Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 reviewed and it’s finally | Tech News

Folding smartphones have all the time impressed me, however till now I’ve by no means discovered a compelling purpose to truly buy one. I’ve examined nearly each foldable launched over the previous few years. Every time I’ve been wowed by the engineering, spent a few weeks having fun with the novelty, then packed the cellphone back in its box and returned to a common smartphone. The causes have all the time been the identical: they’re cumbersome, sturdiness has been a concern and the principle shows have typically felt like awkward squares reasonably than sensible screens.

However, Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold8 has modified my thoughts. For the primary time, I can genuinely see why foldables could possibly be the long run.

The greatest purpose is the redesigned form. Samsung has adopted a passport-style design, with a compact 5.5-inch cowl show that unfolds into a wider 7.6-inch essential screen.

Open it up, and it finally seems like a correct mini pill. It’s good for watching movies, gaming, studying books, searching the web and, inevitably, spending far too long scrolling by means of TikTok.

The cowl show remains to be a compromise. It feels a little squashed in comparison with a standard smartphone, and some apps – TikTok included – do not but make good use of the weird side ratio, leaving black bars on the sides.

But it’s a compromise I’m finally keen to make.

Samsung has additionally refined the hinge, making the Fold8 a lot simpler to open, and I’ve discovered myself utilizing the massive internal show for nearly all the things – checking emails, searching web sites, enhancing paperwork and binge-watching boxsets.

As you’d count on from Samsung, the screens are wonderful. Colours are vibrant, brightness is excellent because of Vision Booster technology and the anti-reflective coating makes the show straightforward to see even in vibrant sunshine.

The improved design would not stop there.

Closed, the Fold8 is barely barely thicker than a standard smartphone and, at simply 180g, it’s Samsung’s lightest foldable but. It slips into a pocket with out feeling such as you’re carrying a brick.

Samsung has additionally launched its new Flex Titanium construction. The titanium-based show construction is designed to make the Fold8 thinner whereas enhancing sturdiness, serving to take up impacts and decreasing crease visibility over time.

It actually feels reassuringly strong within the hand, though solely months or years of real-world use will reveal simply how sturdy it truly is.

Power comes courtesy of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Samsung processor and efficiency is excellent.

Whether juggling a number of apps, enhancing pictures, reducing collectively videos or just switching between duties, the Fold8 by no means missed a beat. Gaming can get it a little sizzling beneath the collar, however that is more to do with the slim design than the chip inside.

Battery life has additionally been wonderful. The 4,800mAh cell comfortably lasted me by means of a full day, typically with charge remaining at bedtime, whereas fast charging will get it from empty to 63% in round half-hour.

Wireless charging is included, though Samsung nonetheless hasn’t embraced magnetic charging systems reminiscent of MagSafe or Google’s PixelSnap, which seems like a stunning omission at this price.

Elsewhere, there’s a fast side-mounted fingerprint scanner, a premium matte end that resists fingerprints and a lot of Galaxy AI options.

Whether it’s translating languages, enhancing pictures, summarising your day or serving to you discover info quicker, Samsung’s AI instruments will be helpful for some or switched off if you happen to aren’t a fan.

Of course, like most issues in life there are compromises.

One of the principle downsides is the digital camera.

Unlike the new Z Fold8 Ultra, the Fold8 misses out on a telephoto lens. Instead you get a dual-camera setup that includes 50-megapixel extensive and ultra-wide sensors.

Photos are vibrant, detailed and constantly spectacular, however the lack of devoted optical zoom means it may possibly’t compete with the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and even Samsung’s Galaxy S26 in terms of images.

SEE SOME SAMPLE IMAGES BELOW

Video recording is great, with assist for each 4K and 8K seize, alongside intelligent options together with Dual Recording, which data utilizing the entrance and rear cameras concurrently. There’s additionally an spectacular AI instrument that may routinely keep a chosen subject in focus after you’ve got completed filming.

So whereas the cameras are good, they don’t seem to be class-leading and you will get a higher expertise on less expensive gadgets.

And that leads me properly onto the subsequent sticking level…the price! Starting at £1,699, the Galaxy Z Fold8 is eye-wateringly costly.

For comparability, the Galaxy S26 at the moment begins at simply £659 because of an Amazon sale, whereas some wonderful mid-range Galaxy telephones value properly beneath £600.

You might argue you are getting each a cellphone and a pill in a single machine when shopping for the Fold8, however you might additionally buy a premium cellphone and a respectable pill individually for much less money.

Even so, the Galaxy Z Fold8 is comfortably the best foldable I’ve ever used.

The redesigned form finally makes the massive internal show really feel genuinely sensible reasonably than simply spectacular. It’s lighter, thinner and feels far more refined than earlier generations, whereas the improved hinge and stronger construction encourage confidence.

Yes, the quilt screen remains to be a little cramped. Yes, the cameras could possibly be higher. And yes, the price is troublesome to justify.

But none of these issues stops this from being the primary foldable cellphone I’ve genuinely needed to keep utilizing. For years, each foldable I’ve reviewed ended up back in its box.

The Galaxy Z Fold8 will not.