Samsung has once again pushed the boundaries of foldable smartphones with the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition in South Korea. This premium device arrives with exciting improvements, making it a notable upgrade from the Galaxy Z Fold 6. With its thinner profile, lighter weight, bigger screens, and enhanced camera system, this Special Edition foldable is packed with features that highlight Samsung’s technological prowess.
Set to launch officially on October 25, 2023, in South Korea, the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition is designed to offer users a foldable phone experience that combines premium materials, advanced specifications, and cutting-edge features.
Key Highlights of Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition
- 8.0-inch foldable main display, the largest in the Z Fold series
- 6.5-inch cover display for a more practical smartphone experience
- Powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage
- 200MP wide-angle camera, the highest resolution camera in a foldable yet
- Thinner and lighter than the Galaxy Z Fold 6
- Seven years of software updates, ensuring longevity
Design: Thinner, Lighter, and Premium
One of the most notable aspects of the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition is its design improvements over the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Samsung has shaved 1.5mm off the thickness and reduced the weight by 3 grams, making it the thinnest and lightest device in the Z Fold series.
- Thickness: The Fold Special Edition is 10.6mm thick when folded and 4.9mm when unfolded, compared to 12.1mm and 5.6mm on the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
- Weight: At 236 grams, it is slightly lighter than the 239 grams of the Fold 6, despite its larger screens.
The phone comes in a sleek Black Shadow color with a striped pattern back, giving it a premium and unique look. Samsung has also retained the use of premium materials, likely similar to the Armor Aluminium and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 found on the Fold 6, ensuring durability.
Display: Bigger and Better
The Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition features larger displays than its predecessor, further enhancing its usability in both folded and unfolded modes.
| Display Type | Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition | Galaxy Z Fold 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Main Screen | 8.0-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X | 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Main Screen Aspect Ratio | 20:18 | 4:3 |
| Cover Screen | 6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X | 6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Cover Screen Aspect Ratio | 21:9 | 22.1:9 |
The 8.0-inch foldable main display offers a wider 20:18 aspect ratio, making it ideal for productivity tasks, gaming, and multimedia consumption. The 6.5-inch cover screen has a 21:9 aspect ratio, giving users a more traditional smartphone experience when the device is folded.
Both displays support HDR10+, 120Hz adaptive refresh rates, and offer up to 2,600 nits of peak brightness, ensuring vibrant visuals and smooth performance.
Camera System: A Massive Upgrade
The camera system is where the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition truly sets itself apart from the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Samsung has equipped this model with a 200MP wide-angle camera, making it the most powerful camera ever on a foldable smartphone.
| Camera | Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition | Galaxy Z Fold 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Main Wide-Angle Camera | 200MP (OIS, Dual Pixel AF) | 50MP (OIS, Dual Pixel AF) |
| Ultra-Wide Camera | 12MP (123° FOV, Auto Focus) | 12MP (123° FOV, Fixed Focus) |
| Telephoto Camera | 10MP (3x Optical Zoom) | 10MP (3x Optical Zoom) |
| Front Camera (Cover) | 10MP | 10MP |
| Front Camera (Main) | 4MP (Under-Display) | 4MP (Under-Display) |
| Video Recording | 8K at 30fps, 4K at 60fps | 8K at 30fps, 4K at 60fps |
The 200MP main sensor is a significant step up from the 50MP sensor on the Fold 6, offering much better detail and clarity in photos. The 12MP ultra-wide camera now has auto-focus, a key upgrade that allows for more versatile shooting, especially when capturing macro shots. The 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom remains unchanged, but together with the upgraded sensors, the overall camera performance is drastically improved.
Performance: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 16GB RAM
The Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition is powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, delivering top-tier performance across the board. With 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage, this device is more than capable of handling intensive tasks like gaming, video editing, and multitasking.
| Feature | Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition |
|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (3.4GHz Octa-Core) |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | 512GB UFS 4.0 (no microSD support) |
| OS | Android 14 with One UI 6.1.1 |
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy is a customized version of Qualcomm’s flagship chipset, ensuring optimized performance for Samsung devices. This chip is coupled with Galaxy AI, Samsung’s suite of artificial intelligence features, which enhance performance, camera quality, and battery efficiency.
Battery and Charging
Despite its thinner and lighter design, the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition retains the same 4,400mAh battery found in the Galaxy Z Fold 6. It supports 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging, along with 4.5W reverse wireless charging.
- Wired Charging: 25W
- Wireless Charging: 15W
- Reverse Wireless Charging: 4.5W
While the battery capacity remains the same, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Samsung’s AI optimizations are expected to improve power efficiency, helping the device last longer on a single charge.
Connectivity and Durability
The Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition comes with all the latest connectivity features, including Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, 5G, and USB Type-C. It also includes Ultra-Wideband (UWB) for precise location tracking and NFC for contactless payments.
| Connectivity | Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition |
|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| 5G | Yes |
| NFC | Yes |
| USB Port | USB Type-C |
| Ultra-Wideband (UWB) | Yes |
The phone is IP48-rated for water and dust resistance and retains the Armor Aluminium frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, ensuring durability.
Price and Availability
The Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition is priced at KRW 2,789,600 (approximately $2,024 USD or ₹1,70,207). It will be available starting October 25, 2023, in South Korea, with Black Shadow being the only color option. Customers who purchase the device before December 31 will receive discount coupons for other Samsung products like the Galaxy Watch Ultra, Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra.
Currently, the device is expected to be exclusive to South Korea, with potential availability in China under the name Galaxy W25. There’s no word yet on whether it will be released in other global markets, including India and the US.
Conclusion: A Step Above the Fold 6
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition stands out as a more refined, feature-packed version of the Z Fold 6. From its bigger screens and upgraded camera system to its thinner, lighter design, it offers several enhancements that make it a worthy upgrade. While it carries a higher price tag, the improvements in the display, camera, and overall performance make it one of the most advanced foldable smartphones on the market today.
