So far, the Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone is receiving very high numbers of excellent reviews. It appears Samsung has hit a homerun with many new owners proclaiming it is the best android phone on the market thus far. Although, it is still very early on to shout anything from the rooftops. The official release date for the Galaxy S8 is April 21st in the U.S. and April 28th for the UK and Australia, but for the lucky few that were able to get their hands on them early, most seem impressed.
What’s All the Fuss About?
It’s not much of a surprise that the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus feature top-of-the-line specs, amazing cameras and an all-new futuristic design. Both models have the curved screen, which is said to give the user optimum comfort and handibility. This is a very important detail since they are equipped with the new, larger AMOLED displays. The 83% screen-to-body ratio on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus gives it an obvious edge over the iPhone 7.
The new Qualcomm 10nm octa-core Snapdragon 835 chipset has created a lot of buzz around the S8’s release. This new platform has peaked people’s interest. Initial results show that the Snapdragon 835 has significant performance improvements. Its much smaller 10nm process size means lower power consumption, less heat, faster charging times, more efficiency and better performance.
The Snapdragon 835 features a modem that supports X16 LTE speeds, these are speeds that you will be hard-pressed to find anywhere else in the world. Surprisingly, this modem will also help maintain reliable internet connections on slower 4G networks.
Bluetooth 5 is also supported on the Snapdragon 835. While there are not many products that connect to this version of Bluetooth yet, when they become available you will experience a faster, more reliable and longer-range wireless standard.
The overall speed of the phone is faster when compared to previous versions and other Android options. Opening and using apps can be done in record time.
Notable Accessories
Samsung has also showcased the launch of some pretty amazing accessories to compliment the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus. Consider adding these to enhance the latest features of your new phone:
- The Gear 360 Camera has been redesigned allowing you to go live or record in 4K. The new design is smaller, making it easier to handle and capture a full 360-degree view. Cutting-edge technology produces crystal clear images and video.
- The Gear VR headset is now compatible with the S8 and S8 Plus. This model has more than 8,000 videos and experiences of virtual reality content.
- The Samsung DeX dock allows you to turn your phone into a desktop computer. It’s not the full PC experience, but there are several Android apps that have been optimized for desktop view.
Phone Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S8
- 8-inch Super AMOLED display with 2960 x 1440 resolution, 570 ppi
- 4 GB of RAM
- 64 GB of on-board storage
- MicroSD expansion up to 256 GB
- Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or Octa-core Samsung Exynos 8895 processor (depending on location)
- Non-removable 3,000 mAh battery
- 12 MP rear camera, 8 MP front camera
- Android 7.0 Nougat
- 9 x 68.1 x 8 mm, 155 g
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
- 2-inch Super AMOLED display with 2960 x 1440 resolution, 529 ppi
- 4 GB of RAM
- 64 GB of on-board storage
- MicroSD expansion up to 256 GB
- Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or Octa-core Samsung Exynos 8895 processor (depending on location)
- Non-removable 3,000 mAh battery
- 12 MP rear camera, 8 MP front camera
- Android 7.0 Nougat
- 5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm, 173 g
Samsung Galaxy S8: What’s Not to Love?
You may find yourself pondering what’s not like about the Galaxy S8 with all the rave reviews out there, but as with most things, there are some cons. Here are a few things consumers were less than enthusiastic about:
- The cameras were not upgraded from the Galaxy 7 models. Some consumers were unimpressed with the news that the new phones were going to be equipped with the same exact camera they had been using for the past year. While this is not exactly bad news, the current 12-megapixel Dual Pixel camera is great hardware, some of the best on the market, most buyers look forward to camera upgrades when the new phones are released.
- People have been indifferent about Bixby, Samsung’s comparable of Siri. It has its own button located under the volume control, which has received mixed reviews about its location. While expected to eventually be a rival form of artificial intelligence, Bixby seems to be sluggish and average at best. We expect to see great improvements with this feature before the end of the year.
- Unlocking the phone can be quite a chore. Everyone wants security, but no one wants to have to work to get into their phone. After all, today’s society revolves around the ease and convenience of things. If you choose to unlock your screen by fingerprint, you will have to do so in a very awkward position via the rear of your phone. Complaints have been made that this cannot be done in a natural way and usually requires a few tries before it registers. This also puts the phone at a greater risk of being dropped and damaged. Likewise, there have been reports that there are notable issues with face recognition and the iris scanner as well. This means entering your password is the quickest and most reliable way to get into the phone at this time. That is also the most unsecure option, leaving a bitter taste in some user’s mouths.
Conclusion
The initial results show that this is an impressive addition to the Samsung family by all standards. The Galaxy S8 is a no-brainer for Android users looking to upgrade to a more powerful performing phone. It may even be a head-turner for brand loyal iPhone lovers. All-in-all, Samsung has made great advancements with the S8, especially in the visual department.
Image credits to : Kārlis Dambrāns