Marques Brownlee
July 22, 2026
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 Hands-On Review
TL;DR
Samsung's new foldable lineup includes the Z Flip 8 with minor upgrades, the Z Fold 8 Ultra with significantly improved crease reduction and larger display, and the new compact Z Fold 8 designed to compete with Apple's rumored passport-style foldable.
Key Takeaways
- 1The Z Flip 8 offers incremental improvements over last year: slightly thinner, lighter, and features the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with improved cover screen experience.
- 2Z Fold 8 Ultra dramatically reduces the visible crease using titanium alloy film and back plate, achieving roughly 8.5/10 crease reduction compared to 5/10 last year.
- 3Samsung introduced a smaller, passport-shaped Z Fold 8 positioned directly against Apple's expected foldable iPhone, weighing only 201g with a 4x3 aspect ratio better suited for media consumption.
- 4Battery improvements include 5,000 mAh capacity in the Ultra, silicon integration, and increased charging speeds (45W wired, 20W wireless).
- 5The compact Z Fold 8 offers better camera usability, superior photo viewing, and lighter form factor while sacrificing multitasking capability compared to the Ultra.
- 6Significant price increases across the board: Z Flip 8 starts at $1,200, Z Fold 8 at $1,900, and Z Fold 8 Ultra at over $2,000, making them substantially more expensive than predecessors.
Notable Quotes
“If Oppo's a 10 out of 10, I feel like this is an eight and a half out of 10, but it is way better than last year, which would be like a five.”
— Reviewer
“The more I use it and hold it and just mess around with it, I'm not going to lie, the more I'm liking it.”
— Reviewer
“Well, we have one just like it. But we also have one that's better, the Ultra.”
— Reviewer
Chapters
1. Z Flip 8 Overview
The new Z Flip 8 is a safe incremental upgrade featuring a thinner, lighter design, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, beveled inner edges for easier opening, and an improved cover screen with better gesture controls. It represents the steady, conservative improvement approach Samsung has adopted.
2. Z Fold 8 Ultra: Crease Reduction and Display Improvements
The Z Fold 8 Ultra addresses Samsung's main competitive weakness by dramatically reducing the visible crease through titanium alloy film and back plate, achieving near Oppo Find N6 levels. It features a new 50MP ultrawide camera, 8K video capability, 5,000 mAh battery, faster charging (45W wired, 20W wireless), and improved anti-reflective coating with 3000 nits brightness.
3. Strategic Positioning: The New Compact Z Fold 8
Samsung strategically introduces a smaller, passport-shaped Z Fold 8 to compete directly with Apple's expected foldable iPhone. This move positions the candy bar-shaped model as the Z Fold 8 Ultra while the new compact fold targets media consumption with its 4x3 aspect ratio and 7.6-inch inner display.
4. Z Fold 8 Design and Usability
The compact Z Fold 8 weighs only 201g with excellent one-handed usability, particularly for camera work and photo viewing. The smaller screens and lighter weight make it reminiscent of the Surface Duo's hardware benefits while maintaining dual displays and 4,500 mAh battery capacity, though with fewer cameras and less multitasking capability.
5. Pricing and Market Context
All three devices feature 256GB base storage with significant price increases: Z Flip 8 at $1,200, Z Fold 8 at $1,900, and Z Fold 8 Ultra over $2,000, representing $100+ increases from last year due to memory price hikes and competitive market pressures.
Key People & Entities
- Samsung
- Manufacturer of the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip foldable phone lineup
- Oppo
- Competitor known for the Find N6 foldable with minimal visible crease
- Apple
- Expected to announce first foldable iPhone with passport-style design in September
- Dbrand
- Official accessory partner providing protective cases and screen protectors for Samsung foldables
Glossary
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
- The latest processor used in Samsung's flagship devices, featuring improved performance and image processing pipeline with enhanced NPU capabilities
- OLED
- Organic Light-Emitting Diode display technology where each pixel produces its own light, enabling better contrast and color reproduction
- Titanium alloy film
- Material used behind the OLED display in the Z Fold 8 Ultra to reduce the visible crease when folded
- Anti-reflective coating
- Surface treatment that reduces light reflection on the display, improving outdoor visibility and reducing glare
- Silicon batteries
- Advanced battery technology that incorporates silicon to increase energy density and capacity while maintaining smaller form factors
- Passport-shaped foldable
- A foldable phone design with a shorter, squatter aspect ratio resembling a passport format, as opposed to the taller candy bar style
- Flex hinge
- The folding mechanism in Samsung's foldable phones that allows the display to bend and flex without damage