Samsung Galaxy s8 is a bet on design. Review of Samsung Galaxy S8 - detailed characteristics of the flagship Galaxy S8 description
Long, frameless, with great camera and highest performance
Recently, Samsung officially presented its long-awaited flagship smartphones Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. Even despite major failures in the recent past, Samsung's flagship devices not only continue to be the main competition Apple iPhones, but are also one of the most technically advanced Android smartphones. Compared to the previous (seventh) generation, a lot has changed here, from the design in general to the arrangement of individual elements in particular, not to mention the improved hardware and updated software. Not all the changes are for the better, but there are so many of them that we can say that Samsung decided to start from scratch. It is worth noting that, to the delight of many, the difference in the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ models is only in size; almost everything else is the same. There are no various modifications with varying amounts of built-in memory or RAM, different performance, the presence or absence of certain elements. The user does not need to agonize over the choice; they just need to decide on the preferred dimensions of the device. The technical characteristics of both models are almost identical, so we’ll start by listing them this review, choosing the Galaxy S8+ model as a sample.
Main characteristics of Samsung Galaxy S8+ (Model SM-G955F)
- SoC Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa, 8 cores: [email protected] GHz (Exynos M1) + [email protected] GHz (ARM Cortex-A53)
(another modification of the smartphone is based on SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 835) - GPU Mali-G71
- operating room Android system 7.0
- Touchscreen Super AMOLED 6.2″, 2960×1440, 529 ppi
- RAM(RAM) 4 GB, inner memory 64 GB
- Nano-SIM support (2 pcs.)
- MicroSD support up to 256 GB
- GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
- WCDMA/HSPA+ networks (850/900/1900/2100 MHz)
- FDD LTE Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 66 networks
- Networks TD LTE Band 38—41
- Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz) MIMO
- Bluetooth 5.0LE
- GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, BDS
- USB Type-C,USB OTG
- Main camera 12 MP (f/1.7), autofocus, 4K video
- Front camera 8 MP (f/1.7), autofocus
- Waterproof IP68
- Proximity, lighting, heart rate, magnetic field, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer
- Iris scanner, fingerprint scanner
- Battery 3500 mAh, fast charging
- Wireless charger(WPC, PMA)
- Dimensions 160×73×8.1 mm
- Weight 173 g
Contents of delivery
Samsung Galaxy The S8+ received a stylishly designed matte black cardboard box with a laconic design as packaging. The lid is not completely removable, it folds back like a box. The contents are neatly packaged in separate cells.
The kit, in the best Samsung traditions, turned out to be extensive. The smartphone comes with a connecting cable USB cable Type-C network adapter with variable output current and voltage 5/9 V 1.67/2 A, an unusually shaped key for removing cards, a Micro-USB - USB Type-C adapter, a second USB - USB Type-C adapter.
The company also included high-quality wired dual-driver AKG stereo headphones with a set of interchangeable in-ear pads.
Appearance and ease of use
The design of the Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ turned out to be unusual and attractive. The streamlined body is made entirely of metal and glass, there is no plastic here. A metal frame rounded on all sides, symmetrically tapering at the sides and widening at the top and bottom ends, connects two glass panels - front and back. Gorilla Glass 5 is used as a coating; the glass has noticeable curves on the sides. The frame in the front plane of the screen is completely hidden behind the curve of the glass, so here we can talk about a truly frameless option.
The body of the Samsung Galaxy S8+ is absolutely symmetrical; the back side is also completely covered with Gorilla Glass 5 with curved edges. The edges of the glass are rounded so much that they flow almost seamlessly (not counting the frame) into one another, creating a complete shape without a single sharp corner or straight edge. For this shape, Samsung marketers dubbed their new brainchild a “smartphone without borders.”
The Samsung Galaxy S8+ looks very attractive. And although such a design may seem too “sleek” and “pampered”, but these are modern realities, the vast majority of users liked it.
Due to the unusual aspect ratio of the display (not 16:9, but 18.5:9), the body turned out to be very elongated in height. At the same time, the absence of a frame on the sides of the screen in the front plane made it possible to make the body so narrow that it is quite comfortable to hold in the hand even with a screen diagonal of 6.2 inches. True, the device is quite slippery due to its glass panels, smooth frame and streamlined shape.
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The curved edges of the front glass work in conjunction with the corresponding software in the same way as in previous models of the series Galaxy Edge. Above the screen you can find a full range of elements, including led indicator events and even an iris scanner.
The scanner works tolerably, but the process of setting the lock and constant recognition is quite tedious, because this system only works in certain light conditions and at a certain distance from the eyes. It is much easier and faster to use the fingerprint scanner, although its location here causes some confusion.
There are no more control buttons under the screen, only on the screen itself. This is not typical for Samsung, it has Galaxy smartphones there was always a hardware key on the front (in latest models- with an integrated fingerprint sensor). Now her place has been taken virtual button on the screen, but she is also not entirely ordinary. To ensure that the static button, which is constantly illuminated in the Always On Display mode, does not cause pixel burnout, it was made movable. Thus, the seemingly static central button on the screen actually constantly moves imperceptibly in different directions.
The fingerprint scanner has been moved to the back. At the same time, it is greatly shifted from the center to the right, so that it is inconvenient for a left-handed person to reach it with his finger. In addition, the tactile area of the fingerprint sensor is no different from neighboring elements, it is difficult to find it blindly, you need to get used to it. In general, this is perhaps the most unusual and inconvenient option for the location of this element that we have previously encountered; Samsung again went too far with the fingerprint sensor.
Next to the scanner you can find a camera module with flash, as well as one familiar to smartphones Samsung sensor heart rate. None of the elements protrude beyond the surface, so the smartphone lies stable on the table and does not wobble when you touch the screen. The flash is as bright as possible.
There are no complaints about the operation of the fingerprint scanner itself; it works quickly, clearly and accurately. But, as already mentioned, reaching for it while holding a smartphone in your left hand is very inconvenient.
The slot for installing cards is located at the top end. The cover of the removable slide on which the cards are placed has a rubberized gasket, since the Samsung Galaxy S8+, like the LG G6, meets the IP68 protection category, that is, the case is completely protected from dust and allows immersion in water to a depth of 1.5 m for 30 minutes. However, the developers did not go further: the design here is not designed for harsh operating conditions, like the LG G6, so the hero of the review does not have military standard certification.
