Galaxy Z Flip 8 goes official with a more useful cover screen

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 is finally here as Samsung's lightest foldable smartphone ever. The newest fashion-focused foldable smartphone looks similar to last year's model but brings much-needed performance improvements as well as some new AI and software features.

Here is what the phone has to offer.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 is powered by the Exynos 2600 chipset, the world's first 2nm smartphone processor. Samsung claims it makes the phone more than 30% faster in CPU performance and 50% faster in GPU performance than the Galaxy Z Flip 7. It has 12GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of internal storage, depending on the version.

The phone weighs just 180g, making it 8g lighter than its predecessor.

With faster performance and a lighter design, Samsung hopes to make the phone both fun and capable. The device is also IP48-rated for dust and water resistance.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 has a 50MP primary camera with OIS and a 12MP ultrawide camera. There is also a 10MP selfie camera in a punch-hole cutout on the inner screen.

All three cameras can record up to 4K 60fps videos in Super HDR. In terms of hardware, these cameras are similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

Its Camcorder Grip feature lets you hold the phone with a camcorder-style grip and access zoom and other camera controls on one half of the screen. It offers a more comfortable way to use the camera and makes it easier to capture more dynamic footage.

In Steady Shot mode, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 offers Horizontal Lock, which keeps the horizon level even when the phone is rotated through 360 degrees. With its 50MP primary camera, you can capture high-resolution selfies and vlogs while previewing the scene on the cover screen in Flex Mode.

The phone has a 4.1-inch cover display on the outside and a 6.9-inch foldable screen on the inside. The cover display uses a Super AMOLED panel with 60Hz or 120Hz refresh rates, while the main screen uses a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a variable refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz. The foldable screen has a less visible crease and is more glass-like in terms of feel.

Both screens feature Vision Booster and can reach up to 2,600 nits of peak brightness.

The device runs One UI 9.0, based on Android 17, out of the box. It will receive seven generations of Android updates and security patches for up to seven years.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 lets you get more done through the cover screen, thanks to software improvements such as FlexWindow. It lets you open apps, access important widgets, and view Now Brief. With Gemini Intelligence, you can run advanced automations from the cover screen.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 has a 4,300mAh battery and supports 25W fast charging. This is the first time the South Korean firm has used a silicon-carbon battery in a phone. However, rather than increasing battery capacity, the company appears to have focused on reducing the device's weight.

Connectivity features include GPS, 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and a USB 3.2 Type-C port. It seems to be lacking UWB.

Samsung will begin accepting preorders for the Galaxy Z Flip 8 today in select countries. It has a starting price of $1,200 in the US for the 256GB version. You can view detailed pricing information by clicking here.

It comes in three colors: Cream, Graphite, and Pink. A Mint version will also be available exclusively through Samsung.com in select markets.