iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold 8: 7 Things Apple Did Better

Quick summary: I already covered five things the Galaxy Z Fold 8 does better than the iPhone Duo. This is the reverse: seven areas where, on paper, Apple’s foldable comes out ahead.

1. Full dust resistance

The iPhone Duo is IP68, while the Fold 8 is IPX8. The Fold 8 only resists bigger particles, so if you’re heading somewhere really dusty, the Duo is safer. Water resistance is the same for both: roughly five or six feet for about 30 minutes in fresh or pool water. Salt water can ruin either one.

2. Under-display camera

The Duo puts its inner camera under the display, so the main screen looks cleaner. I personally prefer Samsung’s camera on top, because under-display cameras haven’t taken great photos in the past. Still, plenty of people will prefer the cleaner look.

3. Built-in magnets

The Duo has magnets built in, so it supports magnetic wireless charging up to 25W and accessories like my OhSnap SnapGrip Stand with no case. On the Fold 8 you need a magnetic case or an adhesive magnet, and it’s just not the same.

4. Apple Pencil support

Samsung dropped S Pen support after the Fold 6. The Duo reportedly gets USB-C Apple Pencil support in November, a few weeks after launch. I think Samsung will bring pen support back next year, but right now Apple has it.

5. Matte display

The Duo has a matte, anti-reflective inner display that may also add some privacy. It looked kind of bad outdoors when I saw it, maybe because of the brightness or the angle, and I suspect I’ll still like the Fold 8’s display better side by side. If you want matte, though, the Duo wins.

6. More storage

The Duo goes up to 2TB, while the Fold 8 tops out at 1TB, which can be hard to find. The 2TB Duo costs about $3,199 in the US. Most people don’t need that much, but it’s nice to have the option.

7. A faster chip

Both the A20 Pro and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 are amazing, but the Duo wins on performance. In Geekbench 6 it scored about 4,742 single-core vs 4,291, and multi-core was basically a tie at about 12,746 vs 12,684. In the Solar Bay Extreme gaming test it hit 20fps vs 15fps.

Verdict

There’s a lot more to weigh, like software, customization and feel. These are just the on-paper areas where the iPhone Duo is equal to or better than the Fold 8.

• OhSnap SnapGrip Stand