Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Review: Why the cheaper foldable beats the Z Fold 8 Ultra

After seven generations of its flagship foldable phones, Samsung has made a major change to its product lineup this year.

Instead of offering just one main foldable phone, the company has divided the Galaxy Z Fold series into two different models. At the top of the lineup is the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which is a more advanced and refined version of the foldable phone Samsung released last year.

Then there is the regular Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Surprisingly, the standard model has become the more interesting phone of the two. Samsung has taken ideas from some of its older devices and combined them with features that have been seen on competing foldable phones.

The result is a phone that is shorter and wider than previous Galaxy Z Fold models. This new shape gives the phone a more natural feel when used as a regular smartphone. When opened, it also provides a large screen that feels like a small tablet.

For many people, this could make the Galaxy Z Fold 8 the more attractive choice, even though it is the less expensive model.

A Shorter and Wider Design

The biggest change to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is its new shape.

The phone is shorter but wider than previous models. This change can be seen immediately when you use the outside screen.

The Z Fold 8 has a 5.5-inch AMOLED cover display with a 10:16 aspect ratio. This shape is wider than the tall and narrow screens found on many modern smartphones.

The design reminds some people of the original Pixel Fold and even older smartphones that were not as tall and narrow as today’s phones.

In everyday use, the wider design makes the Z Fold 8 feel more like holding a small passport. There is more space on the screen, which makes it easier to read messages, look at maps and use apps without feeling that you have to open the phone.

This is one of the biggest advantages of the new design.

The Bigger Inside Screen Is Great for Videos and Games

The real benefit of the wider design becomes even clearer when you open the phone.

Inside, Samsung has included a new 7.6-inch AMOLED display with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

This shape is useful when watching movies and television shows because it reduces the amount of empty space that can appear around widescreen videos.

The regular Z Fold 8 can even provide a slightly larger viewing area when watching 16:9 videos compared with the Ultra model.

The screen is also excellent for older television content that was made for traditional square-shaped televisions.

Gaming is another area where the Z Fold 8 performs very well.

The wide internal screen is especially good for games played in landscape mode. With the right support from game developers, the display can make mobile gaming feel more enjoyable and more immersive.

The reviewer even preferred playing Pokemon Champions on the Z Fold 8 instead of using a Switch 2.

The Ultra Is Better for Multitasking

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra still has an advantage for people who use their phones for serious multitasking.

Its larger 8-inch screen provides more space for running two full-size apps at the same time.

This extra screen space can be useful for people who like to browse the internet while watching videos, work with documents, or use several apps at once.

However, for people who mainly use their phones to watch videos, play games and enjoy other content, the regular Z Fold 8 may actually be the better choice.

There is one small problem with the standard model. When the phone is turned from landscape to portrait mode, the home screen can become disorganized because the number of app columns changes between the two orientations.

Bright and High-Quality Displays

Both the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Z Fold 8 Ultra have sharp and colorful displays.

Samsung has increased the peak brightness to 3,000 nits on both phones. This means there is no major difference between the two models when it comes to screen brightness.

Samsung has also added a new anti-glare coating.

The coating helps reduce annoying reflections from light without affecting the quality of the picture.

The new design also makes the phone easier to open. This improvement may not seem important at first, but it becomes more noticeable when you compare the phone with last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Samsung has also reduced the visibility of the foldable screen’s crease.

Samsung Fixes the Folding Problem

One of the more important improvements is the way the phone opens.

The previous model sometimes failed to open completely and stopped at about 179 degrees.

Samsung has now fixed this issue with the Z Fold 8.

However, there is one trade-off. The new phone cannot stay at a 90-degree angle as easily as the previous model when used in tabletop mode.

There is still a simple solution. Users can turn the phone over and position it like a tent. This is similar to how some people use a 2-in-1 laptop.

Premium Build and Strong Materials

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a premium design and feels like an expensive phone.

Samsung has used several layers of titanium inside the device to improve its strength and make the flexible display more rigid.

The phone also has a tough Armor aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and 3 to protect the exterior.

A fingerprint sensor is built into the power button on the side of the phone, making it easy to unlock.

The phone also has an IP48 rating for dust and water resistance.

When folded, the Z Fold 8 is 9.7mm thick. That makes it slightly thicker than the 8.9mm Z Fold 8 Ultra.

However, the phone is still impressively thin for a device that can fold open into a small tablet.

Powerful Performance

The standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Ultra model are powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor.

