The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are the first big news from Samsung since the failure of the Galaxy Note 7. It was already clear from pre-orders that the Galaxy S8 would be one of the best-selling smartphones of 2017, even though it costs $100 more than the S7.
Cool smartphone Samsung Galaxy S8 — Reviews
The Galaxy S7 Edge also has some impressive features and costs $400 (22,500 rubles). Do I have to pay $750 (42.200) for the new Galaxy S8? I think so - not only because of the best screen, but also high build quality, stylish design with powerful performance. Let's take a closer look at Samsung's new flagship.
The surface of the Galaxy S8 smartphone is smooth and soft to the touch, thanks to the use of glass in the design, there is no gap between the back and front panels.
The screens of Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus have a resolution of 2960×1440 pixels, the image is very clear. The Super AMOLED display features high brightness, and color accuracy is guaranteed by HDR Premium certification. This is the best screen we've ever seen on a smartphone. The edges of the display are rounded, the top and bottom bezels are minimal. The screen occupies 83% of the front panel.
Diagonal Galaxy S8 Plus - 6.2 inches, S8 - 5.8 inches. Even e-mailing is convenient on large screens, but the bezel-less design takes some getting used to - during testing of the S8 Plus, I initially constantly activated the screen when I picked up the smartphone.
The full glass construction makes the Galaxy S8 smartphones slippery, brittle and easily covered with fingerprints. You have to keep a microfiber cloth handy at all times for cleaning.
The power button is located on the right side of the device, while the dual volume rocker and Bixby voice assistant button are on the left. For the first time, Samsung hasn't added a Home button to the front.
The headphone jack is at the bottom, to the left of the USB Type-C port. Also, at the bottom is the only speaker, which has the same problem as the Google Pixel and LG G6 - it is closed by hand when using the smartphone in landscape mode. The sound quality is good, but the iPhone 7 is louder.
The back is not as impressive as the front and is almost indistinguishable from the Galaxy S7. The camera sits next to the flash, heart rate sensor, and fingerprint scanner. Both versions are thin, pleasant to the touch, and with excellent build quality, although the S8 is more compact, making it more comfortable to hold in your hand.
Functions and features
The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are powered by an Exynos 8895 processor with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage, which can be expanded with a microSD card slot.
I came across a Galaxy S8 that was constantly freezing, especially when opening the notification tray and the recent apps section. Resetting to factory settings fixed the problem and everything worked as it should, but everyone should be prepared for this.
Asphalt Xtreme and FIFA Mobile have never crashed, although Dawn of Titans lags at some points, but this rarely happens. Applications launch quickly and easily, and multitasking allows you to use several programs at the same time.
In the benchmark, the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus outperformed the Google Pixel in performance, and outperformed the iPhone 7 Plus in some ways.
While the initial issues have gone and we have enjoyed the smooth performance of the Galaxy S8, Samsung obviously won't be able to roll out updates and optimize the performance of its new smartphones as quickly as Google and Apple do.
Operating system
The Samsung Galaxy S8 has a stylish and user-friendly user interface, the icons are evenly spaced, and the fonts are easy to read.
The lack of a physical home button gives the smartphone a more modern look. In its place is an area of the screen, when pressed and held, it will take you to the home screen from any application. The navigation icons can be swapped with the Back button on the left and Recent Apps on the right. This is how they are located on most Android smartphones.
There are many possibilities for changing the interface: adjust the screen resolution, turn on and off the use of edges, change the position of the brightness slider on the notification panel, activate the LED indicator, and so on. The Galaxy S8 has many useful features for every taste. For example, Smart Stay allows you to keep the screen backlit only when you look at it.
Multitasking is better represented here than on any other Android phone - using the split screen, you can move the windows of applications as you like, or launch Picture in Picture mode and place one on top of the other.
The Galaxy S8 is the first smartphone to use Bluetooth 5 with 4x the range of Bluetooth 4.2 and 8x the bandwidth (2x the data rate). This means that you can move away (with line of sight) up to 200 meters from your smartphone and continue to listen to music through Bluetooth headphones. In addition, you can now stream music to 2 different Bluetooth devices at the same time.
Samsung's face recognition technology doesn't work 100% of the time, especially in low light, but it's still faster and more reliable than the fingerprint sensor. An iris scanner is also available on the Galaxy S8, although it's not as efficient.
Worst of all was the fingerprint sensor in the new S8 series. The scanner is hard to reach on the Galaxy S8 Plus, and you won't be able to use it to control your smartphone, as it is now fashionable to do. The Samsung Galaxy S8 sensor is located close to the camera, so users will often get confused and touch it by mistake. Samsung is aware of this issue and advises cleaning the camera frequently, but this could have been avoided by simply placing the fingerprint scanner below, as is done on almost all other smartphones.
The main 12-megapixel camera hasn't changed much from the S7. When there is enough light, the Galaxy S8 captures images with high quality and accurate colors. If there is not enough light, clarity sometimes decreases, but as a rule, even in the dark, photos are of high quality.
Unfortunately, Samsung has not added anything new to the regular camera, such as a second lens. There are still several modes to choose from, including Selective Focus and Panorama. In Pro mode, you can change the shutter speed, focus, and ISO.
More impressive is the 8-megapixel front camera, which has a lot of fun filters and masks, like in Snapchat. By turning the camera around in Wide Selfie mode, you can “stitch” the pictures into one, taking a panoramic selfie.
Samsung Voice Assistant
The new digital assistant Samsung disappointed, in the first version even voice command recognition is not available. Of the functions, there are only Bixby Home, Reminder and Vision.
The Home displays various information, such as the current pedometer reading, the next events on the calendar, the weather forecast, and popular Twitter notes. But, in practice, it's easier and faster to look into the relevant applications separately, since the Bixby button is too slow and unreliable.
Reminders is similar to reminders in Google Inbox or Google Assistant. Assistant can still be used by pressing and holding the on-screen Home button.
The most useful feature is Vision. Augmented reality technology allows you to receive information about different objects in real time. For example, you can point the camera at a pair of shoes and see how much they cost on Amazon.
Samsung has promised a lot, but at the moment Bixby is an unfinished service.
Samsung Galaxy S8 battery
The Galaxy S8 Plus uses a 3,500 mAh battery, while the Galaxy S8 uses a 3,000 mAh battery. Both smartphones by the end of the day with intensive use (watching streaming video, listening to music, shooting video, etc.) will be discharged up to 25%. With a normal load, they are discharged up to 40% by the evening.
Supports fast wireless charging via USB Type-C connector - a new standard that not everyone has had time to get used to.
