Samsugn Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs Galaxy S26 Ultra hands-on: wide or tall?
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a vastly different foldable from Samsung. Can it pull you away from the "regular" flagship?
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Wide vs big | Image by PhoneArena
Samsung shook things up a bit with the new foldables. The Galaxy Z Fold family has a new member. While the Z Fold 8 Ultra is the old form factor with the triple camera that we know from before, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a cute, passport-shaped little thing with a 4:3 internal screen and 16:10 cover display.
You may have been avoiding foldables thus far because of their square-shaped main display. But this new form factor can definitely make one pose the question — is now the right time to try a Fold, or should I stick with the tried-and-true and just get a Galaxy S26 Ultra?
Well, there are a lot of differences to consider. And here, we will go through everything we've gathered thus far, following our short hands-on time with the new Galaxy Z Fold 8.
Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs Galaxy S26 Ultra differences:
| Galaxy Z Fold 8 | Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|
| New wide-screen foldable with 16:10 cover screen | A slab phone with 21:9 display |
| 5.5-inch cover screen Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120 Hz, 3,000 nits peak 7.6-inch inner screen Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120 Hz, 3,000 nits peak | 6.9-inch screen Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120 Hz, 2,600 nits peak Anti-glare treatment |
| Dual camera, main and ultra-wide | Quad camera with 3x telephoto and 5x telephoto |
| Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy |
| 4,800 mAh battery | 5,000 mAh battery |
Table of Contents:
Design and Size
Wide booklet vs classic slab
Very different experience | Image by PhoneArena
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is Samsung's foray into the wide foldable format. It's a cute-looking booklet phone that has a big 16:10 screen. Kind of like the 16:9 displays of the past, only this is bigger... and with super-slim bezels around it. Inside, of course, we now have a 4:3 aspect ratio screen, so it looks a little bit more like a mini tablet. It's Samsung's lightest Z Fold to date, at 201 g, and it's slightly thicker than a Galaxy S26 Ultra at 9.7 mm folded (vs the S26 Ultra's 7.9 mm).
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is our well-known beast. A chocobar with a large 6.9-inch, 21:9 main screen and a quad camera module on the back. thinnest foldable yet, at 4.1 mm when unfolded. When closed up, it's 8.9 mm, only slightly chunkier than the 7.9 mm Galaxy S26 Ultra. However, it's still perfectly usable as a "regular" smartphone, especially since its external display has the 21:9 aspect ratio that we are now used to.
With the new Flex Titanium hinge inside the Galaxy Z Fold 8, that crease down the middle is truly minimized. Visually, you can still see some warping in the flexible glass over that point, but you can barely — if at all — feel it when you swipe a finger across it.
However, if you are an S Pen enthusiast, it's worth knowing that none of Samsung's new foldables support it. Scribbling and writing is strictly a Galaxy S26 Ultra thing now. Shame, considering that many of Samsung's competitors, such as Motorola, managed to fit a digitizer for a stylus in their phones.
|
|
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 161.4 x 123.9 x 4.5 mm (~8.75 mm with camera bump) | 163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9 mm (~12.33 mm with camera bump) |
| Weight | |
| 201.0 g | 214.0 g |
See the full
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
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The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a superior IP68 rating, marking it as dust-tight and water-resistant for continuous submersion. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is rated for IP48 – still good against water, not so good at keeping small particles (under 1 mm) out. No beach trips with that one!
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 launches in Graphite, Cream, Lavender, and an exclusive Pistachio color on the Samsung.com store. The Galaxy S26 Ultra comes in Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, Pink Gold.
Display Differences
Dynamic AMOLED, but more of it!
Turning the Z Fold 8 vertical is also an option | Image by PhoneArena
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a direct answer to the criticisms that a square foldable doesn't do much for multimedia or gaming. Well, now we have a 7.6-inch main screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio that will lend itself better for movies and gaming. Not ideal, not 16:9, but definitely better. It's also been upgraded — still labeled as Dynamic AMOLED 2X like on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but this one hits 3,000 nits peak, which is overkill.
Same goes for the cover screen — same specs, down to the 120 Hz refresh rate. It does have a more awkward 16:10 aspect ratio, as the internal screen's shape demands it. Yes, Android can adapt, it has been coded to do so, but since everything in the modern world is designed around the 21:9 aspect ratio, you won't be able to shake that feeling of awkwardness soon. Some websites may scale wrong, some apps may look funky.
So, definitely consider the Z Fold 8 if you really really want to use that main screen the majority of the time.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is well-known now, and its huge 6.9-inch display feels natural for anyone who has been using a big phone over the past few years. As I mentioned peak brightness before — the Galaxy S26 Ultra's Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel hits 2,600 nits peak... if that's an issue at all. Oh, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra has that sweet anti-reflective treatment and Privacy Display tech.
|
|
|
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 7.6-inch | 6.9-inch |
| Type | |
| Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz | Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz |
See the full
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
The Z Fold 8 Ultra has a capacitive fingerprint scanner embedded in its power button. The S26 Ultra is cooler, with an ultrasonic one hidden under its screen. Both feel pretty snappy and accurate.
Performance and Software
Flagship power
Same internals | Image by PhoneArena
We were a bit concerned that the non-Ultra Z Fold 8 may get a different processor. But no, expect the very same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in here as in the S26 Ultra. With the For Galaxy moniker, too, as it has been overclocked slightly and hums at 4.74 GHz.
Now, thermals are still a big question and we all want to know if the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will be capable of the same sustained performance as the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Tests pending.
|
|
|
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Snapdragon 8 Gen Elite 5 for Galaxy SM8850-1-AD (3 nm) | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy SM8850-1-AD (3 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 12GB (LPDDR5X)/256GB (UFS 4.0) 12GB/512GB 16GB/1TB |
12GB (LPDDR5X)/256GB (UFS 4.0) 12GB/512GB 16GB/1024GB |
| OS | |
| Android (17), up to 7 OS updates | Android (16), up to 7 OS updates |
See the full
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
For memory, you get the exact same setups on both phones — 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB, with these being paired with 12 GB / 12 GB / 16 GB RAM.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 launches with Android 17 and One UI 9 out of the box. Samsung developed its Now Brief and Now Nudge to include more apps and stats, and be more proactive (we do hope that doesn't mean "more in your face"). Also, the agentic features have been expanded to work across 40+ apps. But the Galaxy S26 Ultra should be receiving that update soon, right? Both of these phones come with Samsung's 7-year software update commitment.
Camera
Two vs Four
A more compact package on the Z Fold 8 | Image by PhoneArena
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 comes with a 50 MP main camera and a 50 MP ultra-wide. Much different than the Galaxy S26 Ultra's 200 MP main camera, but don't count it out yet. 50 MP is a lot, it just matters what Samsung does with it.
But for zooming and portraits, the S26 Ultra should be superior — it has two different telephoto lenses specifically for those purposes.
Needless to say, we will be taking these out for a spin, but also putting the Z Fold 8 through our detailed camera benchmark test in order to be able to put a number to its performance.
|
|
|
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
| 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 |
200 MP (OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Samsung ISOCELL HP2 Aperture size: F1.4 Focal length: 23 mm Sensor size: 1/1.3" Pixel size: 0.6 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 50 MP (Ultra-wide) Sensor name: Samsung JN3 Aperture size: F1.9 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.5" Pixel size: 0.7 μm | 50 MP (Ultra-wide, PDAF) Sensor name: Samsung JN3 Aperture size: F1.9 Sensor size: 1/2.5" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 10 MP (Telephoto, OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX754 Optical zoom: 3.0x Aperture size: F2.4 Sensor size: 1/3.94" Pixel size: 1.12 μm |
|
| Fourth camera | |
| 50 MP (Telephoto, Periscope, OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX854 Optical zoom: 5.0x Aperture size: F2.9 Focal Length: 115 mm Sensor size: 1/2.52" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
|
| Front | |
| 10 MP (HDR) | 12 MP (PDAF, HDR) |
See the full
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 does ge tthe advanced Nightography capabilities of its bigger sibling, but does not support the new-ish APV codec for enhanced video that's found on the S26 Ultra and Z Fold 8 Ultra.
