(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
Samsung's Galaxy Z 8 series foldables are getting a major battery upgrade, and it's not just because of the capacity boost. Samsung has confirmed that it has made the switch to silicon carbon batteries this year, ditching the traditional lithium ion power packs in favor of something that packs a bit more of a punch.It's a surprise to hear that this is happening so soon — given Samsung's previous hesitance to discuss when it might introduce silicon carbon batteries. Considering various brands have already made the switch, it's great to see that one of the major holdouts has decided now is the time to jump on the bandwagon.Here's what you need to know about silicon carbon batteries and what it means for prospective Samsung users.What are the benefits of silicon carbon?
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)The main thing you need to know about batteries is that their capacity is linked to their size. A lot of work has been done to improve the density of lithium ion batteries over the years, but there's only so much you can do to shrink them down. That becomes a problem when you're trying to design devices to be super thin and light.Silicon carbon is a whole new kind of battery design that utilizes silicon on the anode instead of pure graphite, and the key benefit is that it offers far better energy density. In other words, you can pack more power into a smaller space compared to traditional lithium ion batteries. That's particularly important for foldables, which pride themselves on being ultra-thin and lightweight — despite essentially being two phones bolted together.We've already seen the benefits with the OnePlus 15, which has offers a 7,300 mA battery without any meaningful increase in size or weight. In fact, not only is the phone only a single gram heavier than the 6,000 mAh OnePlus 13, it's actually 0.8mm thinner than its predecessor.In terms of the Galaxy Z 8 series, we're seeing a 600 mAh jump between the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra — boosting the battery capacity to 5,000 mAh. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is sitting pretty with 4,800 mAh, while the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is sadly stuck at 4,300 mAh.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.Why has Samsung switched now?
