Full review of samsung galaxy note 8. Samsung Galaxy Note8 SD835 - Specifications. Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances

14.03.2020

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The Galaxy Note 8 smartphone was supposed to do more than just offer a large screen and a stylus to its few fans. It came out after the disastrous Galaxy Note 7, as a result of which increased attention was focused on it. Samsung couldn't afford to make a mistake.

And she was not mistaken. Since then, an even more luxurious and expensive one has already appeared on sale. Too expensive for many, which raises the question of whether it would be better to buy the Galaxy Note 8 cheaper. Let's see how relevant it looks at the end of 2018.

Specifications

Dimensions and weight: 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6 mm, 195 g
Materials: glass, aluminum
Biometrics: fingerprint scanner, facial recognition, iris
Protection: IP68
Colors: black, gray
OS: Android 8.0, Samsung Experience
Screen: 6.3 inches Super AMOLED, 1440 x 2960, 522 ppi, 82.98%, HDR
Cameras: rear 12 MP, LED flash, aperture f/1.7, pixel size 1.4 microns, focal length 26 mm, sensor size 1/2.55 inches, optical zoom; second camera 12 MP, f/2.4, viewing angle 45 degrees; phase detection autofocus, optical image stabilization; video 4K 30 fps. Front 8 MP, HDR.
Processor: Snapdragon 835 8-core 64 bit, Kryo 280 2350 MHz, 10 nm, Adreno 540
Memory: 6 GB, storage 64 GB, microSD up to 256 GB
Battery: 3300 mAh

What remains at a high level

Screen

It's impossible to argue that Samsung is the leading manufacturer of smartphone panels. Galaxy Note 8 works with Samsung screen Super AMOLED with a diagonal of 6.3 inches. He's not inferior at all the best devices this year. Large panels with an aspect ratio of 18:9 have become commonplace these days. Despite this, bright and juicy Galaxy screen Note 8 remains one of the highest quality. Plus, it doesn't have a cutout. Not all users are ready to tolerate them.

Performance

Almost every day this year, smartphones with the Snapdragon 845 processor are released. Its advantages have already been discussed several times. It is fast and energy efficient. This doesn't mean the Snapdragon 835-powered Galaxy Note 8 is slow. Experience with it for a week showed that its power is more than sufficient for everyday tasks. The same applies to modern mobile games. When comparing the Galaxy Note 8 to the Galaxy S9+, sometimes the latter performs a little smoother. However, ordinary users do not make such comparisons, only reviewers.

S Pen stylus

If you want a smartphone with a stylus, you don't have much choice. There is an LG device that is difficult to obtain in Russia, but it is not of such a high level. The ability to handwrite and draw on the screen has remained one of the most attractive features of the Galaxy Note line since the introduction of the Galaxy Note line. Last year's stylus received a number of innovations that were not present in previous models.

For example, Screen function Off Memo, which allows you to record notes when the screen is off using a stylus. Up to 100 pages of records are now supported before the device needs to be unlocked. Text translation allows you to use a stylus to convert an entire paragraph from one language to another. By comparison, on the Galaxy Note 7 you could only translate individual words. There are also live messages with which you can create GIF animation. Combine that with the other S Pen functionality that's been introduced over the years, and you'll end up with a very interesting device. True, the Galaxy Note 9 stylus has even more possibilities.

However, many are quite capable of living without handwriting. If this applies to you, you'll only need a stylus to click a button while you're thinking about something.

What has become outdated

Cameras

The Galaxy Note 8 was Samsung's first with dual rear camera. Given the skills of this sensor manufacturer, no one was surprised that the device contains very high-quality cameras. They remain so to this day. However, competitors are not asleep and offer even more interesting solutions.

The Pixel 2 smartphones came out a few months after the Galaxy Note 8 and became the best camera phones. Samsung's excellent optics proved unable to compete with Google's HDR+ image processing. In addition, Pixel 2 devices contain a separate Visual Core chip to perform complex image processing algorithms in third party applications. Then it was released Huawei smartphone P20 Pro with a triple camera, which are on the body not for beauty. As a result, this device has become a leader in photographic capabilities.

Samsung itself released in the first half of this year Galaxy smartphones S9 and Galaxy S9+. There was a variable aperture, which improved the quality of shooting in low light compared to the Galaxy Note 8. In daylight, photos look about the same.

Software updates

Galaxy Note 8 came out with Android 7 Nougat and received an update to Android 8 Oreo in 2018. There were some functionality and optimization. The developers suggested a new style clock on the Always On Display screen. It's now easier to send animated GIFs from your stock Samsung keyboard. You can install multiple instances of instant messengers like WhatsApp and Telegram. This list can be continued for a long time.

