Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Should You Upgrade From Fold 7?

Quick summary: I’ve used the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra for weeks now. Should a Fold 7 owner upgrade? For me, definitely yes, and it mostly comes down to battery life. It isn’t a massive year-over-year jump, but there’s enough meat on the bone.

Key takeaways

• The ultra-wide camera goes up to 50MP.
• Wired charging goes from 25W to 45W.
• The new Snapdragon chip is both faster and more efficient.
• Battery life is the biggest real-world difference: it easily covers a 9-to-5 day.
• The Fold 7’s battery often needed a top-up by noon or 1 p.m. for me.
• If your Fold 7’s battery life is fine for you, staying put is reasonable.

What’s actually new

The changes over the Fold 7 are a handful of meaningful upgrades rather than a redesign:

• A much better 50MP ultra-wide camera.
• Faster charging, jumping from 25W to 45W wired, with wireless charging improved too.
• A more powerful processor that’s also more power-efficient.
• Updated software.

Everything else will feel familiar if you’re coming from the Fold 7.

Battery life is the real reason

This is what matters most to me. With the Galaxy Z Fold 7, I’d wake up around 6 a.m., and by noon or 1 p.m. I was looking for a charger. Yes, you can just charge, but being out and about with a dying phone is annoying.

The Fold 8 Ultra is a different story. It’s basically a 9-to-5 phone: leave in the morning and you’ll be fine until you get home. Some people will stretch it from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Your results depend on usage. I get a ton of notifications, watch lots of video and spend plenty of time on social media. The efficient Snapdragon chip is a big part of why it lasts longer.

So should you upgrade?

For me, definitely yes. Better cameras, faster wired and wireless charging, and especially better battery life make it worth it. If you already get good battery life from your Fold 7 and don’t mind the rest, sticking with it makes total sense. This wasn’t a massive upgrade year.

What I’m using with it

My Fold 8 Ultra lives in a BENKS crystal case (code GREGGLESTV for a discount), paired with an OhSnap SnapGrip stand that I use all the time.