On July 23, Primate Labs officially launched Geekbench 7, a new benchmark standard for CPU and GPU. Early adopters of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 reported having issues with Geekbench, but with version 7, the problem is officially addressed.

Reports emerged that Samsung’s new foldable phone doesn’t allow installation of Geekbench and other benchmark apps. Changing the package name bypassed the so-called restriction, which Samsung may have imposed to avoid leaks.

Geekbench 7 officially works on the latest Samsung foldable phones. Meanwhile, it’s also being reported that updating the Device Care app to the latest version also lifts the possible installation restriction.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Geekbench 7 scores

Geekbench 7 trials suggest that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 hits 2,861 single-core and 7,840 multi-core scores for CPU. The foldable phone’s GPU scored 17,255 points in the Vulkan benchmark and 12,461 in the OpenCL benchmark.

While Galaxy Z Fold 8 retains support for Geekbench with version 7, it remains to be seen when and how PCMark for Android and 3DMark would return. As before, we expect Samsung to address the issue with a firmware update.

Geekbench 7

Geekbench 7 isn’t just a version bump. The multi-core benchmark has been reworked so that workloads only run in multi-threaded mode when the real-world task they mimic actually behaves that way.

Browsing, for instance, stays out of the multi-threaded suite because browsers barely use more than a thread or two in practice. That makes the numbers we eventually see from Galaxy Z Fold 8’s chipset far more meaningful.

The new media tests cover AV1 screen-sharing encoding, Opus audio compression, and live-caption generation, all things Galaxy Z Fold 8 owners are likely to lean on daily.

On the GPU side, the benchmark now includes background blur, ML-based image upscaling, and real-time face tracking, plus CUDA support for the first time.

Geekbench 7 is free for personal use, and Primate Labs is also running 20% off Geekbench 7 Pro until August 6 for anyone who wants to dig deeper.

Samsung’s newest foldable is apparently not too keen on being tested just yet. Early Galaxy Z Fold 8 units appear to be blocking benchmark apps like Geekbench 6, PCMark for Android, and 3DMark from installing altogether, not just through the Play Store, but even via sideloading and ADB.

According to @NasiLemakTech, the Play Store throws repeated “Can’t install” errors for Geekbench 6, PCMark for Android, and 3DMark. ADB attempts return a blunt “Scanning Failed” message, flagging the package as forbidden to install.

That points to a restriction baked into the firmware itself, not a simple Play Store compatibility flag.

Well, Samsung isn’t the first to try this. Google faced a similar controversy with the Pixel 8 series in 2023, when reviewers found Geekbench and 3DMark marked incompatible ahead of launch, a move Google later confirmed was intentional.

Samsung itself has a history here too: Geekbench previously banned four generations of Galaxy flagships after discovering the company’s Game Optimizing Service throttled thousands of apps while leaving benchmarking tools untouched, artificially inflating results.

Per the original poster, renaming the benchmark app’s package name was enough to bypass the block. This indicates that Samsung is targeting known app signatures rather than benchmarking behavior itself.

With Fold 8 review units now circulating, expect more testers to hit this wall, and more workarounds to surface, before an official launch clears things up. A firmware update should lift this artificial ban on benchmark apps.

Rumors suggest Samsung’s Exynos 2700 could push its prime CPU core to 4.2GHz on the company’s second-generation 2nm SF2P process. However, reaching that milestone may depend on Samsung Foundry achieving 65 to 70 percent production yields while keeping heat and power leakage under control, according to industry yield data.

A new rumor highlighted by wccftech suggests that the Exynos 2700 chip to be used in the Galaxy S27 series could hit 4.2GHz CPU speed. Samsung has not confirmed these specifications, so they should be viewed as part of the current industry rumor cycle.

Even so, the reported target reflects growing confidence in the maturity of Samsung’s Gate-All-Around process compared to the first-generation SF2 node.

SF2P process aims to improve stability and reduce leakage compared to SF2. Side-by-Side (SbS) packaging is rumored to replace traditional on-package RAM layouts for improved thermal distribution. Heat Pass Block cooling could help sustain higher frequencies without excessive voltage increases.

A headline clock speed always grabs attention, but sustained performance tells the real story. In our testing of previous Exynos platforms, short bursts of peak performance often came with significant power spikes.

Reports surrounding the Exynos 2600 pointed to transient loads approaching 30W under heavy workloads, highlighting how difficult it is to maintain top frequencies without aggressive throttling or heat buildup.

We believe Samsung’s biggest challenge is not reaching 4.2GHz once, but holding that speed consistently during gaming, AI workloads, and extended benchmarks.

If the rumored SF2P improvements, SbS architecture, and Heat Pass Block cooling work together as expected, the Exynos 2700 could deliver meaningful real-world gains rather than just a faster benchmark figure.

It’s July 22, and Samsung will unveil its latest gadgets today. While the Galaxy Unpacked is still hours away from kicking off, T-Mobile accidentally leaked the Galaxy Z Fold 8 wide model and revealed its price for the US market.

T-Mobile for Business handle has already started running ads tied to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 wide in the US. The promotional image attached in the post shows off the upcoming device in all its glory and also reveals the price.

The US carrier will offer the foldable phone at no cost through select plans. This isn’t happening for the first time, as US carriers usually bring such offers to retain customers and push others to make a switch for connectivity and devices.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 costs $1899.99 in the US for the base 256GB variant. This is $100 less than the launch price of the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Well, it doesn’t mean Samsung has reduced the pricing, but it’s a strategic move.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is the real successor to the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The Ultra-branded foldable could come with a starting price of $2,099 in the US. This is a $100 increase YoY, while the 1TB version could be more affected in price.

• Samsung Unpacked 2026 ultimate guide: Full event start times by country and region

Samsung has collaborated with BTJ J-Hope to give fans an early look at the Galaxy Z Fold 8. The company posted a new teaser on its official X handle, showcasing the upcoming foldable phone with a re-shaped design.

J-Hope accidentally revealed the Galaxy Z Fold 8 wide in the wild, but Samsung’s teaser keeps the same device hidden from full reveal.

https://x.com/SamsungMobile/status/2079551978271879228

Original article – July 14, 2026

The teaser features J-Hope of BTS carrying the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 foldable phone. The device hasn’t been completely revealed, but the folded width, volume rockers, and camera island were shown accurately.

Samsung’s post teases its Galaxy Unpacked event set for July 22, 2026, using the slogan “Your hope is ready. Tomorrow, a new hope unfolds” to highlight upcoming Galaxy AI features.

It seems Samsung has something baked in collaboration with J-Hope, which will be released tomorrow. It could be a confirmation of J-Hope’s presence during the Unpacked or the release of the melodious Over the Horizon 2026.

The July 22 livestream on samsung.com is set to reveal the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, and new wearables featuring slimmer designs, improved batteries, and advanced AI capabilities.