'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?
ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.
When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is so good, I don't see the point of flip phones any more
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
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.
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
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.