Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

Design and screen

• Almost identical look to the Galaxy Z Fold 7
• Tougher titanium-based panel underneath the main display
• Anti-reflective coating and 3000 nits peak brightness

If I’m being picky, the Z Fold 8 Ultra really should be called the Z Fold 8 because, from a continuity perspective, it is clearly the most direct successor to the existing Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. When closed, the phone packs quite a tall aspect ratio, and when unfolded, the larger screen is almost square-like, which makes it ideal for side-by-side multitasking. Taking a leaf out of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s book however, Samsung has gone down the route of making the build tougher than ever.

Under the hood is a new composite material that Samsung is calling Flex Titanium. This system uses a titanium alloy film alongside a titanium plate to create a more durable inner display that can better withstand the natural wear and tear of folding over time. Of course, something like this is hard to quantify, but given that durability has always been a point of contention in the foldable space, it’s great to see that Samsung isn’t resting on its laurels here.

Elsewhere, the design has seen more of a refinement, now slimmer than the Z Fold 7 whilst also packing an anti-reflective coating on both displays, the likes of which have been a staple of Samsung’s flagship candybar phones ever since the Galaxy S25 Ultra came to town.

It should also be much easier to use the inner display when outdoors as it can reach a much higher peak brightness of 3000 nits. When taking pictures of the device, I cranked that brightness all the way to the max and was impressed with how colourful everything looked.

Just like with the Oppo Find N6, the inner crease is now harder to spot so if you are looking at the screen from a slight angle, it’s less likely to get in the way of your viewing experience.

Performance

• Larger 5000mAh battery
• Faster 45W wired charging
• Ultra-wide camera has been upgraded to 50MP

The Z Fold 7 really felt like a next-gen upgrade with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip to power it, but now the Z Fold 8 Ultra is taking things a step further with the newer Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

Although I only had a limited amount of time to play around with the phone, it did feel very similar to my experience of using similarly specced phones like the Honor Magic 8 Pro, in that everything feels a bit slicker than before, but it’s not a night-and-day upgrade.

What is sure to be felt more keenly however are the long-awaited battery upgrades which, let’s be honest, the Z Fold 7 desperately needed. This time around there’s a larger 5000mAh cell running the show, and it’s paired with faster 45W charging so you won’t have to wait around quite as long for a full battery.

Although a 5000mAh cell might sound paltry compared to the 7500mAh equivalent of the Oppo Find X9 Pro, I have faith that Samsung can make the most of it. My S25 Ultra also has a 5000mAh cell, but thanks to Samsung’s optimisations, it can easily make it through a fairly demanding day, so the Z Fold 8 Ultra should have just enough juice to give productivity users what they want from the device.

Because of the context associated with the ‘Ultra’ moniker, I had hoped that the Z Fold 8 Ultra would earn its name by going all-in with upgrading the camera set-up, but unfortunately that isn’t the case here. To Samsung’s credit, the ultra-wide sensor has jumped from 12MP to 50MP, which should make it a lot more malleable for cropping, but otherwise the rest of the set-up remains the same.

There have been quite a few software changes to help users make the most out of these cameras, but at a time when the Honor Magic V6 recently brought a 64MP telephoto lens to market, having a 10MP telephoto on a phone that now carries a minimum cost of £1899.99/$2099.99 feels absurd.

Software

• Task Automation uses AI to use apps on your behalf
• Now Nudge provides more seamless multitasking
• One UI remains a key selling point

Before myself and a group of other tech journalists got our hands on the Z Fold 8 Ultra, Samsung’s representatives took us through a brief presentation of what to expect from the device and its siblings, and when the topic of discussion moved to the software side of things, I couldn’t help but be reminded of when Google finally pulled back the curtain on Android 17.

Just like how Gemini Intelligence has been constructed with the idea of using apps on your behalf, Samsung’s Task Automation follows the same principle. At the point of launch there are just over 40 apps that are compatible with the feature, but it’s clear that Samsung, just like Google, is starting to move into a space where AI can operate very much like an actual assistant, being used to book tables at a restaurant or even shop around for deals on a quick holiday, all without you ever having to lift a finger. Given how much the foldable concept works as an all-in-one device for work and entertainment, this innovation just takes that a step further.

Samsung was also keen to highlight Now Nudge, which feels like an offshoot of the Bubbles multitasking software which can currently be used on the latest Pixel phones. With Now Nudge, if a pop-up appears for an incoming email, you can tap the notification and it’ll open the relevant app in a side-by-side format when using the inner display, so you’re not interrupted from what you’re currently doing.

All of these tweaks have me intrigued to put them to the test, and given just how much One UI works as a selling point these days – I’m an iPhone user, but it’s easily my favourite Android overlay – I think that Samsung could have a winner on its hands.

Early thoughts

Although I don’t feel that it quite earns the ‘ultra’ moniker that it carries, I do think that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has the capacity to be the most competent Android foldable of 2026.

The Z Fold 7 already packed a winning formula in having a slick build and intuitive software to go with it, but now the Fold 8 Ultra adds to that with a larger battery, faster charging, and screens that are better designed to be used outdoors.

Until we get a look at the much anticipated iPhone Ultra, the jury’s still out as to whether or not the Z Fold 8 Ultra will have the foldable crown for the year, but if you’re an Android user who’s looking to buy their first ever foldable, it’s almost certainly going to be a toss-up between the Honor Magic V6 and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

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