Samsung found a hit with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 last year, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra does even more to solidify its spot as the best North American foldable. It's the first Samsung foldable to bear the Ultra name, and for good reason.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra proves to be a major upgrade over the Galaxy Z Fold 6 — in every way but one. The latter is the last Samsung foldable to support the S Pen. If you're a Galaxy Z Fold 6 user wondering if it's time to upgrade, the answer is probably yes... unless you need the S Pen.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra launched in July 2026 at a Galaxy Unpacked event. It hits store shelves Aug. 7, 2026. The new foldable retails for $2,099.99 with 256GB of storage. You can optionally upgrade to 512GB and 1TB of storage for an additional cost. Out of all the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra colors, Green Shadow is exclusive to Samsung's online store.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 was released on July 10, 2024, for $1,899. It was available in Pink, Navy, Silver Shadow, Crafted Black, and White colorways. Now, the phone is mostly unavailable in new condition, but refurbished and used models are enticing — they'll only run you about $500.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra keeps the same general design language as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but it has a different chamfer that makes it easier to open. Compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 6, though, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is considerably thinner and lighter. The new model measures 4.1mm thick opened and 8.9mm closed. That's quite the jump from the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which is 12.1mm folded and 5.6mm unfolded.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is also heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, with the older foldable measuring 239 grams versus 215 grams. The thinner and lighter form factor makes the Fold 8 Ultra feel like a regular phone that happens to unfold, rather than two phones stuck together.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has an 8-inch main screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. Compared to newer models, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 has a more visible crease.

The older foldable's main screen is only 7.6 inches, but it supports the same 120Hz refresh rate and uses identical OLED technology. The outer screen is narrower than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, as Samsung has finally settled on a slightly wider cover-screen aspect ratio. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 features a 6.3-inch outer screen, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra comes with a 6.5-inch cover screen.

Both devices are covered by an IP48 water and dust resistance rating, despite higher levels of protection from other foldables. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra adds anti-reflective properties to the folding display cover.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is still supported with Android OS upgrades and has a capable Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy processor with 12GB of memory. However, the latest Qualcomm chips are major leaps over older Snapdragon platforms. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is faster and more capable than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset.

Samsung upgraded the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra's battery by increasing the capacity to 5,000mAh and using silicon-carbon battery tech. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 has a 4,400mAh capacity, which is the same as the Galaxy Z Fold 7. It also has slower charging, supporting 25W speeds over a cable and 15W wirelessly.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6's camera system is already behind the curve. It offers a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultrawide sensor, and a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom capabilities. By comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra's primary camera is a 200MP sensor. Even the secondary lenses are better, with a 50MP ultrawide camera and a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is quite capable for 2026, even though its form factor might feel outdated as foldables chase thinner and lighter designs. The thicker build makes the Fold 6 feel more premium and lets its hinge stay open at more angles without tipping over. The S Pen support is an added bonus, since the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra ships without it.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra builds upon the upgrades already introduced with the Fold 7. That means you get great performance, a thin and light design, a superb camera system, and excellent software. It may be tough — if not impossible — to justify spending $2,000 on a new foldable if you already shelled out for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 two years ago.

That said, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is tempting. Almost everything is better, and if you get a good trade-in deal, the upgrade could be worthwhile.

Brady is a tech journalist for Android Central, with a focus on news, phones, tablets, audio, wearables, and software. He has spent the last three years reporting and commenting on all things related to consumer technology for various publications. Brady graduated from St. John's University with a bachelor's degree in journalism. His work has been published in XDA, Android Police, Tech Advisor, iMore, Screen Rant, and Android Headlines. When he isn't experimenting with the latest tech, you can find Brady running or watching Big East basketball.