The Galaxy Z Fold 8 still feels refreshing in all the best ways [Video]

With the iPhone Duo now a thing, it puts the Z Fold 8 in an even more interesting position. Yes, it’s an attempt by Samsung to get ahead of the curve, but, in truth, it really has worked. So now that Apple is here, there is no doubt that the Z Fold 8 faces its fiercest competition, but to me, it highlights so much of what Samsung did so well with. I do not think that the Duo renders Samsung’s design obsolete. Apple’s entry into the market only sharpens the contrast between these competing design philosophies. It even underscores precisely why I’ve come to prefer Samsung’s passport-size footprint. For more video content, subscribe to 9to5Google on YouTube. I’m not even sure it’s Samsung that has pushed the form factor forward too drastically. I’m not alone in realizing that, for a lot of people, passport size makes the most sense. The outer screen is just enough of a taster without being too big; switch to the inner if you want a little more playroom is immediately obvious from the get-go. Everything feels reachable on the outer screen, while the inner screen is the big canvas for all other content. Sure, the Z Fold 8’s outer display isn’t perfect. Some UI elements can feel cramped; you will need to adjust how tall your keyboard is, but it isn’t as rigid as what Apple seems to have done on the Duo. That’s a good thing as the flexibility of Android just suits the multi-sized form factor. The thing is, you’re going to fall into one of two categories. Those of us who want a smaller, tablet-y shape, or a phone that happens to open to run more apps side-by-side. Objectively, the “traditional” folding phone size and shape will be more useful in basically most scenarios. Subjectively, I don’t really care about those as much. I’m in the privileged position of having a decent selection of handsets on deck at any one time to test-drive, and those satisfy something else entirely. As I was saying, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has arguably been the most interesting and, now, my most-used phone throughout 2026. Of course, that is alongside the Pixel 10 Pro in early 2026 and now the 11 Pro. It has my backup SIM permanently tucked inside. Backup because I don’t get distracted as much with so many notifications, but that SIM has free roaming, making it my favorite travel companion…and my Balatro on-the-go handheld. Every week, I’ll download a few movies and TV shows, like a sort of digital “prepper,” so I can be on a flight or a train and just know I have something to watch on a screen that tucks neatly into my side bag or jacket pocket. It is a mini tablet that weighs less than most other phones. You barely notice it. As I keep repeating: It feels so fresh. One thing I have to appreciate about the slimline design is that I haven’t babied it; I have put a screen protector on the outer display for basic protection. It has handled a couple of days at the beach as an e-reader, and as yet, it’s accrued just one minor ding on the top frame edge, no major damage. That’s a good thing to me, as I haven’t found a Z Fold 8 case I really love yet. It’s super light and razor-thin; I never want to dull that sheen. It’s like the perfect realization of what the Flip ought to have been and likely won’t ever become. I’ve seen a lot of complaints online about the inner display being both glossy and having a very visible crease. It’s not something I’ve dwelled on too much. They’re not big problems for me, in all honesty. I would like to see some enhancements, but it is what it is. That sounds like me handwaving away those complaints. I’m in agreement that we need to see Samsung make changes, especially now that Apple has a foldable with an almost-invisible crease and, frankly, a beautiful anti-reflective coating. Samsung is the undoubted king of displays, so we need more from the company in the future. That said, I still love the inner screen once I’m zipping around the system. Against my better judgment, I have recently tried a “matte” screen protector from Amazon. So far, so good, but it’s nowhere near as matte as advertised. It does dull reflections, but I’m still on the lookout for something that might mimic the iPhone Duo display to see what the fuss is about. The screen protector I picked up does make a difference by reducing smears and fingerprints, but you might not want to put something on the inner screen, as Samsung doesn’t entirely recommend it, and it can be a bubbly mess if you get it wrong. It took me a few attempts to get the fit just right. Back to the software: It helps that One UI is basically the perfect starting base for a foldable, and I think that is what has sealed the deal in a lot of ways. I’m a steadfast Material 3 Expressive fan, and while it’s still my preferred way to experience Android, One UI has continued to evolve in ways that Google likely doesn’t care about. I liked the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and 10 Pro Fold, but they felt less playful than the Fold 8 because I don’t think that Google does quite enough to truly optimize for the non-standard dual UI experience. Sure, you need to use some of the Home Up and Good Lock plugins, but it opens up the door to vast customization that most other brands can’t really compete with. I like