Galaxy Z Fold 8 After 24 Hours: Battery, Apps, Wife's Take

Quick summary: After my first full day with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 (bad hotel Wi-Fi in New York delayed my eSIM transfer), battery life is the best I’ve had on a Fold. I use the cover screen way more than on any previous Fold, and the short height is an underrated win. It’s not perfect yet, though: pre-release software has some bugs, and the 10x zoom worries my wife.

Battery life

On my first full day, I took it off the charger around 6:30 or 7 AM and didn’t need to recharge until about 8 PM, with a little over five hours of screen-on time. The next day I was at 37% with 5 hours 8 minutes of screen time by 2 PM, mostly on 5G, with my wife borrowing it a lot. I’d expect seven to eight hours of screen time. The bigger battery and more efficient chip seem to be paying off.

I actually live on the cover screen

On the Fold 7 I was about 90/10 or 95/5 inside versus outside. On the Fold 8 it’s been about 50/50, and some days 70% on the cover screen. I’m retraining myself not to open the phone for quick lookups. Short-form videos fill the cover display perfectly, and I play Wordscapes there because on the main screen I’d have to turn the phone sideways.

Multitasking

The new tap-to-multitask option is quick and simple, and the two split-screen windows are a perfect size, not too skinny and not too tall.

Short is a feature

My Gap shorts have shallow pockets, and taller phones stick out and fall out when I sit. The Fold 8 slides all the way in. Next to my wife’s Fold 7, the Fold 8 looks small, compact and honestly cute. Open, it feels like a mini TriFold, so much that I sometimes think I need to fold it twice. Closed, it feels like a wider Z Flip.

App compatibility and bugs

I’m on pre-release software, and sometimes touches don’t register until I close and reopen the app. Roblox wouldn’t log in at first (it eventually did), and Uber kept refreshing at the airport, like it was confused by the aspect ratio. A restart usually fixes it. Maybe 3% of my apps act weird, under 5% for sure. Samsung and app developers need to ship updates.

Cameras

Photos and videos look really good. I wouldn’t say they beat the Fold 7 or S26 Ultra, but I’d have no problem using this as my only phone.

My wife’s opinion

She says typing on the cover screen feels smooth, comfortable and much better than her Fold 7, and she thinks it’s cute. Her worry is concerts: she records a lot of video and isn’t sure the cameras hold up. The 10x zoom vs 30x on her Fold 7 is a concern.

Verdict

It’s not perfect, and I expect a second generation to fix things. But the more I use it, the more I like it. If you’re on the fence, try it, even if you have to pay a restocking fee.

• Order the Galaxy Z Fold 8 from Samsung
• Latercase with magnets
• OhSnap grip at Best Buy