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Since the first-generation Galaxy Z Fold, I have basically used almost all of Samsung’s large foldables over the years. With the Galaxy Z Fold8, I feel for the first time that this form factor is finally “hitting the spot”.

At 201g, it is indeed much lighter. The 10:16 outer screen feels more like a normal phone when folded, and the 4:3 large screen is very comfortable for watching videos, browsing the web, and reading e-books when unfolded. The crease is less noticeable than before, and the inner screen features an anti-reflective coating, making it much easier to view outdoors.

Of course, the Fold8 also makes compromises. My biggest regret is the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens, offering only 2x optical-quality zoom. However, after using it for a few weeks, I actually like it more and more. It’s not because the specs are mind-blowing, but because Samsung has finally combined a light, wide outer screen with a large inner screen. This is exactly the large foldable I wanted.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Review: Passport-style Design

The Galaxy Z Fold8 is close to the size of a passport when folded, and weighing only 201g, it no longer feels as bulky in a pants pocket as previous large foldables. Samsung has also confirmed that it is currently the lightest model in the Galaxy Z Fold series.

I really like this 10:16 cover screen; it’s very convenient for scrolling through short videos and replying to messages, and typing with two hands doesn’t feel cramped. While swiping across the screen with one hand is still a bit of a stretch, compared to the longer and larger Fold8 Ultra, I actually find the size of the Fold8 more comfortable.

The hinge is also much smoother this time, unfolding more easily than before and basically flattening out naturally. This change is actually quite noticeable when opening and closing it every day. Regarding colors, the domestic version comes in Soft Lavender, Rock Shadow Gray, and Cloud Condensation White, while the Samsung Store also offers Spring Field Green. The Soft Lavender one I have is my favorite, and the actual device has more personality than the photos.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Review: Excellent Screen Performance, Especially the Anti-Reflective Coating

If you’ve always been bothered by the crease in the middle of the folding screen, the Galaxy Z Fold8 is indeed much more comfortable this time. The crease on the 7.6-inch inner screen is less noticeable than before; you can still feel it when you swipe your finger across, but when watching videos or browsing the web normally, I rarely find myself actively noticing it.

What I actually prefer is the anti-reflective coating. When using the Fold8 outdoors, screen reflections are significantly reduced, and combined with a peak brightness of up to 3000 nits, viewing content under direct sunlight is indeed much easier.

When unfolded, it has a 4:3 aspect ratio. Personally, I find it more comfortable to watch videos on the Fold8 Ultra, as it’s closer to a square shape; when switched to portrait mode, browsing webpages, articles, and e-books is very smooth.

After using it for a few weeks, what truly satisfies me about this inner screen is not just that it’s brighter, but that the crease, reflections, and aspect ratio—things I notice every day—have finally been addressed together.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Review: Performance is extremely smooth

The Galaxy Z Fold8 is powered by the fifth-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite (for Galaxy). After using it for a few weeks, performance is basically a non-issue. Games like “Call of Duty: Mobile” and “Asphalt 8” run very smoothly, and I haven’t encountered any noticeable lag during gameplay.

However, I think the multitasking capability is where the Fold8 truly shines in terms of performance. Once unfolded, it can display three apps on the screen simultaneously. I tried checking emails while playing music and browsing photos in the gallery at the same time, and switching between them was still very smooth.

The benchmark scores are also quite good. In this set of tests from Tom’s Guide, the Fold8’s Geekbench 6 multi-core and 3DMark Solar Bay scores are both slightly higher than those of the iPhone 17 Pro Max. However, in real-world use, I don’t really care about this slight difference in benchmark scores. For the Fold8, it’s more meaningful that it can run several apps simultaneously on the unfolded large screen without lagging, rather than just having slightly higher numbers.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Review: Solid Battery Life, Faster Charging Speed

The Galaxy Z Fold8 has increased its battery capacity from 4400mAh in the previous generation to 4800mAh, while the device itself is actually lighter and thinner. The official maximum video playback time has also reached approximately 26 hours.

In the 5G web browsing test, the Fold8 lasted 12 hours and 19 minutes, which is about an hour and a half longer than the Fold7. In actual use, I am also quite satisfied; after a full day of replying to messages, taking photos and videos, and listening to music, it still has about 52% left by evening.

However, it is not yet the large foldable with the best battery life, as both the Fold8 Ultra and Razr Fold exceeded 14 hours in the same test group. The improvement in charging is even more noticeable this time; the Fold8 has been upgraded to 45W, and Tom’s Guide’s real-world test showed it could reach 70% charge in 30 minutes, whereas the previous generation Fold7 only reached 54%.

Wireless charging is also supported, but the magnetic attachment is still a bit lacking. The Fold8 body itself doesn’t have a magnetic ring, so if you want to use a magnetic charger or stand, you’ll still need a case with a magnetic ring.

After using it for a few weeks, I wouldn’t say the battery life is anything extraordinary, but I no longer have to constantly worry about the battery just because “it’s a foldable phone.”

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Review: Good Camera, But Where Is the Telephoto Lens?

I actually quite like the camera setup on the Galaxy Z Fold8, with its 50MP main sensor and 50MP ultra-wide lens, which performs well without any obvious shortcomings for everyday shooting. However, knowing it starts at 12,999 RMB in China without even a dedicated telephoto lens still feels like a missed opportunity.

After shooting with it for a few weeks, the main camera feels quite reliable to me. In street scenes with high contrast between light and shadow, it manages to preserve a lot of detail in both the highlights and shadows. When photographing colorful subjects like flowers and food, Samsung still tends to slightly saturate the colors, which makes them more appealing at first glance.

The 50-megapixel ultra-wide lens is a noticeably significant upgrade in my opinion. Compared to the 12-megapixel lens on the Fold7, the details are much sharper. In this set of seaside sample photos, the Fold8 actually suits my taste even better; textures like the beach and rocks look much clearer.

Night photography is also decent. In scenes like clock towers and string lights, the Fold8 actively brightens the image, making many dark details easier to see, though it sometimes overbrightens a bit, which is still the very familiar Samsung style.

What really bothers me is the zoom. The Fold8 only has 2x optical-quality zoom and up to 10x digital zoom, while the Fold8 Ultra adds a 10-megapixel 3x telephoto lens.

In my set of 4x zoom samples, the Fold8 actually performs quite well, but as soon as you zoom in to 10x, details like tree bark and stone carvings immediately start to blur, which is where the Ultra’s dedicated telephoto lens advantage really shows.

So overall, I am satisfied with this camera setup, but the longer I use it, the more I feel that a 12,999 RMB large foldable without a dedicated telephoto lens is still missing a little something.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Review: Final Verdict

After using it for a few weeks, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 has actually become the large foldable I am most willing to carry with me every day. It is lighter and more compact than the Fold8 Ultra, and the 7.6-inch unfolded inner screen is large enough to make split-screen multitasking, watching videos, and reading very comfortable.

The crease is less noticeable, and the anti-reflection is indeed very effective. Combined with its stable performance and battery life, it no longer feels as cumbersome to use daily as the previous large foldable phones.

The downsides are also quite direct: no independent telephoto lens, and the S Pen is not supported. But if I had to choose a large foldable to use long-term right now, I would still prefer the Fold8. It’s not the one with the most complete specs, but it’s the one that has felt the most comfortable to use over the past few weeks.

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