Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 and Z Fold8 Ultra - Starting At $1,899 Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold8 ($1,899) and Z Fold8 Ultra ($2,099) are both excellent, premium folding phones, but the Z Fold8’s passport-style form-factor delivers the ideal experience.
	Wide form-factor is the way (Z Fold8) Beautiful displays Excellent cameras Silicon-carbon battery Strong day-to-day performance Feature-rich software ×Alert slider is back	Expensive No telephoto shooter (Z Fold8) Theramal throttling No Qi2 magnets No charger in the box No active pen support

On July 22, 2026 in London, Samsung launched two book-style folding phones, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra ($2,099), the successor to last year’s Z Fold7, and the Galaxy Z Fold8 ($1,899), a new passport-style wide form-factor handset with a 4:3 aspect ratio. As I mentioned in my hands-on article and video (below), the Z Fold8 Ultra delivers meaningful but incremental updates over its predecessor while the Z Fold8 offers an exciting new design language.

Both phones benefit from the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy SoC, an improved ultrawide camera, brighter displays with less crease, larger capacity silicon-carbon batteries, and faster charging. And while the Z Fold8 Ultra’s overall design remains basically the same as before, the Z Fold8 stands out for being the first passport-style, wide form-factor folding phone in the US since Google’s original Pixel Fold.

The market for folding handsets has changed considerably over the last few years. Right now, the Z Fold8 Ultra must contend with Moto’s excellent Razr Fold ($1,799), and the Z Fold8 will soon go head-to-head with Apple’s rumored iPhone Ultra. So, are Samsung’s latest book-style folding handsets competitive? Are they worth the premium price? Does the Z Fold8’s 4:3 aspect ratio make a difference? I’ve been using these devices for a couple weeks now and will answer all of these questions and more on the pages ahead in my full review...

The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is a dead ringer of its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold7. Put them side-by-side, and colorways notwithstanding, you'd be hard-pressed to tell them apart. They look virtually identical, with the exact same buttons, ports, openings, and antenna bands in the exact same locations. In fact, Z Fold7 cases fit the Z Fold8 Ultra perfectly. Weight is the same (215g) too, and so are dimensions, except for one.

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra back

The Z Fold8 Ultra is (literally) a hair thinner than the Z Fold7 when open (4.1 vs. 4.2mm). But apparently, this refers to the thickness of the aluminum frame, not including the recessed plastic lip around the inner display. Samsung didn’t really make the Z Fold8 Ultra thinner; it made the phone easier to open by creating a bigger gap between the two halves of the handset when it’s closed. It’s a clever and welcome tweak.

Samsung also refined the Z Fold8 Ultra’s hinge, which feels even nicer and more refined than the Z Fold7’s. Like before, the phone can be opened at almost any angle, enabling Flex Mode (more on this later). The Z Fold8 Ultra’s inner and outer screens are the same size and aspect ratio as the Z Fold7’s (8 inches at 1:1 and 6.5 inches at 21:9, respectively). As such, the Z Fold8 Ultra’s form factor looks and feels familiar.

Galaxy Z Fold7 partially open

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold8 is an entirely different beast. It stands out because of its wide and squat, passport-style form-factor, boasting a 5.5-inch 16x10 aspect ratio outer display and 7.6-inch 4:3 aspect ratio inner screen. As a refresher, this isn’t a brand new innovation, Oppo’s Find N (2021) and Find N2 (2022), Google’s original Pixel Fold (2023), and Huawei's Pura X Max (2026) all feature a passport-style form-factor.

What sets the Z Fold8 apart from its precursors is its weight (201g, the lightest book-style folding phone yet), and thickness (just 4.5mm open, 9.7mm closed). Combine that with Samsung’s attractive angular design language, and this handset is a game changer. When closed, the Z Fold8 shape makes it more pocketable than even bar-style phones and gives you a wider, more comfortable on-screen keyboard experience.

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra 21:9 outer display

Open it, and the inner display’s 4:3 aspect ratio means less black bars when watching widescreen videos (and no black bars when watching older TV shows), yet still provides plenty of real-estate for productivity and multitasking. Hold the phone in portrait mode, and the Z Fold8 becomes the ultimate social media consumption device and a fantastic e-book reader (that 4:3 aspect ratio is similar to a sheet of paper, after all).

