Samsung · Reviewed by Mrwhosetheboss · Published 2026-07-22
Based on a review by Mrwhosetheboss (accessed 2026-07-22).
Based on this review alone: worth considering for wider inner display with normal 4:3 aspect ratio for content consumption, but squished, almost square cover display is impractical for day-to-day use is a real trade-off.
The reviewer found the Z Fold 8's widescreen inner display to be a "miles better experience" for media consumption than the Fold 7, despite some cutbacks and a questionable $1900 price. The Z Fold 8 Ultra, while being the slimmest Fold ever with a larger battery, didn't feel like a significant enough leap to justify its "Ultra" moniker or $2100 price. The Z Flip 8's enhanced cover screen functionality was a "stellar job" but also "negates the intentionality" of the Flip's design for the reviewer. The Galaxy Watches received a strong positive verdict for their "much needed intelligent hardware changes with software features that I could see making a big difference."
The review provides hands-on impressions of Samsung's new Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, Z Flip 8, and Galaxy Watch 9/Watch Ultra 2. It compares the two Fold models based on user needs and examines design changes, display quality, camera specifications, battery life, and software features like 'now nudge' and 'FanCam'. The review also covers the Flip 8's updated cover screen functionality and the Watch 9's physical and battery upgrades.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a mixed bag, offering a fantastic inner display for media consumption but making compromises that hinder its overall value. Its 7.6-inch inner screen boasts a 4:3 aspect ratio, is 15% sharper, brighter, and has a new anti-reflective coating, making it excellent for movies and games. However, the smaller, almost square cover display is impractical for daily use and app formatting, and the phone omits a telephoto camera while downgrading the main sensor from 200 MP to 50 MP. If you prioritize an immersive, large inner screen experience specifically for entertainment and don't mind a less practical cover screen or camera cutbacks, this device is worth considering. However, if you need a versatile, premium foldable for productivity or photography, its $1900 price point makes it hard to justify over other high-end devices.
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visual_inspectionnegativet=01:07–01:21
The Fold 8 has a squished, almost square cover display, which the reviewer finds not practical for day-to-day use. He notes that most apps, like TikTok, are not well-formatted for it.
reviewer_claimpositivet=01:21–01:29
The Fold 8's 7.6-inch inner display is normally proportioned with a 4:3 aspect ratio, making it feel like a tablet, unlike previous Fold phones.
specification_claimpositivet=01:31–01:41
The Fold 8 features the brightest, highest resolution screen Samsung has ever put on a Fold, with a 15% higher pixel density than the last model, and includes the new anti-reflective coating.
comparisonpositivet=01:51–02:00
The reviewer states that for watching a movie or playing a game, the Fold 8 with its super high-end, now widescreen inner display, offers a "miles better experience" than last year's Fold 7.
hands_on_demopositivet=02:00–02:29
Samsung has created an extra gap between the two slices of the Fold 8 and combined it with extra magnets, which assist with a slight pushing force when opening, reducing the effort by an estimated 10%.
comparisonnegativet=02:40–02:54
The Fold 8 is a smaller phone than the Z Fold 7, with less screen area on both its inner and outer displays. It is also chunkier at 4.5mm when unfolded, compared to the Fold 7's 4.2mm.
specification_claimnegativet=02:54–03:00
The Fold 8 has a noticeable cutback: one of the cameras is missing, specifically there is no telephoto camera on this phone.
comparisonmixedt=03:00–03:16
The Fold 8's ultrawide camera has been upgraded to a 50-megapixel sensor from 12-megapixel, but the main camera has been downgraded from Samsung's hero 200-megapixel sensor to a 50-megapixel one.
specification_claimpositivet=03:20–03:36
The Fold 8 features the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, offering a 20% performance improvement. It also has a larger battery, upgraded from 4400 to 4800 mAh, faster charging from 25W to 45W, and wireless charging from 15W to 20W.
reviewer_claimnegativet=03:41–03:59
The reviewer finds the Fold 8's $1900 price hard to justify, suggesting that buying a top-end Ultra phone and an iPad would offer a better combined smartphone and large-screen movie experience for the same cost.
