I went hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8, but it's not the upgrade I expected

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Samsung wants you to use the Flip 8's flexible capabilities to get new perspectives in your shots.

At the Galaxy Unpacked event today, Samsung unveiled six products, and only one of them was a flip phone. Unlike previous years, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is launching without an FE model this year. It's got a bigger battery and similar design upgrades as the Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra , but misses out on things like an anti-reflective coating and faster charging.

Also: Everything announced at Samsung Unpacked 2026: New foldables, smartwatches, more

I went hands-on with the new Samsung flip phone. While it seems like an incremental upgrade, there are a few key improvements over the Flip 7. Let's break it down.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 is slightly thinner and lighter than its predecessor. It weighs 180 grams (vs. 188g Flip 7) and measures 13.1mm when closed and 6.1mm when unfolded. That's not a major difference from Flip 7's 13.7mm and 6.5mmm thickness when folded and unfolded, respectively. The in-hand feel is similar to the Flip 7, but it is comparatively easier to flip open.