Editorials · Reviewer Insight
I put Samsung’s first Galaxy Fold next to the Galaxy Fold 8 and the difference Is incredible
We've come a long way.
This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
Image by PhoneArena
How does the new Galaxy Fold 8 compare to the very first Samsung foldable phone, the OG Galaxy Fold released way back in 2019?
First, putting them side by side is a genuinely strange experience. It's less like comparing two generations of the same phone and more like comparing a prototype to a finished product. The difference between these two models is indeed massive in so many ways, but also... there is a strange similarity.
Screen Differences
When opened, the original Galaxy Fold features a 4.2:3 aspect ratio screen, practically the same aspect ratio as the Fold 8! And it's only a slightly smaller 7.3-inch screen compared to the 7.6-inch one on the modern version.
Images by PhoneArena
However, the way Samsung arrives at that screen is different on these two foldables. When closed, the original folds into this super narrow form that looks a lot like a TV remote. The Fold 8, in contrast, folds into a 16:10 shape that has a lot more width.
I think that Samsung got the form factor wrong from the very first fold, going with that ultra-narrow cover screen and it just stubbornly insisted on this format. You can clearly see how extremely limited and narrow the cover screen on the OG Fold is. Typing on this thing is practically impossible and apps appear broken on that narrow display.
The newer Fold 8 has a much wider form that plays so much nicer with most apps, and the extra width means you can type very fast on it.
Images by PhoneArena
You can also see the difference in crease depth: that groove is much deeper on the original model. On the original Fold, this line down the center of the display wasn't just visible, it was something you feel every time you swipe across it.
What you cannot really see and feel from the pictures is how the Fold 8 screen feels much sturdier when you press it and it now uses ultra-thin glass film that is much more pleasant for taps and swipes.
Size and Durability Changes
Where the difference feels most meaningful, however, is durability. The original Fold had no official water resistance at all, and its early hinge problems, like dust getting trapped inside and panels outright failing, are well documented.
The Fold 8 still doesn't have full dust protection but its IP48 rating ensures protection against larger particles (not fine dust) and it is water protected.
One thing that has not changed all that much is that the screen still attracts quite a few fingerprint smudges.
Images by PhoneArena
One of my favorite features of the Fold 8, however, has got to be just how thin and light it is.
The original Fold weighs a whopping 276 grams, nearly 40% heavier than the 201 gram weight on the Fold 8.
And the OG model also measures 15.5mm thick when folded, while the newer version is only 9.7mm, a 60% difference.
When you open them, the 2019 version thickness is 6.9mm, while the 2026 model is 4.5mm, a 50% difference in favor of the Fold 8.
Original Galaxy Fold vs Galaxy Z Fold 8 Specs Comparison:
|
|
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 | Samsung Galaxy Fold |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 123.9 x 161.4 x 4.5 mm (~8.75 mm with camera bump) | 160.9 x 117.9 x 6.9 mm |
| Weight | |
| 201.0 g | 276.0 g |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 7.6-inch | 7.3-inch |
| Type | |
| Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz | Dynamic AMOLED |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy SM8850-1-AD (3 nm) | Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 12GB (LPDDR5X)/256GB (UFS 4.0) 12GB/512GB 16GB/1TB |
12GB (LPDDR4)/512GB (UFS 3.0) |
| OS | |
| Android (17), up to 7 OS updates | Android (9.0 Pie) |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 4800 mAh | 4380 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 45.0W Wireless: 20.0W |
|
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 50 MP (OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Samsung GN3 Aperture size: F1.8 Focal length: 24 mm Sensor size: 1/1.56" Pixel size: 1.0 μm |
12 MP (OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.5/F2.4 Focal length: 26 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 1.4 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 50 MP (Ultra-wide) Sensor name: Samsung ISOCELL JN3 Aperture size: F1.9 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.5" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
16 MP (Ultra-wide) Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 12 mm Pixel size: 1 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 12 MP (Telephoto, OIS, PDAF) Optical zoom: 2.0x Aperture size: F2.4 Focal Length: 52 mm Sensor size: 1/3.6" Pixel size: 1 μm |
|
| Front | |
| 10 MP (HDR) | 10 MP (Dual-Camera, Autofocus) |
See the full
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs Samsung Galaxy Fold specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
OG Fold had some advantages over Fold 8
Interestingly, you will notice that even the very first Fold had some advantages over the Fold 8.
For example, the original model had three rear cameras, including a 2X telephoto one and that would have been so nice to have on the Fold 8.
Curiously, battery size is not too different. The original model shipped with a 4,380mAh battery, while the Fold 8 now has a 4,800mAh battery.
You might be also surprised to see that the original Fold had 16GB of RAM on board and 512GB of storage, while the Fold 8 base model comes with just 12GB of RAM and half the storage, at 256GB.
I guess RAM and storage prices were not exorbitantly high in the dark ages of 2019, when AI was still not a thing.
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