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Galaxy Unpacked 2025 LIVE: All the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Flip 7 and Watch 8 news

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Galaxy Z Flip 7 unboxing

We’ve shown you the Fold coming out of the box, now it’s time to get a glance at Samsung’s other new foldable. Here’s the Galaxy Z Flip 7 unboxing video.

Galaxy Watch 8 preorder deals

Just like the foldable phones, preorders have started on the new Galaxy Watch models. And we’ve got all the best Galaxy Watch 8 preorder deals in one place.

My favorite so far? Amazon is offering $50 off the Galaxy Watch 8 or $100 off the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic and throwing in gift cards with your purchase — $50 for Galaxy Watch 8 and $100 for the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic.

Best foldable face-off

(Image credit: Future)

The Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) currently holds the top spot in our best foldable phone rankings. But that position could be under threat now that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is here.

We’ll do a full-scale face-off as part of our Galaxy Z Flip review process, but for now, John Velasco looks at the ways the Galaxy Z Flip 7 can beat the Motorola Razr Ultra.

Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE

If you’re wondering how Samsung’s latest foldable flip phone measures up to the cheaper version, this Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE TikTok comparison offers a side-by-side look.

A wake-up call for Apple

Samsung Galaxy 7 Fold 7

(Image credit: Future)

Apple doesn’t have a foldable phone — not yet anyhow. But some people are expecting that to change next year with the release of a rumored iPhone Fold.

If that is the case, then Mark Spoonauer thinks the Galaxy Z Fold 7 gives Apple plenty to think about, since it illustrates how far ahead Samsung is in developing this kind of foldable device.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 unboxing

We’ve got a Galaxy Z Fold 7 in for more extensive testing beyond our hands-on. Here’s what it’s like to take the Galaxy Z Fold 7 out of the box.

Does the Galaxy Z Fold 7 FE offer enough?

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE held in the hand.

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide / John Velasco)

It’s always a step in the right direction when a company offers a lower-cost version of one of its devices. But is the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE a big enough step? Considering how close it is to last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 — and how that older phone can now be had for less, at least thanks to Prime Day sales — you could argue, as I do, that Samsung may have missed the mark with its midrange flip phone.

So about that G Fold…

TM Roh close up

(Image credit: Samsung)

There had been chatter about a Galaxy Unpacked appearance by the Galaxy G Fold — the name being bandied about for the triple-folding phone Samsung is said to be working on — but that didn’t pan out. Still, the absence of the Galaxy G Fold at the July 9 product event doesn’t mean it’s not in the works, or that it won’t be arriving sooner than you might think.

That comes from no less an authority than Samsung boss TM Roh who says a triple-folding phone from his company could be ready by year’s end. Here’s what Roh told the Korea Times:

“We are working hard on a tri-fold smartphone with the goal of launching it at the end of this year. We are now focusing on perfecting the product and its usability, but we have not decided its name. As the product nears completion, we are planning to make a final decision soon.”

Hands-on with the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7

Galaxy Z Fold 7 shown during Samsung hands on event

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

It’s the day after the Samsung Unpacked event and the early reaction to the new devices is positive — even with that noted price increase. If you haven’t yet, you can check out our hands-on impressions of both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the The Galaxy Z Flip 7 now that everything is official.

The obvious question now is when — or if — Apple will respond with its own iPhone Fold next year. Here’s why this week’s Samsung news really puts Apple on notice.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 HANDS ON: Biggest Upgrades! – YouTube
Galaxy Z Fold 7 HANDS ON: Biggest Upgrades! - YouTube


Watch On

Galaxy Z Flip 7 preorders

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 held in the hand.

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide / John Velasco)

Like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, preorders are now underway for the Galaxy Z Flip 7, and we’re rounding up preorder deals for the foldable flip phone in advance of its July 25 release.

Free storage upgrade offers seem to be the order of the day, as we’ve seen that available from Samsung, AT&T and Verizon on Galaxy Z Flip 7 preorders. The Verizon deal strikes us as particularly, compelling, as you can essentially get the phone free depending on the phone you trade in.

In praise of the Classic

Close-up of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic on the writer's wrist

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

Dan Bracaglia has looked at all the watches Samsung showed off today and has a favorite — the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is the one to get, he says, even if it costs more than the standard model. Credit the extra storage, bigger battery and better design.

Galaxy Watch specs compared

Watch8 and Watch8 Classic

(Image credit: Samsung)

Trying to decide which Galaxy Watch is right for you? Check out this specs table comparing the Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic announced today. We’ve also included the Galaxy Watch Ultra, which adds a new blue version with 64GB of storage.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Row 0 – Cell 0

Galaxy Watch 8

Galaxy Watch 8 Classic

Galaxy Watch Ultra

Starting price

$349

$499

$649

Colors

Graphite, Silver

Black, White

Titanium Blue, Titanium White, Titanium Gray, Titanium Silver

Sizes

40mm, 44mm

46mm

47mm

Dimensions

40mm: 42.7 x 40.4 x 8.6 mm / 44mm: 46 x 43.7 x 8.6 mm

46.4 x 46 x 10.6 mm

47.4 x 47. 1 x 12.1 mm

Weight

40mm: 30.0 g / 44m: 34.0 g

63.5 g

60.5 g

Display

40mm: 1.34″ (438×438) / 44mm: 1.47″ (480×480)

1.34″ (438×438)

1.5″ (480 x 480)

Processor

Exynos W1000

Exynos W1000

Exynos W1000

Battery capacity

40mm: 325mAh / 44mm: 435mAh

445mAh

590 mAh

Durability

5ATM + IP68

5ATM + IP68

10 ATM + IP68

Storage

32GB

64GB

64GB

Connectivity

LTE (optional), Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4+ 5 GHz, NFC

LTE (optional), Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4+ 5 GHz, NFC

LTE, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4+ 5 GHz, NFC

Compatibility

Android 12 or higher

Android 12 or higher

Android 11 or higher

Hands-on with the Galaxy Watch 8

Close-up of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy 8 Classic on the writer's wrist

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

Kate Kozuch takes the Galaxy Watch 8 out for an early spin, with a particular eye on examining the health and fitness tracking features. She’s also intrigued by the idea of having Gemini available on a wrist-worn device with no need to pair the watch with a nearby phone.

Let the pre-orders begin

Galaxy Z Fold 7 shown during Samsung hands on event

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

After the launch event comes the pre-orders, and we’ve got a guide to all the early offers emerging on Samsung’s latest products, starting with Galaxy Z Fold 7 pre-orders. One of the most compelling deals so far, comes from Samsung itself, which will not only upgrade your storage at no extra cost but also take up to $1,150 off the cost of the phone depending on the device you trade-in.

As a reminder, pre-orders for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are now live, and the phone itself arrives in stores July 25.

More on One UI 8

AI summary in a floating window on Z Fold 7

(Image credit: Samsung)

As noted during the Galaxy Unpacked presentation, all the new foldable phones are shipping with Android 16 and One UI 8 preinstalled — impressive since it feels like One UI 7 just got here.

Tom Pritchard has more details on the features One UI 8 is bringing to the mix.

No surprises

Samsung's Project Moohan with Android XR at Galaxy Unpacked 2025

(Image credit: Future)

So all that talk about a Galaxy G Fold appearance didn’t pan out. And Project Moohan was a no-show, too, at least during the keyote.

Wrapping it up

Roh sign off

(Image credit: Samsung)

After a video on Samsung’s sustainability efforts, TM Roh is back to recap things while also talking about the sustainable materials Samsung’s new products use.

“Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 represent the pinnacle of our innovation,” Roh said. And with that, we’re all done.

Watch pricing

Watch 8 and Watch Ultra pricing

(Image credit: Samsung)

The Galaxy Watch 8 costs $349 for the 40mm version. That’s actually a $50 price hike from the Galaxy Watch 7.

You’ll pay $499 for the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic.

Preorders start now, and you can pick up the watch in stores on July 25.

Screen brightness

Galaxy Watch 8

(Image credit: Samsung)

Amid a very lengthy video showing off the Galaxy Watch 8 features, Samsung notes that the watch’s display is rated for 3,000 nits of brightness so its easy to see outdoors. It’s thinner than before, too.

The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is back with the rotating bezel.

A 2025 version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra comes in a new blue shade. Otherwise features seem to be the same, save for an upgrade to 64GB of storage.

Gemini on your watch

Galaxy Watch with Gemini

(Image credit: Samsung)

The Galaxy Watch 8 will have Gemini on board, meaning you won’t need to pair your smartwatch with a phone. All you need is a Wi-Fi or LTE connection to access the assistant.

Meet Xealth

Xealth x Samsung

(Image credit: Samsung)

Samsung has bought Xealth, which is a healthcare integration platform. The move looks like it lets you more easily share data from Samsung’s wearables and health care providers. Samsung says it’s a cornerstone of advancing care at home.

Vascular Load

Vascular Load

(Image credit: Samsung)

Another new feature of the Galaxy Watch measures Vascular Load as you sleep and gives you advice on developing heart healthy habits.

A sensor on the watch measures antioxidant levels and makes recommendations on diet.

Up close with the Galaxy Watch 8

Want to learn more about the Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic? We have a video on the latest Samsung smartwatches.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Hands-On: Biggest Upgrades! – YouTube
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Hands-On: Biggest Upgrades! - YouTube


Watch On

Galaxy Watch 8

Running Coach on Watch8

(Image credit: Samsung)

The Galaxy Watch 8 makes its debut, and among the new feature are a Running Coach tool to help you train and deliver real-time coaching.

A Bedtime Reminders feature helps you optimize sleep, too.

A Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, too

Z Flip 7 FE pricing

(Image credit: Samsung)

Samsung also has a lower-cost version of the Flip available in the form of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. It’s $899, which is $100 less than the Motorola Razr Plus (2025). You can get it in black or white.

