What you need to know
- Samsung just unveiled its latest foldable lineup, with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra targeting productivity and the Galaxy Z Flip 8 focusing on AI-powered convenience and self-expression.
- The Fold 8 Ultra packs an 8-inch display, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a 5,000mAh battery, 45W charging, and Samsung’s slimmest Fold design yet.
- The Flip 8’s redesigned FlexWindow brings Now Brief, Gemini Intelligence, and connected tasks to the cover screen without unfolding the phone.
- Preorders are open now ahead of an August 7 launch, with the Fold 8 Ultra starting at $2,100 and the Flip 8 at $1,200, plus six months of Google AI Pro and 5TB of cloud storage.
Samsung is officially throwing out its mobile playbook by splitting its foldable lineup into two vastly different extremes.
Announced during today’s Galaxy Unpacked event, the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra takes the familiar Fold concept and pushes it into flagship territory. It boasts an 8-inch main display within Samsung’s slimmest Fold yet, measuring only 4.1mm when unfolded and weighing 215g.
Under the hood, it packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, alongside a 5,000mAh battery, revamped cooling, and a new dual-path 45W charging system to keep performance steady during demanding workloads.
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On the optics front, Samsung equips the Fold 8 Ultra with a 200MP main camera that now supports HDR shooting at full resolution, alongside a new 50MP ultrawide sensor. The phone also brings improved Nightography, 8K recording using the APV codec, and Cine LUT support for creators who want more control over color grading right on the device.
The Z Flip 8 is all about that FlexWindow life
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 goes in the opposite direction, making everyday interactions faster. This is Samsung’s slimmest and lightest Flip yet, measuring 6.1mm when unfolded and weighing 180g. The biggest change is the redesigned FlexWindow, which becomes an AI-first interface that can show Now Brief summaries, launch Gemini Intelligence actions, and handle connected tasks without opening the phone.
The Flip 8 also makes a big leap into content creation. You get a 50MP main camera powered by Samsung’s ProVisual Engine, Flex Mode for hands-free shooting, a camcorder grip with zoom rocker controls, Super Steady with a new Horizontal Lock mode, and Flip-exclusive features like FlipShot and Mirror View for easier selfies and quick appearance checks.
Both phones share Samsung’s broader AI push, which includes Now Brief, Now Nudge, Gemini Intelligence with support in over 40 apps, and new privacy tools like the AI Assistant Activity dashboard and improved privacy alerts. They’re also debuting with Android 17 and One UI 9.
You can start preordering today, with a launch date of August 7. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra starts at $2,100 with up to 1TB of storage, while the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is priced at $1,200 with 256GB and 512GB configurations. Buyers also receive six months of Google AI Pro and 5TB of cloud storage.
Android Central’s Take
I like that Samsung is finally giving its foldables their own identities, rather than making every model feel like a slightly different version of the same phone. If you’re considering an actual tablet or laptop replacement, the Fold 8 Ultra seems like the way to go, but the Flip 8 takes to convenience and AI in a way that feels more useful than gimmicky. That said, Samsung still has to persuade people it’s worth paying these premium prices. AI can help make your phone a little smarter, but it’s not going to magically make a $2,100 foldable feel like a bargain.