Package contents: Smartphone, network charger with USB connector, USB cable, SIM card eject key, USB-Type-C adapter, micro USB-Type-C adapter, S Pen stylus, spare S Pen refills, headset, three pairs of interchangeable earbuds, warranty card, instructions, packaging
Product description
Samsung Galaxy Note8
When plain text communication isn't enough, the Animated Messages feature will showcase...
The device works with Nano-SIM cards of all GSM operators.
Achieve more with the next generation smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy Note8
Reach new heights with the S Pen, infinity screen and main dual camera with optical image stabilization...
The device works with Nano-SIM cards of all GSM operators.
Achieve more with the next generation smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy Note8
Reach new heights with the S Pen, infinity screen and main dual camera with optical image stabilization
Watch content and work on the "borderless" screen.
The largest screen in the Note! However, thanks to the narrow body, the device is comfortable to hold with one hand. The 6.3-inch Super AMOLED screen with Quad HD+ resolution allows you to immerse yourself in the content you are viewing and less scrolling. Galaxy Note8 gives you more room to watch videos, read or draw, making it the perfect multitasking smartphone.
The S Pen is a new way to communicate on the go.
When plain text communication isn't enough, Animated Messages let you express emotions visually and tell compelling stories. With Galaxy Note8, you can share animated text or drawings with friends using different platforms that support animated GIFs. This is a new way to work with the S Pen, allowing you to share more emotional messages.
The best camera in its class.
For most users, the camera is one of the main features of a smartphone. Samsung has always set new standards in this field, and the Galaxy Note8 features Samsung's most advanced mobile photography solution.
Galaxy Note8 received two 12-megapixel main cameras with optical image stabilization (OIS). Whether you're exploring a new city or running a marathon, optical image stabilization ensures you get crisp, clear shots.
For shooting with interesting effects, there is a "Live Focus" function designed to adjust the degree of background blur, and allows you to adjust the "bokeh" effect both in the preview mode and after the picture is taken.
In the "Dual Capture" mode, both lenses of the main camera take a picture at the same time and allow you to save two pictures: one - with a zoom, and the second - a wide-angle shot showing the entire background.
- Water and Dust Resistant: Four years ago, Samsung introduced the first water-resistant Galaxy device. Today, you can take the Galaxy Note8 almost anywhere - after all, both the smartphone itself and the S Pen are protected according to the IP684 standard. The electronic pen can be used even underwater!
- Fast wireless charging: Two years ago, the company introduced the first Galaxy device with wireless charging. Galaxy Note8 supports the most advanced wireless charging technology, so you no longer have to fiddle with wires and ports to quickly and easily recharge your smartphone.
- Security: The Galaxy Note8 offers a range of biometric authentication options, including fingerprint and iris scanners. Samsung Knox6 provides ultra-strong hardware and software protection, and with the Secure Folder feature, personal and professional data is kept separate.
- Impressive performance: With 6GB RAM, 10nm processor and up to 256GB expandable memory, the smartphone can handle internet surfing, streaming, gaming and multi-tasking at the same time.
At the very beginning of autumn, Samsung officially introduced its next model from the already legendary series of Galaxy Note tablet phones to the Russian market. In Moscow, in Gorky Park, a demonstration of the novelty of the eighth generation was held. The device called Samsung Galaxy Note 8, like the flagship Galaxy S8, received the same “limitless” (an epithet given by Samsung itself) screen with a very thin frame, and is also equipped with the best camera among Samsung smartphones at the moment and, of course, an indispensable an attribute of all Notes is the S Pen.
Key Features of Samsung Galaxy Note 8 (Model SM-N950F)
- SoC Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa, 8 cores: [email protected].3 GHz (Exynos M1) + [email protected].7 GHz (ARM Cortex-A53)
- GPU Mali-G71
- there is also another modification of the smartphone based on SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 and Adreno 540
- Operating system Android 7.1.1
- Super AMOLED 6.3″ touchscreen, 2960×1440, 522 ppi
- Random access memory (RAM) 6 GB, internal memory 64/128/256 GB
- Support Nano-SIM (1 or 2 pcs.)
- microSD support up to 256 GB
- GSM networks (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
- WCDMA/HSPA+ networks (850/900/1900/2100 MHz)
- TD-SCDMA networks (B34, 39)
- LTE FDD Cat.16 networks (В1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 66)
- TD LTE networks (B 38-41)
- Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz) VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024-QAM
- bluetooth 5.0
- USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C, USB OTG
- GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, BDS
- Main camera 12 MP, f/1.7, autofocus, 4K video recording
- Secondary camera 12 MP, f/2.4
- Front camera 8 MP, f/1.7, autofocus
- Proximity sensor, light sensor, magnetic field sensor, fingerprint sensor, gyroscope, accelerometer, barometer, heart rate sensor, iris sensor, step detector
- S Pen support
- Waterproof IP68
- 3300 mAh battery, wireless charging
- Dimensions 163×75×8.6 mm
- Weight 195 g
Contents of delivery
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 comes in a black cardboard box with a minimalist design and rich content.
The smartphone package includes a connecting cable with a USB Type-C connector, a network adapter with a variable output current and voltage 5/9 V 1.67/2 A, a SIM eject tool, a Micro-USB to USB Type-C adapter, an adapter USB - USB Type-C, as well as high-quality AKG wired two-driver stereo headphones with a set of interchangeable in-ear eartips.
Appearance and usability
Samsung eventually brought both of its top smartphone lines - Galaxy S and Note - to a single design, now the Galaxy Note 8 is almost indistinguishable from the Galaxy S8+, especially on the front panel.
Minor differences are noticeable only in a larger radius of curvature of the corner parts of the case and slightly differently arranged elements on the back side.
Of course, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has a socket for the invariable attribute of any representative of the Note series - an electronic pen, even given its own unique name S-Pen. The pen is inserted into the butt from below and securely snaps into place there. Now it cannot be stuck in the other end, breaking all the insides, as happened with one of the previous models of the series - Samsung learns from its mistakes.
The case itself still consists of two absolutely symmetrical glasses with strongly curved sidewalls and a metal frame of complex shape connecting them along the perimeter. The frame expands at the top and bottom and narrows at the sides, which makes the design of Samsung Galaxy mobile devices recognizable, even small Chinese artisans began to copy it - an example of Bluboo S8 is before our eyes.
The device with a 6.3-inch display is definitely not miniature. This is a rather large smartphone, but due to the narrowed body with a screen aspect ratio of 18.5: 9, it is held comfortably in the hand. Fingerprints can appear not only on the glass panels, but also on the side frame, since it is lacquered and glossy. However, the case does not slip in the fingers at all, this issue is well thought out.
On the back side there is a dual camera, adjacent to the flash, a fingerprint scanner and a heart rate sensor; the front panel contains sensors above the screen, a front camera, a conversational speaker and an LED event indicator.
At the bottom, under the screen, there is neither a fingerprint scanner nor hardware buttons, the control buttons are on-screen here. The button bar can be removed from the screen at any time and called back, and when you start certain applications, such as games, the system itself offers to switch to full screen mode without displaying control buttons.
The side keys are located on both faces, there are not two of them, but three: another one has been added to the volume and power buttons to call the proprietary Bixby intelligent assistant, which has not yet learned to work in Russian. The keys are quite large, they have a soft but distinct stroke; traditionally, there are no complaints about these elements in Samsung smartphones.
The slot for installing cards is located not on the side, but on the upper end. With the help of a complete tool, a slide for SIM cards and a microSD memory card is pulled out of it. The "dual-SIM" hybrid option allows you to install either two Nano-SIM cards, or one Nano-SIM and one microSD.
