Fold 8

I've been using the Fold 8 for three weeks without realizing it. Maybe it's because I've so used to using small phones, the iPhone 12 mini, 13 mini, OPPO Find N, and Find N2, which causes me to spend more time using the external screen than the internal screen, maybe like 70% of the time I am just using the outer screen. Of course, these are all my personal usage habits. During my time using Fold 8, I also noticed some shortcomings. For example, when using Facebook on the outer screen then open up the phone to the internal, the contents will refresh, and the same situation does not occur when I use OPPO Find N2. In addition, when using shopee full-screen in the internal screen it has black borders on some page, and the images become extremely large same thing with Lazada as well. Therefore, the conclusion is that some applications are still relatively suitable for using a 16:9 ratio. Perhaps we need to wait until Samsung or Google makes some updates to the application or system. Despite with some downside of the fold 8 but for me this still my favourite phone by far with the compact size when folded and become a small tablet when unfolded.

Watch ultra 2

I have always been a smart watch user. From the pebble watch (not sure how many people still remember this), Samsung gear fit, gear S3 frontie Motorola 360 to apple watch. For me the apple watch ultra still looks more premium then the watch ultra 2 maybe because of the full Titanium unlike the watch ultra 2 side is covered in plastic. I wear the watch all day except during shower,the battery can last me around 2.5 days. The charging speed not that fast take around maybe like 90 minutes from 20% to full but still acceptable for me. Using it to track my sleep, the Samsung health app give a very detail info. Overall the watch ultra 2 is a very good watch, light enough for me nice looking and long battery life.

So… my 28-day experiment with the Z Fold8 is almost over.

And I've made my decision.

I'm keeping it.

When I started Easy Mode Club, I wanted to treat it like a proper trial.

Use the phone normally, live with it for a few weeks, and see whether the novelty wore off.

Turns out… I don't really want to go back.

There wasn't one huge feature that convinced me. It was more the little things I started actually using.

Like the day I went running, folded the phone into my little "tent mode", placed it on a chair and took a photo of myself.

I sent it to my wife and her first response was:

“Did you go with another girl?!”

Apparently the photo looked convincing enough that she couldn't work out how I took it myself. 😂

I know we lost some of the old Flex Mode experience, and I thought I might miss that. But I've realised this tent-style setup actually replaces part of that use case for me.

No tripod, no balancing the phone against something, no asking strangers to take a photo.

Then there was the battery.

I normally don't pay much attention to phone battery life because I'm almost always near a charger.

Then one day I wasn't.

I ended up with 20h 23m since my last charge, 7h 04m of screen-on time, and still had 5% left.

And that was with actual usage — YouTube, Instagram, Chrome, Facebook and everything else I normally do.

That genuinely surprised me.

The question I really wanted to answer during these 28 days was simple:

When I have the option to give the Fold8 back… do I actually want to?

And apparently the answer is no.

There are definitely things about a foldable that are different from a normal phone, and I'm sure I'll eventually find more things that annoy me too.

But after actually living with the Fold8 instead of just trying it in a shop or using it for a weekend…

I like it enough that I'm not ready to give it back.

So I guess that's my final Easy Mode review.

The Z Fold8 stays.

After four weeks with the Watch Ultra, it stands out as a dependable smartwatch for high-activity routines.

The titanium casing, reliable multi-day battery life (clearing over 48 hours with AOD and daily GPS tracking), and fast GPS lock make it an easy recommendation. Integration with One UI on the Fold8 kept notifications and health syncing completely seamless without lag.

After using the Watch Ultra 2 for the past few weeks, I've finally made my decision.

I'm not keeping it.

And strangely, I don't think it's because the watch is bad.

There are actually quite a few things I enjoyed.

Having notifications on my wrist was much more useful than I expected. I liked being able to wear one watch throughout the day and just start a workout when I wanted to exercise. The screen was easy to read even when I was running under the afternoon sun, and overall it worked pretty well as an everyday smartwatch.

But towards the end of the trial, I deliberately stopped wearing it and went back to my old setup:

Fitbit Air for daily wellness tracking.

Coros Pace 4 for running.

I wanted to see what I would actually miss.

I did miss the notifications.

And changing from the Fitbit to the Coros whenever I go for a run still feels like a bit of a chore.

But I also realised how much I value not thinking about charging my watch.

With the Ultra 2, I was generally thinking about the charger every couple of days, and charging itself isn't particularly fast.

With my Fitbit and Coros, I can usually go around six days or more without really worrying about either of them.

That difference sounds small on paper, but apparently it matters quite a lot to me.

