Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

There is something fundamentally appealing about technology that can radically change its form to suit one's needs. It's precisely for this reason foldable smartphones are a fascinating concept for the right consumer, whether it be a "flip" that transforms from a standard phone size into something far smaller and more compact, or a 'book' that combines a standard phone and a tablet in a single device.

But as far as I'm concerned, there's also a fundamental misunderstanding embedded in these two formats, which other manufacturers have previously tried to resolve, and where this very solution is now making a triumphant return. I am, of course, talking about the need for both a far more compact phone than the mass market offers, and a tablet-like form factor. Given that foldable smartphones offer this duality, why not this particular one?

Oppo tried it before, and in a way so did Google with the first Pixel Fold, but today they're both using the "book" style, much to my chagrin. But here comes Samsung - possibly because Apple is set to reintroduce this form factor - with the Galaxy Z Fold 8, a phone that is far more compact than even the average iPhone Pro, yet boasts a large canvas right behind that sleek Armor Aluminium hinge. In other words, we finally have the perfect form factor.

This means a more square, shorter shape for the outer display, which measures "just" 5.4 inches, as well as a larger 7.6-inch inner display, and I simply cannot emphasise enough just how wonderful everyday use is with precisely these two display sizes. These are also competitive across all the same, rather mundane specifications you're familiar with. 1972x1248 Dynamic AMOLED 2X at 120Hz on the outside, 1848x2448 Dynamic AMOLED 2X at 120Hz on the inside, both with 16M colour depth, superb brightness, and calibration that is, naturally, among the best in the industry.

Likewise, performance is no issue, and hasn't been for years. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (no Exynos in these foldables), clocked at up to 4.74GHz, along with 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. It's all here, and whether it's gaming, multitasking (which is the main way I personally make the most of the wider canvas), or anything in between, there aren't really any genuine complaints I can raise here that would matter to the average consumer.

Well, apart from the camera, that is. Make no mistake; there's nothing wrong with the two lenses on offer here. One is a 50-megapixel standard wide-angle lens at f/1.8 with optical stabilisation, flanked by a 50-megapixel f/1.9 ultra-wide-angle lens with a 120-degree field of view. It all works well, and particularly in recent years, Samsung has made some giant leaps forward with its "computational" pipeline. This means better exposure, better performance in more challenging conditions, and colour rendering that isn't quite as Instagram-like as before. This phone takes brilliant photos.

However, there's something thoroughly wrong with charging around £1,700 for a phone that doesn't have a telephoto lens at all and offers no more than 2x optical zoom. Regardless of the software upgrades here, the distinction between this Z Fold 8 and the Z Fold 8 Ultra means that those who want this fantastic form factor have to "sacrifice" more camera versatility, and that is simply unacceptable at these prices.

That said, if you can live with fewer optical options, there's plenty to love. Samsung's OneUI has also come a long way and now offers a rather "Apple"-esque experience, featuring the same playful design aesthetic, but where things are generally a little easier to understand. It doesn't quite beat Google's own approach to Android, but it's an exciting ecosystem, no doubt about it. Furthermore, the phone has IP48 certification, the 4800mAh battery lasts the whole day, and it charges reasonably quickly via either 45W wired or 20W wireless charging.

It's in this innovative form the Z Fold 8 truly pushes the boundaries of what makes a foldable phone so different, and it's truly impressive just how close Samsung has come here to a smartphone that is genuinely easy to recommend to everyone who can see the appeal of this setup.