Galaxy Z Fold8 Cases Compared: Six Cases, and Why the araree Aero Flex M Wins

This is the English edition of a review from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets from my home studio in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan. I bought all six cases myself.

Quick take

After a month with the Galaxy Z Fold8, I bought six cases and swapped between them. The biggest difference turned out to be what happens around the hinge when you open the phone and stand it up in landscape on a MagSafe ring. My current pick is the araree Aero Flex M: it covers the hinge when closed, but the hinge cover slides inside the case when you open it, so the phone barely wobbles on a ring stand. The other five each make sense if you care more about weight, drop protection, finish or price.

Six Galaxy Z Fold8 cases laid out side by side

What I tested

araree Aero Flex M — full cover, hinge cover retracts into the case when opened
BENKS Grand Combo — aramid fibre, hinge protection, glass protector included
Spigen Slim Armor Pro MagFit — one-piece full cover with hinge protection
PITAKA aramid case — back panel only
Sisyphy aramid case — front and back panels, hinge left exposed
OURJOY folio (wallet) case — full wrap, no MagSafe

I weighed each case on its own and tried each one on the phone, opened flat and stood up on a MagSafe ring.

Comparison

Case	Weight (measured)	Price at recording
araree Aero Flex M	36.9 g	¥5,980
BENKS Grand Combo	31.3 g	about ¥20,000 (about ¥18,000 on sale)
Spigen Slim Armor Pro MagFit	50.9 g	a little over ¥8,000 (about ¥7,000 on sale)
PITAKA (back only)	16.7 g	¥9,999
Sisyphy (front + back)	20.4 g	¥9,999
OURJOY folio	82.3 g	¥2,190

What I found

Galaxy Z Fold8 opened in the araree Aero Flex M with the hinge cover tucked inside

araree: the hinge disappears when you open the phone, so on a ring stand there is only a tiny rattle. Light at 36.9 g. On lighter colours the metal MagSafe ring inside can show through faintly.
BENKS: the most precise, premium-feeling case, and with its own glass protector there is no gap at all. Fingerprints, skin oil and ring marks show easily (especially on black), and the hinge cover sticks out when opened, so it wobbles on a stand.
Spigen: solid and reassuring, the one I would trust most in a drop. It also wobbled the most of all six on a ring stand.
PITAKA: back only, so almost no wobble, but the front and hinge are completely bare. It is for people who basically use the phone naked and just want MagSafe.
Sisyphy: same price as PITAKA but adds a front panel, and wobbled the least of the six. The pattern on my unit ran slightly crooked, so a plain or dark pattern is a safer choice.
OURJOY: surprisingly good quality for the price, and holds about three cards. No MagSafe or wireless charging, and it only stands up when closed.

Galaxy Z Fold8 in the araree case standing in landscape on a MagSafe ring

One more thing: the Fold8 cover screen runs almost to the edge, so many cases clash with full-size glass protectors. I use the slightly smaller Spigen protector, which works with most cases, while the BENKS case only looks right with its own included glass. Matching the case and protector brand is the safe bet on this phone.

Who it is for

If you...	Pick
want one safe recommendation, or often stand the phone up in landscape	araree Aero Flex M
care most about finish and fit	BENKS Grand Combo
want the best drop protection	Spigen Slim Armor Pro MagFit
basically use the phone naked but want MagSafe	PITAKA
want front and back covered at the lowest weight	Sisyphy
want something cheap that doubles as a wallet	OURJOY folio

Watch the review

【iPhone Duo発表記念】6種類試して分かった折りたたみスマホにはこのケースが最強！！

The video is in Japanese (YouTube can show auto-translated captions). Useful chapters: 07:17 weighing all six, 08:32 cases and glass protectors, 12:22 fitting each case and testing the ring stand.

Limitations

I used these cases over about a month and did not drop-test any of them, so drop protection is my impression from how they fit, not a measurement. Prices are Amazon Japan prices at the time of recording.

Products

araree Aero Flex M (Galaxy Z Fold8): on Amazon Japan

BENKS Grand Combo (Galaxy Z Fold8): on Amazon Japan

Spigen Slim Armor Pro MagFit (Galaxy Z Fold8): on Amazon Japan

PITAKA aramid case (Galaxy Z Fold8): on Amazon Japan

Sisyphy aramid case (Galaxy Z Fold8): on Amazon Japan

OURJOY folio case (Galaxy Z Fold8): on Amazon Japan

The Amazon Japan links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Check the listing for the exact model, current price and shipping availability in your region.

More reviews in English