Why software Is the Galaxy Note 8 listed as a defect? It's all about the frequency of updates. Galaxy Note 8 came out with Android 7.1.1 and hasn't even received Android 8.1 in a year. Who knows when Android 9.0 will appear on it and whether it will appear at all.

Autonomy

Smartphone batteries degrade over time. However, after the appearance of Android Oreo, Galaxy Note 8 devices began to work noticeably less without a power outlet. At first, the smartphone could function for a day and a half. Then the autonomy dropped and the device can discharge by 20% overnight.

Duration of work

Charging time

Many users have reported this, so this is not an isolated incident. Despite resetting the settings to factory defaults and cleaning everything possible, energy consumption remained elevated. One of the latest copies of the Galaxy Note 8 that Samsung provided for comparison does not have such problems. Perhaps the company changed something during the production process, but the owner of more earlier versions this won't help at all.

Should you upgrade from Galaxy Note 8?

Based on reviews and feedback from Galaxy Note 9 owners, we can say that there are no revolutionary changes in it. The camera has received a couple of new software features compared to the Galaxy S9+ cameras. Storage volumes of 128 and 512 GB are offered. The battery capacity is 4000 mAh, which can be called the most significant improvement in the new model.

You can also pay attention to the new stylus capabilities. It can now act as a remote control remote control, so you can scroll through images, control video and audio playback, etc. Perhaps this general-purpose functionality will make smartphones with a stylus more popular.

However, the price difference between the two generations of Galaxy Note is 20,000 rubles. Buyers will have to decide whether the latest model's changes are worth the difference. For unpretentious users, the Galaxy Note 8 will be more than enough for a long time.

Unsinkable stylus

The S Pen stylus is a distinctive feature of the Galaxy Note line. The pen recognizes 4096 degrees of pressure and glides easily across the screen. There is no feeling that you are scratching glass: the movements are natural and smooth.

Why do you need an S Pen? Draw, write down reminders, make notes on photos. Drawing with a pen is faster and more convenient than with your finger.

You can also draw notes on the locked screen. We take out the S Pen, press the button on the side and quickly write “Feed the Barsik”. The reminder flies into your notes or remains on the lock screen - so that you don’t forget about Barsik.

And no, the stylus will not get stuck if you insert it backwards into the smartphone. And yes, following the trends, the S Pen is not afraid of water. What if you feel like writing a note in the pool or in the rain?

New S Pen features are Live Messages and Translation. You saw how the first one works at the beginning of the review. The translation works like this:

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In two weeks of working with the Note 8, the stylus came in handy twice: to draw a route on a map and to translate one word on Instagram. This doesn't mean the S Pen is a bad thing. Creative and business people will find a use for it: it is a responsive and convenient tool for drawing and working. But most people simply don't need it.

Two cameras with zoom and portrait mode

Samsung equipped its flagship with a dual camera for the first time, and was the first in the world to add optical stabilization to both modules. Now you can shoot smooth videos and sharp photos not only in normal mode, but also with 2x optical zoom.

photos

Scroll through the gallery to evaluate the quality of the photos in different lighting and different shooting modes.

In our opinion, this is one of the best cameras to date. In poor lighting, only the HTC U11 () can compete. We are waiting for a quick response from LG V30, iPhone 8 and Google Pixel 2.

The main camera is wide-angle, with a focal length of 26 mm and an aperture of f/1.7. The second is a “narrow” TV camera with 52 mm. This roughly corresponds to the viewing angle of the human eye, so it is also suitable for taking portraits without distorting perspective. Both modules have a resolution of 12 megapixels.

Maximum Blur

No blur

Move the slider left and right to see the difference.

Optical zoom is available on many smartphones, for example, the iPhone 7 Plus. But it’s very cunning: when there is little light, the smartphone closes the “narrow” camera and shoots with the first, faster one. And it brings the object closer not with optical, but with digital zoom. Because of this, detail decreases.

Thanks to optical stabilization and the relatively high aperture of the second camera (f/2.4), the Galaxy Note 8 continues to shoot with it. Therefore, there is much less noise and grease.

And this is how the Galaxy Note 8 (left) and iPhone 7 Plus (right) take portraits in the dark:

It cannot be said that the one-year-old iPhone 7 Plus is inferior to the Galaxy Note 8. Both make mistakes with blurring of small, monochromatic details. The iPhone produces better detail, but the price for this is the “graininess” of the picture.

Let's not forget that Apple had a year to improve its processing algorithms, and two weeks have passed since the announcement of the Galaxy Note 8.

