Samsung has just released its latest trio of folding phones available for pre-order now and on sale from Friday 7 August. While two are updates to existing models, one is completely different, with a new shape and size that could become a template for future models from other brands – including Apple.
Folding phones are designed for greater convenience. There are two main styles: a regular-sized phone that folds in half to easily fit into a pocket – which have come to be called Flip phones – and regular-sized handsets which fold out into mini-tablets. The latter is usually called Fold phones.
Samsung’s new range is led by the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, which is narrow and remarkably thin – when opened it measures just 4.1mm (though that doesn’t include the three cameras on the back). And there’s a new pocketable model, the Galaxy Z Flip8, with an external screen that’s more capable than ever, so you can do a lot without opening the phone.
The idea of a Fold phone is that you can leave your tablet at home and utilise the extra screen space on the unfolded phone. This works well, but there’s an issue: when opened, a Fold phone’s inner screen is more or less square, which some feel is less pleasing to the eye, especially if you want to use the device to watch a movie, for instance.
Galaxy Z Fold8 tech spec
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 5 For Galaxy
- Display: Cover display 5.5in OLED, 120Hz, 1,248 x 1,972 pixels, 428ppi, internal display 7.7in OLED120Hz, 1,828 x 2,448 pixels, 403ppi
- Storage: 256GB / 512GB /1TB
- Size: Folded – 81.9 x 123.9 x 9.7 mm, Unfolded – 161.4 x 123.9 x 4.5 mm
- Weight: 201g
- Rear cameras: 50MP main, 50MP ultra wide
- Cover display camera: 10MP
- Internal display camera: 10MP
- Colours : Graphite, Cream, Lavender, Pistachio
The new Samsung addresses this in an all-new way. The Galaxy Fold8 is shorter and wider than the more traditionally shaped Galaxy Fold8 Ultra, though at 4.5mm thick when open, it’s still a very thin device. But the new shape means that when it’s opened, it has the same 4:3 screen aspect ratio as a conventional tablet. Samsung doesn’t make a super-small tablet, but the new phone looks like a small version of Apple’s iPad mini when it’s open.
Talking of Apple, the rumour mill suggests very strongly that this September will see the launch of the Cupertino giant’s first foldable, and it seems it may plump for near-identical proportions to this one. If that’s right, Samsung will benefit, too. Not only does a rising tide lift all boats, but having something similar-looking that will appeal to Android diehards will surely garner sales. Samsung is getting its response in first.
Is this the moment to fall for a foldable? Is the niche market about to grow? Read on.
How I tested
I’ve been testing the Galaxy Z Fold8 for more than a week now, and it has been my daily driver. I set it up, transferred data from an earlier Galaxy and started using it quickly.
I’ve studied the design and the notably different screen orientation, judging whether the new design is practical, inviting and comfortable to use. I’ve checked out the software to see how well it works on inner and outer displays. I’ve tested the phone’s performance to see how it handled video playback, graphics-intensive games and day-to-day tasks like sending emails and, you know, making phone calls. Finally, I’ve monitored the battery to see how it copes, and whether it is struggling by the end of the day, or earlier.
Samsung galaxy fold8: £1,699, Three.co.uk
★★★★★
What we love: Hand-friendly shape, great screen when open, strong performance, and near-invisible screen crease
Take note: Not cheap, and not all apps optimised for both screens
Design
The new shape is the same as a passport, though a touch smaller in width and height. As such, it’s initially a bit surprising to look at. Strange, even. But as soon as you open it, it suddenly makes sense, and the transformation from a wide handset to a small but perfectly proportioned tablet is tremendous.
It feels slim yet reassuringly solid when open, and when the weight is spread between two hands, it’s remarkably light (the lightest Fold phone Samsung has made yet, in fact). Closed, the weight feels acceptable for a phone – it’s only a few grams lighter than an iPhone 17 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
It’s easy to use one-handed – both in terms of weight and reachability – while there’s an advanced setting to shrink the screen content to one corner.
The phone – and the larger Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra – introduces a new feature under the folding display, called Flex Titanium. This titanium alloy film and titanium plate not only strengthens the fold, but also improves the visual effects in the crease. This crease is something which has dogged folding phones from the start, and while it’s still not completely invisible, you now have to look much harder to see it – a major improvement.
Samsung has also worked to make the new foldable easier to open. Some foldables have had such tight hinges that it takes work to prise them open. Here, there are slightly bigger gaps between the two halves, which makes things simpler.
