I conceived of becoming the owner of a smartphone with a form factor such as EDGE (simply - with a curved screen) last year, after the discoverer of curved screens Samsung flagship Galaxy S7 Edge. However, the price of the new item (49,990 and 59,990 rubles for the regular and "plus" models) "bite" - I licked my lips as I walked past the windows with the coveted phone, but did not dare to pay an amount exceeding the average Moscow salary. Even the interest-free installment plan, with which the company actively stimulated sales, did not help me cross the line between the desire to live within our means and the desire to have a fashionable and beautiful gadget.
I became a step closer to my dream when I was offered to test this year's novelty: Samsung released another flagship in the Galaxy S line, this time with no alternative with an EDGE screen - externally, the S8 and S8 + differ only in size. I got the usual "eight" with a 5.8-inch display. The plus model will be all 6.2.
Design and first impressions
The streamlined form of the device fits comfortably in the hand, the width of the device is exactly such that you can reach the icon on the opposite edge of the screen with your thumb. The body of the gadget, which is elongated compared to most of its “classmates,” is perceived without objection: the fact that holding the device in the palm of my hand does not bother me at all - we have long lost the habit of working with modern “shovels” with one hand. In addition, the curved screen comes to the rescue: if you want, you can turn on the call of the Edge side screen panel by setting a personal list of functions and applications that can be called up with a light touch of your finger.
But on the big "limitless" screen, you can comfortably watch a large-format movie, see more details in a photo, or read a long text with less scrolling. And in general, the design of the “smartphone without borders” (the slogan of this model) conquers at first glance with some kind of weightlessness, airiness, evoking associations with an infinity pool, where the water surface goes beyond the horizon, into infinity.
iPhone 6S Plus (5.5 "screen) and Samsung Galaxy S8 (5.8" screen)
However, as is well known, any advantages are always the flip side of disadvantages. This turned out to be true for the Samsung G8 as well. The sleek, streamlined shape is beautiful, but there is nothing to catch on to (literally!), Besides, the glossy surface of the rear panel is slippery, so there is a danger of dropping the device, which, in fact, happened.
I tried to hold in one hand the car keys, a thin clutch and a smartphone. And my Samsung unpacked three days ago slipped out of my hand
At first glance, the fall was not that dramatic - vertically downward. For a device with a conventional "frame" display, this would be quite tolerable - at most a scratch or a small dent on the case (I can judge by Honor's own). But this is not the “limitless” screen: a chip and three small cracks immediately appeared on the glass, one of which after a couple of days “grew” by almost a third of the screen. Hence the practical advice for fans of infinity screens: do not hesitate to pack your gadgets in durable covers, books or overlays. Now I understand that the seller's offer in the salon, when I was looking closely at the "seven", to immediately buy an additional guarantee for the screen and get a cover and protective glass - this was not just a promotion for additional options, but quite a prudent recommendation. Another "but" with regard to the screen without side frames - sometimes the sensitive touchscreen mistakenly reacts to the touch of fingers, just holding the smartphone, and launches unnecessary applications or unnecessarily changes the viewing scale. However, over time, you can get used to this feature, and the cover, put on the device, should generally reduce the problem to "no".
On-screen notifications lock samsung Galaxy S8
Camera
Taking photos and videos on a new gadget turns into sheer entertainment or a demonstration of the capabilities of the pros - whoever likes what. Lens masters will appreciate the built-in focusing and stabilization technologies - moving objects are clear, even in the dark, for the best composition, you can choose the focus length, and the most advanced ones will turn on the "Pro" shooting mode and adjust shutter speed, exposure and other functions incomprehensible to a mere mortal.
Profans like me will not be able to tear themselves away from selfies with funny stickers - they also move! Food bloggers will love the Food mode
Features like face detection, shooting mode selection and built-in filters don't even need to be mentioned: Samsung's flagship has them by default. I will only note that it is extremely convenient to control the camera: you can set up functions, switch between the front and rear cameras, change the zoom with one swipe of your finger, and if necessary, the camera will take a frame at your command "Voice!"
Galaxy S8 camera has the function of adding funny stickers when taking pictures
Sound and virtual assistants
It may seem unimportant to some, but personally I was pleased with the acoustic capabilities of the G8: in the car, wishing to listen to my favorite album and not finding a USB cable to connect to the car audio system within reach, I just turned on the music on my smartphone. The volume and sound quality were on par with the built-in speakers in the car!
A unique feature of the novelty is the Bixby personal assistant. According to the manufacturer, it should become an intelligent virtual assistant, adapting to the owner, with voice control and augmented reality functions. It looks like Samsung has implemented only a fraction of the visual functionality of Bixby Vision so far. This is an augmented reality video camera with the ability to recognize the image in the frame. The declared search for goods in my case did not work in any way (perhaps connected bank cards were required for this?); the search for similar photos on the Web, implemented in cooperation with Pinterest, functioned perfectly (though, it is difficult for me to imagine who, apart from photo editors, can use such a function); the search for places also proved to be worthy: tired of constantly consulting the guide during the trip, we simply pointed the Bixby camera at a building or monument - and the smartphone displayed on the screen brief information about the object, as well as about nearby attractions, cafes and restaurants worth visiting.
1 / 4
Bixby Vision Rebecca Minkoff Bag Recognition Test
Capturing subjects with Bixby Vision
Even when the bag was laid on a white background, Bixby Vision could not find any Rebecca Minkoff bags on sale, in any online store.
But using Pinterest algorithms, Bixby Vision was able to find several similar bags, incl. Prada and Louis Vuitton. But not a single photo of the original - Rebecca Minkoff - has been found.
