Samsung Galaxy S8 review: Essence distilled

21 April 2017
When 5 inches is the de-facto standard for a compact Android handset, yet you want to prove that more is always better, what do you do? If you're Samsung, you make a 5.8-inch phone that's as compact as a 5-incher.

Sort by:

  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • 6jq
  • 23 Apr 2017

Nick.B, 23 Apr 2017please take your time with your 170$ more expensive s8: ht... moreI was talking of G5 vs G6 ...

Basically all/most flagships have very similar cameras at this point. It's silly to give top dollar for better phone camera at this point. If all you care is camera just buy the cheapest flagship grade camera phone and you're golden (LG G5 at this point).

    • D
    • AnonD-657883
    • r7%
    • 23 Apr 2017

    ithehappy, 23 Apr 2017I didn't try anything, simple. I simply stated the fact. An... moreI did not use a Samsung phone since galaxy s3, I am actually with a Sony now but I can appreciate a good phone when i see one.
    You might not like the aspect ratio, that's fine, and yes, the fingerprint position is not good, but there are like no other major cons in this phone.
    It's not just about the screen (which shouldn't be underestimated, it's a huge deal, it's the one thing that you will always be looking at when using the phone)
    but it's also a good battery life (at least with the 8+), good durability, very good specs, an improved interface, waterproof, amazing camera (and saying that it's not as good as the pixel shouldn't be a con, it just means it's SECOND best, which is a good thing, you can't be the best at everything, but again, that's before I have really seen comparisons, it might not be worse than the pixel).
    If you don't care about any of this, then what else do you need from a smartphone?
    There are other things like charging speed, audio quality and stuff like that, but generally, by watching a few video reviews and comparisons to other smartphones, this phone is not really failing at anything. No phone is perfect, but when taking all things in consideration, it's better than any other phone out there.
    I am not going to buy it because I am not willing to pay so much money for a smartphone, I just don't see a reason to upgrade a smartphone unless it's broken since any major smartphone from the past few years is good enough for everyday use.
    but this one really is a good phone.

      • A
      • AlienNextDoor
      • JK1
      • 23 Apr 2017

      AnonD-664096, 23 Apr 2017Excellent point my friend. Any smartphone is a good behavin... moreExactly!

      People compain about battery but never bother turning off stuff they don't use. It's like leaving your car on while parked and then complaining you're out of gas.

      People also complain about performance when they have downloaded 50 free apps that come with addware. It's like driving your 500 kilo mother-in-law round town in your small 2 door car and complaining you can't go faster than 60.

        AnonD-657883, 23 Apr 2017You're trying so hard looking for negatives and still you c... moreI didn't try anything, simple. I simply stated the fact. And now facts are confirmed by reviews gradually too.

        Any phone is better which runs stock based android. Only people who will consider an S8 will be who only gives a damn about looks and looks only. And imaginarily think that Samsung is a status symbol or some crap like that. Oh yes the display should be really excellent, as Samsung has always nailed it in that regard for last two flagships, but then again that weird aspect ratio, and no it won't be a trend. Long term stupidity never happened.

        I don't give a damn in the end. I will never use this phone if I were given it for free like I said previously. I bothered to comment here because I just had two mins to waste, simple as that.

          • D
          • AnonD-664096
          • pqD
          • 23 Apr 2017

          AlienFromNextDoor, 23 Apr 2017You'll never have any performance or battery problems unles... moreExcellent point my friend. Any smartphone is a good behaving phone if you use it wisely. But this masses of sheeps that treat phones like a brick that should fulfill their phantasmagoric whishes are simply amusing.
          "Oooh, look, my phone is laggish, it was one second late when I opened Snapchat. What am I gonna dooo??" says our sheep while using his or her phone with nfc/bluetooth/location/wireless/4G on and a bunch of useless applications that he or she never uses and that only eat RAM in an unnecesary way.

            • D
            • AnonD-657883
            • r7%
            • 23 Apr 2017

            ithehappy, 21 Apr 2017So worst position of fingerprint scanner. One of the worst ... moreYou're trying so hard looking for negatives and still you come up with the most pathetic comment. If that's all you could find then I'm guessing samsung did a really good job here.
            yes, bad position for the fingerprint scanner, but TouchWiz has hugely improved and it's no longer such a bad UI that it used to be. The new aspect ratio is not weird and it's actually the new trend which has a lot of advantages. Maybe the camera is not as good as the pixel (still need to see comparisons) but it is at least second best, while the pixel is Worse in any other category. If you don't need Bixby, don't use it.
            I am very curious which phone do you think is better.

              • A
              • AlienFromNextDoor
              • JK1
              • 23 Apr 2017

              geewaiho, 23 Apr 2017I Deffo want the orchid grey. It's unfortunate that the pho... moreYou'll never have any performance or battery problems unless you download tons of apps you don't need and never use, and unless you always have everything on (nfc, bluetooth, locations, wifi, mobile data, etc).

              In other words, if you use your phone wisely, you'll never have any performance or battery issues, whatever brand or phone you choose.

                Anonymous, 23 Apr 2017The selfie cam is actually worse , the back cam is slightly... moreplease take your time with your 170$ more expensive s8:
                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzHHuwi69qE

                  I Deffo want the orchid grey. It's unfortunate that the phone doesn't iron out the supposed software lag. I personally haven't exp it on my other phones but then I clear my cache frequently and switch off apps not to mention keep apps to sleep.

                  Samsung phones have never been referred as speed/performance beasts. They have always been a jack of ll trades or a Swiss Ray knife of sorts. Not other phone others the degree of features and customizations that the s8 offers (one plus 3 .closests).

