Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra First Impressions: ‘Ultra’ Isn’t Just a Name This Time… Has Samsung Finally Built the Ultimate Foldable?

NEW DELHI: Foldable smartphones have come a long way since Samsung Electronics introduced the original Galaxy Fold in 2019. Every new generation has brought improvements in durability, design and multitasking, but there has always been one lingering question—can a foldable truly replace both a flagship smartphone and a tablet without compromise?

With the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Samsung appears determined to answer that question with a confident “yes.”

After an initial hands-on experience, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra doesn’t feel like a routine yearly refresh. Instead, it looks like Samsung has listened carefully to years of user feedback and addressed many of the biggest shortcomings that previously held back its premium foldable lineup.

Samsung Finally Gives the Fold the ‘Ultra’ Treatment

The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra represents a major shift in Samsung’s foldable strategy.

Rather than simply offering another premium Fold model, Samsung has positioned the Ultra as its most advanced smartphone—combining the productivity of a foldable with flagship-grade hardware typically reserved for the Galaxy S Ultra series.

The result is a device that targets professionals, creators and power users looking for uncompromising performance.

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Bigger Battery, Smarter Engineering

One of the biggest complaints about earlier Fold models was battery life.

Samsung has finally responded by equipping the Fold8 Ultra with the largest battery ever seen on a Galaxy Fold, featuring a 5,000mAh battery without noticeably increasing the phone’s thickness.

Charging has also received a welcome upgrade, with support for 45W wired charging and 20W wireless charging, making top-ups significantly faster than previous generations.

Whether the larger battery translates into all-day endurance will require long-term testing, but on paper, it’s a meaningful improvement.

A New Titanium Hinge Reduces the Crease

Perhaps the most noticeable hardware upgrade is Samsung’s redesigned Flex Titanium Hinge.

Opening and closing the Fold8 Ultra feels smoother, sturdier and more refined than before.

More importantly, the infamous display crease—which has been one of the biggest criticisms of Samsung’s foldables—has become significantly less visible during normal use.

While it hasn’t disappeared entirely, it no longer distracts during everyday scrolling, reading or multitasking.

Display Gets Brighter and Sharper

Samsung has also upgraded both displays.

The expansive 8-inch inner AMOLED screen now delivers up to 3,000 nits peak brightness, making outdoor visibility considerably better.

A new low-reflection coating further improves readability under direct sunlight, while the sharper 422ppi resolution enhances text clarity and media consumption.

Combined with the improved cover display, the Fold8 Ultra feels closer than ever to using both a premium smartphone and a compact tablet in one device.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Powers the Experience

Under the hood, Samsung has equipped the Fold8 Ultra with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor, paired with Android 17-based One UI 9.

During the initial hands-on session, app launches, multitasking and split-screen operations felt exceptionally smooth.

Samsung is also placing greater emphasis on artificial intelligence.

Features such as Gemini Notebook, AI-generated summaries, Now Brief, and the AI Assistant Activity Dashboard appear to be designed specifically to take advantage of the Fold’s expansive display rather than simply being adapted from traditional smartphones.

Camera Upgrades Finally Catch Up

For years, photography enthusiasts argued that Samsung reserved its very best camera technology for the Galaxy S Ultra lineup.

The Fold8 Ultra narrows that gap considerably.

The smartphone now features:

• A 200MP primary camera with full-resolution HDR support
• A major upgrade from a 12MP to a 50MP ultra-wide camera
• Expanded 8K video recording
• APV video recording
• Cine LUT support for advanced colour grading

Real-world camera performance will need detailed testing, but Samsung appears to have taken a significant step toward making its foldable flagship equally appealing for photography enthusiasts.

Premium Pricing Reflects Premium Ambitions

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra starts at ₹1,99,999 in India, making it ₹20,000 more expensive than the standard Galaxy Z Fold8.

That places it firmly in the ultra-premium smartphone category.

However, unlike previous generations where some compromises remained, Samsung has bundled enough meaningful hardware upgrades to make the Ultra branding feel justified.

First Verdict: Samsung’s Most Complete Fold Yet

While a full review will ultimately determine battery life, long-term durability, thermal performance and camera quality, the initial experience leaves a strong impression.

Instead of chasing flashy redesigns, Samsung has focused on fixing the issues users repeatedly pointed out over the years.

A larger battery, reduced display crease, improved cameras, brighter screens, faster charging and AI-focused software combine to make the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra feel like Samsung’s most polished and complete foldable smartphone yet.

If these improvements hold up in everyday use, the Fold8 Ultra could become the benchmark for premium foldable devices in 2026.