Health and activity
Previously, I had no experience of communicating with fitness applications, so the pre-installed Samsung Health impressed with its wide capabilities: measure the pulse, oxygen saturation, assess the level of stress and count the number of steps taken, the S8 can use built-in sensors, without using additional gadgets like a fitness bracelet. In addition, the application has the ability to record the duration of sleep, various types of physical activity, the amount and calorie content of food, blood sugar levels - however, all this will have to be done independently, in manual mode. But on the basis of all the data received, the application formulates personal recommendations and regularly reminds you of the need to move, not forgetting to give out "candy" - it marks your personal records and gives virtual rewards-medals.
Samsung Health data
Samsung Health data
Built-in apps and security systems
As an editor I was pleased with the built-in package Microsoft Office(Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive) - quite often I have to open and edit documents on the go, I immediately download the office suite to all smartphones, but here I didn't have to, and the built-in applications by default work better than those installed on their own.
Special praise to the G8 for its incredible security capabilities. The information on your S8 will be protected by a triple safety loop. Firstly, the standard PIN-code, password or graphic pattern has not gone anywhere, and secondly and thirdly, a fingerprint scanner, face and iris recognition have been added to them. I saw reviews on the Web about the unsuccessful location of the fingerprint - next to the rear camera lens, but I never had any problems with the supposedly "smudged" glass of the camera, all the pictures always came out clear, despite the fact that I used the fingerprint scanner very actively ( unlocking with it always took place without failures).
Face recognition worked every other time: obviously, it all very much depends on the lighting conditions in which you take a test shot and then scan your face
Therefore, sometimes I amused my friends, freezing with a frozen expression on my face and a gadget brought to my nose. But I failed to test unlocking the smartphone by scanning the iris of the eye. The fact is that the manufacturer immediately warns that the presence of glasses or contact lenses makes it difficult to scan the iris, and I have severe myopia. Attempts to scan the iris without glasses and lenses were unsuccessful in my case - the gadget was never able to record my biometric data. To the credit of the S8, I must say that the control recording of the iris and the subsequent unlocking in a person who does not suffer from myopia went off with a bang.
Performance
Having received the task from the editor of the heading to test the gadget in the rating application AnTuTu, I received an unexpected and impressive result. The overall score (the number of points obtained when measuring the performance of the smartphone) was in the second place in the rating - higher than that of the "typical" Galaxy S8 included in the rating (see photo). Samsung's flagship has surpassed itself, one might say!
Samsung Galaxy S8 results in AnTuTu benchmarking system
Battery and charging
For such a multifunctional and productive gadget, an important issue is nutrition. In a state of relative rest - without hours of watching movies and graphically charged games, but with constant web surfing, photo experiments and launching several applications at the same time - the battery holds a charge for at least two days. Decent result among "classmates".
Fast wired charging turned out to be fantastically fast: she promised to charge the gadget from 28% of the charge level in 1 hour 16 minutes and fulfilled her promise
Slot for a second SIM card
Today, few people have only one mobile number - then the operators have failures cellular communication, then new tempting Internet tariffs force users to buy a second or even a third SIM card. I also tried to double my mobile capabilities, but I could not simultaneously insert two SIM cards into a smartphone even with the help of a consultant in a communication salon: the second slot, declared as a hybrid for an SD or SIM card, no matter how we tried, could not accommodate nano-format sim card. In the end, the consultant, rummaging through the Internet, said that this modification does not provide for the installation of a second SIM card - only a memory card. I had to take my word for it.
Should you buy a Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone?
And finally, the price is an important criterion for evaluating any new products. It is traditional for Samsung flagships - RUB 59,990 the S7 Edge also cost when it first entered our market. However, after a few months, the price of the flagship dropped, and there are very interesting offers in the salons. But if you are unassuming, like Oscar Wilde, and you “have enough of the best,” then perhaps the novelty is worth the money.
Photo: genk.vn, Sergey Smitskiy
Samsung's Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus are a pair of beautiful smartphones that the company unveiled recently. There are still a few weeks before the start of sales, but today the devices are undergoing various tests. The first who decided to check how well the smartphone will cope with falls on concrete was a video blogger from the TechRax YouTube channel. Recall that the Galaxy S8 received a glass case, which is complemented by a metal frame, and is equipped with a large elongated screen.
The Galaxy S8 was chosen for the test, and not its larger brother, however, the Galaxy S8 Plus is likely to undergo similar tests in the future. Also in the tests took part in the iPhone 7 in a tap color. First, both the Galaxy S8 and iPhone 7, without any protection, were dropped onto concrete from a height of 1.5 meters. The devices fell to the bottom end, but they coped with the blows well, the Samsung smartphone looked like new at all. The second time, the Galaxy S8 fell to the bottom corner. There were visible traces from the fall, but the glass remained intact. The smartphones were then thrown face down on concrete. As a result, the Galaxy S8 had some pretty cracked glass at the corners, but the device continued to work. But the iPhone 7 proved to be worse: the glass cracked completely, in addition, the device stopped working. The South Korean smartphone withstood a drop from such a height, apparently thanks to the new tempered glass Gorilla Glass 5.
In fact, new flagship from Samsung is about as durable as the previous one. Fortunately, Samsung line Galaxy S, which is popular all over the world, will certainly not be left without various accessories and protective cases. By the way, they are already on the market and will certainly appear more.
You will also like:
Geekbench results from Galaxy S8 on Exynos 8895 chip revealed
Galaxy S8 gets Dual Audio support for Bluetooth headphones
Samsung disables ability to remap Bixby key on Galaxy S8 and S8 +
The long-awaited flagship Samsung Galaxy S8 immediately grabs attention. Despite the quite expected technical solutions, a number of features set it apart from other smartphones. However, the user experience speaks of some of them as unsuccessful, and it was strange to see them here. But first things first.
Samsung has been preparing for the release of the new flagship for a long time, because it was the latest of the spring presentations. Most of the new products were shown on. The company has studied the Note 7 battery story in the most thorough way. There are versions that this is why the announcement was postponed. On the other hand, Samsung could see how the market would react to competitors' novelties and adjust the accents. Moreover, the name of the company in the smartphone industry is much louder than the rest. Maybe Samsung hasn't become one hundred percent innovator, but it has managed to pleasantly surprise users. Although a number of decisions turned out to be ambiguous.
