Samsung's eighth-generation foldables are officially on sale. As of today, August 7, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8 are rolling out through carriers, retailers and Samsung.com, with sales starting in select markets and expanding globally, according to Samsung.
This is the first year Samsung has split its foldable family into three distinct phones. The book-style flagship picks up an "Ultra" name, a brand-new wide Fold slots in underneath it, and the Flip gets thinner. All three also got more expensive.
Here is what you need to know before you spend upwards of $1,200 on a phone that bends.
Three foldables, three different jobs
Samsung unveiled the lineup on July 22 at Galaxy Unpacked in London and opened preorders the same day. The company is pitching each model at a different kind of buyer rather than simply offering a big and a small option.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is the successor to last year's Z Fold7. It keeps the tall, narrow shape that Samsung's book-style foldables have used for years, with a 6.5-inch cover screen and an 8-inch inner display. Samsung calls it the first Ultra model in the Galaxy Z series.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 is the genuinely new product. It uses a shorter, wider body with a 5.5-inch cover screen and a 7.6-inch inner display in a 4:3 aspect ratio. Samsung says the shape is built around content: video, games, reading and browsing.
The Galaxy Z Flip8 is the clamshell. It keeps a 4.1-inch FlexWindow cover screen and a 6.9-inch main display but slims down to 6.1mm unfolded and 180g.
Key takeaway: The Fold8 Ultra is the productivity machine, the Fold8 is a media-first experiment with a wider screen, and the Flip8 is the pocketable style pick. They share a chip, but little else.
Samsung's new wide Fold explained
The Z Fold8's aspect ratio is its entire reason for existing. Unfold it and you get a 7.6-inch screen at 4:3, which Samsung says is ideal for movies and games. Rotate it into portrait and it becomes 3:4, a shape Samsung describes as more natural for e-books and web pages.
The cover screen changes too. Instead of the tall, narrow outer display that has defined previous Folds, the Fold8's 5.5-inch cover screen uses a 10:16 ratio. As Ars Technica put it, the Fold8 is "the company's first wide-body foldable designed for media over multitasking."
The practical upshot is smaller black bars around widescreen video and a more tablet-like canvas for reading. The trade-off is a closed phone that is noticeably wider and shorter than a typical slab. Wired notes the Fold8 is 124mm tall versus 158mm for the Ultra, but 161mm wide unfolded versus 143mm.
Samsung also says the Fold8 is its lightest Galaxy Z Fold yet at 201g, and it claims more than 26 hours of video playback from its 4,800mAh battery.
Full specs compared
All three phones run Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy and ship with Android 17 and One UI 9. All are rated IP48 for dust and water resistance, and Samsung says all three are durability-tested for up to 200,000 folds.
| Spec | Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra | Galaxy Z Fold8 | Galaxy Z Flip8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main display | 8.0-inch, 2504 x 2256, 120Hz | 7.6-inch 4:3, 1848 x 2448, 120Hz | 6.9-inch, 1080 x 2520, 120Hz |
| Cover display | 6.5-inch, 120Hz | 5.5-inch 10:16, 120Hz | 4.1-inch FlexWindow, 60/120Hz |
| Chip | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy |
| RAM / storage | 12GB or 16GB / 256GB to 1TB | 12GB or 16GB / 256GB to 1TB | 12GB / 256GB or 512GB |
| Rear cameras | 200MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto | 50MP wide, 50MP ultrawide | 50MP wide, 12MP ultrawide |
| Battery | 5,000mAh | 4,800mAh | 4,300mAh |
| Charging | 45W wired, 20W wireless | 45W wired, 20W wireless | 25W wired, 15W wireless |
| Thickness (unfolded / folded) | 4.1mm / 8.9mm | 4.5mm / 9.7mm | 6.1mm / 13.1mm |
| Weight | 215g | 201g | 180g |
| US starting price | $2,099.99 | $1,899.99 | $1,199.99 |
Specifications are from Samsung's US newsroom and Ars Technica. The 16GB RAM configuration on both Folds is paired with the 1TB storage tier.
Fold8 Ultra: the no-compromise option
The Ultra's headline is thinness. Samsung says it measures 4.1mm unfolded and weighs 215g, making it the thinnest Galaxy Z Fold to date. That is paired with the biggest battery Samsung has put in a book-style Fold: 5,000mAh, up from 4,400mAh in the Fold7, according to Ars Technica.
Charging finally catches up, too. Both Folds now support 45W wired charging instead of the 25W Samsung has used for years. Samsung quotes up to 63% in roughly 30 minutes for the Ultra with a 45W adapter, which is sold separately.
The camera system is what earns the Ultra badge. It keeps a 200MP main camera, which Samsung says now supports HDR in full 200MP mode, adds a new 50MP ultrawide that doubles as a macro camera, and retains a 10MP 3x telephoto. It is the only one of the three with optical zoom.
Every model also gets Samsung's new Flex Titanium layer, a titanium alloy film beneath the flexible OLED. Samsung says it improves impact resistance and reduces crease visibility, and Ars Technica notes a new low-reflection finish meant to help outdoors. Samsung quotes up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness on the Fold displays.
Z Flip8: thinner, same battery
The Flip8's changes are more incremental. Samsung calls it its "sleekest Flip ever," at 6.1mm unfolded and 180g, and says a stronger frame and a hinge made with a new high-strength material improve durability.
The battery stays at 4,300mAh, and charging remains at 25W wired and 15W wireless. That is the biggest spec gap between the Flip and its Fold siblings this year.
