Samsung · Reviewed by Shane Symonds · Published 2026-07-24
Based on a review by Shane Symonds (accessed 2026-07-24).
Based on this review alone: buy it if you care about new wider form factor offers better utility and compact feel — just accept still exhibits black bars when watching full-screen landscape youtube videos.
The reviewer is "really enjoying this Fold 8 initially," calling it a "very pocket-friendly device that packs a lot of features and capabilities." Despite missing Flex Mode and official S Pen support, he finds it "impressive to see how much Samsung was able to pack in this form factor of foldable."
The reviewer provides an unboxing and initial impressions of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, covering its physical design, displays, performance, camera, and battery life after one day of use. He discusses specifications, compares it to previous Fold models, and highlights new features and some removed functionalities.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a highly recommended foldable smartphone for those seeking a significantly improved user experience over previous generations. The redesigned hinge makes the device easier to open and close, while the new wider form factor provides a more comfortable typing experience on the outer display and allows for more room when multitasking compared to the Fold 8 Ultra. However, the device sacrifices the telephoto lens, limiting zoom to 10x, and no longer supports Flex Mode, which was removed due to the new hinge design. If you prioritize an improved ergonomic design, enhanced displays, and faster charging in a foldable, this phone is a strong contender. If you heavily rely on a telephoto camera or Flex Mode, you might need to adjust your expectations.
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The reviewer states the retail price is $1,900 and lists four colors: cream, graphite, lavender, and a samsung.com exclusive pistachio. He also details configurations: 256GB/12GB RAM, 512GB/12GB RAM, and 1TB/16GB RAM.
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The reviewer notes the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a new wider form factor and feels "super lightweight in the hand," though it's "a little bit heavier than the advertised 201g."
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Samsung redesigned the hinge for the Fold 8, which is claimed to help more with the crease. The reviewer also finds a "noteworthy improvement" making it "significantly easier to open."
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The side-mounted fingerprint scanner worked "every single time" for the reviewer, who "absolutely love[s] getting into my phone this way." Face recognition also works when the tablet is opened.
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The reviewer "really enjoyed" the 5.5-inch outer display. He notes that Google News thumbnails are "plenty large to see" and text is "perfectly readable." He also found content like YouTube Shorts fill the entire screen and landscape videos are enjoyable. Reading on the outer display is also "perfectly sizable enough."
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When watching YouTube videos full screen in landscape on the inner display, there are still some black bars, "definitely less compared to that Fold 8 Ultra, but it's not necessarily a full screen experience." Shorts in portrait are "noticeably larger, but there definitely still is some black bar action."
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The keyboard is a "big area of improvement," being "much more cramped" on the Fold 8 Ultra in a side-by-side comparison. The reviewer had an "excellent typing experience" in his first day, finding it "great" for notes and texts.
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A side-by-side comparison shows the Fold 8 offers "a little bit more room and comfort" when multitasking compared to the "more crammed" Fold 8 Ultra, due to the new width.
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The reviewer enjoyed the "better performance of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5" while playing RuneScape. The game is playable on both the inner and outer displays, and the phone can be propped up for gaming.
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"S Pen functionality has been taken away." However, the reviewer has been "getting by just fine with just a general touch input stylus" for general use, though it cannot be used for writing and drawing.
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The Fold 8 now features a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera, an upgrade from the Fold 7's 12-megapixel. Pixel-peeping reveals "a lot more quality retained on the 50 megapixel." However, the telephoto lens is lost, reducing zoom from 30x to 10x, which "looks okay."
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The Fold 8 now includes "Super Steady with horizontal lock," previously exclusive to the S26 Ultra. This acts as a "built-in gimbal," keeping a steady shot "no matter how aggressively you turn this phone."
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The "new hinge design" means "Samsung's flex mode that was on all the past gen folds" is "no longer" present. When opened "too far, it'll just go ahead and open all the way back up," and the "software aspect of things moving around and adjusting for you accordingly... is just not present."
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After a full day of "heavy usage" at max brightness and 120Hz, the reviewer achieved "6 hours and 16 minutes of screen on time," down to 3% battery. He expects "7 to 8 hours of battery life on this in regular usage." The phone supports 45W charging, reaching "nearly full in about 40 minutes" and "100% charge in about an hour flat."
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The reviewer performed side-by-side testing and confirmed that the speakers on the Fold 8 "sound about the same on the Ultra and this Fold 8," with "plenty loud enough" volume. However, both speakers are on the left in landscape mode, requiring portrait for a stereo experience.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is priced at $1,900, available in cream, graphite, lavender, and an exclusive pistachio color. It offers configurations with 256GB storage/12GB RAM, 512GB storage/12GB RAM, or 1TB storage/16GB RAM.
The Fold 8 features a new wider form factor that contributes to its lightweight feel in hand, despite being slightly heavier than advertised. The redesigned hinge also makes the device significantly easier to open, resulting in a much improved physical experience.
The 5.5-inch outer display is praised for its utility, making Google News thumbnails large enough to see and text perfectly readable. It's also enjoyable for watching videos in landscape and YouTube Shorts fill the entire screen, making it practical for reading and content on the go.
The keyboard on the Fold 8 is a major improvement, providing an excellent typing experience that is less cramped than on the Fold 8 Ultra. Multitasking also benefits from the wider display, offering more room and comfort for using multiple apps side-by-side.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 comes with an improved 50-megapixel ultrawide camera, offering better quality than the Fold 7's 12-megapixel version. However, it no longer includes a telephoto lens, limiting zoom to 10x. A new "Super Steady with horizontal lock" feature provides gimbal-like video stabilization, previously exclusive to the S26 Ultra.
Under heavy usage at maximum brightness and 120Hz, the Fold 8 delivered 6 hours and 16 minutes of screen-on time. The reviewer expects 7 to 8 hours for regular use. It supports 45W wired charging, which can get the phone nearly full in about 40 minutes and to 100% charge in approximately one hour.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 no longer supports official S Pen functionality. Additionally, the software-driven Flex Mode, a staple of previous Fold generations, has been removed due to the new hinge design. While the phone can still be propped up, the adaptive software features for Flex Mode are absent.
75/100 source quality
Shane Symonds unboxes and shares his first impressions of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. He highlights its new wider, lightweight form factor, improved hinge, and 45W fast charging. The review covers the utility of both the 5.5-inch outer display and inner display for various applications, including gaming with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. He notes camera upgrades like the 50MP ultrawide and new Super Steady stabilization, while also mentioning the removal of Flex Mode and S Pen support.
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