Which New Samsung Foldable Phone Should You Buy? Fold8 Ultra, Fold8, or Flip8?

Samsung has steadily improved its foldables, but the eighth annual update includes a fresh face, the Z Fold8, which features the long-rumored wide form factor. It slots in between the flagship Z Fold8 Ultra, which is the successor to last year’s Fold7, and the smaller Flip8, which succeeds the Flip7. Is the newcomer an awkward middle child or the glue that holds Samsung’s folding family together? Samsung also has a couple of new smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Watch9.

The new phones are available for preorder, but before you get yours, let’s dig into the details to help you decide which of Samsung’s folding phones to buy. I’ll break down the key differences and similarities, so you can make an informed choice. And remember, Samsung sells many other smartphones, and we highlight the ones worth looking at in our Best Samsung Phones guide.

Which Samsung Galaxy Z Is Right For You?

Let’s take a quick peek at what the eighth-generation Samsung Galaxy Z foldables have in common this year.

Although Samsung’s foldables all feature exterior and foldout screens in completely different sizes, they all boast Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X technology, so you get a 120-Hz refresh rate, support for HDR, and higher peak brightness than ever before (up to 3,000 nits), making it easy to read your screen, even in direct sunlight. They also have features designed to filter blue light and reduce eye strain.

The Fold8 Ultra and Fold8 have a special Flex Titanium layer that reduces the visible crease and provides extra strength, flexibility, and resilience. The titanium-alloy film should help the displays last longer, but also means they are flatter and smoother than before, with an anti-reflective finish that reduces glare.

All three phones have Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor inside, with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB or 512 GB of storage. You can also get the Fold8 Ultra and Fold8 with 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage. They are all IP48 water- and dust-resistant and feature Samsung’s Advanced Armor Aluminum frame, which is scratch-resistant and durable enough to survive minor drops. The Fold8 Ultra and Fold8 support fast charging at up to 45 watts and fast wireless charging at 20 watts; the Flip8 is slightly slower for both. All three support Wireless PowerShare to top up wireless earbuds and other devices. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 7 and Ultra Wideband (UWB).

Aside from the sizes, the camera systems are very different, but here are all the specs, so you can see exactly where they diverge.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is the biggest and best foldable that Samsung offers. If you crave the largest screen available but want to fold it away and have something that feels close to a regular smartphone when closed, this is it. The 6.5-inch cover display and slimmed-down design are slick but won’t turn heads. Open it up and you get an expansive 8-inch screen that feels like two 6.5-inch displays side by side.

Everything is smoother and stronger, with Samsung’s usual raft of annual refinements. Both displays boast Samsung’s latest tech and a silky smooth adaptive refresh rate that also saves power. Speaking of which, the battery is significantly bigger than the Fold7 at 5,000 mAh, and it supports faster wired and wireless charging than its predecessor. The only slight disappointment is the lack of magnetic Qi2, which is such a handy feature for easy docking and perfect wireless charging alignment.

What truly makes the Fold8 Ultra “ultra” is the camera system. It’s a top-tier combo of a 200-megapixel main shooter, 50-megapixel ultrawide, and a 10-megapixel telephoto lens that supports 3X optical zoom. Both the main and ultrawide can shoot 8K video, and you’ll find plenty of AI assistance in your photo and video editing options.

Who it’s for: The flagship fan who wants the best of the best and doesn’t mind spending to get it.

The Samsung Galaxy Fold8 is where things get interesting. So far, the best folding phones have all been either book-style like the Fold8 Ultra, or much smaller flip phones, like the Flip8 below, but the Fold8 strikes an interesting middle ground. It’s much shorter than the Fold8 Ultra at 124 mm compared to 158 mm, but it’s also wider at 161 mm compared to 143 mm unfolded (82 to 73 mm when folded).

This form factor gives you a 7.6-inch inner display with a 4:3 (landscape) or 3:4 (portrait) aspect ratio, a more natural format for some media. While the unfolded screen isn’t miles away from the Ultra’s, using the Fold8 when closed will take some getting used to; even though it’s only millimeters of difference, it looks short and squat. It’s also a little more pocket-friendly, and at 201 grams it’s the lightest large-screen foldable on the market.

Performance, display tech, and most of the rest of the spec sheet match the Fold8 Ultra, though the battery is slightly smaller at 4,800 mAh. The glaring difference is the camera system, which consists of a pair of 50-megapixel lenses (wide and ultrawide) and drops the telephoto lens altogether, though it does still offer 10X digital zoom. It can still record in 8K, and Samsung has included features such as dual recording and my FanCam, a post-video editing feature where you can tap a subject in footage and generate a reframed clip that keeps them centered for social-ready content without the need for manual cropping.

Who it’s for: Fun and adventurous folks seeking something a little bit different.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 is the lightest and thinnest flip phone in the world thanks to its redesigned chassis. It’s the perfect option for folks who miss smaller phones, as it flips shut to slide easily into any pocket or bag. You get a 4.1-inch cover screen, but it flips open to convert into a 6.9-inch candy bar, and the main screen has Samsung’s top display tech.

It’s tougher and more durable than ever, and it boasts the same excellent chipset and top-end performance as its two bigger siblings. The smaller, 4,300-mAh battery is likely enough for similar stamina, since the screens are so much smaller, though the wired and wireless charging are a touch slower. You also get a more basic camera system, comprising a 50-megapixel main shooter backed by a 12-megapixel ultrawide, and video recording tops out at 4K, though that’s plenty for most folks.

Who it’s for: People who prize portability, but still want a fun, flip design that’s satisfying to slam shut.

How to Get the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Fold8, and Flip8 Unlocked

Life is easier when you buy your new phone unlocked, because you can jump carriers to find better deals and easily switch to international eSIMs when you travel. The Galaxy Z phones sold through Samsung’s website are always unlocked.

The best place to buy a Galaxy Z phone is Samsung.com, especially since some colors are exclusive to the storefront. Always check out the promotions to make sure you snag any deals and consider trading in your old model for a decent discount. You get a six-month trial of Google AI Pro with these phones.

• The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra starts at $2,100 for 256 GB.
• The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 starts at $1,900 for 256 GB.
• The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 starts at $1,200 for 256 GB.

Whichever Samsung Galaxy Z foldable you decide on, you might want to buy it with the Galaxy Card, because you can earn 5 percent cash rewards on all in-store or online purchases made directly from Samsung in the US. Other benefits include 3 percent cash rewards on purchases using Samsung Wallet, 2 percent cash rewards on streaming service subscriptions, and 1 percent cash rewards on everything else with the physical card.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Watch9

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 succeeds the Samsung Watch Ultra and promises to be more accurate, faster, and smoother, thanks to the Snapdragon Wear Elite chipset inside. It also has the brightest display in a smartwatch at up to 5,000 nits. It’s still titanium, but both the watch case and the band are thinner and lighter. Under the hood, there’s specialized pro-level sport tracking, hydration guidance, and depth measurement for divers.

The Watch9 boasts the same chipset, a 3,000-nit display, and a 20 percent battery bump over the Watch8 to 390 mAh. It tracks your vitals, warns about any deviation from your usual baseline, and gives you a personalized fitness score and recommendations to improve your health.

• The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 costs $700.
• The Samsung Galaxy Watch9 starts at $380 for the Bluetooth model.