Samsung Galaxy S8 Review
The Samsung Galaxy S8, released in April 2017, was a flagship device that significantly pushed the boundaries of smartphone design and technology for its time. Here’s a comprehensive review based on its key aspects:
Samsung Galaxy S8: Specifications
Release date: 21/04/2017 (USA) or 28/04/2017 (UK)
Price: $690 (USA) or £720 (UK) (S8)
Colours: black, silver and a blueish grey.
Weight: 155g
Water resistant: to 1.5m over 30 minutes.
Glass: Gorilla Glass 5
Screen size: 5.8 inch or 6.2 inch for the S8+.
Resolution: 1080p and quad-HD+ 2960 x 1440.
Battery: 3000mAh
Ram: 4GB
Storage: 64GB
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (USA) or Exynos 8895 (UK)
SD card: up to 256GB
Camera: 12 megapixels.
Design and Build Quality
The Galaxy S8 introduced Samsung’s Infinity Display, a near-bezel-less design that gave the phone a futuristic look. It featured a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED screen that curved on both sides, providing a sleek, seamless appearance.
The back of the phone was made of glass, giving it a premium feel, though it was prone to smudging and fingerprints. The build quality was excellent, with a sturdy aluminium frame and IP68 water and dust resistance.
The positioning of the fingerprint sensor, located beside the rear camera, was one of the more criticized aspects. It was awkward to reach and easy to smudge the camera lens when trying to unlock the phone. To compensate, Samsung included iris scanning and facial recognition for alternative unlocking methods, though these were not as reliable as modern biometric systems.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 is not really a replacement for the S7. Instead, the S8 is another model that Samsung have added to their catalogue. However, there are those who will see the S8 as an upgrade from previous models. That’s fine, but will it be worth moving on from your older model?
Samsung Galaxy S8: Display
The 5.8-inch Quad HD+ (2960 x 1440) Super AMOLED display was one of the best in the market, boasting vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent contrast. Samsung’s display technology has long been industry-leading, and the S8 was no exception. It also supported HDR10, making it ideal for consuming high-quality video content.
The 18.5:9 aspect ratio was taller and narrower than traditional phones at the time, making the phone easy to hold despite its large screen size. However, some apps were not fully optimized for this new aspect ratio when it first launched, causing black bars or stretched content.
In short, there are no options here; the S8 has curved glass just like the S7 edge. However, unlike the S7 edge, the glass in this case is top to bottom. Obviously, the result is a much bigger screen to view. The glass on the S8 is the same type also in use on the S7. So, for those who have experienced surface scratches on the screens in the past, we suggest protecting the S8 screen from the offset.
Performance
The S8 came with either the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (in the US) or Exynos 8895 (internationally), paired with 4GB of RAM. While this combination offered top-tier performance at the time, capable of handling multitasking, gaming, and everyday apps smoothly, the 4GB of RAM was somewhat limited compared to competitors offering 6GB.
The phone remained snappy for most tasks, but as apps became more demanding, it was slightly outpaced by newer models. Storage settings were at 64GB, with the option for expansion via microSD, a feature many users enjoy.
Samsung Galaxy S8: Camera
The 12MP rear camera was one of the S8’s standout features, equipped with dual-pixel autofocus, optical image stabilization (OIS), and an f/1.7 aperture, allowing it to excel in low-light conditions. The image quality was sharp, with vibrant colors and excellent dynamic range, even in challenging lighting. The camera app was simple to use, with Pro mode for more manual control, which appealed to photography enthusiasts.
The 8MP front-facing camera also featured autofocus, which was a rare and welcome addition for selfie lovers at the time. It captured clear and well-exposed images, making it a great choice for social media and video calls.
Battery Life
With a 3,000mAh battery, the Galaxy S8 offered decent but not exceptional battery life. On moderate usage, it could last a full day, but heavy users might find themselves needing a top-up in the late afternoon. Samsung included both fast wired charging and fast wireless charging, which helped alleviate battery anxiety. The USB-C port was a welcomed upgrade from the older micro-USB standard.
Samsung Galaxy S8: Software
Out of the box, the Galaxy S8 ran on Android 7.0 Nougat with Samsung’s custom skin, TouchWiz, which later evolved into Samsung Experience. The interface was feature-rich but sometimes felt bloated, with duplicated apps for things like messaging and email. Samsung’s infamous Bixby assistant also debuted on the S8, but it received mixed reviews due to limited functionality at launch. A dedicated Bixby button frustrated many users, as it couldn’t be easily remapped to other functions without third-party apps.
Samsung has since updated the Galaxy S8 to Android 9.0 Pie, giving it some longevity in terms of software support, though it no longer receives major updates.
Additional Features
- Headphone Jack: The S8 retained the 3.5mm headphone jack, a feature that’s since been removed from many flagship devices.
- AKG-Tuned Speakers: While the sound quality was decent for a phone, the speaker was bottom-firing, meaning it could easily be blocked while watching videos or playing games.
- DeX Support: The Galaxy S8 was one of the first phones to support Samsung DeX, which allowed users to connect the phone to a monitor and use it like a desktop computer, though the feature was niche at the time.
Pros
- Gorgeous Infinity Display with vibrant colors and HDR support.
- Excellent camera performance, especially in low-light.
- Sleek, futuristic design with a premium feel.
- Water and dust resistance (IP68).
- Expandable storage via microSD.
- Retained the headphone jack.
Cons
- Awkward fingerprint sensor placement.
- Bixby assistant felt unnecessary, and the dedicated button was unpopular.
- Battery life was adequate but not outstanding.
- Only 4GB of RAM, which felt a bit limiting over time.
- Samsung’s software could feel a bit heavy and bloated.
Samsung Galaxy S8: In Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy S8 was a ground-breaking phone in 2017, and its design continues to influence smartphones today. It had a few minor drawbacks, such as the awkward fingerprint sensor and Bixby button, but overall it was a powerhouse device with a stunning display, strong camera performance, and an iconic design.
While newer models outperform this phone, it remains a solid option for those who appreciate classic Samsung craftsmanship and features.
Star Ratings
Overall Rating
The ratings here represent your all scores combined. So, give us your opinion.
Your Reviews
The following independent reviews may help you decide to buy or subscribe to a service:
Official Review By Julie: Samsung Galaxy S8.
My name is Julie, and I reviewed the product above. Please leave your own review below.
Leave A Review
Leave your thoughts and opinions about this product or service. Also, use the yellow star rating button and give marks out of five. There is also a comments section below for other remarks.