The front camera of the Galaxy Note 8 has the same aperture as the main one - f/1.7, 8 megapixel resolution. There is autofocus. In good lighting the quality is excellent, but in the dark the low dynamic range is noticeable. You can shoot 1440p video at 30 fps.

The display has no analogues

Short display Samsung Galaxy The S8 Plus was considered the best in the world: experts from DisplayMate crowned the Galaxy Note 8 champion. Its screen is 22% brighter, viewing angles are wider, and color reproduction is more correct.

It’s difficult to feel the difference, but the Galaxy Note 8’s display produces stunning images even under “hard” lighting is an undeniable fact. Colors cover the entire DCI-P3 gamut, and there is support for HDR10 with wide dynamic range.

The Galaxy Note 8 has an “infinity” screen, that is, with thin frames and an aspect ratio of 18.5:9. Therefore, a 6.3-inch diagonal does not sound like a death sentence: typing text and taking photographs with one hand is possible.

What's Samsung without Always On? It's here too. This is when the time and notification icons are highlighted on the locked screen, and the battery is not wasted. In theory. In fact, 8-10% per day “eats”, keep in mind.

Beautiful, but isn't it too huge?

Externally, Galaxy Note 8 is a strict, serious version. Square corners and flat edges have replaced smooth contours. At the same time, Note 8 has not lost its charm and charm.

The device is protected from water according to the IP68 standard, even when the S Pen is removed from the smartphone. If liquid flows into the groove, no problem. Have you ever wanted to paint pictures in the rain or by the sea? Go for it!

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 (6.3 inches) is taller and narrower than Apple iPhone 7 Plus (5.5 inches). Therefore, it is more convenient to hold it.

Many claim that the Galaxy Note 8 is more grippy than the S8 Plus. In fact, there is no difference - both are huge. The scanner is still high, it’s inconvenient to reach for it, and given the length of the smartphone, it’s dangerous.

You have to grab the device in your hand, which is not so scary: the Galaxy Note 8 “sticks” to your fingers quite well, despite the all-glass body made of Gorilla Glass 5. Glass is not afraid minor scratches, but it won’t save you from cracks if dropped.

photos

Look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 from all angles

Another way to unlock is by using the iris of the eye. True, people on the subway start looking strangely when, after 2-3 attempts, you lift your smartphone high and bulge your eyes, looking at the screen.

Will cope with any tasks

6 GB random access memory in Galaxy Note 8 and 4 GB in Galaxy S8 Plus. That's the whole difference in the hardware. Extra 2 GB will keep running more apps, but this does not affect the power in any way. Built-in memory can be 64, 128 or 256 GB.

In Russia and Europe a version with Samsung processor Exynos 8895, in the US - with Qualcomm Snapdragon 835. Both are eight-core, both are made on a power-efficient 10nm process. We have a European version on test, and here are its results in benchmarks:

When playing games, the smartphone practically does not heat up. WoT: Blitz on high settings graphics showed the maximum possible frame rate - 55-60. We switched the screen resolution from Full HD to Quad HD - the game dropped to 40 fps a couple of times, which is also not bad.

Other “heavy” games are in order: Asphalt Extreme, Dead Trigger 2 and Guns of Boom never lag. So business people - which is exactly who the Galaxy Note 8 is aimed at - can take a break during their break. The interface works smoothly, as befits a flagship.

During the test, the Internet behaved strangely: sometimes the connection “fell off”, when leaving the building I could not switch from 2G to 4G for a long time, and in the subway I most often did not receive 2G. This was not the case on the test Galaxy S8 Plus. We hope that this will not happen on the Galaxy Note 8 with the final firmware.

Music lovers will like the sound

The sound quality of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is no different from the Galaxy S8 Plus. One of the best among smartphones, but not the best: the HTC U11 is currently in the lead.

Galaxy Note 8 boasts a DAC from Wolfson, which is not bad AKG headset included and 3.5 mm audio jack. Samsung has not yet succumbed to the provocations of Apple and HTC, who have abandoned the jack. And this is good.

Alas, stereo speakers were not included in the Galaxy Note 8. For two people, one speaker on the bottom edge is responsible, and it does a good job: the volume reserve is large, and at maximum the sound does not turn into mush.

Everything can be customized

Out of the box, Samsung Galaxy Note 8 runs on Android 7.1.1 Nougat, and by the end of autumn the company promises to roll out Android update 8.0 Oreo. On top of the system is the Samsung proprietary shell.

The interface looks neat and spacious, most of the settings are really useful. But there are so many of them that, most likely, you will never use half of them.

The double icon at the bottom is called “Application Pair”. When you click on it, the screen is divided into two parts, each of which runs a program. You can create any pair.