Price and availability

Z Flip 7 colors

(Image credit: Samsung)

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 still costs $1,099. Pre-orders start today, with the phone shipping July 25. It’ comes in blue, black and red with a mint option exclusively at Samsung.

Flex cam

Gemini Live on Z Flip 7 front screen

(Image credit: Samsung)

There’s a fairly lengthy video about using the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s flexible camera to capture video, which is probably a way to distract you from the fact that the camera specs haven’t changed year-to-year.

However, it does sound like the ProVisual engine is getting a refresh for better photo processing

Bigger Flex Window

One UI 8 on Z Flip 7

(Image credit: Samsung)

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 has a 4.1-inch cover display, up from 3.4 inches on the Galaxy Z Flip 6. The bezels smaller, too.

Now Brief summaries appear on the Flex Window, and you can customize the wallpaper to optimize it for the design, as the display incorporates the two exterior cameras.

Galaxy Z Flip 7

And now it’s time to talk Galaxy Z Flip 7. We’ve got a hand-on video for the flip phone.

Galaxy Z Flip 7 + FE Hands-On: You’ve Got Options! – YouTube
Galaxy Z Flip 7 + FE Hands-On: You've Got Options! - YouTube


Watch On

Price and availability

Z Fold 7 specs sheet

(Image credit: Samsung)

Pre-orders start today. The phone costs $1,999, a $100 price increase from the Galaxy Z Fold 6. There are three colors — silver, black, blue — and Samsung is offering a mint version exclusively.

Sounds like it’s hitting stores on July 25.

Camera details

Magic Eraser on Z Fold 7

(Image credit: Samsung)

We’re going over Galaxy Z Fold 7 camera changes now, led by that 200MP camera. But the ultrawide camera features a 100-degree field of view and autofocus.

AI editing tools are getting smarter; for instance, you’ll be able to get suggestions on multiple people to remove from a photo at once.

And of course, the expansive Fold display makes it easier to compare photo edits side-by-side or editing videos right on your device.

Galaxy AI on foldables

AI on Z Fold 7

(Image credit: Samsung)

Samsung is showing off its Galaxy AI features, but the key here is that they’ve been optimized for the larger screen of the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

There’s also a recap of the KEEP feature Samsung announced the other day that keeps personal data secure on your device.

Google AI Pro for foldables

Google AI Pro on Samsung devices

(Image credit: Samsung)

You’ll get six free months of Google AI Pro with your Samsung foldable phone purchase. So that’s nice.

Android 16 on-board

Screen share with Gemini on Z Fold 7

(Image credit: Samsung)

The early release of Android 16 means the new Samsung phones will ship with the latest OS out of the box. Thats the fastest that’s ever happened.

Google’s Rick Osterloh appears to talk about some of the AI improvements that Google has developed with Samsung, including Circle to Search and Gemini Live improvements. We’ve got the details in a report on Google’s new AI capabilities.

AI features

Morning Brief on Z Fold 7

(Image credit: Samsung)

Samsung is touting the AI features on its phones, highlighted by multimodal AI support. That allows the phone to see what you’re seeing and share information around that.

Another key AI factor is personalization, and this refers to the Now Brief feature that Samsung introduced earlier this year with the Galaxy S25 series. Its coming to the foldables, too. And everything’s protected from the Personal Data Engine to keep you information secure.

‘Wildly thin’

Z Fold 7 unfolded on stage at Unpacked

(Image credit: Samsung)

Samsung is now explaining why it matters that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is thinner than before. It’s because it makes the folded-up phone easier to carry around.

Also because the cover screen is now larger, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 feels more like a conventional device, making it easier to use when the phone is closed shut.

200MP camera

Users impressed with the Z Fold 7

(Image credit: Samsung)

As expected, Samsung is using a 200MP main camera on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. But it’s also restructured the other rear camers to fit the slender design.

‘Breakthroughs without compromise’

Galaxy unpacked Fold side view

(Image credit: Samsung)

We’re getting the rundown of what Samsung is delivering with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 — it’s slimmer, it’s smarter (with Galaxy AI) and it’s powerful.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is Samsung’s thinnest foldable phone, and it’s got a new hinge to keep that slim design durable. The hinge also helps the display be more resilient.

Meet the Galaxy Z Fold 7

Samsung is introducing the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but we’ve got a video hands-on of the new foldable.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 HANDS ON: Biggest Upgrades! – YouTube
Galaxy Z Fold 7 HANDS ON: Biggest Upgrades! - YouTube


Watch On

Galaxy AI recap

TM Roh close up

(Image credit: Samsung)

TM Roh of Samsung kicks things off, with a quick recap of Samsung’s AI efforts, including the company’s push to bring AI to its smartwatches. (More on that in a bit, I’m sure). And now he’s talking about the new foldables, starting with the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

“The Ultra era is ready to unfold,” he says.

Hands-on with the new products

Galaxy Z Fold 7 shown during Samsung hands on event

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

With Samsung taking the stage at Unpacked, we can now pass along our hands-on impressions of some of the devices being launched today.

We’ll have more details about each of those products and more as Unpacked continues.

It begins

Galaxy Unpacked July 2025 Opening

(Image credit: Samsung)

After a quick hype video touting Samsung’s innovations — uplifting music included, naturally — Galaxy Unpacked is underway.

Here’s what the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 might look like

A leaked rendering of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

(Image credit: Evan Blass)

With less than 10 minutes before Unpacked starts, let’s take one last look at the possible Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 designs. We’ve got some last-minute leaks of renders that claim to show off the new devices.

The renders come from Evan Blass, who has a solid reputation, and show off just how thin the two phones might actually be. Earlier reports claim the Z Fold 7 may be just 4.5mm when unfolded, alongside a larger 8.2-inch display panel.

leaked render of Galaxy z flip 7

(Image credit: Evan Blass)

As for the Z Flip 7, we’re looking at an all-new cover display that covers the entire front of the phone — similar to the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025. Not only does that mean there’s no cutout where the cameras should be, we’re likely getting a larger cover screen as well.

Of course we’re only hours away from seeing both phones, and possibly the rumored Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, up close and personal.

A cheaper Galaxy foldable at last?

Galaxy Z Flip FE renders in white and black

(Image credit: Evan Blass / Android Headlines)

While we haven’t seen a great many rumors or leaks about it, there is mounting evidence that this Galaxy Unpacked will feature three foldable devices. And that third device would finally deliver a cheaper foldable, currently dubbed the Galaxy Z fFip 7 FE.

The most recent specs leak suggests the phone will have a pair of 4.1-inch and 6.98-inch displays, just like the Z Flip 7, while also being powered by the Exynos 2400e chipset, Inside we’re looking at 8GB of RAM, a choice of 128 or 256GB of storage and a 4,000 mAh battery. That’ll apparently come rocking a 50MP main camera, 12MP ultrawide shooter and a 12MP lens for selfies.

There’s still a fair bit we don’t know about the phone, like pricing or display specs, but we should hear about that before Unpacked is over.

Is Samsung overhyping the Z Fold 7?

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked July 9 Ultra Unfolds teaser.

(Image credit: Samsung)

For years we’ve been hearing about the possibility of Samsung releasing a Galaxy Z Fold Ultra — something better and more advanced than the standard Z Fold flagship. This year it seems Samsung might follow through in a way, because it’s been hyping up the Z Fold 7 as an “Ultra” handset.

Samsung even referred to the next foldable as “Galaxy Ultra” while simultaneously hyping up its abilities to offer ” “cutting-edge performance and seamless AI integration optimized for the foldable format.” If that wasn’t enough Samsung later came out to refer to the Z Fold 7 as the “thinnest, lightest and most advanced foldable yet — meticulously crafted and built to last.”

Those are some very bold promises, and we still don’t know if Samsung can actually deliver on them Needless to say, it’s going to be interesting to see if Samsung is being totally truthful or applying the usual layers of marketing hyperbole to try and sell more phones.

The view from London

London Galaxy Unpacked event july 2025

(Image credit: Future)

While there’s a Tom’s Guide crew at the main Unpacked event in New York, Samsung’s holding gatherings elsewhere, too. And our own Richard Priday checks in from London with this photo, where the Galaxy Unpacked launch event is apparently full of stars — or at least stars made to look like the Galaxy AI logo.

The fight for the thinnest phone

An alleged Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 alongside a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 in a comparison video on The Sinza's YouTube channel.

(Image credit: TheSinza | YouTube)

To hear the rumors surrounding the Galaxy Z Fold 7, a major focus will be how thin the new phone is compared to other devices — foldable phones in particular. Assuming the latest Fold 7 is 4.2mm at its thinnest point when unfolded — and that’s the leading rumor right now — here’s how that compares to a few other noteworthy models.

  • Galaxy Z Fold 6: 5.6mm
  • Galaxy S25 Edge: 5.8mm
  • Oppo Find N5: 4.2mm
  • Honor Magic V5: 4.2mm
  • iPhone 17 Air (rumored): 5.65mm

And we are in the door!

Tom’s Guide is official inside at the Unpacked event in New York, which means it’s time to start counting down the minutes until the event actually starts.

With word that we’ll see the new Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, a range of new Galaxy Watches and the all-new Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, there’s an awful lot to look forward to.

Don’t expect to see another Galaxy Ring

Samsung Galaxy Ring

(Image credit: Future)

While there are rumors that a Galaxy Ring 2 is in development, don’t expect to see it at Galaxy Unpacked later today. The original Galaxy Ring did launch last year, and it certainly wouldn’t be too early to get a follow-up, it isn’t likely to happen.

The sheer lack of rumors and leaks is a big indicator that development isn’t very far along. On top of that I’d speculate that Samsung probably wanted to gauge the reception of the original Galaxy ring before getting serious about the sequel.

Designing new gadgets takes several months if everything goes smoothly, and what we’ve heard suggests development is still in those early stages. That would put a potential launch in the calendar for sometime next year at the earliest.

