I don’t want to write half a page or use poetic metaphors like the late Loloq wrote in this article. In the first paragraph I want to tell you that if you want to buy a foldable phone today, the best choice is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8. Let me explain to you why in less than 2000 words.
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8
External Screen Screen
5.5″ Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits
Inner Screen
7.6″ Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor for Galaxy (3nm)
2×4.74 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix L chip
6×3.62 GHz Oryon V3 Phoenix M
Adreno 840 Graphics Chip
RAM 12/16 GB LPDRR5X
12GB RAM Plus
Internal Storage 256/512/1000 GB UFS 4.0
Main Camera 50MP f/1.9 OIS (Wide Angle)
50MP f/2.8 (Ultra Wide)
10MP f/2.2 Selfie Camera (Outside)
10MP f/2.2 (Inside)
Battery 4800 mAh
Wired charging 45W
Wireless charging 15W
Reverse charging 4.5W
SIM/Telephony 2 Nano, 1 eSIM
5G
NFC Yes
Audio jack No
Waterproof IP48
Scanning System Side fingerprint scanner
Selling Price RM 7,299 (12/256 GB)
RM 8,099 (12/512 GB)
RM 9,699 (16/1000 GB)
DESIGN and USAGE
After seven iterations of the device, Samsung finally offers the Z Fold with a screen similar to the first Oppo Find N. The 5.5″ Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X outer screen is boxy with a 4:3 ratio and a 120Hz refresh rate. It is the same as the Z Fold8 Ultra screen, only shorter. At the initial stage of using the device, it felt a little strange because it was wider than the Z Fold7 and Magic V6 that I reviewed earlier.
But after a few hours, everything became natural. The wide outer screen makes it easy to type even with one hand. The screen has thin bezels and a true square screen without the rounded corners used on the Magic V6, Find N6 and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. There are no areas of applications or websites cut off because the corners are rounded.
In terms of the video watching experience, it is also solid even though it is small. The black bars at the top and bottom are small. With HDR10+ support, HDR content can be watched brightly.
The inner screen is a 7.6″ Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X also 120Hz with HDR10+ support. The folding effect was not noticeable in the first week of use but started to appear after two weeks.
But I can tell you as a user of folding screen devices since 2019. After a few days you will not see the folding effect on the screen. Just like iPhone users don't see the notch on the iPhone X and the Face ID hole on the iPhone 17. The human brain can immediately delete elements that are not pleasing to the eye.
With a 16:10 ratio, the screen in the Z Fold8 is the same size as the iPad Mini but without the giant bezel. This is the most practical screen ratio for a tablet and foldable screen because it has enough space to watch videos, browse the web and type. One issue that I can't forgive is the lack of Flex Mode on this foldable screen.
I've been a user of the Z Fold series since the beginning and Flex Mode is a feature that I use every day. Its absence really feels like the loss of BT support on the Galaxy S Ultra series S Pen. For those who have never used Flex Mode, you might say "big deal?" but for hardcore users it is a necessary feature that makes it easier to control the video you are watching.
No Flex Mode
The Z Fold8 also passes the IP48 standard to provide waterproof and dustproof capabilities just like the Z Fold7 but this is behind the IP68 on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and IP59 on the Find N6. The device still won't die if it gets splashed with water and in 90% of situations IP48 is sufficient.
The boxy body with the size of a passport is a paradigm shift in phone design that I didn't think was very practical. The experience of reviewing the Find N four years ago was interesting but because of its thick body it still makes it less intuitive to use. With a body as thin as a regular candybar device, I used the Z Fold8 in the closed state in 80% of the situations during which it was reviewed.
The main screen is only used for watching YouTube and Netflix or reading comics. The outer and inner screens are both perfect for those who like to read ebooks and comics. I have bought a lot of comics on Play Book and the Z Fold8 is the best device for reading comics/manga. Its size is slightly smaller than the Doraemon and Dragon Ball comics that I read during the 90s. The same goes for the ebook because it is the same size as a pocket book and surah yasin.