A standard hybrid slot is used, which can accommodate either two Nano-SIM cards or one SIM card and one card microSD memory. The slides are made of flexible plastic; the device itself reports the need to tightly close the connector cover to protect it from water.
The volume button has been moved to the left side, here it is adjacent to a separate key for calling the Bixby intelligent assistant, with which you can work with available services and applications via touch screen, voice or text commands. The power key remains on the right side. The buttons are not very large, but handling them is quite comfortable; the keys are easy to feel blindly.
All other interface elements are located at the bottom end. There is a USB Type-C connector installed here that supports connection external devices V USB mode OTG, the main speaker is brought out here, as well as a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a microphone hole. Surprisingly, the developers were unable to install any of the elements exactly; each of them turned out to be offset relative to the longitudinal axis of the end, which spoils the impression a little.
Having studied the structure of the Galaxy S8+ case, let's compare it with the previous Galaxy S7 Edge model. The naked eye can see that the width of these smartphones is almost identical.
However, the Galaxy S8+ has a longer screen with a non-standard aspect ratio, which allows for more surface area to be devoted to the screen. As a result, the Galaxy S8+ with a 6.2″ screen fits as comfortably in the palm of your hand as the Galaxy S7 Edge with a 5.5″ screen.
In addition, the sides of the case of the review hero have become less slippery due to the increased width of the metal frame: the curved edges of the screen on the Galaxy S8+ have been reduced, the frame is now located exactly in the middle between the front and rear panels. So, in general, the changes only benefited the new product.
Samsung Galaxy S8+ presented at Russian market in three colors: black (“Black Diamond”), gray (“Mystical Amethyst”) and gold (“Yellow Topaz”).
Screen
Samsung Galaxy S8+ features a Super AMOLED display with protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 5 with highly curved edges. Physical Dimensions The screen is approximately 70x142 mm with a diagonal of 6.2 inches, that is, the aspect ratio is 18.5:9. The screen resolution is 2960x1440, the pixel density is about 529 ppi. The corner parts of the screen, like the LG G6, are rounded, there are no side frames as such in the front plane of the screen, the upper and lower segments surrounding the screen are only approximately 8.5 mm in height.
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The display brightness can be adjusted manually or set automatic settings, based on the operation of the ambient light sensor. HDR10 mode is supported. The AnTuTu test diagnoses support for 10 simultaneous multi-touch touches. There is a vision protection mode (preventing eye fatigue). In Always-on mode, information about the current time and date, as well as missed events, is displayed on the switched off screen.
In the screen settings section, you can select the resolution and applications that should be used in full-screen proportions. It seems that the developers first made a screen with an unusual aspect ratio, just to make it “not like everyone else,” and then added various “crutches” to the software so that the programs would work normally with such a screen.
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A detailed examination using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the sample under study.
The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected when the screens are turned off (on the left is Nexus 7, on the right is Samsung Galaxy S8+, then they can be distinguished by size):
The screen of the Samsung Galaxy S8+ is slightly darker (photo brightness is 107 versus 115 for the Nexus 7) and does not have a pronounced tint. The ghosting of reflected objects on the Samsung Galaxy S8+ screen is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen. Due to the smaller number of boundaries (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 the case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. On the outer surface of the screen of the Samsung Galaxy S8+ there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, better than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier and appear at a lower speed than in the case of regular glass.
When displaying a white field in full screen and manually controlling the brightness, its maximum value was 370 cd/m² in normal conditions and rises to 580 cd/m² in very bright light. You also need to take into account the fact that in this case, the smaller the white area on the screen, the brighter it is, that is, the actual maximum brightness of the white areas will almost always be higher than the specified value. For example, when displaying a white field on half the screen and a black field on the other half, we obtained values of 460 cd/m² and 725 cd/m² for the above conditions. As a result, readability during the day in the sun should be good level. The minimum value is 1.6 cd/m². The reduced brightness level allows you to use the device even in complete darkness without any problems. Works automatic adjustment brightness by 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; the user can use it to try to set the desired brightness level in the current conditions. If in an office environment the brightness slider is set to maximum, then in complete darkness the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 6.4 cd/m² (dark), in an office illuminated by artificial light (approximately 550 lux) it sets it to 340 cd/m² (excessively bright) , in a very bright environment (corresponding to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) increases to 545 cd/m² (sufficient). If in complete darkness and in an office environment, use the slider to set the brightness a little higher and lower, then the screen brightness for the three conditions indicated above is as follows: 13, 180, 545 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 brightness level there is significant modulation with a frequency of approximately 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 maximum and close to it brightness the modulation amplitude is not very large; as a result, there is no visible flicker. However, as the brightness decreases, modulation appears with a large relative amplitude; its presence can already be seen in a test for the presence of a stroboscopic effect or simply with rapid eye movement. Depending on individual sensitivity, this flickering may 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 microphotograph:
For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.
In the fragment above you can count 4 green subpixels, 2 red (4 halves) and 2 blue (1 whole and 4 quarters), and by repeating these fragments, you can lay out the entire screen without breaks or overlap. For such matrices, Samsung introduced the name PenTile RGBG. The manufacturer calculates the screen resolution based on the green subpixels; based on the other two, it will be two times lower. The location and shape of the subpixels in this version is close to the case of the screen of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and some other newer ones 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 unevenness of contrast borders and other artifacts are still present. However, due to very high resolution they have only a minimal impact on 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 simply 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 S8+ (profile Basic) and the second comparison participant, identical images were displayed, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to approximately 200 cd/m², and the color balance on the camera was forced to switch to 6500 K.
White field:
We note good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field (with the exception of slight darkening and a change in hue towards the curved edges).
And a test picture (profile Basic):
Color rendition is good, the colors are moderately saturated, the color balance of the screens varies slightly. Recall that photography can not serve as a reliable source of information about color rendering quality and are provided for illustrative purposes only. In particular, the pronounced reddish tint of the white and gray fields present in photographs of the Samsung Galaxy S8+ screen is visually absent when viewed from a perpendicular view, which is confirmed by hardware tests using a spectrophotometer. The reason is that the spectral sensitivity of the camera sensor does not exactly match this characteristic of human vision. Note that in this case, the image occupies the height (at this screen orientation) of the entire area available for image display and extends onto 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 on the entire screen. And even the picture of films with an aspect ratio of 16:9 bends, which greatly interferes with watching movies.
The photo above was taken after selecting a profile Basic in the screen settings, there are four of them:
Profile Adaptive display differs in some kind of automatic adjustment of color rendering to the type of output image and environmental conditions:
Saturation and colour contrast greatly enlarged, looks terrible. What happens when you select the two remaining profiles is shown below.
