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I knew Samsung hadn’t modified the design with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Extremely, however it was nonetheless stunning to see simply how comparable it’s to final 12 months’s mannequin — I needed to double-check the field to substantiate I wasn’t despatched the Z Fold 7 once more.
That sums up the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Extremely in a nutshell; on the surface-level, it’s indistinguishable from the Z Fold 7. It’s simply as skinny and light-weight, weighs the identical, and has the identical in-hand really feel. I used to be holding out on Samsung transferring to a design with rounded edges — much like what Google does with the Pixel 11 Professional Fold — however that is not the case.
Fortunately, there are a number of upgrades. Samsung lastly moved to silicon-carbon battery tech, and was capable of slot in an even bigger 5,000mAh battery in a chassis that is the identical dimension as final 12 months. There’s additionally 45W charging, a crease that is not fairly as noticeable as final 12 months, a brand new rear digicam, and Android 17 with One UI 9 out of the field. However is that sufficient to warrant a worth hike to an eye-watering $2,099? Let’s have a look.
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It is the little issues that matter
Samsung did not make any outward modifications to the design, however the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Extremely has a brand new hinge that feels higher to make use of, and it permits the foldable to be absolutely flat. It is one other factor that it took Samsung eight years to get so far whereas Chinese language manufacturers have managed it in lower than half that point, however a minimum of there’s some progress on this space.
The opposite facet impact of the brand new hinge is the crease, which is barely noticeable now. It is nonetheless evident in every day use, and it is not fairly as creaseless because the Discover N6, however there’s a distinction from the Z Fold 7. Samsung did not change the panel sizes this 12 months, so that you get a 6.5-inch outer and eight.0-inch inside display screen, and so they’re a bit of brighter this 12 months.
What I like is that the inside panel has an anti-reflective coating, and it makes a distinction when utilizing it outdoor. It additionally will get the next decision (2504 x 2256), and as I favor studying to watching media on my telephone, I like these modifications — that is one of many causes I am utilizing the Z Fold 8 Extremely as a substitute of the Z Fold 8.
There is not something lacking in relation to the internals as effectively. You get the most recent Qualcomm silicon, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. I feel a foldable that prices over $2,000 must have a minimum of 512GB of storage, however with the RAM shortages, I am glad Samsung did not transfer the bottom mannequin to 128GB and name the 256GB version an improve.
Whereas it has the identical silicon because the S26 Extremely, the inherent foldable nature means the Z Fold 8 Extremely is thermally constrained, so it throttles sooner, and tends to get sizzling in prolonged gaming classes. That is the case with all foldables and is not one thing distinctive to Samsung. I did not see any points with connectivity (fortunately), however the one change on this space is that the foldable has a single SIM slot, with the secondary slot requiring an eSIM.
We have to discuss in regards to the wobble
The one factor Samsung ought to have modified with the design is the location of the rear digicam module. The Z Fold 8 Extremely has an rectangular digicam housing that sits to the left, and since the modules protrude fairly a bit from the physique, you get a relentless wobble when utilizing the foldable on a desk.
It would not matter in case you’re utilizing the telephone folded or unfolded, the wobble is ever-present and a routine supply of frustration. This is the reason all different manufacturers have switched to center-mounted cameras; I did not see this downside with my Discover N6, Vivo X Fold 5, Moto Razr Fold, or the Pixel 11 Professional Fold.
I simply do not perceive why Samsung continues to be obstinate about this; clearly, it is a main design flaw, but the model chooses to disregard it. On that observe, the foldable as soon as once more misses out on IP68 mud and water resistance. You get IP48 as a substitute, and whereas it is respectable, it would not stop mud ingress.
Samsung upgraded the incorrect digicam
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Extremely makes use of the identical 200MP important digicam as final 12 months, and it has a 10MP telephoto and a brand new 50MP wide-angle lens. Okay, nice, however only one query: who makes use of the wide-angle digicam? I take loads of pictures, and I predominantly use the 2x or 3x lenses whereas framing, and I feel Samsung ought to’ve upgraded the ageing 10MP lens as a substitute — this is similar module that is getting used from the Galaxy S21 days.
Additionally, the tele lens is especially helpful as a portrait shooter, and I exploit it on a regular basis due to this. To have a distinctly common tele lens on a foldable dubbed an Extremely is egregious to say the least, and the Z Fold 8 Extremely would not measure as much as the Discover N6 or the Vivo X Fold 5 on this regard. Pictures at 3x haven’t got a lot in the best way of definition, and something shot at 10x and past is only a blotchy mess with none element.
Fortunately, the opposite cameras are fairly good, and also you get respectable pictures with Samsung’s conventional oversaturated look. It does a ok job in low-light conditions as effectively, and whereas the cameras aren’t on the identical stage as common telephones — or current-gen Chinese language foldables — they’re fairly good for probably the most half.
The battery is healthier
Samsung lastly began utilizing silicon-carbon batteries, and the Z Fold 8 Extremely will get a 5,000mAh unit. The foldable manages to final a day in consequence, and whereas I nonetheless needed to plug in earlier than the tip of the day at instances, it wasn’t anyplace as often as earlier years.
What I like much more is the 45W charging. It could not look like a giant deal, however the transfer means the battery will get to a full cost in simply an hour, which is half-hour lower than its predecessor. A 30-minute cost offers you a 40% cost, and it is simply refreshing to have the ability to get respectable charging speeds on a Samsung foldable. Nevertheless, Samsung as soon as once more missed out on including Qi 2 magnets, so if you wish to use a Qi 2 or Qi 2.2 energy financial institution or charger, you will want to purchase a case.
Double dose of AI
Similar to the bodily design, Samsung is not altering issues an excessive amount of with One UI 9, its Android 17-based interface. The UI must be instantly acquainted in case you’ve used a Samsung telephone, and whereas there are a number of tweaks, the design as a complete is unchanged.
Galaxy AI (as soon as once more) is the important thing focus, with Samsung shoehorning on-device AI into nearly each nook — and there is Gemini Intelligence as effectively in case you needed much more AI. The agentic mannequin is designed to take actions in your behalf, however it is not fairly helpful simply but.
You get good fluidity and an exhaustive feature-set, together with intuitive multi-tasking modes to maximise the true property. Similar to earlier years, the foldable will get seven years of software program updates, much like what Google affords on the Pixel 11 Professional Fold.
Do you have to purchase it?
It irks me that Samsung calls this foldable an Extremely — the one factor becoming of that moniker on the Z Fold 8 Extremely is the pricing. At $2,099, that is the most costly telephone round (a minimum of till the iPhone Fold exhibits up), and I am unsure you are getting anyplace near an excellent worth.
After all, it is a moot level within the U.S.; beneficiant trade-in offers and service subsidies make getting the foldable lots simpler. That is not the case in different areas, and I feel the Discover N6, X Fold 5, and the Moto Razr Fold are a greater all-round deal in case you’re prepared to maneuver to a foldable. There is not any denying that Samsung has a powerful foldable within the Z Fold 8 Extremely, however the pricing makes it exhausting to advocate, and I would recommend different selections earlier than making a choice — you will be shocked to see simply how good the competitors is as of late.
Samsung
Galaxy Z Fold 8 Extremely
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Extremely continues to paved the way within the U.S., and whereas it would not have any outward modifications, there are a number of upgrades you will like.