Tom’s Guide is on the ground at Unpacked

Unpacked starts in little over an hour, and the Tom’s Guide team is already on the ground — with Global Editor in Chief Mark Spoonauer waiting in line for the show to begin.

Unpacked itself starts at 10 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. PT / 3 p.m. BST) and if you check back in here we’ll be covering all the news as it happens.

A durability downer

Galaxy Z Fold 6 shown in hand

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

Historically, durability hasn’t been foldables’ strongest attribute. I’m sure a lot of you can remember the problems the original Galaxy Fold faced, to the point where Samsung had to cancel its launch and push release back by several months,

Things have improved a lot in the past few years, thanks to new materials, better hinge design and the introduction of IP water and dust resistance testing. It had been hoped that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 would push that even further, exceeding the IP48 rating afforded to the Galaxy Z Fold 6. That isn’t particularly farfetched, considering we’re expecting some design changes on the phone.

Sadly the latest rumors suggest this won’t be the case, and the Z Fold 7 will come with the exact same IP rating as its predecessor. IP48 isn’t particularly bad, since it means the phone can last at least 30 minutes in up to 1.5 meters of water. But it leaves the foldable with a serious weakness to dust particles. Which, as the original Galaxy Fold showed, can be a big problem.

All eyes on AI

Audio recording summary features on galaxy s25 plus iphone 15 pro and pixel 9

(Image credit: Future)

Samsung did a lot of talking about AI features in its pre-launch teasers, raising the possibility of new AI capabilities debuting with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7. That would certainly grab our attention, because we just completed an AI phone face-off with phones from Samsung, Google and Apple. And as good as Galaxy AI has proven to be, Google’s take on AI-based phone features won the majority of our contests.

It wasn’t a total walkover for Google and Gemini. The Galaxy AI features power the digital assistant and image generation finished ahead of Google and Apple in those two contests. But Samsung has a lot of ground to gain in other categories, and the new foldable phones could show us what the company has in the works for AI.

Galaxy Z Fold compared

Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs Galaxy Z Fold 4 cameras

(Image credit: Future)

It’s helpful to see what changes in a phone model from one year to the next, not necessarily because you want to upgrade from last year’s phone, but because it helps illustrate just how significant the changes to the new model are. With that in mind, we have a Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 6 comparison based on the rumors swirling around the upcoming release.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Row 0 – Cell 0

Galaxy Z Fold 7 (rumored)

Galaxy Z Fold 6

Starting price

$1,899

$1,899

Main display size

8 inches

7.6 inches

Cover display size

6.5 inches

6.3 inches

Chipset

Snapdragon 8 Elite

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

Rear cameras

200MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto

50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto

Selfie cams

10MP (outer), 4MP (inner)

10MP (outer), 4MP (inner)

Battery size

4,400 mAh

4,400 mAh

There’s the usual processor upgrade, of course — we’re expecting the Galaxy Z Fold 7 to run on a new Snapdragon 8 Elite system on chip. But the bigger changes look to involve design, as the Galaxy Z Fold 7 adopts bigger screens and a thinner design than its predecessor. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is also supposed to adopt the 200MP main camera found on phones like the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Edge; the Z Fold 6 made do with a 50MP shooter.

As for things likely to stay the same, it doesn’t sound like there will be changes to battery size, so the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is really going to have to depend on the new Snapdragon silicon to help it last longer on a charge.

What’s happening with the S Pen?

Galaxy Z Fold 5 with S Pen

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

As much as we like to think of new phones arriving packed with new features and hardware, that isn’t always the case. We do lose stuff quite regularly, and a bunch of rumors claim that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 may be ditching the S Pen — just like the Galaxy Z Fold SE did last year.

It’s speculated that Samsung is focussing on the thickness of the foldable this time, and since every millimeter counts it will be removing the digitizer layer from the foldable screen. The Z Fold 7 wouldn’t be able to detect stylus input without it, and that means no S Pen support.

One leaker does claim the phone may have a brand new kind of S Pen, but other rumors seem to disagree. Roland Quandt, who posted a series of in-depth specs about the foldable, makes no mention of a new stylus.

Galaxy Z Flip compared

If you’re wondering what’s likely to change with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, you might want to take a look at our Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 6 comparison, which tries to put the rumored updates in context of last year’s phone.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Row 0 – Cell 0

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 (rumored)

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6

Main screen size

6.85 inches

6.7 inches

Cover screen size

4 inches

3.4 inches

Chipset

Snapdragon 8 Elite / Exynos 2500

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

RAM

12GB

12GB

Storage

256GB, 512GB

256GB, 512GB

Cameras

50MP main, 12MP ultawide, 10MP selfie

50MP main, 12MP ultawide, 10MP selfie

Battery size

4,300 mAh

4,000 mAh

The biggest change in the works will likely involve the screens on the Galaxy Z Flip 7, which should be bigger than the comparable panels on last year’s model. Specifically, the Flip 7’s main display is supposed to be around 6.9 inches, while the cover display will grow to either 4 inches or 4.1 inches, depending on which rumor you’re following. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 had 6.7- and 3.4-inch screens inside and out.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 could also get a bigger battery and leaker Roland Quandt has the new model getting thinner than the Galaxy Z Flip 6, even if the change won’t be as dramatic as the thinner Galaxy Z Fold 7.

As for the cameras, they look to be staying the same unless Samsung has some AI-fueled photo capture and processing features it’s going to wow us with.

A new chip for the Galaxy Z Flip 7?

Renders of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 showing the interior and exterior display

(Image credit: OnLeaks / Android Headlines)

Chipsets change almost every year in phones, and that’s likely to be the case with the Galaxy Z Flip 7. What’s less clear is what chip Samsung will use with the phone.

Normally, you’d expect Samsung’s flip phone to get a Snapdragon 8 system-on-chip, matching the top-of-the-line silicon that the Galaxy Z Fold uses. But a persistent rumor has the Galaxy Z Flip 7 getting a new Exynos chipset — the Exynos 2500, to be specific.

Exynos chips are powerful and they can support Galaxy AI features, but they don’t always match Qualcomm’s comparable Snapdragon silicon for CPU and GPU speeds. So an Exynos 2500-powered Galaxy Z Flip 7 may not be a performance powerhouse.

We’ll find out for certain once Samsung confirms what chip its new flip phone is using and when we get the phone in for benchmark testing.

Biggest questions ahead of Unpacked

Galaxy for the Planet

(Image credit: Samsung)

I’ve been covering Samsung launch events regularly for a decade now, and before each one, it seems like we know all the key details about whatever it is that will appear at the show. And yet, I always have some key questions that I’m hoping Samsung will answer during the event itself.

That’s certainly the case this time around, and a few days ago, I wrote about the burning questions ahead of Galaxy Unpacked 2025. For the TLDR version, I’m wondering exactly what Samsung means with all this talk of the Galaxy Z Fold Ultra, how the Galaxy Z Flip will grab our attention and what kind of new health tracking features are in the works for the Galaxy Watch models.

Oh, and there’s the not incidental question of what all this is going to cost.

Last-minute foldable rumors

Android Headlines render of an opened Galaxy Z Fold 7 showing the cover display and back panel with camera array

(Image credit: Android Headlines)

Just because Unpacked is hours away from starting, the rumor machine isn’t about to stop cranking out new details about the upcoming product releases from Samsung. And if you’re interested in foldable phones, Roland Quandt of WinFuture.de has posted some last-minute specs for all three foldables that we’re expecting to see today.

Yes, I said “three.” Along with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, which everyone probably expected, Quandt also believes we’re getting a Galaxy Z Flip FE, a cheaper model of Samsung’s flip phone. Certainly, there have been rumors that such a phone was on the way, though some people were expecting to see it later in the year.

At any rate, most of the last-minute specs match what we’ve been hearing about all along, save for Quandt’s claim that the Z Flip 7 will have a 6.9-inch interior screen and a 4.1-inch cover display — previously rumors listed those sizes at 6.85 inches and 4 inches, respectively. See for yourself how the upcoming foldable phones are expected to compare.

All of this in the last couple of posts is from official Samsung promo materials

— @rquandt.bsky.social (@rquandt.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2025-07-09T08:34:09.760Z

The case for a cheaper flip

Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 6 in-hand with outer display showing

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

The Galaxy Z Flip has been Samsung’s more affordable foldable phone, but in this case, affordability is in the eye of the beholder. Yes, compared to the $1,899 Galaxy Z Fold 6, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 feels like a bargain at $1,099. But that’s still what you’d pay for a premium phone like Samsung’s own Galaxy S25 Edge.

And the Galaxy Z Flip’s price tag reflects a $100 price hike from a year ago, as Samsung pushed the cost of a foldable phone back past the $1,000 mark. That’s not exactly going to encourage widespread adoption of foldable devices.

So that’s why Samsung might be motivated to release a Galaxy Z Flip FE, which rumors say will strip back some of the regular Flip’s features for lower starting price. Samsung certainly has motivation to do so, as Motorola sells a pair of foldable phones — the Motorola Razr Plus and the standard Motorola Razr — that cost $999 and $699, respectively.

I wrote a little bit more on the case for Samsung making a cheaper foldable phone.

All about the watches

How many different watch models will Samsung show off at Unpacked? What kind of features will they have? And is the Galaxy Watch Classic finally coming back after a two-year absence from the smartwatch lineup?

We’ll need to wait for Unpacked to get the definitive answers, but we can preview the various Galaxy Watch rumors right now.

One UI 8

One UI 7 interface on the Galaxy S25 Plus

(Image credit: Future)

It’s very likely that the Galaxy foldable devices revealed at Galaxy Unpacked today are going to come with One UI 8 preinstalled. For starters, Samsung launched the beta program for One UI 8 back in May. For another, just ahead of Unpacked, Samsung detailed new security features for its phones that will be part of One UI 8.

Part of the announcement has to do with the Personal Data Engine that debuted as part of the Galaxy S25 series earlier this year and enables features like Now Brief. That’s the part of the phone that learns your preferences and routines over time, and surfaces those at key points in the day — weather reports and commute data before you leave for work as an example.