Movie AMOLED:
Saturation and color contrast are also increased, but not as much.
Photo AMOLED:
Saturation is slightly lower, but color contrast is slightly higher than in the case Movie AMOLED.
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 for both screens has noticeably decreased (to avoid strong darkening, the shutter speed has been increased compared to previous photographs), but in the case of Samsung the drop in brightness is much less pronounced. As a result, with formally the same brightness samsung screen The Galaxy S8+ looks much brighter visually (compared to LCD screens), as the screen mobile device often you have to look at least from a slight angle.
And a test picture:
It can be seen that the colors have not changed much on both screens and the brightness on Samsung smartphone at an angle noticeably higher. Switching the state of the matrix elements is performed almost instantly, but at the switching edge there may be a step with a width of approximately 17 ms (which corresponds to a screen refresh rate of 60 Hz). For example, this is what the dependence of brightness on time looks like when moving from black to white and back:
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 clarity and even some “jerky” movements.
A gamma curve constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on 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 2.09, which is slightly less than the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve deviates little from the power dependence:
Let us 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 generally light images. As a result, the resulting dependence of brightness on hue (gamma curve) most likely slightly does not correspond to the gamma curve of a static image, since the measurements were carried out with sequential display of shades of gray on almost the entire screen.
Color gamut in the case of a profile Adaptive display very wide:
In profile Movie AMOLED coverage is a little narrower:
When selecting a profile Photo AMOLED coverage is adjusted to Adobe RGB boundaries:
When selecting a profile Basic coverage is compressed to sRGB boundaries:
Without correction, the spectra of the components are very well separated:
In case of profile Basic with 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 regular images optimized for sRGB devices appear unnaturally saturated. Hence the recommendation - in most cases, watching movies, photographs and everything natural is better when choosing a profile Basic, and only if the photo was taken on Adobe installation RGB, it makes sense to switch the profile to Photo AMOLED. Profile Movie AMOLED, despite the name, is the least suitable for watching movies or anything else.
The grayscale balance is good. The color temperature is close to 6500 K, while in a significant portion of the gray scale this parameter does not change very much, which improves the visual perception of color balance. The deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) remains below 10 units across most of the gray scale, which is considered good for a consumer device:
(The darkest areas of the gray scale can in most cases be ignored, since there is no color balance of great importance, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)
For some reason only when selecting a profile Adaptive display It becomes possible to adjust the color balance by three adjustments of the intensity of the primary colors, but due to the too wide color gamut in this profile there is no point in correcting the balance.
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 a 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 and good color balance. At the same time, let us remind you about the general advantages of OLED screens: true black color (if nothing is reflected in the screen), a noticeably smaller drop in image brightness than LCDs when viewed at an angle. Disadvantages include modulation of screen brightness. For users who are particularly sensitive to flicker, this may cause increased fatigue. 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 discovery introduces very noticeable distortions of the color tone and reduces the brightness at the edges of the picture, and in ambient light conditions it leads to inevitable glare along at least one long side of the screen.
Camera
The front 8-megapixel camera does not have its own flash, but it has a fast f/1.7 lens and even supports intelligent autofocus with face detection. As a front-facing flash, you can use the “fill in” bright backlight of the screen directly at the moment of shooting. Naturally, there is a mode for retouching selfie photos. Removes front-camera not bad for its level, there are no special complaints about detail and sharpness, but it’s hard to say that this camera is in any way better than analogues Huawei, for example. Not bad, but nothing more.
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The main camera uses a 12-megapixel matrix with a pixel size of 1.4 microns, as well as a fast lens with an f/1.7 aperture, optical stabilization And Dual technology Pixel, which is designed to provide autofocus so fast that you can capture even the sharpest movements in low-light conditions. There is a very bright LED flash.
The camera takes pictures in automatic or manual mode. In mode manual settings You can adjust the shutter speed (from 1/24000 to 10 s), photosensitivity (up to ISO 800), white balance and exposure compensation. There is the possibility of retouching images, support for HDR auto and a selective focus mode for changing the depth of field in the finished image. The camera is also connected to the Bixby intelligent assistant, which should recognize subjects, find places and translate texts from the screen.
Using the Camera2 API you can transfer camera control third party applications. It is also possible to save pictures in RAW.
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The camera can shoot video in 4K resolution (3840x2160), but only at 30 fps, and 60 fps is only available in Full HD (1920x1080). There is also a shooting mode in an intermediate resolution of 2560×1440, also at a speed of 30 fps. There is an optical stabilization feature that really makes handheld shooting on the go extremely smooth. In any of the resolutions, the camera copes with video shooting very well: sharpness, color rendition and detail are normal, there is enough brightness, there is no question of artifacts and slowdowns. There are no complaints about sound recording either: the sensitivity of the microphones is high, the sound is clear and loud, and the noise reduction system adequately copes with wind noise.
- Video No. 1 (87 MB, 3840×2160@30 fps, H.264, AAC)
- Video No. 2 (33 MB, 2560×1440@30 fps, H.264, AAC)
- Video No. 3 (28 MB, 1920×1080@60 fps, H.264, AAC)
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Good sharpness across the frame. |
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Good detail in the background. |
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For indoor shooting, the detail is excellent. |
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The camera handles small and complex details well. |
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Good detail when shooting at dusk. |
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The text was done perfectly. |
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The camera copes well with macro photography. |
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Good sharpness across the frame and in the plans. |
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As the shot is removed, the sharpness drops slowly and smoothly. |
We also tested the camera on a laboratory bench using our method.
| 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 люкс, вспышка. |
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Samsung continues to work on the quality of its cameras. The megapixel race, fortunately, has been forgotten, and now the manufacturer pays more attention to the little things. Even in complex scenes, the camera does not forget about small details, so images look good even in low light. The soapiness is gradually fading away, which means that the program’s algorithms have improved. The program has practically stopped “eating” parts, and sharpening is almost invisible. Of course, if you look closely, you can find both, but this is nitpicking.
A laboratory test confirms that the camera has remained virtually unchanged since the previous generation. However, there are differences, they just lie in little things that are difficult for the stand to reflect. For those who like to tinker with photo processing, the manufacturer has made a very good RAW, which in some situations actually allows you to get better results than in-camera JPEG.
In general, the camera turned out to be quite flagship and will cope well with many different scenes.
