The Galaxy Z Flip 8 is at its best when there’s friction

image via The Verge

August 29, 2026, 1:00 PM

• •The review says Samsung’s biggest meaningful change is software on the 4-inch cover screen, which now offers notifications, quick settings, an app drawer, and easier access to full apps.
• •Apps can run on the outer display in multiple layouts, but the article says many remain awkward on the tiny square screen, while quick tasks in apps like WhatsApp, Todoist, and MyFitnessPal work well.
• •Hardware changes are described as minor: the phone is slightly thinner and lighter, keeps the same displays, RAM, storage, and cameras, and still carries an IP48 rating.
• •The US model uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the UK review unit used Samsung’s Exynos 2600; battery capacity stays at 4,300mAh with 25W wired and 15W wireless charging.
• •The reviewer argues the $1,199.99 price increase makes the Z Flip 8 a weak upgrade for Z Flip 7 owners and suggests older recent models may gain some of the same software benefits.

The Verge’s review says the Galaxy Z Flip 8’s main advance is a redesigned 4-inch cover screen that behaves more like a real Android phone. Samsung now makes it much easier to run full apps on the outer display, though many apps still feel cramped or awkward on the small square panel. Hardware changes are modest, with slight reductions in thickness and weight, the same cameras and battery capacity, and region-specific Qualcomm or Exynos chips. The reviewer concludes that the phone’s limitations can actually be beneficial by making quick interactions easy while discouraging distraction, but the $1,199.99 price weakens its value.

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