Samsung already says that info is secure on your device, but to ensure further security, One UI 8 is introducing Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection, or KEEP. It’s billed as an on-device security layer for your most sensitive personal data. As explained by Samsung, features like KEEP are essential for making on-device AI even smarter about you without spilling all those secrets.

Could we get a triple-folding surprise?

Samsung Tri Fold Foldable phone concept

(Image credit: Samsung)

Samsung’s gotten in the habit of including a surprise during recent Galaxy Unpacked events, usually in the form of a teaser for an upcoming product. In recent years, that’s how the Galaxy Ring and Galaxy S25 Edge made their initial debuts.

If there’s a candidate for this year’s Surprise Guest at Unpacked, it could well be the Galaxy G Fold. That’s a rumored triple-folding device that Samsung has in the works. Certainly, the phone maker has shown off prototypes and now reports are circulating that the so-called G Fold could ship this year.

Adding to that speculation is a report that surfaced at the end of last month claiming that the Galaxy G Fold would get a preview at Unpacked in July. That seems a curious decision, considering it’s not even clear what countries a triple-folding phone would ship in. Of course, we were saying the same thing about the Galaxy S25 Edge seven months ago.

Battery watch

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review.

(Image credit: Future)

Samsung’s foldable phones are not known for their record-setting battery life. Last year, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 lasted 11 hours and 13 minutes on our battery test where we have phones surf the web until they run out of power. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 finished a minute over 11 hours.

Those results are better than the average smartphone, but only just, as phones tend to conk out around the 1.5 hour mark.

Can the new foldables improve things? Based on rumors, if they do, it’s going to have to be on the back of the chipset that powers either the Galaxy Z Fold 7 or Galaxy Z Flip 7. The new Fold is supposed to feature the same 4,400 mAh battery as the current model, while the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is tipped to get a modest increase in battery size (4,300 mAh instead of 4,000 mAh).

Assuming those specs are correct, we won’t know what all that means until we get our hands on the new phones and test out their batteries. But it sounds like the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 will continue to set the pace for long-lasting foldables.

Other Samsung phones on sale

S25 Ultra Prime Day deal

(Image credit: Future)

I don’t have to tell you that Unpacked is taking place at the same time as Amazon Prime Day, and that means a bunch of other Samsung phones are on sale — in some cases at very reduced prices. So if you’re not quite ready to commit to a foldable device like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, you can still pick up a premium model for a significant discount.

Take this deal, spotted by my colleague Josh Render, where the Galaxy S25 Ultra is available for $934. That’s a $365 drop from the phone’s regular asking price.

Moohan’s time to shine?

man wearing Project moohan headset

(Image credit: Future)

To Moohan or not to Moohan? That could be the question Samsung is asking itself ahead of Unpacked.

Specifically, Samsung has been talking up its Android XR=based headset since first revealing plans last year to release Project Moohan at some point in 2025. Since then there have been demos — I’ve even been to one myself — but not much in the way of actual details. And we certainly don’t have a price or release date.

Could that data come during Unpacked today? Samsung would certainly have people’s attention. But on the other hand, when you want to talk foldable phones and smartwatches, an already-announced headset might be seen as a distraction. And nothing’s stopping Samsung from holding a Moohan-focused event later on this summer or in early fall.

New Galaxy Watch 8 health features

Leaked images of the Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic

(Image credit: Evan Blass)

When it comes to smartwatch news, I usually defer to my colleague Dan Bracaglia, and he’s been looking at all the Galaxy Watch 8 rumors swirling about. Specifically, he’s found five rumored upgrades to the Galaxy Watch 8 that could prove significant.

The ones grabbing my attention are the possible health improvements since that’s one area where Samsung has excelled in recent years. According to Dan’s report, Cardiovascular Load — a way to make sure you’re not putting too much stress on your heart — and one-touch nutrition tracking could be the highlights of this year’s update.

Early Galaxy Z Flip 7 unboxing

Compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 hasn’t garnered the same level of attention. But you can at least get an early look at the phone, assuming this YouTube video capturing since-deleted unboxing footage posted to X is the real deal.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 – WORLD’S FIRST UNBOXING and Hands on look! – YouTube
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 - WORLD'S FIRST UNBOXING and Hands on look! - YouTube


Watch On

We were hipped to the video from X’s @andrei_eclynoh via Phone Arena. And our biggest takeway is that the Galaxy Z Flip seems more slender than its predecessor.

That’s no accident. In his last-minute post of leaked marketing materials for Samsung’s foldables, Roland Quandt has the Galaxy Z Flip 7 measuring 6.5mm thin when unfolded. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 was 6.9mm. No, that’s not a big reduction, but I imagine it will be noticeable to anyone carrying the new Samsung flip phone around.

Could a classic look return?

Render of Galaxy Watch 8 Classic

(Image credit: OnLeaks / Sammy Guru)

The usual Galaxy Watch update could be joined by another model today to go with the Galaxy Watch 8. Multiple reports have the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic joining Samsung’s lineup. It would be the first Classic model since the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.

Based on the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic renders that have emerged, the rotating bezel that people seemed to like about the last version will be back. Rumored specs claim there will be just a single 47mm model and the watch will run on a 435 mAh battery. The model size is the same as the Galaxy Watch Ultra; the battery is not.

Still time to save

Samsung typically runs promotions ahead of its Unpacked events, and this time around, if you register your name and email address with the company, you can expect a $50 credit on any preorders you place for products announced during Wednesday’s launch. That promotion runs through the start of Unpacked, so time is ticking down on your chance to register.

There’s no obligation to order if you sign up, and in addition to that $50 credit, Samsung is dangling the prospect of up to $1,150 in additional savings for anyone who does preorder a new device unveiled at Unpacked.

Unpacked in 60 seconds

If you want an even briefer rundown of what Samsung could have cooking for later today, please enjoy Mark Spoonauer’s TikTok-length recap of Galaxy Unpacked rumors.

S Pen or no pen?

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and S Pen

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

Last-minute leaks keep cropping up ahead of Unpacked, and there’s one that emerged today from what look to be leaked Samsung marketing materials that we kind of hope isn’t true.

The materials are posted by Roland Quandt, a pretty reliable leaker, and when it comes to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 info, those materials go into a lot of detail. You’ll see information touting the new bigger screens, the thinner design, Galaxy AI features and the Snapdragon 8 chipset.

What you won’t read about is any mention of the S Pen.

#zfold7 all of it #1

— @rquandt.bsky.social (@rquandt.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2025-07-09T04:30:38.349Z

We had previously heard some less-than-encouraging rumors regarding the status of the S Pen and the Galaxy Z Fold 7. To make the phone thinner, Samsung supposedly did away with the S Pen digitizer. That would necessitate some changes to the input device that works with the foldable phone.

It seems like a trade-off we’d have a hard time making, so hopefully this is a case of rumors that don’t pan out in the end.

New One UI 8 feature

Samsung Knox graphic touting new KEEP feature in One UI 8

(Image credit: Samsung)

It’s very likely that the Galaxy foldable devices revealed at Galaxy Unpacked today are going to come with One UI 8 preinstalled. For starters, Samsung launched the beta program for One UI 8 back in May. For another, just ahead of Unpacked, Samsung detailed new security features for its phones that will be part of One UI 8.

Part of the announcement has to do with the Personal Data Engine that debuted as part of the Galaxy S25 series earlier this year and enables features like Now Brief. That’s the part of the phone that learns your preferences and routines over time, and surfaces those at key points in the day — weather reports and commute data before you leave for work as an example.

Samsung already says that info is secure on your device, but to ensure further security, One UI 8 is introducing Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection, or KEEP. It’s billed as an on-device security layer for your most sensitive personal data. As explained by Samsung, features like KEEP are essential for making on-device AI even smarter about you without spilling all those secrets.

Galaxy Unpacked video preview

Get prepped for the Unpacked event with this rundown of the biggest rumored announcements we could see at the show.

Galaxy Unpacked Last-Minute Rumors: Z Fold 7 Ultra, Watch 8, XR Headset! – YouTube
Galaxy Unpacked Last-Minute Rumors: Z Fold 7 Ultra, Watch 8, XR Headset! - YouTube


Watch On

Galaxy Unpacked 2025: What we’re expecting

Alleged renders of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 in blue

(Image credit: Evan Blass)

Here’s more detail on some of the potential announcements that could mark this week’s Galaxy Unpacked event.

Galaxy Z Fold 7: This year’s premium foldable is expected to have bigger screens and a thinner profile. Samsung has also promised an AI camera, and rumors tip the Fold to adapt the 200MP main camera found on the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Galaxy Z Flip 7: Like the Fold, Samsung’s foldable flip phone is expected to get larger screens — both the interior display as well as the outer cover screen. While the Galaxy Z Flip 7 could see a larger battery than its predecessor, there may not be significant camera changes, and there’s some mystery as to what chipset will power the new phone.

Galaxy Z Flip FE: Samsung will reportedly launch a lower-cost version of its flip phone, with scaled back battery and chipset specs, along with less storage than the full-priced model.

Galaxy Watch 8: We could see as many as three new versions of Samsung’s smartwatch. Along with the new standard version, Samsung will reportedly bring back the Samsung Watch Classic with a rotating bezel and a larger size. A new Galaxy Watch Ultra could also be in the works, with an additional color option at the very least.

Galaxy G Fold: It’s no secret that Samsung is working on a foldable phone that folds in three places. But could the so-called Galaxy G Fold get a sneak peek at Unpacked? At least one rumor says it’s very possible.

Project Moohan: We’ve been hearing about Samsung’s upcoming headset since late last year, and while we’ve had a chance to demo Project Moohan, very few other details have been made available. Perhaps that changes at Unpacked.