Telephone and communications
The communication capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy S8+ include support for advanced LTE Cat.16 technology, all three LTE FDD frequency bands of interest to us are supported (Band 3, 7, 20), and there is also support for four TDD LTE bands (Band 38-41). It supports two Wi-Fi bands (2.4 and 5 GHz), has Bluetooth 5.0 LE, and you can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels. The developers claim that thanks to support for Wi-Fi 1204-QAM and LTE Cat.16 standards, download speeds compared to previous flagships Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 edge have been increased by 20% both over Wi-Fi and via the mobile Internet. In the city limits of the Moscow region, the device behaves confidently, the quality of signal reception is not satisfactory, the device demonstrates high speeds in the usual test places, and quickly restores communication after a break.
The device has an NFC module, but it does not support working with electronic travel cards. The USB Type-C connector supports connecting external devices in USB OTG mode; the corresponding adapter is included in the accessory kit. The data transfer speed between a computer and a smartphone via a cable connected in the case of a PC to the USB 3.1 Type-C ports is about 26 MB/s.
The navigation module works with GPS (with A-GPS), with the domestic Glonass and the Chinese Beidou. During a cold start, the first satellites are detected within the first seconds, positioning clarity is maximum. There is a built-in magnetic compass.
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The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing a phone number, a search is immediately carried out by the first letters in contacts. In conversational dynamics, the voice of a familiar interlocutor is clearly recognizable, there is no extraneous noise, the sound is natural, clear, and there is enough volume reserve. The vibrating alert is much higher in power than the average level; its intensity can be changed manually.
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Software and multimedia
The Samsung Galaxy S8+ uses Android OS version 7.0 Nougat with its own proprietary shell as a software platform. There is a convenient option to quickly transfer all data from your old smartphone to the new Samsung Galaxy S8 or S8+ using the OTG adapter that is included in the package.
First of all, it should be noted that the larger display with a changed aspect ratio and high resolution provides more space for any information, text or graphics, so a lot of attention is paid to the dual-window mode. Not every application here can be made to work in a small window; for this, each has a corresponding icon displayed in the menu of recent open programs. That is, you first need to launch and minimize the application to understand whether it has the ability to work in two-window mode, and then find a second one of the same kind. Not a very simple and intuitive option, but you can get used to it. In addition, the size of such windows can be changed. It is also possible to reduce the entire working area of the screen for ease of operation with the fingers of one hand. We can’t say that this functionality is convenient in practice, since all the elements on the screen become too small, especially the virtual keyboard buttons, but it is possible.
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Due to the non-standard aspect ratio of the screen, the video in the player appears with black bars on the sides, but using scaling you can stretch the image to the very edges of the screen. Some games have reported potential display issues, but overall we haven't encountered any issues that can't be resolved.
Another feature of the Samsung Galaxy S8+ screen is the ability to use its curved sides, which are accessible for finger interaction due to the lack of frames. There is nothing new here: as before, you can display an illuminated virtual strip on the side of the screen, which, when pressed, opens a menu responsible for quick contacts and instant access to the most used applications. Also here it becomes possible to select and save any part of the screen with further text recognition.
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But of course, the main feature of the software of the new Korean smartphones was the appearance of the Samsung voice assistant - Bixby, which is a direct competitor to both Siri and Google Assistant, which, by the way, remained in place. According to the developers, Bixby will not only be able to answer questions by collecting information on the Internet, but also identify a product using a camera and search for it on Amazon, translate texts in real time, and recognize landmarks. But the functions that will allow you to fully control your smartphone through voice commands are not yet available and will appear later.
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As already mentioned, the smartphone camera is connected to the Bixby intelligent assistant, which should recognize shooting objects, find places and translate texts from the screen. True, in practice, for Russian realities, he still manages to do all this with difficulty. Even if the main language of the device is Russian, the program will persistently offer to translate from any other language, but not from Russian. The assistant doesn’t yet know everything about the sights either. At the same time, there were no problems with translation from English into Russian.
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There are very few additional programs, and those that exist are mainly represented by a set of Microsoft applications. Of particular note is Game Launcher, a convenient game aggregator that automatically collects all installed gaming applications in one place, and also provides additional functions related to it. For example, it is possible to start recording the gameplay from the screen right during the game, with its further broadcast on the network. You can also use Game Launcher to improve system performance when launching selected games to improve your gaming experience.
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To listen to music, only the standard Google Play Music player is provided, supplemented by a powerful set of manual settings and equalizer presets, as well as Adapt sound technology for headphones. The smartphone comes with dual-driver AKG headphones with very good sound quality for their level. But while the sound in the headphones is fine, the main speaker of the smartphone is not so impressive. It produces a rather monotonous and flat sound, without noticeable depth and richness, although there are no complaints about the purity and volume reserve.
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Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S8+ hardware platform is built on the Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa SoC with 8 cores in two clusters: 4 Exynos M1 cores with a frequency of up to 2.3 GHz and 4 ARM Cortex-A53 cores with a frequency of up to 1.7 GHz. This SoC is made using the latest 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 4 GB, and the internal memory is 64 GB, of which about 1.6 GB of RAM and 52.5 GB of ROM are initially free.
It is worth noting that traditionally for Samsung, Galaxy devices can be based on different SoCs: in this case, it is Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8895. As always, the issue of supply of one or another modification will depend on the region. The smartphone we received for testing ran on the Samsung Exynos 8895 platform.
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Based on the results of all tests without exception, the Samsung Exynos 8895 SoC showed maximum results; this is the most powerful mobile platform of all those we have tested so far. Accordingly, the Samsung Galaxy S8+ is one of the most powerful modern smartphones, and it has a significant performance reserve for future updates. The smartphone confidently copes with any tasks in real scenarios, and thanks to a powerful video accelerator, it performs well in the most demanding games. These videos recording gameplay in Modern Combat 5 and Mortal Kombat X were recorded using the built-in means of the smartphone itself using the Game Launcher application.
Testing in comprehensive tests AnTuTu and GeekBench:
For convenience, we have compiled all the results we obtained when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks into tables. The table usually adds several other devices from different segments, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry figures). 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.
