<p>This review critically compares graphite and graphene as electrode materials for batteries and electrochemical water and wastewater treatment, with emphasis on when graphite offers the more practical choice despite graphene’s superior intrinsic properties. Graphene-based materials, including pristine/few-layer graphene, graphene oxide (GO), reduced GO (rGO) and related composites, provide high electrical conductivity, large theoretical surface area, abundant active sites, and strong potential for defect engineering, although these properties vary strongly with derivative type, defect density, functionalization, and synthesis route [1]. However, the literature shows that these advantages are often limited by restacking, structural fragility, interfacial instability, scale-up difficulty, and high production cost. In contrast, graphite remains highly competitive because it combines adequate conductivity, mechanical robustness, corrosion resistance, manufacturing maturity, and lower cost. In battery applications, graphite continues to dominate commercial anodes owing to its reliable intercalation chemistry, favorable first-cycle efficiency, electrode density, process compatibility, and emerging recyclability, whereas graphene is more effective as a conductive scaffold or composite enhancer than as a direct replacement. In electrochemical water treatment, graphite-based electrodes and graphite felt frequently outperform graphene when long-term durability, self-supporting structure, regenerability, and operation under realistic flow conditions are required. Conversely, graphene remains difficult to replace in flexible, wearable, transparent, and conformal electrode architectures, where its atomically thin and mechanically adaptable structure enables device formats that graphite cannot easily provide [2]. Overall, the evidence indicates that graphite is often the better device-level solution when durability, scalability, and economic viability matter more than maximum nanoscale performance alone.</p>