The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 is the first foldable phone I've tested. Here's what I think about it after three days of use

I have never tried a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold. Never. I realize how strange that might sound coming from a tech editor who has been doing this for about five years, but the fact is, a large foldable from Samsung has simply never passed through my hands. Until now.

The South Korean giant introduced two Folds last month, and I had the opportunity to test the more interesting one, the Galaxy Z Fold8, which with its almost unique format “copies” an as-yet unreleased foldable from Apple. I was initially a bit skeptical, as I knew I wouldn’t be able to discuss improvements over the previous generation with the same level of expertise as other editors, and therefore my output certainly wouldn’t be a comprehensive review. But then I realized that I’d rather leave that to the more experienced ones and instead share my authentic impressions with readers who also haven’t had the chance to try a foldable phone yet and are considering whether it makes sense to get one.

First Impressions of the Galaxy Z Fold8’s Design

Of course, I’ve written about foldable phones many times over the past few years, so I’ve noticed manufacturers’ efforts, including Samsung’s, to constantly slim down the design. Nevertheless, after unboxing the Galaxy Z Fold8, I was literally blown away. The phone is placed in the box in its unfolded state, where it boasts a thickness of just 4.5 mm. It simply felt like paper to me, and at that moment, I was overcome with fear that I would somehow damage the phone. So far, I haven’t succeeded, so it probably can withstand something…

Samsung really mixed up the names this year. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8, which I tested, represents a completely new “wide” foldable phone format, whereas the more expensive Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is the direct successor to the Galaxy Z Fold7 and previous Folds we were used to.

The model I tested, when folded, feels like a phone with a miniature display, which figuratively takes you back to the days when a device with a 7” screen was considered a tablet. I quite like the comparison to a passport, which many people use. Once you unfold it, you get a 7.6” screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio, with which the Fold truly feels like a smaller tablet.

It is precisely in the aspect ratio that this year’s two Folds differ significantly. While unfolding the Fold8 with its 4:3 display gives you a rectangle in your hand, the Ultra version with a 10:9 ratio is essentially a square. It is therefore less suitable for watching videos, for example.

After turning on and unfolding the screen, one more thing surprised me. Where did the crease that foldable phone users have complained about for years disappear to? The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 simply has no visible crease at first glance, that is, if you look at the display from the front. So, when you’re watching a movie, reading an article on Svět Androida, or browsing a map, no vertical line in the middle of the screen will disturb you. Of course, the question arises whether the crease will start to show after several months of use – and I would say that’s a real risk, although I can’t see into the future. But at least it’s great that you don’t have a line on the display right out of the box, as used to be the case.

As for the folding itself, you’ll probably approach it with respect at first. After a while, however, you’ll get used to it and feel comfortable unfolding the phone when needed and folding it back up after a few minutes.

In connection with the design, I perceive only two problems. Firstly, the camera module protrudes so much that the phone wobbles on a table. Secondly, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 is not dust resistant, which the manufacturer itself warns about when the phone is first started. While IP48 protection ensures resistance to objects larger than 1 mm, it will be insufficient for fine grains of sand or fine dust.

A Foldable Phone is Extremely Addictive. How Can You Use It?

Using a foldable phone is truly insanely addictive, especially when it’s the Fold8. The phone is ideal for users who don’t like constantly carrying a long brick in their pocket, but at the same time, they like the idea of being able to “stretch out” the display when needed and see content on a larger area.

Most of the time, I naturally kept the Galaxy Z Fold8 folded. The front screen allows you to comfortably handle 90% of tasks – you can check when your bus arrives, read the news, take a photo, play music, see how your Instagram friends are spending their vacation, or reply to an email (even though typing text is much more comfortable for me on the large Pixel 9 Pro XL, and I have relatively thin fingers).

The time for the large screen comes when you want to:

• Dive deeper into an article you’re reading
• Look at a map and find out what interesting places nearby you want to visit and how to connect them
• Watch a video, movie, or series
• Browse social media in a larger format and view photos from your acquaintances in detail
• Show someone vacation photos
• Work with two applications simultaneously, for example, notes and an email client
• Look at a table, document, or presentation in detail

Different users could, of course, expand the list with various items, but it can essentially be summarized as: whenever you want to view any content on a larger screen, with the Galaxy Z Fold8, you can, without having to carry a gigantic phone.

A great pleasure for me was the software, which is perfectly prepared for folding and unfolding. The fact is that I don’t use any niche applications and stick only to mainstream ones, but I haven’t encountered a single service that wouldn’t work as I expected on either display.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Doesn’t Just Impress with its Foldability

So far, I’ve only focused on the phone’s folding capability and related matters. However, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 also pleases with other aspects of its equipment. It is powered by the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, which provides top-notch performance for games and demanding applications, and in its basic variant, it has 12 GB of RAM, which I consider to be a completely sufficient amount.

Initially, I was skeptical about battery life, but after three days of use, I found there was no reason to be. Despite a capacity of only 4,800 mAh, the phone lasted a full day of use, and I still had some reserve, even with mobile data turned on and occasionally a hotspot for my other devices. Furthermore, the phone supports wireless charging up to 20W, but it does not have integrated magnets.

A big advantage for me is also the One UI 9 overlay, which, while not visually appealing to me as much as the Google Pixel phone environment, is packed with great features. I enjoy the Now Bar and Now Brief, as well as the multitasking features.

What Disappointed Me About the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8?

Finally, I can’t resist a certain amount of criticism. For example, I’m not satisfied with the speakers on the Galaxy Z Fold8, which I believe correspond to a mid-range device, not a flagship product. Compared to the in-display ultrasonic reader I’m used to, it’s also annoying to use the side-button reader, as it’s quite inaccurate.

Another criticism concerns the absence of a telephoto lens, which is absolutely crucial for me – I can hardly imagine my primary phone not having one. This results in weaker quality zoom photos, and you’ll notice the difference especially at night. On the other hand, the main camera produces very nice shots that you certainly won’t be ashamed of.

Conclusion: Would I Keep the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8?

This question is not easy to answer. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 is a great piece of technology that was truly a joy to test. However, when I start to consider buying it, the situation becomes significantly more complicated. The recommended price of the phone in the basic variant is 48,990 CZK, and although there are ways I could save money (for example, by using a student discount or a trade-in bonus), it would still be an amount of money that I would rather not spend on a phone. Especially when it doesn’t photograph like a full-fledged flagship.

But the phone has a great concept, and I support it wholeheartedly. Having a compact smartphone in your pocket that can unfold into the size of a smaller tablet is, in my opinion, perfection. Anyone who treats themselves to a Fold will likely not regret it. However, take my conclusions with a grain of salt – after three days of testing, I certainly won’t reach as comprehensive a conclusion as more experienced reviewers who have used previous Folds and dedicated over a week to the new device.

What would you like to ask me about the Galaxy Z Fold8?