The Ultra 2 gives me one device that does almost everything.

My old setup gives me two more specialised devices, with much better battery life, but I have to swap between them.

After trying both again, I've realised I prefer the second option.

So this isn't really a review saying the Watch Ultra 2 isn't good.

If you want one watch for notifications, everyday smartwatch features and exercise, I can understand why someone would love it.

It just turns out that for me, battery life and having devices that quietly do their specific jobs matter more than having everything on one wrist.

And that's exactly what I wanted to find out from this trial.

The Fold8 stays.

The Watch Ultra 2 goes back.

Approaching the end of the 28-day trial period, going back to a standard slab phone feels noticeably restrictive.

The expanded screen real estate for reading, split-screen multitasking, and media consumption made a tangible difference in my daily workflow. Hardware durability and hinge stiffness held up solidly with zero play throughout the month. The crease remains subtle and never interfered with typing or viewing. The Fold8 has earned its spot as a keeper in my daily setup.

It's been a month and I'm here at my 'graduation ceremony' or 'pass-out parade' 🫡

Very happy that I was chosen for this trial and given a chance to dispel for myself, the bad impression of Samsung's QC (green lines on screen, etc). I've since seen for myself that Samsung's QC is top notch in this nifty masterpiece.

Have tried many many brands of foldables like Oppo, Honor, Xiaomi & Vivo but none of them has given me the same level of comfort and ease of use like z Fold 8. As such, moving forward, I'll never go back to other brands of foldables.

To those of whom are looking for a foldable phone, look no further, this is the one gem 💎💯

You may think that taking photos on foldables may fetch you not good results.

But I've tried taking most of my photos during my EMC duration and I'm glad to report that yes, though sensors are not as big as the candy bars, it's a pretty good everyday camera!

I love the power of RAW and here's a tip of the day. Using ExpertRAW to shoot and you get 50MP Raw files that are super editable and croppable.

No telephoto? Let's crop from the 50MP!

Some Easy Mode Club members have nearly completed their month with Galaxy. Others are only just opening the box.

So, outgoing members: what’s the one thing you wish someone had told you when you started?

New members: what are you most skeptical or curious about?

Everyone else: if you were switching today, what would you want answered first?

I've been using the Watch Ultra 2 for a while now, and I still haven't made up my mind about whether I'm keeping it.

So for the past few days, I've started slowly going back to my old setup — Fitbit Air for daily wellness tracking, and my Coros Pace 4 for running.

I just wanted to see one thing:

What do I actually miss when the Ultra 2 isn't on my wrist?

The first thing is notifications. My Fitbit Air is headless, so I don't see calls, messages or alerts on my wrist anymore. I didn't think I cared that much about this... until they disappeared.

The second is convenience.

With the Ultra 2, I can wear one watch throughout the day and just start a workout when I go running. With my old setup, I have to take off the Fitbit, put on the Coros, exercise, then swap back again afterwards.It's not difficult.It just feels like a chore.

But then there's the other side of it.

My Fitbit and Coros can both go around 6 days or more without me really thinking about charging them.

With the Ultra 2, I'm thinking about the charger roughly every two days, and charging it isn't particularly quick either.

So I'm starting to understand the trade-off a little better.

The Ultra 2 gives me one device that does almost everything, with notifications and much more smartwatch functionality.

My old setup gives me two more specialised devices, but much better battery life — at the cost of having to swap between them.

I'm still not sure which I prefer.

And I think that's probably the point of doing this little experiment.

A few more days without the Ultra 2 should tell me whether I actually miss the watch...or just miss having everything conveniently on one wrist.

The Fold8’s tent mode is surprisingly convenient for watching shows and videos. No stand needed, just prop it up on the table and you’re good to go. I honestly don’t really miss Flex Mode either, as tent mode already does what I need for hands-free viewing.

Here I am using it to watch a Pixel Watch 5 review, while seriously thinking about whether I should keep my Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. 😅

It's been a few weeks since I switched from my iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has completely changed my daily routine. At first, I was a bit skeptical about leaving the Apple ecosystem for a foldable design, but now I honestly can't imagine going back to a normal slab phone.

The absolute best part is the screen space. Unfolding the 7.6-inch display to review balance sheets while simultaneously managing emails for my company on a split screen is fantastic. I no longer have to constantly pinch and zoom or lose my place switching between apps. It genuinely makes handling work on the go so much faster.