Samsung is not giving up hope for the success of Bixby and is promoting its intelligent assistant. I even highlighted a separate button on the body. Bixby doesn’t understand Russian yet, so feel free to assign Google Assistant or any other application to this button. For example, through bxActions.

We got rid of jokes about the battery, but at what cost?

Last minute Galaxy batteries Note 7 forced Samsung to play it safe with batteries in Note 8. The capacity was reduced to 3300 mAh, and from now on each batch undergoes multi-stage control. Let me remind you that the Galaxy S8 Plus has a 3500 mAh battery.

For a smartphone where the main charge expense is the screen, the loss of 200 mAh is noticeable. The Galaxy S8 Plus worked for me from morning until 12 at night, and the Galaxy Note 8 went to charge at 9 o’clock in the evening. Screen operating time also dropped: from 5.5-6 hours on the Galaxy S8 Plus to 4.5 hours on the Galaxy Note 8.

The drop in survivability is confirmed by tests. We played Full HD video at maximum brightness until the battery was depleted, charged it again to 100% and did the same with the game Subway Surfers. What happened in the end, and how the competitors performed - look at the graph:

From a flagship for 70 thousand rubles you expect maximum features - and the Galaxy Note 8 gives them. In addition to maximum autonomy. And she plays an important role. Especially in a smartphone, which is “tailored” for work, communication, games and media content.

The pill will be sweetened quickly wireless charger and fast wired using Qualcomm Quickcharge 3.0 technology. Half an hour at the outlet, and the battery will last for 3-4 hours. Charging from 0 to 100% will take 1 hour 41 minutes.

Competitors

The Galaxy Note 8 will be fought by either new flagships or devices from the near future - iPhone 8, which will be shown on September 12, and Google Pixel 2.

The LG V30 has already entered the battle. It also has an elongated display with thin frames and dual camera, only instead of zoom - wide angle. The main module received optics with an f/1.6 aperture. In addition, the LG V30 is much more profitable: $750 versus $930 for the Galaxy Note 8. Sales will start on September 21 - a day before the Samsung flagship.

Now the main rival of the Galaxy Note 8 is its brother - the Galaxy S8 Plus (

Autumn is the time when flagships go on sale different companies, as well as the traditional time when we like to talk about the pitfalls of different products in the series of materials “10 reasons not to buy”. To start, the first smartphone is the flagship from Samsung, namely the Galaxy Note 8, which has just gone on sale in Russia. I've had it for more than a month, and I've accumulated a lot of impressions and feelings from this device. I’d like to make a reservation right away that I use Samsung smartphones as my main ones. Before that, the Galaxy S8+ was in this role for more than six months, however, now it’s my second one. Therefore, I’ll try to play the role of devil’s advocate and tell you about all the disadvantages that exist in Note 8 and can keep you from buying it. As always, we welcome comments that are informed, albeit emotional.

Reason #1. The price of the question - who will buy a smartphone for 70,000 rubles?

The trend in 2017 is that prices for flagships are starting to rise before our eyes, and the price of 70,000 rubles for Note 8 is not at all as astronomical as it might seem; a small iPhone X starts at 80,000 rubles. For each person there is a reasonable price for a certain category of goods, some buy smartphones for no more than 20 thousand rubles, some set the bar at 50 thousand, and some have no restrictions. There are not very many people in our country who are able and willing to buy a smartphone at a price above 60,000 rubles, but they exist and, as a rule, do not use burdensome loans or installment plans for this; they go and buy what they like. I don’t know how they negotiate with their inner toad, since the price of 70 thousand rubles is high and, whatever one may say, it’s more than a thousand dollars, the magical threshold after which even wealthy people wave their hands and say “well, screw it.”

At the moment of discussing the price, I immediately remember Pelevin’s bablonauts, who did not remember what life was like on the lower levels. Here the picture is approximately the same: those who have money and the desire to spend such money, in their hearts consider everyone else to be poor, but due to their upbringing they restrain themselves and do not talk about it. Although to be honest, some ill-mannered individuals do not hold back and publicly declare this. Therefore, for many buyers, purchasing such a smartphone is also a visual confirmation of their status. Which, in turn, repels the mass audience, which seems to be able to buy a phone, but does not want accusations of similarity to the first ones, and honors its appearance in the eyes of others. I prefer the third category, which simply uses the product and does not bother with how it looks in the eyes of the public.

Reason #2. In a year, it will not be possible to sell a Samsung smartphone for a significant amount

I see a phone as an investment as a bad investment, it's just a convenient tool to be used. However, there is a large category of people who save money for phones, and then want to sell them at a high price in order to purchase the next new product. Why not, after all, this consumer strategy is no worse than others.

