Today I’m holding a foldable phone in my hands for the very first time in my life. After years as an iPhone user, most recently with the iPhone 17 Pro Max, I genuinely had no idea what to expect from the Galaxy Z Fold 8. The big question of the day: can a Fold actually replace my iPhone — or will I just end up preordering the rumored iPhone Fold the moment it lands for 2,500 euros or more?
First Impressions: Build Quality and Size
The build quality has clearly come a long way. You used to be able to tell a Samsung device apart instantly just by the materials. With the Z Fold 8, that’s no longer the case — it genuinely feels close to an Apple device. The hinge feels premium, the body sits comfortably in the hand, and thickness-wise there’s barely any difference compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max I held right next to it.
One thing a lot of reviews have made a bigger deal of than it deserves: the crease down the middle of the big display. In everyday use, I barely see or feel it — it only becomes faintly visible after folding and unfolding the device a few times, and once the screen is actually on, it disappears from notice entirely.
The First Software Annoyances
Three things stood out immediately during setup. First, when it’s unfolded, the phone wobbles like crazy if you try to lay it flat and tap on the screen — no idea why Samsung built it that way. Second, the outer display is a constant fingerprint magnet, and there’s not much you can do about that. And third, the most annoying part: what feels like 238 separate security prompts with endless walls of text you have to click through before you can even get started. Apple handles this far more elegantly — though at the end of the day, you’re probably clicking through the same stuff either way.
Day-to-Day Use: YouTube, Browsing, and Multitasking
Unfolded, the big display is genuinely fun to use. YouTube videos can be rotated and viewed in multiple formats, and browsing — I pulled up case-tester.com right away — fills the entire screen cleanly, sidebar included. Yes, some content leaves thick black bars top and bottom because the aspect ratio doesn’t always match, but overall the whole experience feels surprisingly well thought out. Despite the massive display, the Fold is even surprisingly comfortable to use one-handed when it’s closed — folding and unfolding it with one hand worked fine in my test (just don’t try it while walking on pavement).
If you’re on the fence like I was but end up sticking with your iPhone in the end, check out my current breakdown of the best iPhone 17 Pro cases on the market for models that actually offer solid protection.
The Verdict After Day One
After a few hours with the Galaxy Fold 8, I don’t really want to get into the whole iOS-versus-Android debate — sure, switching takes some getting used to, and Android just isn’t my preferred system. But the overall experience genuinely surprised me: videos, websites, social media — everything on that big screen is suddenly more enjoyable, because you always have exactly the right format in your hand. On the go, the Fold stays compact; in the evening on the couch, you unfold it and you’ve basically got a tablet.
Honestly, it feels a bit like comparing a 2020 BMW 3 Series to the new Tesla Model 3 — one suddenly looks dated the moment you put it next to the other. My take right now: Apple really should release an iPhone Fold, and I’d pick up the Z Fold 8 as my daily driver today without hesitation. If I owned a regular Galaxy S26 Ultra instead, I think I’d sell it and keep the Fold.
I’ve also already ordered screen protectors and cases specifically for the Fold, which I’ll test in separate videos. In the meantime, if you’re curious how well iPhone 17 Pro screen protectors actually hold up, check out my iPhone 17 Pro screen protector test.
What’s Next
I’m going to use the Galaxy Fold 8 as my only smartphone for a full week now. The next video will have the full truth: can a longtime iPhone user genuinely switch to a Fold for good? Maybe by the end, the real question isn’t even whether you can switch from iPhone to Android anymore — but whether you’d ever want to go back to a normal, unfolded smartphone at all.