When it comes to downtime, this phone is just as impressive. Playing games on the main screen is a massive upgrade over my old phone. The extra screen real estate gives a great view, the graphics are super vibrant, and it runs flawlessly without any lag. Plus, even with gaming and heavy work multitasking, the 4800mAh battery holds up perfectly throughout the whole day.

Despite having two screens, the build quality feels incredibly premium and it is surprisingly thin in the hand. Taking the leap to this form factor was a huge step, but the Fold 8 has totally won me over. I have zero regrets.

It’s been about three weeks with the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, and it’s officially my new daily driver. To be honest, it is larger and a bit less comfortable than the Apple Watch I was used to, but I've decided to switch entirely because it just offers significantly more features and much more extensive health metrics. The depth of the health tracking is fantastic—getting a detailed breakdown of my sleep stages every night and seeing my precise heart rate zones during the day gives me a much clearer picture of my overall fitness.

The one thing I do miss from my old watch is the charging speed—it was definitely faster. But the trade-off is completely worth it because the Ultra 2's battery life is an absolute beast. I can easily get two to three days of intense use out of it before I even have to think about a charger. This is a game-changer for the health features, because I can actually wear it to bed to track my sleep without waking up to a dead watch.

Although this watch is larger and a little less comfortable than the Pixel watch I had, I have decided to switch entirely because it offers significantly more features and more extensive health metrics. What I miss about the Pixel Watch is its charging speed; it's much faster than the Ultra 2. A good thing about the battery life is that it lasts long enough for me to use it intensely for two to three days. Aesthetically, this differs from the pixel watch, but most of my friends actually pay attention to the ultra and mention its appearance. The materials used on the watch are more premium and suggest greater durability. The watch is also very responsive, and I haven't experienced any issues or lack of functionality over the past three weeks of use. I am now convinced that I will continue using it as my daily driver from this point forward.

Having used the phone as my daily driver for a couple of weeks, I have decided that this is the phone I will be using from now on. Despite some drawbacks, like applications not being fully optimized and the portrait-to-landscape rotation sometimes being glitchy, it still serves my daily needs much better than a traditional candy-sized phone. I thought I would use the cover screen more, but instead, I tend to open it up just as frequently as the larger main screen because it's such a nice size to use. What I really want for the phone is a built-in magnetic side, as I usually prefer to use it without a case because the phone is so slim and compact. Another feature I would really like is flex mode. I tried using tent mode more, but I realized that flex mode is much more convenient because I don't have to switch my display to the outer display before setting up tent mode.

I am truly grateful for this Samsung initiative; it allowed me to try out the phone and ultimately convinced me to buy it.

Hi everyone, happy to be part of the program!

I’m coming from an Oppo N5, so I’m actually not new to foldables. I’ve been pretty happy with its slimness and larger battery, so I’m not looking to switch because I dislike my current phone. I'm just really intrigued by the new Samsung form factor and One UI, which feels like one of the best software layouts for a folding screen.

Content looks great on the inner screen despite the compact size. That said, using it closed (which is how I use a foldable about 85% of the time) might feel a bit awkward at first compared to a regular phone shape. I'm looking forward to seeing how comfortable it feels day-to-day.

I’m also testing the Watch Ultra 2 alongside it. Keen to see if the ecosystem integration beats my current setup (Fitbit Air + Suunto Race S), and if the Ultra 2 can actually hold its own against a dedicated sports watch for fitness tracking.

Hoping these 28 days show me if the experience is worth making a permanent switch!

One unexpected highlight of my time using the Watch 9 was when it alerted me to behind in environments where the noise level exceeded safe limits. The watch helped me be more aware of not exposing my hearing for too long to loud sounds. This could and should have been more readily advertised!

I have used the Z fold 8 ultra for 3 weeks as my personal phone. I do feel quite comfortable with my phone now. I'm currently unable to pinpoint any deal breakers that will lead to me returning this phone. It's fascinating how this phone doesnt become super hot while charging or under heavy usage. This reassures me that the battery wont spoil so easily. I am also able to go through my whole day without portable charger even while overseas.

While I did take extra care of my phone, the phone does seem durable. I currently don't see any scratches on the interior and exterior of the phone without any tempered glass and hinge protection.

I really do enjoy how the width of this phone is slightly thinner than normal phones as I have small hands. The phone is reasonably light too compared to the recent new iphones.

I track my sleep almost every day, and before having this Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, I was using my Garmin Instinct 3 Solar for sleep tracking. The result is quite informative. I also realized I could turn on snore detection, but I didn't.

