Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra

♡

15th best phone of 2026 (~$2099)

GSMCritic Take: Samsung continues to polish its foldable formula with a slimmer design, brighter displays, refined multitasking, and outstanding sustained performance that make everyday use feel more mature, though its premium price makes the refinements harder to justify over some rivals.

8-inch

215g

8.9mm

45W

waterproof

Click to open full specs on GSMArena.com:

* Screen covers 90.1% of unfolded body.

Reviews

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Last update: 2026-08-04

Pros

Camera

Versatile Triple Camera: The three rear cameras provide flexibility across different focal lengths.

Excellent Main Camera: The primary camera delivers excellent still images with strong dynamic range, reliable exposure, and flagship-level detail retention.

Improved Ultrawide Camera: The upgraded ultrawide camera produces noticeably sharper images with better consistency compared to the main sensor.

Excellent Video Recording: Video recording offers extensive modes, excellent stabilization, USB video output, and professional-grade features.

Performance

Flagship Performance: The flagship chipset delivers class-leading computational performance.

Design

Slimmer and Lighter Chassis: The chassis is noticeably slimmer and lighter while maintaining excellent structural rigidity and durability.

Premium Build Quality: Excellent structural rigidity gives the device a premium in-hand feel without sacrificing durability.

Refined Hinge: The redesigned hinge requires less opening force, feels more precise throughout its range of motion, and improves the overall user experience.

Reduced Display Crease: The redesigned hinge minimizes the display crease, making it subtle enough to largely disappear during normal use.

Display

Anti-Reflective Inner Display: The upgraded internal display features an effective anti-reflective coating that noticeably reduces glare in bright lighting.

Higher Display Brightness: Increased display brightness keeps both screens highly legible even outdoors.

Higher-Resolution Inner Display: The higher-resolution inner panel improves text rendering and overall image fidelity.

Battery

Improved Battery Life: Battery endurance is noticeably better than previous generations, making demanding workdays easier to complete without charging.

Competitive Fast Charging: Fast charging speeds are finally competitive, reducing charging downtime.

Software

Advanced Multitasking: Samsung's multitasking features include split-screen, floating windows, seamless app continuity, DeX, and Galaxy AI for enhanced productivity.

Latest Software: The phone launches with Android 17 and One UI 9.

Long Software Support: Samsung promises seven major Android platform upgrades.

Storage

Fast Memory and Storage: Generous memory bandwidth and fast storage enable smooth multitasking, DeX workflows, and AI-assisted productivity.

Cons

Camera

Weak Telephoto Camera: The 3x telephoto camera falls behind Samsung's Galaxy S Ultra models, especially in challenging lighting where detail deteriorates more quickly.

Weaker Value Proposition: The Galaxy S26 Ultra offers superior telephoto photography at a lower price.

Design

Limited Water and Dust Protection: The device is limited to an IP48 ingress protection rating.

Display

Narrow Cover Display: The external display retains a relatively narrow aspect ratio that feels restrictive, especially for extended typing.

No Stylus Support: The phone continues to lack stylus compatibility despite its large internal display and productivity features.

Battery

Battery Not Class-Leading: Battery endurance has improved but still trails some competing foldables with larger batteries and better power optimization.

Price

Very High Price: It remains one of the most expensive foldables on the market across all storage variants.

Software

No Integrated Qi2 Magnet: The phone lacks an integrated magnetic ring for Qi2 accessories, requiring a case for magnetic attachment.

Audio

Downgraded Speakers: The stereo speakers are less rich-sounding than those of the previous generation.

Other

Minor Upgrade Over Predecessor: Existing owners of the previous generation may find that individual improvements rarely redefine the overall experience.

Rankings

The Best Phone Of 2026: #15

The Highest Optical Zoom Of 2026: #9

The Largest Screen Size Of 2026: #2

The Smallest Screen Size Of 2026: #21

The Lightest Phone Of 2026: #17

The Thinnest Phone Of 2026: #20

The Fastest Charging Speed Of 2026: #18

The Highest Screen To Body Ratio Of 2026: #12

The Cheapest Phone Of 2026: #20