Every year, Samsung launches two foldable smartphones—the book-style Fold and the clamshell Flip. This year, the South Korean tech giant added a third foldable to its lineup, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which comes with a compact, passport-sized design.
Starting at ₹1,79,999, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is among the lightest foldable smartphones available today. It doesn't feel bulky and slips easily into a pocket. I used the device for more than two weeks and found it impressive in almost every department. From design and display to camera, battery life and performance, the phone delivers a premium experience. The only concern is its price. So, should you buy it? Here's our review.
Design and display
Our review unit came in the Lavender colour, which immediately caught attention. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is one of the best-looking foldables Samsung has made. Measuring 123.9 x 81.9 x 9.7 mm when folded and weighing just 201g, it feels lighter and more comfortable to carry than previous Fold models.
The biggest upgrade is the new 4:3 aspect ratio. Unlike earlier Fold devices with their tall and narrow cover screens, the wider display makes everyday tasks much easier.
The hinge is smooth and sturdy, opening flat every time without any wobble. Samsung has also improved durability by offering an IPX8 water-resistance rating and IP48 dust protection.
The 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display has a resolution of 1848x2448 pixels, a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. HDR10+ support makes OTT content look vibrant, while the new aspect ratio improves multitasking, reading PDFs and web browsing.
Samsung has packed several AI features into the phone. From summarising notes and generating writing suggestions to live translation and productivity tools, the AI features are useful in day-to-day usage rather than feeling like gimmicks.
Performance
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 runs Android 17 with Samsung’s latest One UI and is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor, built on a 3nm process.
Our review unit had 12GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Throughout the review period, the phone handled everything without any lag. Multitasking across split-screen windows, gaming, video streaming and everyday use were smooth. We also did not notice any heating issues during regular usage.
Camera and battery
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 comes with a 50MP primary camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera and a 10MP front camera for selfies. The cameras perform well in most conditions. Daylight photos offer excellent detail, vibrant colours and good dynamic range, while low-light performance is also impressive. The phone houses a 4,800mAh battery with support for 45W wired charging, 20W wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging. Samsung claims up to 26 hours of battery life.
During the review period, which mainly involved social media, web browsing, messaging, photography and office work, the phone easily lasted an entire day on a single charge. Heavy users may still need to charge it by evening, but battery life should be sufficient for most users.
Verdict
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is Samsung’s most refined foldable smartphone so far. It is lighter, more compact and far more practical than its predecessors. The redesigned cover display, excellent performance, capable cameras and reliable battery life make it a complete flagship. The only downside is the price. At ₹1,79,999, it is clearly aimed at premium buyers.