Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra Review: Incremental Upgrades Fall Short of Ultra Promise

Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra adds a faster chip, brighter screens and a larger battery, but its design and features remain largely unchanged from the previous model.

Samsung split its flagship foldable line this year, offering the standard Z Fold 8 and the higher-priced Z Fold 8 Ultra, which largely mirrors the earlier design. The Ultra remains 8.9 mm thick, 7.58 oz heavy, and retains the IP48 dust- and water-resistance rating, though Samsung trimmed the open-flat hinge by a tenth of a millimeter and added tapered edges for smoother opening. Inside, a new titanium alloy layer reduces the visibility of the central crease, and the inner 8-inch AMOLED panel now reaches 2,256 × 2,504 pixels with a 3,000-nit peak brightness and anti-reflective coating.

Powered by the Snapdragon Elite Gen 5 chip, up to 16 GB RAM and 1 TB storage, the device delivers top-tier performance, especially for multitasking and gaming. Camera upgrades include a 200 MP primary sensor, a 10 MP telephoto with true 3× optical zoom, and a new 50 MP ultra-wide lens, offering modest gains over the base model. Battery capacity jumps to 5,000 mAh, delivering more than 32 hours of video on the cover screen, while charging speeds rise to 45 W wired and 25 W wireless, though a magnetic charging ring is still absent. At a starting price of $2,100, the Ultra appeals mainly to power users who value the extra screen height and dedicated zoom lens, but many may find the incremental changes insufficient to justify the premium over the regular Z Fold 8.