GoKawiilBrady Snyder / Android Authority
Add Android Authority on Google: Preferred Source Google Discover
When I first heard of Samsung’s plans to make a wide Galaxy Z Fold 8, I knew I’d want one in my pocket. The 16:10 cover screen and 4:3 main screen aspect ratios sounded perfect for widescreen content consumption, and made for a compact form factor when shut. Before I bought a Galaxy Z Fold 8 for myself, I skimmed the spec sheet and looked for any notable downgrades. Neither the slightly smaller battery nor the rear dual-camera system disappointed me, but the lack of Flex Mode initially stunned me.
Flex Mode allows you to prop up a foldable like a laptop. It uses a mix of hardware that keeps the hinge in a fixed position and software that makes the most of the split-screen UI. I’ve been using Flex Mode on Samsung foldables since the Galaxy Z Flip 3, and it became my preferred way to watch videos on a table or desk.
The wide Galaxy Z Fold 8 leaves Flex Mode behind because of a tweak to the hinge, and I worried it’d ruin what was otherwise my dream foldable. Instead, the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 hinge ended up being my favorite thing about it.
Is the Galaxy Z Fold 8's lack of Flex mode a dealbreaker? 25 votes Yes, it's a must-have feature 8 % No, but I would've liked it 52 % No, tent mode is great 8 % No, I never used it 32 %
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 hinge makes me want to open it
Brady Snyder / Android Authority
The hinge on older Samsung foldables was excellent at holding itself in place. You could open the Galaxy Z Fold 7 about halfway and enjoy a split-screen experience in Flex Mode. The hinge remained in a fixed position, and One UI added intuitive software features tailored to the laptop-like mode. For example, the bottom half housed media controls while the top half played videos. Another feature turned the bottom half of a Galaxy Z Fold or Galaxy Z Flip device into a virtual trackpad, leaving the top half reserved for One UI. This year, only the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra retains Flex Mode support.
Initially, I feared the Galaxy Z Fold 8 lacked Flex Mode support merely to help differentiate it from the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. This would’ve been frustrating as a Galaxy Z Fold 8 buyer. Instead, the feature is missing because the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a new hinge that works differently from the one on older Galaxy foldables and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. Samsung says that a new titanium-based display structure, refined hinge mechanics, and magnetic force “make unfolding feel smoother, lighter and more natural.”
... continue reading