My Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ongoing Review Living With Samsung’s Passport Foldable
Samsung’s foldable lineup is ambitious lately, from last year’s super-slim Galaxy Z Fold 7 to the sprawling Galaxy Z TriFold. But the phone I’m most excited about using is the new passport-sized Galaxy Z Fold 8.
With a 4:3 aspect ratio and a satisfyingly compact build, the Z Fold 8 feels refreshingly different from most phones sold today. Unfolded, it’s well-suited for watching horizontal videos and multitasking in landscape mode, while also giving vertically oriented apps more room to breathe in portrait orientation. The 5.5-inch cover display is comfortable for everyday tasks like texting or checking email, while the 7.6-inch inner display is more versatile for scrolling or binging without feeling oversized.
One element that isn’t small is the price; the Z Fold 8 starts at $1,900. It comes with two 50-megapixel rear cameras (no telephoto camera here) and a 4,800-mAh battery with support for 45-watt wired and 20-watt wireless charging.
I’ve been using the Z Fold 8 following Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event in London, and will be sharing my first impressions here over the next couple of days. Stay tuned for my full review, but for now, here’s what stands out to me about using Samsung’s reimagined book-style phone. (And fear not: The Z Fold 7‘s design, which won a CNET Editors’ Choice Award, lives on in the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.)
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is available for preorder, and hits shelves on Aug. 7.
The fun begins. I was thrilled to get the Z Fold 8 in lavender, which is a much more eye-catching hue than cream (white) and graphite (blackish silver). There’s also an online exclusive light green shade called pistachio, which is my second favorite option. More color is always the answer!
I got to spend some time with the Z Fold 8 in London ahead of the Galaxy Unpacked event. With a fresh, passport-sized design, the “wide” Fold is optimized for both horizontal and vertical media. It’s also incredibly fun to use. To a look:
