Now I know exactly who this new foldable format is for

The Galaxy Z Fold8 was one of those phones that, without having to make too much noise, made me want to continue holding it in my hand. I returned to him several times during the contact, attracted by proportions that change quite a bit the usual feeling of a folding book type. Closed it is compact and wide; Open, it displays a surface that invites you to try content and applications in a different way. After years watching this category evolveI did not take for granted that a different design could arouse so much curiosity. This one got it.

It is convenient to organize the new range because Samsung has changed the logic of the names. The tall silhouette that until now we associated with the Galaxy Z Fold continues in the Fold8 Ultra, while the model without a surname is the newcomer with passport proportions. At its side remains the Flip8, the compact vertical folding alternative. Having the three in front of me, it was clear to me that the catalog is not understood as a ladder in which each phone is better than the previous one, but as three proposals designed for different uses and audiences.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 technical sheet

The folding that was missing in the Galaxy Z family

Foldables did not always convey the maturity we see today. In its first generations, astonishment coexisted with reasonable doubts: how much the screen would last, how the hinge would age or if that design would make real sense beyond its novelty. Over the years I have seen how Samsung responded to many of these questions through changes in construction, weight, thickness and user experience. The Galaxy Z Fold8 arrives at a different time– You no longer need to prove that a phone can fold, but rather what value it can bring by doing so.

The most obvious leap, at least in design, came with the previous generation. When I tested the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Flip7I found devices that were much more refined in thickness, weight and feel in the hand, as if Samsung had finally managed to organize many of the parts that it had been adjusting for years. They were no longer phones that attracted attention simply because they folded, but rather solid and coherent products within the high range. Precisely for this reason, the question for this eighth generation was not simple: what to do after having taken one of the most important steps.

After that jump, Samsung could follow several paths. I could completely redesign the entire series, but the chosen one was different: keep what already worked, refine it and add a third proposal. After having the new models in hand, I understand the decision. We could say then that Galaxy Z Fold8 is the natural consequence of much of what Samsung has learned over the seven generations. The result is a broader range, not necessarily a break with what came before.

The first impression when picking up the Galaxy Z Fold8 is precisely that: it does not seem like an experimental device, but rather a product that arrives with a very clear idea of ​​what it wants to offer. Its lower and wider body changes its presence compared to the book-type folding that we knew, but maintains a feeling of solid construction. In the hand it feels well balanced, elegant and cared for in details. Its 201 grams also help: according to Samsung, it is the lightest Galaxy Z Fold it has made so far.

One of the first differences I noticed even before opening it. When I picked up the Galaxy Z Fold8 closed, I felt that the relationship with the exterior screen was different than that associated with other book-style foldables. It is a 5.5-inch panel with 10:16 ratioand during those first minutes I found myself using it more than I expected, without feeling like I was waiting for the moment to display the main screen. Checking messages, browsing or responding quickly felt natural, although we will have to see how that sensation evolves with prolonged daily use.

The most obvious change came when deploying the 7.6-inch interior screen. Its 4:3 ratio explains a good part of what Samsung is pursuing with this model: it is not just about having more surface area in front, but about how it is distributed. During the test, reading, viewing content horizontally or moving between different applications was especially comfortable. The feeling was closer to using a small work surface than to just opening a phone to see it larger.

Reading was one of the first uses where I found a clear difference. When placing the phone horizontally, consulting articles, documents or e-books felt more like doing so on a small tablet than on a conventional mobile phone. The lines of text are wider and the information is distributed in a way that makes it easier to stay longer with the device open.

Beyond reading or consuming content, this approach also demonstrates its advantages in multitasking. By using the Galaxy Z Fold8 with multiple apps open, I was able to better distribute information and keep more items in view at the same time. It is a form of use that is difficult to explain by looking only at a technical sheet, because it appears when you start combining tasks: consulting something while you write, comparing information or switching from one application to another without losing so much context.

The colors are also part of the change in focus that I perceived. When you had it in front of you, the feeling was not that of a device designed only for a professional environment, something that for years has accompanied the image of some folding book-types. Graphite offers a more discreet appearance, while lavender and especially pistachio reinforce a less corporate identity. The passport format of the Galaxy Z Fold8 brings fresh air to the range and opens a new way to enter the world of foldables.

After having both in hand, I find it important not to understand the Galaxy Z Fold8 as a simple inferior version of the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra. The two share the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, but they pursue different priorities. The Ultra retains the philosophy of the traditional Fold and adds an 8-inch main screen and a triple camera headed by a 200 MP sensor, with a more marked focus on productivity and content creation. The Fold8 seeks something else: to change the interaction with the device from its own proportions.

Now I’m pretty clear about who the Galaxy Z Fold8 is for: for those who want a book-type foldable, but don’t quite fit with the tall proportions of the traditional Fold nor need the more ambitious approach of the Ultra. It is a device designed for those who value being able to use the external screen naturally and, when opened, have a particularly comfortable panel for reading, consuming content or working with various applications. The Flip8 continues to prioritize compactness and the Fold8 Ultra productivity and creation. This Fold8 occupies the space left between the two.

The decision to add a new proposal is also better understood if we look at the path that Samsung has taken in Spain. In a conversation we had at the beginning of July with David Alonsovice president and head of Mobile Experience at Samsung Electronics Iberia, the manager explained to us that “93% of all foldables that have been sold in Spain are Samsung.” It is a relevant starting position, although it does not guarantee how the market will respond to the newcomer.

As we can see, Samsung maintains the other two designs and adds an alternative for those who were looking for another way to use this type of device. The more in-depth tests that we will see in the review of the device. The Galaxy Z Fold8 can now be reserved in Spain from 1,999 euros. After having had it in hand, the conclusion of this first contact is simple: we are not facing a break with the past, but rather a new direction within a family that already has a long history.

Images | Xataka

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