Once upon a time, flagships from Samsung really fell greatly in price, but the iPhone remained more or less high level, and the secondary market for them was huge, but everything has changed. Now prices for Galaxy are decreasing slightly in official deliveries (on the gray market they are noticeably lower), and the secondary iPhone market has dropped significantly due to the emergence of new and cheaper iPhones of previous generations. There is no de facto difference, but the stereotype remains, so if for you a phone is an investment, then the Note 8 is one of the worst choices, since the device will noticeably depreciate in value on the secondary market within a year. On the other hand, many owners buy such smartphones with the expectation of 2-3 years of use and rarely resell them to someone else, since there is no point.

In principle, this point can safely include perception Samsung brands some people who still consider her not “elite” enough and therefore choose her out of spite. Both arguments are of the same breed.

Reason #3. The differences between the Note 8 and the Galaxy S8+ are minimal, so don't overpay

We look at the Galaxy S8+, then we look at the Note 8, you can easily confuse them in your hands, and if you don’t look at the devices, you won’t know which is which with 99% accuracy. A comparable screen and a slightly different diagonal, for some reason a necessary or unnecessary S Pen, and the price is 15,000 rubles more if we talk about the PCT device. Let’s also add the “dead”, according to correspondence estimates, battery in the Note 8 (it has a slightly lower capacity), and the picture is complete: the S8+ is more profitable in all respects.

The above reasoning is typical for most people, and the question here is not in the devices themselves, but in the scenarios for their use. For example, for creative people, those who draw and can do it on a smartphone, there is simply no alternative to this product, there are none. But there is no point in explaining this to a person who was not born with a brush in his hands; he still will not understand or appreciate it. It’s also impossible to explain that handwritten notes are better remembered and this is a different physiology of memory when hand motor skills are involved. If you don't understand why you need the S Pen, then you should watch the video below.

Still don’t understand why exactly you might need an S Pen? Then feel free to ignore this device and consider that you will overpay for a stylus that you simply won’t need in most situations.

Of the other differences, I’ll only note the dual camera, which in a number of situations takes noticeably better pictures than on the S8+. But given that the S8+ camera was the best for a long time last six months and will satisfy most users, the choice becomes far from obvious. Is it worth paying extra for the Note 8's dual camera? Don't know.

It was impossible to take such a photo even in the conditions that it was taken on the S8+; it would not have turned out so juicy, with a properly blurred background and visible cobwebs. A 2x optical zoom is used here.

In a word, the difference in cost must be somehow explained to their inner toad, and most will give in under its pressure; they will consider the Note 8 not innovative enough for themselves and will explain why this is so. And they will be right, each person chooses a device for their own use cases.

Reason #4. For fans of synthetic benchmarks, this is not the fastest smartphone on the planet

There is a small segment of technology enthusiasts in the world who want to get the most for their money. fast device, it was they who made all sorts of synthetic benchmarks so popular that they show performance in virtual parrots. The Note 8 has a fast processor that outperforms most of the models on the market, and the smartphone doesn't suffer from performance issues anywhere. But in iPhone 8, the optimization of the processor and its cores is such that the performance is higher, and that’s a fact. For example, this will affect how quickly your 4K video is converted on your phone, or you will start mining cryptocurrency for days on end, and there it will become even more important (you will mine one Bitcoin in about 8-10 years, but who cares? ?). If productivity = virtual parrots for you, then the Note 8 will definitely not suit you.

Reason #5. Mom, I love naked Android without skins!

A serious problem, since TouchWiz or the Clean UI that followed it is what turns many people away from buying Samsung devices. As a rule, they did not use them, but they know for sure that it is not very convenient, since they only accept pure Android without any add-ons. Unfortunately, sales of the Nexus line and then Google's Pixel show that few people need pure Android, but the stereotype is alive and participating in online battles. Whether you need pure Android or not, I don’t know. It seems to me that the phone needs to have a fast interface and be convenient. And if this is so, then what difference does it make? But these are my thoughts, you may have your own opinion on this matter.

Reason #6. It's big and uncomfortable - I want a smaller device

It’s impossible to say that the Note 8 is huge, but you can’t call it small either. In a man's hand it is normal, but in a woman's hand it already looks big, about the size of an iPhone 8 Plus. A large 6.3-inch screen requires sacrifice, and the size of the device has become such; one cannot go without the other, at least until folding flexible displays appeared.

The only question is what devices you are used to and what size you consider comfortable. As usual, everyone has their own opinion and choice on this topic. It's good that we are different and differ greatly in size.