The cover of this connector has a rubber gasket, since the device is protected from moisture and dust ingress according to the IP68 standard: the device can be immersed in fresh water to a depth of 1.5 m for 30 minutes.
In addition to the card slot on the top end, there is an auxiliary microphone for the noise reduction system.
At the bottom, respectively, all the elements are collected, usually distributed over two ends: a 3.5 mm headphone minijack jack, a speech microphone hole, a number of holes for sound output from the main speaker, and a USB Type-C connector (as usual, asymmetrically located relative to the central axis). Here is also the socket for the electronic pen mentioned above.
The device is available in black ("Black Diamond"), blue ("Blue Sapphire") and golden ("Yellow Topaz") color. The front panel under the glass always remains black.
Screen
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is equipped with a Super AMOLED display with a protective glass curved on both sides. The screen dimensions are approximately 71×145 mm with a diagonal of 6.3 inches (excluding the rounding of the side parts). The resolution in this case is 2960 × 1440, the dot density is about 522 ppi, the aspect ratio is 18.5:9.
By the way, by default, the smartphone has a reduced screen resolution of Full HD + (2220 × 1080), and you need to manually change it yourself to the maximum WQHD + (2960 × 1440) in the settings.
The width of the frame around the screen is minimal: on the sides it does not exceed 2 mm, the indents at the top and bottom are only about 8 mm high.
The display brightness can be adjusted manually or you can use automatic settings based on the operation of the ambient light sensor. Multi-touch tests diagnose support for 10 simultaneous touches.
A detailed examination using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the sections "Monitors" and "Projectors and TV" Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the test sample.
The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than the screen of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected in the off screens (on the left - Nexus 7, on the right - Samsung Galaxy Note 8, then they can be distinguished by size):
The screen of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is slightly darker (brightness in photos is 109 versus 114 for the Nexus 7) and does not have a pronounced tint. The ghosting of reflected objects in the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 screen is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen. Due to the smaller number of borders (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, screens without an air gap look better in conditions of intense external illumination, but their repair in case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be changed. On the outer surface of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, better than Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass.
When displaying a white field in full screen and with manual brightness control, its maximum value was 335 cd / m² under normal conditions, in very bright light it rises to 510 cd / m². You also need to take into account the fact that in this case the smaller the white area on the screen, the lighter it is, that is, the actual maximum brightness of the white areas will almost always be higher than the specified value. As a result, readability during the day in the sun should be at a good level. The minimum value is 1.9 cd / m², that is, a reduced brightness level allows you to use the device without problems even in complete darkness. Automatic brightness control works according to the light sensor (it is located to the left of the front speaker slot). The operation of this function depends on the position of the brightness adjustment slider, with which the user can try to set the desired brightness level in the current conditions. If you leave everything at default, then in total darkness, the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 7 cd / m² (dark), in an artificially lit office (approximately 550 lux) sets it to 150 cd / m² (normal), in a very bright environment (corresponds to on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) increases to 510 cd / m² (to the maximum, it should be). The result did not quite suit us, so in complete darkness we slightly increased the brightness, resulting in the following values for the three conditions indicated above: 12, 150, 510 cd / m² (ideal combination). It turns out that the auto-brightness function works adequately and to some extent allows the user to customize their work to individual requirements. At any level of brightness there is a significant modulation with a frequency of 60 or 240 Hz. The figure below shows brightness (vertical axis) versus time (horizontal axis) for several brightness settings:
It can be seen that at the maximum ("100% +" - this is with additional illumination of the light sensor with bright light) and brightness close to it, the modulation amplitude is not very large, as a result, there is no visible flicker. However, when the brightness is lowered, modulation with a large relative amplitude appears, its presence can already be seen in the test for the presence of a stroboscopic effect or simply with rapid eye movement. Depending on individual sensitivity, such flickering can cause increased fatigue.
This screen uses a Super AMOLED matrix - an active matrix on organic light emitting diodes. A full-color image is created using subpixels of three colors - red (R), green (G) and blue (B), but there are twice as many green subpixels, which can be referred to as RGBG. This is confirmed by a fragment of a microphoto:
For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.
On the fragment above, you can count 4 green subpixels, 2 red (4 halves) and 2 blue (1 whole and 4 quarters), while repeating these fragments, you can lay out the entire screen without gaps and overlap. For such matrices, Samsung introduced the name PenTile RGBG. The manufacturer considers the screen resolution based on green subpixels, on the other two it will be half as much. The location and shape of the sub-pixels in this variant is close to the case of the Samsung Galaxy S4 screen and some other newer Samsung devices (and not only) with AMOLED screens. This version of PenTile RGBG is better than the old one with red squares, blue rectangles and stripes of green subpixels. However, some uneven contrasting borders and other artifacts are still present. However, due to the very high resolution, they only minimally affect the image quality.
The screen has excellent viewing angles. True, the white color, when deviated even at small angles, alternately acquires a light blue-green and pinkish tint, but the black color remains just black at any angle. It is so black that the contrast setting is not applicable in this case. For comparison, here are photos in which the screens of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 (profile Basic) and the second comparison participant, the same images were displayed, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to about 200 cd / m², and the color balance on the camera was forcibly switched to 6500 K.
White field:
Note the good uniformity of brightness and hue of the white field (with the exception of a slight darkening and a change in hue towards the curled edges).
And a test picture (profile Basic):
The color reproduction is good, the colors are moderately saturated, the color balance of the screens is slightly different. Recall that the photo can not serve as a reliable source of information about color quality and is provided for illustrative purposes only. In particular, a pronounced reddish tint of white and gray fields, which is present in the photographs of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 screen, is visually absent when viewed perpendicularly, which is confirmed by hardware tests using a spectrophotometer. The reason is that the spectral sensitivity of the camera matrix does not exactly match this characteristic of human vision. Note that in this case, the picture occupies the height (with landscape screen orientation) of the entire area available for displaying the image and goes to the curved edges of the screen, which leads to darkening and color distortion. Also, in the light, these areas almost always glare, which makes it even more difficult to view images displayed in full screen. And even the picture of films with an aspect ratio of 16:9 comes to bends, which interferes with watching movies.
The photo above was obtained after choosing a profile Basic in the screen settings, there are four of them:
Profile adaptive display differs in some kind of automatic adjustment of color reproduction to the type of output image and environmental conditions:
The saturation is greatly increased, it looks terrible. What happens when you select the two remaining profiles is shown below.
AMOLED movie:
Saturation is slightly less.
Photo AMOLED:
The saturation of red is slightly lower than in the case AMOLED movie.
Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen (profile Basic).
White field:
The brightness at an angle on both screens has noticeably decreased (in order to avoid strong darkening, the shutter speed is increased compared to previous photos), but in the case of Samsung, the drop in brightness is much less pronounced. As a result, with formally the same brightness, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 screen visually looks much brighter (compared to LCD screens), since you often have to look at the screen of a mobile device at least at a slight angle.
And a test picture:
It can be seen that the colors have not changed much on both screens and the brightness of the Samsung smartphone at an angle is noticeably higher. Switching the state of the elements of the matrix is \u200b\u200bpractically instantaneous, but there may be a step at the front of the inclusion of about 17 ms wide (which corresponds to a screen refresh rate of 60 Hz). For example, the dependence of brightness on time looks like this when moving from black to white and vice versa:
In some conditions, the presence of such a step can lead to plumes trailing behind moving objects. However, dynamic scenes in films on OLED screens are distinguished by high definition and even some “twitchy” movements.
