Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8: more expensive, barely different, and Europe misses out on the better chip

Samsung is raising the price of its Galaxy Z Flip 8 by up to €180 over last year's model while delivering almost no meaningful upgrades — and if you're buying in Europe or the UK, you'll also get a less powerful processor than American buyers. The phone launches at a Galaxy Unpacked event in London on July 22, 2026, marking the first time Samsung has hosted a major foldable announcement in the UK. European pricing starts at €1,299 for the 256GB model, confirmed by insider Roland Quandt via WinFuture.

The look — and the specs

The Z Flip 8 is nearly identical to the Z Flip 7 in design. The main display is a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a 120Hz refresh rate — unchanged. The cover screen grows slightly to 4.1 inches and supports interactive apps beyond just a camera viewfinder. The phone sheds 8 grams, dropping from 188g to 180g, and unfolds fractionally taller and wider by 0.2mm each. Samsung also claims a reduced crease on the inner display, though the resolution stays the same.

Cameras and battery are carried over wholesale from the Z Flip 7: a 50MP main sensor with optical image stabilisation, a 12MP ultra-wide, a 10MP front camera punched into the main screen, and a 4,300mAh battery. All variants come with 12GB of RAM; storage is either 256GB or 512GB — no 1TB option this cycle.

The chip split

Here's where it gets complicated. The Z Flip 8 uses Samsung's own Exynos 2600 in Europe and South Korea — the same chip found in the base Galaxy S26. US and Canadian buyers get the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 instead, according to SamMobile. The split comes down to cost: Qualcomm reportedly offered lower-than-usual pricing amid a global DRAM shortage, making it economically viable for Samsung to use Snapdragon only in select markets. The Exynos 2600 is a capable chip, but battery life tests on the Galaxy S26 showed it trailing Snapdragon variants — and the Z Flip 8's compact body makes thermal headroom tighter still.

Pricing and availability

European pricing is €1,299 for 256GB and €1,499 for 512GB — up €100 and €180 respectively. UK pricing is reported at £1,149 by Tech Advisor, though Samsung hasn't officially confirmed that figure. Pre-orders open July 22; retail availability is expected in early August. The phone comes in Cream, Pink, and Graphite.

For buyers in the US, the Z Flip 8 looks like a competent clamshell foldable with the right chip. For anyone shopping in the UK or Europe, that €100-plus premium for a phone that's lighter but otherwise unchanged — and powered by the cheaper processor — is a harder sell.