Foldable phones have been around for a few years now, but honestly they mostly felt like an experiment: too heavy, too thick, and when folded you were left with a narrow, awkward cover screen that made you long for a regular phone. With the Galaxy Z Fold8, Samsung finally turns the tables. The design has been thoroughly reworked, and the result is refreshing.
What is the Galaxy Z Fold8?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 is Samsung's latest foldable smartphone, announced on July 22, 2026 during Galaxy Unpacked in London. The big news is not what's under the hood (though that's impressive too), but the completely redesigned exterior. Samsung has replaced the traditional tall, narrow cover screen with a wider 5.5-inch display with a 10:16 aspect ratio that feels like a regular, compact smartphone. Open it up, and you get a 7.6-inch inner display with a 4:3 ratio that's perfect for movies, books and productivity. And all this in a device weighing just 201 grams — the lightest Fold yet.
Technical specifications
| Model | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (8-core, tot 4,47 GHz) |
| Graphics | Adreno GPU (Snapdragon), met Vulkan ray tracing-ondersteuning |
| Memory | 12 GB (256/512GB) of 16 GB (1TB) |
| Storage | 256 GB, 512 GB of 1 TB (UFS 4.0) |
| Main display | 7,6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2448x1848, 120Hz, 3000 nits |
| Cover display | 5,5-inch WUXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1972x1248, 120Hz, 3000 nits |
| Rear cameras | 50 MP Wide (f/1.8) + 50 MP Ultra Wide (f/2.2) |
| Front cameras | 10 MP coverscherm (f/2.2) + 10 MP onder-scherm hoofdscherm (f/2.2) |
| Video | 8K video-opname, Dual Recording, HDR10+ |
| Battery | 4800 mAh, 45W snel laden, draadloos laden |
| Operating system | Android 17 / One UI 9 (7 generaties OS-updates) |
| Water resistance | IP48 (stof- en waterbestendig) |
| Connectivity | 5G, Wi-Fi, GPS, NFC, Infrarood, USB Type-C, dual-SIM |
| Dimensions (folded) | 82 x 124 x 9,7 mm |
| Dimensions (unfolded) | 161 x 4,9 x 124 mm |
| Weight | 201 gram (lichtste Fold tot nu toe) |
| Colors | Graphite, Cream, Lavender, Pistachio (exclusief online) |
| Price | Lowest UK price (idealo.co.uk, November 2026): £1,190 (256 GB), £1,269.99 (512 GB) |
A completely new design
To be fair, the previous Galaxy Z Fold models had a cover screen that looked like a TV remote. Long, narrow and awkward. With the Z Fold8, Samsung goes for a so-called "passport" shape: shorter and wider, with a 10:16 aspect ratio that feels much more natural in your hand. The device is just 82 mm wide and 124 mm tall when folded — roughly the size of a passport. At 201 grams, it's also lighter than many conventional flagship phones, let alone foldable competitors.
Samsung has also redesigned the hinge. The new Armor FlexHinge opens more smoothly, and the wider inner edge makes unfolding effortless with one thumb. Underneath the display is a dual titanium layer (Flex Titanium) that reinforces the structure. The frame is Armor Aluminum and the exterior is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while the cover screen uses Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 — a new type of glass that's more scratch-resistant.
Two screens, both impressive
The cover screen is 5.5 inches with a 10:16 ratio — ideal for scrolling through social media, quick typing and app switching. It finally feels like a real phone screen, not a compromise. Open the Z Fold8, and the 7.6-inch main display appears with a 4:3 ratio. That ratio is deliberate: it's the standard for movies, e-books and documents. Both screens support a 120Hz refresh rate and reach 3000 nits of brightness — more than enough for direct sunlight. The main screen also has an anti-reflective layer that significantly reduces glare.
Cameras: dual 50 MP
On the back are two 50 MP sensors: a main camera (f/1.8) and an ultra-wide lens (f/2.2). That ultra-wide is a significant upgrade compared to the 12 MP sensor on the Z Fold7. What's missing is a telephoto lens — the Z Fold8 relies on 2x optical-quality zoom via the main sensor, and digital zoom up to 10x. For most users that's more than enough, but those who really zoom in will notice the limitation. Those who want a telephoto should look at the more expensive Z Fold8 Ultra.
What makes the cameras special is the software. The ProVisual Engine combines AI enhancements with real-time noise reduction, making Nightography photos in low light noticeably better than in previous generations. Video can be recorded in 8K, and the new Dual Recording feature lets you simultaneously film with the front and rear cameras on a split screen — ideal for vloggers. The 10 MP camera on the cover screen has a 100-degree field of view for natural selfies and group shots.
Galaxy AI: smart and practical
The Z Fold8 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, a chip specially tuned for Samsung with an advanced NPU for AI tasks. That NPU drives Galaxy AI, which this year offers two standout features. My Follow Cam turns wide-angle recordings into tracking shots around a person, in the aspect ratio you want — ideal for social media. Photo Assist lets you edit photos with natural language: describe what you want to change ("remove the person in the background", "make the sky bluer") and the AI does it. Photo Assist supports no fewer than 41 languages as of July 2026, including Dutch.
