Samsung Galaxy Note 8
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 isn’t just your average next-Galaxy. It will be the follow-up to the most troubled Samsung device ever. For many users, it is the first Note they can buy since the Galaxy Note 4, back in 2014. Needless to say, the pressure is on for Samsung. Let’s recap some of the most important features and specification of the device.
Galaxy Note 8 design
As expected, the Galaxy Note 8 borrows heavily from the design of the Galaxy S8. There's no home key, and the 6.3-inch Infinity AMOLED display cover nearly the entire front of the device. Not even a Samsung logo spoils the all-black glass front panel that covers the phone.
Needless to say, the Note 8 too is resistant to casual exposure to water. The phone's IP68 certification ensures you can have plenty of liquid mishaps, without endangering internals. Even the S Pen works when there is water on the display.
Under the volume keys, we find the Bixby key. And unlike the S8, you can actually put it to some good use. After all, Samsung's AI assistant is now active globally, even if it only understands Korean and English.
Galaxy Note 8 display
Talking about the display, the Galaxy Note 8 plays it safe. The 6.3-inch diagonal offers room for 2960 x 1440 pixels. The 522 pixels per inch density is what we have come to expect of Galaxy flagships.
As with the S8, bezels around the display are minimal. This way, there is not much distraction from that most important part of the Note 8. As usual, colors are vibrant, contrast is endless, and black is really black. You know the OLED-drill by know.
Galaxy Note 8 specs
You can find the expanded, detailed listing here: Galaxy Note 8 specifications. This the Galaxy Note 8 in a nutshell:
- 6.3-inch Infinity AMOLED display, WQHD+ resolution
- Exynos 9 Octa 10nm soc, max. 2.3GHz
- 6GB RAM, 64/128/256GB storage (depending on the market), SD-slot
- IP68 certified, water resistant
- 2 x 12-megapixel dual pixel AF camera - f/2.4 telephoto lens, f/1.7 wide-angle lens
- 8-megapixel front camera with autofocus
- 3300 mAh battery, quick charge, wireless charging
- Android 7.1.1, Samsung Experience 8.5 UX
- Fingerprint scanner, iris scanner, facial recognition
- 3.5-mm headphone jack
- Bixby, S Pen stylus
Galaxy Note 8 camera
On the camera-front, the Note 8 brings a first for Samsung: a dual-lens setup. Although the Galaxy S8 was expected to come with two rear cameras, such a setup never made to the final version of the device. Now, with the Galaxy Note 8, Samsung is ready to take its mobile photography to the next level.
The phone is equipped with one wide-angle lens, with a f/1.7 aperture ensuring that plenty of light can be captured. The other lens, with a f/2.4 aperture, is a telephoto one that offers two times optical zoom. Combined, the lenses give you up to ten times digital zoom as well.
Both lenses feature Samsung's dual pixel autofocus technology. Because every pixel is used, autofocus is extremely quick. Furthermore, both lenses have OIS: optical image stabilization, to ensure sharp, blur-free snaps.
Aside from all the usual camera features (Pro mode, panorama, etc.) the Galaxy Note 8 packs a new feature called Live Focus. Using both lenses to determine the distance to foreground and background, the phone can produce some wonderful focus and bokeh effects. These can be chosen before or after taking a picture, giving maximal flexibility as the Note 8 stores the images from both lenses.
Needless to say, it is the camera that truly sets the Galaxy Note 8 apart from the Galaxy S8 and S8+, even if they too can make great photos.
Galaxy Note 8 battery
As we pointed out, the Galaxy Note 8 is the device that has to make the world forget about last year's Note 7 drama. And as we expected, Samsung is not taking any risks whatsoever, in the battery department.
With its 3300 mAh battery, the Galaxy Note 8 carries a little more juice than the smaller Galaxy S8, but a little less than the S8+. For safety, this is great, though the Note 8 will not end up winning any awards for its everlasting battery life.
Galaxy Note 8 software
As was known before the official launch, the Galaxy Note 8 comes to market running Android 7.1.1 Nougat. It will likely be the first Galaxy to receive an update to Android 8.0 Oreo, though.
On top of the OS, Samsung has put the very latest version of its own Experience UX, namely 8.5. The Galaxy Note 8 is the first Galaxy to come with this version.
New in version 8.5 is the ability to make shortcuts to two applications that open in multi-window mode. If you always watch Youtube while chatting in your favorite messenger, you can now put a shortcut to that exact multi-window-setup on the edge of the Note 8's screen.
Galaxy Note 8 S Pen
For the S Pen, Samsung is sticking with its greatest stylus-hits. Of course, you can write on the Always On Display. And drawing and writing have never felt more natural, now that the stylus can distinguish between 4096 different pressure levels.
Also new is the Galaxy Note 8's Live Message feature. You can write or draw something using the S Pen, and this entire process is then turned into a GIF that you can share with others. Since GIFs are a universal format, you can share them with anyone, not just with other Note 8 users.
Galaxy Note 8 release date, price
The Galaxy Note 8 will hit the first store shelves on September 15. This seems the official release date in most countries, although in some smaller markets the first devices might ship a little later. No matter where you are, you can pre-order your Galaxy Note 8 already now.
You could have figured out by now, that the Galaxy Note 8 offers a few new and significant features that were lacking on the S8+. So yes, the device is more expensive than it's stylus-less sibling. In Europe, for example, it is retailing for a whopping €999,-. And that is the base model packing 64GB storage. The Note 8 is not the most expensive Galaxy ever. That title, for now, is held by the 128GB version of the Galaxy S6 edge, when it launched in 2015. But the new Note comes close, especially since there is no cheaper option, this time around.
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