New Samsung flagship turned out beautiful. The company tried to bring something new to ergonomics, focusing in all promotional materials on the absence of frames due to rounded edges. The front part has become extremely laconic, above and below the screen there are only small black stripes.
Above the screen is a retina scanner, an earpiece, a front camera and sensors. The new screen and ergonomics did not affect the decision to keep the analog audio jack. It is located at the bottom end, next to USB Type-C, which for some reason moved off the axis of symmetry.
The front part of the case is made only in black, and the back side is in the same color with a metal frame around the perimeter. The smartphone is available in black, dark gray, blue, silver and gold colors.
Despite the 5.8-inch screen, the body hasn't grown too big compared to. It can even be called compact, considering that instead of a logo and hardware buttons, it is now a couple of hundred pixels. Whether this is useful is another matter, but the design only benefited from this.
There have also been some changes in the organization of the buttons. The power key on the right side is familiar, the volume control on the left is the same, but the activation key for the Bixby voice assistant is not very good. This "comrade" first appeared on Samsung smartphones and already requires too much attention. So, when you take a screenshot, then you habitually hold down the power button on the right and bottom on the left. But in this case, the bottom left is not a volume down, but Bixby activation. Okay, a screenshot is not a common occurrence. But by making the music quieter, you will still miss a lot.
Well, the logo is not an eyesore, the iron Home button is now on-screen and is located in a row at the bottom of the screen. Where is the fingerprint sensor? It is now on the back near the lens, symmetrically with the flash. Everyone was looking forward to the first smartphone with a sensor under the screen - but this did not happen.
In general, all the controls seem to be conveniently located. But this is definitely not the case with the fingerprint scanner. Holding the smartphone in one hand, in order to reach it with your finger, you need to intercept the body higher. As a result, the side buttons are mistakenly pressed, especially if the smartphone is used without a case like ours.
It would seem that the fingerprint can be replaced by face recognition. But it turned out that this option is not the safest. Your photo will be enough to bypass this protection. Therefore, among the alternatives, there may also be an iris scanner.
By the way, the cover also helps out due to the slippery glossy finish. Although the back is made of Gorilla Glass 5 tempered glass, the smartphone will not withstand hard drops. And taking photos is much more comfortable when the device does not strive to slip out of your hands.
Screen without borders
The display is traditionally made using the proprietary SuperAMOLED technology with a resolution of 1440 × 2960. For the S8 +, which has a 6.2 ”diagonal, the resolution is the same. The viewing angles are excellent, the picture is rich and juicy.
In terms of geometry, the increased diagonal has benefited texts, browsers, social networks, pictures, content fits more. Note, however, that the picture is physically cropped with the rounded corners, when in fact everything is rendered. After taking a screenshot, you will see the missing sections.
Separately, it should be said about the aspect ratio of the screen. The S8 and S8 + have 18.5: 9. This option is not suitable for common 16: 9 video formats and does not match at all with 21: 9 widescreen videos. The latter are designed to remove black stripes at the top and bottom. Programmatically in S8, you can trim videos in YouTube and players.
At the push of a button, such pictures are cropped and fill the entire screen.
For example, it is comfortable to watch videos in Full HD or 4K with such stripes, but then the realization comes that the picture is the same size as on a regular screen of the same S7. There is very little difference in the size of the displayed image. The dramatic increase in the diagonal has rather influenced the organization of the icons, which now has more options for settings.
The touch faces have similar functionality to the Galaxy S7 Edge. You can choose what exactly will be opened by swiping from the right side - the screenshot manager, contacts or applications.
NewbieBixby
A voice assistant trained to interact with smart home devices and other company gadgets. Bixby is a new software product that needs to be developed, educated and taught in languages. So far, it only supports English. Bixby also shows upcoming events, news from the region, weather, and a couple of tips for working with your smartphone.
Following the release of the S8 and S8 + on March 29, the next big Bixby update is expected by the end of this year. Perhaps at an exhibition in Berlin - IFA 2017. At the same time, support for new language packs is expected.
Until then, you can play Guess What This is with Bixby. A separate button in the camera control panel activates the object recognition mode. When the assistant recognizes what is shown in the viewfinder, he will tell you what it is and where to buy it. More precisely, he should have done so. At the time of the first tests, the guessing accuracy is mediocre. With a mouse and a smartphone, Bixby somehow copes. But a dictaphone, a key, a video camera and a marker push him to erroneous associations.
That which cannot be taken away
Talking about the performance of the flagship in 2017 is already redundant. For those interested - screenshots of the benchmarks for the Galaxy S8 are provided below. It is only worth noting that the "naked" shell of Android 7 is a little faster than slightly modified with the TouchWiz interface. But the difference is so small that until you compare it, you won't feel the difference.
The essential chips in smartphones today are screens and cameras. Moreover, the latter are even more. We'll tell you more about the Galaxy S8 camera in a separate article.
So far, it can be noted that it has not changed too much in terms of technical characteristics, compared to the Galaxy S7 - 12 megapixels, f / 1.7, 26 mm, phase detection autofocus. The smartphone shoots video at 2160p at 30fps and 1080p at 60fps. Both photos and videos are supported by HDR technology. Have front camera the size of the matrix was 8 megapixels, f / 1.7, and the maximum video resolution for it is 1440p with 30 fps.
Everything is standard in the interface of the camera, and only the embellishments for selfies are highlighted. The Samsung smartphone still copes well with over- and under-light, focuses quickly and does a good job of image stabilization.
Autonomy, by the way, does not boggle the imagination, but the 3000 mAh battery copes very well with the load from big screen and a powerful processor.