The gamma curve constructed from 32 points with an equal interval according to the numerical value of the shade of gray showed that there is no significant blockage either in the highlights or in the shadows. The exponent of the approximating power function is 2.04, which is slightly less than the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve deviates slightly from the power dependence:
Recall that in the case of OLED screens, the brightness of image fragments dynamically changes in accordance with the nature of the displayed image - it decreases for images that are generally bright. As a result, the resulting dependence of brightness on hue (gamma curve), most likely, does not correspond slightly to the gamma curve of a static image, since the measurements were carried out with sequential grayscale output almost on the entire screen.
Color gamut in profile case adaptive display extra wide - wider than DCI-P3:
In the profile AMOLED movie the coverage is a little narrower, it is almost equal to DCI-P3:
When choosing a profile Photo AMOLED coverage is pressed to the borders of Adobe RGB:
When choosing a profile Basic coverage is compressed to sRGB borders:
Without correction, the spectra of the components are very well separated:
In the case of a profile Basic with the maximum correction, the color components are already noticeably mixed with each other:
Note that on screens with a wide color gamut (without appropriate correction), the colors of ordinary images optimized for sRGB devices look unnaturally saturated. Hence the recommendation: in most cases, watching movies, photos and everything natural is better when choosing a profile Basic, and only if the photo was taken on an Adobe RGB setting does it make sense to switch the profile to Photo AMOLED. Likewise, profile AMOLED movie Appropriate when viewing DCI-P3 video footage adopted in digital cinema.
The balance of shades on the gray scale is good. The color temperature is close to 6500 K, while this parameter does not change very much in a significant part of the gray scale, which improves the visual perception of the color balance. The deviation from the black body spectrum (ΔE) remains below 10 units for most of the gray scale, which is considered a good indicator for a consumer device:
(The darkest areas of the gray scale in most cases can be ignored, since there the color balance does not matter much, and the measurement error of color characteristics at low brightness is large.)
For some reason, only when choosing a profile adaptive display it becomes possible to adjust the color balance with three adjustments of the intensity of the primary colors, but due to the too wide color gamut just in this profile, it makes no sense to correct the balance.
There is a trendy feature blue light filter, for which the settings even provide a more or less correct description (in the level menu above, nonsense is written about “reducing eye strain”, but oh well):
Why such a correction can be useful is described in the article about iPad Pro 9.7. In any case, when having fun with a tablet or smartphone at night, it is better to reduce the screen brightness to a minimum, but still comfortable level, and only then, to calm your own paranoia, turn the screen yellow with this setting.
Let's summarize. The screen has a very high maximum brightness and has excellent anti-glare properties, so the device can be used outdoors without any problems even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. It is acceptable to use the mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works adequately. The advantages of the screen include an effective oleophobic coating, as well as a color gamut close to sRGB (when choosing the right profile) and a good color balance. At the same time, let's recall the general advantages of OLED screens: true black color (if nothing is reflected on the screen), a noticeably smaller drop in image brightness when viewed from an angle than an LCD. The disadvantages include modulation of the screen brightness. Users who are particularly sensitive to flicker may experience fatigue as a result. However, overall the screen quality is very high. Separately, we note that from the point of view of image quality, curved edges are only harmful, since this design find introduces color tone distortion and reduces brightness at the edges of the picture, and in ambient light conditions leads to inevitable glare at least along one long side of the screen.
Camera
The front module received a sensor with a resolution of 8 megapixels and a fast lens with an aperture of f / 1.7 without its own flash, but with autofocus. The quality of shooting is impressive: it turns out the most clear, bright picture with high detail and good sharpness across the entire field of the frame.
There is a "Stickers" mode in which you can add fun details to your portraits. But here the quality is, of course, much lower. It is clear that such a program can always be installed on any other smartphone, but here it is already built in by default. Naturally, there is a self-portrait correction function (you can change the skin tone, narrow the face, correct the shape of the eyes, etc.).
As the main camera, a set of two modules with the same resolution of 12 megapixel matrices, but different lenses is used: one with an aperture of f/1.7, the second with an aperture of f/2.4. The main lens with 2x optical zoom allows you to get a high-quality picture even in zoom mode. Both modules are equipped with optical image stabilization.
The Live Focus function allows you to take spectacular pictures with bokeh (blurring the background), and with the ability to choose the depth of field. With the Dual Capture function, the camera can take two pictures at the same time thanks to two lenses: the main lens focuses on the details of the subject being photographed, while the wide-angle lens captures a wider picture.
In the manual settings mode, you can change the shutter speed (from 1/24000 to 10 s), light sensitivity (ISO 50 - 800), white balance, focus type selection and exposure compensation). In this mode, you can save pictures in RAW format (in parallel with JPEG).
The camera can shoot video in a maximum resolution of 4K, as well as in Full HD (1920 × 1080) at 60 and 30 fps. Image stabilization works in all top modes, which is commendable. Compared to most modern mobile devices, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 camera does a good job of shooting video, although stabilization sometimes adds some “jelly-like” distortions. Nevertheless, the image is clear, smooth, with good sharpness and high detail, almost accurate color reproduction. The sound is also recorded clearly and cleanly, the noise reduction system with additional microphones copes with its tasks adequately.
- Video #1 (87 MB, 3840× [email protected] fps, H.264, AAC)
- Video #2 (59 MB, 3840× [email protected] fps, H.264, AAC)
- Video #3 (135 MB, 3840× [email protected] fps, H.264, AAC)
- Movie #4 (39 MB, 1920× [email protected] fps, H.264, AAC)
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The text is well done. |
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The camera does a great job with macro photography. |
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Good sharpness and detailing in the field of the frame and in terms of plans. |
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Indoor macro photography works well for the camera. |
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Nice work with shadows. |
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Sharping is practically non-existent. |
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Even in the shadows, the detail is good. |
Not much can be said about a good camera, except that it is good. It's nice to know that progress in the field of smartphone cameras still does not stand still, and both "chamber" giants delight us with new products this fall. Apparently, Samsung has stopped chasing the frame size and dubious "chips" that other manufacturers are trying to fasten to their cameras in order to create the illusion of progress. Now quality comes to the fore again, and the camera modules still do not work one hundred percent, so they are forced to work better and better.
| JPEG | RAW |
|---|---|
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| Lighting ≈ 3200 lux | |
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| Lighting ≈ 1400 lux | |
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| Lighting ≈ 130 lux | |
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| Lighting ≈ 130 lux + flash | |
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| Lighting ≈ 1 lux + flash. | |
The wide-angle module has not changed much: it still does not abuse software processing, works out the details of the field of the frame and plans well, and practically does not cause any complaints. Although the maximum resolution in JPEG is not so high compared to competitors, RAW fully compensates for this. The manufacturer has not yet succeeded only in defeating low-light noise to such an extent as to exclude their influence on resolution measurements.
| 26 mm | 52 mm |
|---|---|
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For the second year, the fashion for telephoto lenses in smartphones has continued. Someone simply inserts a camera with a telephoto lens and then, having recognized the attempt as unsuccessful, tries to come up with a specific application for the module, while someone brings it to mind, creating a full-fledged “telephoto camera”, practically not inferior in quality to a wide-angle one. It was on the second path that Samsung went, and now the smartphone has a telephoto lens that allows you to shoot distant objects in high quality with good detail. In fact, the smartphone has a full double optical zoom.
Traditionally, we can conclude that the camera will do an excellent job with any scenes.
Telephone part and communications
The communication capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 are rich: they include support for data transfer in most bands of LTE FDD and TD networks. Including, of course, all the most common frequency bands in our country (Band 3, 7 and 20 FDD LTE) are supported. There is also support for quad-band TDD LTE (Band 38-41). Supports LTE Cat.16 (up to 1 Gbps). In the urban area of the Moscow region, the device behaves confidently, the quality of signal reception does not cause any complaints, the device demonstrates high speeds in the usual test places, quickly restores communication after a break.
