Hands-On: Samsung lays down the foldable gauntlet to Apple with its new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and interestingly shaped Z Fold 8
Oddly, this could be your first glimpse at Apple’s foldable future...
If this were a game of chess, the bosses at Samsung would be saying “your move, Apple”.
We won’t know if the South Korean giant has a checkmate over its Cupertino, California-based rival for a couple of months yet, but with the introduction of three new foldables the board is set and the game is very much on.
Samsung’s trio of foldables each have a unique hook, with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra sitting atop the pile when it comes to features, design and price, boasting powerful AI chops for ‘power-maxxing’ (Samsung’s phrase, not mine).
Then there’s the uniquely proportioned Galaxy Z Fold 8 (and there’s a very good reason for its new passport-like size and shape), while the compact Z Flip 8 gets even slimmer and lighter as it makes a play for the most portable foldable around.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: In short...
- The most capable AI productivity foldable
- Samsung’s slimmest and lightest fold ever
- Display has almost no visible crease
- Foldable screen equivalent to two 6.5-inch displays side-by-side
- Price starts at £1,899
- 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage, 12GB or 16GB of RAM
The ultimate foldable?
If you’re looking for the ultimate foldable phone, the Samsung Z Fold 8 Ultra could well be it. I’ve had hands-on time with it, and it’s impressively slender. Yet despite its wafer thin design, it still feels solid.
It’s the firm’s slimmest and lightest foldable to date. Compared to the phone it’s replacing - the Galaxy Z Fold 7 - it also boasts a brighter display, bigger battery, and upgraded camera system.
The upgraded hinge has a satisfying tactility to it, while the new Flex Titanium Technology display allows the phone to drop weight while remaining strong, while also offering up a smoother, flatter display.
The central visible crease on foldable displays has long been a bone of contention for some folk, but with the Z Fold 8 Ultra it’s impressively hard to see. Run your finger over the centre of the interior screen and you’ll feel a subtle undulation, but it’s less pronounced than on the firm’s previous foldable phones.
It’s not quite the smoothest or least visible crease I’ve seen in a foldable display - that honour remains with the Oppo Find N6 for now - but it’s pretty darn close.
A smart, yet subtle design tweak over the Z Fold 7 is the chamfered edge on the non-hinge vertical side of the phone, allowing you to guide the handset open a little more easily with your thumb - something the flat sides on the predecessor made trickier.
In terms of cameras, you’re looking at a 50MP ultra-wide (upgraded for higher resolution shooting up from its predecessor's 12MP) a stonking 200MP main camera, and a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom. All can capture HDR detailing, and video recording maxes out at an impressive 8K.
Samsung claims the 5,000mAh battery is good for up to 27 hours of video playback, while charging has been improved with 45W wired support able to replenish 67% of charge in 30 minutes. There’s 20W wireless charging support too, if you have a pad at home, in the office, or in your car.
Is the Z Fold 8 a new iPhone in disguise?
If the Z Fold 8 Ultra is the King on our board - a towering symbol of strength - the Z Fold 8 is the Queen, with the ability to cause havoc in the foldable phone world.
Samsung has decided 2026 is the year to introduce a third form factor to its foldable line-up, citing what it claims to be “a responsibility to give people greater choice” with a “new form factor for immersive media, content and creativity.”
That’s fair enough, but could the timing possibly have anything to do with the raft of rumours suggesting Apple will launch the iPhone Fold with the same passport-esque aspect ratio as the Fold 8 in just a couple of months time? No, of course not. This is just a huge coincidence. Ahem…
The move isn’t a surprise, since Apple has reportedly approved Samsung Display to make the flexible OLED displays for its upcoming foldable, so it looks as if Samsung has got the jump here.
From my time with the Z Fold 8, I’m excited for both it and the iPhone Fold to arrive, because the size and shape of this foldable phone absolutely slaps.
I wasn’t sure how it would sit in the hand, and when folded, it is wider than most phones on the market. That might be an issue for those with smaller hands, but for anyone who remembers the BlackBerry days, the muscle memory this phone evokes is really quite beautiful.
Open it up, and the 4:3 display is great for video playback and gaming, but turn it 90 degrees and the 3:4 aspect ratio makes social scrolling, web browsing and reading documents a more comfortable experience. Shortlist looks great on this screen, and I feel bad for you reading this article not on the Z Fold 8.
You still get flagship performance under the hood, and a sizable 4,800mAh battery is good for 26 hours of video playback according to Samsung, and can recharge 63% in 30 minutes. In terms of cameras, you’re getting a 50MP wide and a 50MP ultra wide tucked into the new form factor.
If you’re not immediately sold on the size and shape of the Z Fold 8, I recommend you make your way to a store and get your hands on it. You might just love it.
Flipping the FlexWindow switch with Z Flip 8
Rounding out the trio is Samsung’s latest flip foldable, aimed at those looking to express their style in a sleek, portable form factor.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 is slimmer and lighter than its predecessor - it’s the thinnest and lightest Z Flip ever - while boasting a stronger hinge and advanced armour aluminium frame for better durability, plus a sizable foldout screen when you need it.
I found the refined proportions allow the Z Flip 8 to sit more naturally in hand, and it slides seamlessly in pockets, but the upgrade I was most pleased to see was to the FlexWindow support.
Samsung’s Z Flip series to date have offered a slightly limited exterior screen experience when compared to Motorola’s flip foldables, which offer pretty much a full smartphone experience on the smaller outer display.
But now, with the Z Flip 8, the AI-powered automation is smarter, surfacing what you need, when you need it on the exterior display. Depending on the time of day, and the day of the week, this information could include your schedule, health stats, calendar appointments, commute details and more.
Samsung’s clever Now Brief AI assistant is also now more proactive, and you can use text prompts to easily build personalised cards to show exactly the information you want to see. If style is more important than raw performance, the Z Flip 8 is a phone you might want to experience.
Available to order now
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is available in four colours - Violet Shadow (that’s purple to you and me), Cream, Graphite, and Violet Green (online exclusive) - with the choice of 256GB, 512GB and 1TB of storage, either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, and prices start at £1,899.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 also comes in four colors - Lavender, Cream, Graphite, Pistachio (online exclusive) - the same storage and RAM variants as the Ultra, and the price starts at £1,699 for the 256GB model.
Meanwhile the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is available in, yep you’ve guessed it, four colours - Pink, Cream, Graphite,Mint (online exclusive) - with 256GB and 512GB models both packing 12GB of RAM. The Z Flip 8 price starts at £1,149 for the 256GB variant.
All three phones are available for pre-order from July 22nd.
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