How did it happen
Samsung Galaxy S8 came out ambiguous. We got the impression that the marketers and engineers were somewhat confused when planning his concepts. On the one hand, the device should be the embodiment of innovation, on the other hand, the company had so many successful developments in its predecessors that there is simply nowhere to improve.
So, the public has long fallen in love with large screens, but they do not need overgrown phablets either. Fitting a 5.8 "diagonal into a 5.2" smartphone case is akin to a challenge that is now being tackled in laptops. Samsung managed to accept it and emerge victorious, but not fully because of the non-standard aspect ratio. The engineering challenge at the very end faced the software challenge.
Let's not talk about the hot topic of audio interfaces and protocols in today's smartphone industry. If there is still room for 3.5mm audio, and it hasn't taken up space from any of the important components, let it be. The transition to Type-C, as well as the new alternative to identification by the eyes of the owner, is a logical step.
There is nothing wrong with not touching everything that already works. A wonderful camera, which is enough for vlogs, video sketches and reportage shooting, rightfully moved from the S7 and will also correctly guess the desires of users when they need to make "beautiful".
We are going to get acquainted with the older brother - Galaxy S8 +, which has an obscene diagonal in general. For now, let's just say that the new flagship S8 is beautiful, powerful and interesting. Trial and error is a natural process, which, however, I would not like to reproduce in some places.
CharacteristicsSamsung Galaxy S8
Processor: Exynos 8895, 4 cores 2.3 GHz + 4 cores 1.7 GHz
Graphics Accelerator: Mali-G71 MP20
Memory: 4 GB RAM + 64 GB ROM (microSD up to 256 GB)
Screen: 5.8 ", SAMOLED, 1440 × 2960, 570 ppi
OS: Android 7.0 + TouchWiz
Main camera: 12 megapixels, f / 1.7, 26 mm, phase detection autofocus, LED flash
Front camera: 8 megapixels, f / 1.7
Communications: Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Wi-Fi Direct, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0 (A2DP, LE, aptX), USB Type-C
Battery: Li-Ion 3000 mAh
Geolocation: A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
Optional: fast charging, contactless charging, Samsung Pay
Enclosure: IP68
Dimensions: 148.9 x 68.1 x 8mm
Supplier: Representative office of Samsung Electronic in Ukraine
Rating:
Ergonomics
Display
Performance
- slippery surface
All the differences between the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, which we noticed during our tests, lie in the size of the displays and batteries - otherwise the first-class equipment is identical. As a result, the Plus version seems to us ideal for those video enthusiasts who will never be satisfied with the size of the displays, and do not want to carry the tablet with them everywhere. Since the S8 Plus during our battery testing performed better than the "regular" version, which costs 5,000 rubles less, it was placed a little higher in the corresponding rating, thus becoming a starting point for everyone who is looking for the best technology and not afraid of high prices.
Benefits
giant, superb display
compact frameless design
excellent workmanship
very good time duration autonomous work
wonderful camera
disadvantages
often requires two hands to operate
fingerprint scanner on the back
the voice assistant does not yet understand Russian
- Price-quality ratio
Excellent - Place in the overall rating
7 of 48
- Value for money: 85
- Performance (20%): 87.9
- Equipment (20%): 91.7
- Battery (20%): 88.2
- Display (20%): 95
- Camera (20%): 87.6
Editorial grade
User rating
You have already rated
Extreme display
In the Galaxy S8 Plus, Samsung uses an even larger screen compared to an already giant display and pleases multimedia fans with a huge diagonal, which is now 6.2 inches instead of 5.8 inches and is really impressive.
The fact that the S8 Plus is still comfortable enough to use as a smartphone and continues to differ in form factor from a tablet, Samsung owes to the power of engineering: the S8 Plus has a display bezel that is almost invisible to the eye, and a curved screen area with rounded edges and a ratio sides 18.5: 9 and resolution QuadHD + (2960x1440 pixels) equal to almost the entire surface of the front side.
But the "normal" S8 is already distinguished by such a futuristic appearance. Outwardly, these two models differ from each other only in their size. Those who prefer to operate their smartphone using only one hand are likely to experience some inconvenience with the S8 Plus. The fact that Samsung has managed to accommodate such a large screen in this case size is truly impressive.
The image quality of the S8 Plus is just as excellent as the S8. The screen, with its 474 cd / m2 (manually set maximum brightness), shines so brightly that even in direct sunlight, all content is visible perfectly, and the contrast and color reproduction are first-class. In the settings menu, you can choose between natural and vivid colors, if desired. However, someone who looks at the S8 Plus screen from a certain angle may notice a slightly bluish tint against a white background - an effect that occurs on many AMOLED displays.
Galaxy S8 Plus is very large - but bezel-less display makes great use of the bezel
Top-notch 12-megapixel camera
To keep this Goliath from running out of steam, Samsung gave it a 3,500mAh battery. That's 100 mAh less than the smaller one offers - and despite this, the S8 Plus beats its predecessor with a clear advantage in the endurance test. In the end, the battery-optimized standard mode, in which the resolution is reduced to 2220 x 1080 pixels, allows the smartphone to last 11 hours and 17 minutes. This is the top league in our ranking. For comparison: S7 fizzled out after 8 hours 43 minutes, S7 Edge - after 9 hours 14 minutes. If you "unscrew" the resolution in the settings to a maximum of 2960x1440 pixels, then the S8 Plus will be able to work all 10 hours and 58 minutes.
Since the difference in image quality is hardly visible or not at all noticeable, Samsung's calculation is correct, and in our opinion, there is nothing that would speak against using this approach. For VR display — content, on the other hand, the device needs the highest possible resolution.
In terms of camera capabilities on paper, Samsung has changed almost nothing and offers, as in last year's top model, a resolution of 12 megapixels and an aperture of F1.7. Thanks to Dual Pixel technology, the S8 Plus shoots extremely quickly. The photos taken during testing look first-class and are slightly better than those of the Galaxy S7 (Edge) - above all when poor lighting there is much more detail in the pictures. The color saturation and picture clarity are slightly better than the S7, the noise level is reduced. Thus, it turns out that the manufacturer has rationally optimized the already good camera of its predecessor.