Most of the Flip8's attention goes to software on the FlexWindow. Samsung says you can now browse Gallery photos, reply in messaging apps and trigger Gemini from the cover screen without opening the phone, while Now Brief surfaces weather, schedule and personalized cards such as exchange rates and stocks.
The camera setup is a 50MP main and 12MP ultrawide, with a 10MP selfie camera inside. Samsung is also leaning on video features like Dual Recording, which captures the creator and the subject at the same time, and Camcorder Grip for one-handed shooting.
Galaxy AI and One UI 9
All three phones launch on Android 17 with One UI 9, and Samsung is framing this generation around "agentic AI." In practice that means features like Now Nudge, which suggests next steps across apps. Samsung's example is spotting dinner plans in a chat and offering to open Calendar in a split-screen window.
The phones also ship with Gemini Notebook, which Ars Technica notes was formerly NotebookLM. Samsung says it can turn meeting notes, PDFs or recordings into summaries, slides, podcasts and quizzes. My FanCam, available across the lineup, automatically reframes a video around a person you pick.
For switchers, Samsung says the updated Smart Switch can move data from an iPhone by scanning a QR code, without installing an app, and that Quick Share now works with AirDrop in both directions.
Prices: up $100 at the top and bottom
Component costs have pushed prices higher. Ars Technica reports the Ultra and the Flip are each $100 more than their 2025 predecessors, and GSMArena confirmed the same $100, 100 euro and 100 pound increase across regions.
| Model and storage | US price | UK price |
|---|---|---|
| Z Fold8 Ultra 256GB | $2,099.99 | £1,899 |
| Z Fold8 Ultra 512GB | $2,300 (approx.) | £2,069 |
| Z Fold8 Ultra 1TB | $2,700 (approx.) | £2,409 |
| Z Fold8 256GB | $1,899.99 | £1,699 |
| Z Fold8 512GB | $2,100 (approx.) | £1,869 |
| Z Fold8 1TB | $2,500 (approx.) | £2,209 |
| Z Flip8 256GB | $1,199.99 | £1,149 |
| Z Flip8 512GB | $1,400 (approx.) | £1,319 |
US base prices come from Samsung; upper-tier US prices are GSMArena's rounded figures. UK prices are Samsung UK's official RRPs.
Samsung says preorders rose more than 30% compared with the previous generation. Graphite was the most popular color for both Folds, while Pink led for the Flip8.
Offers and colors
Samsung's US preorder promotion, which ran from July 22 through today, offered up to $1,200 in trade-in credit or up to $200 in Samsung credit without a trade-in on Samsung.com. Check current promotions at your retailer, since launch-window offers change quickly.
Every Galaxy Z8 buyer also gets a six-month trial of Google AI Pro, which includes 5TB of cloud storage, according to Samsung.
Colors break down as follows, with the last option in each list exclusive to Samsung.com:
- Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra: Violet Shadow, Graphite, Cream, Green Shadow
- Galaxy Z Fold8: Lavender, Graphite, Cream, Pistachio
- Galaxy Z Flip8: Pink, Graphite, Cream, Mint
Which one should you buy?
Based on the specs and pricing, here is how the three shake out.
Pick the Z Fold8 Ultra if you want a phone that turns into a multitasking workstation and a camera that does not compromise. It is the only model with a telephoto lens, it has the largest battery, and its tall inner screen is the best for running two apps side by side. You pay $200 over the Fold8 for that.
Pick the Z Fold8 if you mostly watch, read and play on your foldable. The 4:3 inner screen should suit video and e-books better than the Ultra's near-square panel, and it is the lightest large foldable Samsung has made. Accept that you lose the telephoto and that the closed phone has an unusual, stubby shape.
Pick the Z Flip8 if pocketability matters most. It has the same flagship chip as the Folds for $900 less than the Ultra, but you give up faster charging and a better ultrawide. With the price now at $1,199.99, Ars Technica argues it faces tougher competition from cheaper Motorola Razr models.
If you own a Fold7 or Flip7, the case for upgrading is thinner. The Fold8 Ultra's bigger battery and faster charging are meaningful; the Flip8's changes are mostly about design and software.
FAQ
When do the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Z Fold8 and Z Flip8 go on sale?
Samsung says sales begin August 7, 2026, in select markets, expanding globally from there. Preorders opened on July 22 after the Unpacked event in London.
How much does the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra cost?
It starts at $2,099.99 in the US and £1,899 in the UK for the 256GB model with 12GB of RAM. The 1TB model with 16GB of RAM is £2,409 in the UK.
Is the Galaxy Z Fold8 waterproof?
No phone in the lineup is waterproof. All three are rated IP48, which Samsung describes as protection against accidental spills and everyday mishaps, but the "4" only covers solid objects larger than 1mm, so fine dust and sand remain a risk.
What is the difference between the Z Fold8 and Z Fold8 Ultra?
The Fold8 has a wider body with a 4:3 inner screen and 5.5-inch cover display, two rear cameras and a 4,800mAh battery. The Ultra has a taller 8-inch inner screen, a 6.5-inch cover display, a triple camera with 3x telephoto and a 5,000mAh battery.
Does the Galaxy Z Flip8 charge faster than the Flip7?
No. Samsung lists 25W wired and 15W wireless charging for the Flip8, the same wired speed as before. Only the two Folds moved to 45W this year.
The bottom line
Samsung's 2026 foldables are the most varied lineup it has ever shipped. The Ultra is a refined, thinner successor with a real battery and charging upgrade, the Flip8 is a modest refresh, and the wide Fold8 is the wildcard that could reshape what a book-style foldable looks like.
The catch is price. With the range starting at $1,199.99 and topping out near $2,700, buyers should decide which job they actually need a foldable to do before they commit.
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