Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 7: There's more than meets the eye

So far, the smartphone market in 2026 has told a story of minimal hardware upgrades and pricing challenges. Is the story be the same for the Galaxy Z Flip 8? Sort of. Samsung's newest foldable lineup is official, and the Galaxy Z Flip 8 indeed comes with a $100 price hike. However, it also comes with a new processor, a refined chassis, and better One UI 9 software.

That might not be enough to make the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 live up to its new $1,199 sticker price, especially when the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is still lurking in the rearview. The two phones have a lot in common, particularly on the hardware side. If the price of Galaxy Z Flip 7 inventory drops now that the Flip 8 is here, I could see it being a compelling alternative to Samsung's newer model. Here's how the two generations of Galaxy flips compare, and which one you should buy.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 7: Pricing and availability

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 was officially revealed on July 22, 2026 at this year's summer Galaxy Unpacked showcase in London. You can pre-order the phone starting today, and it will be generally available as of Aug. 7. It's available in Pink, Graphite, Cream, and Mint, with the latter sold only as a Samsung online exclusive.

Samsung raised the price of the Galaxy Z Flip 8 by $100 this year. The base-model 256GB variant retails for $1,199, while the 512GB configuration will cost extra.

Samsung revealed the Galaxy Z Flip 7 on July 9, 2025, and it became generally available for purchase on July 25. The 256GB model costs $1,099, with the upgrade to 512GB adding $120 to the sticker price. It's available in Blue Shadow, Jetblack, and Coralred colorways, plus a Samsung online exclusive Mint colorway.

A year later, there are only slight Galaxy Z Flip 7 discounts up for grabs. If you'll settle for a "renewed," "refurbished," or used device, you'll end up paying roughly half the cost of a new phone.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 7: Design and displays

The most interesting part of the Galaxy Z Flip is the phone's design. Samsung already had a foldable thinner and lighter than Motorola with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, and widened its lead with the Galaxy Z Flip 8. Samsung's newest foldable measures a mere 13.1mm thick. For context, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 measures 13.7mm thick when folded and weighs 188 grams.

Although the Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 look similar from afar, the thinner and lighter build of the new model will be apparent. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 only weighs 180 grams. The 0.6mm difference in thickness and 8-gram difference in weight might not sound like much, but it's a big deal for a clamshell foldable.

Both phones sport an IP48 rating against dust and water ingress, but it isn't dustproof. Since Google introduced the Pixel 10 Pro Fold with IP68 certification, it would've been nice to see Samsung try to match that spec with the Galaxy Z Flip 8, but that didn't happen.

The specs of the Galaxy Z Flip 8 displays match the Galaxy Z Flip 7. We have a 6.9-inch inner display paired with a 4.1-inch cover display, both featuring 120Hz OLED display panels. Notably, the folding displays can variate between 1Hz and 120Hz, while the cover displays are still limited to either 60Hz or 120Hz modes. Again, it would've been nice to see the Galaxy Z Flip 8 cover screen match the variable refresh rate capabilities of the folding display, but no luck.

Overall, though, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 offers a similar design to the Galaxy Z Flip 7. If you were hoping for a major visual overhaul, Samsung didn't bring one. However, it is nice to see the Galaxy Z Flip 8 cut thickness and weight.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 7: Hardware and specs

Samsung made the switch from Qualcomm to Exynos chips for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 last year, but it's reversing course for the Galaxy Z Flip 8. The latest model is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, the flagship chipset from Qualcomm also found inside the Galaxy S26 series. It's an interesting move, and we'll have to see how the new processor stacks up against the Galaxy Z Flip 7's Exynos 2500 or the Motorola Razr Ultra 2026's Snapdragon 8 Elite.

It'll likely be faster than the Exynos 2500 in the Galaxy Z Flip 7, but perhaps not by enough to warrant an upgrade for that reason alone. Samsung kept storage options identical on the Galaxy Z Flip 8 by offering a 256GB base model and an upgraded 512GB tier. Of course, remember that the Flip 8 is $100 more expensive for the same amount of base storage.

Samsung finally added a silicon-carbon battery to the Galaxy Z Flip 8, but didn't increase the phone's battery capacity. Instead, it focused on shedding thickness and weight in exchange for silicon-carbon's superior density. We see the same 4,300mAh capacity as the Galaxy Z Flip 7 as a result.

Charging speeds match the 25W wired, 10W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless speeds of the Galaxy Z Flip 7. Unfortunately, there are still no Qi2 magnets on the Galaxy Z Flip 8.

Finally, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 ships with the One UI 9 operating system, based on Android 17. It'll get seven years of full Android OS upgrades thereafter. Of course, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 will eventually get the boost to One UI 9 at some point. Samsung notably improved the Galaxy Z Flip 8's cover screen experience with One UI 9 by adding an AI-powered interface with Now Brief. You can also now use Gemini Intelligence from the Flex Window.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 7: Cameras

Samsung's run of lackluster camera hardware upgrades continues with the Galaxy Z Flip 8. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 8 camera systems are identical, down to the hardware. The new model features the same 50MP primary rear camera and 12MP ultrawide lens as the Galaxy Z Flip 7, which is also the same as the Galaxy Z Flip 6. It also uses an identical 10MP hole-punch selfie camera on the inner screen.

There are new software features that improve the experience, however. The Galaxy Z Flip 8's main camera supports the ProVisual Engine, which aids the rear-camera selfie experience. Camcorder mode now features a zoom rocker to manage video recordings. Plus, there are features like FlipShot for mirror selfies and Mirror view for touching up on the go. And, the Galaxy S26's Horizontal Lock feature made its way to the Flip 8.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 7: Which should you buy?

With a thinner and lighter design, a new processor, and new software upgrades, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is looking like a compelling upgrade over its predecessor. The price is the hangup. It's $100 more expensive, and I'm not sure Samsung did enough to justify the hike. The display and camera hardware unchanged, and there was clear room for improvement.

As of now, the Galaxy Z Flip 7's price isn't that enticing either. Although it's a year old, the phone is only seeing very minor discounts at the time of publishing — sometimes it's only being sold at full price. Deals are much better if you settle for a used or refurbished model, but I doubt those looking at a brand-new Galaxy Z Flip 8 will want to do that.

Put simply, it's a tough time to be in the market for a new phone. Prices are rising higher than what phones are worth, even if you opt for an older model. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 is better than the Galaxy Z Flip 7, but not by much.