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Rubio meets China’s foreign minister as US-Chinese tensions mount

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrapped up his second and final day at a Southeast Asian security conference in a high-stakes meeting with his Chinese counterpart as tensions grow between Washington and Beijing over issues from trade to security and China’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

After discussions with regional countries at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations forum in Malaysia, Rubio on Friday ended his first official trip to Asia with his first face-to-face talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Neither man nor the delegations spoke to journalists as they posed for photos at the top of the meeting.

The meeting was held less than 24 hours after Rubio met in Kuala Lumpur with another rival, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during which they discussed potential new avenues to jumpstart Ukraine peace talks.

The meetings come against a backdrop of global and regional unease over U.S. policies, notably on trade and large tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose on friend and foe alike.

While Rubio heard complaints about the tariffs from his Southeast Asian counterparts, he told reporters Thursday that many of them focused their discussion on security issues, their concerns about Chinese domination and desire for cooperation with the U.S.

“Of course, it’s raised. It’s an issue,” Rubio said. “But I wouldn’t say it solely defines our relationship with many of these countries. There are a lot of other issues that we work together on, and I think there was great enthusiasm that we were here and that we’re a part of this.”

However, Trump sees China as the biggest threat to the United States in multiple fields, not least technology and trade, and like previous U.S. presidents has watched the country greatly expand its influence globally while turning increasingly assertive in the Indo-Pacific, notably toward its small neighbors over the South China Sea and Taiwan.

Trump has warned of massive tariffs that he could impose on Chinese exports to the United States and preliminary discussions between the two sides have yet to produce significant progress.

Since former President Joe Biden was in office, the U.S. has also accused China of assisting Russia in rebuilding its military industrial sector to help it execute its war against Ukraine. Rubio said the Trump administration shares that view.

“I think the Chinese clearly have been supportive of the Russian effort, and I think that generally they’ve been willing to help them as much as they can without getting caught,” Rubio said Thursday, suggesting the topic would be discussed if he and Wang met.

Rubio and Wang have been shadowboxing during the two-day ASEAN meeting, with each touting the benefits of their partnership to Southeast Asian nations.

Rubio has played up cooperation, including signing a civil-nuclear cooperation agreement with Malaysia, while Wang has railed against Trump’s threatened tariffs and projected China as a stable counterweight in talks with Southeast Asian counterparts on the sidelines.

“The U.S. is abusing tariffs, wrecking the free trade system and disrupting the stability of the global supply chain,” Wang told his Thai counterpart Maris Sangiampongsa, according the Chinese foreign ministry.

In a meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn, Wang said that the tariffs are “an attempt to deprive all parties of their legitimate right to development.”

“In the face of turbulent global situation, China is willing to be Cambodia’s trustworthy and reliable friend and partner,” he added.

On Thursday, Wang and Lavrov met and delivered a subtle but unmistakable warning to the United States over Southeast Asia.

“Russia and China both support ASEAN’s central role in regional cooperation, are committed to maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, and are wary of certain major powers creating divisions and instigating confrontation in the region,” they said, according to Russia’s foreign ministry.

But Rubio found support from Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who said Friday that continued U.S. engagement was crucial for regional stability.

“We want to see a region where no one country dominates and no country is dominated,” Wong told reporters when asked about China’s rising might in the region. “We want to see a region where there is a balance of power… where there is no coercion or duress.”

At the same time, Wong said Australia is committed to maintaining a stable relationship with China, noting that engagement remains the best path forward.

___

Associated Press writers Huizhong Wu in Bangkok and Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, contributed to this report.





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Prime Day Ends Tonight — 167+ Best Deals Actually Worth Shopping

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Prime Day officially ends tonight… seriously. Prime members officially have less than 24 hours to take advantage of exclusive discounts across tech, beauty, home essentials, kitchen and more. And even if you’ve already bought a few things, it’s worth scrolling Amazon’s discounts one final time — the retailer just added brand-new discounts, including fresh Lightning Deals.

A word of wisdom from someone who’s been covering Prime Day for six years: once you add a few last items to your cart today, check out ASAP. More people tend to shop on the last day of a sale, which makes products more likely to sell out. You don’t want to miss out on a deal before prices jump back up tomorrow, so don’t dilly-dally.

Up until the clock strikes midnight, I’ll update this list live with all the discounts worth knowing about. Since not every deal is necessarily good, I only recommend those below that are at least 20% off, highly rated and at their lowest price in at least three months.

Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter.

Best Prime Day deals 2025

Stocking up on essentials during Prime Day is one of the best ways to save long-term. These dishwasher detergent pods, which you constantly need to buy more of, are made with Dawn soap to remove grease and other ingredients to break down dried food and residue. You don’t need to pre-rinse your dishes since this detergent is so powerful, according to the brand. There’s 71 pods in a pack.

These are our all-time favorite wireless earbuds for listening to music, taking calls and exercising. You can use them in active noise cancellation to completely block out sounds, transparency mode to hear the world around you or adaptive audio, which automatically swaps between the two depending on your environment. The headphones, which come with four pairs of silicone tips to customize your fit, are water-resistant, according to the brand.

LifeStraw’s personal filter can remove over 99% of bacteria, parasites and microplastics from water, making it ideal to bring with you while camping or hiking, or pack in an emergency kit. The tool can filter up to 1,000 gallons of water before you need to replace it. It has a cap to protect the part you sip from, and a layard so you can put it around your neck.

It’s always a good idea to have extra batteries at home, especially to put in your emergency kit and power kids toys, remotes and flashlights. This pack comes with 32 AA alkaline batteries, which last up to 10 years if they’re unused, according to the brand.

You’ll eventually need more garbage bags, so you might as well buy them on sale. This box comes with 110 13-gallon trash bags, which have two layers for added leak protection and a Febreeze scent.

Out of all the teeth whitening strips we’ve tested, these are our favorite because they’re easy to use and highly effective. Strips are coated in a layer of hydrogen peroxide to remove stains, and they’re flexible, so they mold to the shape of your mouth. There’s 44 strips in the box, which is enough for 22 treatments — 20 are 45-minute standard treatments, and two are 60-minute express treatments.

As someone who doesn’t have a dishwasher, I’m very picky about dish soap, and Dawn’s Platinum Powerwash Spray is my all-time favorite option. The sprayer helps me cover a lot of dishes with soap at once, and it comes out foamy, so I don’t need to turn the faucet on until it’s time to rinse.

Once you plug devices like fans, air purifiers and small kitchen appliances into this smart plug, you can control them via the Amazon Alexa app or voice commands. The plug is compact, so it won’t block your second outlet. Using the app, you can set up schedules, timers and routines for your devices.

If it weren’t for these little trackers, I’d lose everything I own. I keep them in my wallet and bag, attach one to my keys and always put one in my suitcases while traveling. The AirTags pair with the Find My app on iPhones and iPads, which shows you where they are and gives you directions to locate them. You can also make trackers play a sound through the app, and share them each with up to five people if needed so everyone can track items.

“I’ve been using ColorWow’s Dreamcoat Spray for over two years and I don’t remember what it was like to blow dry my hair without it,” says associate commerce social editor Caitlin Cusack. “I have super frizzy hair and this product makes a noticeable difference in frizz and leaves my hair feeling soft for days between washes.” The brand recommends reapplying it every three to four shampoos, and there’s also a version for curly hair that I swear by.

Once you plug this Fire Stick into your TV’s HDMI port, you can enjoy your favorite shows, movies and music via streaming services or cable. It comes with an Alexa Voice Remote, and you can bring the device with you on trips to use in hotels or rental homes.

See, hear and speak to visitors with Blink’s Video Doorbell. It runs on AA batteries, has a two-year battery life and doesn’t require wiring, according to the brand. The camera gives you a head-to-toe view when you livestream footage through the Blink app, which also sends you real-time notifications when it detects people at your door.

You’ll wake up with smooth, moisturized lips when you leave this mask on overnight, says NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio. “I use Laneige’s lip mask on days when my lips are super dry and it makes my nighttime routine so much more luxurious,” she says. “My lips feel so soft after I apply it, and I love using the little included spatula.” The lip mask is made with hydrating ingredients like vitamin C, murumuru seed and shea butters, antioxidants and coconut oil.

Bring these protein shakes to work or school, or keep them in the refrigerator at home to drink after a workout or when you need a quick snack. They have a smooth, creamy texture and 30 grams of protein per bottle; they’re shelf-stable until you open them. The shakes come in packs of 12 and are available in flavors like chocolate, vanilla, cafê latte and caramel.

Each laundry detergent pod in this 76-pack is filled with soap that has a built-in color protector, odor fighter and stain remover. The pods are HE-compatible and dissolves even in cold water.

I’m tossing my decade-old, stained, ripped oven mitts and buying this pair from KitchenAid. They’re covered in soft, ribbed silicone that’s grippy, heat-resistant up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and water-resistant, according to the brand. The oven mitts also have a cotton cuff that feels soft against your skin.

This travel adapter is compatible with plugs in over 200 countries, according to the brand. It has AC, USB-A and USB-C ports so you can charge five devices simultaneously, and its pins are foldable and retractable, making it compact.

I use this kitchen gadget to make fresh popcorn at home or the office. There’s a built-in cup on its lid to help you measure kernels, and you can also put butter inside so it melts over your snack. The glass, dishwasher-safe popper also doubles as a bowl once you remove the lid and let it cool down.

This is one of my favorite water bottles — I actually like it better than Stanley’s popular Quencher because it doesn’t leak and is more convenient to travel with. It has a 30-ounce capacity, a flip-up straw, a large handle and a tapered bottom so it fits in most cup holders. The dishwasher-safe water bottle is made from stainless steel and has double-wall vacuum insulation — it can keep your beverages chilled for up to 12 hours, according to the brand.

La Roche-Posay’s fragrance-free moisturizer is a top-pick among those on our team with dry skin, myself included. It’s made with hydrating ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide and thermal water, and has a lightweight texture. It sits nicely under makeup, so I typically apply it in the morning, but you can wear it at night, too.