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Testing the graphics subsystem in gaming tests 3DMark, GFXBenchmark and Bonsai Benchmark:
When testing in 3DMark, the most powerful smartphones now have the ability to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).
| Samsung Galaxy S8+ (Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa) |
LG G6 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 821) |
Asus Zenfone 3 Deluxe (Qualcomm Snapdragon 820) |
Honor 8 Pro (HiSilicon Kirin 960) |
Meizu Pro 6 Plus (Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa) |
|
| 3DMark Ice Storm Sling Shot ES 3.1 (more is better) |
2628 | 2409 | 2676 | 1417 | 1869 |
| GFXBenchmark Manhattan ES 3.1 (Onscreen, fps) | 19 | 12 | 31 | 18 | 13 |
| GFXBenchmark Manhattan ES 3.1 (1080p Offscreen, fps) | 36 | 24 | 32 | 21 | 24 |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex (Onscreen, fps) | 57 | 38 | 59 | 46 | 52 |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex (1080p Offscreen, fps) | 103 | 61 | 92 | 57 | 71 |
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Browser cross-platform tests:
As for benchmarks for assessing the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowance for the fact that their results significantly depend on the browser in which they are launched, so the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this is possible during testing not always. For Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.
| Samsung Galaxy S8+ (Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa) |
LG G6 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 821) |
Asus Zenfone 3 Deluxe (Qualcomm Snapdragon 820) |
Honor 8 Pro (HiSilicon Kirin 960) |
Meizu Pro 6 Plus (Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa) |
|
| Mozilla Kraken (ms, less is better) |
2535 | 2494 | 2931 | 3139 | 13047 |
| Google Octane 2 (more is better) |
9905 | 10036 | 9287 | 10155 | 3116 |
| SunSpider (ms, less is better) |
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Testing has traditionally been done at normal power consumption levels without using power-saving features. In the settings of the Samsung Galaxy S8+ you can find operating modes from high-performance to economical, the choice of which will affect many things, including brightness and even screen resolution.
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 21.5 hours until the battery was completely discharged, and when continuously watching videos in high quality (720p ) with the same brightness level via a home Wi-Fi network, the device operates for up to 14.5 hours. In 3D gaming mode, the smartphone can work for more than 5 hours.
The smartphone should support fast charging, but we were not able to test this because at the time of writing the review, there was no AC adapter included with the test unit. However, from a conventional charger (5 V 2 A) the device charges quite quickly, within about an hour and a half with a current of 1.75 A at a voltage of 5 V. Wireless charging (WPC and PMA) is also supported.
Bottom line
Prices for the Russian market are as follows: On April 28, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones went on sale in Russia at a recommended retail price of 54,990 and 59,990, respectively. It is not entirely clear why the difference in the cost of devices that are identical in functionality with a slight difference only in the size of the display and battery is as much as 5 thousand. Be that as it may, in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S8+ for 60 thousand, the manufacturer offers one of the best smartphones in many respects, including camera quality, hardware platform performance and very advanced communication capabilities, in an attractive and very unusual case, as well as with a lot of additional functions, many of which, however, were also available in previous models of the series.
At the same time, it cannot be said that the smartphone has become some kind of breakthrough, a new word in the creation of mobile devices and is completely devoid of disadvantages. The single main camera, although it is one of the best on the market, still looks rather strange against the background of the general movement towards increasing the number of modules. We also cannot praise the sound of the main speaker: in terms of sound, the device is clearly inferior to the flagship smartphones of Apple and Huawei. The decision to move the fingerprint scanner to the back side, and even to such an unsuccessfully chosen place, was also very questionable. Well, we can’t help but recall the recent problems with the batteries of Samsung mobile devices catching fire, against the backdrop of which users may now be wary of immediately paying the very high price that the manufacturer asked for its new mobile products. And yet, interest in the flagship devices of the Korean company has not weakened, this is clear. Even those who had no intention of shelling out 60 thousand rubles for a smartphone are now eagerly discussing its capabilities on the Internet. However, something during the testing process remained undisclosed for us, since we did not have the final commercial sample in our hands. Most likely, we are still waiting, at a minimum, to meet with the Bixby assistant, which has been brought to life, as well as with camera firmware updates, which may well expand its already remarkable capabilities.
In conclusion, we suggest watching our video review of the Samsung Galaxy S8+ smartphone:
We also suggest watching our video review comparing the Samsung Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy S7 Edge smartphones:
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.
| Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 68.1 mm (millimeters) 6.81 cm (centimeters) 0.22 ft (feet) 2.68 in (inches) |
| Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 148.9 mm (millimeters) 14.89 cm (centimeters) 0.49 ft (feet) 5.86 in (inches) |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement. | 8 mm (millimeters) 0.8 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.31 in (inches) |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 155 g (grams) 0.34 lbs 5.47 oz (ounces) |
| Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 81.12 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 4.93 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. | Black Silver Golden Blue Grey Pink Red |
| Materials for making the case Materials used to make the device body. | Glass Aluminium alloy |
| Certification Information about the standards to which this device is certified. | IP68 |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
| GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often called a 2G mobile network. It is improved by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services), and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies. | GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz |
| UMTS UMTS is an abbreviation for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is providing greater speed and spectral efficiency thanks to W-CDMA technology. | UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1700/2100 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz |
| LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as a fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent technology development is called LTE Advanced. | LTE 700 MHz Class 13 LTE 700 MHz Class 17 LTE 800 MHz LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1700/2100 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 1900 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz LTE-TDD 1900 MHz (B39) LTE-TDD 2300 MHz (B40) LTE-TDD 2500 MHz (B41) LTE-TDD 2600 MHz (B38) LTE 700 MHz (B12) |
Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds
Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.
SoC (System on Chip)
A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.
| SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 MSM8998 |
| Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor. | 10 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications. | 4x 2.35 GHz Kryo 280, 4x 1.9 GHz Kryo 280 |
| Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors. | 64 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv8-A |
| Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. | 32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes) |
| Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory. | 3072 kB (kilobytes) 3 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel. | 8 |
| CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 2350 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc. | Qualcomm Adreno 540 |
| GPU clock speed Running speed is the clock speed of the GPU, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 710 MHz (megahertz) |
| Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted. | 4 GB (gigabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR4X |
| Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels mean higher data rates. | Dual channel |
| RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data. | 1866 MHz (megahertz) |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends. | Super AMOLED |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches. | 5.8 in (inches) 147.32 mm (millimeters) 14.73 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate screen width | 2.54 in (inches) 64.45 mm (millimeters) 6.44 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate screen height | 5.22 in (inches) 132.48 mm (millimeters) 13.25 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 2.056:1 |
| Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail. | 1440 x 2960 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail. | 568 ppi (pixels per inch) 223 ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device. | 84.47% (percent) |
| Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics. | Capacitive Multi-touch Scratch resistance |
| Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Dual Edge display Always-On Display 540 cd/m² 90%DCI-P3 VR headset support |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.
