Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold 8 in India, but the launch of the new foldable has also made last year's Galaxy Z Fold 7 a more compelling buy. While Samsung hasn't officially slashed the Fold 7's price, online retailers are offering attractive bank discounts that significantly lower its effective cost. With the Galaxy Z Fold 8 debuting at Rs 25,000 more than its predecessor, the older model now presents stronger value for buyers looking for a premium foldable without stretching their budget.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 continues to retail at its original launch price, but ongoing bank offers make it more affordable. Vijay Sales is offering an instant discount of Rs 7,000 on HDFC Bank, SBI Bank and ICICI Bank credit cards, bringing the effective price down to Rs 1,67,999. Amazon is also running promotional offers, with EMI purchases eligible for discounts of up to Rs 15,000 on select bank cards.
If you're not planning to buy immediately, waiting a little longer could prove worthwhile. With the Independence Day sale expected to kick off soon, premium smartphones like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are likely to receive steeper discounts, making the foldable an even better deal.
Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Galaxy Z Fold 8: Which should you buy?
For most buyers, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 remains the smarter choice. While Samsung has introduced several upgrades with the Galaxy Z Fold 8, they are largely refinements rather than game-changing improvements. Unless you specifically want the latest hardware, the Fold 7 continues to deliver a flagship foldable experience at a considerably lower price.
The biggest upgrade on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is its larger 5,000mAh battery, replacing the 4,400mAh unit found in the Fold 7. Charging has also been upgraded from 25W to 45W, allowing for faster top-ups.
Samsung has also equipped the Fold 8 with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor—the same chipset powering the Galaxy S26 lineup—offering improved performance and better power efficiency. The foldable display now features a higher resolution, while the cover screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 for enhanced durability.
Camera upgrades are relatively modest. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 retains the 200-megapixel primary camera but replaces the ultrawide sensor with a new 50-megapixel unit, promising improved wide-angle photography. The telephoto and selfie cameras remain unchanged.
In terms of design, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 looks almost identical to the Fold 7. Since Samsung had already made the Fold 7 significantly slimmer and lighter, there wasn't much left to redesign. The Fold 8 is marginally thinner when unfolded, retains the same folded thickness, and weighs the same 215 grams despite housing a larger battery.
One area where Samsung hasn't made progress is durability. Both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Fold 8 carry the same IP48 rating for water and dust resistance, while some rival foldables now offer more robust protection.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 still checks all the boxes for a premium foldable, offering a slim design, flagship performance and a capable 200-megapixel camera system. Its cameras continue to deliver impressive results, and day-to-day performance remains excellent.
There are a few compromises. Battery life is good rather than class-leading, and Samsung still doesn't offer S Pen support. Even so, for buyers seeking a high-end foldable without paying the premium for the latest model, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 stands out as the better value. With current bank offers already reducing its effective price—and bigger festive discounts likely around the Independence Day sale—it could soon become an even more attractive purchase.