Outcome
Samsung Galaxy S8 is a smartphone with high build quality, excellent screen and camera. The battery is standard, designed for 1 day of work. The Bixby voice assistant is terrible so far, but you can turn it off and use Google Assistant.
There are plenty of decent smartphones out there that cost less than the S8 and S8 Plus — the Google Pixel, the LG G6, and the iPhone 7 — but none come with such a high-quality display. Buying the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus is worth considering when you're aiming for the top-end smartphones and are willing to pay $750 (42,200 rubles) and more.
Advantages
- Great display
- High build quality
- Interesting Features
- Improved user interface
- Waterproof
In the process of testing, a number of comparative tests were carried out in various conditions and modes.
What is the difference between the cameras of Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone 7 Plus
iPhone 7 Plus has a dual main camera with wide-angle (ƒ/1.8 aperture) and telephoto (ƒ/2.8 aperture). This solution allows you to receive, as well as use a 10x digital zoom. Both cameras have a 12-megapixel sensor. A 7-megapixel sensor (ƒ / 2.2 aperture) is responsible for taking selfies (front camera).
The Samsung Galaxy S8 has a 12MP main camera (ƒ/1.7 aperture) and an 8MP front camera (ƒ/1.7 aperture).
The body of the main camera of the Samsung Galaxy S8 does not protrude beyond the back of the smartphone, like the iPhone.
Taking photos with the Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone 7 Plus cameras
Color rendering
In terms of taking photos, both flagships show excellent quality of mobile photography, and the end result largely depends on the scene and software settings of the camera.
In most cases, the image of the Galaxy S8 is more contrasting, bright and saturated, while the 7 Plus is softened, corresponding to reality and natural.
The HDR mode turned out to be definitely better with the Galaxy S8. For those not in the know, a smartphone with HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology takes multiple shots at different exposures and then combines the best features of the two photos to create a single image.
In most cases, on the test, the picture of the iPhone turned out to be too dark, while the photos of the Samsung flagship are lighter and more contrasting.
Zoom and portrait photography
But in portrait shooting, the iPhone 7 Plus is in the lead. Thanks to the second camera with a telephoto lens, there is a 2x optical zoom, which will make it possible to zoom in without losing quality, while the Galaxy S8 only has a digital zoom. Also, thanks to the dual camera in the iPhone, it is possible to obtain images with the “Bokeh” effect (a clear figure remains in focus, and the background becomes blurry like in DSLR cameras). However, here you need to get the hang of it: the exposure does not always allow you to achieve the desired effect, the edges are not always clear, and the light with the distance must be sustained. Also, do not forget that the "Portrait" mode is a software feature of iOS.
Taking photos on the move
When the object is moving heavily, both cameras shoot perfectly. Of course, flaws may appear in both representatives, and here a lot depends on the time the “shutter” is pressed.
Photo in low light conditions
In low light conditions, the iPhone 7 Plus lags behind the South Korean flagship "thanks" to more noise.
Photo on the front camera
The front camera of the Galaxy S8 is slightly blurry and unnecessarily softens the image when taking a selfie. But the main advantage of the "galaxy" is a wider viewing angle of the lens, which allows you to capture more space with a minimum distance of the smartphone.
But in low-light conditions, the selfies of the Galaxy S8 turned out to be brighter and more detailed. But do not forget that in the iPhone 7 Plus, the display can act as a flash, so this nuance is partially compensated.
Shooting video on the main camera of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone 7 Plus
Color rendering
In practice, when shooting video, the picture in the Galaxy S8 turned out to be more contrasting, although less clear (slightly blurry), but this moment very much depends on the available exposure and lighting. The "galaxy" lens has a slightly larger viewing angle of the main camera.
In turn, the seven with the prefix Plus sins with gray tones and dark areas. Despite this, the color reproduction when recording video from 7 Plus is more pleasant, although not always realistic.
Optical stabilization
The image stabilization of the Galaxy S8 works out in a slightly better way than in the top seven. In low light conditions, detail is better on the flagship of the South Korean giant. With good lighting, you won't notice much of a difference.
Autofocus speed
In terms of autofocus with dynamic zooming in and out, the iPhone definitely wins. The S8 autofocus process is slower. But with a sharp appearance of an object in the frame (let's say on the right or left side of the smartphone), the opposite is true - the Samsung Galaxy S8 copes with this task faster.
Shooting video in low light conditions
In low light conditions, the image is more detailed in the S8. Noise in Samsung is also somewhat less, and more minimally illuminated objects get into the image. But in dynamic scenes, autofocus works better on the iPhone 7 Plus.
underwater photography
Underwater shooting in poor conditions with muddy water without various kinds of accessories showed that the Samsung camera copes with this task better. Images are clearer and sharper.
In good lighting conditions and clear water, the image is equally good for both flagships.
Slow motion mode
Slow motion mode is also good on both smartphones.
macro photography
When shooting macro, the 7 Plus can focus at a shorter distance to the subject.
Video on the front camera
If when comparing the main camera of the two flagships, everything is not so simple and the result largely depends on the scene, then with the front camera everything is much more obvious. iPhone 7 Plus records a richer and brighter picture. Of the minuses - a large number of dark areas. Focusing on the iPhone occurs at a shorter distance, but the speed of autofocus processing is faster on the Galaxy S8.
Outcome
The cameras in both smartphones are really good. Every year, manufacturers are taking small steps to a new level of the resulting quality of a mobile picture. In terms of video shooting, it is difficult to single out one of the flagships and you will obviously not notice any obvious differences.
But as for the photo, then the Samsung Galaxy S8 is clearly in the lead. Images are of better quality. The camera in the Galaxy is faster. There is access to RAW "out of the box", while the iPhone has only an account. The front camera has more resolution and somewhat better stabilization and the ability to shoot in low light.
So if we discard the portrait features of the iPhone 7 Plus dual camera, then we give preference to getting a photo of the Galaxy S8. Let's hope that in September Apple will be rehabilitated and demonstrate a new milestone in technology, but that will be a completely different story.