Rear camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its back panel and may be combined with one or more secondary cameras.
| Sensor model | Sony IMX333 Exmor RS |
| Sensor type | |
| Sensor format | 1/2.55" |
| Pixel size | 1.4 µm (micrometers) 0.001400 mm (millimeters) |
| Svetlosila | f/1.7 |
| Focal length | 4.2 mm (millimeters) 26 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame) |
| line of sight | 77° (degrees) |
| Flash type The rear (rear) cameras of mobile devices mainly use LED flashes. They can be configured with one, two or more light sources and vary in shape. | Double LED |
| Image Resolution | 4032 x 3024 pixels 12.19 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution | 3840 x 2160 pixels 8.29 MP (megapixels) |
| 30fps (frames per second) | |
| Characteristics Information about additional software and hardware features of the rear (rear) camera. | Autofocus Continuous shooting Digital zoom Optical image stabilization Geographical tags Panoramic photography HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition White Balance Adjustment ISO Setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) |
| Available also with Samsung S5K2L2 (ISOCELL) Phase detection with Dual Pixel Object tracking AF Smart OIS High CRI LED flash 720p @ 240 fps |
Front-camera
Smartphones have one or more front cameras of various designs - a pop-up camera, a rotating camera, a cutout or hole in the display, an under-display camera.
| Sensor model Information about the manufacturer and model of the sensor used by the camera. | Sony IMX320 Exmor RS |
| Sensor type Information about the camera sensor type. Some of the most widely used types of sensors in mobile device cameras are CMOS, BSI, ISOCELL, etc. | CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) |
| Sensor format The optical format of the sensor is an indicator of its shape and size. Usually expressed in inches. | 1/3.6" |
| Pixel size Pixels are usually measured in microns. Larger pixels are able to capture more light and therefore provide better low-light photography and wider dynamic range than smaller pixels. On the other hand, smaller pixels allow for higher resolution while maintaining the same sensor size. | 1.22 µm (micrometers) 0.001220 mm (millimeters) |
| Svetlosila F-stop (also known as aperture, aperture, or f-number) is a measure of the size of a lens's aperture, which determines the amount of light entering the sensor. The lower the f-number, the larger the aperture and the more light reaches the sensor. Typically the f-number is specified to correspond to the maximum possible aperture of the aperture. | f/1.7 |
| Focal length Focal length indicates the distance in millimeters from the sensor to the optical center of the lens. Equivalent focal length (35mm) is the focal length of a mobile device camera equal to the focal length of a 35mm full-frame sensor, which will achieve the same viewing angle. It is calculated by multiplying the actual focal length of a mobile device's camera by the crop factor of its sensor. Crop factor can be defined as the ratio between the diagonals of a 35 mm full-frame sensor and the sensor of a mobile device. | 2.95 mm (millimeters) 25 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame) |
| line of sight The field of view shows how much of the scene in front of the camera will be captured. This depends not only on the focal length, but also on the size of the sensor. It can be calculated using the viewing angle of the optics and the crop factor of the sensor. The viewing angle is the angle between the two farthest diagonal points of the frame. | 80° (degrees) |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of cameras is resolution. It represents the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. For convenience, smartphone manufacturers often list resolution in megapixels, indicating the approximate number of pixels in millions. | 3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum video resolution that the camera can record. | 2560 x 1440 pixels 3.69 MP (megapixels) |
| Video recording speed (frame rate) Information about the maximum recording speed (frames per second, fps) supported by the camera at maximum resolution. Some of the most basic video recording speeds are 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps. | 30fps (frames per second) |
| Available also with Samsung S5K3H1 Auto HDR |
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.
| Version There are several versions of Bluetooth, with each subsequent one improving communication speed, coverage, and making devices easier to discover and connect. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device. | 5.0 |
| Characteristics Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols that provide faster data transfer, energy savings, improved device discovery, etc. Some of these profiles and protocols that the device supports are shown here. | A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) AVRCP (Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile) DIP (Device ID Profile) HFP (Hands-Free Profile) HID (Human Interface Profile) HSP (Headset Profile) LE (Low Energy) MAP (Message Access Profile) OPP (Object Push Profile) PAN (Personal Area Networking Profile) PBAP/PAB (Phone Book Access Profile) |
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
| Browser Information about some of the main characteristics and standards supported by the device's browser. | HTML HTML5 CSS 3 |
Audio file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different audio file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital audio data.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.
| Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours. | 3000 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used batteries in mobile devices. | Li-Ion (Lithium-ion) |
| 2G talk time 2G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 2G network. | 29 h (hours) 1740 min (minutes) 1.2 days |
| 3G talk time 3G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network. | 29 h (hours) 1740 min (minutes) 1.2 days |
| Adapter output power Information about the electrical current (measured in amperes) and electrical voltage (measured in volts) that the charger supplies (power output). Higher power output ensures faster battery charging. | 5 V (volts) / 2 A (amps) 9 V (volts) / 1.67 A (amps) |
| Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery. | Wireless charger Fast charging Fixed |
| Qi/PMA wireless charging |
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)
The SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.
| Head SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. The maximum value used in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are regulated by the CTIA, and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values. | 0.24 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest permissible SAR value in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA monitors mobile devices' compliance with this standard. | 0.48 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
The appearance of the new flagship Samsung Galaxy s8 before a wide audience was expected by many. According to the manufacturer, the model was supposed to change the way users think about a mobile phone. Therefore, many made a wide variety of assumptions. For example, users expected dual cameras and new hardware platform indicators. Many of the assumptions came true. However, the most striking and unexpected highlight was the design, the new screen format and the methods for fitting it into a fairly compact body. The Samsung Galaxy c8 was truly the first of the most recognizable devices on the market.
The following table shows the main characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy s8.
| CPU | Eight-core Exynos Octa 8895, 10 nm process technology, proprietary Samsung |
| GP | MaliG71-MP20 |
| RAM/ROM | 4 GB/64 GB, in selected markets – 3 GB/64 GB |
| SuperAMOLED, 5/8 inches, 579 ppi, 2960x1140 pixels | |
| Cameras | 12.2 MP main, flash, optical + software stabilization 8 MP front, software stabilization, panning |
| Connection | GSM, HSPA |
| Data | 3G, 4G LTE |
| Wireless technologies | WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0 with the ability to connect 2 devices, ANT+, NFC |
| Sensors | Heart rate, proximity, light, accelerometer, compass, barometer, fingerprint, face scanner, retina scanner, Hall sensor |
| Protection | Gorilla Glass 5, IP68 water and dust resistant |
The phone has dimensions of 149x68x8 mm (height, width, thickness), is made of glass and metal, and weighs 155 g.