Best Samsung Galaxy z Fold8 pre-order deals
EE: From £35 per month, EE.co.uk
Three: From £45 per month, Three.com
Samsung: From £47 per month, Samsung.com
Vodafone: £41.50 per month, Vodafone.co.uk
The redesigned hinge limits the tension of its predecessors, making the two halves easier to separate. It’s a subtle but welcome change – and don’t worry, the phone’s not going to spring open on you.
There’s a hole-punch camera at the top of both the cover and internal displays. It’s capable of facial recognition, so you can set the phone to unlock, whether open or closed. There’s also a fingerprint sensor in the power button on the edge. Both work quickly and effectively.
Owing to the cameras, the fold8 doesn’t lay fully flat on a table. For instance, it rocks when you type on it. While a case may reduce this effect, typing with the phone open in your hands is easier.
The phone comes in four colours: lavender, which I’ve been testing, cream, graphite and pistachio. All look great, with a subtle, pastel aesthetic. The pistachio colour – a quiet but eye-catching pale green – is exclusive to Samsung.com, and sensational. Samsung matches the home screen to the hardware colour, which is a nice touch.
Display
The fold8’ screen measures 7.6 inches, compared to Apple’s first iPad mini which had a 7.9-inch display. The bezels framing the screen are very thin, and the device feels a lot more compact than a traditional tablet.
It’s big enough to watch content like Netflix, which is pre-loaded with your account. There are still evident black lines on either side, but they are much less obvious than on previous foldables. There’s the option to watch on the cover display, which thins black lines with its 16:10 ratio, but the trade-off is the smaller 5.5-inch screen.
While the taller Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra with its almost-square open screen may be better for multitasking and productivity, the fold8 shape excels beyond watching movies. Books work well in portrait orientation, and it’s excellent for playing games.
Many apps are optimised so that as you open the phone, they reformat to fill the larger display, adjusting what’s on screen intelligently rather than just enlarging it. Samsung’s software also allows multiple apps to open simultaneously on the larger screen.
The display is bright – capable of 3,000 nits peak brightness – so even sunny days don’t defeat it. Plus, there’s an anti-reflective coating on the folding screen.
Cameras
Where the larger and pricier Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra has three cameras on the back, this has two, perhaps because there’s less space.
It means there’s a main camera and an ultrawide, both with 50-megapixel sensors, but no telephoto camera. The main camera on the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra manages a 200-megpixel sensor, which perhaps contributes to the U-word in the name.
Samsung is skilled with photography, particularly in places that other phone cameras fail – including low light and night-time shooting.
The photo screen in the camera shows three zoom levels: 0.6 (ultra-wide), 1 (full-frame of the main camera), and 2, which crops to the centre of the frame to deliver a 12.5-megapixel image.
Performance
Qualcomm’s latest flagship chip is on board here, the Snapdragon 8 Elite 5, previously seen on the Galaxy S26 Ultra and, as then, optimised “for Galaxy” to work smoothly and seamlessly here.
Whatever I’ve done on the phone has been fast and stutter-free, with butter-smooth video playback and slick game-playing.
Every action is instant, from opening apps to snapping photos.
Battery
Samsung has adopted a new battery technology for this device. This is the company’s first use of a silicon-carbon battery (competitors have already adopted this tech). Silicon-carbon allows greater capacity than lithium-ion permits, so longer battery life from thinner, smaller cells is possible.
The result is a battery that lasts all day with ease, leaving the phone with 20 per cent charge at the end of an average day for me.
Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 worth it?
Samsung’s new phone is outstanding, delivering an original look and shape that is wholly winning. If it looks unusual at first, it quickly becomes second-nature when you open it – and suddenly other folding phones look unnatural.
Boasting a bright display with tiny bezels and a super-slim profile, the foldable is lightweight and user-friendly. The perceptible reduction of the crease that other foldables have is a real bonus.
The cameras are strong, even if they lack the 200-megapixel snapper found on the Z Fold8 Ultra, and the super-fast processor inside is impressive. The latest battery technology means the phone runs all day smoothly.
At £1,699, this is not a cheap phone, but I’d argue that the technology crammed in makes it strong value, if you can afford it.
This is a handsome, strikingly original phone with everything going for it. Not only is this the best foldable on the market, but its performance, versatility and gorgeous design also make it a strong contender for the best Android smartphone, full stop.
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