Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra in Digit Test Labs: The ultimate foldable at an ultimate price

There’s something about a new foldable that always gets me excited, especially when it’s a Samsung. This year, though, we have not one, not two, but three foldables. Of course, Samsung also launched three foldables last year, but that lineup consisted of two Flip models and one book-style foldable. This time, at Galaxy Unpacked in London, we have, for the very first time, two new book-style foldables: the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and the Galaxy Z Fold 8, alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 8. Now, personally, I’m more excited about the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and its new wide form factor. In fact, its first impressions article is already live, so do check it out if you want to know what I think about it. But in this article, I’m going to share my early impressions of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Samsung’s top-tier foldable flagship.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review: King of the hill

Here’s what I liked, what could’ve been better, and whether the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra feels worthy of the Ultra badge. This is my first impression of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Durable, thinner and prettier

I remember when the Galaxy Z Fold 7 launched last year, and there was this global campaign where many smartphone makers (let’s not name names) were busy claiming to have the thinnest foldable. Everyone wanted a piece of the pie, but Samsung never really played that game. In fact, if you compared the devices mm for mm, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 was arguably the thinnest foldable at launch. But then other brands started introducing technicalities to justify their own claims, even though, realistically, that wasn’t quite the case.

Well, if there was any doubt last year, there certainly isn’t this time around. The moment I held the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, it immediately won me over, and there are several reasons why. For those who care about the numbers, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra measures just 4.1mm when unfolded, making it thinner than the Fold 7’s 4.2mm. Does that 0.1mm difference really matter? Not really. But does it make for a slim, comfortable foldable that feels great in the hand? Absolutely.

The design deserves praise for a couple of reasons. First, Samsung has managed to make the phone even thinner despite fitting a much larger 5,000mAh battery, up from the Fold 7’s 4,400mAh cell. Second, the company has subtly chamfered the inner edges of the frame. Combined with the improved hinge, this makes opening and closing the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra noticeably easier. It sounds like a tiny change, but while I was using the phone and comparing it side by side with the Fold 7 I had borrowed, the difference was surprisingly apparent.

Samsung is also talking up its new Flex Titanium technology, which is designed to improve the display’s long-term durability, refine the hinge mechanism and reduce crease visibility over time. It certainly sounds promising on paper, but that’s something we’ll only be able to judge after spending a lot more time with the device. For now, though, everything feels reassuringly solid and well put together.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Silicon-carbon battery at last!

This is probably the biggest Fold upgrade we’ve seen in years, at least from a hardware perspective. There are improvements everywhere you look, and there’s only so much I can cover in a first impressions piece. So, let’s take things one at a time.

Let’s start with the battery. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra packs a 5,000mAh battery, but this isn’t just another 5,000mAh lithium-ion cell. This is Samsung’s first smartphone to feature a silicon-carbon battery. Yes, after years of watching its competitors adopt the technology, Samsung has finally made the switch. And honestly, I understand the cautious approach. It isn’t about being first. It’s about getting it right. From what we’ve seen so far, Samsung finally seems confident enough to move away from its tried-and-tested lithium-ion formula in favour of silicon-carbon technology.

Now, the benefits are quite significant, and I can’t wait to see how they translate into real-world usage. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 already delivered decent battery life. It wasn’t class-leading, but it comfortably lasted a full workday with normal use. The Fold 8 Ultra starts with an obvious advantage, thanks to its larger 5,000mAh battery, giving it an extra 600mAh of capacity over its predecessor.

Then there’s the silicon-carbon battery itself. Because it has a higher energy density than a conventional lithium-ion battery, Samsung has been able to fit a larger battery into a body that’s actually 0.1mm thinner. Add faster charging into the mix, and things get even more interesting. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra supports 45W wired fast charging and 20W wireless charging, both welcome upgrades.

That said, one question still lingers. Samsung’s lithium-ion batteries have earned a reputation for holding up well over four to five years of use. With silicon-carbon batteries, however, there have been concerns around long-term degradation on some devices. Has Samsung done enough research and optimisation to ensure this battery ages just as gracefully? Only time will answer that.

One thing I’m confident about, though, is that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra should deliver noticeably better battery life than its predecessor. The larger silicon carbon battery will obviously play a big role, but so will the Snapdragon 8 Gen Elite 5 for Galaxy and Samsung’s new One UI 9. I’ll have much more to say about the performance and software once I’ve spent more time with the phone in my full review.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Anti-reflective display and flagship cameras

Before I wrap up my initial impressions, it would be criminal not to talk about two of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra’s biggest strengths: the display and the cameras.

Let’s start with the display. The sizes remain unchanged from the Fold 7, which means you get a 6.5-inch cover display and a massive 8-inch inner screen. What has changed, however, is the brightness. Samsung claims a peak brightness of up to 3,000 nits, and if my experience with the Fold 7 is anything to go by, expectations are naturally high. The previous model already had one of the brightest foldable displays around, so I’m looking forward to seeing just how much of a difference this makes in day-to-day use.

Another welcome addition is the anti-reflective coating on the inner display, similar to what we’ve already seen on Samsung’s Galaxy S Ultra series. No, it doesn’t completely eliminate reflections, but it does a very good job of reducing glare from harsh light sources and softening reflections. The end result is a display that’s noticeably easier to read outdoors or under bright indoor lighting.

And, of course, a great display deserves a great camera system to go with it. The 200MP triple rear camera setup returns, but the headline upgrade this year is the new 50MP ultra-wide camera, replacing the ageing 12MP sensor from the previous generation. On the front, you still get two 10MP selfie cameras, one on the cover display and another on the inner screen.

Being a foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra also gets a few camera tricks that make better use of its unique form factor. One feature that actually caught my attention is Dual Recording, which lets you record both sides of the moment while giving your subject a live preview on the cover display. And the best part is that both recordings can be saved as separate clips. Samsung is also promising improved Nightography performance for both photos and videos, support for up to 8K video recording, and the APV codec, which we last saw on the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Now, just how ‘Ultra’ the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra’s cameras really are is something we’ll reserve judgement on until we’ve spent more time with the phone. That’s a story for the full review, which will be dropping on Digit very soon.

Closing thoughts

As for my early verdict, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra feels like Samsung’s most complete foldable yet. I know, it’s a very cliché line to say, but the Fold 8 Ultra isn’t just about the phone being thinner or adding another camera upgrade. I think Samsung seems to have addressed several long-standing requests in one go: a bigger silicon-carbon battery, a more refined design, a stronger hinge, faster charging, an anti-reflective display and a more capable ultra-wide camera.

The only thing that doesn’t look quite as rosy is the pricing. By the time this article goes live, you’ll already know how much the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra costs. With the ongoing chip supply situation and rising component costs across the industry, it is expected to carry an eye-watering price tag, and that’s perhaps its biggest hurdle. If you’re after the absolute best foldable experience on the market, it genuinely doesn’t get much better than this. But experiences like these don’t come cheap, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra may end up being out of reach for many.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Ultra review: The Jack of all trades

Of course, first impressions can only tell you so much. The real test will be how all of this comes together in everyday use over the next few weeks. Stay tuned for Digit’s full review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.