iTWire has had an S8+ for the past five days under embargo until 19 April. The initial impressions are that it is certainly still the king of the Android world, offering almost every conceivable top-draw feature.
This is not a review – that takes time, but for those who may be hesitating and still want to get the pre-order bonus of a Gear VR headset and controller, it may offer some comfort.
Over the past five days, I have been thinking about what were the compelling reasons to buy the Samsung Galaxy S8 or S8+. They come down to amazing AMOLED screen quality and size, flawless build, a larger Samsung ecosystem (Bixby and Smart Connect), great camera, the highest performance levels, wireless charging, IP rating, and a realisation that it is a desirable item, one that anyone would be pleased to own.
And I also think this will be the safest Samsung ever. Design lessons learned from the Note7 are firmly ingrained and I am assured that we won’t see a repeat.
{loadposition ray}Set-up – easy as
As a reviewer, I use a variety of phones so it was a great test of Samsung’s Switch app that uses either NFC, cable, or PC/Mac/iCloud to transfer everything over. Initially, I tried it using an S7 Edge as the sender and everything came over flawlessly – just re-enter passwords (for security) and it was up and running in about 20 minutes.
As a test, I also tried Samsung Switch on a Huawei Mate 9 and a Google Pixel XL, and apart from having to set up email again (I use Microsoft Exchange 365), it was also flawless.
I make the point that it is easy to transfer from Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry and Apple’s iOS – any device that supports OTG (on the go) transfers. Apple’s iOS uses a lightning to USB-C cable, or a PC/Mac intermediary, or its iCloud back-up for the transfer – the first two will bring over iTunes music and it is good advice to back up anyway.
And the world has two camps – Android and iOS are well entrenched and users will generally stick with their chosen operating system because of an investment in apps. You will never hear the term “Apple killer” or vice versa from me.
Looks – tall and slender
The Galaxy 5.8” S8 (GS8) and the 6.2” (GS8+) currently offer the largest screens on any phone courtesy of an 18.5:9 screen ratio and a record setting 84% screen to body ratio. The result is tall and slim – a fraction wider than the smaller GS7/Edge they replace.
The 5.8” GS8 is 148.9 x 68.1 x 8 mm (5.1” GS7 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm) and the 6.2” GS8+ is 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 (5.5” GS7 Edge 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm). The GS8+ is highly pocketable. Apart from the battery capacity (3000 and 3500mAh) and display size, both models share the same characteristics.
Looks wise, it appears to be a single piece of glass on the front and back – the top and bottom bezels are almost invisible and totally under the glass. The edges have almost imperceptible bezels – Samsung calls this an infinity screen. It feels slimmer in the hand than the GS7/Edge yet it is marginally thicker.
Those who saw it over the past five days commented on the amazing screen size, the colour and clarity of the 2960x1440px resolution screen, and its thinner, taller appearance. I like its looks very much – a desirable smartphone.
Camera – rear
It is a 12MP, f/1.7 aperture, big pixel, dual pixel phase detection auto-focus (PADF), optical image stabilisation (OIS); multi-shot image stacking; with 2160p/30fps video recording.
In comparisons with the GS7 Edge camera (essentially similar), the GS8+ has Pixel style image stacking and seems to produce superior colours. Again, it is a little early to tell as both devices have great cameras and it may just be an app update to bring them both up.
Camera front
It has much better selfies than the GS7.
I used Bixby’s camera interface to identify things like trees, flowers, wine bottles and car varieties – it is still very early days and to its credit, it did try to present reasonably close results. For example, it knew that a car was a Toyota Corolla but the magnificent autumn deciduous trees in Canberra (maple) had it trying to match colours rather than identify the tree type.
Bixby shows much promise and I am tuning its recommendations screen, but it is too early to report on it. Voice activation is still a couple of months away.
Fingerprint sensor on the back.
An annoyance after the convenience of a fingerprint sensor on the front in the GS7 – but no different to the LG G6/G5 etc.
The sensor is very fast, there is no confusion in placing a finger on the camera lens, and once you get the hang of it, all is well. A little hint: enrol the same finger twice, one right way up and once upside down as it means you can grab the phone with one hand, flip it over and place the fingerprint more easily.
I tested the biometric iris scanner and it was flawless and quick – faster than the Note7 that first saw its use.
But there is always a pin code or pattern to fall back on and sometimes it is just as convenient – don’t leave a $1000 phone unsecured.
IP68 – should be mandatory
Water and dust resistance for a flagship should be mandatory but even more important is that the new Gorilla Glass 5 has drop resistance from shoulder height – and when a glass replacement can cost around $300 that level of protection is great.
Should you rush out and buy it
I have a fondness for the Galaxy S devices – whether it is the convenience of wireless and fast charge, an amazing idiot-proof camera, IP rating, good battery life, or prestige – that je ne sais quoi. So, if you can afford $1199 for the GS8 or $1349 for the GS8+ then you can be assured that you are buying the best bar none. If you order before 27 April you get a free Galaxy VR headset and controller.
Samsung admits the phone is not for everyone – in fact, only about 10% of its sales come from the flagship models so that is why it makes a more affordable Galaxy A5/A7 and you might also bag a bargain on the GS7/Edge which will still be produced for some time.
The “around $1000” market (street price) is crowded, with LG G6, Huawei Mate 9, Google Pixel/XL, Sony XZ series, HTC 10/U Ultra, Moto Z, and mods, etc.
The well under $1000 market (street price) has the excellent ZTE Axon 7, OPPO’s R9s/Plus and even the excellent LG G5.
My point is that if you simply want the best, then buy the Samsung GS8 or GS8+ and be done with it. If you want to spend hours comparing brand X and brand Y feature for feature, value for value, then the answer lies in one of the phones mentioned above. I would be, and have been, very happy with any of them.
For me, I have had a trouble-free, very positive experience with the GS8+ and will complete a full review in a couple of weeks.