What is the key drawback of the Galaxy Z Fold8 compared to the Ultra smartphone for audio enthusiasts?

Looking at our test data, it is clear that both the Ultra and the standard Fold 8 feature very good speaker systems. The standard Fold even exhibits a slightly smaller dip in the ultrahigh frequencies. However, the Ultra model has an advantage in terms of speaker positioning when the device is rotated 90 degrees into landscape mode.

While the regular Galaxy Z Fold 8, due to its new, wider form factor, groups both stereo speakers on the left side when unfolded, the larger Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra retains a classic layout with speaker grilles on both the left and right sides of the device in landscape mode. This design gives the Ultra model a potentially decisive advantage for audio enthusiasts in terms of spatial separation: Movies, games, and music are played back with a true stereo effect, with sound perceptible from both sides. The standard model, on the other hand, struggles in landscape mode with an audible, left-biased soundstage, as the single-sided placement makes it difficult to separate the channels effectively.

Is this effect noticeable in everyday use? Definitely. However, this drawback of the Fold 8 is likely to be a real dealbreaker only for audio enthusiasts, since the wide bezels resulting from the square form factor mean the Ultra model isn’t really ideal for watching movies either.