Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Review: specs and features, camera quality test, gaming benchmark, user opinions and photos

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is still not the best in its segment.

The Korean company Samsung improves its foldable smartphones every year. However, even being one of the first to release the aforementioned devices, this world-renowned manufacturer doesn't automatically make it a leader in this category. Recent Fold lineups have lagged behind their Chinese competitors in battery life, ergonomics, and other areas. Today's review subject narrows this gap, but the gap remains.

The appearance of the new device has changed little. The metal and tempered glass case is reasonably thick even when folded, the photo module assembly looks modern, and the fingerprint scanner on the side is convenient. However, the bezels on both screens could be smaller; they are quite noticeable. Image clarity on both the 7.6-inch (2448x1848 pixels) and 5.5-inch (1972x1248 pixels) AMOLED displays is impeccable, though not record-breaking. The same applies to other parameters, namely the 3000-nit peak brightness, 120 Hz refresh rate, and natural color reproduction. While the oleophobic coating is minimal, the pronounced PWM effect is an unpleasant surprise. A flagship phone in 2026 should be free of such issues.

The technical specifications are as follows. Last year's top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite Gen 5 processor (series 8), 12/16GB of RAM, and Adreno 840 graphics deliver excellent performance, reaching around 3,500,000 points in the AnTuTu v10 benchmark, and extremely stable gameplay in all existing Android games at maximum graphics settings. Of course, the frame rate will plummet beyond 100 frames per second. Two things mar all of this: the device heats up during long gaming sessions and the poor battery life. The 4800mAh battery can only realistically be expected to deliver 6-7 hours of screen-on time. Wireless charging is modest (20W), and wired charging is also unimpressive (45W). However, the internal storage is generous (256GB, 512GB, or 1024GB).

Photography is good, but not exceptional. However, the combination of the main 50-megapixel sensor, equipped with hybrid image stabilization, and the wide-angle 50-megapixel sensor falls short of the best camera phones. Detail is slightly reduced in low light and fast-moving scenes, with noise and blur becoming more prominent. Stereo sound is also decent, but not stunning. Additional highlights include NFC contactless payments, support for eSIM and 5G frequencies, and IP48 water resistance. Overall, this is a stylish, high-tech, and affordable device, though many buyers will prefer alternatives from Huawei, Honor, or Oppo.