Dual Wi-Fi bands (2.4 and 5 GHz) VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024-QAM are supported, there is Bluetooth 5.0 LE, ANT +, you can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels. There is an NFC module, but, unfortunately, it does not work fully with Troika travel cards and the My Travel Card application.
The navigation module works with GPS (with A-GPS), with domestic Glonass and with Chinese Beidou. The first satellites are detected during a cold start within tens of seconds, the positioning accuracy in the Moscow region is satisfactory. There is a built-in magnetic field sensor for the operation of the compass.
The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing a phone number, a search is also carried out immediately by the first letters in contacts. Methods for sorting and displaying contacts are standard for Android, contacts can be sorted by last name or first name, the same is true with displaying the caller's contact. There is a dual-SIM smartphone variant, but our test unit only worked with one.
Software and multimedia
Android OS version 7.1.1 is used as a software platform with the ability to update over the air (OTA). The proprietary shell here is the same as that of the Samsung Galaxy S8 +, with the exception, of course, of programs for working with an electronic pen.
The electronic pen, the tip of which in the Galaxy Note 8 compared to the Galaxy Note 5 has noticeably lost weight (it has become only 0.7 mm thick against 1.6 mm), can recognize 4096 degrees of pressure. It lets you cut out complex shapes from images to share or paste into other images, create handwritten photo captions and animated GIFs. Even the social network Penup was created - a special place to share your creativity created with the electronic pen S Pen. Notes, as before, can be recorded without waking the screen when it is in Always On Display mode.
Another feature of modern devices Samsung Galaxy S and Note is the ability to use curved sides of their screens. Due to the almost complete absence of a side frame, these sides of the screen are available for interaction with fingers. As before, on the side of the screen, you can display a highlighted virtual strip, when pressed, a menu is opened that is responsible for quick contacts and instant access to the most used applications. Also here it is possible to select and save any part of the screen with further text recognition.
There are few additional programs, and those that are present are mostly a familiar set of native utilities (Samsung Gear, Connect, Health, etc.), as well as a family of Microsoft applications. Game Launcher can be noted, which improves system performance when launching selected games to improve the gaming experience and allows you to record gameplay on video.
To listen to music, only the regular Google Play Music player is provided, complemented by a powerful set of manual settings and equalizer presets, as well as Adapt sound technology for headphones. The smartphone comes with two-driver AKG headphones with good sound quality for its level. The sound of the main speaker is not so impressive. It produces a rather monotonous and flat sound, without noticeable depth and saturation, although there are no complaints about purity and volume reserve.
The voice recorder with several settings demonstrates excellent sensitivity, the smartphone is quite suitable for recording interviews and lectures.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 hardware platform is built on the Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa SoC with 8 cores in two clusters: 4 Exynos M1 cores up to 2.3 GHz and 4 ARM Cortex-A53 cores up to 1.7 GHz. SoC is made on a 10-nanometer process technology. The Mali-G71 video accelerator with support for the Vulkan graphics API is responsible for graphics processing. The amount of RAM is 6 GB, and the built-in flash memory is 64 GB, of which about 2.7 GB of RAM and 51.7 GB of ROM are initially available. You can purchase more expensive options with 128 or 256 GB of flash memory.
It is worth noting that, traditionally for Samsung, Galaxy devices can be based on different SoCs: there is a modification of the Galaxy Note 8 based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 platform. The supply of one or another modification will depend on the region.
It is possible to expand the memory by installing microSD cards, you can transfer applications to a memory card.
According to the results of the tests, the Samsung Exynos 8895 SoC showed maximum results, as expected, this is the most powerful Samsung mobile platform at the moment. The smartphone confidently copes with any tasks in real scenarios, and thanks to a powerful video accelerator - with any demanding games. Using the built-in Game Launcher application, you can not only record the gameplay on video, but also enable full-screen mode in any of the games. Despite the unusual aspect ratio of the screen, even if there are warnings, the game still ends up running without any problems.
Testing in comprehensive AnTuTu and GeekBench tests:
For convenience, we have summarized all the results obtained by us when testing a smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks in tables. Several other devices from different segments are usually added to the table, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry numbers). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison, it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.
Testing the graphics subsystem in 3DMark gaming tests, GFXBenchmark and Bonsai Benchmark:
When testing in 3DMark for the highest performing smartphones, it is now possible to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (due to which the speed can rise above 60 fps).
| Samsung Galaxy Note 8 (Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa) |
Sony Xperia XZ1 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 835) |
LG G6 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 821) |
Huawei Mate 10 Pro (HiSilicon Kirin 970) |
Meizu Pro 6 Plus (Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Ice Storm Sling Shot ES 3.1 (more is better) |
2637 | 3036 | 2409 | 2901 | 1869 |
(onscreen, fps) |
23 | 39 | 12 | 31 | 13 |
| GFXBenchmark Manhattan ES 3.1 (1080p Offscreen, fps) |
42 | 38 | 24 | 31 | 24 |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex (onscreen, fps) |
60 | 60 | 38 | 59 | 52 |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex (1080p Offscreen, fps) |
123 | 105 | 61 | 79 | 71 |
Browser cross-platform tests:
As for benchmarks for evaluating the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowances for the fact that the results in them depend significantly on the browser in which they are launched, so that the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this possibility is available when testing not always. In the case of Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.
| Samsung Galaxy Note 8 (Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa) |
Sony Xperia XZ1 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 835) |
LG G6 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 821) |
Huawei Mate 10 Pro (HiSilicon Kirin 970) |
Meizu Pro 6 Plus (Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mozilla Kraken (ms, less is better) |
3106 | 2792 | 2494 | 3855 | 13047 |
| Google Octane 2 (more is better) |
10070 | 11774 | 10036 | 9820 | 3116 |
| sunspider (ms, less is better) |
631 | 390 | 551 | 693 | 1383 |
AndroBench memory performance test results:
thermal images
Below is a thermal image rear surface obtained after 10 minutes of running a battery test in the GFXBenchmark program:
Heating is strongly localized above the center and close to the left edge, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip. According to the heat chamber, the maximum heating was 41 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees), this is the average heating in this test for modern smartphones.
Video playback
To test the "omnivorous" when playing video (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Web. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern versions using processor cores alone. Also, do not expect everything from a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a table.
| Format | container, video, sound | MX Video Player | Regular video player |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p H.264 | MKV, H.264 1920×1080, 24fps, AAC | plays normally | plays normally |
| 1080p H.264 | MKV, H.264 1920×1080, 24 fps, AC3 | plays normally | |
| 1080p H.265 | MKV, H.265 1920×1080, 24fps, AAC | plays normally | plays normally |
| 1080p H.265 | MKV, H.265 1920×1080, 24 fps, AC3 | plays normally | Video plays but no sound |
Further testing of video playback performed Alexey Kudryavtsev.
This unit supports DisplayPort Alt Mode for USB Type-C which outputs picture and sound to an external device when connected to the USB port. We tested working in this mode together with a monitor with a USB Type-C input, as well as with (companies). Video output is in 1080p mode at 60 Hz frame rate. When the smartphone screen is in portrait orientation, the picture on the Full HD monitor is displayed inscribed in height and with wide black margins on the sides, and in landscape orientation it is inscribed in width with narrow black margins at the top and bottom. Note that simultaneously with the image and sound output, you can connect a mouse and keyboard to your smartphone via USB, turning it into the basis for a workplace, but for this, the adapter or monitor must allow connection of external devices. The manufacturer also offers, allowing the use of conventional peripherals for the workplace.
