I tried the Galaxy Z Fold 8: Pre-orders are flying for a reason
A new breed of so-called “wide” foldables aims to address that exact issue. After going hands-on with the first mainstream example, Samsung’s confusingly named Galaxy Z Fold 8, I have just one question: why did no one think of it sooner?
With pre-orders reportedly selling much faster than Samsung expected, it seems like I’m not the only one.
The foldable design I’ve been waiting for
For years, it’s felt like the tablet element of book-style foldables has been an afterthought. Not anymore.
With the Galaxy Z Fold 8, the 7.6-inch internal screen is the star of the show. It’s a gorgeous 120Hz AMOLED, of course, but it’s the 4:3 aspect ratio that matters most.
the Galaxy Z Fold 8 feels much closer to a Galaxy Tab Mini in your pocket
This is far closer to a traditional 16:9 widescreen format than any foldable (aside from Huawei’s China-exclusive Pura X Max), and it transforms the viewing experience. Even though we’ve had similar designs in the past, such as the Microsoft Surface Duo and the original Pixel Fold, this feels different.
When I watch videos on the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the huge black bars (letterboxing) above and below the content make it feel a bit pointless. They aren’t gone entirely on the Z Fold 8, but their dramatic shrinkage makes TV, movies and YouTube feel much more immersive.