While I praise the compact, ergonomic design and solid for those who read digital books/comics, I need to touch on a few issues. First of all, not all apps are compatible with the Z Fold8. Pinterest cannot be used vertically on the inner screen. Instagram timeline videos are cropped on the outer screen because the 4:3 ratio is not high enough.
Cropped content
The keyboard also takes up more than half of the outer screen on the default Samsung Keyboard settings. You need to make some modifications such as using Gboard and changing the keyboard height for example to get an uncompromising experience. After all these changes, the Z Fold8 is not much different from the S26 Ultra that I use as my daily use device.
SOFTWARE AND USAGE EXPERIENCE
The Z Fold8 is among the first devices to use Android 17 through the One UI 9 launcher. In terms of interface design, there is not much difference from One UI 8.5 used on the Galaxy S26 series. Despite Android 17, features such as Bubbles for multitasking and some AI agent features are still not available in Malaysia because they are limited to a few markets.
If activated later, you will need a Google AI Pro subscription to enjoy it. Samsung is giving away a free 6-month Google AI Pro subscription to Z Fold8 owners in Malaysia.
The One UI 9 interface is smooth and fast with various additional features such as Side Panel which gives access to GIF-making tools, quick editing with Nano Banana and only capturing a portion of the screen. Despite only being equipped with 12GB of RAM, the device did not have any problems during the two weeks of review. If this amount of RAM is felt to be insufficient, the RAM Plus feature allows it to be added by 2, 4, 6, 8 or 12GB according to the owner's needs by deducting it from the device's storage.
The taskbar has been updated with two versions. One that remains below the screen at all times on the large screen and the other appears when needed by scrolling from the bottom of the screen up. I prefer the first Taskbar option because it is always visible for lightning-fast application switching.
The Multi-Window feature has also been improved with three applications that can be arranged side by side like on ColorOS and MagicOS devices. The feature of placing three apps simultaneously with two on the small screen and one on the large screen is still usable.
The Apple ecosystem can also be supported with the Z Fold8 being able to use the AirDrop protocol to send files to iPhone, iPad and Mac via Quick Share. This is a feature developed natively by Google without requiring third-party applications to be downloaded first.
The AI features introduced are Gemini, Circle to Search, Now Nudge, Now Brief, Now Bar, Gemini Live, Audio Eraser, Call Assist, Note Assist and Call Translate are also provided
Samsung offers 7 Android version updates and 7 years of security patches on the Galaxy Z Fold8 so buyers don't have to worry about software support during this period.
BENCHMARKS
The Z Fold8 uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy just like the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Here is a list of some foldable and conventional devices in the Malaysian market for comparison.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 – Exynos 2600
Honor Magic V6 – Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
Oppo Find N6 – Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 – Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
Oppo Find X9 Ultra – Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra – Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
Vivo X300 Pro – Dimensity 9500
Apple iPhone 17 Pro – A19 Pro
Antutu 3D
Score Device
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 2,184,626
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 2,463,934
Honor Magic V6 3,439,798
Oppo Find N6 3,080,123
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 1,747,012
Oppo Find X9 Ultra 4,120,640
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 3,136,285
Vivo X300 Pro 3,507,869
Apple iPhone 17 Pro 2,634,345
Geekbench 6
Single Core Multi Core Device
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 3512 9871
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 1923 5091
Honor Magic V6 3529 9938
Oppo Find N6 3450 9393
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 2745 9060
Oppo Find X9 Ultra 3505 10277
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 3651 10819
Vivo X300 Pro 3507 10469
Apple iPhone 17 Pro 3560 8835
3DMark Wildlife Extreme
Chip Score
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 5365
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 4099
Honor Magic V6 6481
Oppo Find N6 6020
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 5633
Oppo Find X9 Ultra 7391
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 7375
Vivo X300 Pro 7075
Apple iPhone 17 Pro 5873
The scores recorded won't make you scream wow. They are lower than the S26 Ultra even though they use the same chip. My theory is that like the Magic V6, power profiling is used to reduce power consumption on the Z Fold8. That's why in benchmark tests high scores cannot be achieved.
