Samsung Z Fold 8 vs Fold 8 Ultra: The Ultimate Buying Guide

We may earn compensation from reviewed products. Learn about our editorial policies.

For the first time, you have two Z Folds to choose from. Depending on your perspective, Samsung has made the buying process for its latest foldables either more exciting… or somewhat confusing.

Although, let’s be honest, if this is the biggest challenge you’re facing right now, it’s a pretty lovely place to be.

Flip 8 aside (which is still a fantastic device for the right audience – and I understand that’s a rather large audience for Samsung), you can now buy either the Z Fold 8 Ultra or the Z Fold 8.

The good news is that it’s actually an easier decision than you might expect, and the even better news is that I’ve spent a very long time thinking about it.

So, let’s get cracking.

Positioning and pricing

The Fold 8 Ultra is the replacement for the Fold 7. As nomenclature goes, this is new ground for the Z Fold lineup. There’s never been an ‘ultra’ device before, and Samsung’s decision to give that name to what most of us would call the ‘regular’ Z Fold is interesting.

As a result, it’s also the most expensive phone out of the two, by at least £200/$200, across all storage options.

The Fold 8 is an entirely new device for Samsung and for the industry at large. Yes, Huawei makes a similar device, and yes, you could say we’ve seen similar stuff from Google (the first Pixel Fold) and Microsoft (the now completely dead Surface Duo). But try and make a Huawei phone work in the western world. And as for the Surface Duo, well, it’s dead. The Pixel Fold is a non-starter in terms of a comparison, in my opinion (the Fold 8 doesn’t remind me of it at all).

Despite the fresh presence of the ‘Ultra’ moniker in the Z Fold lineup, I believe the Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra are both flagships. They share the same chip, storage and RAM tiers, and capabilities (despite a few key differences, which I’ll get to).

They’re also extremely expensive, like all foldables, which means if you buy either of them, you need to have a specific reason for doing so, or an overwhelming urge that just won’t go away.

Pricing (correct as of August 2026 – includes current Samsung discounts):

Galaxy Z Fold 8	RAM	UK	US
256GB	12GB	£1,699	$1,899.99
512GB	12GB	£1,784	$2,099.99
1TB	16GB	£2,039	$2,499.99
Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra	RAM	UK	US
256GB	12GB	£1,899	$2,099.99
512GB	12GB	£1,984	$2,299.99
1TB	16GB	£2,239	$2,699.99

EXTRA 5% OFF at Samsung: Use code AFF_MARK at checkout!

Shop the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra below!

The displays

This is where the biggest differences between both phones exist and where you’re most likely to make your buying decision. The user experience between the two is overwhelmingly different because of the screens on offer.

The Fold 8 Ultra has a tall and relatively narrow cover screen, although, thanks to last year’s redesign, it’s wider and far more usable than Z Folds of old. Out of the two phones we’re comparing today, the Fold 8 Ultra is the one that feels most like a regular smartphone when closed.

The Fold 8’s cover screen is an entirely different animal. It’s about two-thirds as tall, but much wider. ‘Squat’ is the word that’s impossible not to use when describing the Fold 8 closed. It also constantly conjures up memories of my Blackberry days – minus the physical keyboard, of course. This is a very good thing.

Both devices are extremely usable when closed. The Fold 8 Ultra offers oodles of regular phone-ability, while the Fold 8 is probably like nothing you’ve ever used before – in an extremely positive way. It feels natural, capable, and can even be used comfortably one-handed.

Open them both up, and it gets even more interesting. The Fold 8 Ultra offers a huge internal display which is a multitasking monster. For someone who only goes as far as a couple of apps side-by-side, this is of little consequence, but if you’re a foldable power user, you’ll love it. However, watching content on the Ultra, while impressive, always feels like overkill, and there’s no discernible difference between the two orientations.

The Fold 8 couldn’t be any more different. Open it, and you get two very distinct ratios – either 4:3 or 3:4. The former is great for reading, watching, and multitasking, while the latter feels the most tablet-like of any foldable I’ve used (it’s great for typing, too – something I’ve always struggled with on internal foldable displays).

One of these approaches will be right for you. If you’re an existing foldable user, the Fold 8 Ultra is the one. If you’re new to foldables, or you’ve always been put off by what they offer, the Fold 8 could be for you. It’s the winner for me because, finally, it’s making me intentional about my foldable usage (and that really matters when you’re spending this much money on a portable telephone).

---

The hinge (and what it cost)

The Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra both get Samsung’s fancy new Titanium hinge. This incorporates a thin sheet of metal that sits beneath the inner display and which is less than a third the thickness of a human hair. Despite this, it’s 20% stiffer than the plastic film Samsung used before.

