Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Google Pixel Fold 10 Pro: You can't lose, but here's my surprise pick

ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.In the US, there are three book-style foldable makers -- Samsung, Google, and Motorola -- but only two of those are "mature" foldables. Motorola launched its debut book-style foldable earlier this year, but Samsung and Google have been at this for a while. The Samsung Z Fold 8 Ultra represents the company's 8th-generation product, while the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold is Google's fourth. So, both of these companies have been doing this for a while. Also: Everything announced at Samsung Unpacked 2026: New foldables, smartwatches, moreChoosing between these two products can be a head-scratcher, but there are very specific reasons why you may want to choose one over the other. Both are very good phones, but they're very good at different things. There are no bad choices here, but if you're debating which one is best for you, here are some things to think about to help you decide. Specifications Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 UltraGoogle Pixel Fold 10 UltraCover display6.5-inch AMOLED 120Hz / 8-inch AMOLED 120Hz with 3,000 nits brightness6.4-inch OLED 120Hz / 8-inch AMOLED 120Hz with 3,000 nits brightnessWeight215g258ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5Google Tensor G5RAM/Storage12GB / 256GB, 12GB / 512GB, 16GB / 1TB16GB / 256GB, 16GB / 512GB, 16GB / 1TBBattery5,000mAh with 45W charging5,015mAh with 30W chargingRear cameras200MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto (2x optical)48MP wide, 10.5MP ultrawide, 10.5MP telephoto (2x optical)Front cameras10MP (cover and main)10MP (cover and main)Connectivity5G5GPriceStarting at $2,099Starting at $1,799 Choose the Pixel 10 Pro Fold if… Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET 1. You…kinda…have a budget Let's be real here -- neither of these phones is cheap by any standard. The Google Pixel Pro Fold costs $1,799.99, which is a lot of money to splash on a phone. But the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra costs $300 more at $2,099.00. It's bad enough when a price has a comma, but it's so much worse when it starts with a 2 and has one. Samsung's foldable is the most expensive foldable you can buy in the US, and as a matter of fact, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 (which some would argue is the one you should actually buy) is also more expensive than Google's foldable. It's not always about price when it comes to phones, but in this case, it's about a very high price. Both phones are very good, but Google's phone will cost you almost 15% less. I hate to keep harping on the price, but this is not an insignificant number. With the money you save by buying the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, you can pick up a great set of earbuds to go with your phone, plus add a pretty nice charging stand. Speaking of which… 2. You want magnetic charging/accessories Apple introduced MagSafe years ago, and Qi 2 followed that pattern. A circle of magnets on the back of the Pixel phone can hold any of a number of different accessories and charging stands that were designed for the iPhone. Google calls its circular ring of magnets "Pixel Snap"; the magnets are built into the back of the phone and support the same accessories. Samsung's foldable can only do this if you buy a separate case to go with the phone. Also: I tried Samsung's new wide Galaxy Z Fold 8, and it's my favorite product of Unpacked 2026Personally, I have a huge collection of gadgets and accessories that connect to the ring of magnets, from wallets to fill lights to selfie sticks and more. That may not seem like a big deal to you, but for someone like me who doesn't want to see all those accessories and chargers go to waste, it's pretty important. I don't want hundreds of dollars' worth of accessories to suddenly become useless overnight. That is not the only reason to consider buying (or not buying) a phone, but it is a factor. 3. You want Pixel-exclusive features Both of these phones support seven years of software and security updates, but Google phones improve over time with Pixel Drops. On a quarterly basis, Google rolls out brand new features, exclusively to Pixel phones, that can be very useful. Some examples of Pixel Drops include Screen Reactions, which allow you to record your screen and activate your phone's selfie camera at the same time, Magic Cue coming to Snapchat conversations, and video editing with Gemini Omni. Pixel Drops allow Google to improve your phone over time rather than needing to wait for a whole new operating system. Samsung also pushed frequent security updates, but no phone maker pushes out updates like Google. It's a treat you get every few months that works exclusively on your phone. It's that kind of value add that makes owning a Pixel feel special. You should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra if… Woman holding all four colorways of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra Adam Doud / ZDNET 1. You. Want. Power. One very clear difference between the two phones comes in their beating hearts. The silicon powering each phone is very different. The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold runs on Google's own Tensor G5 processor, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra runs on Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor. The difference in power is night and day. Google's Tensor chip is optimized toward thermals and steady power. The Snapdragon is optimized toward raw speed, and it's not even close. Also: I've used Samsung foldable phones for 7 years, and the Z Fold 8 Ultra finally gets it rightGoogle phones infamously don't allow the installation of Geekbench's app, so a benchmark comparison isn't possible, but in terms of processing power, editing video, long-term video recording, and other intense processing tasks, Snapdragon's silicon handles them all better than anyone else, Apple included. Not everyone will need to edit video on their phones, but even if that's the case, more power means more future-proof, and when you're dropping close to (or over) $2,000 for a phone, you want it to last. 2. You want a thinner and lighter phone One of the main criticisms of the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold is how bulky it feels compared to other options, and that criticism is valid. On paper, 1.1mm and 43 grams don't seem like a lot, but the difference is in hand- and pocket-feel. Imagine walking around with an extra golf ball in your pocket, and you'll get the idea. It's not a lot, but it's not a little either. Truth be told, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 saw Samsung catching up with a lot of the rest of the world in terms of design and weight. Google remains the last holdout. An argument could be made that the Pixel Snap magnets alone justify the extra bulk, and that's fair enough. But if you want a phone that feels like a normal phone when you hold it, and slips easily into your pocket when you don't, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is your choice. Four Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra colors lined up Adam Doud / ZDNET 3. You want camera versatility Google Pixels are known for their photography chops, and to be clear, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is no slouch, but this year Samsung upgraded its ultrawide camera to a 50-megapixel shooter, along with the 200-megapixel main camera. Meanwhile, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold's main camera sits at 48 megapixels with much smaller sensors for the ultrawide and telephoto. That leads to a loss of sharpness. The telephoto on the Z Fold 8 ultra still leaves something to be desired -- on paper; we haven't had a chance to test it yet -- but the 50 MP ultrawide gives you more to work with in that regard. One could argue that Google's processing afterward helps clean up shots on the phone -- my super-zoom testing bore that out -- so if you're interested in telephoto performance, the Pixel might be able to make an argument, but if you want a great camera, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will be hard to beat. Writer's choice I am an unashamed MagSafe/Pixel Snap fanatic. I have dozens of accessories that use circular magnets, and I would still choose the Z Fold 8 Ultra. As a part-time creator, the power of the phone is outstanding. I've also carried the Pixel 10 Pro Fold on work trips, and used it as a mini-PC on a Pixel Snap stand and portable keyboard, but when you're on the go, the ability to pull out your phone and easily slip it into and out of a pocket is huge. I also use a number of devices in the Samsung ecosystem, including the Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Pro, and Samsung devices work great together. So for a number of reasons, the Z Fold 8 Ultra is my choice. Featured