To test the display of video files on an external screen (only 4K files) and on the screen of the device itself, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see "Methodology for testing video signal playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices) "). Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped determine the nature of the output frames of video files with different parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p), 1920 by 1080 (1080p) and 3840 by 2160 (4K) pixels) and frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps). In tests, we used the MX Player video player in Hardware mode. The test results are summarized in the table:
| File | Uniformity | Passes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monitor output | |||
| 4K/60p (H.265) | Great | No | |
| 4K/50p (H.265) | Great | No | 4K/25pNo |
| 720/25p | Great | No | |
| 720/24p | Great | No | |
Note: If both columns Uniformity And Passes exhibited green estimates, this means that, most likely, when watching movies, artifacts caused by uneven interleaving and dropping frames will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems with the playback of the respective files.
According to the criteria for displaying frames, the quality of video files playback on the screen of the device itself is very good, since frames (or groups of frames) can be displayed with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without frame drops. When playing video files with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 (1080p) on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the narrow border of the screen, going to the bends. The clarity of the picture is high, but not ideal, since there is no escape from interpolation to screen resolution. However, for the sake of experiment, you can switch to the one-to-one mode by pixels, there will be no interpolation, but PenTile features will appear: the vertical world through the pixel will be in the grid, and the horizontal one will be a little greenish. The latter is true only for test worlds; the described artifacts are absent on real frames. The brightness range displayed on the screen actually corresponds to the standard range of 16-235: in the shadows there are about six, and in the highlights only a couple of shades merge with black and white, respectively. Note that this smartphone has support for hardware decoding of H.265 files with a color depth of 10 bits per color, but the display is carried out in 8-bit mode.
Battery life
The non-removable battery installed in the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has a capacity of 3300 mAh. Not to say that the hero of the review demonstrates autonomy records, but in principle, given the huge high-resolution screen, everything is not so bad.
In real life, the device behaves in the same way as most modern smartphones: it confidently survives until evening charging, but you can’t count on more.
Testing has traditionally been conducted at normal power levels without power saving features.
| Battery capacity | Reading mode | Video mode | 3D game mode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Note 8 | 3300 mAh | 15:00 | 12:00 p.m. | 4h 20m |
| Sony Xperia XZ1 | 2700 mAh | 17:00 | 11:00 a.m. | 8 a.m. |
| LG G6 | 3300 mAh | 4:50 p.m. | 12:00 p.m. | 6 a.m. |
| Huawei Mate 10 Pro | 4000 mAh | 18h 20m | 12:50 p.m. | 5h 15m |
| Meizu Pro 6 Plus | 3400 mAh | 5:30 p.m. | 12:30 pm | 4h 20m |
Continuous reading in the Moon + Reader program (with a standard, light theme) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd / m²) with auto scrolling lasted until the battery was completely discharged for about 15 hours, and with continuous viewing of video in high quality (720p) at the same brightness level over a home Wi-Fi network, the unit operates for less than 12 hours. In 3D gaming mode, the smartphone can work up to 4.5 hours.
Fast charging is supported, the smartphone is charged from its own network adapter for 1 hour 20 minutes with a current of 1.25 A at a voltage of 9 V. The smartphone also supports wireless charging, but the charger itself will have to be purchased separately.
Outcome
Thanks to the availability of a wide-ranging stylus (and accompanying software), the Galaxy Note series devices still have practically no competitors among smartphones, so the manufacturer sets them even higher than the very expensive Galaxy S flagships (in this case - S8 and S8+). The Galaxy Note 8 is truly a mobile device that not everyone can afford. And most importantly, it cannot be said that the buyer pays 70 thousand rubles for uncompromising opportunities: not all characteristics of the Korean tablet phone are the best of the best. At a minimum, this applies to autonomy, which is far from a record here. Well, the sound of the speaker (and one, although many top competitors have a stereo pair) cannot be compared, for example, with the recently introduced Huawei Mate 10. But in terms of photo quality, the Galaxy Note 8 is one of the best mobile devices on the market. Many also really like the design - slick smooth contours of glass panels with strongly rounded sides relished a large part of users. There are no claims to the quality of the display, to the widest communication possibilities, to the hardware power of the device.
In general, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, like its closest relatives Galaxy S8 and S8 +, is the case when it is useless to convince or advise, since part of the audience has a strong love for the Korean brand and always has its own special opinion on this matter. You can only add that the story of the fires of the previous model of the Note 7 series, followed by a recall from the sale, left no chance for reflections like “should I switch from the previous version to the new one?”. For users who really need the functionality of an electronic pen, against the backdrop of the disappearance of the Galaxy Note 7, too much time has passed and there are practically no alternatives left. And this time, the company simply had to take care of the safety of loyal users with triple strength, so the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is probably one of the safest smartphones on the market.
In the yard of August 2017, the presentation of the next South Korean flagship is approaching. New insider "leaks" regularly appear on the network, revealing its characteristics and appearance. How true they are, we will find out on the 23rd, when the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will be officially presented, at a gala event dedicated to it, held in New York.
Appearance and materials
The latest news from Evin Blass, a well-known technology hunter, allows for a realistic description of the phablet based on the data that has become known. It will be produced in four colors, traditionally received romantic names:
- midnight black;
- deep sea blue.
- maple dark;
- gray orchid.
If with the first two, a clear color association occurs even among male representatives, then not every representative of the beautiful half of humanity will understand the latter. Maple color, by analogy with the syrup of the same name, should have a rich golden hue. The mystery of the latter, apparently, will open only at an official event. Available photos and renders show the phone in two colors: black and gold.
The case will be made of traditional materials for Samsung flagships. Heat-strengthened aluminum metal frame and Gorilla Glass tempered glass panels with 2.5D effect. At the same time, the case will retain the outlines of previous models. This effect is achieved due to the smaller radius of the fillets performed during the transition from the side to the end faces.
The protection of the device is made according to the IP-68 class, which guarantees its performance after 30 minutes of swimming in water, with immersion to a depth of 1.5 meters.
By analogy with other flagships of 2017, the device will receive an S-AMOLED screen made using patented Infinity Display and AlwaysON technologies. The aspect ratio of such a matrix is 18.5x9, with a resolution of 2960x1400 pixels and a pixel density of 522 ppi. The diagonal of the display will be 6.3”, slightly exceeding that of the Galaxy S8 + model. It is known that the new smartphone will lose the physical home button.
The device will be accompanied by a modified S-Pen stylus. It is expected that to work with new displays, he will receive increased sensor sensitivity.
Expected dimensions are 16.3x7.5 centimeters, with a thickness of 8.5 mm.
Networking
Note 8 will receive a standard set of network interfaces for South Korean flagships and will be able to interact with cellular networks of all generations. The combo tray is designed for the use of two nano SIM cards. It is most likely that the Bluetooth module used will work according to the new version 5.0 specifications. It is known that during their development, the emphasis was on increasing the energy independence and the range of stable data transmission over a crypto-resistant channel. The Wi-Fi module will be able to operate at frequencies of 2.4 + 5 GHz, providing contact with "fast" networks, according to the 802.11 ac standard.
Battery
After last year's scandal with its predecessor, the Note 7, Samsung did not put a powerful battery in the device. It is believed that the battery will have a capacity of 3300 mAh, which is 200 mAh less than its predecessor. According to the available data from the manufacturer, the autonomy of the device will not be affected by this. With the latest generation Exynos processor, power consumption is reduced by 40% in normal modes. As a bonus, the user will get the possibility of fast charging and a progressive USB-C connector.