But in real world use, the Z Fold8 is a solid gaming device. COD Mobile for example can be played on MAX settings with high frame rates. The device does not become an oven, even after 10 MP Ranked sessions the device is only slightly warm. The heating is noticeable when a lot of photos are taken continuously. Image processing is more heavy than running games.
All popular games like Genshin, Wuthering Waves, and PUBG Mobile can also be run without issues. Common applications will not choke the Z Fold8. I have a large screen, the Z Fold8 is now my device of choice for gaming. It is strong enough for Android games or running NES, SNES, MegaDriver, PS1 and PS2 emulators. All in a small body that is easy to carry anywhere.
CAMERA
Only a 50MP wide-angle and 50MP ultra-wide dual camera is used along with two 10MP selfie cameras. The camera system on the Z Fold8 is not amazing when compared to the cameras of other Fold-type devices. In the majority of situations the photos taken are sharp, bright and satisfactory even in dark conditions.
The only downside is that there is no optical telephoto zoom system that is usually included in Fold devices. In terms of camera performance, the Z Fold8 is better than the Z Flip8 but below the Z Fold8 Ultra. In the middle, making the overall capability only “mid” if we use Gen Z terms.
Below are the 2x, 4x and 10X zoom settings. Digital zoom is only up to 10X times. At the 4x setting, the image is no longer sharp and the colors start to run. At the 10X setting, the captured image is increasingly broken up to the point that it looks like a mid-range camera. If you want a foldable device with good zoom, the Z Fold8 is not for you. Instead, it is better to buy the Find N6 or Magic V6 which has a better tri-camera system.
2X zoom
4X zoom
10X zoom
BATTERY
The 4800 mAh battery offers usage that can last all day if the external screen is used more. The Z Fold8 battery capacity is only slightly smaller when compared to the 5000 mAh battery of the Z Fold8 Ultra.
If the internal screen is used continuously, the device can last up to 6 hours. On average, in normal use, a usage life of between 15-18 hours can be achieved, which I think is good for a foldable screen device. Recharging the battery takes around 60 minutes using a 45W charger. The charger is not included with every purchase.
AUDIO
The audio is balanced from the two physical speakers. Their location, which shoots out to the side and is placed on the same screen “door”, provides a better audio experience when compared to the Magic V6. However, due to the thin body of the Z Fold8, I feel that the audio quality is not as good as the Z Fold6, let alone the S26 Ultra.
The small speaker chamber makes the audio not as good as on a thicker device. It is satisfactory for phone calls or videos, but when watching YouTube or Netflix for example, it feels a little empty even with Dolby Atmos turned on.
IN THE BOX
Here's what's included in the box.
1x Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8
1x USB-C to USB-C charging cable
1x Manual
1x SIM Pin
CONCLUSION
Some complain that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is too big and long. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 is too small and needs to be opened all the time to use it. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 sits in the middle, solving the two dilemmas above. The outer screen is large enough to type, browse the web, watch videos and use social media apps. The inner screen doesn't need to be opened all the time.
It's also small and thin, and it's also light for a Fold-type folding device. Battery life is very good even though it's not mega-capacity. Since the first day I reviewed the Z Fold8, I've been in love with this passport-sized design and it's no surprise that among the 3 Samsung foldable devices launched this year, the Z Fold8 received the highest order.
The downside lies in the limited dual-camera system. But I'm sure next year's model may come with a telephoto camera. Another downside is that you have to be prepared to sacrifice the shorter screen of the device. Indeed, the view in all devices is cut off at the top.
This is a device that you should buy if you have been skeptical about folding screen devices. In Malaysia, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 is sold at a starting price of RM 7,299 (12/256 GB) each.
Pros
A thin body that is comfortable in the hand and lightweight.
No need to open it every time to use.
The best screen for ebooks, comics and emulators.
Powerful flagship specifications for various needs.
IP48 waterproof and dustproof.
Using One UI 9 based on Android 17.
Support for 7 Android versions and 7 years of security patches.
Long-lasting battery with 45W charging.
Cons
The short outer screen cuts off the top of some applications.
Unsatisfactory camera zoom performance.
Expensive price due to RAM crisis.
No Flex Mode.
