Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 evaluate: The compact foldable I’ve wished all alongside

professionals and cons

Professionals

• Pocketable, sensible design.
• Sharp, vibrant and brilliant screens.
• Incorporates a less-reflective folding show with minimized crease.
• All-day battery.

Cons

• No telephoto digital camera.
• Punch-hole cutout on the interior show could be distracting.
• No built-in magnets for Qi2.2 charging.

extra shopping for decisions

Seven years of folding telephone innovation have led Samsung to lastly embrace a wide-format design with its new Galaxy Z Fold 8. The compact, BlackBerry-esque telephone unfolds right into a mini pill, with facet ratios that really feel extra pure than its taller Fold 8 Extremely sibling. This is not the primary time we have seen a shorter, wider folding telephone, however that is certainly the primary time it appeals to a wider viewers.

Additionally: The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is so good, I do not see the purpose of flip telephones any extra

Samsung’s all-new type issue debuts amid mounting rumors of a palm-sized foldable iPhone Extremely, and is not freed from shortcomings. Nonetheless, the enjoyable, sensible design outweighs all weaknesses. Since its launch at Galaxy Unpacked, I’ve used the Fold 8 for 10 days, and unexpectedly, it hasn’t misplaced its attraction but. 

I am nonetheless amazed by how snug it’s to kind on the duvet display or how comfortably it matches my pocket. That is, in a approach, the compact telephone I have been ready for.

“The ability of the Fold within the palm of my hand”

I used to be skeptical in regards to the usability of a brief and broad cowl display, however I’ve discovered it to be the right mixture of novelty and practicality. The truth is, the 5.5-inch AMOLED panel has been my go-to studying companion, because of its 10:16 facet ratio.

From searching in Chrome to studying within the Kindle or NYT app, I have never as soon as felt compelled to unfold my Fold 8 for higher readability. I’ve additionally been typing on it (with each fingers) greater than anticipated. Not like flip telephones, you’ll be able to see the dialog whereas typing your message. The keyboard takes up about half the display, but it surely leaves loads of room for unbothered messaging with out feeling cramped.

The snug in-hand really feel can be made doable by the slim and lightweight design. As a matter of reality, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is Samsung’s lightest Z Fold telephone at 201 grams (versus the 215g Fold 8 Extremely and 214g S26 Extremely). Plus, it’s simply 4.5mm thick when unfolded and 9.7mm when closed. It does not really feel any thicker than an everyday slab telephone. And that is not even the most effective half.

Its true uniqueness lies in its versatility. It unfolds right into a 7.6-inch mini pill with a 4:3 facet ratio, which is extra pure in on a regular basis duties than conventional book-style foldables’ squarish 8-inch screens.

I open the Fold 8 after I wish to watch video content material. All the pieces from YouTube movies to film watching in Netflix or Prime Video is best than different tall folding telephones. A 4:3 display means you get much less letterboxing (black borders on high and backside) when watching movies.

It is the vertical movies (TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts) that require adjustment. Instagram downloads within the pill model, which pushes the like, remark, and share buttons to the black border on the correct aspect (on each the duvet display and interior show) for higher reel watchability. Personally, I prefer it, but it surely is likely to be an adjustment for anybody used to the cell app UI. 

The massive canvas can be nice for studying, however that punch-hole selfie digital camera is unexpectedly extra bothersome on this telephone. It cuts off phrases on the correct fringe of the display. You’ll be able to all the time rotate it so the digital camera is positioned on the aspect of your proper palm, but it surely generally interferes with the auto brightness. I want Samsung had positioned it within the nook or discovered a approach so as to add an under-display digital camera.

It did enhance the multitasking expertise, nonetheless, with One UI 9 (based mostly on Android 17). It feels extra intuitive, pure and simple to make use of. The Fold 8 can run three apps aspect by aspect, however that is not preferrred. I discovered myself multitasking extra typically 90:10 split-screen between two apps.

As an example, I had Chrome (for analysis) and Google Docs (to kind) set aspect by aspect. When researching, I might simply maximize Chrome’s display house by sliding the center bar and pushing Docs to cowl (roughly) 10% of the display, and vice versa after I wished to kind. This was hardly as buttery easy on earlier variations. 

