Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 arrives as the Ultra's surprisingly capable little brother

Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold 8 alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, making it the first time it has ever launched two book-style foldables together. The non-Ultra model focuses on keeping the quintessential Galaxy Z Fold experience consistent, but it does so with a few compromises and a lower price tag.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8's biggest change comes in the form of a redesigned display. Samsung has opted for a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a more practical 4:3 aspect ratio, allowing content make better use of the available screen space. The outer display now measures 5.5 inches and adopts a taller 16:10 aspect ratio that Samsung says is better suited for one-handed use and everyday applications. Both displays support adaptive 120 Hz refresh rates. Samsung has also upgraded the display with a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. Additionally, Vision Booster technology allows for improved outdoor visibility and an anti-reflective coating designed to reduce glare under direct sunlight.

Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 sticks with a dual rear camera setup. Samsung has equipped the smartphone with a 50 MP primary camera (f/1.8) and a 50 MP ultra-wide camera (f/1.9). The company says the new camera system is versatile enough for everything from landscape photography to content creation, while both the inner and cover displays house 10 MP selfie cameras.

Samsung has also introduced several camera-focused features designed specifically for foldables. Dual Video Recording lets users record both the photographer and subject simultaneously using the inner and outer displays. The company also highlighted improved zoom performance, showcasing optical-quality 2x zoom alongside enhanced digital zoom capabilities.

Powering the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, the same SoC that powers both Ultra-branded phones from Samsung. The foldable also gets a 4,800 mAh battery, only a little smaller than the 5,000 mAh cell found on the Ultra version. One can charge the battery at 45 Watts with a cable and 25 Watts wirelessly. Samsung claims the battery can reach 63% in 30 minutes and provide up to 26 hours of video playback.

At 201 g, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the lightest Galaxy Fold the company has produced to date. Samsung has also introduced a new ultra-thin display structure that helps reduce the device's thickness to 4.5 mm when unfolded and 9.7 mm when folded. Overall dimensions measure 123.9 x 161.4 x 4.5 mm when unfolded and 123.9 x 81.9 x 9.7 mm when folded. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 will be available in three configurations:

• 12 GB RAM / 256 GB storage: €1,999
• 12 GB RAM / 512 GB storage: €2,199
• 16 GB RAM / 1 TB storage: €2,599

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 can be pre-ordered now in three colour variants: Graphite, Cream, and Lavender.