Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra review: Just enough updates to call it ‘ultra’ (HT Tech)

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra specifications

Apart from this, Samsung has also redesigned the hinge this year, which makes opening the phone feel a lot more smoother. The company says that it has used an Armor FlexHinge this year and widened the gap of the inner bezel, which is aimed at increasing the user comfort while opening and closing this foldable phone. Samsung has also introduced a dual-layer titanium structure beneath the display, called the Flex Titanium technology, and upgraded the cover glass to Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3, which makes this foldable phone feel more premium and a little more immune to damages. Additionally, the phone also gets Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protecting the glass back.

What I like is that Samsung has managed to make this large device feel surprisingly refined in the hand. Though I have always been a little skeptical of this form factor, Fold8 Ultra’s thin profile, clean lines and overall design and durability make it a compelling case for an upgrade, especially if you are coming from a regular non-fold device and if you can ignore the wobble owing to its large camera module.

Specifications aside, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra’s 8-inch inner display is easily one of its biggest strengths. First of all, it delivers vibrant colours, deep blacks and a noticeably more immersive viewing experience, which is particularly helpful while watching TV shows and movies on OTT platforms like Netflix, JioHotstar and even Prime Video. While the display panel of the Galaxy Z Fold8 is similar to that of its predecessor, the screen is 15% brighter, which when combined with the anti-reflective coating makes a meaningful difference when using the phone outdoors. This includes both the productivity and entertainment experiences. However, what’s a little less than perfect is the screen ratio while viewing content on any OTT platform. The form factor of the Galaxy Z Fold8 is such that when unfolded, the streaming content is unable to make full use of the bigger space, which in my opinion, dilutes the overall viewing experience. Sure, the streaming screen is bigger than the ones available in the traditional non-foldable phones, but is it necessarily better? Well, that can be debated.

Beyond the viewing experience is the crease. Samsung has included a redesigned Flex Titanium display structure that makes the fold considerably less visible than the one available on the Fold7. While this phone is not entirely creaseless, it comes close and it is certainly easy to overlook during everyday use. It’s also less visible (and obvious), which makes using it (when unfolded) feel like using a Kindle or a similar-sized device. Additionally, features like split-screen, which lets you use two or more apps at a time on the inner display, make the inner display much more useful.

That said, one area where this phone could have done better is in terms of its speakers. The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra (yes, it does take you a minute to get used to the new name), comes with decently loud speakers. While the sound doesn’t fill the room, it’s sufficient for you to enjoy a movie marathon. What I don’t appreciate is the clarity part of the sound. That’s one area where I feel Samsung could have done better and needs to do a lot better, more so because of the hefty price buyers are paying for it.

Coming to the software, it is as ambitious as the hardware or more specifically the chipset. The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra runs One UI 9 based Android 17, which brings foldable phone-optimised multitasking features along with a deeper integration of Galaxy AI-based features. For instance, Now Nudge understands the context of what is on screen and it proactively suggests actions based on it. It can bring up Calendar when it detects plans for an event or Maps when you look for places to eat, to name a few. Gemini Notebook is another useful addition. It turns PDFs, meeting notes and recordings into summaries, presentations and quizzes. Samsung has also brought agentic AI automation that can perform multi-step tasks across supported apps, although I would still recommend checking AI-generated actions before letting them run unattended. Overall, the Fold8 Ultra feels less like a foldable with flagship hardware and more like a pocket-sized productivity machine.

Where Samsung has upped its ante this year is in terms of the secondary shooter or the 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens, which replaces Galaxy Z Fold7’s 12MP sensor. This secondary lens gets a wider f/1.9 aperture and higher-resolution sensor, which in turn produces noticeably better details, sharper edges and brighter low-light shots compared to its predecessor. What could have been better is the 10MP telephoto lens, which remains a weak link in the phone’s triple rear camera setup. While it does capture decent images in good lighting conditions, it quickly loses ground when you push it to 3x zoom. That’s the point where images start looking soft and over-processed, which makes the camera feel less than what the ultra name should offer. Coming to the front camera and the cover lens, both produce decent images in good lighting conditions. While the colours are accurate, details are a curious case of hits and misses.

Overall, the camera system in the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is arguably the best camera system Samsung has put on a foldable, especially for everyday photography. However, Samsung needs to improve or rather refine it further for it to feel truly class leading.