Updated

Updated · CNET · Aug 3

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 Wins CNET Praise at $1,200 as Thin Design Outshines Battery

Updated

Updated · CNET · Aug 3

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 Wins CNET Praise at $1,200 as Thin Design Outshines Battery

Q: Can Samsung's sleek design and new AI tricks truly overcome Motorola's massive two-day battery advantage?

Not for most buyers. Samsung’s sleeker Galaxy Z Flip 8 and smarter cover screen make it a better-looking, more refined flip phone, but they do not fully erase Motorola’s battery lead. The Flip 8’s strongest case is usability. At 180 grams, with a thinner body and a much improved 4.1-inch cover display, it is easier to carry and more practical closed than earlier Samsung flips. Samsung also matches its flagship line with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, and its software support remains a major advantage. For buyers who value polish, long-term updates and Samsung’s ecosystem, those are meaningful strengths. But the battery gap is hard to ignore. In testing, the Flip 8’s 4,300mAh battery generally delivered about one day, with roughly four to five hours of screen time and 10% to 20% left by night. Motorola’s Razr Ultra, by contrast, pairs a 5,000mAh silicon-carbon battery with far faster 68W charging and has been reported to approach two-day endurance. That is a real everyday advantage, not a spec-sheet footnote. Samsung’s new AI additions, including Now Brief, Now Nudge and My FanCam, do not appear strong enough to change that equation. Reviewers have described them as more intrusive than essential, suggesting they are not yet persuasive reasons to choose the device. So the answer depends on priorities: if you want the lightest, most polished Samsung flip, the Z Flip 8 is compelling. If battery life is your top concern, Motorola still has the clearer edge.

3 articles · Updated · CNET · Aug 3

CNET called Samsung’s $1,200 Galaxy Z Flip 8 the best-looking flip phone it has tested, highlighting its 180-gram weight, thinner build and more usable 4.1-inch cover screen.
The review said the phone’s premium is harder to justify because battery life remains middling and cameras are largely unchanged, even as electronics costs and a RAM shortage push prices higher.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy made the Flip 8 the most powerful flip phone in CNET’s testing, but Galaxy AI features such as My FanCam and Now Brief felt more intrusive than essential.
Battery performance stayed close to last year’s model despite Samsung’s first silicon-carbon battery in a flip phone: the 4,300-mAh pack typically ended days at 10% to 20% and charged to 56% in 30 minutes wired.
Against rivals, the Flip 8 undercuts Motorola’s $1,500 Razr Ultra on comparable storage but faces pressure from cheaper options including Motorola’s $800 Razr 2026 and Samsung’s older $1,100 Z Flip 7.