Reason #7. You are constantly driving 24/7 and your phone is working non-stop.

I’ll leave aside those who are members of the Pentile witness sect, let’s talk about real people. For example, about those who constantly travel in a car and use navigation non-stop 24/7 for at least a week. It is precisely this mode of operation, preferably in a hot climate, that is needed for the degradation of the AMOLED screen to begin, which we see in store samples, when burnt marks from the interface are visible on the screen. In all other situations there is no problem as such, except that someone may not like the type of screen itself.

It's important to caution here. If you are saving your battery and like to set the backlight to the minimum level, then most likely you will experience screen flickering that is invisible to the eye, and this can cause a headache. There is no need to set the screen brightness to an extremely low level, this is an extreme, and it is only needed in moments when your battery is on its last legs. These are not the brightness levels that are needed in everyday life for comfortable use of the device. But, again, if you like almost semi-blind lighting for a room or for under-the-blanket mode, then look at models with TFT screens.

Reason #8. Location of the fingerprint sensor on the rear panel of the camera

If for some reason you cannot or do not want to use face unlock, then you are left with either a graphic design on the screen (what an antiquity!), or a fingerprint sensor on the rear panel. We've gotten used to the fingerprint sensor over the years, and having it moved to an inconvenient location is incredibly frustrating. You can get used to it, but it is inconvenient. A cover with a hole for the sensor saves the day, but even that is relative, it turns out to be some kind of collective farm.

Therefore, you need to either get used to face recognition, or look for a phone that has a sensor on the front panel, if you do not plan to retrain for something else.

Reason #9. Built-in NFC does not work with Troika cards

For those who constantly use Troika cards (metropolitan region), this may become a problem, since Samsung, for some security reasons, did not implement support for Mifare from NXP. For some reason, people constantly complain to me about this point, at least a dozen comments a week, although bringing a smartphone to the entrance is much more inconvenient than doing the same with a Troika card. But everyone has their own scenarios, and I don’t presume to judge who is better and what. It’s just like that, and there are no excuses for it, because it works for others.

Reason #10. Combined SIM and memory card slot

Everything here is obvious and simple - either you install two SIM cards and then you are limited to 64 GB of internal memory, which may not be enough for everyone, or you install one SIM card and a memory card. A vicious circle from which you cannot escape.

Let's draw conclusions...

Probably, someone will remember the lack of FM radio, which a device for that kind of money should certainly have, or will remember the IR port for control that once existed on flagships household appliances. But this is already an exotic thing that few people care about, and the main reasons for not buying Note 8 are listed above. For some, this may be a combination of several reasons, for others, just one is enough, and, as a rule, this is the cost of the smartphone.

In the comments, you can speak out about what exactly you don’t like, what is serious, and what you can close your eyes to. And most importantly, what the ideal Note should be like for you to purchase it.

P.S. Note Review 8, written with feeling, sense and arrangement, will be this week, most likely on Friday.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is a very boring and expensive flagship. In principle, we could have stopped there if things weren’t so bad.

But first let's look at Galaxy specifications Note 8 to understand what I'm going to criticize for new flagship Samsung.

Specifications Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Display: 6.3 inches, 2960 x 1440 pixels, Super AMOLED, 523 ppi, Always On, Gorilla Glass 5
Chipset: Exynos 9 Octa 8895, 8 cores (4 cores at 2.3 GHz and 4 cores at 1.7 GHz), 10 nm, 64 bit. Mali-G71 Graphics
RAM: 6GB LPDDR4
Built-in memory: 64 GB UFS 2.1
Main camera: dual, 12 MP, Dual Pixel, 1.4 μm, 1/2.55″, autofocus, flash, optical image stabilization, f/1.7 + f/2.4, 2x optical zoom, 4K video recording
Front camera: 8 MP, f/1.7, 1/3.6″, 1.22 µm
Communication: GSM/GPRS/EDGE (900/1800/1900 MHz), WCDMA/HSPA (900/2100 MHz), FDD-LTE (1, 3, 7), TD-SCDMA (34, 39), TD-LTE ( 40), Bluetooth 5.0 LE, Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac), MIMO, NFC
Connectors: USB Type-C 3.1, 3.5 mm mini-jack
Battery: 3300 mAh
Case material: glass, metal
Operating system: Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Dimensions: 162.6 x 74.8 x 8.5 mm, weight - 190 grams
Features: IP68 waterproof, wireless charging, iris scanner

The package includes headphones from AKG, and for those who pre-order, they also offer a DeX docking station.

Impressions from the Galaxy Note 8 presentation

Samsung's online broadcast left a mixed impression. On the one hand, I liked the professionalism of the Korean company; they really tried to make the presentation of the Galaxy Note 8 high-quality.

