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Introduction
The successor to the Samsung Galaxy Note 4/5 is finally here - meet the Galaxy Note8. Wait, what? Okay, Europeans didn't get the Note5 because, you know... Samsung, and we all know how the Note7 lived a shorter product life than it deserved. So in a way, a few of us Note-lovers have been stuck with three-year-old Notes, looking at some poor S-Pen-less S7 edges and S8s to fill the void.
Historically, Notes have been more or less identical to the Galaxy S-series flagship of the respective year, only with a bigger display and an S-Pen. Not this one, though - with the Galaxy Note8 Samsung finally takes the plunge into dual camera territory. And not just any dual camera - it's the best one there is, Samsung says. They might have a point, we theorize, looking at the specs.
It might be a controversial way of wording this, but Samsung went the Apple way with this dual camera setup - a regular wide-angle cam and a telephoto cam with twice the equivalent focal length. The former comes straight off the Galaxy S8 and S7 before that, while the latter is a new one - a 12MP Type 1/3.4" sensor is placed behind a f/2.4 aperture lens. Both the sensor size and the aperture are larger than what you'd find on the iPhone 7 Plus, but the winning doesn't end there - Samsung's tele lens is stabilized, while the sensor comes with dual pixel autofocus. Dual camera with dual pixel autofocus and dual OIS, then.
Samsung Galaxy Note8 at a glance
- Body: Polished aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 5 front and back; IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. Midnight Black, Orchid Grey, Deepsea Blue, Maple Gold color schemes.
- Display: 6.3" Super AMOLED 'Infinity Display', 2,960x1440px resolution, 18.5:9 (2.06:1) aspect ratio, 522ppi; HDR 10 compliant (no Dolby Vision).
- Rear camera: Primary 12MP, Type 1/2.55" sensor, f/1.7 aperture, 26mm equiv. focal length; Secondary 12MP, Type 1/3.4" sensor, f/2.4 aperture, 52mm equiv. focal length; dual pixel phase detection autofocus and OIS on both; 2x zoom. 2160p/30fps video recording.
- Front camera: 8MP, f/1.7 aperture, autofocus; 1440p/30fps video recording.
- OS/Software: Android 7.1.1 Nougat; Samsung Grace UX; Bixby virtual assistant; Smart Connect, Smart Connect Home
- Chipsets:Qualcomm Snapdragon 835: octa-core CPU (4x2.35GHz Kryo 280 & 4x1.9GHz Kryo 280), Adreno 540 GPU. Exynos 8895: octa-core CPU (4x2nd-gen Mongoose 2.3GHz + 4xCortex-A53 1.7GHz), Mali-G71 GPU.
- Memory: 6GB of RAM; 64GB of storage; microSD slot for cards up to 256GB, UFS cards support.
- Battery: 3,300mAh Li-Po (sealed); Adaptive Fast Charging (same as S7/S8); QuickCharge 2.0 support; WPC (Qi)&PMA wireless charging.
- Connectivity: Single-SIM, Dual-SIM available in certain markets; LTE-A, 4-Band/5-Band carrier aggregation, Cat.16/13 (1Gbps/150Mbps); USB Type-C (v3.1); Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac MU-MIMO; GPS, Beidou, Galileo; NFC; Bluetooth 5.0.
- Misc: S-Pen stylus with 4096 pressure levels; fingerprint/iris/face recognition; single speaker on the bottom; 3.5mm jack; bundled AKG headphones.
What you'll probably notice is that RAM's gotten a bump from the Galaxy S8's 4GB to 6GB. The Galaxy S8 can be had with 6GB of RAM in some parts of the world, but standard equipment is 4GB, while the Note8 with its focus on productivity gets 6GB by default.
Productivity is where the S-Pen comes into action, the Notes' defining feature, now with 4,096 pressure levels recognized - that's as precise as on the Note7.
Battery capacity sure would have looked better with a nice round 4,000mAh number next to it, but we can't have it all, right? And if last year's model has taught us (and Samsung) anything, it has to be moderation. Still, the Galaxy S8+ has a tiny bit more battery at its disposal that needs to power a marginally smaller display - bet on the S8+ to win the endurance race, if only just barely.
A Deepsea Blue color option will set the Note8 apart from Coral Blue S8s, and it's quite the looker - not that we aren't fans of the Coral hue. For a comparison of shades of blue and a few quick hands-on impressions, join us on the next page.
Hardware overview and display
A trailblazer in a whole new market segment, the original Galaxy Note showed us that big screens aren't half bad. Six years later, the smartphone world has changed dramatically, and the Galaxy Note8 has grown further. Or has it?
Samsung Galaxy Note8
Measuring 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6mm, the Note8 is 15.6mm taller than the Note of 2011, but also 9mm taller than last year's model. The latest Note is, however, 8.4mm narrower than the original, and just 0.7mm wider than the Note7, all the while packing a 6.3-inch display versus the Note's 5.3-inch and the Note7's 5.7-inch screens. So six years have brought an inch more in display diagonal in an arguably more usable (in width) body.
You have to bear in mind, of course, that the Note8 has the trendy elongated screen (18.5:9 aspect in Samsung's case) that makes for striking diagonal numbers - which don't actually translate into that much more screen area when compared to older 16:9 units. On top of that, the Note8's display is only marginally larger than the Galaxy S8+ - it's a smaller difference than last year's Note7 vs. S7 edge, but still some difference. Remember the S6 edge+ and Note5, both of them at 5.7 inches?