Photos in the interior
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Specifications
- Android 7, Samsung Experience 8.1
- S8 Display - 5.8” (146.5mm) Quad HD+ (2960x1440), 570 ppi, auto-brightness, SuperAMOLED, adaptive color and brightness, color correction, Corning Gorilla Glass 5
- S8+ Display - 6.2” (158.1 mm) Quad HD+ (2960x1440), 529 ppi, auto brightness control, SuperAMOLED, adaptive color and brightness adjustment, color correction, Corning Gorilla Glass 5
- Chipset Exynos 8895, 8 cores (4 cores up to 2.35 GHz, 4 cores up to 1.9 GHz), 64 bit, 10 nm, models available on Snapdragon 835 in some markets
- 4 GB of RAM (LPDDR4), 64 GB of internal memory (UFS 2.1), memory cards up to 256 GB, combo slot
- nanoSIM, up to two cards, one radio module
- Li-Ion battery 3000 mAh (S8), 3500 mAh (S8+), built-in WPC/PMA wireless charging, fast charging in 75 minutes up to 100 percent
- Front camera, 8 megapixels, autofocus, f/1.7
- Main camera, 12 megapixels, DualPixel, f/1.7, OIS, LED flash, 4K video recording, multiframe
- Samsung Pay (NFC, MST)
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM , Bluetooth® v 5.0 (LE up to 2Mbps), ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC
- GPS, GLONASS, Galileo
- Fingerprint sensor (on the back)
- Iris scanner, face scanner
- Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyroscope, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Light Sensor, Pressure Sensor
- Two simultaneous connections of Bluetooth devices, the ability to listen to sound from different programs on different accessories at the same time
- LTE cat.16 (depends on carrier support)
- Water proof IP68
- Dimensions: S8 - 148.9x68.1x8 mm, weight 152 grams; S8+ - 159.5x73.4x8.1 mm, weight 173 grams
Contents of delivery
- Smartphone
- Fast charger with USB Type C cable
- SIM eject tool
- AKG wired stereo headset
- OTG adapter for connecting external devices
- USB Type C to microUSB adapter
- Instruction
Positioning
Since the Galaxy S4, the Galaxy S7/S7 EDGE have been the most successful smartphones in the Galaxy line, and the situation with the Note 7, which was removed from the market, unwittingly helped them in this. At the end of 2016, instead of Note 7, all advertising campaigns were focused on the "old" S7 / S7 EDGE, and it suddenly turned out that their potential was far from being exhausted. Moreover, these devices are still selling well today, while S7 EDGE sells better almost all over the world, the ratio to the regular, flat version is 2 to 1. likely to happen in the third or fourth quarters. What does this mean for S8|S8+? And this means a simple thing that the new flagships will need to be divorced from the previous generation, and this will be achieved primarily due to the price. If in 2016 the difference in cost between the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S7 was typical, then in 2017 the S7 and S8 will differ much more noticeably. Samsung's pricing strategy is changing, formally S8 + takes the place of Note 7, and the regular S8 gets up as S7 EDGE a year ago.
Samsung believes this positioning is justified, since there is no goal to achieve maximum sales for S8|S8 + in the first two quarters, these devices will be in short supply (which does not mean at all that there will be no opportunity to buy them calmly, just demand from operators will be high and distributors, there will be a fight for them, but it has already begun). All this suggests that officially delivered devices will not fall in price quickly, however, the Russian consumer was convinced of this by the example of S7 / S7 EDGE, that they remained at the same price level for an unusually long time, and fell in price only along with a change in the ruble exchange rate.
From a market point of view, Samsung has not changed the positioning of its flagships in any way, these are the most technologically advanced devices you can find. Maximum features for maximum cost. It should be noted that the eights are built on a completely new chassis, it was developed from scratch and takes into account all the latest developments of the company. Now most of the models will be released on this chassis, but the next bright device on it will be Note 8, other models will receive only a part of the functions that are in S8|S8+.
The emphasis in the promotion of these models is largely on design, it is emphasized more than the stuffing of devices and their capabilities. For a part of the potential audience, this is important and looks justified. Let's figure it out together what the flagship turned out to be from Samsung.
Design, dimensions, controls
The first thing that catches your eye is the absence of the Samsung inscription on the front panel, there was simply no place for it. For those who were very worried that such an inscription exists, now expanse, the device does not have any identification marks in front. On the other hand, not a single model on the market looks like it in appearance, which already distinguishes it.
Since the stake in the eighth generation is made on the screen, which occupies most of the surface of the devices, we see only it, as well as small inserts at the top and bottom. The top insert houses the front camera, speaker, retinal scanner, ambient light sensor, and also the RGB color sensor. The lower insert is empty, there are no controls in it, in particular, there is no fingerprint sensor, it was moved to the back surface, placing it next to the camera. In fact, the lower insert was created for symmetry with the upper one, but nothing was placed in it, and what can be inserted here?
The curve of the screen resembles that of Note 7, it is small, but the devices fit in the hand like a glove. Dimensions S8 - 148.9x68.1x8 mm, weight - 152 grams, S8 + - 159.5x73.4x8.1 mm, weight - 173 grams. The regular S8 doesn't feel big, it's more typical of 5-inch models, slightly elongated compared to them in height. With S8+, the situation is about the same, but it is similar to models with 5.5-inch screens, for example, the dimensions of the iPhone 7 Plus are 158.2x77.9x7.3 mm, as you can see, they are very close. Since my main phone is S7 EDGE, I compared the new device with it, they are very similar in size.
I liked using the S8+ without a case, it becomes too massive, uncomfortable, and the ease of use disappears. And just without a case or with a silicone case that fits snugly around the body, you will get a device that is compact for such a screen. The phone does not slip out of your hands, it is balanced, you can work with one hand in the main applications, for example, dialing a number, it is not difficult, plus you can change the interface for one-handed control, then all the keys are reduced and will be available. It is impossible to reach the upper edge of the S8+ with the fingers of one hand, you don't even have to try, you will drop the device. But the need for this never arises, including on devices with a smaller diagonal, most of the operations on the screen, for example, during the game, we carry out the fingers of two hands.
The absence of a mechanical key does not mean at all that there is no button as such, it is on the screen, and in the settings you can specify that it lights up in AlwaysOn Display mode, or turn it off completely. The beauty of this touch key is that it has a special pressure sensor, it is placed under the screen. You press the button with your finger, and it works, however, with a slight delay. In the same iPhone, pressing the touch button and the vibration response are configured differently, it seems that everything happens instantly, here the manufacturer should work on this moment. On the other hand, there is no need for the central button in the standby mode, since the easiest way is to set up the unlocking of the device by face recognition. Since the keys are touch-sensitive, they can be swapped, the Back button can be either to the left or to the right of the central key.
I was worried in absentia about the location of the button on the back of the camera. Having tried it, I can say that on the S8 this arrangement is plus or minus comfortable, the finger finds the sensor (this is a touch pad with sides), but on the S8 + it is difficult to reach it, in the case it completely turns into flour. Another thing is that you can set up face recognition (do not confuse it with an iris scanner!), Then the smartphone will unlock automatically when it sees you. As usual, I have some news, I'll start with the good news. Recognition works perfectly almost always in bright rooms, the quality depends on the initial setting. Unfortunately, you can only customize one face image. Why "Unfortunately? The answer lies in the fact that, for example, when you, swollen from sleep, try to look horizontally at the phone screen, it doesn’t work out very well, it doesn’t recognize its owner in you. Another problem is in the dark, here recognition does not always happen instantly, but even in a cap or other headgear, the phone recognizes you.