This means it’s strong, durable, and should last the test of time (that remains to be seen, of course). It also means that both of these phones snap open with a lot of confidence and assurance. That’s great – unless you want to use Flex Mode.

Flex Mode is Samsung’s name for the laptop-like functionality it has been offering on the Z Fold series for a while now. You simply half-open the phone, place it on a surface and either use the lower portion of the screen as a keyboard, or simply use that positioning as a way to watch stuff hands-free. For me, the latter is the only viable use case.

You can do this on the Fold 8 Ultra. But it’s trickier than Flex Mode on the Fold 7 because you have to get the angle just right before the device snaps fully open, thanks to that new hinge.

Fold 8 owners don’t get Flex Mode at all. It’s an odd omission, given that you can still technically half-open the Fold 8 to the same degree as its bigger brother (although it is, admittedly, a little trickier on the small, squat one). I reckon we might see it make a surprise return via a software update.

Is this a reason to buy one and not the other? Only for hardcore Z Fold users.

Cameras

There’s a rather stark difference between the two here. Several, in fact.

The Fold 8 Ultra has three cameras – a 200MP main, 50MP ultra-wide, and a 3x telephoto. The Fold 8 has two – the main camera and an ultra-wide (both are 50MP). And while they share most video shooting specs, the Fold 8 Ultra adds compatibility for Cine LUT (the ability to shoot with a flat colour profile).

To be fair, this is where the Fold 8 Ultra earns its name; it is, clearly, the more capable out of the two when it comes to photography and cinematography. Despite this, the absence of the 3x optical zoom lens on the Fold 8 is disappointing, particularly when you consider that it’s still an expensive flagship device.

However. In everyday life – you know, when you’re simply going about your business and taking photos of stuff – the difference doesn’t really make itself known. Unless you think about it. Or unless you head out specifically on a photo-taking mission where you’re paying constant attention to the camera. Because on the Fold 8, you can still zoom in, albeit digitally, and grab what you need, and it still does a great job.

That said, if you want the best of the best when it comes to photography, go for the Ultra.

If camera performance is a top priority, it’s worth seeing how Samsung stacks up against the competition – check out our Samsung S26 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro Max comparison.

Performance and battery

This is where the ‘Which one is the flagship?’ question really muddies. Because they both feature the same chip – the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. Which is Qualcomm’s current flagship mobile chip.

They also share the same storage and RAM tiers (256GB/12GB, 512GB/12GB, and 1TB/16GB). So, performance-wise, they’re probably going to be nigh-on identical even if you really push them. Although I’m still not sure how one goes about doing that these days.

Samsung has switched to silicon carbon technology for the batteries in the Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra. The latter has a 5,000mAh battery, and the Fold 8’s is 4,800mAh. The difference in terms of Samsung’s quoted stamina is just one hour of video playback, with the Fold 8 Ultra topping out at 27 hours versus the Fold 8’s 26 hours.

A little bit like the camera performance, in real life, I’d challenge anyone to notice the difference. Both devices offer superb battery performance which, on a normal day, should see you well into two-day territory. I have absolutely no qualms in recommending both the Fold 8 and the Fold 8 Ultra for their battery life alone. It’s really good.

Of course, they run One UI 9 and share the same features and all of the same AI gubbins. The latter include some new stuff and some updated stuff, including improvements to Now Nudge and the introduction of automation across over 40 apps.

Multitasking? It’s bordering on comical. The Fold 8 and the Fold 8 Ultra support up to three apps side-by-side and a whole bunch of floating windows on top. If you’re that way inclined.

Wondering how the Fold 8 Ultra compares to last year’s model? Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 review for the full picture.

Wrapping up: Z Fold 8 vs Z Fold 8 Ultra… who are they for?

I have some good news. The answer to the above question is actually a lot simpler than it might feel if you’ve spent the last couple of weeks battling with your own conscience while trying to figure out which one is for you.

If you’re a seasoned Samsung Z Fold user, the Fold 8 Ultra is the safe, obvious choice. And it’s the right one. The Fold 8, although tempting, might just be a bit too… weird for you. Endearing. But weird. Stick with what you know. If you’re coming from a Z Fold device that’s pre-Fold 7, the 8 Ultra is a massive upgrade.

If you’re new to the foldable game and you’ve had your eye on the Fold 8 since it was announced over two weeks ago. Buy it. I’m confident that you’ll fall in love with it quickly.

If you’re an Apple person tempted by either of these devices. I’d hold on just a few weeks – you never know what might be around the corner (I know as much as you, by the way).

EXTRA 5% OFF at Samsung: Use code AFF_MARK at checkout!

Shop the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra below!