The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is so good, I don't see the point of flip phones any more

Samsung's latest foldable lineup has three models, and the new one is my favorite

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

Samsung's new Galaxy Z Fold 8 debuted with an all-new form factor that differs from its foldable competitors; resembling book-style foldables from a few years ago instead like the Oppo Find N2 (2022) and Google Pixel Fold (2023). 

Its wide-fold design is geared more towards entertainment than productivity, and I initially thought it'd compete with other book-style foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. But after using it for a week, I think it's good enough to be a direct threat to flagship flip phones.

Also: I tried Samsung's new wide Galaxy Z Fold 8, and it's my favorite product of Unpacked 2026

The two devices might be in different price segments, but there's only one worth buying if you're spending over $1,200.

Flip and fold in one

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The whole appeal of flip phones lies in their compact, pocketable design. From Motorola's Razr lineup to Samsung's own Galaxy Z Flip series, these devices are meant to fit in every pocket. They're trendy, fun, and of course: satisfying to flip.

Flip phones fold into a smaller footprint, whereas book-style foldables unfold to give you a mini tablet on the go. To compare, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 does both without compromising on a slim and light design.

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

Samsung's new wide-fold design borrows the best of both worlds and combines the flip-pocketability with fold usability. And that's why I don't see the point of flip phones anymore. You get a more usable cover screen in a slimmer, compact design. Sure, the Z Fold 8 is taller than traditional flip phones when folded, but it remains small enough to fit more pockets.

The Flip 8 has a more usable cover screen, but it doesn't match the Fold 8's experience.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

I prefer the Fold 8's comfortable reading and typing experience to a flip phone's small, limited outer display. Its cover screen has a 10:16 aspect ratio, which lets me see my conversations without closing the keyboard. Unlike flip phones' congested layout, the wider design gives me more space to comfortably type and hold the phone.

This enjoyable user experience continues on its inner screen. Instead of a taller aspect ratio, the wider 4:3 screen is perfect for browsing, reading, and pretty good for video consumption. The only thing that requires slight adjustment is vertical videos (Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, etc.). They get thick black borders on both sides, but this space is used by pushing the navigation buttons (like, comment, share) to the right side. I'd say it is a cleaner reel-watching experience in comparison. The layout has grown on me.

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

In my week of use, I've only unfolded the new Samsung phone to watch videos and take video calls. For everything else, including typing, reading, doomscrolling on X and Reddit, among other things, I've been using the cover screen. This is a stark contrast to my Z Flip 7 or Razr Ultra (2025) usage, which require me to flip open the phones for almost everything. And the taller aspect ratio is less intuitive than regular slab phones.

The price factor

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

The new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 starts at $1,200, whereas the Motorola Razr Ultra (2026) is priced at a whopping $1,500. You can blame the current memory supply crunch for higher price tags, but despite that, I don't think flip phones belong in the $1,000+ segment.

Their novelty or 'compact phone' appeal isn't unique anymore. On the usability front, they're too limited by their form factor to require flagship compute power, and their cameras are inferior to similarly priced slab phones or book-style foldables anyway. They simply aren't a good value in this price segment.

Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Motorola Razr Ultra: How Samsung fares against its foldable rival

One could argue that they can save $600 by opting for a smaller Flip 8 over the $1,900 Galaxy Z Fold 8. However, they'll be compromising on an all-around better user experience.

These two phones don't go head-to-head and this might not be a fair comparison, but if you're in the market for a compact foldable, you now have a new (and better) option. With the upcoming foldable iPhone Ultra rumored to adopt a similar design, the wide-fold category is likely to grow. And before the traditional book-style foldables, I think it'll be the end of flagship flip phones.