I’ve spent a month with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, and this video-friendly phone has turned me into a foldable believer

Just when it looked like foldable phones might fade into irrelevance (they represented just 1.5% of global smartphone sales in 2025), Samsung has come along with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 — a passport-shaped foldable that could, with Apple’s help, catapult dual-screen devices into the mainstream.

We’ve actually seen this form factor before — the Huawei Pura X Max , for instance, debuted in China earlier this year — but the Galaxy Z Fold 8 marks the first time a passport-style foldable has been made available in Western markets.

So, is it as revolutionary as Samsung wants us to believe? I’ve been using the Galaxy Z Fold 8 for exactly a month now, and I can safely say that, yes, it’s a supremely versatile content-watching machine — though there are some quirks to be aware of if you’re thinking of spending $1,899 /£1,699 / AU$2,699 on one.

In this article, I’ll run through what I love, don’t love, and just generally think about Samsung’s new kid on the block.

You can also check out our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 review for an in-depth look at specific features, or watch the video below for an on-camera rundown of everything I’m about to say.

Calling all video lovers Let’s kick off with my thoughts on the Z Fold 8’s design, which ditches the productivity-focused dimensions of previous book-style foldables for a squatter, passport shape when closed and a more practical rectangular shape when opened.

Samsung says these dimension tweaks are a response to changing consumer habits (read: we’re all addicted to scrolling in 2026), and it’s easy to see why the Z Fold 8 is a better phone for browsing social media, watching videos, and reading articles than the larger Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra .

For starters, the 5.5-inch, 10:16 cover display is perfect for one-handed use of full-sized apps.

You don’t have to stretch your thumb to reach the top of the screen, and it’s also much easier to type on this wider display than on taller, narrower book-style foldables. (Image credit: Future) The phone’s width might make one-handed typing a bit of a challenge for those with smaller hands, but it’s honestly super nostalgic to type with two hands (which is how we all type for the most part anyway), as it feels a bit like using an old BlackBerry phone without the physical keyboard.

Remember those? Turn the Z Fold 8 on its side, and this cover screen becomes a 16:10 canvas that’s perfectly sized for YouTube videos, Netflix movies, and other video content.

The content's aspect ratio stays the same as on any other phone, but in this orientation, the Z Fold 8 removes awkward pillarboxing for a more immersive viewing experience.