Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8
Safe Samsung upgrade
The Galaxy Z Flip 8 sticks closely to Samsung's current formula. It comes with the same 6.9-inch internal foldable display, but with the new crease-free technology, a much slimmer design, and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. Other specs like battery and charging speeds remain unchanged, though.
Pros
- Features a slimmer design compared to last year
- Costs less than the Moto Razr Ultra (2026)
- The latest Galaxy AI features and Gemini automation
- Use a (virtually) crease-free display
Cons
- Smaller battery than the competition
- No new major upgrades versus the Galaxy Z Flip 7
All around upgrade
Motorola's Razr Ultra (2026) pushes flip phones further with flagship hardware. It combines a large foldable display with a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, 16GB RAM, and a 5,000mAh battery. Faster 68W charging and improved camera hardware make it a clear step up over previous Razr models.
Pros
- Much larger 5,000 mAh battery with fast 68W charging
- Flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite chip
- Improved camera hardware
- New materials for the rear design
- Improved durability materials
Cons
- Costs more than the predecessor
- Still thicker than the competition
While all the limelight right now is on Samsung's new book-style foldable phones, the company has also updated the Galaxy Z Flip 8 with a number of major upgrades this time. It comes with a slimmer design, and the internal display is now (mostly) crease-free thanks to a new hinge mechanism.
But despite the improvements to its flip phones, Motorola continues to lead the race in this segment. Recent IDC reports suggest Motorola holds more than 50% of the market, putting it ahead of Samsung.
Building on that momentum, Motorola also unveiled the Razr Ultra 2026 recently. There are major upgrades across the board, including design, hardware, and, unfortunately, the price.
But now that the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is here, should you pay more for Motorola's flip-style phone, or does Samsung do enough to win you over? Here's a closer look at which one you should consider if you're buying a flip phone in 2026.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs. Motorola Razr Ultra 2026: Pricing and availability
Motorola unveiled its new Razr lineup on April 29, 2026. The Moto Razr Ultra 2026, unfortunately, comes with a $200 price increase over last year's model, which means it now starts at $1,500. It's available in a single configuration with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
Motorola is offering some interesting color options this year, including Pantone Orient Blue with an Alcantara finish and Pantone Cocoa with a wood finish.
The Galaxy Z Flip 8, meanwhile, was officially introduced at the Galaxy Unpacked event in London on July 22.
Unfortunately, much like the Moto Razr Ultra 2026, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 also sees a price bump this year, rising to $1,199, which is about $100 more than last year. That said, it still comes in around $300 cheaper than the Moto Razr Ultra 2026.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs. Motorola Razr Ultra 2026: Design and display
Motorola has always kept things fun with the Razr series design, and this year is no different. With the Moto Razr Ultra 2026, you're getting some interesting upgrades in terms of finish and overall look.
The Razr Ultra 2026 comes in two standout color options: a darker wood finish called Pantone Cocoa and a quilted Alcantara finish called Pantone Orient Blue.
Other than that, the overall design remains familiar. You still get a full edge-to-edge cover display with two cutouts for the cameras and flash, slim bezels, and a vertically folding screen that opens up into a 7-inch display. On the back, there's the Motorola logo with its signature dimple, along with Razr branding.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 looks pretty similar to its predecessor. You still get the same flat-edged design with slightly curved corners and a vertically folding display.
That said, there are some changes to the Galaxy Z Flip 8's dimensions. Samsung has managed to make it even slimmer, and the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is now only about 6 mm thick when unfolded. It’s also lighter, weighing in at just 180 grams.
Coming to the display, the Razr Ultra 2026 features a large 4-inch cover display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3. The inner display remains a 7-inch panel, but this time, Motorola is using an Extreme AMOLED panel for better colors. It also supports a 165Hz refresh rate on both the outer and inner displays, something most phones still don't offer.
On paper, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 keeps the same 4.1-inch cover screen and a 6.9-inch internal display as last year's model.
Samsung has also used its new Flex Titanium hinge technology on the Z Flip 8, which means the crease is much less noticeable compared to other flip-style phones. We haven't compared it directly with the Razr Ultra 2026 yet, but the improvement Samsung has made here is pretty huge.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs. Motorola Razr Ultra 2026: Hardware and specs
While Samsung switched to Exynos with its flip-style foldable phone last year, the company is back with Qualcomm for the Galaxy Z Flip 8. The Z Flip 8 ships with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset, which is the same chip you will find on Samsung's more pricey foldable phones, as well as the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
As for the rest of the hardware, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 sticks with the same 12GB of RAM as the predecessor and offers 256GB and 512GB storage options.