You get three boxes of 10 mini granola bars with this pack, and they come in three flavors: caramel almond and sea salt, dark chocolate nuts and sea salt, and peanut butter dark chocolate. Each gluten-free, low-sugar bar has three grams of protein.

Vital Proteins’ collagen peptide powder, which I’ve used for years, helps support hair, skin, nail, bone and joint health, according to the brand. One serving has 20 grams of collagen peptides, as well as vitamin C and hyaluronic acid. The unflavored powder seamlessly blends into hot or cold liquids once you scoop it in. (Remember to consult your doctor before taking anything.)

The snail secretion filtrate in this essence, one of our favorite K-beauty products, can help soothe damaged skin, repair dark spots, reduce the appearance of fine lines and moisturize, according to the brand. It has a lightweight feel and quickly absorbs into the skin.

Our team tested 100 face sunscreens this year and Round Lab’s came out as our number 1 winner. “This sunscreen feels like a moisturizer and leaves my skin hydrated,” says NBC Select editorial projects manager Rebecca Rodriguez. “It blends in seamlessly and doesn’t leave behind that sticky sunscreen feeling.” The broad-spectrum SPF is oil-free, making it suitable for acne-prone skin, too.

I always keep Liquid I.V. electrolyte powder at home to drink before a long run. The pre-measured, single-serve packets make it easy to add to my water, and after I give it a stir, the powder blends right in. Each serving has 500 grams of sodium. You can buy Liquid I.V. in numerous flavors like arctic raspberry, strawberry lemonade and orange vanilla dream, plus there’s sugar-free options.

The Little Green Machine helps you get stains out of upholstered furniture, carpets, area rugs, car seats and more. It has two 48-ounce tanks to separate cleaning solution from dirty liquid, and the head on the end of its long hose lets you spray cleaner on messes, scrub and suction them. You get a bottle of Bissell’s Oxy Formula with your purchase, as well as a tough stain tool, self-cleaning hose tool and spraying crevice tool.

Mielle’s hair oil targets thinning hair and dry scalps with biotin and essential oils like rosemary, mint, tea tree and peppermint oil. The ingredients work to strengthen your strands, improve circulation and nourish skin to reduce flaking, according to the brand. The oil is suitable for all hair types and textures, and you use it pre-wash, post-wash or as a 10-minute treatment with a shower cap.

This organizer comes with three bins to separate different items. The handle allows you to remove each bin from the turntable base. The bottom has non-slip feet to keep the Crazy Susan sturdy while you rotate it.

I use a pair of these under-eye masks almost every day to depuff and refresh my skin. They’re soaked in a serum made with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and glycerin, and made from a gel-like material that has a cooling effect. There’s 24 pairs of individually-wrapped patches in each pack.

This kit comes with everything you need to collect a saliva swab and send it to Ancestry’s lab. Then, six to eight weeks later, you’ll get your results online, which includes information about your origins across the world, ethnicity estimate and genetic traits you may have a propensity for.

I’ve been a loyal Orgain customer for years and its protein powder is the only one I’ll buy. There’s 21 grams in each serving, and less than one gram of sugar, plus it blends into my smoothies almost instantly, making them extra creamy. The powder is also gluten-free and vegan.

This mini Bluetooth speaker connects to music, audiobook and podcast platforms, letting you play entertainment throughout your home. It also has Amazon Alexa built-in — you can ask the personal assistant to set alarms and timers for you, check the weather, give you traffic updates, control compatible smart home devices and more. I have an Echo Pop in my bedroom, and since it’s so small, I easily hid it on my dresser.

This corded vacuum can clean dirt, pet hair and other messes on all floors in your home. It has a detachable pod and long nozzle, letting you clean hard-to-reach areas like above door frames, on stairs and under furniture. The vacuum is built with a HEPA filter to trap allergens like dust and pollen, and it comes with crevice and upholstery tools.

Reuse these absorbent, dishwasher-safe clothes up to 100 times to clean your home, dry dishes and more, making them an eco-friendly alternative to paper towels. They come in a pack of 10 and are safe for all surfaces, according to the brand.

You can massage Sol De Janiero’s highly rated body cream onto your butt, legs, arms and stomach area to moisturize and tighten skin, according to the brand. The viral scented formula has notes of salted caramel, pistachio and vanilla, and once you run out, you can refill the container instead of throwing it out.

This rechargeable device diffuses mosquito repellent to keep bugs away, creating a 20-foot protection zone around you in about 15 minutes, according to the brand. It works for about nine hours on a full battery. This pack comes with a repeller and one refill — you can buy additional refills separately.

This rechargeable electric toothbrush has all of the features dentists told us to look for while shopping: a pressure sensor, a two-minute timer and brush head change alert. You can also choose from three cleaning modes. The toothbrush comes with a travel case and two extra brush heads.

“The Kindle really is impossible to live without once you try it,” says NBC Select editor Lindsay Schneider, who’s used a number of models over the years, courtesy testing samples from Amazon. “It makes it a whole lot easier to read on the go and outside. The battery is quite impressive too. I feel like I never have to charge it.”

The Kindle Paperwhite gives you 12 weeks of battery life on a single charge, according to the brand, and it’s thin and lightweight, making it easy to travel with. It also has a 7-inch glare-free screen and an adjustable warm light so you can clearly see text in any environment. The e-reader is water-resistant, too — you can use it at the beach, by the pool or in the bath without worrying about splashes.

“This shower oil completely soothes my skin and gives me that silky soft effect,” says Schneider. “It lathers really nicely and never feels oily despite its initial consistency. The formula, while scented, is quite subtle.” You can use the shower oil as a body wash or to prep your skin before shaving, plus it doubles as a soak when you pour it into warm bath water.

Thanks to its internal organization system, my Samsonite luggage holds an impressive amount of clothes, and it never breaks down despite how much I beat it up during my travels. This set comes with a hard-sided carry-on and a medium checked bag. Both suitcases have built-in TSA locks, expandable storage, 360-degree spinner wheels, and adjustable handles.

Track workouts, daily activity, sleep, health metrics like heart rate and more with this smartwatch. It’s water-resistant, so you can swim with it, and it connects to your phone, letting you answer calls and texts. The watch’s battery lasts for about 18 hours when it’s fully charged, and 30 minutes in the included charger gives you about 80% battery, according to Apple.

These food storage containers come in a pack of five, and each has a 2.85-cup capacity with two compartments. They’re made from a clear stain- and odor-resistant material, so you can always see what’s inside. The containers’ lids have an airtight seal and secure latches, and if you flip the latches up, they act as vents — that means you can keep the lid on while microwaving to avoid splatters.

Keurig makes some of our favorite coffee makers, and this one is compact, so it won’t take up much room on your counter. You can brew 8-, 10- or 12-ounces of coffee at a time and remove the 48-ounce water reservoir to refill it.

The Dyson Airwrap simultaneously dries and styles your hair, letting you create curly, wavy and straight styles without causing heat damage, according to Dyson. It comes with three interchangeable attachments: a smoothing dryer, round volumizing brush and long barrel. The Airwrap also has a cool shot button.

The camera built into this bird feeder livestreams video to an app so you can watch critters visit for a snack. The water-resistant feeder has a 1.5-liter container you fill with feed, and there’s a wide perch on the front you can add accessories to as you learn what the birds in your area like. The app stores videos for up to 30 days so you can download and share them.

Best Prime Day Lightning Deals

These limited-time deals are live until stock runs out, so make sure you checkout before they’re gone.

  1. 40% off Waterpik Cordless Water Flosser
  2. 30% off Sol de Janeiro Hair & Body perfume
  3. 60% off Blink Outdoor 4
  4. 25% off Nippies Nipple Covers for Women
  5. 30% off the Away Large Trunk Luggage
  6. 50% off Philips Sonicare Toothbrush
  7. 44% off Advanced Clinicals Retinol Lotion
  8. 20% off H&M gift cards
  9. 33% off Coway Airmega AP-1512HH(W) True HEPA Air Purifier

Best overall Prime Day sales

Here are the best Prime Day sales to know about. Keep in mind, not every item from a brand is discounted as described below.

  1. Up to 51% off Apple and Beats tech
  2. 40% off Lego roses
  3. Up to 46% off Dyson vacuums, air purifiers and hair tools
  4. Up to 50% off Premier Protein shakes and protein powders
  5. Up to 50% off Away luggage and travel accessories
  6. Up to 40% off Elemis skin care
  7. Up to 44% off Poppi Prebiotic Soda
  8. Up to 50% off Samsonite luggage
  9. Up to 25% off Liquid Death water, teas and more
  10. Up to 40% off Tushy bidets, toilet seats and more
  11. 36% off Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 5300 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush
  12. Up to 33% off Huggies diapers and baby accessories

Best household essentials sales

  1. Up to 34% off Dawn dish soaps and sprays
  2. Up to 35% off Duracell batteries
  3. Up to 34% off laundry detergent and supplies from Tide, Dreft, Gain and more
  4. Up to 22% off Cottonelle toilet paper and wipes
  5. Up to 33% off Seventh Generation cleaning supplies
  6. Up to 48% off Mrs. Meyer’s soap, laundry detergents, candles and more
  7. Up to 37% off Swiffer cleaning supplies

Best Prime Day skin care sales

  1. Up to 30% off Laneige skin care
  2. Up to 30% off Tatcha skin care
  3. Up to 50% off First Aid Beauty skin care
  4. Up to 50% off Grace & Stella skin care
  5. Up to 20% off EltaMD sunscreen
  6. Up to 36% off Opalescence Go teeth whitening products
  7. Up to 20% off Supergoop! sunscreens
  8. Up to 20% off Clean Skin Club towels
  9. Up to 25% off La Roche-Posay skin care
  10. Up to 40% off Dove soaps, scrubs and more
  11. Up to 40% off Vacation sunscreen
  12. Up to 20% off Hero Cosmetics’ pimple patches