All AI processing happens locally on the device via the Personal Data Engine, with encryption through KEEP and Knox Vault. Your data never leaves your phone. Samsung also promises 7 generations of OS updates, meaning the Z Fold8 will receive software support well into the future.
Performance and gaming
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is a powerful chip. Samsung claims the GPU delivers smooth visuals in everything you watch, and with improved Vulkan integration, real-time ray tracing is possible for realistic lighting and shadows during gaming. The chipset also enhances the built-in mDNIe technology for vibrant image quality, and improves streaming and camera performance. With 12 or 16 GB of RAM, multitasking on the large screen is a breeze: you can run two or three apps side by side without stuttering.
Battery and charging
The 4800 mAh battery is optimized for long battery life. Samsung claims up to 26 hours of video playback — an impressive number for a foldable phone with two large, bright screens. Charging is done with 45W via cable (cable included, but no charger in the box), and the Z Fold8 also supports wireless charging. The combination of an efficient chip and smart battery management should ensure you get through a full day, even with heavy use of the large screen.
Durability and protection
Samsung has invested heavily in durability. The IP48 rating means protection against dust and water — a first at this level for a foldable phone. The Armor Aluminum frame is sturdy and lightweight, and the Armor FlexHinge is designed for years of use. The dual titanium layer under the display offers extra protection against impacts. What's disappointing: the Z Fold8 does not support the S Pen. Those who want a stylus should turn to the Z Fold8 Ultra.
Fold8 vs Fold8 Ultra: what's the difference?
Samsung is launching two Fold models this year. The standard Z Fold8 (this article) and the Z Fold8 Ultra. The biggest difference is the camera: the Ultra gets a 200 MP main camera and a dedicated 3x telephoto lens, while the Fold8 makes do with two 50 MP sensors without a telephoto. Additionally, the Ultra has a larger 8-inch main display, a 6.5-inch cover screen, a 5000 mAh battery and is thinner (4.1 mm unfolded vs 4.9 mm). The Ultra weighs 215 grams. In Europe, the Fold8 starts at EUR 1,999; the Ultra at EUR 2,199. For many people, the standard Fold8 will be the better choice: lighter, more compact and significantly cheaper, with the same new design and the same processor.
Tested by Notebookcheck: 8.8 out of 10
I wrote this article at the launch in July. Since then, Notebookcheck has tested the Z Fold8 thoroughly and gives it 88% ("very good"). Their verdict: the wider shape, slim design and outstanding displays make it a true everyday phone, with top performance, long updates and excellent battery life.
There are also downsides you could not see at the launch: the phone gets quite hot and throttles heavily under sustained heavy load, the speakers sound weak, and the display flickers at a low PWM frequency, which may bother sensitive eyes. Together with the lack of a telephoto lens and S Pen, Notebookcheck finds that a pity at this price.
- Pros according to Notebookcheck: exceptional form factor, excellent displays, high performance and good multitasking, premium build, modern features (UWB, Bluetooth 6.0, Wi-Fi 7).
- Cons according to Notebookcheck: no telephoto lens, no S Pen support, weak-sounding speakers, PWM.
The price has dropped considerably since launch. You will find the current prices in the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, France and the UK in The most popular smartphones right now, and you can compare it with the Fold8 Ultra and the S26 Ultra.
Click the photo for this model’s official site
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8
Prices in other countries
Click the photo for this model’s official site
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra
Prices in other countries
Prices from 10 November 2026, excluding AliExpress. Clicking a price shows today's current price; use “Prices in other countries” to compare countries.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Completely new, wider design that finally feels like a real phone
- At 201 grams, the lightest Fold yet
- Both screens: 120Hz and 3000 nits brightness
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with ray tracing and AI
- Dual 50 MP cameras with significantly improved ultra-wide
- IP48 dust and water resistance
- 7 generations of OS updates promised
- Galaxy AI with My Follow Cam and Photo Assist (41 languages)
- Flex Titanium and Armor FlexHinge for extra durability
- Cheaper than the previous Fold7 model at launch
Cons
- No telephoto camera (available on the more expensive Ultra)
- No S Pen support
- No charger included in the box
- At EUR 1,999, still an expensive phone
- 4.9 mm unfolded is thinner than before, but still thicker than a regular phone
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is slightly less powerful than top chips in competitors
Conclusion
Finally. That's the first word that comes to mind when you hold the Galaxy Z Fold8. Samsung has listened to the criticism and hasn't just done another iteration, but has completely redesigned the form factor. The wide cover screen solves the biggest pain point of earlier Folds, the low weight of 201 grams makes it as portable as a regular phone, and the build quality with Flex Titanium and Armor Aluminum feels premium. Yes, you miss a telephoto camera and S Pen support, and EUR 1,999 is not a small amount. But for anyone who has been waiting years for a foldable phone that finally feels mature, the Z Fold8 is exactly what Samsung promises: the next evolution of inspiration.
More information and ordering available on the official Samsung Netherlands website. Samsung offers up to EUR 880 trade-in value when you hand in your old device.
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