Some of you may know by now that I love anything tech. What you probably won’t know is that I watch a lot of sport, movies and spend probably far too much time on YouTube. So having a high-quality, good-sized screen on the go is pretty important to me.
I’ve had the privilege of having the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 in my life for the past month, and while there’s much to comment on, there is one word that I think sums it up: immersive.
It immediately connects you to that big-screen experience wherever you are. Whether it’s quickly catching up on sports highlights when the boss isn’t watching or watching one of your favourite movies at 2am because you’ve woken up coughing thanks to a winter cold. Not speaking from experience or anything…
And that’s where the Fold8 really started to make sense to me. It’s a phone when you need a phone, but unfold it and suddenly you’ve got what feels like a mini cinema in your pocket. Minus the overpriced popcorn.
Open it up and you’re greeted by a huge 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. That keeps everything from everyday scrolling and movies to fast-moving sport looking incredibly smooth.
And once again, Samsung has drastically improved the crease running down the middle of the folding display. It’s still there if you go looking for it, but during everyday use it quickly disappears into the background. When you’re watching a movie or sport, I honestly found myself forgetting it was there at all, which only adds to that immersive feeling.
What surprised me even more is how light and thin Samsung has managed to make it. At just 201 grams and only 4.5mm thick when unfolded, it really doesn’t feel like you’re carrying around a phone hiding a 7.6-inch screen inside.
And it’s not just the size of that screen that impressed me. Both displays can reach up to 3000 nits of brightness. For those unfamiliar with the term, nits are simply a measurement of screen brightness, and 3000 is seriously bright. In the real world, it means you can actually see what you’re watching outside on a sunny day instead of mostly seeing your own reflection.
Then there’s the picture itself. The main screen has a resolution of 1848 x 2448, packing plenty of detail into the display. Faces look sharp, text is crisp, and sport, YouTube and movies look fantastic. Add the refresh rate of up to 120Hz and everything from scrolling to fast-moving action looks beautifully smooth.
That extra screen space isn’t just great for entertainment either. For work, I could have emails open alongside other apps, making it much easier to read, reply and multitask without constantly switching between screens. It almost feels like having a small tablet when you need one, without having to carry another device around with you.
This is where that word immersive (yes, again) really comes back into it. You’ve got this big, bright and incredibly detailed screen when you want it, but you don’t have to unfold the Fold8 every time your phone buzzes. There’s still a 5.5-inch screen on the outside for quickly replying to a message, checking the weather or scrolling through notifications.
But when it’s time for a movie, YouTube or those very important sports highlights, open it up and that compact phone suddenly becomes a big-screen experience.
After a few weeks with the Fold8, I got very used to having that big screen in my pocket. Going back to a normal phone afterwards? Let’s just say watching highlights at work isn’t quite the same anymore.
Vital stats: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8
Big screen, pocket-friendly design
A 5.5-inch cover screen opens into a 7.6-inch main display, giving you more room for movies, work and multitasking.
Samsung’s lightest fold yet
At just 201g and 4.5mm thick when unfolded, the Fold8 packs its large folding display into an impressively slim design.
4800mAh battery
Provides up to 26 hours of video playback, helping keep the Fold8 going throughout the day.
Flex titanium
Two layers of titanium sit beneath the folding display to help strengthen the screen.
Seriously bright
Both displays can reach up to 3000 nits, while the main display also features an anti-reflective finish to help with visibility outdoors.
Dual 50MP cameras
Both the Wide and Ultra Wide rear cameras use 50MP sensors, giving you high-resolution shots across both perspectives.
Made for multitasking
The large 7.6-inch main display gives you enough room to run apps side-by-side, whether you’re working through emails or watching content while doing something else.
Dual recording
Capture two perspectives at once, including reactions and what’s happening in front of you.
My FanCam
Galaxy AI can track a selected person in recorded footage and automatically reframe the video into your chosen aspect ratio, making it easier to create social-ready clips.