Design and ergonomics
The first thing that catches your eye when looking at the Samsung Galaxy 8 is its unique screen. The manufacturing company named the smartphone model with infinity display, and indeed it is. The Galaxy s8 has minimal bezels, maximum free display area, and a unique shape with rounded edges. The smartphone really looks stylish, expensive, it is recognizable and original.
The device body is made around a power aluminum frame. It is made deliberately thin to highlight the unusual shape of the edge-to-edge display. The front panel has undergone the biggest changes compared to other C-line devices. Here no buttons at the bottom. Thin lines slightly limit the working space of the display. The navigation buttons are now located directly on the screen, which was easy to do given its huge size.
Samsung Galaxy s8
The arrangement of control elements and interfaces on the edges of the Galaxy s8 is quite familiar to users who prefer Samsung products.
On the back panel there is a camera block, next to which there is a flash and a heart rate sensor. Here, on the lid, they moved Fingerprint's scanner. Its location on the top may make you think about the difficulties of touch. However, reviews from owners say that this is not true. You can easily reach the scanner and it is quite convenient to do this, unlike the Samsung Galaxy s8+ model.
The most interesting thing is the set of sensors on the top line of the front panel of the phone. Here, in addition to the expected, well-disguised earpiece, there are no less familiar camera eyes and a light sensor. The functionality of the latter has been expanded; now it also works as an RGB color detector. New element in the top line of the front panel — IRIS recognition scanner. Its resolution is 3.7 megapixels, which, coupled with special IR illumination, made it possible to achieve high speed and accuracy of owner identification.
Another feature that the Samsung Galaxy s8 smartphone boasts is maximum protection against water and dust according to the IP68 standard. The model works even with long-term immersion in water, but the manufacturer does not state the depth to which the device can be placed. However, with average use, extreme tests are not required; it is enough that the Samsung Galaxy s8 operates reliably even under a continuous stream of water.
The glass from which the body is made has high-quality oleophobic coating in the display area. There are practically no fingerprints left on it, and any that appear can be removed without any difficulty. The situation with the back cover is a little worse. Here the coverage is of lower quality, leaving more prints. Accuracy will not help much here: it is on the back surface that the fingerprint scanner is located, which you need to reach for quite often.
Important! As some owner reviews indicate, Samsung Galaxy s8 smartphones can be scratched if carried in the same pocket with change and keys. This applies primarily to the back cover. Therefore, it is recommended to choose a suitable case; fortunately, Samsung offers a wide range of such products with a wide variety of characteristics.
From the description of the screen you can make a full review of the Samsung Galaxy s8. This is a kind of business card, the face of the model’s style. The display uses a SuperAMOLED matrix with a diagonal of 5.8 inches. Such an impressive size, unexpectedly for many users, did not lead to an increase in the dimensions of the model. Minimal frames, rounded edges, a rising format - all this made it possible to ensure that the Galaxy 8 phone is smaller in size than any product with a 16:9 screen format. In addition, the display has a resolution of 2960x1440 pixels (570 pixels per inch) with aspect ratio 18.5:9. This unusual format made it possible to achieve a slight decrease in the viewing area with an extremely small increase in the dimensions of the device.
Important! Using a device with such an unusual display is convenient. If you review the Galaxy s8, focusing on ease of manipulation, you can find many positive reviews from owners. Even the very top of the screen is easy to reach.
The non-standard display format explains why Samsung chose this utilitarian and neutral design of horizontal stripes on the front panel of the device. Some games when stretched to full screen are not scaled correctly. To prevent this from happening, the size of the working window is measured so that it occupies the entire width of the display. At the same time, black stripes remain at the top and bottom, which are concealed by the design of the panel and become invisible.
The usual ones for the C series are also present. matrix illumination settings. The user is offered the following modes:
- adaptive, with automatic adjustment of color tone and backlight depending on external conditions;
- AMOLED cinema with a lower brightness limit;
- AMOLED photo with balancing of parameters depending on the screen output;
- basic, with user-settable settings for color tone and display brightness.
Important! The screen resolution can be changed manually. There is also an eye protection mode when reading with suppression of the blue component of the spectrum. You can set up a work schedule for it.
The screen as a whole shows excellent color gamut and display authenticity. This smartphone managed to neutralize the main problem of AMOLED displays with shift of the spectrum to blue at borderline viewing angles. As a result, images on the Samsung Galaxy s8 screen look almost perfect.
Hardware platform
The heart of the Galaxy S8 computing platform is the Exynos 8895 processor from Samsung. This is a chip made using a 10 nm process technology. Eight CPU cores operating in fours show excellent performance.
Lag-free graphics processing even in high-demand games is thanks to the top-end MaliG71-MP20 processor. It is 20% faster than the chip in the well-performing Galaxy S7. In principle, the C8 platform does not have any performance problems. Even the most demanding games run with maximum graphics settings. For example, high-level tests with Car Chase show rendering as high as 768.7 frames per second.
3 GB, and for some versions 4 GB of RAM, allow the Galaxy S8 to serve two running applications simultaneously. At the same time, the processor platform shows not only balanced power consumption, but also low heat generation. There are no noticeably hot areas on the case even at maximum load.
Autonomy
The Samsung Galaxy s8 model was the first in the company's series of products to receive a more thoroughly tested battery controlled by an improved algorithm. The battery capacity is 3000 mAh. The device shows impressive battery life characteristics compared to its predecessors. Of course, we are far from reaching records, but the positive trend is obvious.
When playing full-screen FullHD video with maximum volume, backlight brightness Samsung Galaxy s8 open until 19:00. With normal use, with modems turned on, messengers running, calls and 4 hours of screen activity, the device operates for up to a day and a half.
The periods of operation measured by the owners from one battery are as follows (Works 2.0 PCMark test, with a display brightness of 200 cd/sq.m, with processor load):
- Screen resolution 1480x720 - 9 hours of operation;
- resolution 2200x1080 - 8 hours of operation;
- The maximum display resolution is 7 hours.
