Samsung’s new foldables finally feel ready for prime time
After seven years of refining foldable phones, Samsung’s latest models feel less like futuristic experiments and more like devices regular people might actually want to use.
Samsung brought me to London to check out three new foldables: the Galaxy Z Flip 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. The biggest change is that there is now a clearer choice depending on how you plan to use your phone.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is the top-of-the-line model. It has the best camera system, the largest battery and the thinnest design of the three. It is aimed at people who want to multitask, run several apps at once and use their foldable as both a phone and a small tablet.
One of my biggest complaints about last year’s Fold 7 was how much effort it took to open. Samsung fixed that. The new hinge requires noticeably less pressure, which makes the phone feel much easier and more natural to use throughout the day.
The all-new Galaxy Z Fold 8 takes a different approach. Its wider shape is better suited for watching videos, viewing photos and using apps on the larger inside display. Close it, and it works like a regular phone. Open it, and you get a tablet-like screen that is especially well suited for content.
Compared with the Ultra, the Fold 8 has fewer cameras and less zoom, but it keeps the large-screen experience at a lower price.
Both Fold models use titanium-reinforced displays that Samsung says are more durable. The crease is also less noticeable, which I could see during my hands-on time. They also support faster wired and wireless charging.
The Galaxy Z Flip 8 is the most compact option and is now Samsung’s thinnest and lightest Flip yet. A clever camcorder mode keeps video level while you move the phone around, even when you are holding it horizontally.
Samsung is also making it easier to leave the iPhone. You can scan a QR code and wirelessly transfer more data than before, including passwords, passkeys, eSIM information and accessibility settings.
The prices are still high. The Flip 8 starts at $1,200, the Fold 8 starts at $1,900 and the Fold 8 Ultra starts at $2,100. But after spending time with all three, these feel like Samsung’s strongest and most polished foldables yet.