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • 6jq
                    • 23 Apr 2017

                    Savor , 23 Apr 2017Yup. G5 had one of the best cameras from last year. I wa... moreOnePlus is snappier. The chinese do prioritize performance. It's the "western" brands that don't care and are all about milking the customer at this point.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • 6jq
                      • 23 Apr 2017

                      Nick.B, 23 Apr 2017g6 has better camera 10 times better screen try use g5 on... moreThe selfie cam is actually worse , the back cam is slightly better in low light (I have owned both for a time).

                      The screen of G6 is brighter and that's it. I don't live in a bright country, don't care, even if I did G5 is perfectly visible.

                      Battery matter much more to me (G6's is dinky), carrying a spare in my wallet ensures a full day of heavy use.

                      And in general G6 loses everywhere else that matters (terrible aspect ratio, no IR, no xposed support).

                        AlienFromNextDoor, 23 Apr 2017The camera isn't better. The sensor is half an inch smaller... moreyou are talking nonsense. not everything is sensos sizes. I owned 5 samsungs and only 1 lg not even near lg fabnoy. s8 is waste of money. you buy style and beauty with s8. big show and no go. just like the iphone. the new apple galaxy s8

                          • A
                          • AlienFromNextDoor
                          • JK1
                          • 23 Apr 2017

                          AnonD-77443, 23 Apr 2017I have down a few side by side checks between my S8+ and my... moreAccording to the comparison tool no camera shoots better pictures in daylight than the Note 4 (except of course Nokia 808 and Lumia 1020). Hardly anyone who actually likes photography uses their camera at night. So I can't really understand why people keep buying new phones claiming the camera is important to them.

                          I mean just look at this: http://www.gsmarena.com/piccmp.php3?idType=4&idPhone1=8523&idPhone2=6434&idPhone3=8345

                          Nothing comes even close to the Note 4 (except, as before, the Nokia 808).

                            • A
                            • AlienFromNextDoor
                            • JK1
                            • 23 Apr 2017

                            Savor , 23 Apr 2017Yup. G5 had one of the best cameras from last year. I wa... morePhones have hit their ceiling. There's absolutely no reason to buy this year's flagships. In oder to provide something new they favored design and lost some usability.

                            The only reason I even buy flagships is the camera and gaming performance. Both were more than good enough with the Snapdragon 801, especially 805, phones.

                            I don't really notice performance differences between phones comparing even the S5 to the Pixel/S7/S8/G5/G6. The camera has hardly gotten better since the Note 4. Some, like you, will feel different. Perhaps you're really able to notice a performance difference like others maybe able to notice a difference in camera quality. Perhaps it's just placebo.

                              • D
                              • AnonD-77443
                              • v6J
                              • 23 Apr 2017

                              Savor , 23 Apr 2017Yup. G5 had one of the best cameras from last year. I wa... moreI have down a few side by side checks between my S8+ and my wifes S7.

                              In good light there isn't any real difference between the two. Both are really good.
                              Indoors and in low light the S8 is is a big step up.
                              This shows up in GSMarenas low light studio test also.
                              http://www.gsmarena.com/piccmp.php3?idType=5&idPhone1=8523&idPhone2=7815&idPhone3=7821

                              To me the S8+ feels really smooth with no lag. I have a 10 month old daughter so the camera is the big factor. Otherwise i would have stayed with the GN4.

                                • S
                                • Savor
                                • IbE
                                • 23 Apr 2017

                                AlienFromNextDoor, 23 Apr 2017The camera isn't better. The sensor is half an inch smaller... moreYup.

                                G5 had one of the best cameras from last year. I watch comparisons and neither the G6 and S8 improved much from their predecessors. G6 has too much fake colors. Krystal Key proved to me the Pixel XL from six months ago has a better camera than the G6 and S8+. And I don't think the Pixel is better than the S7 edge in low light.

                                I would rank it G5 > S7e > Pixel > S8 > G6. Shocking to see the 2017 flagships below 2016's. I was expecting so much from 2017. Been disappointing so far. But the truth is, I am hardly a shutterbug. What disappoints me even more with the S8 is the CPU is only 10% faster but the S8 still has laggy software and the Exynos variant still loses quite handily to an iPhone in RAM management.

                                I no longer have high hopes for the Note8 since I don't prioritize camera over software experience and usability. At the end of the day, I need software that is snappy. My Pixel is ugly as sin but I don't care. I love it. Smoothest Android phone I ever had. Even typing in this dialog box is snappy while my G5 and S7e kinda hesitates. S7e is far worse at it thanks to the curves.

                                  Anonymous, 23 Apr 2017What will you do with world fastest phone? Everything dude....

                                    • D
                                    • AnonD-77443
                                    • v6J
                                    • 23 Apr 2017

                                    AnonD-521587, 23 Apr 2017funny how samsung s8 now comes with 1080p enabled where are... moreSamsung offered the option to change the screen resolution from 1440p to 1080p or 720p on the GN7 also.

                                    I tested the S8+ battery life on 1440p (50% brightness using a mix games, web browsing, installing apps and watching video). It was using just under 10% per hour with everything still running in the background. That gives me over 10 hours of screen on time. Personally that is awesome and most other phones would love to get it.

                                    I run the S8+ at 1080p so i get even better battery life than this. 1440p or greater is pointless unless you need VR.

                                      • A
                                      • AlienFromNextDoor
                                      • JK1
                                      • 23 Apr 2017

                                      Nick.B, 23 Apr 2017I was ready to buy S8 before the official release where rea... moreThe camera isn't better. The sensor is half an inch smaller. Even the G5 has a better camera. Look it up fanboy.

                                        • J
                                        • Jason Melling
                                        • vmJ
                                        • 23 Apr 2017

                                        I played with this phone today and while it is nice (much thinner than I imagined) it was just OK. The top bezel is much larger in person and it was nice but nothing amazing.

                                          11 of 16