Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 offers compact foldable design with modest upgrades

Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold 8 at its recent Galaxy Unpacked event, positioning it as a more compact, passport-size foldable compared with the larger Z Fold 8 Ultra. The device weighs 201 grams, measures 4.5 mm when open and 9.7 mm when closed, and uses a 16:10 cover screen with a 4:3, 7.6-inch main display that can be used in both landscape and portrait orientations.

The phone is equipped with Samsung’s new Flex Titanium display, which the company says reduces the visibility of the hinge crease and improves resistance to drops. It retains an IP48 rating for water resistance but does not meet the dust-proof standards of some competitors. The camera array includes a 50-megapixel wide and a 50-megapixel ultrawide sensor, plus 10-megapixel front cameras, while the higher-end Ultra model adds a 200-megapixel main sensor.

Power is supplied by a 4,800 mAh silicon-carbon battery, offering modest endurance gains over the previous model. In Samsung’s own testing, the device retained about 93 % charge after a mixed-use endurance cycle and reached 86 % after a three-hour Wi-Fi streaming test. Wired charging at 45 W can restore the battery to roughly three-quarters capacity in 30 minutes.

The Z Fold 8 runs on a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor with Android 17 and One UI 9, and Samsung promises seven years of software and security updates. Benchmarks place its CPU performance slightly above other foldable competitors and on par with the Galaxy S26 series.

Software features include the AI-driven “Now Nudge,” which suggests relevant apps for split-screen tasks, and “My FanCam,” which can track a selected subject in video. Samsung also offers a Photo Assist text-prompt tool for image editing, though the company notes that AI-generated content is watermarked.

The device is available for preorder and will ship on August 7, with pricing starting at $1,900 for the 256 GB model. Samsung’s launch coincides with speculation that Apple may introduce a similarly sized foldable iPhone later this year.

"The Z Fold 8 feels like one of the most enjoyable devices I’ve ever used," said a reviewer who tested the phone during a week-long trial.

Overall, reviewers highlight the Z Fold 8’s compact form factor and versatile display as its main strengths, while noting the high price and the absence of built-in magnets for Qi2 wireless charging as drawbacks.