Galaxy View Z Fold 8: Passport form, Getting Comfortable?

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 brings a huge change to the folding phone design. The body is now shorter and wider like a passport, with only 201 grams of weight.

After a month of use, these changes in shape turned out not just to refresh appearance, but to give different experiences in daily activities. One of the most felt changes is a wider cover screen.

Reply messages, browsing the Internet, until reading the current ebook is more comfortable without having to open the device more often. When it opened, Galaxy Z Fold 8 turned into an ideal mini tablet to read, work, and enjoy entertainment.

However, Galaxy Z Fold 8 is not without compromise. Samsung removed Flex Mode and S Pen support, while camera sectors were not equipped with a special telephoto.

So, does this new design make Galaxy Z Fold 8 more interesting to have? Here's a seconds review based on a month's worth of use.

Here are Galaxy Z Fold 8's excess and flaws during a month's use:

Official prices of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 in Indonesia from Rp28,499,000 to Rp40.49,000 depending on memory capacity:

This is one of Galaxy Z Fold 8's greatest attractions. Samsung left elongated design that for years became the characteristic of Galaxy Z Fold, replacing it with shorter and wider shapes.

When folded, Galaxy Z Fold 8 has 123.9 dimensions x 81.9 x 9.7 mm. When it opens, it's 4.5 mm thick. The weight is small for a device that unites a smartphone and tablet, which is 201 grams.

His new form reminds him of passports. It looks unusual at first glance, especially for users who are used to smartphones of long design. However, this is exactly where it's unique.

When it's held in one hand, Galaxy Z Fold 8 feels more concise vertically. Thumbs are easier to reach the top of the screen without having to overdo the hand position. The wider body also provides more space when typing using two thumbs.

This changes when replying to WhatsApp, reading emails, exploring social media, or opening second-hand sites. We no longer feel we have to rush to open the main screen just to get a comfortable look.

Even so, the broad body still requires an adjustment. Users with small palms may be harder to reach the opposite side of the screen when operating with one hand.

The other interesting thing is the sensation of opening the device. Galaxy Z Fold 8 feels like opening a little book that turns into a mini tablet. The transition between these two fashion uses gives themselves character versus conventional smartphone.

Samsung also amplifies the multiple screen structures with titanium-based materials. This device also pocketed IP48 certification for water resistance and specific-sized solid objects, although it did not offer IP68-equivalent dust protection.

There is one crucial compromise of this design change. Galaxy Z Fold 8 no longer supports Flex Mode like the previous Fold model. That is, the user loses flexibility to tap into a half folded position as a screen buffer in a number of activities.

Even so, we were able to use tent mode, which is to motivate Galaxy Z Fold 8 to resemble a tent with both sides of the device as a crutch. This position allows users to watch videos without having to continue holding cell phones or using additional buffer.

Samsung bought Galaxy Z Fold 8 with a 5.5-inch cover screen of 16: 10 and the main screen of AMOLED 2X is 7.6 inches at 4: 3. This combination presents a different experience than the previous generation of Galaxy Z Fold, especially when reading digital books.

On paper, a 5.5-inch cover screen may sound smaller than today's smartphone has an average screen above 6 inches. However, thanks to a wider ratio, the outer screen of Galaxy Z Fold 8 feels relieved and comfortable being used.

During testing, we use the cover screen more often than we use the main screen. Starting from replying WhatsApp, reading emails, exploring social media, to finding information through browser, everything was comfortable without having to open the phone.

One of our favorite experiences is reading digital or ebook. We tried using Google Play Books and Digital Gramedia applications. The results are quite pleasant.

Thanks to the wider screen ratio, the page view feels more proportional. The font size displayed both applications is also not too small, so the text is kept comfortable reading without having to constantly enlarge the font.

This experience is very felt when commuting or on its way to office or coverage using public transportation. We can read the ebook while holding Galaxy Z Fold 8 like a normal smartphone.

His brief size also makes reading activities less conspicuous in the crowd. We don't need to open a device into a small tablet just to enjoy a few pages of books along the way.

However, when you want to read more freely, a 7.6 inch main screen offers a much more pleasant experience.

In a portable position, one page can be displayed in a larger size. Text feels more relieved and comfortable looking at, so it's suitable to enjoy reading in a long time.

Experience got interesting when Galaxy Z Fold 8 played into landscape position. In applications and books supporting a two-page view, the main screen can display the left and right pages side by side.

The sensation is really like opening a physical book. We can see two pages at once, complete with a more natural reverse experience.

For us, this is one of the most exciting advantages of Galaxy Z Fold 8's new designs. The cover screen is comfortable to read in..