After using the Galaxy Z Fold8 for a month… Lighter than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, but the night camera is disappointing

About a month has passed since the release of Samsung's foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Z Fold8. In a recently released video, IT YouTuber ITSub summarized the pros and cons he felt after using the Galaxy Z Fold8, which he purchased through pre-order, as his main phone for over a month. He explained that he was quite satisfied with the foldable's ratio, which has changed for the first time, and noted that since he switched to Galaxy after using iPhone for a long time, the video also captured the difference in experience when moving from iPhone.

Weight 201g… Now foldables are lighter than bar-type smartphones

The first advantage cited by ITSub is portability. According to the video description, the Fold8 weighs 201g, and he said it is incredibly light compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max he used previously, stating that foldable smartphones are now lighter than bar-type smartphones. He said the design fits perfectly in one hand, making it easy to carry, and while bar-type smartphones have length that causes them to stick out slightly from pockets, the Fold8 fits perfectly in a back pocket.

However, he added that while it feels fine when unfolded, when folded, it did not feel as light as its specified weight, perhaps due to center of gravity issues, and the burden of supporting it with the pinky finger remained. He said the center of gravity was best when using it with the camera positioned at the bottom. His usage ratio was about 70–80% on the cover screen and 20–30% on the internal screen.

Just unfold it for a video-friendly ratio without rotating

The second advantage is content consumption. According to the video description, the main display is a 7.6-inch 4:3 ratio, and the cover display is a 5.5-inch 16:10 ratio. ITSub explained that while the Ultra or previous Fold models required rotating once to reach an optimal ratio for watching videos, the Fold8 provides an optimized ratio just by unfolding while watching a video without needing to rotate it. He also cited the ability to watch videos while eating without needing a separate stand as a major advantage. When doing internet or document work, it can be used like a tablet by rotating it vertically, but he noted that the punch-hole is distracting in this mode.

Satisfaction was also high when viewing photos. Usually, when looking at photos, letterboxing remains, but he said that when rotating the screen, the photo fills the display. He mentioned that it was particularly good when viewing maps abroad, as he could view information on the left and the map as is on the right. He also mentioned that the font size and screen layout fit perfectly when first set up.

Apps unable to respond to the new ratio… YouTube thumbnail bug too

As for disadvantages, he first mentioned software. Because it is a new ratio, there are some issues with app optimization. ITSub pointed out that strictly speaking, rather than being a problem with Samsung, it can be seen as a response issue from app developers, but since consumers purchase the Galaxy, the inconvenience felt in apps ultimately remains as part of the Galaxy user experience. In some apps, only the top of the screen appeared small, or text overlapped. He said that in the YouTube app, a bug where thumbnails shrink and grow when scrolling down has not yet been fixed.

In the IoT app Aqara, there was an issue where pressing settings on the unfolded main display would not allow one to go back up or go back. He explained that these problems occur because the app does not respond to this ratio. Additionally, he said that in most apps, content often appears only on the left side based on the halfway mark when unfolded, so if one does not diligently use multitasking, there is a lot of wasted space.

Fine during the day, but a difference in night/low-light

The second disadvantage is the camera. ITSub said that unless using telephoto, both ultra-wide and wide angles are fine for an average user. In particular, he stated that the ultra-wide is similar to what is found in flagships, and while the wide angle is fine during the day with plenty of light, he felt a significant difference at night. He added the premise that this is not an exact comparison as there is a class difference compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max he mainly used previously. He also said there is a large difference in color when switching between 1x zoom and 2x zoom.

When comparing photos with a lot of text, even compared to the iPhone 17 standard model, the Fold8's detail was slightly lower and appeared blurred when zoomed in. In low light, while the iPhone expresses a wide dynamic range between bright and dark areas, the Galaxy felt somewhat lacking, and in dark indoor settings, the colors were slightly unnatural and there was a tendency for more noise. He added that selfies felt as if excessive sharpening was applied to the Fold8. He viewed that if someone who used a Galaxy Ultra or iPhone Pro grade or higher moves to the Fold8, they would find the camera somewhat disappointing.