOS R50 V
Samsung HW-QS700F
Panasonic LUMIX S1 II
Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
Billy Steele for Engadget
Peak foldable phone design
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
- Exquisitely thin design
- Sleeker hinge
- Big 200MP main camera
- Larger displays
- Top-tier performance
- Very expensive
- No S Pen support
- Mediocre charging speeds
$1,780 at Amazon
$1,820 at Best Buy
Samsung made notable design changes on its latest flagship foldable phone, finally giving the masses a significant update after a series of iterative models. Senior reviews writer Sam Rutherford argued the company “has finally achieved foldable phone nirvana” thanks to the reductions in overall size and thickness on the Z Fold 7, making the niche handset appeal to more users. “With its latest flagship foldable, Samsung has removed one of the remaining barriers preventing people from trying out the new breed of phones: excessive size and weight,” he said.
Canon R50 V
Canon/Engadget
Canon EOS R50 V
- Good photo and video quality
- Fast and accurate autofocus
- Cooling fan allows extended shooting
- Decently fast photo shooting
- Rolling shutter distortion
- No in-body stabilization
- Lacks rival’s vlogging friendly features
- Mediocre battery life
$649 at Amazon
$730 at Best Buy
Content creators who are just getting into vlogging will soon realize they need a camera more robust than their phone for better quality footage. Reporter Steve Dent explained that Canon’s EOS R50 V excels at video, thanks in part to its quick autofocus, but the camera lacks the performance and features of its rivals. “Canon’s R50 V is a pretty good first try for a vlogging camera, hitting the mark in key areas like video quality and usability,” he wrote. “However, its rival, Sony’s ZV-E10 II, beats it in nearly every area, offering even better video quality, higher photo resolution, faster autofocus, smoother electronic stabilization and neat features missing on the R50 V — like the product showcase.”
Samsung HW-QS700F
Samsung
Samsung HW-QS700F
$598 at Macy’s
Like the Z Fold line, Samsung has been on a streak of iterative updates for its flagship soundbars. For 2025 though, the company debuted an all-new model that automatically detects how you’re using it and adjusts the speaker output appropriately. It’s that trick, along with crisp sound, that makes the QS700F a contender even with its constrained 3.1.2-channel audio. “Caveats aside, the best thing about the soundbar is its automatic orientation adjustment,” I noted. “The QS700F is easy on the eyes too, which isn’t always the case with these devices.”
Panasonic S1 II
Panasonic/Engadget
Panasonic LUMIX S1 II
- Fast shooting speeds
- Great handling
- Excellent video quality
- Best-in-class stabilization
- Pro video features
- Poor battery life
- Expensive
$3,198 at Amazon
The S1 II may be Panasonic’s best camera for content creators, but there’s one major downside: the price. Steve’s assessment of this model’s features, which include 6K RAW video and best-in-class stabilization, will help you weigh the potential $3,200 investment. “Panasonic’s S1 II is a powerful hybrid camera, and if it wasn’t so expensive, it would be a no-brainer for creators,” he said. “However, Nikon’s Z6 III has nearly the same video capabilities, is a better camera for photography and costs at least $600 less, so I’m inclined to recommend that model for most users.”
Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1
Dell / Engadget
Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1
- Solid build
- Vivid mini LED display
- Above-average battery life
- Lackluster touchpad
- Mediocre speakers
- Needs another USB-C port
$750 at Dell
The Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1 is the company’s first consumer laptop to feature its recently updated naming scheme, and the change in moniker is accompanied by refreshed styling. Sam explained that while the machine is perfectly capable, especially with the optional LED display, it’s lacking personality. “It’s a totally serviceable machine, but it doesn’t have a single trait or feature that endears itself to its user,” he wrote. “Same goes for its name.”
Belkin Charging Case for Nintendo Switch 2
Bill Steele for Engadget
Protection and portable charging made easy
Belkin Charging Case for Nintendo Switch 2
- Simple design
- Included 10,000mAh battery pack
- Hidden AirTag pouch
- No option to bring your own battery pack
- Might not work with bulky skins or covers
$70 at Amazon
Now that the Switch 2 is out in the wild, Nintendo’s handheld console needs protection. Sam put the Belkin Charging Case through its paces to find out if it’s a worthy accessory. “I kind of wish Belkin sold a version that doesn’t come with a battery for anyone who wants to use their own power pack,” he said. “The company’s non-charging version of this case isn’t an ideal alternative as it doesn’t have much extra space inside. But even so, this kit offers a solid combination of price and practicality, which is all I’m ever really asking for.”
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