Everything worked smoothly, nothing lags. The stage where the event took place looked cool. It is immediately clear that the presentation was prepared by the number one company on the market, everything is expensive and rich. People love this.

But on the other hand, people miss “Amazing” and bright tricks. Enterprising Koreans, of course, put pressure on the strengths of their product, but compared to Apple, they look like naive children. Too obvious, too clumsy. Well it doesn't work like that!

It's not enough for people to list how cool and powerful the new Galaxy Note 8 is. They want unusual features that they haven't seen anywhere before or that were "reinvented" right on stage. All the innovations that we saw in this product already exist on the market in one way or another.

Even the innovative stylus is no different from the past in Explosive. They added only a couple of additional features, which no one will understand anyway.

What else? Oh yes, dual camera with 2x zoom. We also saw this in the iPhone 7 Plus, and besides it, such solutions are implemented in Xiaomi Mi6 and Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom.

If we remove the stylus and dual camera, then we have an almost complete clone of the Galaxy S8+. Except that appearance the Galaxy Note 8 is a little different. About it in the next paragraph.

Galaxy Note 8 design or How to squeeze all the juice out of a successful concept

The design of the Galaxy Note 8 heavily exploits the ideas of the Galaxy S8. Here is exactly the same layout of connectors and control elements, the same body materials. The appearance and elongated screen also remind us of this.

The focus on the business audience in the Galaxy Note 8 can be seen only in the more angular body, similar to a notepad. But overall, it's almost full copy Samsung's main flagship.

Is this bad? For the end user, probably not, because the design of the Galaxy Note 8 is truly laconic and in keeping with the times.

But it also becomes obvious that Samsung created the Galaxy Note 8 on a residual basis, in addition to the Galaxy S8/S8+. The Note line is no longer the company's technological crown; it is simply a premium product with an expanded set of functions and a maximum markup.

The Galaxy Note 8 uses the exact same hardware platform as the Galaxy S8, but will sell for significantly more. Not a bad profit out of the blue.

What's wrong with the Galaxy Note 8

The Galaxy Note 8's worst enemy is not competition from Apple's upcoming iPhones, but its horribly inflated starting price. Give for an angular copy of Galaxy S8+ with a dual camera and stylus 70,000 rubles (in Europe this is 1000 euros. Europeans are shocked) is stupid to say the least.

For me, such a markup generally seems wild. The smartphone uses hardware from early 2017; there are no innovations here like an under-glass scanner or a super-advanced camera. Everything is at the market level, where there are no smartphones at this price even close.

It makes no sense to say that this is a unique product, since the presence of a stylus is not any real advantage. This is a niche feature that is needed by a minority of users.

Remaining

To summarize, I want to say that despite the lack of innovation and real advantages, the Galaxy Note 8 will have good sales. Especially among operators, smartphones will be actively purchased along with contracts.

In many ways Galaxy sales The Note 8 will be backed by very aggressive marketing. Samsung is going to have a stranglehold on the market ahead of the announcement of new iPhones. This is already evident in the Russian market, where the same Murtazin, foaming at the mouth, proves the uniqueness of the Galaxy Note 8 and its superiority over the not yet released iPhone 8.

This will invariably bear fruit, but will the Galaxy Note 8 be at least a third as successful in terms of sales as the Galaxy S8+ - big question. In Russia, Note 8 will definitely receive a cold reception.

Specifications Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Display: 6.3”, 2960 x 1440 pixels, Super AMOLED, 523 ppi, Always On, Gorilla Glass 5
Chipset: 8 cores (4 cores at 2.3 GHz and 4 cores at 1.7 GHz), 10 nm, 64 bit, Exynos 9 Octa 8895 | 8 cores (4 cores at 2.35 GHz and 4 cores at 1.9 GHz), 10 nm, 64 bit, Snapdragon 835 (in some regions)
RAM: 6 GB LPDDR4
Built-in memory: 64/256 GB (UFS 2.1)
Main camera: dual, 12 MP, Dual Pixel, 1.4 micron, 1/2.55″, autofocus, flash, optical stabilization, f/1.7 + f/2.4, 2x optical zoom, 4K video recording
Front camera: 8 MP, f/1.7, 1/3.6″, 1.22 µm
Communications: 4G LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac), MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0 LE, NFC
Connectors: USB Type-C 3.1, 3.5 mm mini-jack
Battery: 3300 mAh, fast charging
Case material: glass, metal
Operating system: Android 7.1.1 Nougat with Grace UX shell
Dimensions: 162.6 x 74.8 x 8.5 mm, weight - 190 grams
Features: IP68 waterproof, iris scanner, super-ultra-mega S Pen stylus

First impressions of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8

The site has already been published, in which all the dubious aspects of the new product were highlighted. And at IFA 2017, I managed to get a smartphone for a couple of hours and use it live.