Software platform
The device will be running the latest version 7 of Android, on top of which the GraceUI graphical shell from Samsung is installed. The exact build number of the OS is not yet known, at least 7.1.1 is assumed. The fingerprint scanner, for lack of space on the front panel, will move to the back, on the same level as the camera module. Its presence, together with the NFC chip, implies the use of contactless payment technology.
Controversial characteristics
Galaxy Note is expected to receive two modifications, with different processors. The US market will get models running on 835. In Russia and other countries, the device will run on Samsung's Exynos 8895. Both candidates are octa-core, dual-cluster, 64-bit SoCs. Processors, in the course of synthetic tests, showed similar performance in many respects. SnapDragon is more confident in everyday browsing and data transfer tasks. Exynos, on the contrary, gave the best results in virtual "parrots" in tests related to game emulations.
In terms of memory, a smartphone should have a younger and older model. The first will receive the ratio of operational and built-in 6/64 GB, and the second - 8/128 GB. Support for SD-cards will be implemented for the volume of 256 Gb inclusive, due to the combined slot.
Long before the release date was announced, it was known that the new Samsung Note 8 will receive a dual main camera. Presumably, the module, manufactured by Sony Corporation, will combine 12 and 13 megapixel sensor matrices. Insiders talk about the presence of optical stabilization and 3x zoom. According to the company, the new dual camera module will provide high quality shooting even in low light conditions.
Samsung has been pushing the Note 8's multimedia capabilities before it hits the market. The marketing director has repeatedly noted that the Note 8 will be an ideal device for content consumption, citing the enhanced features it will get. Overview of insider information, contains links to the possible placement of two speakers and an audio DAC in the device. If this information is confirmed, the phablet will be the first in a series with a bias towards the development of multimedia capabilities. Previously, devices were positioned as intended for content creation, not content consumption. How justified such an attempt by Samsung to change or expand the audience of phablet users is still impossible to say with certainty.
Price category
Based on the cost of the components, many experts believe that the Note 8 will be the most expensive smartphone in Samsung's history. The price is called either in the European or in the American market, but does not fall below 1000 euros or 1100 dollars. For the Russian consumer, it will be in the range of 65-75 thousand rubles at the start of sales. In which country and when the first batch of exact data will be released at retail is not available. Despite the impressive performance, the price will "bite". It would be wise to study the reviews of the first owners and detailed reviews made not according to forecasts, but on a really working device. At the moment, the price seems to be too high.
If this review could be reduced to a single tweet, it would say "Buy the Galaxy Note 8" with emojis and hashtags. However, we will describe in more detail how we came to this conclusion, despite the fact that one smartphone is clearly superior to the other.
Both devices are big and powerful, beautiful and packed with software features you'll never need. Only the Note 8 has a dual camera setup that offers bokeh and 2x zoom. Only the Note 8 has an S-Pen for note-taking, drawing and image editing. Is this enough to make a choice in favor of an expensive device?
Design
Looking at the look and feel, the two smartphones are very similar in many ways. They have screen Infinity Display with minimal frames around the edges, which almost completely occupy the front side of the case. This gives a futuristic look, as does the combination of glass and metal. In terms of palm feel, the curved corners of the S8+ are more to my liking than the more boxy Note 8.
The Infinity Display screen also has disadvantages, including a high probability of breaking when dropped. Due to their size, I had to move the fingerprint scanner to the back. There, it sits in an awkward position next to the camera, where it's hard to reach and can stain lenses.
In terms of durability, both have IP68 water and dust resistance. This protection also extends to the stylus, which can be used even in the rain.
If you look at the sides of smartphones, you will find the familiar combination of volume rocker and power button. Also on these Samsung smartphones there is a button to launch the Bixby digital assistant. The purpose of this button cannot be changed, as many would like. It's also easy to press it by accident, as it's on the other side opposite the power button, so it's easy to get confused.
Screen
The quality of the screens in any of these smartphones will not disappoint you. It uses rich AMOLED panels with a resolution of 1440 x 2960 pixels. By default, the resolution is set to 1080p to save power. This is quite enough for most users, but if you want maximum detail, you can easily change the resolution in the settings.
Also in the settings there are different screen modes. Most users will be fine with the default adaptive mode, but color accuracy is better in basic mode.
Like the S8+, the Note 8 excels when viewed outdoors. The blue color filter here is called "Night Mode" and reduces eye strain in the dark.
By default, Always On Display is enabled on both smartphones, so you can view the time and unread notifications without turning on the screen. You can watch support videos from YouTube.
Interface and functionality
This is where the comparison gets more interesting. At first glance, in terms of software, these smartphones are the same, since both run on Android Nougat with the Samsung Experience shell. The presence of the S-Pen stylus defines the difference between the Note 8 interface, as the possibilities of interaction with the device become wider. Using the stylus, you can draw, write, sign images, use it to navigate the interface.
It is unlikely that the S8 + can be called inferior without a stylus, so its absence will not be a big drawback. On the other hand, a stylus doesn't hurt as it can improve work efficiency and make entertainment more interesting.
Galaxy Note 8 interface
Aside from the stylus, smartphones can do a number of software tricks equally well. On both, you can customize the location of the navigation buttons. Both support graphic themes. There are also iris scans that are used instead of a fingerprint scanner, although the latter remains the most convenient option. Both devices have a virtual assistant Samsung Bixby. This list goes on and on.
Galaxy S8+ Interface
A slight difference can be found in the work of two applications at the same time. On Note 8, you can create a bunch of two applications. This preset is a shortcut in the Edge sidebar that launches two programs side by side at the same time. This is handy if you regularly use the same app combination. For example, on the one hand, it can be opened in a browser with an article in English, on the other hand, a text editor where you translate this article into Russian.
For multitasking, these smartphones are one of the most convenient due to their large and long screens. The Samsung interface is convenient for instant messengers, the on-screen keyboard, and YouTube videos.
Processor and Memory
Here you can not go into details, since these two devices are equally powerful. Both are powered by a Snapdragon 835 or Samsung Exynos 8895 processor in Russia. These are the most productive processors on Android at the moment, capable of handling heavy games and many applications at the same time without any problems.
There are differences in the amount of RAM: S8 + 4 GB, Note 8 6 GB. In theory, this will allow you to open more applications at the same time and speed up the speed of loading applications and switching between them. In practice, it is difficult to see the difference even when running a dozen programs. The speed also depends on what kind of programs it is and how the device is configured. If demands increase in the future, Note 8 will be better prepared for it.
The minimum amount of flash memory in both devices is 64 GB. This is enough to store 4K photos and videos in reasonable quantities. For unreasonable volumes, there are microSD memory cards.
cameras
The Note 8's dual camera setup is one of the most touted features of this smartphone. It is similar to the one from the iPhone 7 Plus. The main module with a resolution of 12 megapixels is itself capable of shooting well in any situation, the auxiliary module with telephoto lenses provides 2x optical zoom, which allows you to enlarge images without losing quality. Also, the second camera allows you to blur the background, and you can do this after the photo is taken. The S8+ has a single 12MP rear camera. This is the same camera as the main one on the Note 8.
Galaxy Note 8 camera interface
Because the rear camera on the S8+ is single, you won't find a Live Focus shooting mode in the camera app, nor is there a 2x zoom button. This is where the significant differences end. In both cases, the application contains many shooting modes and controls, but rarely used settings are removed in a separate menu.
Galaxy S8+ camera interface
Image quality
Since the cameras on smartphones are the same, the quality of the photos was expected to be the same, but on the Note 8 they turned out to be better. It seems to be all about the software. The Note 8 doesn't try to sharpen as aggressively as the S8+ does. If you zoom in on pictures taken with the Note 8, there will be less shimmer around the edges.
