Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Motorola Razr Ultra: This one is the better value

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During Unpacked 2026, Samsung unveiled its newest flagship foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. 

It builds on the previous generation, boasting a new Qualcomm processor, a larger battery, a lighter design, and an 8-inch-wide inner display that provides ample room for multitasking, entertainment, and productivity. In any other year, this would be the best foldable on the market, but it is arriving at a time when the market is more competitive than ever.

Also: Everything announced at Samsung Unpacked 2026: New foldables, smartwatches, more

One of its biggest rivals is the 2026 Motorola Razr Ultra. While it isn't a book-style foldable, the Razr Ultra is still a compelling alternative. The flagship device combines a compact design with high-end hardware, vibrant displays, and a spacious 4-inch cover screen.

The two devices cater to different audiences. Both are solid, but which one should you buy? To help you decide, I have compared the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and the Razr Ultra across multiple categories. My goal here is to highlight key areas where each device excels, so you can choose the phone that best suits your needs.

Specifications

You should buy the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra if...

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1. You want a foldable phone

Choosing the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra because it's a foldable may sound like a no-brainer. 

Like, why else would you buy this phone if you didn't like that design style? But it is an important consideration and worth analyzing. That hinge transforms a traditional slab phone into a compact tablet. The extra space comes in handy while multitasking, editing documents, and running multiple apps side by side. You may also notice that the Fold 8 Ultra has a wider aspect ratio than most other foldables. Again, this enables a better workspace.

Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Z Fold 7: After a year of usage, I'm ready to upgrade

Samsung made meaningful improvements to its folding phone. The company introduced a new display structure called Flex Titanium for this model. It combines a titanium-alloy film with an enhanced titanium support plate, improving durability and reducing the visibility of the crease running down the middle.

I can't forget to mention the vibrant AMOLED panels that make up the cover and inner screens. Colors are vibrant, contrast is deep, and the panels reach high brightness levels to ensure visibility even on bright days.

2. You want better cameras

Simply put, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has a better camera system, consisting of a 200MP main camera, a 50MP ultrawide lens, and a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. This combination gives you a ton of flexibility across different shooting scenarios. 

You can fit a lot of subjects into a single shot with an ultrawide lens. The telephoto option is awesome at taking sharp photographs of subjects from a distance. Users also benefit from Samsung's years of refining its mobile photography systems. Advanced image processing and AI enhancers work together to improve image quality and color accuracy.

Also: I tested the 100x zoom cameras of Samsung, Google, and Motorola phones - this model won

Adam Doud/ZDNET

Plus, you have the benefit of the inner display, which provides a large canvas for reviewing and editing images. Motorola's Razr Ultra does have one notable advantage: its selfie camera. The Razr Ultra features 50MP front-facing lenses, whereas the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has two 10MP selfie cameras. Despite that advantage, Samsung's model has a better overall package.

3. You want better performance

In terms of performance, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has the edge. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, Qualcomm's flagship mobile chipset specially built for demanding workloads. It features a third-generation Oryon CPU with clock speeds of up to 4.74GHz, an Adreno GPU for high graphical performance, and an upgraded Hexagon NPU designed to accelerate AI tasks.

Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 vs. Z Flip 8: Is a foldable or a flip the better option?

For everyday use, that chip platform gives the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra plenty of headroom for playing mobile games, editing high-resolution videos on the inner screen, and managing multiple apps at once. Additionally, Samsung gives users plenty of storage flexibility. The foldable is available in 12GB of RAM with a 256GB SSD, 12GB of RAM with a 512GB SSD, and 16GB of RAM with a 1TB SSD. Motorola's Razr Ultra comes in a single configuration: 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

You should buy the 2026 Motorola Razr Ultra if...

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1. You want a flip-style phone

One of the main benefits of a flip phone is its portability. When folded, a device like this becomes half its original size. Plus, at just 199 grams, it is lighter than other foldables, making it more comfortable to carry around. I once carried the Razr Ultra and Razr Plus in my jeans pocket at a concert, and I never once felt uncomfortable. 

The 4-inch cover screen also provides quick access to notifications, media controls, text messages, and other everyday functions. You don't have to open the phone to do the basics. This phone's biggest strength is that it delivers the best of both worlds. That alone makes it one of the most compelling mobile devices on the market.

Also: I tested Motorola's $1,500 Razr Ultra, and it's so close to being my dream flip phone

2. You want a device that provides great value

Motorola's Razr Ultra undercuts the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra by hundreds of dollars. It normally costs $1,500. What's great is that at the time of this writing, you'll receive two gifts with your purchase: the Moto Buds Loop earbuds and a Moto Watch.

Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Motorola Razr Ultra: I've used both, and this phone is my pick

When opened, it unfolds to a spacious 7-inch Extreme AMOLED screen that is Pantone-validated and supports HDR10+. 

In short, the colors are highly accurate to their real-world counterparts, and image quality is excellent. Highlights don't look super blown out. Shadows look pitch black. I also can't forget the audio system. The speakers have been fine-tuned by Dolby Atmos and support Spatial Audio for immersive sound. I feel like a phone like this should cost way more -- thankfully, it's not. 

You get a lot of bang for your buck with this. The overall value becomes clearer when looking at the Razr Ultra's specs. Befitting its name, the Razr Ultra is a top-notch device. It runs on a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. 

Writer's choice

After comparing both phones, I would buy the Motorola Razr Ultra for its more portable design, strong performance, and significantly lower price. The device can't perform as well as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra; however, it still has a solid configuration capable of handling just about everything you throw at it. 

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is the better choice for power users who prioritize multitasking, cameras, and maximum performance, but the Razr Ultra offers the better overall value.