being able to make even minor adjustments to things like the volume UI or icon layout. Don’t get it twisted, I’m not doing insane things on my Z Fold 8, but even the minor adjustability holds weight on a device that acts as both a phone and a tablet, depending on which screen you’re about to use. Even the bottom dock is better placed than what I can glean from how Apple has added a right-sided dock on the iPhone Duo, while the volume buttons are just sensibly placed on the Fold, too. The “big” apps are all well optimized. Instagram on the inner screen is awesome because you can see the comments and your feed in one instance. It feels like a tablet UI, probably because it is. There’s a little jank when running two apps side-by-side, but nothing that a little resizing can’t fix. I stick to two apps, as adding that third makes things cramped. To expand on that a little further, I am actually really happy that Apple is about to wade into the foldable waters. For starters, it means we’ll hopefully get even better application support from the biggest developers. From launch, the Z Fold 8 has had a few apps tuned to take better advantage of the smaller outer display, and while they’re not quite perfect, at least some work has gone into them. I’m really excited about the prospect of more apps being refined, and with so many big corps effectively relying on AI for faster ports, surely the next few years might prove to be a golden age for foldables. The truth is that most Android apps already scale reasonably well, so no major issues. The odd UI section might feel cramped here and there, but I don’t think I can complain too much. Now, for a few of the weakest portions of the Z Fold 8 that can’t really be glossed over too much. Yes, the camera is not quite as good as the best in the business. At its worst, it’s purely functional, and ordinarily that would be a complete dealbreaker, but I’m at an age where a sharp, clear photo that does the job is more than good enough. Maybe I’m a glutton for this kind of punishment, as I find myself working around the limitations to get acceptable shots. It’s not ideal, but foldables compromise here more than any other devices, save the affordable options. So in that regard, you are well aware of that going in anyway. It probably helps that I haven’t given up the Pixel 11 Pro as my mainstay photography phone. Not everyone can do that, so it’s arguably the biggest complaint you can have on the Z Fold 8 in my opinion – save the price, of course. Battery life is another one of the weakest points. It will withstand most people’s usage patterns, but nobody should spend nearly £2,000 or $2,000 to have the Fold 8 not reach the end of the day. I think we all know by now that folding phones are going to compromise in this one area quite substantially. Luckily, it does manage to do movies and TV shows more than enough justice with longevity. I have watched multiple episodes of Widow’s Bay back-to-back on a couple of flights recently, and it doesn’t sap the battery all that much so long as you put the thing in flight mode. In fact, I have been impressed when you’re not glued to the screen. It isn’t amazing, but I wouldn’t call the battery bad on the Z Fold 8 by any stretch. I have a super-slim Anker power bank in my bag at all times, so on a long-haul flight I’d just plug it in to be sure I can keep enjoying that lovely inner display. I can charge while watching and then just unplug, ready to go at my destination. Now for the brief section where I will unashamedly just say some truly out-of-touch things (although this entire post is debatably out of touch): this is the most special phone I have used this year. Not even because it’s the best at any one thing. It could simply be a symptom of so much being “samey” or feeling so incremental in Western markets right now. This is a luxury product, and that instantly marks it down in most people’s eyes. If Apple, the tastemakers of the non-tech buying public, are ready to give this form factor a real college try, then Samsung has made the right decision. The Z Fold 8 is easily the most elegant Android phone I’ve used in a while. I’m smitten with it. It’s something I want to unfold, fondle, and play with. What’s somewhat annoying is that, because I’ve enjoyed it so much, I’m giving in to a phone addiction I have tried so hard to curb over the past 18 months, since there is something refreshing here that is hard to truly quantify. I’ll try my best to quantify it, though. In my mind, there’s a Swiss Army Knife feel about the Z Fold 8 that no other phone has had for me for a long time. A tablet, gaming screen, reading screen, webpage dream all rolled into a passport package that respects my pockets – or the space in my sidebag. It’s a really versatile gadget that isn’t just a siloed phone, and that is probably why it’s resonating with so many people – myself very much included. If you’re bored with your current phone and ready to switch, the Z Fold 8 might be worth taking a look at, provided you can stomach the price. I’ll drop some of the best deals currently available on the Z Fold 8 down below, but expect to see discounts and sales soon, now that Apple has entered the fray and we’re on the cusp of Black Friday sales in the coming weeks. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.