A detailed discussion of all the innovations, including the digital assistant Bixby, hidden Home button as well as a USB Type-C port, you can find in an almost identical, only slightly smaller "standard" Galaxy S8.
Galaxy S8 Plus delivers superb photo quality Release date and cost
Today everyone can buy the Galaxy S8 Plus for 60,000 rubles. S8 costs 55,000 rubles. From April 28, Samsung will begin shipping smartphones in three colors - Black Diamond, Mystical Amethyst and Yellow Topaz. Those who have already pre-ordered will receive the device one week early.
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus test results
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus specifications and test results
| Price-quality ratio | 85 |
| OS when testing | Android 8.0 |
| Weight | 173 BC |
| Height x width | 160 x 75 mm; |
| Thickness | 8.4 mm; |
| Screen: diagonal | 6.2 inch |
| Screen: size in mm | 70 x 142 mm; |
| Screen: type | OLED |
| Screen: Resolution | 1.440 x 2.960 pixels |
| Screen: Dot Density | 528 ppi |
| Screen: max. brightness | 690.9 cd / m² |
| Screen: checkerboard contrast in a dark room | 165:1 |
| Download speed: PDF 5MB WLAN | 18.7 s |
| Download speed: chip.de test chart over WLAN | 13.0 s |
| CPU | Samsung Exynos 9 Octa 8895 |
| CPU frequency | 2.300 MHz |
| Number of CPU cores | 4+4 |
| Volume random access memory | 4 GB |
| Battery: capacity | 3.500 mAh |
| Battery: surfing time | 9:45 h: min |
| Battery: charging time | 1:57 h: min |
| Fast charging function | Yes |
| Battery: discharge time / charge time | 5,0 |
| Function wireless charging | Yes |
| WLAN | 802.11 n, ac |
| VoLTE | Yes |
| LTE: frequencies | 800, 1.800, 2.600 MHz |
| LTE: speed | up to 1.000 Mbps |
| Camera: Resolution | 12.2 megapixels |
| Camera: measured resolution | 1.528 line pairs |
| Camera: expert assessment of image quality | very good |
| Camera: Noise VN1 | 1.7 VN1 |
| Camera: Optical Image Stabilizer | Yes |
| Camera: autofocus | Yes |
| Video resolution | 3.840 x 2.160 pixels |
| Front camera: resolution | 8.0 megapixels |
| LED indicator | multicolor |
| SIM card type | Nano-SIM |
| Dual SIM | - |
| Dust and moisture proof (IP certified) | IP68 |
| Biometric unlock | fingerprint sensor, iris scanner, face recognition |
| User available memory | 64 GB |
| Free memory | 50.8 GB |
| Memory card slot | Yes |
| USB connector | Type-C-USB 3.1 |
| Bluetooth | 5 |
| NFC | Yes |
| Headphone out | jack 3.5mm |
| SAR | 0.26 W / kg |
| Firmware version during testing | G955FXXU3RGB |
| Test date | 2017-04-10 |
Samsung Galaxy S8 is called the most high-tech smartphone of 2017. It uses advanced developments in both design and hardware. The device has an extremely attractive appearance and a housing protected from dust and water. The model received a large 5.8-inch screen with curved edges. At the same time, the edges above and below are minimal. In hardware terms, the novelty can boast of the most productive hardware, a large amount of RAM and main memory. The only thing that baffles us is the price. At the start of sales, it is about 55 thousand rubles. Whether a smartphone that stands as a premium laptop is that good, we figured out during our test review.
Samsung Galaxy S8 is called the breakthrough and the best by mobile experts flagship smartphone of the year. This is largely due to the unusual appearance. The device stands out from the rest. The developers tried to surprise the public with a large 5.8-inch screen with rounded edges and practically unchanged dimensions compared to the Galaxy S7. The trick is that the top and bottom margins are only 7 mm each. For the sake of this, the usual fingerprint scanner was moved to back panel, and for identification it became possible to use the built-in iris scanner.
Among the technical characteristics of the novelty, it is worth noting a powerful eight-core Exynos 8895 processor, Mali-G71 graphics, 4 GB of RAM. The built-in memory is 64 GB, it can be supplemented with microSD memory cards (cards up to 250 GB are supported). The smartphone has support for all wireless communications - LTE Cat.16, dual-band Wi-Fi, NFC, Samsung Pay. Cameras (front and main) received 12 megapixel and 8 megapixel sensors, respectively. You can use the built-in fingerprint reader or the iris recognition sensor to unlock your smartphone. The device comes with a preinstalled operating Android system 7.0 Nougat with Clean UI. On assurances of Samsung, the device can be updated to the latest Android versions as they appear. But first things first.