Additionally: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Extremely vs. Motorola Razr Fold: Which premium foldable do you have to get?

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is completely different than different book-style foldables in a approach that it does not pressure you to regulate to its design quirks. As a substitute, it adapts to your utilization extra naturally.

The crease, hinge and sturdiness

Samsung makes use of a “Flex Titanium” expertise in its folding show construction, which helps with sturdiness, slimness and minimizing the crease. It combines a titanium-alloy movie with an enhanced titanium plate to strengthen the show and “refine the way in which the machine opens.”

All that is to say that the crease is certainly extra refined, and the telephone pops open after a sure angle, supplying you with a extra pure unfolding expertise. Nonetheless, Samsung has eliminated Flex mode on the hinge, so you’ll be able to’t prop up the Fold 8 like its Extremely sibling to observe movies. The Tent mode on its cowl display is a good substitute.

As for the crease, it has been minimized to an extent which you can’t really feel it when working your finger over it. You’ll be able to nonetheless spot it in some lighting conditions however it’s a non-issue and will not distract you from on-screen content material.

A fair larger improve comes within the type of anti-reflective coating. Samsung claims that the reflectivity on the Fold 8’s interior display has been decreased by 50% (versus the Fold 7).

Additionally: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs. Z Flip 8: How Samsung’s two new foldables examine

It’s the improve I’ve wished for the reason that Fold 6 days, and I am glad the Korean telephone maker lastly listened. In sensible utilization, this implies the folding display is far more legible in direct mild than its predecessor. I might navigate on Maps, see the digital camera viewfinder clearly, and browse within the Delhi solar with none points. It is also partially because of the upper brightness ranges (3,000 nits vs. 2,600 nits on the Fold 7).

Like final 12 months, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is rated IP48 for mud and water resistance. This implies it may survive freshwater submersion however is not immune to small mud particles like pocket lint. Whereas that is in step with most foldable telephones, the Google Pixel 10 Professional Fold and Honor Magic V6 supply a dust-tight design with their IP68 rankings. I hope Samsung adopts it for its subsequent era of Z collection telephones.

Push the cameras for the most effective outcomes

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 has one much less digital camera than the Fold 8 Extremely and a lower-resolution most important sensor. It has a twin digital camera system consisting of a 50MP most important digital camera and one other 50MP ultrawide angle sensor.

I am not a fan of Samsung’s default processing, but it surely has improved within the final 12 months, and there are methods to extract the most effective from what you may have. I took most of my images in 50MP mode, which supplies you extra particulars than the default mode.

Nonetheless, you miss out on sure options like the flexibility so as to add a filter fashion, which is tough to grasp as a result of I would relatively have these kinds utilized to a better decision picture than 12MP photographs.

I additionally just like the wealthy distinction and particulars on ultrawide images. They appear higher than my Fold 7’s ultrawide photographs.  

As for movies, they are not sharp and get noisy when you zoom in in your scene. Each time I wished to zoom in on a topic in movies, I needed this telephone had a telephoto digital camera. And this leads me to a different gripe – the digital camera place, once more.

The Fold 8’s cameras are positioned in a vertical digital camera module, however I believe it’d have been higher to have a horizontal structure (ultrawide on high of the principle digital camera) as a result of I saved getting my finger in 1x photographs. I’ve massive fingers, and I am assuming individuals with smaller fingers will not must readjust their grip so typically. Nonetheless, it bothered me sufficient to face out in my digital camera expertise.

Processor and battery

Samsung’s new wide-fold homes the identical chip that powers its Galaxy S26 Extremely and Fold 8 Extremely – the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor. It’s paired with 12GB of RAM for the 256GB and 512GB storage variants and 16GB of RAM with 1TB of storage. In my day-to-day utilization, the telephone ran easily with no points in any respect.

Nonetheless, it tends to wrestle below sure eventualities, like gaming for half-hour or extra. Samsung says that it has reworked the internals to create more room for warmth dissipation, which ought to end in higher thermal administration. However the Fold 8 will get heat to the touch below sustained workloads. Aside from that, you will not discover any main misses right here. From multitasking to digital camera processing, every little thing is easy and quick.