In most cases, recognition occurs instantly, although, compared with a fingerprint sensor, I must say that it is safer and always works the same way, at the same speed. Here the unlock speed may differ, which is noticeable, but it is always up to one second. The absolutists will be upset, because they would like to get the same speed always and everywhere.
The first thing many people will try is trying to fool the face scanner. If you substitute a photograph for his face, then it can work. Is this a security issue? Yes and no. For ordinary people, imagining that someone breaks into the phone, substituting your face for a photo, is akin to assuming that someone made your fingerprints, this is also not difficult to do today. I don't think anyone would bother with something like that. For those who care about their safety, I can advise you to turn on the iris scanner, then recognition will take a little longer, but the level of protection will increase (it also works in complete darkness, for people who wear glasses, recognition takes a little longer). As usual, it's a matter of choice and opportunity, a face scanner will be quite sufficient in everyday life for most people.
S8|S8+ has several color schemes (let's not repeat both model numbers for simplicity, since they are the same, I'll say S8, meaning both devices) and there are new colors. Will all colors be available in all markets? I think not, some colors in Russia will not be initially available.
What color to choose? I like plain black, it looks very nice in real life, however, light colors are also good, they play in the sun. The fact that Corning Gorilla Glass 5 glass panels were used here can be written down as an advantage of the device. One of the complaints about the big screen and the reasons for complaints in absentia was that, according to the mass unconscious, such phones would break easily. This is not the case, as proven by the same S7/S7 EDGE and previous models that survive falls from waist height. It is clear that everything depends on your luck, but other things being equal, these devices behave better than the same iPhone, which is distinguished by increased fragility of the glass upon impact.
Just like in previous devices, the 3.5 mm jack is retained here, but the main connector is USB Type C. Other features include IP68 water protection. The SIM card slot is combo, meaning you get either two SIMs or one SIM and a microSD card. The SIM card format is nanoSIM.
The device has two microphones, they are located at the ends, the noise reduction system works perfectly, on a noisy street in the rain, the interlocutor heard me well.
On the back surface we see the camera, it protrudes from the body, but now the bezel does not stick out so much, this is a noticeable difference. To the left of the camera is a heart rate sensor, it has not disappeared anywhere.
On the front side, above the screen, you can see an 8-megapixel camera, as well as a 3.7-megapixel IRIS scanner and IR illumination to illuminate the face. The resolution of the IRIS scanner has increased, as well as the accuracy and recognition speed compared to the Note 7. The light sensor (also known as the RGB color sensor) is also located here.
On the right side surface there is an on / off key, on the left side there is a paired volume control key, and just below there is a separate button for launching the Bixbi assistant, we will talk about it separately.
The metal chassis of the device is made of aluminum 7000 series, unlike the sevens, it has a glossy finish, and it is not clear how it will behave after some time. This moment confuses me, in the future I will try to simulate wear and tear in order to see what happens and what scratches the case will get.
There is only one loudspeaker in the device, on the bottom end, it is loud and clear, it is well heard in all situations.
Bottom line, I want to say the following - from the point of view of design, the materials used, this is the flagship without any discounts, and it does not have many direct competitors, or rather, it is the only one - the iPhone 8, which will appear in the fall, the current generation of the iPhone is inferior in many ways and looks weaker .
Display
Samsung has come up with a marketing term for the new vertically stretched screens - Infinity Display, or an endless screen. It does not occupy the entire front surface at all, but the feeling from the first use and then is such that you change from a small TV in the kitchen to a large, comfortable panel. Given that the size of the devices has not changed much, the larger size of the screens is very hard on the mind. With QHD + resolution (2960x1440 pixels, 570/529 ppi), the screens are of high quality, no separate dots or other roughness. These are the latest generation SuperAMOLED matrices, the technology has been improved compared to Note 7, it has become even more advanced. The algorithm for adjusting brightness depending on ambient lighting conditions has changed, the AlwaysOn Display mode has expanded - the devices have become even a little better in this aspect. On-screen buttons are hidden in applications, there is almost never a need for them. The younger device has a diagonal of 5.8 inches, while the older one has a diagonal of 6.2 inches.
For the S8|S8+, we used technologies that were first used in the company's TVs. In addition to the fact that the phone analyzes the picture on the screen, not just a light indicator has been added, but an RGB color indicator that builds a picture according to external conditions. The devices also support the Mobile HDR Premium standard, which appeared only at the beginning of this year for 4K devices.
DisplayMate analyzed the screen in the S8 and once again felt that Samsung engineers have done the impossible, this is the most technologically advanced screen in a mobile phone. The full study can be found at the link, below are the main points:
- In automatic mode, the maximum brightness of the screen is up to 1000 nits, it is readable in any sun;
- Applied color gamut DCI-P3 Color, it is also used in 4K TVs (in test tests, DCI-P3 coverage is 113%, which means the display of bright, colorful and realistic colors in all lighting conditions);
- An on-screen picture enhancement function that turns content that did not have an HDR component into an HDR picture;
- Two light sensors - both on the front and on the back of the phone, for better detection of lighting conditions and color correction on the screen;
- Night mode with a blue filter, which allows you not to excite the psyche, improve sleep;
- A separate chip to control the AlwaysOn screen, which allows you to get less power consumption;
- Improved automatic screen adjustment to personal preferences, your smartphone learns from examples how you like to watch movies, web pages, what are your addictions in games.
This is only half of the features that are detailed in the test from DisplayMate, the screen has become simply outstanding. As much as I liked the screen on the S7 EDGE, it faded so much next to the S8, just look at how different the display of white in the menus is.
On the S7 EDGE, the white color turns yellow, but you only see this in direct comparison. In life, it seems that the sevens, as well as other smartphones, have no problems with displaying colors. But this is exactly until the moment when you compare them with eights, they have luxurious screens by any measure.
The screen geometry is 18.5 to 9, which is unusual and raises questions about how the interface has changed. An additional row of icons has been added to the regular menu. Is it convenient? Of course, since more useful information is placed on the screen.
When watching videos on YouTube, the picture adapts to the screen, you can stretch it to full screen or leave slight stripes on the sides, while there is no distortion of the picture.
There are no modes of operation in which space on the screen disappears, the large screen is comfortable for viewing maps, movies and any visual information. This is a big screen, and it's stupid to deny its advantages.
In the AlwaysOn Display mode, the screen can display a clock or a picture, notifications from applications, there are no special changes compared to previous models, this mode works well. Competitors don't have anything like it.
