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The Galaxy Z Fold 8 still feels refreshing in all the best ways [Video]

Published: 10/27/2026, 04:00 PM

With the iPhone Duo now a thing, it puts the Z Fold 8 in an even more interesting position. Yes, it’s an attempt by Samsung to get ahead of the curve, but, in truth, it really has worked. So now that Apple is here, there is no doubt that the Z Fold 8 faces its fiercest competition, but to me, it highlights so much of what Samsung did so well with. I do not think that the Duo renders Samsung’s design obsolete. Apple’s entry into the market only sharpens the contrast between these competing design philosophies. It even underscores precisely why I’ve come to prefer Samsung’s passport-size footprint. For more video content, subscribe to 9to5Google on YouTube. I’m not even sure it’s Samsung that has pushed the form factor forward too drastically. I’m not alone in realizing that, for a lot of people, passport size makes the most sense. The outer screen is just enough of a taster without being too big; switch to the inner if you want a little more playroom is immediately obvious from the get-go. Everything feels reachable on the outer screen, while the inner screen is the big canvas for all other content. Sure, the Z Fold 8’s outer display isn’t perfect. Some UI elements can feel cramped; you will need to adjust how tall your keyboard is, but it isn’t as rigid as what Apple seems to have done on the Duo. That’s a good thing as the flexibility of Android just suits the multi-sized form factor. The thing is, you’re going to fall into one of two categories. Those of us who want a smaller, tablet-y shape, or a phone that happens to open to run more apps side-by-side. Objectively, the “traditional” folding phone size and shape will be more useful in basically most scenarios. Subjectively, I don’t really care about those as much. I’m in the privileged position of having a decent selection of handsets on deck at any one time to test-drive, and those satisfy something else entirely. As I was saying, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has arguably been the most interesting and, now, my most-used phone throughout 2026. Of course, that is alongside the Pixel 10 Pro in early 2026 and now the 11 Pro. It has my backup SIM permanently tucked inside. Backup because I don’t get distracted as much with so many notifications, but that SIM has free roaming, making it my favorite travel companion…and my Balatro on-the-go handheld. Every week, I’ll download a few movies and TV shows, like a sort of digital “prepper,” so I can be on a flight or a train and just know I have something to watch on a screen that tucks neatly into my side bag or jacket pocket. It is a mini tablet that weighs less than most other phones. You barely notice it. As I keep repeating: It feels so fresh.