Otherwise, smartphones behave as usual for Samsung devices. In general, the quality of the photos can be called excellent. There is a noticeable tendency to increase the saturation of colors in certain scenes. In some cases, this is appropriate, in others, colors that are too vibrant can make the picture look unnatural.
Unsurprisingly, when you zoom in, the detail is higher in photos taken with the Note 8. The difference isn't drastic, but it's noticeable, especially in daylight. 2x zoom is not possible in low light due to technical limitations, but even in low light, the 2x optical zoom performs better than the digital zoom on the S8+.
Selfie quality
The front cameras on both smartphones are 8MP with autofocus, and photo quality is good even in low light. HDR is supported, if necessary, the backlight can turn on the screen at full brightness. The difference in image quality is imperceptible.
Video quality
Smartphones can shoot video at resolutions up to 4K, delivering rich, high-detail footage when there's enough light. The Note 8's dual camera once again stands out with its 2x zoom, which preserves detail better than the S8+'s digital zoom. Autofocus is fast as usual for Samsung smartphones. Video audio from the Note 8 is cleaner and captures high frequencies better.
Multimedia
On both smartphones, the only speaker is located at the bottom, it produces sufficient volume and acceptable quality. The level is about the same on S8 + and Note 8.
Both smartphones are great for watching videos. The screens are large, bright and high quality. You can watch YouTube videos with HDR support.
Call quality
Behind all these possibilities, you can forget that smartphones are also cell phones. Communication problems on these devices are not observed. You and your interlocutors will not have any difficulties with sound quality.
Offline work
This is one of the few areas where the S8+ excels. It uses a 3500 mAh battery versus 3300 mAh in Note 8. Due to this, the S8 + has a longer battery life. In real life, the difference will be minimal. Both smartphones are able to work a full day with a moderate load. A lot depends on the settings; if you turn off Always On Display, the runtime will increase slightly.
Both devices support fast charging using the included adapter or compatible replacement. There is also fast wireless charging.
Conclusion
As expected, there are many similarities between the two smartphones, otherwise the Note 8 has the advantage. The presence of a stylus and a dual camera determines its superiority. The S8+ boasts a larger battery that offers marginally longer runtime.
In terms of pricing, the Note 8 is more expensive. Its price in Russia starts from 70,000 rubles, while S8 + can be found for 45,000 rubles. Thus, if you do not need a stylus and a dual camera, the difference is 25,000 rubles. makes the choice in favor of the S8+ obvious.
Pros of the Galaxy Note 8
- Dual camera with 2x optical zoom and bokeh effect
- Better camera quality
- Stylus
- A little easier to manage
- Slightly more run time
- Cheaper
Failures of this magnitude have rarely happened in the smartphone market. No one would be surprised if this was the beginning of the end for the entire Galaxy Note lineup.
Fortunately for Samsung, this did not happen and 2017 was the year of rebirth for the company. it came up with a new design that made the phones look more attractive and increased the screen size without making the case bigger. Following this success, Samsung decided to take the same approach with the Galaxy Note 8, which differs from the Galaxy S family by having .
Galaxy Note 8 Package Contents:
- Smartphone Galaxy Note 8
- AKG earphones with interchangeable tips
- Samsung Adaptive Fast Charger
- microUSB > USB type C adapter
- USB type C > USB type A cable
- USB type C to USB type A adapter
- User guide
- SIM eject tool
- S-Pen with interchangeable nibs
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 design
It doesn't happen overnight and the journey is still far from traveled, but in 2017 the look of smartphones is gradually changing. The developers decided to get rid of the usual aspect ratio of 16:9 screens. They made smartphones wider and changed their shape along the way.
The new look is especially striking on the Galaxy Note 8. While the overall layout remains the same as on the S8, the corners are sharper, and as a result, the phone feels less like a smartphone and more like a futuristic semi-tablet.
This is both an advantage and a disadvantage of this model. At the moment you will not find another device that would be similar to this one. This is not just a change for the sake of change, the Galaxy Note 8 continues to evolve the new design of Samsung smartphones. It is the successor to the Galaxy Note 7 and Galaxy S8 models that everyone has been waiting for. This is an unusual smartphone, it is different from others, but its functionality is so extensive that it is not the design that attracts the main attention.
While the design considerations are understandable, certain shape and size limitations cannot be ignored. The most obvious problem is everyday work with an unusual elongated device.
Most smartphone owners hold their smartphones by the bottom so that their thumb can reach the Android navigation buttons and still have access to the top of the screen. Note 8 is much longer than other smartphones, which makes it a challenge to reach the volume control without grabbing the smartphone.
Last year, the fingerprint scanner was in a convenient position in the front, now it's up at the back, where it's not easy to reach. Of course, users will eventually get used to it, but so far the lack of familiar tactile sensations makes it difficult to get to know the device.
You also need to remember that this is a heavy smartphone. It can be seen as oversized, weighing nearly 200g. It's heavier than the Galaxy Note 7, although you can see that as proof of the model's solidity and power.
Returned, which increases confidence in the durability of the device.
There are a few elements that Samsung could have done differently, but overall the Note 8 looks attractive and successful. The device reminds us that there is still room for experimentation in smartphones.
Note 8 screen
Note 7 smartphones have had large screens before, but this year the developers have outdone themselves. While last year's Note 7 had a 5.7-inch screen and the S8+ has a 6.2-inch screen, the Note 8 has a 6.3-inch screen. Like the S8, it's called Infinity Display. This name is quite justified, since the lack of frames creates the feeling that the entire smartphone is one big screen. Small frames remain only at the bottom and top.
As for image quality, Samsung knows how to please in this regard. Once again using an AMOLED panel, Samsung's software allows you to choose from several screen calibration modes. There's the classic oversaturated AMOLED style, where colors are unrealistically vibrant, and there's a basic mode with more subtle hues. These presets are just the tip of the iceberg as they can all be changed manually, including the balance of individual colors.
Despite this, there are several weaknesses. Inevitably, for curved screens, the brightness at the curves begins to decrease, which reduces the quality of video viewing.
To improve run time and reduce image processing time, the default screen resolution is set to 1080 x 2220 instead of the maximum possible 1440 x 2960 pixels. The user can change this value at any time, but this review used the default setting.
Not everyone likes how Samsung limits screen brightness in manual mode. If you prefer to control the image yourself, you will not be able to squeeze the maximum out of the brightness. If you turn on automatic brightness control, the limit will be significantly increased, although there are quite a few smartphones that have a screen that is brighter than the Galaxy Note.
Galaxy Note 8 interface and functionality
If you've used the Galaxy S8, the look and feel of the Galaxy Note 8's interface will feel very familiar. It uses the same Samsung Experience shell over . The developers again managed to find a good balance between speed, flexibility and simplicity.
In addition, there are notable improvements. Since the developers had a few months, there was full support for Samsung's digital assistant Bixby. At the start of sales of the Galaxy S8, it was not ready. Now the possibilities of the assistant are much more extensive. In the US, it supports the Bixby Voice feature, which means voice control is possible.
You will have to learn a little how to communicate with the assistant, since it is noticeably different from the Google Assistant. Before making a request, you have to think, but Samsung puts effort into educating users.
Support for having two app windows open at the same time has been on the Galaxy Note for years before it was introduced in stock Android. Despite this, Samsung was once again able to stay ahead. The App Pair function allows you to select two applications that will be launched simultaneously by pressing a shortcut. There is nothing revolutionary in this, but such an opportunity increases the convenience of multitasking.