And the last cherry on the cake, since the phone's chassis has been completely redesigned, the screen has been integrated more deeply with other components of the device (for example, this is a separate chip for managing AlwaysOn Display), as a result, power consumption has decreased. Look at how many mAh of battery the screen has spent, this is a record.
Just like in the sevens, it is possible to change the screen resolution, the default is FHD +, but the difference with QHD + in everyday tasks is not striking. I advise you to put QHD + for games or VR glasses.
In the sun, and in any conditions, the screen remains readable, if the brightness is automatically adjusted, then you are guaranteed to see a colorful picture, the colors remain unchanged. With glasses, everything also works with a bang, you see a bright picture.
Battery
The built-in battery has a capacity of 3500 mAh, there is a wireless charging built into the case, fast charging. Everything is typical for the flagships of the company, I would like to note the new power saving modes, in some ways they are more aggressive, which translates into a slightly longer operating time. For example, the video playback time is about 18-19 hours at maximum brightness. On average, the devices will work one to two days, depending on your settings and what you use. There is no particular breakthrough, but certain improvements are observed.
In my case, the S8+ worked on average for a day and a half with 4 hours of screen operation (backlight at 60%, automatic brightness), a heavy data transfer load and also ran various tests that heavily load the processor and eat up energy.
In normal mode, 5-8 hours of screen operation are easily achievable with two days of operation.
Chipset, memory, performance
RAM 4 GB (Chinese version 6 GB), internal memory 64 GB, and memory cards are supported up to 256 GB. For the American market, the devices will run on Snapdragon 835, to some extent this is Samsung's exclusive, competitors on this chipset will appear later. All over the world, S8 comes out on Exynos 8895, it is one of the fastest processors. In synthetic tests, it produces high numbers.
Synthetic tests do not show how fast the device is, but I note that even in comparison with the S7 EDGE or Note 7, which I never had any complaints about the speed of work, the difference is noticeable, there is no gap between pressing and opening the application, the response is almost instantaneous. These devices are very, very fast. In balanced performance mode, the response is the same as on current flagships, which is already excellent.
In terms of memory, we see a clear improvement in the form of a move from UFS 2.0 to UFS 2.1. There are already a number of models on the market on UFS 2.1 (LG V20, Huawei Mate 9 Porsche Design), they show very high speed on Android 7. What in reality reduces the boot time of the smartphone, as well as the time to switch between applications. In the line from Samsung, it is the eights that become the first devices with UFS 2.1.
With great interest, every year I read fairy tales about how Samsung's flagships slow down in the interface, in everyday operations, unfortunately, they almost never show me these problems in practice. This stereotype is tenacious, but has nothing to do with devices, rather, a certain curvature of the hands of users who install a ton of left-handed software or remove “unnecessary” system components, and then begin to experience problems.
Communication options
USB 3.0 (Type C) is supported, Bluetooth 5.0 support appears for the first time in a smartphone, there are aptX and other codecs for sound.
There is LTE cat. 13/16 depending on the chipset vendor, but frequency aggregation will only be supported with software updates for specific countries and operators. In the LTE Advanced network, it shows the maximum theoretically possible speed (2x2 MU-MIMO). On the Moscow network of MegaFon, the real speed that was obtained when downloading files was 430 Mbps (the theoretical limit is 450 Mbps). Common tests are not suitable for demonstrating this speed, they are simply not designed for such networks and fail (even the size of the test file is so small that it cannot be properly loaded in such programs).
From the point of view of wireless interfaces, there are Wi-Fi improvements, new algorithms are used. As usual, Samsung has adapted everything that has appeared during this time. The WiFi-repeater function has not disappeared anywhere, it is in this device.
Of the features of the implementation of Bluetooth 5.0, I note the possibility of simultaneously connecting two headsets or other sound devices, that is, you can listen to the same music or watch a movie with another person. This is just a chic feature that was definitely missing, although few will need it.
Another point that I liked was the ability to select applications and which connected Bluetooth devices will play sound. That is, you can choose to have the sound from the video player broadcast to an external speaker, and messages to be read only in the headset. Cool? Definitely yes, but it will take time to set everything up for yourself. Or this scenario: you give a phone to a child so that he watches a movie and the sound goes through a wireless speaker or wireless headphones, while you yourself listen to music or a podcast in other wireless headphones. This function works great, and it is very convenient, I tried it in practice several times, I regret that it did not exist several years ago.
cameras
The front camera received a resolution of 8 megapixels, as well as autofocus, it is fast (f / 1.7), which allows you to take good pictures, including in dimly lit rooms. As well as for the main camera, there are different effects when inserts from bows, mustaches and the like can be attached to the face. A nice feature that diversifies the use of the camera.
The main camera at first glance remained the same, that is, it is 12 megapixels, DualPixel technology. The supplier of the camera module is, as before, Samsung itself, as well as Sony (S5K2L2 and IMX333).
Due to the increased performance of the system, the fact that the camera module received its own memory, a comfortable Burst Mode appeared, when you can take several dozen shots in a row. The camera focuses on objects faster, handles complex scenes better than the Galaxy S7/S7 EDGE, which I could verify in practice. But it is impossible to say that this is a fundamentally different camera, it is comparable in most situations with the previous generation, it works better in difficult conditions, but most of these differences will not be noticed, they are insignificant. However, look at the comparison of pictures with S7 EDGE, they were all taken in automatic mode. But before that, here's what the camera interface looks like.
And now the comparison of pictures with the Galaxy S7 EDGE.
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Look at the enlarged parts of the shots from S7 EDGE and S8 Plus to understand the difference in cameras.
The feeling that the pictures from the S7 are a little blurry, they are not as sharp. The explanation for this should be sought in the fact that eights for the first time use the multiframe technology, which is familiar to us from Google Pixel. The phone takes three frames, automatically selects the best one, and can also select the parts of the frame that came out better in one of the pictures, and then glue it all into a single picture. The result is clearer and brighter than on the S7/S7 EDGE.
Over the past month, I have accumulated a lot of photos from the Galaxy S8/S8 Plus, so let me show some of them, for example, photos of flowers in the garden, as well as any living creatures, macro photography, pay attention to the blurring of the background and the accuracy of the details.
However, the camera does a good job with view shots.
In the dark, the camera performs noticeably better than the S7 EDGE, it responds faster and processes scenes more correctly.
As for me, formally the camera on the S7 EDGE is the same, in fact the new image processing algorithms turned out to be more interesting and better, plus the yield of usable photos is noticeably higher. The S8/S8 Plus has one of the best mobile cameras on the market today.
There are no complaints about video recording, there is support for 4K, in FullHD you can choose a frequency of 60 or 30 frames per second.
And a few more videos from the last trip.