This handset's downsides are few, and are the result of Samsung's design decisions. Compared to the Z Fold8 Ultra, the Z Fold8 packs a smaller battery (4,800 vs 5,000 mAh), fewer, lower resolution cameras (50MP main and 50MP ultrawide vs. 200MP main, 50MP ultrawide and 10MP 3x telephoto), and a hinge that, while it feels just as smooth and polished, snaps fully open past 90-degrees, eschewing Flex Mode.

Galaxy Z Fold8 back

Build quality is top notch, though. The Z Fold8 Ultra and Z Fold8 use the same premium materials including Advanced Armor Aluminum (frame), Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (rear panel), and Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 (outer screen). Both phones inherit the Z Fold7’s IP48 rating, making them water and (slightly) dust resistant. By contrast, Chinese folding rivals all deliver IP49/59/69 ratings, and even Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold offers an IP68 rating.

As you’d expect, the layout of the buttons, ports, and openings follow in the Z Fold7’s footsteps. When open, both handsets feature a volume rocker and power/lock key (which doubles a capacitive fingerprint sensor) on the right side; a speaker grille, USB Type-C port (USB 3.2), and mics along the bottom edge; nothing but antenna bands on the left; plus another speaker grille, a SIM tray, and additional mics on top.

Galaxy Z Fold8 partially open

The Z Fold8 Ultra’s camera pod and LED flash placement are identical to the Z Fold7’s and, upgraded ultrawide aside, so are the three shooters. As for the Z Fold8, it basically inherits the Galaxy S25 Edge’s camera bump, which incorporates the LED flash right below a pair of sensors. Unfortunately, since these camera islands are pretty thick and mounted off-center, both phones wobble significantly when placed on a flat surface.

Galaxy Z Fold8 16:10 outer display

It’s worth noting that neither handset includes active pen support. Samsung dropped S Pen functionality with the Z Fold7, and it’s still missing here. Yet Chinese folding competitors, despite being as thin as the Z Fold 8 Ultra when open, feature inner and outer displays with active pen support (Honor’s Magic V6 is 4.1mm thick, with some variants measuring just 4.0mm, and Oppo’s Find N6 is 4.2mm thick).

The Z Flip8 Ultra comes in Violet Shadow (the review unit pictured here), Cream, Graphite, and Green Shadow (Samsung exclusive). Meanwhile, the Z Fold8 is available in Lavender (pictured here), Graphite, Cream, and Pistachio (Samsung exclusive).

The Z Fold8 Ultra’s 6.5-inch outer screen is pretty much identical to the Z Fold7’s. It consists of a FHD+ 1-120Hz Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2x panel (2520x1080 pixels, 422ppi, HDR10+) with a standard 21:9 aspect ratio. The 8-inch inner display is similar to its predecessor’s but higher resolution (2504x2256 vs. 2184x1968 pixels, 422 vs. 368 ppi, HDR10+). It’s a 1-120Hz folding Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2x panel that’s almost square.

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra 1:1 inner display

At 5.5-inches, the Z Fold8’s outer display features a FHD+ 1-120Hz Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2x panel (1972x1248 pixels, 428ppi, HDR10+) with a 16:10 aspect ratio. If you recall, that’s roughly the aspect ratio used in most smartphones between 2012 and 2017, making app compatibility a cinch. The 7.6-inch inner screen consists of a 1-120Hz folding Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2x panel (2448x1848 pixels, 403ppi, HDR10+) with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

Galaxy Z Fold8 4:3 inner display

Both the Z Fold8 Ultra and Z Fold8’s inner and outer displays are gorgeous. Colors are vibrant, blacks are deep, and viewing angles are excellent. Plus, these screens are brighter than the Z Fold7’s (3,000 vs 2,600 nits peak), and both folding panels also benefit from a new antireflective coating, which significantly reduces glare. Bezels are slim and even, and both displays accommodate Samsung’s usual 10MP shooters behind punch holes.

Galaxy Z Fold8 (L) and Z Fold8 Ultra (R) form-factor comparison

The crease on the Z Fold8 Ultra and Z Fold8 is significantly less pronounced than on the Z Fold7, thanks to Samsung’s new Flex Titanium technology, which also makes the inner display more impact resistant by using a new titanium-alloy film between the folding OLED panel and the flexible titanium plate introduced with the Z Fold7. The Zero-Feel Crease on Oppo’s Find N6 still holds the crown for least visible crease, though.

