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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra First Impressions: Foldables have spent years chasing one goal: becoming indistinguishable from a regular smartphone when folded, and an uncompromised tablet when opened. Every generation has brought slimmer designs, better cameras and more power. But there has always been one reminder that you were using a foldable: the crease. With the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Samsung believes it has finally found an answer. And after spending some time with it, I think it just might have.

On first look, the way Samsung dealt with the crease issue may remind you of the Oppo Find N6, and that's no small feat.

The Crease Is Still There. But You'll Have To Go Looking For It

Yes, the crease hasn't magically disappeared. But thanks to Samsung's new Flex Titanium display structure, it has become dramatically less noticeable than before. Samsung has completely reworked the display stack.

The company now uses a titanium-alloy film beneath the OLED panel that's said to be nearly 20 times stiffer than the polymer material used previously, while remaining incredibly thin. Supporting it from underneath is a titanium plate that helps reduce tiny gaps within the display layers, giving the panel better structural support every time you unfold it.

The result? The display feels flatter, sturdier and noticeably more seamless. During my hands-on, I genuinely had to tilt the phone under direct lighting before the crease became obvious. In regular use, your eyes simply stop noticing it after a few moments. Even running your fingers over the screen won't help you feel the crease bump you see on a couple-generations-old Fold models. 

That's probably the biggest compliment I can give a foldable.

Slimmer Than Before, Yet Somehow Bigger Everywhere That Matters

Samsung continues shaving millimetres off the Fold every year, and honestly, we're approaching Nolan-level madness at this point. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra measures just 4.1mm when unfolded, making it 0.1mm slimmer than last year's Fold 7. Folded, it remains an impressively pocketable 8.3mm, while weighing just 215g, making it feel surprisingly light considering you're carrying what essentially becomes a tablet.

The outer display also feels far more usable than early Fold generations ever did. It now offers a full-HD+ resolution that feels perfectly capable for everyday tasks without constantly nudging you to unfold the phone.

Open it up, though, and you're greeted by what is arguably Samsung's finest foldable display yet. At 3,000 nits peak brightness, it's actually brighter than the already excellent Galaxy S26 Ultra, which tops out at 2,600 nits. Combined with a sharp 2504 x 2256 resolution and 422ppi pixel density, everything from HDR videos to news articles looks absolutely gorgeous.

Ultra Cameras Are No Longer Reserved For The Ultra Phone

Samsung also seems done making camera compromises for its foldables. Leading the setup is the familiar 200MP primary sensor capable of HDR imaging, joined by a significantly upgraded 50MP ultra-wide camera, a massive jump from the 12MP sensor seen on the previous generation. There's also a 10MP telephoto lens completing the trio.

It is, on paper at least, the closest a Fold has come to matching Samsung's traditional Ultra phones.

Samsung has also introduced APV Codec support for improved video quality and more efficient recording, something creators will certainly appreciate.  I'll reserve judgement until we've fully tested the cameras, but this is easily the most ambitious Fold camera system Samsung has built.

Ultra Performance, Ultra Battery, Now Ultra AI Too

Powering everything is the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset found inside the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which means performance really shouldn't be a concern. Samsung has finally paired that flagship silicon with a much-needed battery upgrade.

The Fold 8 Ultra packs a 5,000mAh battery (the first Fold to do so) a welcome jump from the long-standing 4,400mAh capacity. Charging also gets faster with 45W wired charging, capable of reaching 67 per cent in around 30 minutes, alongside 20W wireless charging.

Samsung claims up to 27 hours of video playback, though we'll naturally put those numbers through our own testing.

On the software front, one of my favourite additions from the Galaxy S26 Ultra has made its way here too. Now Nudge, Samsung's AI automation feature, quietly works in the background, spotting useful information from your emails, chats and reminders (depending on the permissions you allow) to automatically suggest calendar events, reminders and other helpful actions. It's one of those AI features that doesn't scream for attention, but actually saves time.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Early Verdict

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra doesn't feel like Samsung chasing flashy gimmicks anymore. Instead, it feels like years of refinement finally coming together.

The crease is no longer something that constantly reminds you you're using a foldable. The display is brighter than Samsung's own flagship slab phone. The cameras are finally catching up. The battery has received the upgrade users have been asking for, and the software continues becoming genuinely useful rather than simply AI for AI's sake.

If first impressions are anything to go by, Samsung may have just built its most complete foldable yet. The full review, of course, will tell us whether that promise holds up in everyday use. Until then, stay tuned to ABP Live.