Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Galaxy Z Fold 8: Wide screens or flagship features?

Samsung just launched two Galaxy Z Fold 8 models — the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. The former is the new, wider take on the Galaxy Z Fold line, and the latter is the true Galaxy Z Fold 7 successor. The two foldables are quite different, with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 focused solely on widescreen content consumption and the latter on flagship specs and refinement.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra continues the trend of rising prices for Samsung foldables, but the Galaxy Z Fold 8 slots in as the cheaper alternative. Samsung is betting that the traditional big-screen foldable design doesn't meet everyone's needs, and the wide option will entice new buyers. Should you buy the wide Galaxy Z Fold 8 or the traditional Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra? Let's find out.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Pricing and availability

The two phones in the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series were announced at Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event in London on July 22, 2026. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra are both available for pre-order now, and will be generally available starting Aug. 7.

The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra does cost more than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 it replaces. You can get the new foldable for $2,099.99, and that's for the 256GB variant. There are optional upgrades to 512GB and 1TB of storage available at an additional cost. It comes in Graphite, Cream, Violet Shadow, and Green Shadow, with the latter being a Samsung online exclusive.

The wide Galaxy Z Fold 8 is cheaper, starting at $1,899.99 for the 256GB model. Like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, the wide Fold 8 can be upgraded to either 512GB or 1TB of storage for an additional fee. It's sold in Graphite, Cream, and Lavender colorways, plus the Samsung online exclusive Pistachio option.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Design and displays

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra feature similar design languages, with flat sides and an oval-shaped rear camera platform. Of course, the aspect ratios and form factors are completely different. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra model is slimmer than the wider version — it's 4.1mm thick when opened (excluding the raised bezel) and 8.9mm when closed. It's lightweight as well, continuing the trend set by the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra weighs just 215 grams as a result

However, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is actually Samsung's lightest Galaxy Z Fold phone ever. It only weighs 201 grams, which is incredible for a foldable. The 9.7mm thickness isn't as impressive, but it's still going to feel slim in your hand and in your pocket.

There's a 5.4-inch cover screen and a 7.6-inch foldable display, with new aspect ratios. The inner display is smaller, but it does have a 4:3 aspect ratio that's better for watching TV shows and movies. The outer display has a 10:16 cover screen, and this may be a little odd for vertical video. Otherwise, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will do great with horizontal, widescreen content when unfolded.

By comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra comes with a 6.5-inch cover screen and an 8-inch main screen. The inner display offers a 1:1 aspect ratio, which is more ideal for productivity work and less enjoyable for content consumption. On paper, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra's displays are larger than the Galaxy Z Fold 8's wide screens.

As for specs, the two Galaxy Z Fold 8 models feature foldable OLED panels with identical 120Hz refresh rates and high-brightness levels. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra's folding display is sharper, with a pixel density of 422 pixels per inch (ppi) that beats the Galaxy Z Fold 8's 403ppi.

Samsung didn't upgrade its foldables by adding Qi2 support or IP68 durability protection. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 series sticks with basic "Qi2 Ready" charging and IP48 protection.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Hardware and specs

Both the wide and traditional Galaxy Z Fold 8 models are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset. This is an overclocked version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip that we already saw in the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Despite the two models featuring different price tags, they have the same chip, and that is nice to see.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra are both paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of base storage. You can upgrade to the 512GB model for extra storage, but jumping to the 1TB configuration also gets you 16GB of RAM. Each phone launched with One UI 9, based on Android 17, and will get seven years of Android OS support thereafter.

For the first time, Samsung is selling foldables with silicon-carbon batteries. The Galaxy Z Fold 8's capacity is no slouch, with a 4,800mAh battery. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra takes that up a notch with a 5,000mAh capacity. Each phone charges at up to 45W wired speeds, but neither phone supports magnetic Qi2 wireless charging out of the box.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Cameras

The camera systems separate the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 wide only has a 50MP main camera and a 50MP ultrawide lens on the back. On the front, it gets two 10MP selfie cameras — one for each display. This dual-camera system might be enough for some buyers, but others might find it too limiting.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, by comparison, sports a 200MP primary shooter, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 10MP telephoto lens — the same setup as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but with a better ultrawide lens. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra also has two 10MP selfie cameras split across the folding and cover displays.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Which upcoming foldable will be best?

While it looks a bit unconventional, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a more practical alternative to the current crop of big-screen foldables. A frustrating aspect of using foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 (and now, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra) is that video content isn't much bigger on the internal display.

This is because the square aspect ratio of the main screen isn't conducive to widescreen video. Phones like the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 model address this pain point and will be better for mobile content consumption. The standard Galaxy Z Fold 8's folding display and its 4:3 aspect ratio sound great for movies and games, and the cheaper price helps too.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is still the flagship foldable, with the square internal aspect ratio that longtime users crave. It offers extra features like the third camera on the rear and a larger battery. The $200 higher price compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 might make it a tough sell, however.

Personally, I'm excited for the wide Galaxy Z Fold 8. I use foldable phones a lot, and most of them never stick as my daily driver. This is partially because the aspect ratios currently offered aren't great for making the most of TV shows, movies, and games. The wider Samsung foldable sounds like a nice change of pace and could solve the problems users like myself find with folding phones.