The Ultra is now the flagship in the new two-model Z Fold lineup.
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
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Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra foldable smartphone, the successor to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the new flagship in the company's expanded foldable lineup. The model brings improvements across the board over its predecessor, with a higher-resolution display, a sharper ultrawide camera, a bigger battery and a faster processor. It's not to be confused with the Galaxy Z Fold 8, an all-new (slightly cheaper) model with a smaller but much wider display.
Before diving into the specs, it's worth a look at the dimensions and displays of both new Z Fold 8 phones to understand the difference. The new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has nearly identical dimensions to the Z Fold 7 but is 0.1 mm thinner at 158.4 x 143.2 x 4.1 mm unfolded. However, the Z Fold 8 is actually wider than the Z Fold 8 Ultra is tall, at 123.9 x 161.4 x 4.5 mm unfolded.
That's reflected in the unfolded screen resolution as well: 2,504 x 2,256 for the Z Fold 8 Ultra and 1,848 x 2,448 for the Z Fold 8. The cover screens, meanwhile, are 1,080 x 2,520 for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and 1,248 x 1,972 for the Z Fold 8. All displays on both devices use Samsung's AMOLED 2X tech with 120Hz adaptive refresh rates and Vision Booster.
Weight is always a concern with foldable phones, but the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is among the lightest out there at 215 grams (7.58 oz), more than 40 grams less than the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold and the same as the Z Fold 7. Samsung didn't tout any big changes in the hinge design, which shouldn't be an issue because the previous model "glides open and closed like a dream," we wrote in our Engadget review, while offering IP48 dust and water resistance.
Though the design is largely unchanged, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has a number of spec upgrades. The 200-megapixel main camera has the same resolution as before but has been upgraded with high dynamic range (HDR) for richer, brighter images. It now offers a new 50MP ultrawide camera, up from 12MP, offering more detail in both wide and close-up shots, though the 10MP telephoto camera is unchanged. Another key update is the addition of an APV codec and Cine LUT that allows for higher-quality and more flexible 8K video.
Naturally, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has the latest (but now slightly old) Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip, promising smoother app switching and better support for the large display. It also comes with a larger 5,000 mAh battery, up from 4,400 mAh before. Samsung also introduced a new dual-path charging architecture with 45-watt fast charging, which it says helps distribute power more efficiently across the battery system for more stable and reliable charging.
Other key specs are unchanged, and as mentioned, the Galaxy Z Fold 8's design is largely unchanged from the Galaxy Z Fold 7, with the same dimensions and weight. It's now on pre-order at major carriers and retailers, including Amazon, AT&T and Best Buy. The price starts at an eye-watering $2,100, $100 more than the Galaxy Z Fold 7, with shipping set to start on August 8. For more, see our hands-on look.
