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. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 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 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 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 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 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 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."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-galaxy-z-fold-7-panasonic-s1-ii-samsung-qs700f-and-more-123027122.html?src=rss

Samsung said the display it used for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 can be folded over twice as many times as the display used for the previous iterations of the model. The foldable OLED panel "remained fully functional" after certification company Bureau Veritas put it through a durability test, wherein it was folded 500,000 times over 13 days. That means if a user folds their phone roughly 100 times a day, the display could last for over 10 years. In its announcement, Samsung said that "durability is no longer a limiting factor in the lifespan of foldable smartphones."The company took cues from bulletproof glass to create a shock-proof design for the new foldable OLED panel. It increased the thickness of the display's outermost glass by 50 percent and applied high-elastic adhesive to every layer of the panel so that it can better absorb external impact. The new display can also distribute shock more evenly across its surface, and Samsung used titanium plate as support for the whole structure to make it stronger than before. In addition, by using more advanced materials and redesigning the panel layer, the company was able to achieve a thinner profile so that the device looks and feels like any regular handset now.Previous versions of the Galaxy Z Fold, from the first through the sixth, were only rated for 200,000 folds. And when CNET tested the first Z Fold itself by using a machine that opened and folded it for hours, it only lasted 119,380 folds despite supposedly being able to withstand 200,000. If the Galaxy Z Fold 7 can get anywhere near the 500,000 folds it can supposedly handle, most users don't have to worry about their screens snapping in two before they change phones.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-7s-display-is-rated-to-withstand-500000-folds-120048142.html?src=rss