Samsung’s top folding phone for 2026 is its first to carry the “Ultra” moniker in its name, packing a much bigger battery and better cameras into the thin and light body of a book-style foldable. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra continues from where the exquisite Z Fold 7 left off last year. With its svelte chocolate bar dimensions opening into a square tablet, the Ultra sits above the new passport-shaped Z Fold 8 as Samsung’s top model.
Costing £1,899 (€2,199/$2,099.99/A$2,999), it is a lot of money to pay for a phone, regardless of how many other devices it can theoretically replace in your pocket. The Ultra sticks with the tried and tested form of its many Z Fold predecessors, and is almost identical to the Fold 7 physically. Weighing 215g and being only 8.9mm thick when closed, it is about the same as a large normal slab phone.
The tall and super-bright outside screen makes easy work of phone-type tasks such as messaging, calls and mapping. Open up the Ultra like a book to reveal the 8in OLED tablet screen, which is notably crisper and brighter than previous models, with a new anti-reflective coating that makes it easy to see in direct sunlight. Browsing or reading books is particularly satisfying, while videos look great but have large letterboxing black bars top and bottom.
The stereo speakers, when held in landscape, are good for watching TV without headphones. The crease is less visible where the display folds but is still noticeable when the screen is off or you run your finger over it, and the necessarily softer material picks up fingerprints easily and needs more care than a traditional hardened glass smartphone. Main screen: 8in QXGA+ 120Hz (422ppi) Amoled flexible display Cover screen: 6.5in FHD+ 120Hz (422ppi) Amoled Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy Operating system: One UI 9 based on Android 17 Camera: 200+50+10MP rear with 3x telephoto; 10MP+10MP selfie cameras Connectivity: 5G, dual sim, esim, USB-C, wifi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 6, UWB, GNSS Water resistance: IP48 (1.5 metres for 30 minutes) Dimensions unfolded: 158.4 x 143.2 x 4.1mm The Ultra has two meaningful upgrades on the inside.
The latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip has plenty of power for multitasking and demanding tasks, while a 13.6% larger capacity battery powers the phone through about two days of use. That is with the screens used for more than four hours each across a mix of wifi and 5G for browsing, messaging, taking notes, work and shooting photos, matching some of the longest-lasting folders available. Gaming and more intensive tasks hit the battery harder, but most people will only need to charge the Ultra every other day.
The Ultra runs the same One UI 9 software built on the latest Android 17 as the Fold 8. It is the best available for folding screens, allowing you to do more with the form while remaining a polished, customisable and refined experience. The Ultra can run up to three apps in a split-screen grid at once, plus more as floating windows, which can be handy for messaging while watching videos.
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