On the camera front, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra inherits the 200MP f/1.7 0.6-micron main shooter with omni-directional PDAF and OIS (1/1.3-inch Samsung ISOCELL HP2), and 10MP f/2.4 1.0-micron 3x telephoto with PDAF and OIS from the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Last year’s 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide gets replaced with the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s 50MP f/1.9 0.7-micron 120-degree ultrawide with omni-directional PDAF (1/2.5-inch Samsung ISOCELL JN3).

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra camera pod

The Z Fold8 makes do with a 50MP f/1.8 1.0-micron main shooter with dual-pixel PDAF and OIS (1/1.56 Samsung ISOCELL GN3) taken from the Galaxy S26/S26+, and the same 50MP f/1.9 0.7-micron 120-degree ultrawide with omni-directional PDAF (1/2.5-inch Samsung ISOCELL JN3) as the Z Fold8 Ultra. Both handsets use the same 10MP f/2.2 1.12-micron selfie cameras (inner: 18mm, ultrawide; outer: 24mm, wide) as the Z Fold7.

Galaxy Z Fold8 camera pod

Photos and videos taken with the Z Fold8 Ultra are similar to those shot with the Z Fold7, and while the ultrawide performs better, that 10MP 3x telephoto isn't great. Main shooter aside, there’s not much “Ultra” about this camera system. The Z Fold8 Ultra simply can’t match what its Chinese folding rivals (including Moto’s Razr Fold) can deliver with their 50MP+ 3x periscope telephoto cameras, especially when zooming beyond 10x.

Galaxy Z Fold8 main camera (4x)

Meanwhile, the Z Fold8’s main camera performs similarly to the S26/S26+’s, and the ultrawide matches the Z Fold 8 Ultra’s. That’s fine, but I’d expect a phone that costs $1,899 to have flagship-grade cameras. Why didn’t Samsung give the Z Fold8 the Z Fold8 Ultra’s excellent 200MP main shooter? Why not include a telephoto? At least both phones benefit from the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy’s mighty ISP.

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra ultrawide

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra main camera (1x)

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra main camera (2x)

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra telephoto (3x)

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra telephoto (5x)

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra telephoto (10x)

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra telephoto (20x)

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra telephoto (30x)

While these handsets capture nice photos and videos in the vast majority of conditions, this speaks more to Samsung and Qualcomm’s software and image-processing chops than to the camera hardware and specs. As a result, low-light performance is marginally better, but zooming is still a challenge, with the Z Fold8 Ultra struggling beyond 10x magnification, and the Z Fold8 topping out at about 4x before picture quality starts to noticably suffer.

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra ultrawide (night mode)

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra main camera (1x, night mode)

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra main camera (2x, night mode)

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra telephoto (3x, night mode)

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra telephoto (5x, night mode)

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra telephoto (10x, night mode)

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra telephoto (20x, night mode)

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra telephoto (30x, night mode)

Shooting modes include macro, portrait, night, pro, 200MP (main, Z Fold8 Ultra), 50MP (main, ultrawide), panorama, food, macro video (up to 4k 60fps), ultra steady and horizon lock (main, ultrawide, 1440p/1080p 60/30fps), portrait video (main , 4k/1080p 30fps), pro video (up to 8k 30fps, 4k/1080p 120fps), slow motion (4k 120fps, 1080p 240/120fps), hyperlapse (4k/1080p 30fps), and Dual Rec (4k/1080p 30fps), which lets you combine any two cameras.

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra main camera (2x, macro)

Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra selfies (portrait mode): outer, inner, and main cameras (L to R) - click to enlarge

Video is recorded at up to 8k 30fps (main, ultrawide) and 4k 60fps (all cameras) stabilized, with 10-bit HDR, LOG, and APV support, plus stereo or 360-degree audio (using compatible earbuds). Like with Samsung’s other flagships, the Camera Assistant app allows you to fine tune image settings, and the Expert RAW app enables additional shooting features, including RAW support, a 24MP mode, astrophotography, and multiple exposure.

Next up: audio, performance, and battery life...