specification_claimpositivet=04:40–04:46
The Z Fold 8 Ultra is the slimmest Samsung Fold ever, measuring just 4.1mm when it's open, a slight improvement over the previous record of 4.2mm.
specification_claimpositivet=04:46–04:54
The Fold 8 Ultra achieves its slimness while having an even larger 5000 mAh battery than both the Fold 7 and the base Fold 8, partly due to the new silicon carbon battery technology.
hands_on_demonegativet=05:50–06:17
The 'now nudge' software feature, which identifies user intent and offers quick actions (calendar, maps, messages), was found to be "very inconsistent" and "barely worked" when tested outside of Samsung's pre-made demo text messages.
hands_on_demopositivet=06:19–06:36
The 'FanCam' feature allows users to feed in any video, select a person to track, and it follows that person, zooming in as they move away, all working "surprisingly effortlessly".
visual_inspectionpositivet=07:34–07:44
The Flip 8's front Flex Window (cover screen) has smaller bezels and now features a dedicated home screen, allowing "almost anything that you can do with the phone open" to be done with the phone closed.
The reviewer states that if you want to watch a movie or play a game, the Z Fold 8, with its super high-end and now widescreen aspect ratio on the inside, offers a "miles better experience" than last year's Fold 7. Its 7.6-inch inner display has a 4:3 aspect ratio, making it feel like a tablet, and boasts the brightest, highest resolution screen Samsung has put on a Fold with an anti-reflective coating.
The Z Fold 8 is missing a telephoto camera entirely, a cutback from previous models. Its main camera has also been downgraded from a 200-megapixel sensor to a 50-megapixel one. However, the ultrawide camera has been upgraded to a better 50-megapixel sensor from 12-megapixel.
Despite some improvements like a larger battery and faster charging, the reviewer considers the changes to be "very conservative" and mainly aimed at bringing it in line with other current devices. At its $1900 price point, he argues that a top-end Ultra phone combined with an iPad would offer a higher-end smartphone experience and a better big-screen movie experience, making the Fold 8 difficult to justify.
The Z Fold 8 Ultra is highlighted as the slimmest Samsung Fold ever, measuring just 4.1mm when open. What's even more impressive is that it achieves this thinness while featuring an even larger 5000 mAh battery than both the Fold 7 and the new Fold 8, partly due to the adoption of more energy-dense silicon carbon batteries.
The 'FanCam' feature, which tracks and zooms on a selected person in a video, works "surprisingly effortlessly" and is seen as genuinely useful by the reviewer. However, the 'now nudge' feature, designed to intelligently offer quick actions based on user conversations, was found to be "very inconsistent" and "barely worked" outside of pre-made demo scenarios, even after half a year since its initial hands-on preview.
The Z Flip 8's front Flex Window (cover screen) has significantly shrunk bezels and now functions as a dedicated home screen. This upgrade allows users to perform "almost anything that you can do with the phone open" while the device is closed, moving beyond its previous limited functionality. The 'now brief' widget also offers customizable infographics for weather and health directly on this screen.
The base Galaxy Watch 9 comes with a watchband that is 25% lighter, achieved by creating internal air pockets. It also boasts a 20% larger battery. The reviewer generally praises the watch upgrades as a "strong combo of much needed intelligent hardware changes with software features that I could see making a big difference."
75/100 source quality
Mrwhosetheboss reviews Samsung's new foldable lineup and smartwatches. He highlights the Z Fold 8's optimized inner screen for content consumption, contrasting it with the Z Fold 8 Ultra's design for productivity. The Z Fold 8 features a 4:3 aspect ratio, brighter display, anti-reflective coating, and better battery, though it has camera downgrades and a questionable price for its features. The Z Fold 8 Ultra is the slimmest Fold with a larger battery and reduced crease visibility, but the reviewer feels it doesn't fully justify its 'Ultra' title or price. The Z Flip 8 introduces a highly functional cover screen, which the reviewer finds mixed in terms of user experience, while the new Galaxy Watches receive praise for significant hardware and software improvements.
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