DeX desktop mode - similar to Microsoft's Continuum
For these devices, such an accessory as the DeX docking station appears, it has its own cooling, allows you to connect up to two USB devices, such as a keyboard and mouse (USB 2.0). In some countries, this docking station will be gifted with S8|S8+ pre-orders. Separately, it will cost 149 euros.
In addition to the fact that you get the opportunity to connect your phone via HDMI to an external monitor and control it with a mouse and keyboard, DeX mode has appeared. This is not just a translation of the contents of the phone screen to an external monitor, but a redesigned interface, in particular, support for MS Office, Adobe mobile applications, such as Adobe Lightroom Mobile, has been added here. These applications have been completely redesigned for large screens, and so far it is only available for flagships from Samsung, but I am sure that it will appear later on a bunch of other devices from different manufacturers. The most direct analogy is a similar mode from Microsoft, which was on Windows Phone smartphones. But the death of the platform put an end to Continuum, and DeX picked up the fallen banner, Microsoft engineers took part in its development, you can consider it a kind of Continuum on Android.
First of all, this is a solution for corporate users, it is unlikely to be popular from the start, but this is an interesting direction for development. DeX has implemented support for remote access to your desktops, these are Citrix, VMware and Amazon Web Services, that is, nothing original and nothing new. In principle, on Android you can already use these services.
My impressions of DeX are mixed. On the one hand, this is definitely the future of mobile platforms, on the other hand, the current reincarnation clearly lacks the performance of phones, the windows are drawn slowly, they twitch, in a word, everything is not as beautiful as on paper.
However, you already get a full set of applications and all your data in the semblance of a desktop system, I think there will be technology lovers who will extol DeX, but the mass consumer will not rush to use it yet, everything is too slow.
Bixby Assistant - ideology and practical implementation
The idea of Bixby is directly borrowed from Google Now, it is an assistant that combines voice functions, such as voice recognition to execute commands (the legacy of S Voice), but at the same time it analyzes what is displayed on your screen, that is, it conditionally understands the context, in which you speak. With a separate key, you call Bixby cards (again, an analogy with Google Now), you can edit them, add and remove applications and information from them. For example, the assistant knows that you usually call such and such a number at this time, and offers to do this. It is impossible to call the current functions of Bixby intelligent, at the presentation it was cut to the point of impossibility, so there is no voice input, it will appear only at the end of the month. Yes, and the prediction system is clearly stupid, in order to train it, you need millions of people to start using Bixby, it doesn’t happen otherwise in such systems - the more they use, the better they become.
A full version of Bixby with voice commands, prompts and more will be released only in December 2017, along with an update to the device on Android 8. At the moment, instead of Bixby, we have its camera with image recognition, as well as software for planning the day.
Multimedia capabilities, software features
Samsung has redesigned Clean UI a little more, now it has become even more airy, it is perceived easier, the designations of the three touch keys have changed, the icons have changed, however, look at the picture. Also now in the settings you can see the version of Samsung Experience, in this device it is 8.1.
In general, I like how Android 7 looks on the Galaxy S7/S7 EDGE, here the interface is slightly different, but very simple and clear, and most importantly, convenient. Although there is a whole cohort of people who, by default, do not like any add-ons over pure Android, but this seems like nonsense to me - everything is done smartly and conveniently for everyday life. For example, to scroll through large lists, a button has appeared that allows you to jump to the very beginning of the list.
Another interesting point is that you can take any kind of screenshots, record small GIF files from the screen, cut out not just rectangles, but also ovals, and immediately draw whatever you want with your finger. But what I liked the most is saving the URL of the page when you take a screenshot in Chrome.
In terms of sound, we see about the same as in the Tab S3, there are improvements from AKG, plus AKG headphones are included. Models based on Snapdragon 835 have a normal sound, they use the Aqstic sound DSP, which is designed for this chip. It is noticeably better than the one used in the Snapdragon 820/821, but worse than the DSP from Cirrus Logic, which is used in the Exynos version of the smartphone (Cirrus Logic SC43130). I managed to listen to both versions of the smartphone with AKG headphones, on Exynos the volume margin is slightly higher, the sound seemed a little different. But the sound has definitely changed, it is very reminiscent of how HTC 10 plays, which has its own separate DSP (this is not a Qualcomm solution, as it is believed on the market). Changes in sound quality are noticeable compared to the sevens.
Finally, a nice little thing, separately AKG headphones will cost about a hundred dollars / euros, these are top-end earplugs. Having tried these headphones, I can say that the game is reaching a new level for flagships, I wonder how Apple will respond and whether they will change their standard earPods for new iPhones. If they ignore it, it will be sad, because AKG tears them up in quality, like Tuzik a heating pad, these are just products from different price niches, and they differ very much.
There are a lot of “little things” in the software that greatly diversify your user experience, many functions were also on previous devices, but it would not be out of place to repeat briefly about the most noticeable of them. For example, it can be an emergency message (three presses on the power button), the phone sends an SOS message, it also makes a sound recording for 5 seconds and a photo from the front camera.
Comparison with Galaxy S7/S7 EDGE
Samsung has prepared an infographic that shows the differences between the models, everything is simple and clear, and most importantly, visual.
But you can also watch a separate video in which I talk in detail about these devices based on my rich experience.
Impression
There are no complaints about the sound quality and the volume of the call to the device, the volume is above average, the melodies have been reworked, they have become more interesting, and you can recognize them in any situation. The vibrating alert can be customized, which is important. The quality of the device in Russian networks is good, there are minor improvements compared to the sevens.
With the work of Samsung Pay, there are no questions, everything is exactly the same as it was in previous models.
As well as during the transition from S7 EDGE to Note 7, it was impossible to say that these are completely different devices technically, but in life they were perceived very differently, so here - the eights turned out to be very worthy and interesting. In terms of the combination of characteristics and ease of use, I cannot name a single device that would come close to them. As before, these are the main flagships on the market, Apple devices are interesting from a fashion point of view, but technically they are still in the rank of catching up, although they narrowed the gap in the seventh generation. Perhaps there are two direct competitors on the market, these are Apple and Samsung, all other companies are among those catching up.
The S8|S8+ pros compared to Apple's seventh generation cart and cart:
- Face scanner, iris scanner
- In the same body size, screens with a much larger diagonal and resolution
- Fast battery charging, wireless charging
- Better sound, bundled headphones are a cut above, as created by AKG
- 64 GB internal storage plus memory cards - more than standard iPhone storage
- DeX mode, work on a large monitor (suddenly someone will like it)
- Support for VR glasses, which the iPhone does not have as a class
You can list these “little things” for a long time, but in fact they are very different, the Apple product is much inferior not only technologically, but also in terms of perception, which was not so noticeable before. With the appearance of eights, it is the perception of phones that becomes different, they look head and shoulders above their closest competitors.
