Review: Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra Shines, but $2,000+ Price Is a Hurdle

The review highlighted the design carried over from the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The Fold 8 Ultra weighs 215 grams, one gram more than the non-folding Galaxy S26 Ultra, and measures 4.1mm unfolded and 8.9mm folded. The reviewer said it sometimes felt like a slightly chunky slab phone rather than a device hiding an 8-inch display. Samsung's improved hinge was also praised. It opens and closes smoothly, supports Flex Mode, and is significantly easier to open than the Fold 7 because of a slightly recessed frame. The reviewer called it one of the easiest-opening foldables they have used.

The inner 8-inch display received strong marks. Android Authority said it has a less noticeable crease, an additional layer of Ultra Thin Glass, peak brightness up to 3,000 nits compared with 2,600 nits on the Fold 7, and a new anti-reflective coating built into the display. The review said these changes make the phone well suited for outdoor use. When held outdoors next to the Motorola Razr Fold, the Fold 8 Ultra hid glare that was clearly visible on the Razr and looked noticeably brighter. The cover screen measures 6.5 inches.

Performance comes from Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. Although Qualcomm has announced the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 series, the review said the Gen 5 remains the most powerful Snapdragon chip in a phone that can be bought today. Compared with the Razr Fold and its pared-down Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, the Z Fold 8 Ultra was 34% faster in single-core performance and 20% faster in multi-core performance in Geekbench 6 tests. It also delivered the fastest average and maximum scores in 3DMark's Wild Life Extreme and Solar Bay stress tests.

The Fold 8 Ultra's 5,000mAh battery also performed well in the review. In real-world use, Android Authority said it easily gets through a day and a half per charge. In benchmark tests, it traded blows with the Razr Fold and mostly pulled ahead of last year's Fold 7. The review also praised the primary camera. The 200MP sensor is unchanged from the Fold 7, but Android Authority said it remains effortlessly good, with photos packed with sharp details and pleasing colors.

The main reservation was price and competition. Android Authority said the Fold 8 Ultra is a very good phone with a decent audience, just as there has long been for Samsung foldables. But the review said that if the money were the reviewer's own, the Fold 8 Ultra would not be the first choice for a folding phone in 2026. For buyers spending more than $2,000, the review framed the decision as whether the Fold 8 Ultra is the right choice or whether a competitor would be more satisfying.