Battery Life and Charging
Pretty impressive for a small passport phone
Pretty normal | Image by PhoneArena
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 comes with a 4,800 mAh battery in that tiny body. Not Si/C tech like in the Fold 8 Ultra, which actually makes it a bit more impressive. Should last us a while, but it's still waiting to get through the lab.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 5,000 mAh Li-Ion cell, so pretty similar spec here. Of course, the Z Fold 8 does need to feed that big main screen, so we will see how they compare in the end.
|
|
|
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 4800 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 45.0W Wireless: 20.0W |
Wired: 60.0W Wireless: 15.0W |
See the full
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
For charging, the Z Fold 8 Ultra draws 45 W on the wire and 20 W wirelessly, the S26 Ultra can do up to 60 W wired, 15 W wireless. These are small differences in numbers, we don't expect a huge discrepancy in charging speeds here.
But both of these lack magnetic rings. So, technically, they can charge on Qi2 chargers but won't stick to them. You will need a case with the magnetic ring.
Specs Comparison
Here's a quick overview of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 versus the Galaxy S26 Ultra specs.
|
|
|
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 161.4 x 123.9 x 4.5 mm (~8.75 mm with camera bump) | 163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9 mm (~12.33 mm with camera bump) |
| Weight | |
| 201.0 g | 214.0 g |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 7.6-inch | 6.9-inch |
| Type | |
| Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz | Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Snapdragon 8 Gen Elite 5 for Galaxy SM8850-1-AD (3 nm) | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy SM8850-1-AD (3 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 12GB (LPDDR5X)/256GB (UFS 4.0) 12GB/512GB 16GB/1TB |
12GB (LPDDR5X)/256GB (UFS 4.0) 12GB/512GB 16GB/1024GB |
| OS | |
| Android (17), up to 7 OS updates | Android (16), up to 7 OS updates |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 4800 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 45.0W Wireless: 20.0W |
Wired: 60.0W Wireless: 15.0W |
| 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 |
200 MP (OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Samsung ISOCELL HP2 Aperture size: F1.4 Focal length: 23 mm Sensor size: 1/1.3" Pixel size: 0.6 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 50 MP (Ultra-wide) Sensor name: Samsung JN3 Aperture size: F1.9 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.5" Pixel size: 0.7 μm | 50 MP (Ultra-wide, PDAF) Sensor name: Samsung JN3 Aperture size: F1.9 Sensor size: 1/2.5" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 10 MP (Telephoto, OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX754 Optical zoom: 3.0x Aperture size: F2.4 Sensor size: 1/3.94" Pixel size: 1.12 μm |
|
| Fourth camera | |
| 50 MP (Telephoto, Periscope, OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX854 Optical zoom: 5.0x Aperture size: F2.9 Focal Length: 115 mm Sensor size: 1/2.52" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
|
| Front | |
| 10 MP (HDR) | 12 MP (PDAF, HDR) |
See the full
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
Summary
As mentioned, if you haven't pulled the plug on a foldable yet because you've been waiting for that wide-screened, portable tablet experience — well, here it is. You will be trading some stuff, though.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the better camera phone for sure. Even if that 50 MP main snapper on the Z Fold 8 is good, the S26 Ultra simply provides more options and better quality zoom. Secondly, if you care about the S Pen, you will only find it in a Galaxy S26 Ultra.
If you don't care about those things, then sure — seems like a good time to crowdsurf into the foldable scene. Full tests and review pending.
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