The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 (or Galaxy Note8, depending on how you like it) is one phone which couldn't possibly have bigger shoes to fill. Samsung's latest flagship has officially been announced, so it's time to decide whether not it's capable of filing the void left by the failed Note 7. From the revealed specifications and details, the Note 8 is turning out to be one device worth pre-ordering.
After last year's Note 7 went out with a bang, millions of customers were left disappointed. Despite packing an explosive personality, being banned from all airlines, and getting recalled in the US, the Note 7 was still a much-loved phone by users and reviewers alike.
According to the Note 8 announcement, many of the Note 7's more unique and popular features have made it into the Note 8. There's no doubt the Note 8 will be able to satisfy not only Samsung fanatics but other Android and iPhone users who have been patiently waiting for a smartphone that stands out amongst the rest. So below, we'll take a look at all of the juicy details.
Specifications
Thanks to the Note 8 announcement, we now have the complete and final specifications for this fairly massive phone. The more important ones have been listed below, with a break down of each key component following. The entire specifications and details list can be viewed on Samsung's Note 8 launch page.
- Snapdragon 835 CPU (US models) or Exynos 8895 CPU (international models)
- 6.3" Quad HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity Screen
- 6 GB RAM
- 64/128/256 GB with expandable storage up to 256 GB
- dedicated Bixby hardware button
- USB Type-C
- 3.5 mm headphone jack supporting UHQ 32-bit & DSD
- Bluetooth 5.0
- IP68 water & dust resistance
- 3,300 mAh battery
- 8 MP Front Camera
- 12 MP Dual Rear Telephoto and Wide-angle Cameras
- $960 base price
The Galaxy Note 8.
Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8895
Depending on the region, Samsung will either use the Snapdragon 835 or their own Exynos 8895 processor to power the upcoming flagship phone. The Snapdragon 835 performs admirably in the Galaxy S8 from earlier this year, even with Samsung's UI tweaks layered on top of stock Android. But if the Galaxy S8 is any indication, the Exynos variant sold in international markets will probably have the better performance and battery life of the two. An in-depth look at the Snapdragon 835 is available at the link below.
Super AMOLED 6.3" Infinity Display with QHD+ Resolution
The Note 8 will feature a 6.3" QHD+ Super AMOLED display with a near bezel-less look thanks to Samsung's new "Infinity Display" technology. The S8+ features a 6.2" Infinity Display, so this really isn't much of a differentiating factor between the two flagships. Go big or go home, right? Having a 6.3" practically bezel-less phone is really going to make some people happy, but if you have tiny hands, this might not be the device for you.
The screen resolution on this massive 6.3" display is 2960 x 1440, a 2K display with a 521 DPI pixel density. However, the default resolution is Full HD+ and has to be changed to Quad HD+ (WQHD+) in Settings. There's an obvious reason for this, utilization of the 2K display will heavily tax the measly 3,300mAh battery and quite possibly the CPU & GPU.
64 GB Storage & 6 GB RAM
64 GB of built-in storage is practically the standard these days, and that's exactly what Samsung provided. You do have the option to upgrade to either 128 or 256 GB of internal space, but that'll come at an ever steeper price. Expandable storage is available in both single and dual-SIM variants, supporting an SD card up to 256 GB. This means you can utilize the dual rear cameras to take all the photos you want, just remember to pick the SD card pre-order perk (it's a 128 GB).
6 GB of RAM is a solid number, especially since the S8+ only has 4 GB of RAM. It might make the difference between buying the S8+ and the Note 8 for many people. It would also mean Samsung's Gear VR headset will likely perform and look better, especially if used with the 2K resolution active.
3.5 mm Headphone Jack & Bluetooth 5.0
A 3.5 mm jack! Thankfully, Samsung hasn't decided to phase out the 3.5 mm jack like many OEMs are doing these days. Instead, Samsung has actually doubled down on the standard audio connector by bringing 32-bit ultra high-quality audio playback. This means you can now experience a deep, full, and rich audio experience while commuting!
Bluetooth 5.0 means you'll be able to listen to music on two devices, at the same time. Blast music on your upstairs and downstairs speakers at the same time, get a friend to listen to your preferred genre of music, there are quite a few different ways to utilize this so far exclusive Samsung feature (since no one else has opted to include Bluetooth 5.0 yet).
Dual Rear 12 MP Cameras & 8 MP Front Camera
The Note 8 sports dual rear 12-megapixel cameras, and both sensors use optical image stabilization (OIS). Similar to Apple's dual-camera system in the iPhone 7 Plus, one is a wide-angle sensor and the other is a telephoto camera.
Samsung has a long history of making some of the best camera hardware and software, and this year will be no different. The Note 8 is the first Samsung phone to sport dual rear cameras, so we have yet to see exactly how they'll perform in real world conditions. The telephoto camera will allow you to capture high definition zoomed in photos, while the wide-angle camera is for standard shots.
The front-facing camera is a cool 8 megapixels, which means you can take all the high-quality selfies you want for Snapchat and Instagram. The front camera also sports a wide selfie mode, which should come in handy when taking shots with friends.
Stay Tuned
At 3,300 mAh, the battery powering the Note 8 is small, especially for a device sporting such a large screen. Seems like Samsung is being extra careful this time around, but how will that affect customers and their daily usage? Hopefully, the Note 8 will leave its own mark, one much different than the mark left behind by the Note 7 (okay, I'll stop).
Now that we know pretty everything to know about the Note 8, what thoughts do you guys have on it? Either way, be sure to leave a comment down below letting us know if you plan on getting the Note 8.
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Cover image via Samsung
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