The Moto Razr Ultra, on the other hand, comes with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. It might not be Qualcomm's absolute latest, but it's still one of the most capable chips you'll find on a phone right now. Motorola also makes up for the higher price by offering a single variant with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
Category |
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 |
Motorola Razr Ultra 2026 |
|---|---|---|
Operating System |
One UI 9 (Android 17) |
Android 16 |
Display |
Inner: 6.9-inch AMOLED, 120Hz, crease-less; Outer: 4.1-inch, Super AMOLED, 120Hz |
Inner: 7-inch Extreme AMOLED, 165Hz, 1224 x 2992 pixels, 5000 nits (peak); Outer: 4-inch, AMOLED, Gorilla Glass Ceramic, 165Hz |
Processor |
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy |
Snapdragon 8 Elite |
RAM |
12GB |
16GB |
Storage |
256GB, 512GB |
512GB |
Rear cameras |
50MP wide camera, 12MP ultrawide |
50MP LOFIC camera, 50MP ultrawide |
Front camera |
10MP |
50MP |
Battery |
4,300mAh |
5,000mAh |
Charging |
25W wired |
68W wired, 30W wireless |
IP rating |
IP48 |
IP48 |
Weight |
180 grams |
199 grams |
Dimensions |
Unfolded: 171.5 x 74 x 7.2 mm; Folded: 88.1 x 74 x 15.7 mm |
|
Colors |
Pink, Graphite, Cream |
PANTONE Orient Blue (Alcantara), PANTONE Cocoa (wood) |
When it comes to battery and charging, though, the Razr Ultra clearly takes the lead this year. Motorola has moved to silicon-carbon battery tech, which means you're getting a larger 5,000mAh cell, easily one of the biggest in any flip phone right now.
On top of that, the Razr Ultra supports 68W wired charging and 30W wireless charging, which is significantly faster than what Samsung is expected to offer.
While Samsung has made improvements to the battery of its book-style foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 comes with the same 4,300 mAh cell, with no real upgrades in capacity. Charging speeds also remain the same at 25W wired and 15W wireless.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs. Motorola Razr Ultra 2026: Software
Coming to the software, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 debuts with Samsung's One UI 9, which is based on Android 17.
The Moto Razr Ultra, on the other hand, runs Android 16 out of the box with a bunch of new features. Motorola has introduced something called Daily Drop, which is quite similar to Samsung's Now Brief, offering a personalized feed of headlines, calendar updates, weather, and even Google Photos memories.
There's also a feature called Wardrobe, which turns your photo library into a sort of digital closet and uses your gallery as a personal stylist.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs. Motorola Razr Ultra 2026: Cameras
A flip phone needs a great camera, and Motorola has upgraded the setup on the Razr Ultra this year. It now comes with a 50MP LOFIC sensor, which is designed to improve dynamic range and color reproduction from the main camera. This is paired with a 50MP ultra-wide sensor with a 122-degree field of view.
The selfie camera on the inner display is also a 50MP sensor. On the video side, Motorola has finally added support for 8K recording at up to 30fps, along with 4K at up to 120fps.
On the other hand, if you were expecting new camera hardware on the Galaxy Z Flip 8, that isn't the case this year. It comes with a familiar 50MP primary sensor and a 12MP ultra-wide.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 vs. Motorola Razr Ultra 2026: Which flip phone is better?
So is the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 worth it over the Motorola Razr Ultra 2026?
Motorola's decision to push the Razr Ultra 2026 up to $1,500 still feels a little baffling, and it makes the Galaxy Z Flip 8, which also sees a price increase over last year, the better flip phone of the two.
The Razr Ultra does offer a bigger battery, faster charging, a better camera setup, and those textured finishes that go some way toward justifying the price. However, the Galaxy Z Flip 8, while costing less, offers a better chipset, the latest Android software, as well as a slimmer form factor.
That said, we're still in the middle of properly comparing these devices, so do check back for our final verdict.
Big leap (and price)
Motorola's Razr Ultra (2026) focuses on fixing the usual flip phone compromises. It combines a large foldable display with flagship performance, a significantly bigger 5,000mAh battery, and much faster 68W charging. There is also a new LOFIC 50MP primary camera for better dynamic range and color reproduction.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8
Familiar Samsung approach
The Galaxy Z Flip 8 looks very similar to last year's Galaxy Z Flip 7, but it comes with a chipset upgrade to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, along with a few design improvements that eliminate the crease and make the form factor slimmer.