Technical parameters Samsung Galaxy S8 SM-G950
id = "sub0">| Characteristic | Description |
| Body materials: | Aluminum (7000 series), Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Hull protection: | according to the IP68 class from water up to 30 minutes at a depth of up to 1.5 meters |
| Screen: | Curved on both sides SuperAMOLED, diagonal 5.8 inches, resolution 1440x2960 pixels, adaptive color and brightness adjustment, color correction, AlwaysOn Display function |
| CPU: | 64-bit Exynos 8895 (4 cores up to 2.35 GHz, 4 cores up to 1.9 GHz) 10 nm |
| GPU: | Mali-G71 |
| RAM: | 4 GB (LPDDR4) |
| Flash memory: | 64 GB (52.3 GB available to the user) + slot for microSD memory cards (up to 256 GB) |
| Mobile connection: | 2G (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), 3G (850/900/1900/2100 MHz), 4G (including LTE 800, 1800, 2600) |
| SIM card type: | Two nanoSIM cards, one of which is combined with a memory card slot |
| Communications and ports: | Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac (2.4 and 5 GHz), NFC, USB Type C, Bluetooth 5.0, 3.5 mm headset, ANT +, Samsung Pay |
| Navigation: | GPS, AGPS, GLONASS |
| Sensors: | light sensor, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, barometer, digital compass, fingerprint scanner, iris scanner, vibration sensor |
| Main camera: | Dual Pixel 12 MP, f / 1.7, autofocus, LED flash, 4K video recording, optical stabilizer |
| Front-camera: | 8 megapixel, autofocus, f / 1.7 |
| Battery: | non-removable, 3000 mAh, fast charging, wireless charging |
| Dimensions, weight: | 148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 mm, 155 grams |
| Body colors: | Midnight Black, Maple Gold, Orchid Gray, Coral Blue, Arctic Silver |
| Operating system: | Android 7.0 Nougat with Clean UI |
Package contents and first impressions
id = "sub1">The exclusivity and high cost of the Samsung Galaxy S8 (SM-G950) can be seen even in the package. The device is delivered in a black cardboard box with magnets with a dust cover. On the reverse side there is a brief information about technical characteristics... The model name is printed on the front. There is no image of the gadget.
In the box you can see the device itself, as well as:
Adapter charger with USB connector
Computer sync cable USB to USB Type C
MicroUSB to USB Type-C adapter
OTG adapter for connecting external devices
AKG stereo headset with 3.5mm miniJack
SIM card tray clip
Instruction, warranty card
In my memory, the Samsung Galaxy S8 was the first smartphone to come with such high-quality earplugs. Here it is AKG. By the way, a similar headset model will cost 5 thousand rubles. The sound is great, spacious and bright. I wonder if it will now become a standard for manufacturers to apply such high-quality headphones to their flagships? Apple EarPods compared to AKG are backward squeaky rattles that do not transmit sound at all in normal quality.
In Russian retail, you can buy the Samsung Galaxy S8 in three body colors: black (Midnight Black), gold (Maple Gold), dark gray (Orchid Gray). There is also Coral Blue and Arctic Silver, but they are not yet available on our market. All colors look great. In the rays of the sun, the body begins to play with light in an interesting way. The color becomes heterogeneous. It looks impressive.
Despite the fact that the Galaxy S8 has a 12% larger screen compared to the Galaxy S7, the device has almost identical dimensions with its predecessor - 148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 mm. Weight - 155 grams. The growth of the diagonal was compensated for by a decrease in the size of the edges at the top and bottom.
Due to the fact that the body of the phone is elongated in length, it lies comfortably in the hands. However, you cannot reach the edges of the display with one hand. The problem can be partially solved by using a voice assistant and a special optimization mode. In the settings there is a special mode that reduces the picture by 30%, allowing you to reach with your thumb to the corners of the display. A useful function, I recommend activating it.
It is possible to carry the device in the pockets of tight clothes in the light. The device is quite thin, fits completely into the back pocket of jeans. It can be easily put into the pocket of a jacket, shirt.
Design and appearance
id = "sub2">The exterior of the Samsung Galaxy S8 is unique in many ways. There are no smartphones similar in design on the market yet, but I think that soon Chinese companies will start massively copying this model. The main feature of the device is the largest 5.8-inch screen, which occupies the entire front surface. The top and bottom edges are minimal. At the bottom it is about 5 mm, at the top - about 7 mm. The lateral planes are slightly curved. The corners of the SuperAMOLED screen are rounded, which also adds to the strangeness. The picture, as it were, merges with reality, the effect of the absence of frames is achieved. There is no central button with a biometric sensor under the display. Its functions are performed by the user interface. In fact, the button is virtual, and it reacts to the force of pressing.
The body of the Galaxy S8 itself is made of metal (contoured frame) and Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The construction is monolithic, looks and feels durable and reliable. Build at the highest level. Despite the use of glass, smashing a smartphone is not easy. The practice of using the same S7 / S7 EDGE has shown that devices survive drops from a height of 1.5 m onto a hard surface. It is clear that everything depends on luck, but all other things being equal, these devices perform better than the iPhone 6s / iPhone 7. Apple smartphones much more susceptible to falls, they are distinguished by increased fragility of glass upon impact. In addition, the G8 will survive submersion in 1.5 m of water for 30 minutes, as well as dust and sand. The gadget has received IP68 protection.
The gloss of the smartphone has an oleophobic coating that protects surfaces from dust, fingerprints and other marks. The coating is durable and of high quality.
On the front, in addition to a large and bright display, there is a speaker, light sensors, a front 8 megapixel camera, as well as a 3.7 megapixel IRIS scanner and IR illumination for illuminating the face. With their help, you can unlock the screen through face recognition. Thus, the need to press or scan something physically disappears. Another important touch is that there is no manufacturer's name on the front edge of the smartphone. There is simply no room left for him!
On the right side of the Galaxy S8 there is a power button and a screen activation button. The volume keys are located on the left side, and just below there is a separate button to launch the Bixbi voice assistant, which I will talk about a little later.
On the bottom there is a 3.5 mm jack for a headset and headphones, as well as a USB Type C port for a charger and connection to a computer. Here you can see the speaker slots for playing external sounds. The speaker itself is good in terms of volume, the sound in it is quite pleasant and voluminous. In the course of testing, an interesting pattern emerged. If you put the smartphone with the speaker down in a bag, the ringtone will hardly be heard (although it all depends on the contents of the bag! =)). In the case of winter clothing, there is no problem.
At the top there is a combined tray for SIM cards and memory cards. The compartment for the second sim-card is combined with the slot for microSD memory cards. Thus, you can use either two SIM cards, or one SIM card and a memory card.
At the bottom and top end - on the microphone, there is a noise reduction system, it does its job perfectly. The interlocutor can hear your voice well in any conditions, even in noisy transport or during strong winds outside.