There is only one company on the Android device market that managed to prepare its answer, but it was a bit hasty, of course, we are talking about the LG G6. This device is built on Snapdragon 821 (a chipset of the previous generation, not for a flagship), by default it has worse sound and worse headphones from the kit, it is rather awkward in the hand, it is not perceived as easily as S8 | S8 +, but most importantly, what is behind it they want about the same as for the junior model from Samsung. For what?
The cost of S8 in Russia is 54,990 rubles, the older model costs 59,990 rubles. Given that these prices are comparable to the current cost of the iPhone 7, which looks weaker in many respects, and also set at the level of the future iPhone 8, which comes out in the fall, I see the price as adequate. Those who wish will be able to buy the Galaxy S8 in May-June on the gray market, the price will differ by 10-15% downwards (the younger model already costs about 42 thousand rubles with delivery from Germany). These smartphones belong to a new generation, and not only due to numbers, they are ideologically redesigned devices from scratch, they have a large number of pluses - screen, operating time, performance, sound, security system, and so on. But for those who consider them exactly the same as S7 / S7 EDGE, the previous models will always remain, they have not lost their relevance, as they are much cheaper and more affordable. I am sure that they will be able to exist in parallel for a long time. For the market, the release of S8|S8+ is a benchmark for the coming years, all companies will try to create similar solutions, including Apple. Another thing is that their opportunities for this are very limited, and the resulting "flagships" will resemble the history of the LG G6, one will be worse, then another, and the price will be comparable. In this aspect, the LG G6 is interesting only as the model closest in time to the S8, the one that is called the flagship in the company, and it has a roughly comparable approach, which could not be fully realized.
In S8|S8+, it comes to the fore that these devices are damn beautiful in appearance, although there are no comrades in taste and color, everyone has their own ideas about beauty. The success of these models has already taken place, during the pre-order in Russia they were sold in volumes of more than 15,000 pieces worth a billion rubles. In the future, we can expect stable sales of eights, as they have a high potential.
From childhood diseases S8 | S8 + I will note the red screens, which is easy to check, just go to the settings menu, and the white color in them will turn into red. The company may fix this with a software update, but I recommend checking the devices in the store to avoid the tedious exchange or return procedure. Moreover, it takes less than a minute, you just need to look at the screen. No other children's ailments have been identified in the models yet, for a month my devices have shown their best side.
Every year, describing the flagships from Samsung, I say the standard phrases that they have become even a little faster, they have no direct competitors. And every year it is, but with the release of the S8|S8+, we can say that the competitors, to put it mildly, are not just lagging behind, the gap between them and Samsung has just widened. Try these smartphones in real life, try them in the store to see how good they are. I am sure that most will like them, and then the question of availability comes into play because of the cost.
Smartphones in recent years have shown themselves well in terms of photography. Previously, the South Korean manufacturer provided too many unnecessary functionality, but recently the pre-installed Camera app provides interesting, convenient and useful options. The flagships of this year are equipped with a high-quality camera, which in capable hands can work wonders.
New camera app
Application Camera on the Galaxy S8 not much changed compared to previous devices, but still it has been updated to be more convenient to use. The new layout option puts the camera's most requested features at the center. For example, you can now zoom when taking a photo simply by moving the shutter button from left to right. Thus, with one finger, you can shoot and resize the image.
What each camera mode can do
A swipe to the right in the camera interface allows you to open various shooting modes. Among them are available the following:
Bixby Assistant in the Camera app
Along with these smartphones, Samsung has introduced a new digital assistant called Bixby, which is not yet quite ready to go. However, it is with the camera that the assistant is already working, we are talking about a function called Bixby Vision.
You need to press the Bixby button on the case. Point the camera at an object or landscape and the assistant will display related images and purchase links for those items. Bixby Vision works with a variety of items, including cosmetics with stickers and electronics from well-known brands. Sometimes the assistant gets things mixed up.
Bixby is bundled with the camera app, motivating users to use it often, just like a physical button on the body motivates them to frequently voice requests. If you find her work useful for comparing what you see in stores with your own eyes with what you can find on the Internet, you can activate the “Quick Launch” option in the camera settings.
Using focus manually
Do you want to master the bokeh effect on ? Open manual settings by swiping left next to the camera shutter button and select the Pro shooting mode. Here, click on the "Manual focus" option and move the cursor until you achieve the desired effect. You will see green lines in the viewfinder that indicate what the camera is focusing on. After that, you can take photos.
Quick launch activation
By default, fast startup is enabled initially. You need to quickly press the power button on the right side of the case twice quickly to launch the camera app. You can use this option even when the screen is off. If you accidentally disabled this feature, you can turn it back on in the camera settings.
Galaxy S8 smartphones have received larger screens compared to the devices of the previous generation, so reaching the farthest edges is not easy. For this reason, the floating shutter button on the screen enhances the convenience of photographing. You can enable it in the camera settings, it is two lines below the quick launch of the camera. When enabled, the camera interface will show a floating button that can be placed anywhere in the Camera app.
Shooting a video before taking a photo
Turn on Motion photo in the camera app settings to record a short video before taking a photo.Quick switching between cameras
The button for switching between cameras is located at the top of the application interface. You can also switch with a simple gesture up in the viewfinder, which is convenient to do with one hand.
Use photo filters
At the bottom of the camera interface, where the shutter button is, swipe left to open the effects. It can also be accessed from the Face Masks menu. There are many different filters available here, some of them are suitable for landscape photos, others for selfies.Face Smoothing
The resolution of the front camera of the Galaxy S8 is 8 megapixels, which is quite a lot. The aperture is f / 1.7, there is autofocus, so you can safely use this camera to photograph yourself and your friends. If you are not completely confident in your beauty, you can use the beautification modes that are built into the camera app to hide imperfections. Click on the icon that looks like a person with long hair to open different beautification options, such as smoothing the skin, adding artificial lighting, or brightening the eyes.
Wide angle selfies
To take wide-angle photos on the front camera, you need to swipe to the right in the area near the shutter in front camera mode, just like opening the filter on the rear camera. The wide-angle selfie mode is similar to taking panoramic shots in the rear camera, you need to swipe the viewfinder from left to right to take a photo.Use face masks
Samsung built a feature called "Face Masks" into the Galaxy S8's camera; it's not the same as Snapchat's filters, although it works almost identically. You can use them in the front camera on yourself or on the back camera with other people. Unfortunately, they cannot be used together with other effects, only one filter can be applied at a time.Quality and shooting capabilities are something that smartphone manufacturers have been focusing on in recent years, but at the presentation of the new generation of top-end smartphones Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 +, you could see that little was said about the camera.
