Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Review: A Compact Foldable Phone That Finally Gets the Design Right

Samsung’s foldable smartphone lineup has taken an interesting direction with the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Instead of focusing only on bigger displays and more powerful specifications, Samsung has introduced a redesigned form factor that makes its premium foldable smartphone more compact, portable and practical for everyday use.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 features a passport-inspired design, a 7.6-inch inner AMOLED display, a 5.5-inch cover screen, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor and a larger 4,800mAh battery.

Starting at Rs 1,79,999 in India, it targets users who want the flexibility of a smartphone and a small tablet in one device.

According to the hands-on review published by The Indian Express, the Fold 8 addresses several traditional foldable smartphone limitations, although its expensive price and camera compromises remain important considerations.

Here is a closer look at its design, display, performance, battery, cameras and overall value.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: Specifications at a Glance

1. Design: A Passport-Inspired Foldable Smartphone

The biggest change in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is its design.

Unlike traditional book-style foldable phones, the Fold 8 features a shorter and wider passport-like shape. When folded, it measures approximately 4.88 x 3.24 inches, making it easier to carry in a pocket.

Weighing just 201 grams, it is also the lightest Galaxy Z Fold device in the lineup described in the review.

Samsung has focused on making the device feel more like a regular smartphone when closed while retaining the ability to transform into a larger tablet-like screen when opened.

The phone measures approximately 4.5mm when unfolded and 9.7mm when folded.

The compact design is particularly useful for people who frequently travel, browse social media, read articles and watch videos on their smartphones.

However, the wider cover screen may require some adjustment, especially for users accustomed to traditional narrow smartphones.

2. Display: A Better Experience for Videos and Multitasking

Samsung has equipped the Galaxy Z Fold 8 with two displays.

The external screen measures 5.5 inches, while opening the device reveals a larger 7.6-inch AMOLED display with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

The inner display is one of the phone’s biggest advantages. It provides more room for watching videos, reading documents, browsing websites and using multiple applications.

The wider screen also improves the experience of watching Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and other vertical content.

Another important improvement is the reduced visibility of the display crease. Samsung’s Flex Titanium technology helps minimise the crease, addressing one of the most common complaints about foldable smartphones.

An anti-reflective layer also helps reduce screen glare.

However, not every application is perfectly optimised for the foldable display, and the punch-hole selfie camera can sometimes interfere with reading content.

3. Performance: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Delivers Flagship Power

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset.

The processor is designed to handle demanding applications, multitasking, gaming and AI-powered features.

The reviewed 256GB variant comes with 12GB RAM, while the 1TB version offers 16GB RAM.

According to The Indian Express review, everyday performance was smooth, with applications opening quickly and multitasking between WhatsApp, Gmail and YouTube working without noticeable slowdowns.

The larger display also makes switching between applications more convenient.

However, the reviewer noted that the phone could become warm during use. Its extremely slim design may present thermal management challenges during demanding tasks.

4. Battery Life: A Bigger 4,800mAh Battery

Battery life has historically been an important consideration for foldable smartphones because their larger displays can consume more power.

Samsung addresses this with a 4,800mAh battery in the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

The device supports 45W wired charging and 20W wireless charging.

In the published review, the phone managed almost a full day of battery life under heavy usage.

The 45W charging support can reportedly take the battery from approximately 0% to 60% in 30 minutes, using a compatible charger.

However, Samsung still does not include built-in magnetic charging rings, which may disappoint users expecting more convenient magnetic accessories.

5. Camera: Good Everyday Photography, But Not the Best

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 offers a capable camera system for everyday photography.

Its camera setup includes:

• 50MP primary camera
• 50MP ultra-wide camera
• 10MP cover-screen selfie camera
• 10MP inner-screen selfie camera

Images captured in good lighting offer natural colours and detailed results.

However, the camera system has limitations. The absence of a dedicated telephoto camera means users do not get the same zoom flexibility available on Samsung’s premium Galaxy S Ultra models.

Low-light photography is also less consistent.

For everyday photographs, social media content and casual videos, the camera system should be sufficient. However, photography enthusiasts may prefer a traditional flagship smartphone with a more advanced camera setup.

6. Galaxy AI and Software Experience

Samsung continues to integrate Galaxy AI features into its foldable smartphones.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 runs Android 17 with One UI 9 and includes features designed to improve productivity and content creation.

One interesting feature is My FanCam, which uses AI to track a selected subject in a video and allows users to reframe footage for social media.

The phone also supports seven years of software and security updates, giving buyers a longer software support commitment.

Its large inner display makes multitasking and productivity more convenient, although running three applications simultaneously can feel cramped. Using two applications is a more practical experience for many tasks.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: Pros and Cons

Pros

• Compact and lightweight passport-inspired design.
• Reduced visibility of the inner display crease.
• Large 7.6-inch AMOLED inner display.
• Powerful Snapdragon processor.
• Improved 4,800mAh battery.
• Seven years of software and security updates.
• Better experience for reading, browsing and multitasking.

Cons

• Premium starting price of Rs 1,79,999.
• No dedicated telephoto camera.
• Phone can become warm during demanding usage.
• IP48 rating does not provide full dust protection.
• Cover-screen keyboard may require an adjustment period.
• No built-in magnetic charging rings.

Should You Buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is an interesting step forward for the foldable smartphone category. Its compact passport-inspired design makes it more practical to carry, while the larger internal display provides a useful tablet-like experience.

The reduced crease, improved battery capacity and powerful processor also address several limitations associated with earlier foldable devices.

However, its Rs 1,79,999 starting price makes it an expensive purchase. The camera system is also not as versatile as Samsung’s top traditional flagship smartphones.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 makes the most sense for professionals, frequent travellers and productivity-focused users who want a compact smartphone that can transform into a larger screen when needed.

If you primarily want excellent photography, gaming performance or value for money, a conventional flagship smartphone may be a more sensible choice.

Overall, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 represents a more practical approach to foldable smartphones. Rather than simply making foldables bigger, Samsung is working towards making them easier to use every day.