On the back you can see a 12 megapixel camera lens with autofocus and LED flash. The camera protrudes from the body surface by 2.5 mm. To the left of the camera is the heart rate sensor. On the right is the rectangular area of the fingerprint scanner.
The battery is located inside the case. Capacity 3000 mAh. It is not removable. Fast charging supported.
As far as the ergonomics of the Galaxy S8 are concerned, they are generally positive. During the test, I could not find any external defects or poor-quality assembly. The device looks like a real flagship. The panels play interestingly in the light. The smartphone is assembled at a Samsung plant in Vietnam. The only complaint is the fingerprint scanner and the use of the Samsung Pay payment service. Confirming transactions with fingerprints became inconvenient, at least for me.
Screen. Graphic capabilities
id = "sub3">The Galaxy S8 features a high-quality 5.8-inch SuperAMOLED screen. The resolution is 1440x2960 pixels (570 ppi). It is bright, contrasting, images and fonts are rendered very smoothly, without roughness, the black color is very deep. The viewing angles are maximum, the colors do not change when tilted.
The screen geometry is 18.5 by 9. This is an unusual aspect ratio. When watching videos on YouTube, the picture adjusts to the screen, you can stretch it both to the full screen, or leaving insignificant stripes on the sides, there is no distortion of the picture.
Actually, all the advanced developments of Samsung in the field of displays for TVs were "sewn" into the smartphone screen. So, the phone analyzes the picture on the screen and adjusts the brightness and contrast automatically, an RGB color indicator has been added, which adjusts the picture to the external conditions. The devices also support the Mobile HDR Premium standard, which appeared only at the beginning of this year for 4K devices. In fact, the screen adjusts to the user's personal preferences, he learns from examples of how you like to watch movies, web pages on the Internet, what are your addictions in games, etc.
The display covers safety glass Corning Gorilla Glass 5 with curved sides and oleophobic coating. The corners of the screen are rounded, which creates a very unusual feeling.
The screen looks great in the sun. I did not notice any problems with reading the information. There is no glare or discoloration of the picture.
The sensitivity of the display is 10 points out of 10. All clicks are processed correctly and clearly. The Samsung Galaxy S8 supports gloved operation.
The AlwaysOn Display option, which allows you to display icons of individual applications, date, time or pictures on a locked and inactive screen, has been developed. Now it consumes less power due to the use of a separate microcircuit. Otherwise, this mode works just as well as on the Galaxy S7 / S7 edge. You can customize the display time when the display is on, and notification icons compensate for the lack of the traditional missed event indicator.
Hardware platform: processor, memory, speed
id = "sub4">The Samsung Galaxy S8 is delivered to the Russian market in a configuration with an 8-core Exynos 8895 processor (4 cores up to 2.35 GHz, 4 cores up to 1.9 GHz) and Mali-G71 graphics. The platform is made according to the 10 nm process technology, which has a positive effect on energy consumption and the absence of heating under load.
RAM 4 GB. The built-in memory in the device is 64 GB (52.3 GB is available to the user), removable microSD media up to 256 GB are supported.
The performance of the smartphone is extremely high. The interface is fast, smooth, the browser works without brakes even when opening a dozen heavy pages. All this is confirmed by synthetic tests. The model is at a very high level, and the safety margin will last for at least a couple of years. The processor does not heat up when loaded with productive games. Video, including 4K, goes without glitches, artifacts and fading.
Mobile games run on Galaxy S8 at maximum settings. At the same time, she does not notice the slowness of the system. The only thing is that power consumption rises and the battery power is rapidly consumed. If I may say so, the Samsung Galaxy S8 is an excellent gaming smartphone. It does a great job of running apps and multimedia content for VR headsets.
Communication capabilities
id = "sub5">The smartphone supports all modern communication networks: 2G / 3G and LTE cat. 16 on Russian frequencies, confidently receives the signal and does not lose it for no apparent reason. The quality of signal reception raises no objections, the device confidently maintains communication in rooms and does not lose signal in areas of poor reception (tested on MegaFon, Tele2 networks). In the LTE Advanced network, it shows the maximum speed of the theoretically possible (2x2 MU-MIMO) - 352 Mbps. To demonstrate this speed, tests such as Speedtest are not suitable, since they cannot show real capabilities reflects an increase in data transfer speed: the file is downloaded even before the speed reaches its maximum).
Talking on the phone is comfortable. The speaker has a good volume reserve, and the interlocutors did not complain about poor audibility during testing.
Supported Wi-Fi networks 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac (2.4 + 5 GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, there is an FM radio. Now you can connect two Bluetooth headsets or other audio devices at the same time, that is, you can listen to the same music or watch a movie with another person. The presence of NFC and MST allows you to use your smartphone for contactless payments Samsung Pay. Connection to a computer is carried out according to the USB 2.0 standard through a symmetrical Type-C connector.
Additional communication facilities include GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS. The radius of navigation error during testing is about 3 meters, which is very small. The gadget does an excellent job of being a navigator.
Battery. Duration of work
id = "sub6">Samsung Galaxy S8 has lithium ion battery capacity of 3000 mAh. In testing conditions, with the number of calls 35-40 minutes a day, browsing the Internet for about 2 hours via 4G, listening to an mp3 player through a headset for about 2 hours a day, the device worked for two days. When watching a video, the smartphone worked for 18 hours, in navigator mode - about 5 hours. Galaxy S7 demonstrates similar performance.
If you take the averaged data with a mixed mode of use, you get two days of battery life. Those who use only calls can safely count on 5 days of work. In terms of autonomy, the device differs for the better from the vast majority of Android smartphones.
The device has several energy saving modes. Some of them limit the brightness of the screen backlight, the frequency of the processor. In this scenario, the operating time will increase by at least 20%. There is an extreme (maximum) power saving mode. In this case, the screen displays only white and gray colors, all applications except telephone connection, SMS, calendar and alarms are turned off.
