Samsung’s new foldables are here, and there’s a lot to talk about.
That includes two book-style devices for the very first time. Despite its name, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a brand-new device, with the rebranded Z Fold 8 Ultra the natural successor to last year’s Z Fold 7.
If you’ve seen a picture of the two side-by-side (like in the image above), you’ll instantly notice the difference. So, is this just a choice between a short, squat device and a taller, narrower one?
Absolutely not. While the design might have you leaning in one direction or the other, the device you choose will be different in several key areas.
Want to know what we think of them? Read our hands-on opinions of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.
The design
Let’s start with the obvious. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and 8 Ultra look very different to one another, and that makes them suited for distinct purposes.
The Fold has always been pitched as a productivity machine, but Samsung is leaning into this even further now it’s an ‘Ultra’. Its dimensions and 215g weight are identical to the Z Fold 7, meaning the 8-inch internal display has an area equivalent to two of the 6.5-inch cover screens next to each other.
Luke Baker
As a result, it’s a far superior option for multitasking, which is a core component of a lot of screen-based productivity. New features such as ‘Now Nudge’ are designed to take advantage of it, with a single tap of the AI-generated prompt taking you to a useful split-screen view.
By contrast, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is much shorter and wider. Its 5.5-inch cover screen can feel awkward for vertical video or one-handed usage, but the real advantage comes once you open it up. Instead of an almost square screen, the 7.6-inch internal panel adopts a much more traditional 4:3 aspect ratio, making it much better suited to traditional widescreen content.
Luke Baker
If you want a device for watching movies and TV shows, or even to replicate a familiar tablet experience, the Z Fold 8 is a much better choice. It’s also significantly lighter, coming in at 201g.
To put it another way, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is ideal for TikTok and YouTube Shorts, including if you want to watch two videos at the same time. But if long-form content or gaming is your bag, the Z Fold 8 is a superior option.
The cameras
Given how expensive these devices are (more on that later), you’ll want to use them as your main smartphone. As such, the camera systems need to be up to scratch.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra have some camera specs in common, including a 50Mp ultrawide with a 120-degree field of view and 10Mp front-facing lenses on both displays. But that’s where the similarities end.
Samsung has given the more expensive Ultra a much more comprehensive camera system, equipping it with the same 200Mp main lens as last year’s Z Fold 7. While the lack of an upgrade may be disappointing, at least it isn’t the downgrade you’ll find on the Z Fold 8. It gets the same 50Mp sensor as the Z Flip 8, a device which is far cheaper.
Luke Baker
From our experience with last year’s Z Flip 7 (which had the same lens), it’s a very capable camera, albeit a significant step down from the 200Mp.
But arguably the most jarring aspect of the entire Z Fold 8 experience is the lack of a telephoto lens. While the Z Fold 8 Ultra misses out on the S26 Ultra‘s 50Mp, 5x periscope telephoto, it retains the 10Mp regular one, enabling 3x optical zoom.
Luke Baker
As a result, zoom photography will almost certainly be a weakness of the Z Fold 8. It’ll be entirely reliant on digital zoom, which simply crops in on the main camera rather than retaining true quality. If you care about this or convincing portrait-style photos, the Z Fold 8 Ultra will almost certainly be the better choice.
However, it’s important to note that the Z Fold 8 Ultra is unlikely to seriously threaten the S26 Ultra and the other top camera phones for photos or video.
The battery
Alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 8, the Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra are the first Samsung phones to include a silicon-carbon (Si-C) battery. Hurrah!
It means the capacities of both are improved compared to the 4400mAh Z Fold 7, but don’t expect the huge capacities to rival some Chinese phones.
Luke Baker
Instead, the Z Fold 8 has a 4800mAh cell, while the Z Fold 8 Ultra bumps that up to 5000mAh. However, that extra 200mAh could be offset by the larger screens, especially as both use the highly efficient Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset.
Luke Baker
The phones are identical in terms of charging, with 45W and 20W wireless speeds. But there’s still no built-in Qi2, so you’ll need a case if you want to take advantage of magnetic charging and accessories.
The colours
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra are both available in your standard two colour options: ‘Graphite’ (dark grey) and ‘Cream’ (off-white).
However, the Z Fold 8 adds a light purple ‘Lavender’ to the mix, while the Z Fold 8 Ultra offers a much bolder ‘Violet Shadow’.
It’s a similar story for the shades of green, with a lighter ‘Pistachio’ hue on the wide model but darker ‘Green Shadow’ on the Ultra. These ones are also exclusive to the Samsung store.
The price
Make no mistake, both foldables are extremely premium devices, and that’s reflected in the price. However, there is some variation between them.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at £1,699/$1,899, while the Fold 8 Ultra will set you back at least £1,899/$2,099. It sandwiches the Z Fold 7’s price at its launch last year – £1,799/$1,999.
Both are available to pre-order now, ahead of their 7 August release date. While contract deals are likely to be competitive, if you want to save a little bit of cash, the Z Fold 8 is the way to go.
- Pre-order the Galaxy Z Fold 8 in the UK
- Pre-order the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra in the UK
- Pre-order the Galaxy Z Fold 8 in the US
- Pre-order the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra in the US
Just remember, there are plenty of great budget, mid-range and even flagship phones which cost a fraction of the price.