As it turned out, this is no coincidence. Hardware, the main (on the back) cameras in the Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 Plus are identical to those used in the previous generation of flagships - Samsung Galaxy S7 / S7 Edge.
True, there are suggestions that, with identical characteristics, the S8 / S8 + still received new sensors.
The manufacturer claims that the main changes in the camera affected image processing algorithms and software.
Let's note some characteristics and features of the rear camera of Samsung Galaxy S8/S+ smartphones:
- matrix (sensor) resolution 12 megapixels;
- die size 1/2.5”;
- the presence of an optical non-switchable image stabilization system;
- Dual Pixel hybrid autofocus system using phase detection autofocus;
- equivalent lens focal length 26 mm;
- f:1.7 lens aperture.
But the front selfie camera is really new. The resolution has grown from 5 to 8 megapixels, autofocus has appeared. Sensor size 1/3.6″.
Visual inspection
Unlike the S7/S7 Edge, the rear camera eye of the Samsung Galaxy S8/S8 no longer protrudes above the surface. This makes the appearance of the device more concise. Yes, and it is more difficult to damage the glass in this case.
It is interesting how this was achieved, because, unlike, for example, iPhone smartphones or Sony Xperia flagships, the camera is placed opposite the screen and it is not an easy task to “drown” it in a rather thin smartphone case.
Pay attention to the location of the fingerprint sensor. Such a close proximity to the camera leads to the fact that the probability of leaving fingerprints on the outer glass of the lens is quite high.
Shooting mode
The shooting mode interface has been redesigned quite a bit, and owners of previous generations of Samsung smartphones should find it very familiar.
The pressed shutter button can now be moved vertically. This provides digital zoom. For photography, the use of this mode is doubtful, because at any time you can easily “crop” the image after shooting, and when shooting video, zooming occurs, as before, with a two-finger gesture.
The screen of Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ smartphones has become much more elongated. The aspect ratio is 18.5:9. This led to the emergence of new frame formats for photo and video shooting under such a screen.
If you select full frame resolution (12 megapixels) for still photography, the image on the screen will take up only a small part with large black borders on the sides (see above). This is because the aspect ratio of the sensor is 4:3.
Selecting the 16:9 photo aspect ratio options will leave only a small black bar on the screen, while selecting an aspect ratio that matches the screen will remove the black bars. In this case, of course, the frame is “cropped” from above and below with a corresponding decrease in its final size.
There were few new opportunities. From what catches the eye - the addition of various stickers, stamps, "muzzles", similar to those used in some third-party applications and various instant messengers.
The introduction of the new Bixby assistant, which received a lot of attention in the Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+, is also reflected in the camera mode. The system is able to recognize captured objects and substitutes found similar images from the Internet with additional information. The quality of the service is still far from ideal.
As before, you can increase the functionality of the camera by downloading additional extensions. But there are very few such extensions and they seem to be almost unchanged from year to year. Some sometimes even disappear. For example, an application for shooting spherical panoramas has disappeared somewhere.
The "Pro" mode, with the ability to manually control many shooting parameters, was left almost unchanged. It provides a cool opportunity for various experiments. Enthusiasts will love this mode. In addition, the Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 + did not deprive the ability to shoot RAW.
As for the slow motion mode, the Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ does pretty well with this, but, unfortunately, there are no changes compared to the Galaxy S7/S7 Edge. In slow motion, clips are recorded in 720p240 (HD resolution at 240 fps). It would be nice to get a 1080p120 mode as well. This choice is available, for example, in the iPhone.
Slow motion example
There were mentions on the net that the Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 + can shoot 4K video at 60 fps, but I did not find this. 4K video is shot at a standard 30 fps.
With AF tracking, you can select a subject (still or moving in the frame) and the camera will keep focus on that subject. Function well implemented
We are filming
The autofocus of the main camera of the Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ deserves only praise. Focusing in both photo and video shooting is very fast.
In Galaxy S7/S7 Edge smartphones, when choosing to shoot video in 1080p60 format, the autofocus speed noticeably decreased. The same flaw is present in the Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+. Apparently, this is not a software flaw, but due to some hardware features.
It seemed that even with HDR turned off, the smartphone camera tries to preserve more details in the bright areas and “pulls up” the details in the dark areas a little. The difference between frames with and without HDR is often very small.
The manufacturer emphasizes that the Galaxy S8 / S8 + uses a special algorithm that allows you to get good shots even in low light due to multi-frame shooting, when several frames are combined into one.
We should note that we noticed the work of this technology in previous Samsung flagships. Whether there are changes in the implementation of this in the Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 + compared to its predecessors is difficult to say without a comparative test.
An interesting observation: when shooting at night, the image on the screen when sighting can differ noticeably from the final image in hue.
The trend mode with the choice of focusing on the foreground or background with artificial blur after shooting in Samsung smartphones still does not work well. In the devices of some competitors, this function is implemented better.
The smartphone often makes mistakes and creates a completely unnatural blur.
If you want to get a blurry background, then with the Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ you can do it without any software tweaks. By the standards of system cameras, the sensor of the Galaxy S8/S8+ is small, but in combination with the high aperture of the lens in large-scale shooting, you can achieve a very shallow depth of field with natural background blur.
Gallery of shots taken by the main camera of the Samsung Galaxy S8
Shooting Full HD video in good lighting conditions
Shooting 4L video under good lighting conditions
Shooting Full HD video at night
Shooting 4K video at night
findings
Generally Samsung Galaxy S8/ S8+ shoots very cool. This applies to both photos and videos. 4K video recordings with sufficient lighting are very detailed. Optical stabilization, combined with good sensor sensitivity and high lens aperture allow you to get good pictures and videos even in difficult conditions when shooting handheld.
The camera has many different interesting modes, designed for both beginners and enthusiasts.
There is little doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ smartphones will be among the leaders in 2017 in terms of image quality. The problem is that about the same level of shooting and a similar set of features we already saw a year ago in Samsung flagships of the previous generation. But I want to get even more in new models.
It seems that smartphone cameras have reached some limit of development, and this applies not only to Samsung, but also to other vendors. Progress is no longer visible.
A new generation of matrices (sensors) Sony with a three-layer structure and a built-in DRAM buffer looks like a fresh solution for smartphone cameras. But it seems that Sony has not yet begun to share with competitors, and such matrices are present only in the new Sony Xperia XZ Premium and Xperia XZs smartphones. It is difficult to say without tests whether three-layer matrices provide an advantage in image quality. But no one has such a powerful Slow Motion mode as in the Xperia XZs / XZ Premium, with a shooting speed of 960 fps.