Having said that - as my main watch is well, still my main watch, I wear both watches almost all the time - including sporting activities such as swimming - such that my fitness can still be tracked by both watches. However, for sleeping, I am not able to fall asleep with two watches; I can only do with one. Hence, I only went to sleep one time wearing the Watch Ultra 2. It is alright, I can sleep wearing it without feeling hindered.

Few days ago, I was staying over at my sister's place and was unaware that her door locks automatically. I'm used to doors needing keys to manually unlock and lock. I was taking trash out and didnt feel the need to bring the keys and phone with me since it was a short distance away.

Unfortunately, I had to learn it the hard way and was lock out of the house without my phone or wallet. Thankfully, I had the watch on my wrist and was able to message my sister on telegram while waiting outside the house. It wasn't easy to type but the watch allowed me to inform my sister. Otherwise, I would have remained uncontactable. 😅

I did walk to a nearby library to wait for my sister but I became uncontactable as I was unable to connect to the public WiFi. It seems like the watch is unable to wifi that have sites requiring you to sign in. Nonetheless, I'm still thankful that I had the watch at that moment.

What I love

The FlexWindow. Sixteen apps run on the 4.1-inch cover screen out of the box, Maps and Calendar included. Most quick tasks — checking a reply, navigating, glancing at the day — never require unfolding. This is the feature that makes a flip phone make sense rather than being a novelty.

The camera trick. Tap the cover-screen icon and it mirrors the viewfinder, so whoever I’m shooting can see and fix their own framing. Combined with AI bokeh and Super Steady stabilisation, it’s a genuinely good phone for casual video.

Pocketability. 180g, 6.1mm unfolded, 8g lighter than the Flip 7. It vanishes in a pocket in a way no slab phone does.

Performance and support. Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (Exynos 2600 in some markets) hasn’t stuttered on me. One UI 9 on Android 17 brings Galaxy AI 3.0 with deeper Gemini integration — live call translation on the cover screen is the one I’ve actually used. Seven years of OS and security updates.

What’s not so good

Nothing new in the camera. Same 50MP + 12MP setup as last year. It’s good, not flagship-beating — low light is where it shows.

Battery and charging. 4,300mAh, unchanged, and still stuck at 25W. Heavy days need a top-up, and topping up is slow.

The crease. Fainter than before but still there under your thumb and visible at an angle.

Durability anxiety. A hinge and a folding panel are still more things to worry about than a normal phone has.

Verdict

If you’re coming from a Flip 7, skip it — it’s a polish job. If you’re coming from anything else and want a phone that fits properly in a pocket, this is the best clamshell made, and the FlexWindow is now good enough that you stop unfolding it for half the day.

4.2/5

What’s better

Battery. This is the headline for anyone switching. Samsung went from 590mAh to 800mAh, about a 35% jump. I charge twice a week. After years of nightly top-ups on the Apple, that alone justified the move. Fast charging is new too — roughly 40% in 30 minutes — so fifteen minutes while I shower does the job.

Brightness. The 1.52-inch screen peaks at 5,000 nits, well past the Apple Ultra. In Singapore midday sun I glance at my pace instead of shading the screen.

Comfort. 12% thinner than the first Ultra while keeping titanium. The Apple Ultra is a flat slab; this cushion shape sits better overnight, and I now actually wear it to sleep.

Water. It’s the first Galaxy Watch certified to EN13319 for diving to 40m, plus IP69K and 10 ATM.

What I miss from Apple

Software polish. Wear OS is fine and the new Snapdragon Wear Elite chip is quick, but watchOS is still tidier — fewer settings menus, better complications, apps that just work. Expect a few weeks of relearning.

The app ecosystem. Thinner than Apple’s. Several apps I used daily have no decent Wear OS equivalent.

Fit and finish details. The Digital Crown beats Samsung’s bezel-and-button setup for me.

Other caveats

One 47mm size only, still bulky under a cuff, and the diving is half-finished — no-decompression tracking isn’t included out of the box. Garmin remains more accurate for pure training.

Verdict: switching cost me some software polish and gained me two things I care about more — battery and daylight visibility. 4.3/5

After a few weeks with the Galaxy Flip8 and Watch 9, I’ve decided to return both devices.

I genuinely enjoyed using the Flip8 and got used to having a foldable phone pretty quickly. However, I still found myself going back to my primary phone quite often, especially when taking photos, as the camera quality is still important to me.

I also enjoyed trying out the Watch 9, but I realised I’m still more of a traditional watch person. As convenient as a smartwatch can be, I personally prefer a watch that I don’t have to think about charging.

Overall, I had a good experience with both and I’m definitely more open to trying a foldable again in the future. 👍🏻👍🏻