The latest foldable from Samsung demonstrates notable improvements in protection, surviving rigorous durability tests, yet its susceptibility to dust highlights ongoing challenges for foldable smartphones.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 has arrived with premium hardware and a more square, book-like shape, but its real-world toughness remains the key question for buyers considering a foldable phone. A durability test by JerryRigEverything offered an early answer: the device appears better protected than many expected, although it still carries the familiar compromises of a flexible display.
In the test, the outer screen resisted light scratching until level 6 on the hardness scale used by the channel, with more visible marks appearing at level 7. That result is broadly in line with a high-end cover display using Corning’s Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3, which Samsung says is part of the handset’s construction. The inner display, as with most foldables, proved far more delicate and showed marks at level 2, reflecting the softer materials needed for a bendable panel.
The handset’s sides also held up reasonably well in normal use, even if a sharp blade could scrape away the aluminium finish when enough force was applied. Samsung has also fitted large metal camera rings, although the test showed they are attached with adhesive rather than fixed mechanically. Sand exposure did not stop the hinge from working, and the phone survived repeated opening and closing without obvious failure, which is notable given its foldable design.
That result fits with Samsung’s own durability claims. The company says the Galaxy Z Fold 8 uses an Armour Aluminium frame, an Armour FlexHinge and an IP48 rating, which offers protection against larger dust particles and limited water exposure but not full dust resistance. SamMobile has also reported that the handset uses Flex Titanium display technology, a titanium alloy layer intended to make the panel stiffer and reduce the crease, while the hinge is rated for 500,000 folds. Still, Tom’s Guide has cautioned that the device is not suitable for dusty environments, underscoring that foldables remain more vulnerable than slab phones despite their improving resilience.
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