These are very good results for a synthetic test. In practice, users note that with reasonable configuration of energy-saving modes, it is easy to get the Samsung Galaxy s8 to work for two days with a total display luminosity time of up to 8 hours.
Important! The system supports two wireless charging formats. This is very convenient for those who use several devices at the same time. Fast charging mode is supported for both wired and wireless ways to recharge the battery.
Cameras
The general opinion of testers and device owners is that the Samsung Galaxy s8 model takes even better quality pictures than its predecessor, the Galaxy s7. And this is with the same installed camera sensors. These are truly advanced products that are capable of confident shooting in the dark thanks to a reduction in the physical dimensions of the matrix pixels, focusing based on information from 100% of the photosensitive elements.
New algorithms for working with photographs that the Samsung Galaxy s8 uses allow you to get almost perfect pictures. In addition, the front camera of the Samsung Galaxy s8 has added megapixels. Now it has 8 megapixels and takes really good selfies, records improved video with software image stabilization, and has learned how to stitch together pictures for panning.
The main camera of the Samsung Galaxy s8 has also changed. The resolution of the unique, specially designed Sony sensor is 12.2 megapixels. From new features that distinguish the camera from the previous revision can be noted:
- recording pictures in RAW;
- a new control shell with zoom, for which you just move the shutter button;
- improved HDR;
- improved macro photography algorithms;
- new processors for backlit images;
- improved picture detail in low light.
The main camera began to make almost perfect videos. The reason is additional software image stabilization, which is activated in particularly difficult cases where optical capabilities may not be enough.
Is it worth buying
A critical user may notice that the Samsung Galaxy s8 does not offer a revolution compared to the previous flagship. The phone has become expectedly faster. The photos have improved a little. But the main thing worth buying the Samsung Galaxy s8 for is its unique appearance and truly unrivaled screen quality. If you add to this protection from water and dust, durable fifth-generation Gorilla Glass, face identification and an improved power supply system, it becomes clear that the model is truly capable of winning hearts.
Samsung Galaxy s8
Another holiday has come for fans of the Samsung brand; two wonderful smartphones will go on sale at once - Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. Being followers of the Galaxy S7 and direct competitors of the Apple iPhone 7, both devices are worthy of their owners. The convenient design and powerful hardware of the Galaxy S8 are impressive, which is worth talking about in more detail.
Design and interface
Touching and swiping, pinch and spread your fingers - all this is included in the properties of the touchscreen interface. Changing applications is improved by 3D Touch technology, which distinguishes the pressure of fingers (Peek, Pop). All electronic components are enclosed in a durable glass case, and the display measures 5.8 inches diagonally. The front panel belongs almost entirely to the screen, the edges of which are rounded even to the side edges. A small strip is left at the top, on which you can see the peephole of the 12 MP main camera and the double flash LED. The rear panel has an 8 MP front camera, a flash and a biometric scanner. Below is the brand's signature inscription. By color scheme Samsung Galaxy S8 It will be available in only three variants: dark black, orchid gray and silver. But even this choice is quite enough not to miss the moment of purchase.
An innovation of the device is the use of a DeX docking station, which is connected to a USB Type-C cable. The appearance of additional HDMI output and two USB ports significantly expand the functionality of the gadget as a PC. Another useful assistant is the Bixby option - voice command assistant.
OS and more
The Android platform, even the latest generation, is somewhat different in content from Apple's iOS indicators, in some moments even surpassing its competitor. The proprietary processor (for Russia) is represented by the Exynos 8895 brand; for the USA it will be replaced by the Snapdragon 835 from Qualcomm. According to its main parameters, it is designed for 4 GB of RAM, while the main one will not exceed 64 GB. Expansion via microchip 128/256 GB is allowed. Responsibility for graphics support lies with the Mali G71 accelerator, which is quite sufficient for high-quality images of not only text information, but also photos and video materials. Performance is also possible thanks to the presence of universal Flash Storage, with the built-in Generation of the second version.
Samsung is one of the leading manufacturers of mobile phones and tablets today. The Samsung phone lineup contains devices of various classes - from budget devices with a minimum of functions to top-end expensive models that incorporate the latest achievements of engineering. In this article you will learn everything about these phones.
Flagship
For many years now, the flagship of this company has been the Galaxy S series, which is currently in its seventh generation. Previous Galaxy models can also be purchased at mobile phone stores, but they are no longer produced.
Today, the Samsung phone lineup is headed by the Galaxy S7. The company used all the developments in the device and added support for all the functions that they have at their disposal. The device is still controlled by Android. The heart of the smartphone is an 8-core processor, a 4GB RAM module and a 32 or 64 GB hard drive, depending on the version. If this turns out to be not enough, you can always install a memory card with a capacity of up to 200 GB.
The smartphone display is worthy of special praise. The large 5.1-inch screen with 2K resolution will surprise even the most experienced user. The display has the best viewing angles and color reproduction among all competitors. The only worthy rival today is the Apple iPhone 6 and all its modifications.
Galaxy S7 has a Note version. The gadget has an enlarged screen - 5.7 inches. Otherwise the characteristics remain the same. The device was created for those who found the display of the main model small.
Middle price segment
Next in the line of Samsung phones is the Galaxy J line. In terms of technical equipment, this series is slightly weaker than the flagship, but the cost is much more favorable. The J7 smartphone is equipped with a 5.5-inch display with Full-HD resolution. There is the same processor with 8 cores, but its frequencies are reduced. The device is controlled by the Android operating system version 5.1. The amount of RAM is 3GB. For storage there is a 16 GB hard drive and an additional slot for memory cards up to 128 GB.
Budget smartphones
The line of Samsung phones continues with a more budget device - the Galaxy J1. For modest money you get a fairly productive device. It has a 4-core processor, 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage with support for memory cards up to 128 GB. The screen resolution is a little frustrating - only 800 by 480 pixels. However, with a small diagonal of 4 inches, the image looks good. The picture is distorted only when tilted strongly, and practically does not fade in the sun.
Samsung phone (metal case): model range
The company presented a separate line of devices in an all-metal case. The smartphone became a pioneer in this area. The creators emphasize that the main thing in it is the appearance and stylish design, and not the technical equipment. Therefore, it’s worth purchasing the A7 just for the metal body. If you're looking for performance, look no further than the S line.
This is the lineup of Samsung mobile phones for 2016. In addition, you can purchase all previous models if you find them in online stores or communication stores. This article describes only current devices that the company currently produces.
