Samsung’s top folding phone for 2026 is its first to carry the “Ultra” moniker in its name, packing a much bigger battery and better cameras into the thin and light body of a book-style foldable.The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra continues from where the exquisite Z Fold 7 left off last year. With its svelte chocolate bar dimensions opening into a square tablet, the Ultra sits above the new passport-shaped Z Fold 8 as Samsung’s top model. Costing £1,899 (€2,199/$2,099.99/A$2,999), it is a lot of money to pay for a phone, regardless of how many other devices it can theoretically replace in your pocket.The Ultra sticks with the tried and tested form of its many Z Fold predecessors, and is almost identical to the Fold 7 physically. Weighing 215g and being only 8.9mm thick when closed, it is about the same as a large normal slab phone. The tall and super-bright outside screen makes easy work of phone-type tasks such as messaging, calls and mapping.The chocolate bar dimensions of the Ultra (right) provide plenty of space for messaging and other activities while being easier to use one-handed than the squat shape of the Fold 8 (left). Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The GuardianOpen up the Ultra like a book to reveal the 8in OLED tablet screen, which is notably crisper and brighter than previous models, with a new anti-reflective coating that makes it easy to see in direct sunlight.Browsing or reading books is particularly satisfying, while videos look great but have large letterboxing black bars top and bottom. The stereo speakers, when held in landscape, are good for watching TV without headphones.The crease is less visible where the display folds but is still noticeable when the screen is off or you run your finger over it, and the necessarily softer material picks up fingerprints easily and needs more care than a traditional hardened glass smartphone.Reading books, comics and websites on the tablet screen is a joy on the go. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The GuardianSpecifications