This is not full-fledged Galaxy review Note 8, but just my thoughts after a short conversation with it.

Design. Angular Galaxy S8+

I can just see how Samsung marketers are thinking: “Hey, designers! Make it like S8+, but make it look solid!” The designers looked at each other, took the Galaxy S8+ model and removed the streamlined edges. That's all.

The design of the Galaxy Note 8 is easiest to describe - the angular Galaxy S8+ with a stylus. If you don't look at the back, you won't see any differences anymore.

Taking the phone in my hands, I realize that in order to use the stylus I had to sacrifice the curved edges. The Galaxy Note 8 almost does not have that streamlined glass shape, smoothly transitioning from the glass to the ends.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 - angular Galaxy S8+ with a stylus.

The phone digs into your hand, holding it is uncomfortable and even unpleasant. And it’s also scary to intercept the curtains to get to them, not even an hour will come.

But I liked the back side of the Galaxy Note 8 more than the Galaxy S8. Samsung designers have finalized the appearance and layout of the dual camera unit and fingerprint scanner.

The only pity is that using the scanner has become even more difficult. If in the Galaxy S8 I could easily reach the scanner, in the S8+ it was difficult, then in the Note 8 I could not reach it. Using the fingerprint sensor is simply unbearable - you have to constantly grab the phone higher.

I didn't like the design of the Galaxy Note 8, the original Galaxy S8+ looks better and, most importantly, it remains a more innovative product.

Screen. Cool, but flickers

Partially negative thoughts about the design of the Galaxy Note 8 are extinguished positive impressions from his screen.

The 6.3-inch display of the Galaxy Note 8 is really cool - super bright and contrasty. Very responsive and a pleasure to work with. No wonder he is called one of the best mobile screens On the market. Although 4K Xperia screen I liked XZ Premium () no less.

But when shooting a review, the screen flickered. Moreover, this is not a problem with OLED screens, because the same LG V30 does not have any flickering in photographs, but on the Galaxy Note 8 it is clearly visible.

I think this is due to the Note 8's insufficient desktop refresh rate. It may well be that the smartphone lowers the frequency, setting it to less than 60 Hz, to save energy. The eyes don't notice it, but the camera records everything.

Camera. Best dual camera

The camera is another one strong point Galaxy Note 8. I even agree here with other reviewers that in terms of camera, the Samsung phablet can easily be placed in the TOP 3 smartphones on the market along with Google Pixel and HTC U11.

The new LG V30 (), which I tested at IFA 2017, seems promising, but I'm afraid that it can't compete with the Note 8.

The Galaxy Note 8 takes excellent photographs, and this applies not only to the wide-angle camera. Thanks to optical stabilization and the f/2.4 aperture, the portrait camera takes photos almost as cool as the main one. You can still see the difference indoors, there is more noise on the TV, but outdoors everything is quite good.

I do not exclude the possibility that new iPhone X will beat the Galaxy Note 8 in terms of photography, but now it's a Samsung phablet the best option with a telephoto lens.

Software and shell

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 runs on Android 7.1.1 Nougat with the proprietary Grace UX shell. In terms of software, everything is the same as the Galaxy S8, there are no differences. The only novelty is the possibilities associated with using the S-Pen stylus.

By the way, Samsung has already announced they are working on an update

It’s better to talk about all the features of the S-Pen in a full review, but I note that during a short test I didn’t even have the desire to take it out. It's a niche thing; many people won't care about the stylus.

Total

If you look at the Galaxy Note 8 in isolation from its cost, then I liked the smartphone. A large, high-quality screen, a top-end dual camera and a bunch of Samsung features, like DeX, virtual reality and a retinal scanner.

Everything seems cool and technologically advanced, but the overall impression is spoiled by the angular design and lack of ergonomics of the case. It simply doesn’t exist; it’s impossible to use a smartphone with one hand. I’m not talking about the fingerprint sensor at all, it’s useless.

The S-Pen stylus is a nice thing, but there's no real need for it. It's just an add-on additional opportunity like virtual reality. Yes - good, no - oh well.

The stylus and dual camera are little consolation for poor ergonomics and a price of 70,000 rubles.

In my opinion, for amateurs Samsung smartphones It’s better to take a closer look at the Galaxy S8+ 6GB 128GB (58,000 rubles on Yandex.Market). The same fast and technologically advanced device, but more convenient for everyday use.