Best Prime Day apparel, footwear and accessory sales

  1. Up to 68% off Levi’s apparel
  2. Up to 60% off Vera Bradley bags and backpacks
  3. Up to 20% off Bogg Bags
  4. Up to 29% off Crz Yoga activewear for men, women and children
  5. Up to 29% off Brooks sneakers and running apparel
  6. Up to 25% off BedHead pajamas
  7. Up to 43% off Rothy’s shoes
  8. Up to 66% off Adidas athletic apparel, shoes and accessories
  9. Up to 45% off Ray-Ban sunglasses
  10. Up to 72% off Ryka footwear
  11. Up to 53% off Hey Dude footwear

Best Prime Day tech sales

  1. Up to 55% off Ring doorbells, cameras and alarms
  2. Up to 65% off Blink smart home tech
  3. Up to 43% off Bose headphones, speakers and other tech
  4. Up to 37% off Sony tech
  5. Up to 39% off Shokz headphones
  6. Up to 33% off Sonos headphones and speakers
  7. Up to 50% off Anker tech accessories
  8. Up to 47% off Govee indoor and outdoor smart lights
  9. Up to 33% off Asus Rog gaming devices and tech
  10. Up to 50% off Belkin chargers and tech accessories
  11. Up to 50% off TCL TVs
  12. Up to 39% off Epson printers
  13. Up to 38% off FitBit smartwatches

Best Prime Day hair care sales

  1. Up to 30% off Tangle Teezer hair brushes and hair care products
  2. Up to 30% off Color Wow hair products
  3. Up to 30% off Ouai hair care
  4. Up to 30% off Olaplex hair care
  5. Up to 30% Nioxin hair thickening products
  6. Up to 30% off Amika hair products
  7. Up to 29% off Nutrafol hair growth supplements
  8. Up to 32% off Ouidad curly hair products
  9. 25% off the Dyson Supersonic Origin Hair Dryer
  10. 37% off the T3 SinglePass Curl X
  11. Up to 40% off Dae hair styling products
  12. Up to 33% off Pantene shampoos, conditioners and more

Best Prime Day pet sales

  1. 20% off the Woof Pupsicle
  2. Up to 58% off Furbo pet cameras
  3. Up to 35% off Full Moon dog treats and food
  4. Up to 26% off Hill’s Science Diet dog and cat food
  5. Up to 25% off Seresto flea and tick preventatives for dogs and cats
  6. Up to 49% off Petlibro automatic feeders, fountains and more
  7. Up to 30% off Wuffes dog supplements
  8. Up to 25% off Temptations cat treats
  9. Up to 29% off Greenies treats for dogs and cats
  10. Up to 42% off Merrick dog and cat food
  11. Up to 30% off Stella & Chewy’s dog and cat food, treats and more
  12. 33% off the Chom Chom Roller Pet Hair Remover
  13. Up to 24% off Uproot Clean pet hair removing products and more

Best sales at other retailers

  1. Target: Shop Target Circle Week through Jul. 12
  2. Walmart: Shop the Walmart Deals event through Jul. 13
  3. Best Buy: Shop the Black Friday in July sale through Jul. 13
  4. Nordstrom: Shop the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale through Aug. 3
  5. Williams Sonoma: Up to 50% on select kitchenware and appliances
  6. Wayfair: Up to 70% off during Wayfair’s Four Day Flash Sale
  7. Saks Fifth Avenue: Up to 70% off during the Designer Sale
  8. Ulta: Up to 40% off during the Big Summer Beauty Sale through Jul. 19
  9. Lululemon: Save on athletic apparel, workout equipment and more during the Summer Scores even
  10. Crane & Canopy: Up to 70% off bedding and decor
  11. Macy’s: Up to 60% on clothing, shoes, home, kitchen and more during Macy’s Star Deals Week
  12. Anthropologie: Up to 40% on home goods and up to 30% seasonal fashion
  13. KitchenAid: Up to 25% off countertop kitchen appliances through Jul. 19
  14. Ana Luisa: Up to 25% off sitewide
  15. BaubleBar: Up to 20% off sitewide through Jul. 11
  16. DSW: Up to 25% off most items sitewide with code PRIMEDEAL (online only)
  17. The Company Store: Up to 45% off epic deals and up to 25% off everything else sitewide
  18. Dermstore: Up to 25% off select beauty
  19. Backcountry: Up 70% off sitewide
  20. Buffy: Up to 20% select bedding and pillows
  21. Hulken: 20% off sitewide
  22. Knix: Up to 50% up off sitewide during the warehouse sale
  23. Ruggable: 20% off sitewide with code EIGHT
  24. Lo & Sons: Up to 50% off during the Jet Set July Sale

Frequently asked questions

Most Prime Day deals last through the duration of the sale (it ends tonight, Jul. 11), but some are limited-time offers. For example, Lightning Deals are typically a few hours long — once a product sells out, the deal is over. Amazon is adding new deals each day of the sale, so make sure you’re constantly browsing. It’s also important to check out as soon as you see something you want since prices can go up any time.

For the first time ever this year, Amazon Prime Day is four days long. It’s typically a 48-hour event, so you have double the amount of time to shop this year.

Prime Day 2025 ends tonight, Friday, Jul. 11 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time (2:59 a.m. ET on Saturday, Jul. 12).

Amazon has not announced when the next Prime Day is. For the past few years, the retailer hosted its Prime Big Deal Days in October, which is nearly identical to July’s sale with slightly different products on sale to focus more on the holiday shopping season.

How I found the best Prime Day deals

All of my recommendations above are based on NBC Select’s previous coverage and reporting. I also included products the NBC Select staff tested, including Wellness Award and Giftable Tech Award winners. I ran each deal through price trackers like CamelCamelCamel to ensure products are at their lowest price in at least three months. All the products I recommend are 20% off or more, and highly rated with at least a 4.0-star average rating from hundreds of reviews.

Why trust NBC Select?

I’m a reporter for NBC Select who has covered Amazon Prime Day since 2020. In addition to writing about the best deals, I also wrote about what’s included in a Prime membership, the history of Prime Day and what to buy and skip this year. Prior to Amazon’s flagship sale, I previewed a list of deals from the retailer and sorted through them to find worthwhile sales you should know about.

Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.





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Meet the Real Meg Stalter, Star of Lena Dunham’s New Show ‘Too Much’

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M
eg Stalter was fighting in a hot tub. She had come to a water park in Wisconsin to relax between stops on her comedy tour, which was styled as a series of fake rallies for a rich, famous, and clueless person running for president. (I know this is a difficult political scenario to imagine, but please stay with me.) While Stalter soaked, she became enraged by a group of hot-tub dwellers who were not embodying what she considered to be the spirit of the aquatic center, and she began screaming back and forth with them. “Wow, you seem like a lot of fun,” Stalter yelled, informing them that there were three other sections of the park they could move to if they had a problem with this particular one. Then she stood up, said, “You know what? I’m going to show you that if you don’t like to be around someone, you get up and leave,” turned, and banged her head on the wall.

This is probably tracking for those who know Stalter from her live performances, or Hacks, on which she plays the indefatigably clueless nepo-agent Kayla, or Stalter’s Instagram, which showcases her myriad well-­meaning, clueless characters, such as the personification of a business attempting to project allyship to the LQBTQIA+ community. (“Hi, gay! Happy Pride Month. We are sashaying away with deals.”) These talents are deployed to great effect on Too Much (July 10), the new Netflix series from married co-creators Lena Dunham and Luis Felber, in which Stalter plays a fictionalized version of Dunham, a voice of a clueless generation.

But Meg Stalter is not so much clueless as compassionately guileless. See, she was at the water park with her girlfriend, and there was a tiny child swimming alone in the hot tub. Some adults started sticking their arms out and pushing the boy away so he couldn’t enter “their area” because he was allegedly “scratching and splashing.” (At an all-ages water park, this seems like a barrier of entry.) When Stalter told them they could not touch another person’s kid but could feel free to steep elsewhere in the massive facility, the man in the group started cursing at her. And then she was so upset, actually shaking with anger as she went to go find the little boy’s parents, that she clonked her skull in front of those assholes. “It was so embarrassing,” Stalter says. “It was, like, out of a movie.”

Stalter’s protective instincts for the innocent extend to her own inner child, who is close enough to the surface as to be visible; her grooming tends toward pigtails and the kind of glittery makeup job one applies after receiving a fully stocked Caboodles makeup kit from Santa. Today, sitting in the empty audience of her favorite Los Angeles performance spot, Largo, before it opens, Stalter is wearing Hello Kitty Crocs and a one-shoulder dress in Lisa Frank-lite pastels. When we greet each other, she gives me tangerines she’d picked the day before on a trip to a farm with her girlfriend. The produce bag is sweetly tied with a sextuple-looped yellow ribbon.

Outfit by Reformation. Scarf by Mads Allen. Jewelry by Loren Stewart

In person, with her comedic cutie-brat persona tucked away, Stalter is earnest and vulnerable, frequently invoking the importance of her faith. “I’m very, like, a God girl,” she says. “So I believe that God has a plan for me, and if something happens, then he’ll have another plan.” Stalter is also, against all evidence, quite soft-spoken. “If I was in a store and someone shushed me in a scary way, that would affect me,” Stalter says. “If someone was mean to me, I could feel like the little girl. ‘Why would they be mean to her?’ ”

During Stalter’s childhood in Ohio, they were mean to her. After graduating from Catholic elementary school, she attended civilian middle school and struggled to understand why everyone wasn’t friends. The popular girls “tortured” her, she says. In an effort to facilitate the missing camaraderie, Stalter invited everyone to a Hawaiian-themed party at her house. She discovered invitations she’d lovingly handed out tossed in the trash at school. Two people wound up attending.

