Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold7, head to head

The arrival of the new flagship Samsung foldable raises again the key question when renewing a device: “Is it a big enough jump to justify its starting price or is the previous model still the smartest purchase?”

We analyze point by point all the innovations introduced by the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra regarding the Galaxy Z Fold7 to find out what really changes and which one best suits your needs.

Main characteristics of both models

The design continues in a continuous line

On an aesthetic level, Samsung already did a good job with the Z Fold7 by reducing the thickness to 8.9 mm folded and 4.2 mm when open and also lightened the weight to 215 grams compared to 239 grams of the Z Fold6. The new Z Fold8 Ultra follows a continuous line, maintaining the same folded thickness and weightalthough it has dropped to 4.1 mm when deployed. The difference in this aspect, therefore, is quite subtle.

Hardware: higher power and better cooling

As for its brain, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra has taken a step forward and brings the processor Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, optimized for maximum performance. Of course, the new model from the Korean firm goes on sale with the same configurations as its predecessor: 12 or 16 GB of RAM (LPDDR5X) and 256, 512 or 1 TB of UFS 4.0 storage.

Although in terms of power, the Fold8 Ultra improves compared to the previous generation, the evolution does not only have to do with the chip. It also comes with a expanded graphite cooling structure. This means that it is capable of dissipating heat much better, thus avoiding the heating that could appear in the Fold7 after using it for heavy tasks or prolonged gaming sessions.

Software with AI as the protagonist

He Z Fold7 It was released on the market under the Android 16 operating system (with One UI 8 customization layer, which can now be updated to version 8.5). The new Z Fold8 Ultra comes to the market, for its part, with Android 17 and One UI 9 out of the box and with a variety of advanced AI features and seven years of guaranteed system and security updates.

Screen: same size but higher resolution

It is in this section that we find some interesting news. The Z Fold7, when unfolded, showed a screen 8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x with resolution of 2,376 x 968 pixels. The size of the new generation screen is the same, although it offers higher resolution (2,504 x 2,256 pixels) and reaches 3,000 nits of maximum brightness. He also releases a movie Flex Titaniumwhich improves resistance and makes the crease less visible.

Regarding the external screen, the dimensions are the same (6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X with a resolution of 2,376 x 968 pixels), but in the case of the Fold8 Ultra, the resolution rises to 2,520 x 1,080 pixels. Both models also present a thandle adaptive refresh rate from 1 to 120 Hzso fluidity is assured in both.

A new leap in the photographic section

Although the Z Fold7 already featured a top-notch photography system, the Fold8 Ultra improves it by far. The rear continues to consist of a triple camera with 200 MP main sensor (f/1.7) with improved HDR and the new model adds an ultra wide angle that grows to 50 MP (f/1.9) and a 10 MP telephoto lens (f/2.4) with three-fold optical zoom. The front cameras remain two 10 MP lenses.

Another notable thing about the new Z Fold8 Ultra is that it is compatible with Dual Recording (to record both sides at the same time) and with MyFanCam (which automatically tracks the subject we want). The technology Nightography It has also been renewed in this new 2026 model and records in 8K.

Autonomy and charging: greater capacity and faster charging

This section is where one of the perhaps most anticipated changes comes. The Galaxy Z Fold7 has a battery with a capacity of 4,400 mAh (supports 15W wireless charging, reversible charging and 25W wired fast charging). On the other hand, the battery of the Z Fold8 Ultra has grown to 5,000 mAh (thus enduring a full day of use) and the fast charge is raised to the 45Wthe wireless at 20 W and reversible charging is maintained. This means that the battery of the new model lasts longer, but you will also need less time to fully charge it.

Which model to choose?

If after this analysis you are still hesitating between choosing the new Z Fold8 Ultra or paying a little less and buying the previous generation, the Galaxy Z Fold7, we show you some keys to choose the best one for you.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra if:

• You want the best camera in a folding mobile: If you were not willing to make the jump to this type of mobile due to the loss of photographic quality, the Fold8 Ultra matches the level of the traditional S Ultra range thanks to its 200 MP main sensor and its 50 MP secondary ones. And, above all, you don’t mind paying the 2,199 euros of starting RRP that it has (although in several stores you can get it with significant discounts)
• You are looking for good loading speed: Compatibility with 45W fast wired charging allows you to recover more than 50% of the battery in just 20 minutes, solving one of the weak points of the previous model.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 if:

• You are looking for the best quality-price ratio (now you have it available from 1,444 euros in MediaMarkt): it is the main reason for purchasing. You will get the experience of a high-end folding product, saving you hundreds of euros compared to the starting price of the new model.
• You want to try the book format for the first time: If it is your first folding and you don’t know if you will adapt to the format, it is the most sensible decision (budget-wise) to take the leap without making an astronomical outlay.

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Images | Jose García and Amparo Babiloni (Xataka) and Samsung

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