Galaxy Z Fold 8 renders reveal that Samsung may take a step back with its design

Samsung’s foldables are among the company’s most exciting devices in recent years, not only because of the form factor. Pushed by the fierce competition, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 was a significant upgrade over the Galaxy Z Fold 6, introducing various meaningful improvements. Sadly, a new set of leaked renders suggests that the Z Fold 8 may not follow the same path.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 may be a bit thicker than its predecessor

Samsung may introduce minimal visual changes to the Galaxy Z Fold 8, according to new Android Headlines renders based on early CADs of the device. The images reveal a design that’s practically indistinguishable from the Galaxy Z Fold 7, though it may take a step back with its thickness.



The rumored dimensions are 158.4 x 143.2 x 4.5 mm when opened, which is 0.3 mm thicker than last year’s book-style foldable. That also translates to a 9 mm thickness when folded, which is a 0.1 mm increase over the Z Fold 7. However, those measurements are approximate, so the final product could be thinner or even thicker. 

Besides the different thickness, the device may have a 5.5 mm thick camera bump and stick to the same sharp corners and flat sides. The 8-inch internal and 6.5-inch external displays and punch-hole cameras also seem unchanged.

One fan-favorite feature could return

A highlight among the rumored changes is the likely return of S Pen support. That would add to a small but nice list of internal upgrades. The device may feature a 5,000 mAh battery, which would be its first upgrade since the Galaxy Z Fold 3. There could be 45W charging support and a new 50MP ultrawide camera that would replace last year’s 12MP sensor. 



Samsung is almost certainly using a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy on the foldable, which should be paired with 12GB or 16GB of RAM. Meanwhile, foldables such as the Honor Magic V6 and the Oppo Find N6 come with batteries with over 6,000 mAh capacity, super-fast charging, and improved durability. Apple is also expected to launch its first iPhone Fold this fall, which is likely to further challenge Samsung’s position in the foldable market.

Is this peak foldable?

Looking at the renders, I see what could be Samsung’s best possible design right now. While a bit thicker than its predecessor and some of its competitors, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 doesn’t look bad or uncomfortable. What’s left for Samsung is to match the key features of its Chinese competitors. Once that happens, we could say that the company has reached the peak of its foldable design.