We think the Galaxy Z Flip8 is the most desirable-looking clamshell Samsung has made, and also the hardest of this year's lineup for us to wholeheartedly recommend. It is thinner, lighter and cleverer than last year's Flip, with a genuinely improved cover screen, but the upgrades are largely in the design and the software while the price has gone up. Nothing in the weeks since launch has changed that read for us, if anything it has only sharpened: this is a lovely phone to own, it just asks you to pay more for less change than we would like.
Pre-orders are open now, running since 22 July 2026, with general availability in Malaysia from 14 August 2026. It starts at RM5,399 for the 12GB/256GB model, with RM6,199 for 512GB.
Editor
Kai T. chevron_right
Table of Contents
Design and build
This is where the Flip8 shines. At 6.1mm unfolded and 180g it is the thinnest and lightest Flip yet, and it feels wonderful in the hand and pocket. The hinge structure is stronger, the Armor Aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 give it a premium feel, and the crease stays minimal. If you buy a Flip for the fashion-object appeal, this delivers.
Display
The 6.9-inch inner screen and 4.1-inch cover screen are bright, fluid 120Hz panels. They are the same sizes as last year, so the leap here is not in the hardware but in what the software now does with the cover display.
Cover screen and software
The revamped FlexWindow is the best reason to choose this generation. One UI 9 turns the outer screen into a genuinely useful hub: swipe down for quick settings and notifications, swipe up for an app drawer that mirrors the full-phone experience. It is polished and intuitive. The one catch is that the app drawer officially supports a limited set of apps out of the box; power users will want to dig into Samsung's Good Lock tools to open it up further. Android 17 with One UI 9 and seven years of updates round out a strong software package.
Performance
The newer chip keeps things quick and responsive in daily use, with no complaints about everyday speed.
Cameras
The 50MP main and 12MP ultrawide are carried over unchanged, so this is not the generation to buy for a camera leap; there is still no telephoto lens here either. What is new is software: better stabilisation, hands-free shooting from the cover screen, and creator-friendly tools that genuinely make the Flip one of the better phones for casual vlogging thanks to its fold-and-stand form factor.
Battery and charging
The 4,300mAh battery keeps the same capacity as last year, now built on silicon-carbon chemistry that helps the phone get thinner without giving up runtime headroom. Charging stays at 25W wired and 15W wireless: fine, but unchanged again, and the one area where we would have liked the Flip to keep pace with the pricier Folds.
Pros
- The thinnest, lightest and best-looking Flip yet
- A much smarter, more useful cover screen
- Strong software toolkit for social and vlogging
- Premium build with a stronger hinge
- Seven years of updates
Cons
- Costs RM400 more than last year's Flip while the core hardware is largely the same (the design and cover screen are genuine improvements, though)
- Cameras are unchanged, still no telephoto (the form factor still makes it a fun creator phone)
- Charging speeds stand still again (the thinner body and new battery chemistry were clearly the priority this generation)
Who it's for
Style-first buyers who want the most pocketable phone around and will make real use of the new cover screen, and casual creators who love the fold-and-shoot form factor. If you own last year's Flip, there is little here to rush you into an upgrade. If you would rather have the biggest screen for multitasking, look at our Galaxy Z Fold8 review, or the Fold8 Ultra if a stylus and the biggest screen in the range matter to you. If you are choosing mainly on value or camera ambition, we would be careful here and would look hard at what else the price buys elsewhere in the range.
Verdict
We think the Galaxy Z Flip8 is a beautifully executed clamshell with the best cover-screen experience Samsung has offered. But the step up from last year is mostly polish, and the price has climbed, so the value equation is tighter than it has been. Two things are true at once here: this is the best-made Flip yet, and it is also the hardest one to call an easy upgrade on value alone. If you want the thinnest, most stylish flip phone and will lean on that clever outer screen, we think you will enjoy it a great deal, just go in knowing you are paying a premium for refinement rather than reinvention. It is at its most tempting with a trade-in or the launch offers applied.
Scores
- Design and usability: 8.5/10
- Display: 8.0/10
- Performance: 8.0/10
- Cameras: 7.0/10
- Battery and charging: 6.5/10
- Software: 8.0/10
- Value: 6.5/10
- Overall: 7.5/10 (Recommended with reservations)
