The traditional fold
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, or whatever it ends up being called, will be the successor to the Galaxy Z Fold 7. You can expect a slim and refined design with a focus on flagship features, including a standout triple-camera featured. We'd also like to see a larger battery, and hope we don't see a significantly higher price.
Pros
- We expect to see the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip here, too
- A rumored 5,000mAh capacity would be a major improvement
- A crease-less display or Privacy Display-like feature might be coming
- Better cameras than standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 (the wide one)
Cons
- Very similar to Galaxy Z Fold 7 design
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 might not be much better than 8 Elite for daily use
- Higher prices are a possibility
- No Qi2 or IP68 improvements expected
Widescreen fold
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, previously rumored as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, will offer a wider cover screen and aspect ratio similar to the Huawei Pura X Max. It'll focus on content consumption due to the widescreen displays, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is expected to be better in other areas, like battery life and camera quality. The wider Galaxy Z Fold 8 might be cheaper than the Ultra variant.
Pros
- Could use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 platform
- Expected to cost less than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
- Wider aspect ratios should be better for content consumption
Cons
- Fewer cameras than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
- Could have a smaller battery than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
- Will face tough competition against Razr Fold and Pixel 10 Pro Fold
Samsung is reportedly planning to launch two Galaxy Z Fold 8 models this year, but we don't know exactly what they'll be called. There's a traditional Galaxy Z Fold 7 successor in the works, plus a wider big-screen foldable supposedly in the pipeline.
The former was originally thought to be called the Galaxy Z Fold 8, with the latter taking up the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide moniker. More recently, rumors point to Samsung calling the wider foldable simply the Galaxy Z Fold 8, with the flagship model being branded as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.
Regardless of how the naming scheme shakes out, it's all but confirmed that we are getting two Galaxy Z Fold 8 models from Samsung this release cycle. One of them will be a wide model akin to Huawei's Pura X Max, and the other will be similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Here's how we expect them to compare — and which one you should buy following Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event next month.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Pricing and availability
The two phones in the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series are expected to be announced at Samsung's next Galaxy Unpacked event. Current rumors point to Samsung hosting a Galaxy Unpacked event in London on July 22, 2026, and that's when we expect to see the Galaxy Z Fold 8 models debut. The leak predicts that both the standard and wide Galaxy Z Fold models will arrive at this showcase.
Pricing and availability details for these phones, possibly called the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, or Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, aren't known yet. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 starts at $2,000, which can serve as a benchmark for potential Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra pricing. The wide Galaxy Z Fold 8 is expected to come in 256GB and 512GB variants, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is tabbed to offer an additional 1TB configuration.
We don't know which colors the Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will be available in, but we have seen them in leaks.
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 are expected to sport similar design languages, with flat sides and an oval-shaped rear camera platform. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra model could be slimmer than the wider version — you can expect it to match the Galaxy Z Fold 7's dimensions of 4.2mm thick when opened and about 8.9mm when closed, or go even thinner. It'll likely be lightweight as well, continuing the trend set by the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
It's unclear how slim the wide Galaxy Z Fold 8 will be, but it may aim to match the Ultra model's thickness. Looking at the renders, we can see that the wider version certainly appears slim. The difference in aspect ratios is stark, though. There's a 5.4-inch cover screen and a 7.6-inch foldable display, according to leaks. The inner display is smaller, but it does have a 4:3 aspect ratio that's better for watching TV shows and movies.
By comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra should come with at least a 6.5-inch cover screen and an 8-inch main screen. The inner display will offer a 1:1 aspect ratio, which might be more ideal for productivity work and less enjoyable for content consumption. On paper, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra's displays will be larger than the Galaxy Z Fold 8's wide screens.
As for specs, we can expect the two Galaxy Z Fold 8 models to feature foldable OLED panels with identical 120Hz refresh rates and high-brightness levels. Some rumors have pointed to Samsung toying with the idea of using Privacy Display here or bringing back the S Pen, but that sounds more like wishful thinking than a prediction at this juncture.
Other ways Samsung could upgrade its next generation of foldables are by adding Qi2 support or IP68 durability protection. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series will probably stick 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 expected to be 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 potentially coming with different price tags, they could have the same chip, and that would be nice to see. Each phone will be paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of base storage.
Samsung could offer a variant with 16GB of RAM, but that'll likely be exclusive to the 1TB configuration of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. Each phone will launch with One UI 9, based on Android 17, and get seven years of Android OS support thereafter.
Category | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Rumored) | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra (Rumored) |
|---|---|---|
Operating System | One UI 9 (Android 17) | One UI 9 (Android 17) |
Display | Inner: 7.6-inch LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz Outer: 5.4-inch, LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz | Inner: 8-inch LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, crease-less Outer: 6.5-inch, LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz |
Stylus support | No | No |
Processor | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy |
RAM | 12GB | 12GB |
Storage | 256GB, 512GB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
Rear cameras | 50MP wide camera, 50MP ultrawide | 200MP wide camera, 50MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto 3x zoom |
Front camera | 10MP, 10MP | 10MP, 10MP |
Battery | Unknown | 5,000mAh |
Charging | 45W wired | 45W wired |
IP rating | IP48 | IP48 |
Weight | Unknown | Unknown |
Dimensions | Unknown | Unfolded: 155.2 x 150.4 x 5.2 mm Folded: 155.2 x 76.3 x 10.8 mm |
Colors | Unknown | Unknown |
The camera systems will separate the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. The wider version might only have a 50MP main camera and a 50MP ultrawide lens on the back. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, by comparison, will almost certainly sport a 200MP primary shooter, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 12MP telephoto lens — the same setup as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but with a better ultrawide lens.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra could also offer a bigger battery, with rumors pointing to the flagship foldable having a 5,000mAh capacity.
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 (or Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide) could be a more practical alternative to the current crop of big-screen foldables. A frustrating aspect of using foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 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 rumored wide Galaxy Z Fold 8 model will address this pain point and will be better for mobile content consumption.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will still be the flagship foldable, with the square internal aspect ratio that longtime users might still crave. It'll offer extra features like a third camera on the rear and feel generally more premium. We don't have concrete pricing or spec information for either phone, but the "Ultra" branding could signify a higher price point.
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 will be a nice change of pace and could solve the problems users like myself find with folding phones.
Until we know the final details of these two Galaxy foldables, though, we can't say for sure which will be the better device or the better value.
The flagship foldable
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will likely be packed with premium perks. A flagship chip, superb camera system, and larger battery are a few things we expect to see from this model. It won't have the wide displays of the standard model, but it will have a thin, light, and familiar form factor.
Best for casuals
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Fold 8 Wide will excel at content consumption and cover screen apps. The wider aspect ratio makes the inner display feel larger for watching videos or movies. It'll also be great for multitasking or productivity work. However, this model might come with camera or battery downgrades.