Both models can also have up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

This means buyers do not have to choose the Ultra model simply because they want better performance.

In everyday use, the standard Z Fold 8 is powerful enough to handle demanding tasks.

It can run two apps side by side, handle games and even support mobile video editing without major problems.

The Ultra could possibly perform slightly better during very long and demanding tasks because its larger body may help with heat management.

However, testing so far has not shown any major difference between the two phones in terms of performance.

The Camera System Has One Major Weakness

The biggest difference between the regular Z Fold 8 and the Ultra is found in the rear cameras.

The standard model has a 50-megapixel main camera and a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera.

However, it does not have a dedicated telephoto zoom camera.

This is a major weakness for people who enjoy taking zoomed-in photos.

The reviewer said this was one of the biggest problems with the phone because they use a zoom camera more often than an ultra-wide camera.

If Samsung was not going to include a proper telephoto camera, the company could at least have added the 200-megapixel main camera found on the Ultra.

A higher-resolution main camera could have allowed users to crop photos and still maintain good image quality.

Despite this limitation, the Z Fold 8 still takes good photos.

Portrait images are sharp and clear, while daytime photos have strong detail and rich colors.

Google’s Pixel phones still have a small advantage when taking photos in very dark conditions, especially when capturing certain textures.

However, the Samsung foldable still performs well overall.

Battery Life Is Good Enough for a Full Day

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a 4,800mAh battery.

This is slightly smaller than the 5,000mAh battery found in the Ultra.

Despite having a smaller battery, the standard model still provides good battery life.

During a video battery test using the smaller outside screen, the Z Fold 8 lasted 28 hours and 14 minutes.

The Ultra lasted more than 32 hours, so it clearly has better battery life.

However, the standard Z Fold 8 should still comfortably last through a full day of heavy use.

That includes activities such as gaming and watching videos on the larger internal screen.

Faster Charging Comes to Both Models

Samsung has also improved charging speeds on both foldable phones.

Wired charging now reaches up to 45 watts when the correct charger is used.

This is a major improvement over last year’s 25-watt charging speed.

However, Samsung does not include a charging adapter in the box, so buyers may need to purchase one separately.

Wireless charging has also improved.

The speed has increased from 15 watts to 20 watts.

There is one limitation for people who like magnetic charging accessories.

Samsung has not built a magnetic ring directly into the phone. This means users who want to use magnetic charging pads or other magnetic accessories will need to buy a compatible case or an additional accessory.

Standard Z Fold 8 or Ultra?

The decision between the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Z Fold 8 Ultra will largely depend on how someone plans to use the phone.

People who spend a lot of time multitasking may prefer the Ultra because its larger screen provides more space for running multiple apps.

However, people who mainly watch movies, play games and enjoy other forms of entertainment may prefer the standard Z Fold 8.

The regular model’s wider screens make videos and games fit more naturally.

Its smaller size also makes it slightly easier to carry.

If an app or website works better in portrait mode, users can simply turn the phone around.

The standard Z Fold 8 also offers the same processor, charging speeds, screen brightness and general camera quality as the more expensive Ultra.

Its battery life is slightly shorter, but that difference may not matter to most users.

The main weakness is the lack of a dedicated zoom camera.

The Lower Price Makes It More Attractive

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is also $200 cheaper than the Ultra.

That is a significant difference, especially for a phone that already starts at $1,900.

For buyers who want a premium foldable phone but do not need the Ultra’s larger screen or better zoom camera, saving $200 could make the standard model a much better deal.

The lower price, combined with the new wider design, strong performance and excellent screens, makes the regular Z Fold 8 a very attractive option.

Final Verdict

Samsung appears to have made a smart decision by changing the design of the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Instead of simply making the phone more powerful, Samsung focused on how people actually use their devices.

Many people spend a large amount of time watching videos, playing games and browsing content. The wider design of the Z Fold 8 makes these activities more enjoyable.

The phone also combines the convenience of a normal smartphone with the larger screen of a small tablet.

The Ultra remains the better choice for people who need more space for multitasking. However, for most entertainment and everyday activities, the standard Z Fold 8 may be the more enjoyable device.

The phone’s lack of a dedicated zoom camera is its biggest weakness, but its strong performance, bright displays, improved folding design, faster charging and lower price help make up for that limitation.

Samsung has managed to create a foldable phone that feels more practical and easier to enjoy.

For people buying their first foldable phone, as well as those who already own one and want to upgrade, the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 could be one of the best choices available in the foldable phone market.