Stalter’s mom was (perhaps unsurprisingly) an early ally. She found Stalter funny for the things she still perceives to be true about herself: being “embarrassing or nervous and confident at the same time.” Stalter would do interpretive dances on the sidewalk; the joke was that her mom was the only one who knew she wasn’t crazy.

That tension of not everyone getting it is Stalter’s comedic modus operandi. She recalls a show at the Laugh Factory in Chicago, before she was famous, where the audience was full of drunk tourists — and a lone friend of Stal­ter’s. She had a bit where she would take the stage with blood pouring out of her mouth and open by saying, “Sorry if my mouth bleeds tonight. My mouth bleeds when I get nervous, but I think I’m OK tonight.” The only person who laughed at that show, and hysterically, was her buddy. It was a great night.

“It’s fun if it’s even just one person,” she says of connecting with an audience. “And sometimes that could be me.”

When she performs, Stalter says, “It’s something that comes over me like a trance. One of my best friends, [Saturday Night Live star] Sarah Sherman, told me that when she does stand-up, it feels like meditation. And I was like, ‘Oh, my God. It feels like that.’ ” Stalter says when she’s performed with a headache, she stops feeling it until she leaves the stage. “I think that’s when [I know] I’m meant to do that,” Stalter says. Any pain goes away while she enacts God’s purpose for her. 

In Too Much, Stalter’s Jessica is a celebration of the show’s title. The character is caught between a manic id fueled equally by a painful breakup and the lust of new love, and the debilitating superego induced by the same life events. Jess records a series of videos she doesn’t intend to release, directly addressing the woman her ex is now engaged to (played by the comically hot Emily Ratajkowski), and whips herself into self-­sabotage by questioning her new relationship with Felix (Will Sharpe of The White Lotus Season Two fame), who is loosely based on Felber. Any time you fear things are getting unsustainably tumultuous, you need only remind yourself that every episode is a play on the title of a famous rom-com (e.g., “Notting Kill”) and that its creators are now happily married enough to want to work together.

“When I’m performing, something comes over me like a trance. That’s when I know I’m meant to do it.”

The show gives Stalter her first major leading role. She is perhaps the only person besides Dunham who could have played it, which is why Dunham wrote it for her. 

Andrew Scott, who also appears in Too Much, introduced Dunham to Stalter’s work. Dunham says he’d shown her Meg’s videos “in the heart of Covid and said, ‘Do you know this girl? She’s your sister.’ ” (Dunham does play Stalter’s onscreen sister, hilariously despondent after her husband decides to explore bisexuality and polyamory while she languishes in a series of increasingly sedentary supine positions.) “I became totally transfixed,” Dunham says. “Someone whose characters operate on the edge of delusional, on the edge of cringe, but is always ultimately in on the joke — that, to me, is my comedy DNA.” Dunham cites the characters David Brent on the U.K. Office, Patsy and Edina on Absolutely Fabulous, and Valerie Cherish of The Comeback as Stalter’s fictional ancestors.

Around 2022, Dunham DM’d Stalter on Instagram and said she had a project in mind. Stalter was a mega Girls fan and had felt a kinship with Dunham through the screen. “I’d connect to this person,” she’d thought about a hypothetical but unlikely future meeting while watching Dunham play Hannah Horvath, the series’ divisive protagonist. 

When Stalter and Dunham got on Zoom, Stalter’s instinct was confirmed. Dunham had made a deck of the show — kind of a mood board/game plan for a television series — and there were photos of Stalter on it as the main character. Then Dunham told Stalter, “Girls was about sex, and this is about love.” It was kismet; Stalter had met her now-partner only four months earlier and refers to her this way: “No one’s perfect except for my girlfriend.”

“We’re very different, just like Lena and Luis,” Stalter says. “When me and Lena first talked, we were bonding over that. I feel like I’m the Lena, and I’m the one bringing home a thing.

Stalter is referring to the chaos of her life, but sometimes the “thing” is literal. Imagining a conversation between Felber and Dunham, Stalter riffs, “She could be like, ‘Honey, I bought a pig today.’ And then he’s like [affectionately], ‘Oh, Lena.’ ” Working with the couple proved the premise of the show. “It just feels like Luis fully lets Lena, and Lena lets Luis, be exactly who they are,” Stalter says. “I think sometimes you could be with someone who likes all the differences.”

Top and Shoes by Reformation. Bra by Norma Kamali. Scarf by Mads Allen. Jewelry by Loren Stewart.

In her own menagerie, Stalter currently has two cats — one rather more aloof, and one hairless snuggler named Suki — and a dog called Bunny, who manages an anxiety disorder with medication and as much physical contact with Stalter as possible. On Too Much, Jess, like Dunham, has a bald dog, procured after giving up a rescue (in this case named Cutesie) because of behavioral issues. 

In 2017, Dunham went through several heinous press cycles, including one around the saga of her and then-partner Jack Antonoff’s real-life dog, Lamby, whom they surrendered to a canine rehabilitation center after multiple instances of aggression. In Too Much, Jess’ boyfriend forces her to “get rid” of their dog after it nearly bites someone. It’s one of many moments that invite a close read, especially in the context of Dunham’s autobiographical pieces of writing about her wrenching breakup with Antonoff and her subsequent move to London — the city where Stalter’s character decamps after the end of a relationship with a Jewish ex-boyfriend.

“People love when they see something and they’re like, ‘Is that from that person’s real life?’ ” Stalter says. “Even if it’s not all factual or it’s not literally a biography, someone so open about sharing their real experiences or at least putting them into certain characters, it’s really beautiful, because we get to learn about her. That’s why when I saw Girls, even though [Lena is] not Hannah, there’s parts of her in her stuff. That’s the most beautiful thing to see, someone who’s putting their heart and energy into something and you get to learn about them — but then you’re not taking everything that happened as truth.”

At the precipice of her highest-profile role yet, Stalter is contemplating what the project might mean for nonconsensual probing into her own life. People watching her videos is fine, because she has complete control over them, and people are seeing them in their homes. When audiences come to her stand-up shows, well, that’s what she’s always wanted, and the work is begetting fans who want to see more work. “It feels contained or something,” Stalter says. “And then with Hacks, it’s been so huge and life-changing. But in my mind, I could be safe because I’m not the lead in it.

“Lena is someone I’ve been such a huge fan of, so it was really crazy to wrap my mind around being in the show,” Stalter says slowly. “But then when I got to know her, she felt like a sister and a friend. So now the show feels like a play that we did for each other, and that this really contains a special thing.”

“Getting to know Lena, she felt like a sister and a friend. So now the show feels like a play that we did for each other.”

Sharpe remembers filming an episode — one of the best of the series — that takes place over one night, in Stalter’s character’s apartment. The couple has had sex too many times, and Sharpe’s character has hit his refractory limit. Sharpe’s line after aborting the encounter was supposed to be something like, “I’m in my thirties, queen. I’m all out.” After an exhausting day of filming, it came out, in a posh accent, as, “That’s me done for the evening, I’m afraid.” Stalter named this imaginary interloping gentleman “the Midnight Man,” and pointed out every time Sharpe strayed into Midnight Man territory during production. Then she made him a shirt with the moniker on it. “Because of the energy of Lena — and Meg, in particular — it put you in quite a positive, hopeful, loving mindset,” Sharpe says of shooting the series. “Just seeing the best in everything and in everyone.”

The setting allowed Stalter the confidence and space to play a role that both exercises her obvious comedic virtuosity and shows previously untapped dramatic ability, from dealing with insecurity (not a state expressed by a typical Stalter character) to a breakdown during a breakup. “Some of the stuff that’s in the show I feel is like, Oh! Nobody would ever see me do this if it wasn’t on TV,” Stalter says. “When you’re crying in your room alone, people don’t see that unless it’s on TV. I’m really crying.”

Embodying what Dunham describes as Stalter’s “incredible mix of warm/fuzzy and boundaried strength,” Stalter explains how she approached fictional sex with the advice of intimacy coordinator Miriam Lucia: “During kissing scenes or during vulnerable stuff, it’s not actually you, and you don’t have to do it the way you do, because you can save that part for yourself.” As for Stalter’s corporeal being — beautifully showcased on a series in which her character is implicitly contrasted with one played by an actual supermodel — she says, “I’m very about taking care of my body and being healthy, but I have not wanted to be skinny or lose weight for cosmetic reasons since high school.” A beacon for us all.

To make public the kind of deeply personal moments fostered by Dunham’s writing is, by definition, exposing. “It just feels really vulnerable,” Stalter says. “It’s hard or strange to think of it being on such a huge platform. It’s exciting … but also, just, Netflix is so big.”

Stalter points to her career-long luck of collaborating with people like Dunham and the Hacks team. “I’ve not worked with evil people,” she says. “I don’t know how.” But she also considers the world this project is opening her up to. “I think there is power in Hollywood that is gross,” she says. “There’s a lot of darkness in the industry, and things that can corrupt you, like money and power.” 

Stalter isn’t particularly concerned. “I feel so connected to God and grounded that I feel like I would not get swept up by anything in Hollywood,” she says.

Stalter sees herself representing — in her life, in a movie she’s developing called Church Girls, and in the “evil, crazy, weird villain” version of herself she plays onstage — people like her, who grew up with God in places like the Midwest, and who maybe didn’t finish college either. “Their lives are just as big as ours,” she says, finally daring to group herself in with her famous peers.

“I’m always going to be sensitive,” Stalter says. “I am still that little girl in middle school being like, ‘Why don’t they want to come to the Hawaiian party?’ But it’s like, there’ve been so many other parties.”

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Production Credits

Produced by PATRICIA BILOTTI at PBNY PRODUCTIONS. Styled by KAT TYPALDOS. Hair by ERICKA VERRETT at A-FRAME using ROZ. Makeup by MELISSA HERNANDEZ at A-FRAME using HAUS LABS. Photo assistants: SCOTT TURNER and SANDRA RIVERA. Styling assistant: LYDIA GINGRICH. Photographed at DUST STUDIOS



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