I went hands-on with the Galaxy Z Flip 8. Samsung's out of ideas for its smallest foldable

Published Jul 22, 2026, 9:00 AM EDT Andy is a seasoned technology journalist with more than 15 years experience in the mobile industry, writing for Digital Trends, Wired, and more. Andy has reviewed hundreds of smartphones and tablets, dozens of smartwatches, and a host of smart rings, smart glasses, and fitness trackers, giving him a unique ability to assess and evaluate the latest products. His daily mobile tech life includes Android and iOS devices, smart rings, and a smartwatch, unless it's a special occasion, when a traditional watch takes its place on his wrist. Andy always has a strong opinion on the state of the mobile industry, and writes in-depth analysis features to put the latest news and products into context. He has attended multiple CES, MWC, and IFA tradeshows, has a passion for photography and cars, listens to far too much K-pop, and follows F1. You can find Andy's portfolio of work on his Authory page. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 is Samsung’s third new phone for July 2026, but it exists in the shadow of the excellent new Galaxy Z Fold 8, and the equally impressive Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. Rumors have spread this will be the last of its line, and Samsung hasn’t done all that much to convince us this one is worth our time, let alone look forward to a future model. More of the same It’s fine, but not much more The Galaxy Z Flip 8 is the thinnest and lightest Z Flip phone yet, which is a definite headline grabber, but when you move past this, there isn’t all that much here to attract anyone to upgrade, or buy for the first time. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy Display type Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz Display dimensions 6.9-inch open / 4.1-inch closed RAM 12GB Storage 256GB / 512GB Battery 4,300mAh Charge speed Super Fast Charging / wireless Operating System Android 17 / One UI 9 Front camera 10MP Rear camera 50MP main / 12MP wide Wi-Fi connectivity Wi-Fi 7 Dimensions 167 x 75 x 6.1mm open / 86 x 75 x 13.1mm closed Weight 180 grams Colors Graphite / Pink / Cream / Mint (online exclusive) Material Armor Aluminum It’s just 180 grams and 6.1mm thick when unfolded, which is undeniably impressive, but when the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is 188 grams and 6.5mm thick, it’s not a giant step forward and is unlikely to sway anyone on sitting the fence. Folded up, the Z Flip 8 will still be a lovely phone to own, hold, and carry around. I know this because the Z Flip 7 and competitors like the Motorola Razr (2026) are, and there’s nothing much new here. Samsung’s saying the Z Flip 8 has a new hinge that’s stronger and more durable, and it certainly felt great to open and close, but so did the Galaxy Z Flip 7, Z Flip 6, and Z Flip 5. If you're getting the magnifying glass out to find upgrades over the Galaxy Z Flip 7, it's the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy that leads the way, as the cameras, battery capacity (although it has switched to a silicon-carbon anode), charging, screen size and resolution, durability, and memory are all the same as before. Cover screen is more useful No need for Good Lock? While the phone’s design and shape aren’t new, Samsung has made a crucial change to the way the cover screen operates. The Flex Window software allows you to do more without opening the phone, and there’s less need to mess around with the Good Lock app too. From the cover screen you can check the time and date, but also see recent apps, open the app drawer, and use quick settings, plus a selection of apps too. It was fast, smooth, and intuitive. Elsewhere, Now Nudge arrives alongside Now Brief. Flex Mode is back in the camera app, so you can hold it like an old-school camcorder, plus the excellent Super Steady with Horizon Lock feature seen on the Galaxy S26 makes its debut too. Where else is there to go? It’s all about the vibe Samsung is helping people understand who should buy what foldable by saying the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is for ‘joy-maxxing’, the Z Fold 8 Ultra for ‘power-maxxing,’ and the Galaxy Z Flip 8 for ‘vibe-maxxing.’ What does this mean? I really don’t know, and I don’t think Samsung does either. It will push the fashionable aspect of the compact Z Flip 8, and try to emphasize the lifestyle coolness of the phone’s design, but it seems it's out of ideas for its smallest foldable. Worse (for Samsung, at least) I can see the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which has a book-style shape, taking buyers away from the Z Flip 8. It’s 201 grams, so not much heavier, but it’s more versatile, and its use cases more obvious. I’ll joymaxx before I vibemaxx, and found I spent a lot more time experimenting with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 than I did paying attention to the Z Flip 8 during my hands-on time. If this really is the last in the current line of small, compact folding phones from Samsung, it’s going out with a whimper and not a bang. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 price and availability The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 is yours to pre-order from July 22, ready for release on August 7. It starts at $1,200. This is $100 more expensive than the Galaxy Z Flip 7.