Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: Review

Yes, it's that time once again when the phone giants reach into their creative sacks and pull out a new piece of kit for us all to lament the fact we didn't know we needed an upgrade until we saw it.

The latest contender for the hearts and wallets prior to Christmas is the rather delightfully compact Samsung Galaxy Fold 8, a passport-sized piece of tech that feels like the foldable is upping its game.

Chiefly boasting an upgrade in battery life and also the fact you can't really make out the fold in its midway section, the Galaxy Fold 8 feels like the first foldable that's sturdy enough to take anything on you want to put it through.

What chiefly works about this is its compact nature. Fitting easily into the pocket or inside a jacket when out and about, the phone's desire to be sleek and slender means it doesn't stick out (aside from the camera, about which more later). Clocking in at around 201g, (unlike the 215g Fold 8 Ultra and 214g S26 Ultra), it also feels like it's not anything cumbersome in terms of weight. 

And given the phone packs in a fair punch of features, the fact it weighs so little is a testament to its development. The aluminium frame also feels sturdy enough to deal with anything life will throw at it (with the caveat the device was only used for 2 weeks and not hurled around) and seems durable enough to withstand plenty of unfolding too thanks to the Flex Titanium technology.

In terms of slimness, the Fold 8's passport nature is enough to ensure that it doesn't stand out, but once again, the jutting out of the camera on the back means it doesn't sit flush on its back, which continues to be an annoyance and if placed on its front, risks the danger of scratching a truly beautiful AMOLED screen. It's a quandary that Samsung can't seem to get right, no matter what development perks they bring - and throwing it all in a case risks sacrificing some of the slimness the device offers.

Talking of the displays, the AMOLED screens are just beautiful, front and inside. Running 1248 x 1972 pixels, 120Hz, 16:10 aspect ratio means the phone's crystal-clear display shines if you choose to do everything on the front screen, rather than opening up the phone for a bigger display. Perhaps the only downside is how quickly the front can get fingermarks all over it, with smudges evident from just days of use. A small price to pay, but one worthy of note.

Equally, unfolding the Fold 8 into a more mini tablet proves to offer a superlative user experience. Whether it's viewing web pages, watching video or using a split-screen version to run different tabs, the 7.6-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 1848 x 2448 pixels, 120Hz, 4:3 aspect ratio shines, in no part due to the 3,000 nits brightness. It's been a pleasure watching videos on various platforms and even reading comics online with their vibrant colours shining through. Not once has the brightness needed adjusting and even if the phone's turned sideways, the screen quickly and cleverly adapts to the changes.

A big perk of the inner display is also just how unnoticeable the fold is. It seems like a crazy thing to note, given you know it's there, but after previous iterations of the Fold phones suffered because of the crease down the middle, the fact it's barely noticeable is a big win for Samsung here and will prove to be a boon for many consumers as well. Coupled with a drop in the reflectivity, this is a device whose imagery works well no matter what the brightness outside is - meaning it's a lot more use if you're on-the-go.

The camera delivers clear colours.

In terms of battery life, Samsung's also knocked it out of the park. 

In testing and regular use, the battery life has easily lasted a day and with minimal use managed to coast through 3 days before even needing a top-up. A quick charge on the USB-C cable was sufficient enough to see it through as well, though the phone worked better on a full charge, rather than a quick hit.

Perhaps the only downside of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 that's been noticed during testing was making a call to a local radio station for an on-air piece. It's here that the quality of the line dropped and dipped, despite being on 5G, meaning the slot had to be terminated due to dropout. Massively disappointing at the time, it has to be said that fault's not been replicated on any other calls, which have sounded clear and crisp.

In terms of the camera, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 may be missing a telephoto lens and may lose some of the picture quality when zooming in, but it delivers a quality that most users will be completely happy with. Colours are vibrant and clear and even with the zoom into the inside of a tree, the clarity of the leaves and the branches don't suffer the closer you get. 

There's perhaps some worry about the use of AI to modify pictures (no more than other AI providers) and given you can add things in and remove others with the Galaxy AI suite of tools, the ability to deceive others' eyes is high - but the general desire to improve photos, remove unwanted people and enhance the quality of the imagery is something that Samsung continues to deliver well.

Taken at night, but you'd never know.

But all up, given the Galaxy Z Fold 8's strong performance and durability, users will be extremely happy with the 2026 Foldable experience. There's no denying the price stings a little, given how high it retails at over $3,000, but what stands out about the Z Fold 8 is how future-proof it feels and more of an investment in a phone - and tablet experience - that will last rather than fade away.

Now if they could just sort the sticking out camera on the back.....

Galaxy Z Fold 8 specifications:

Inner display: 7.6-inch inner and 5.5-inch outer AMOLED displays with 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset
Colours: Lavender, cream, graphite, and pistachio
Dimensions: 123.9 x 161.4 x 4.5 mm unfolded / 1123.9 x 81.9 x 9.7 mm unfolded
Weight: 201 grams
RAM: 12GB to 16GB RAM
Storage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage
Battery: 4,800mAh battery
Charging: 45W wired, 20W wireless
Cameras: 50MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP selfie camera

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is available now to buy.