iFixit has provisionally given Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 a repairability score of 4 out of 10, which largely hinged on… well, the hinge. In its teardown of the device, iFixit found that because it carries an IP48 ingress rating — meaning it isn’t protected against particles under 1 millimeter — dust and sand could make its way into the hinge mechanism, a component that’s difficult to repair or replace.

Samsung’s $1,900 Z Fold 8 is still vulnerable to pocket lint

iFixit’s teardown of the Galaxy foldable scrutinizes its IP48 rating.

iFixit’s teardown of the Galaxy foldable scrutinizes its IP48 rating.

“After working the Fold 8 open and closed, the hinge started making truly awful crunching and grinding noises, and the phone stopped opening normally,” iFixit said. “Samsung has previously treated the hinge and inner display as one replacement assembly, and for scoring purposes we have to assume the Fold8 will follow the same pattern. Damage to either component would therefore require essentially emptying the phone to replace the whole assembly.”

That inability to keep out pocket lint has blighted Samsung’s foldables (and foldables generally) for years, so this issue isn’t anything new. Still, some recent foldables like Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and Honor’s Magic V6 do have fully dust-resistant IP6X ratings, so Samsung probably needs to start catching up to its competitors.

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