No, Samsung’s New Foldables Don’t Have a Major Battery Downgrade
There’s drama going around about the batteries in Samsung’s latest foldables, including the squattest Galaxy Z Fold 8.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 family of devices is Samsung’s first lineup with some—not full—silicon carbon added to its batteries. This type of battery chemistry is more heat resistant and therefore more resilient and efficient. The battery type also normally holds more of a charge than the same-sized lithium ion battery. One tradeoff, according to EU regulatory documents (via 9to5Google), is that Samsung’s new foldables won’t maintain their full charge after 1,200 charging cycles.
See Galaxy Z Fold 8 at Samsung
See Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra at Samsung
See Galaxy Z Flip 8 at Samsung
After those 1,200 charging cycles, the batteries could reportedly lose up to 20% capacity. The drama? It’s a drop from the 2,000 charging cycles that the previous Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is rated for, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and the Z Flip 8 all have this lower charging cycle rating.
It sounds like a dramatic drop in battery longevity, but that may not actually be the case. Previously, Samsung used its own testing methodology, but its new foldables are now compliant with the latest standardized European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL) criteria, which more accurately ranks battery health and longevity across phones.
For example, Google’s Pixel 10 Pro is rated for 1,000 charging cycles before the battery loses its potency. Apple’s phones like the iPhone 17 Pro also stick to the standard 1,000 charging cycles. That may change with the iPhone 18 Pro Max, with leaks noting Apple may upgrade the battery to extend its lifespan. Even Samsung’s latest flagship, the S26 Ultra, is rated for the same 1,200 charge cycles as the new “8” series foldables.
It’s unlikely there are any charging downgrades. The lower charging cycle number simply reflects the change in testing and certification to meet EPREL’s latest standards.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a larger, 4,800mAh battery than the Z Fold 7. The Z Fold 8 Ultra packs in a massive 5,000mAh battery, which means even after a few years when the battery inevitably degrades, the phone may still get you through a day. Neither the Ultra nor non-Ultra variants include a magnetic ring for any kind of MagSafe or Qi2 battery pack, which means you’ll need to buy a case with built-in magnets if you want to keep them topped off.
See Galaxy Z Fold 8 at Samsung
See Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra at Samsung
See Galaxy Z Flip 8 at Samsung
This article has been updated to clarify Samsung’s compliance with EPREL’s labeling and ratings standards for electronic products.