Additionally: I have been utilizing the Galaxy Z Fold 8 for 2 weeks – these two equipment good the expertise

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 additionally obtained a giant battery improve. It packs a 4,800mAh cell with assist for 45-watt quick charging. This may not appear like a giant deal, however the Fold 7 had a 4,400mah battery capability and the brand new Z collection is the primary lineup of Samsung smartphones to characteristic high-density silicon-carbon anode batteries. In real-world utilization, it delivers an all-day battery life with out breaking a sweat.

In my testing interval, I’ve persistently used my Fold 8 to take calls, scroll via Reddit, Instagram, reply messages on WhatsApp, video name my niece, take images, and skim. I persistently received greater than eight hours of display time. This is not the Oppo Discover N6 or Honor Magic V6, however I did not must cost it twice a day (like my Fold 7). And while you do have to cost, it goes from 10% to 75% inside half-hour.

Additionally: Amazon will provide you with a $350 reward card while you purchase a brand new Samsung telephone – here is what to know

Whereas the Galaxy Z Fold 8 helps 20-watt quick charging, it does not have built-in magnets. You will have to buy a Qi2-compatible case, otherwise you’ll be left determining the right alignment on a wi-fi charger half of the time. For my part, the absence of magnets for an additional 12 months is a giant miss. I do not wish to smash Fold 8’s marvelous piece of engineering by slapping a case on it; it is a robust telephone, constructed to resist drops, and I would like so as to add magnetic equipment like a kickstand or energy financial institution on it while not having a case.

Options value mentioning

The brand new Samsung foldables run One UI 9 based mostly on Android 17 they usually have a number of new AI options value speaking about.

My FanCam

That is essentially the most enjoyable new AI characteristic. When you shoot a video the place your topic is with a number of different individuals, you’ll be able to select to trace them with AI to make it appear like the digital camera was following them. It’s also possible to modify the facet ratio, however it would degrade the video high quality. Samsung suggests you’re taking 4K movies in the event you plan on utilizing My FanCam.

Now Nudge

It really works like Magic Cue for Google Pixel telephones. It suggests actions based mostly in your on-screen content material. As an example, if somebody sends me a message asking for availability on a particular date, the Fold 8 will present a popup to open the Calendar. When you faucet on it, it pulls up the Calendar on half of the display. It sounds good in concept, however like Magic Cue, Now Nudge does not work on a regular basis.

Aside from these two options, I have never proactively used any of the generative AI stuff. I infrequently use the AI Eraser in my images, however after I want it, Samsung does surprisingly properly to detect, delete, and fill within the particulars. I largely use it to delete annoying parts in my selfies, like dustbins and signboards.  

Additionally: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Extremely vs. Google Pixel Fold 10 Professional: You’ll be able to’t lose, however here is my shock choose

Relating to different AI options, I want Samsung and Google would cease forcing use instances that do not exist to promote their unreliable AI. I am glad this telephone does not want any of it to make a case for its $1,900 price ticket.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is without doubt one of the costliest folding telephones available on the market, however it is usually top-of-the-line mixture of enjoyable and practicality. At $1,900, I would count on my machine to have a devoted digital camera for optical zoom and iron out the misses from earlier era merchandise (like the shortage of Qi2.2 magnets). However regardless of this, it is simple to suggest. I have never had this a lot enjoyable utilizing a telephone in a very long time.

Additionally: I went hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8, but it surely’s not the improve I anticipated

The brand new Samsung smartphone is constructed for most individuals. It combines flip pocketability and fold usability in a wider design that is preferrred for video consumption — not only for studying. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 adapts to your utilization as a substitute of asking you to regulate to its design. It’s a refreshing tackle a comparatively new idea, and I am all for it.

In case your utilization includes studying, watching movies, and searching the net – and you’ve got the price range for it — the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the most effective folding telephone on the market proper now.

Why the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 will get an Editors’ Selection award

Its refreshing new design is each sensible and pocketable, and it feels just like the fold for everybody — not simply energy customers. Whereas it has its personal limitations, and its $1,900 price ticket just isn’t precisely what I would name “inexpensive”, the brand new Fold 8 redefines what you are able to do on a foldable telephone.