Since this is a Galaxy Note, there is an S-Pen here. Its design has remained largely unchanged from the Galaxy Note 7 variant, with a slightly improved tip. There is still an Air Command interface that appears after the stylus is removed. It has additional modes such as Bixby Vision. Move the stylus over the screen to highlight an image and use the assistant to search for matches. Also, the menu on the off screen has returned, thanks to which you can use the switched off smartphone as a notepad to create notes.
Thanks to the curved edges, the Galaxy Note 8 received panels, a tool for working with shortcuts, contacts, news, and other information. You get used to this panel quickly, it can be customized to your liking in order to access the most frequently used functions.
Since this is a flagship, Samsung has put the most powerful components here. Currently it is Snapdragon 835 for the US and Exynos 8895 for other countries. The amount of RAM compared to the Galaxy S8 has grown from 4 GB to 6 GB.
At work, there is a feeling that the interface is incredibly fast, but it is unlikely that the additional amount of memory affects this. At best, the speed is 5%-10% faster compared to smartphones with 4 GB memory.
Benchmarks also show the high speed of the device. This is one of the fastest Snapdragon 835 phones out there. Since some manufacturers like to manipulate benchmarks, don't take them too seriously.
Like the S8, the Note 8 has 64GB of flash storage, with a maximum of 256GB. It can be expanded even further with a microSD card.
Connection
Note 7 switched to UI last year. This was an important event, because before it remained on the outdated microUSB connector. Naturally, there is no way back, and this time USB type C is used again. Samsung's accessory line has undergone changes over the past year and is also moving to this standard, eliminating the need to carry extra cables with you.
Wireless on the Note 8 works flawlessly, and you can easily connect the device to other smartphones. The Smart Switch function is for importing data and files. The package includes additional adapters that simplify this process as much as possible and eliminate the need to buy them yourself.
Galaxy Note 8 Cameras
Much in this smartphone seems to be a logical continuation of the development of previous Galaxy devices. Samsung could take the Galaxy S8's bezel-less screen and add an S-Pen to it.
The developers did not act so simply, and once again the Galaxy Note line turned out to be a testing ground for running in new hardware components. For the first time in Samsung smartphones appeared dual camera.
In the past, Galaxy devices have had quality cameras, but only single ones. While other manufacturers were experimenting with dual cameras, Samsung delivered photo quality at the highest level. Now it has gone a step further and offers a standard 12MP module and a 12MP telephoto module as well. However, both of them support optical image stabilization.
Despite the high quality of the cameras of its previous smartphones, Samsung is not going to stop there. Here the camera is in no way inferior to the Galaxy S8 and additionally received a 2x hardware zoom.
Like any company that releases dual cameras for the first time, Samsung has not resisted the temptation to play with special effects, such as variable blur in portrait shots (here it is called “live focus”), where the focus can be changed after taking a photo. Even more useful is the ability to zoom out and switch to wide-angle after shooting with Samsung's Dual Capture feature.
Like previous Samsung cameras, these produce quality images in low light. This is facilitated by the f / 1.7 aperture of the main camera. Telephoto lenses are not as flexible and have an aperture of f / 2.4. You need to pay attention to what you shoot and under what lighting, then you can get gorgeous photos.
There are additional features, like Snapchat-style stickers and animations, but nothing that makes this smartphone worth buying for the sole reason.
Note 8 video quality
Zoom is also available on video, you can easily switch between standard view and telephoto with a single tap on the screen. This applies even to the maximum resolution of 4K, but the zoom setting disappears in Full HD at 60fps.Apart from a host of shooting modes, including Quad HD and 18.5:9 at 1080p, which fits the screen perfectly, the camera supports video stabilization and auto-HDR. These fancy effects do not work at maximum resolution and frequency.
A distinctive feature of shooting video here is the fast focusing speed. Sometimes it can be difficult to automatically recognize a new subject, but in most cases the focus change is instantaneous. If you are going to shoot one subject, there is a tracking mode that will follow it and keep it in focus.
Multimedia
As already mentioned, Note 8 has a large and beautiful screen. It could be brighter, but plenty of controls let you customize it to your liking. As a result, watching videos here is a real pleasure. If you can find a video in a format or similar, the quality will be even better. Among the minuses, we can mention the drop in brightness from the bottom and top of the screen as the bend appears. Many users prefer uniform brightness across the screen.
The speaker volume is quite high, but the sound is not as balanced as we would like, the lack of stereo is frustrating. Sound quality isn't one of Samsung's top priorities, but hopefully one day Samsung decides to use the earcup as a second speaker. The location of the speaker is also not ideal, if you use and insert the stylus while listening to music, there is a chance of blocking it.
The included earbuds, like those on the Galaxy S8, are again AKG branded. There are different tips for different ears; in general, the headphones are nothing special.
Call quality in Note 8
Modern smartphones are great for many things, and telephone conversations have long been not the most important among them. The shape of smartphones is designed to work with screens in portrait mode, and not for telephone conversations. Over the years, it seems more and more that the presence of the word "phone" (phone) in the word "smartphone" (smartphone) is becoming superfluous.
But now we have Galaxy Note 8. It has already been said about the unusual shape and size. For some tasks they are well suited, for others not so much. The smartphone is long and relatively narrow; what else is there in this form? Classic handset.
The Note 8 may not be the most comfortable phone to use, but it takes a step in the right direction. The sound quality doesn't disappoint either.
Note 8 battery life
The name Galaxy Note means several things: a big screen, a stylus, hardware specs that are slightly above the latest Galaxy S. However, this consistency does not apply to batteries. In the last few generations of smartphones, the capacity has been rising and falling, usually it was in the region of 3000 mAh. In the Galaxy Note 7, the battery grew to 3500 mAh and it all ended sadly. Version Galaxy Note 7 Fan Edition received a capacity of 3200 mAh.
The battery capacity of Galaxy Note 8 is 3300 mAh. At the same time, the screen size has grown, so the impact on the duration of the work was dealt from two sides. On the other hand, the processor has become more economical due to the 10 nm process technology.
In tests with the screen turned on, the device showed a result of just under 8 hours. This is almost the same as . Flagships with similar hardware characteristics work about the same. There is support for wireless charging.
Of course, you should not buy this smartphone if you want to get a high battery life, as there are smartphones where this value is much higher. On the other hand, this result should not disappoint.
Conclusion
The Galaxy Note 8 is a safe bet, the developers didn't make any sudden moves. At the same time, there are many fresh solutions. The appearance is the same as that of the Galaxy S8 +, the presence was added, but at the same time the familiar feel of the Galaxy Note line remained. For the first time, dual cameras are being used to give consumers more reason to buy this expensive device.
If you wish, you can criticize these cameras as well, since Samsung has been delaying their introduction for too long. Most major smartphone manufacturers have similar cameras.
Although the phone has some imperfections, it is powerful, attractive and functional device, which is how the Galaxy Note should be. It's enough to make you forget about the failure of the Galaxy Note 7 and believe in the possibilities of a Samsung smartphone with a stylus again.
These perks don't come cheap. In Russia, the recommended price of the Galaxy Note 8 base model is 70,000 rubles. It's significantly more expensive than the S8+, so you'll have to decide if the stylus, slightly larger screen, and 1.5x more RAM is worth it.
Pros of the Galaxy Note 8
- Successful first experience with dual cameras
- Attractive appearance builds on the Galaxy S8
- Performance
- Samsung Software
- Big, beautiful screen
Cons Galaxy Note 8
- Galaxy Note 8 price
- Difficulty reaching certain parts of the device
- Average battery life
- The wide-angle camera is actually not too wide
- Screen brightness could be higher
