I've been using the Galaxy Z Fold 8 for two weeks - these two accessories perfect the experience

Adam Doud / ZDNET

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ZDNET's key takeaways

• I love the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (the the short one). 
• I found two accessories that enhance the experience even more.
• One of them is made by Google.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 has quickly become my favorite foldable. The compact form factor that expands into a mini tablet is so delightful to use, I have a hard time putting it down. I particularly enjoy reading and watching YouTube on it -- content consumption, of course -- but I'm also a spreadsheet nerd, which is why foldables particularly appeal to me.

So, while I've been daily driving the Z Fold 8, short-king edition, I've also come across two accessories that have made the experience even better. The first is Samsung's own carbon fiber case for the phone, which Samsung also included when it sent me the phone.

Like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the folding phones lack built-in magnets for Qi2.2 charging, relying on cases to add that capability. The carbon fiber case adds a ring on the back, so magnetic charging becomes possible. I'm an unashamed MagSafe fanatic and have literally dozens of stands, accessories, and charging cables that use the standard, so this is a big deal for me.

Also: Samsung's new Ultra foldable is impressive, but I'd pay close attention to this model

The carbon fiber case isn't as grippy as I'd normally like a case to be -- I want to hold the $1,899 phone more securely, after all, and the carbon fiber is only barely less slippery than the naked phone itself. That's where the second accessory comes along. I didn't expect it and was delighted by the surprise.

Last year, when Google announced Pixel Snap along with the Pixel 10 family of devices, it came with a number of accessories, including the Snap Ring. This is a magnetic base that attaches to the back of the phone, with a wire ring that opens out from it. This serves the dual purpose of making a stand for the phone and giving you a place to grip it. That's solving two huge problems for me with one device. But the other benefit wasn't clear at first.

Where's the wobble?

When I laid the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on a table, it didn't wobble. That's when I noticed the Snap Ring accessory is just about as thick as the camera bump on the back of the phone. When you place the phone on a table without the Snap Ring, you get a veritable seesaw that you can tap out Morse code with. But add the Snap Ring, and everything lies perfectly flat. It's awesome.

Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Galaxy Z Fold 6: One is better in every way that matters

It's also helpful that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is so short and the magnets are so close to the camera bump that my other MagSafe accessories -- wallets, batteries, and more -- won't attach properly. The Snap Ring, however, does. It's almost as if it was made for the phone.

Adam Doud/ZDNET

The Snap Ring serves as a stand for the phone, open or closed, in portrait or landscape orientation. It's basically the perfect accessory, and I'm a little disappointed that Samsung didn't make one itself. To be fair, Samsung made carbon fiber cases with kickstands built into them, which also do many of the same things, but overall, I prefer this arrangement since I can remove the Snap Ring when I want to charge wirelessly.

Also: The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is so good, I don't see the point of flip phones any more

I did not expect these two accessories to enhance my experience so much, but that's why I love my job. I can discover these delightful little surprises that might otherwise fly under the radar. Now you can enjoy them, too.