The phone received a fast charging function. The battery is fully charged in 1 hour and 15 minutes. There is also built-in wireless charging.
User interface and operating system
id = "sub7">Samsung Galaxy S8 comes pre-installed operating system Android 7.0 Nougat and Clean UI. Unlike its predecessors, the interface here has become more airy and simple. Due to the increase in screen area, changes have also taken place in the navigation algorithms. The designations of the three touch keys have changed, the icons have changed. The menu has become more intelligently understandable.
Smartphone owners have access to all branded Samsung programs, including S Health for monitoring physical activity and health, Bixby voice assistant, support for gestures, KNOX for separating data into personal and work, etc. Missing programs can be downloaded from the Samsung App Store and Google play... The model supports Samsung Pay service.
The smartphone has gesture control functions, finger drawing capabilities that can make everyday use easier and more convenient. So, there is support for one-handed control and gestures.
Smart Capture allows you to take a screenshot of even hidden areas of the screen, which is useful when you need to capture an entire web page or if text does not fit on one screen.
With the Game Launcher and Game Tools apps, you can disable touch buttons control during the game, which will prevent accidental clicks, quickly respond to a message without minimizing the game, or even block any notifications.
Bixby Voice Assistant
id = "sub8">Voice assistant S Voice has become Bixby. Samsung fully believes that its development will become something like Siri, Cortana or Google Assistant. In addition to the standard recognition of voice commands, Bixby looks at the context in which the request is pronounced, that is, user behavior; the application that is open at this moment; location, etc. In fact, Bixby works with the Big Data that your smartphone accumulates.
Bixby's current features aren't smart yet. The prediction system works correctly only in every second case. To train it, you need millions of people to start using Bixby, in such systems it does not happen otherwise - the more they use it, the better they become.
According to analysts, a full-fledged version of Bixby with voice commands, prompts and more will be released only in December 2017, along with the update of the device to Android 8. So we are waiting.
Camera. Photo and video capabilities
id = "sub9">Samsung Galaxy S8 received a main 12 megapixel camera with f / 1.7 and DualPixel technology. A similar model was used in the Galaxy S7 / S7 edge. The camera module is supplied by Samsung itself as well as Sony. There is autofocus and LED flash. The equivalent focal length of the lens is 27 mm. Thanks to the increased system performance and the fact that the camera module received its own memory, a comfortable Burst Mode is introduced. This mode allows you to take several dozen pictures in a row. In addition, the camera focuses on objects faster.
The camera takes slightly better pictures in difficult lighting conditions. In the settings, you can find additional shooting modes, including PRO. Otherwise, the improvements in camera performance are not so significant compared to their predecessors.
The camera interface is made in the traditional Samsung style. There are many settings and preset modes, including self-portrait, panorama, night, continuous shooting, HDR, and GIF creation. Video capabilities allow you to shoot in 4K. In FullHD, you can choose between 60 and 30 frames per second. There is optical stabilization.
Manual ISO settings are 50, 100, 200, 400, 800. The following shooting modes are available: single shot, smile detection, continuous, panorama, vintage, portrait, landscape, night mode, sports, indoor, beach / snow, sunset, dawn, autumn colors, fireworks, text, dusk, against the light.
The front camera has a resolution of 8 megapixels. It is quite light-sensitive (f / 1.7) and has autofocus. When taking selfies, it is possible to correct skin tone, facial contours and eye size. There is also a panoramic selfie function, although the optics are already wide-angle - you can capture a small company without special modes.
Outcomes
id = "sub10">Fans of high-tech smartphones will definitely like the Samsung Galaxy S8. The device has an appearance that stands out against the background of competitors. The body of the device is made of glass and metal, and the 5.8-inch screen takes up almost the entire front part. In addition, the device has a high-performance hardware filling with a large amount of RAM and built-in memory. The user interface flies, heavy games and videos run smoothly. There is a mode for working with VR-helmets and augmented reality programs.
A big plus is that the Galaxy S8 is IP68-rated for dust and water resistance. This allows the smartphone to be at a depth of 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. This, of course, does not mean that the phone can be washed under water and, moreover, water resistance can be tested in washing machine... But if you drop it into water, then nothing will happen to it. Convenient features include face recognition, an iris scanner, gesture control, dual-band Wi-Fi, NFC, Samsung Pay.
By default, users have access to the S Health application to monitor their physical activity, KNOXX to create a protected data area. The main camera was also at a high level.
Among the disadvantages is the risk of breaking the smartphone from the very first fall on the asphalt or stones. But in most cases, the screen falls without consequences. Much more critical was the transfer of the fingerprint scanner to the back of the smartphone. This made it inconvenient to use Samsung Pay. Also, the disadvantages include a slot for memory cards combined with one of the SIM cards.
Among the disadvantages is the high price, but it depends on how you look at it. At the start of sales, a model with 64 GB memory costs about 55,000 rubles. For this reason, the smartphone will be very popular among wealthy people and tech geeks. But people with an average income will prefer cheaper counterparts, or Samsung's flagship models of last year.
As for potential competitors of the Samsung Galaxy S8, there are not many of them in terms of technical equipment. First of all, it's worth noting the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge and iPhone 7 / 7s, as well as the LG G6. They have a slightly modest performance, but they are cheaper. It's very interesting what the next generation of iPhone will be like. But we will receive the answer to this question no earlier than October 2017.
Benefits
High-quality assembly and stylish appearance
Great big screen
High performance
LTE cat support. sixteen
Water and dust resistant
Support for two SIM cards
AKG headphones included
Face scanner and iris scanner
disadvantages
Inconvenient location of the fingerprint scanner
High price
Combined slot for SIM cards and memory cards
Widget from SocialMartOn the day of publication of this test review, you could buy the Samsung Galaxy S8 (SM-G950) at a price of 54,990 rubles.