Samsung has unveiled three new folding phones, and all three are on sale now. At the top of the range sits the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, a direct upgrade from the Galaxy Z Fold 7 with a bigger inner display, a new processor, stronger cameras, and a larger battery.
Unveiled on Thursday 13 August 2026, the Z Fold 8 Ultra keeps the shape of last year’s model but arrives with different colour finishes. It remains narrow and tall when closed, then opens into a larger screen for work, video, and other tasks. The starting price is £1,899 from Samsung.com, which is a £100 premium compared with last year.
A familiar design with a larger folding display
The phone has a 6.5-inch cover display and an 8-inch internal display. “Unfolded, the display measures a whopping 8in,” David Phelan said, capturing the main appeal of the design: a phone-sized outer screen that opens into a much larger viewing area.
The internal display has a resolution of 2,256 x 2,504 pixels, while the cover display measures 1,080 x 2,520 pixels. Both displays support a 120Hz refresh rate, and the screen reaches a pixel density of 422ppi. The internal display supports HDR10+, but not Dolby Vision.
The crease is less evident than on some folding phones, which helps the open screen look cleaner during everyday use. Samsung has also introduced a new material called Flex Titanium for the Z Fold 8 Ultra.
Despite the larger display, the phone is slightly thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold 7. It measures 4.1mm when unfolded and 8.9mm when folded, with a weight of 215g. Folded dimensions are 158.4 x 72.8 x 8.9mm, while unfolded dimensions are 158.4 x 143.2 x 4.1mm.
Three cameras and a bigger battery
The Z Fold 8 Ultra is the only phone in the series with three rear cameras. The other phones have two each. Its camera system includes a 200MP main sensor, a 50MP ultra wide, and a 10MP telephoto, while the front-facing cameras are 10MP each.
“The three rear cameras are essentially similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, though the ultrawide snapper has been improved and is now a 50MP model,” Phelan said. The main camera remains the headline feature, and its performance was strong in low light.
“The main camera is the 200MP sensor which performs extremely well, even in low light situations,” Phelan said. That combination gives the phone a high-resolution main camera and a more capable ultra wide camera, while the telephoto lens adds another option for distant subjects.
The phone also includes My FanCam, a feature that uses AI to frame and zoom videos. It is designed to keep the subject within the shot as the video changes, adding a practical use for AI beyond photo processing.
More power, storage, and charging options
Samsung has fitted the Z Fold 8 Ultra with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor. Buyers can choose from 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB of storage, giving the phone several configurations at different prices.
The battery capacity has grown to 5,000mAh, up from 4,400mAh in the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Charging has moved forward as well. Wired charging reaches up to 45W, compared with 25W before, while wireless charging reaches up to 25W instead of 15W.
“Recharging is also faster: wired charging, previously 25W, is now up to 45W, while wireless charging has also improved, from 15W to 25W,” Phelan said. The larger battery and faster charging address two areas that matter on a foldable phone with two displays.
Colours, price, and the overall package
The Z Fold 8 Ultra comes in Graphite, cream, violet shadow, and green shadow. The colour changes give the phone a different look from last year’s model, even though the basic design remains familiar.
Its combination of an 8-inch internal display, 120Hz refresh rate, three rear cameras, 5,000mAh battery, and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor makes it a high-end foldable. The 4.1mm unfolded thickness also keeps the open device slim, while the 215g weight gives it a defined place between a standard smartphone and a small tablet.
There is one clear trade-off: the starting price has risen to £1,899. Storage choices reach 1TB, but the cost starts at a level that places the phone firmly in the premium category.
Still, the upgrades cover the areas buyers notice first: the screen is larger, the crease is less evident, the ultra wide camera has moved to 50MP, the battery is bigger, and charging is faster. Phelan described the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra as “very highly specced” with useful upgrades compared with the class of 2025.
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