The 6.3-inch Super AMOLED 'Infinity Display' with 2,960x1,440px has a pixel density of 521ppi - about as fine as most recent Samsung top-shelf phablets. The Galaxy S7 and S8 pixel densities are in the 570s, but at this level, we're splitting hairs.
The display is bright when it needs to be, lively and colorful by default, but also color accurate in the different display modes, and it doesn't get washed out under direct light - it's simply a stunning piece of kit.
It's also curved, of course - for better or for worse, Samsung isn't making flat-screen flagships any longer. That said, we're not talking Galaxy Note Edge type of curves, naturally. The concept has evolved over the past few years, and it's a more natural look and feel today. Plus, palm rejection makes sure your palm doesn't activate any UI elements along the screen by accident.
The Galaxy Note8's corners are sharper than those of the S8+, and that applies to the physical corners of the device and the corners of the display. It makes the Note8 look a bit more serious and industrial next to the slightly more playful and fashion-oriented S8+.
The Galaxy Note8 next to the S8+ and the S8
Funny choice of word there, 'industrial' could be used to describe the Note8's weight. At 195g, it's easily the heaviest Note, tablets excluded. Only the Note II with its 183g comes close, but all the other generations have all been in the 168-178g range. More interestingly, the Note8 is 22g heavier than the S8+ despite a smaller battery and only marginally larger display. Apparently, the S-Pen and the second camera have added to the tally.
The Galaxy Note8 compared to the S8
Despite the tangible (well, at least initially) weight difference between the two ruling Samsung phablets, the Note8 is arguably easier to handle. Slightly less curved display, sharper corners - it's probably a combination of these two.
Now narrower, the Galaxy Note8 is really top notch to handle
The dual camera is the highlight new feature; there's no doubt about that. Looking at the camera/sensor/flash assembly from a design standpoint, however, it's not easy to love.
There's a lot going on there, with the two camera modules, the flash, the heart rate sensor, and the fingerprint sensor, so Samsung figured they should try and mask it all up in a black window, with the fingerprint sensor getting its section. The problem is, rather obviously, that it only works on the black color version. On the other paint jobs, it makes for a stark contrast, and it's not the most elegant solution. Or it is, in fact, the most elegant possible, it's just not particularly so.
The Galaxy Note8 back
Another point to make is that the fingerprint sensor is in an even more inaccessible position than on the S8+ - it's a slightly larger phone, and the pad is slightly more offset from the central axis. On a positive note, the flash/heart rate sensor combo is now between the fingerprint sensor and the camera, making it a little less likely for you to smear the lens. A little.
The rear control deck is now different
Speaking of color schemes, the Note8's hero color is Deepsea Blue, not to be mistaken with the Coral Blue of the Galaxy S7 and S8. It's a darker shade, and one that doesn't play with light quite as much as the old hue. But, we do tend to have a thing for blue smartphones, so we'll take it as it is.
The new Deepsea Blue compared to Coral Blue on the S8
There's the classic and incognito Midnight Black option and Maple Gold for those that want a little more bling. Orchid Grey, like on the S8, will also be available, but we didn't get to handle one. Bummer.
The Galaxy Note8 will be available in Midnight Black, Maple Gold and Deepsea Blue and Orchid Gray
If you've ever seen a Galaxy S8 or an S8+, you'll be familiar with the button placement on the Note8. The power button is in its proper spot on the right side of the phone, while directly opposite it on the left side is the gap between the Bixby button and the volume rocker. The usefulness of the Bixby assistant and whether it calls for a dedicated button is a polarizing subject that we'll steer clear from, at least for now.
Power button on the right • Bixby button on the left
Up top, there's a mic pinhole for some noise canceling action. The card tray is up top, and it takes a nano SIM and microSD card, though a dual SIM Note8 will also be available.
On the bottom, you'll find the customary Samsung arrangement with the USB port in the center, Type-C these days. The 3.5mm jack is here to stay, hopefully, and the mic and single speaker are in this vicinity.
Top side • Bottom side
Oh, and there's the S-Pen, of course. More on that on the next page.
S-Pen does GIFs now
The S-Pen is the same basic design as the one introduced with the Note5 - you need to click it before you can pull it out of its silo. We're not trying to see if it'll go in the wrong way anymore, but that issue was already addressed before, so we'll just assume Samsung's learned its lesson and it's safe.
The S-Pen design is similar to the Note7's
The S-Pen, or rather the pressure sensitive layer in the display, can recognize up to 4,096 levels of pressure - twice as many as the Note5, but the same number as on the Note7. Ahem, we mean the Note FE.
The tip is 0.7mm in diameter, so pretty fine then, but that's not news either. The entire stylus is 108mm long and 5.8mm wide, for the nerds among you.
The S-Pen's newest feature is Live message - the phone will record your scribbling as a GIF, which you can then send out via your favorite messaging app. Screen off memo is here too - just pull out the stylus and write on the black display, without waking up the phone and going through the lockscreen. The PEN.UP community is a go-to place for sharing your drawings, provided you have some artistic talent, and you don't just use the Note for scribbling to-do lists.
You can use the S-Pen's built in translation feature by hovering over words; you can use it to magnify portions of the screen, you can capture scrolling screenshots with ease. And you can even do it under water if you so wish. We'd rather not.
Iris recognition
The Galaxy Note8 relies on iris recognition for keeping your device away from prying eyes, heh. It was the same with the Note7, and then the S8 and S8+ that followed, but we figured we'd still mention it here.
You see, you'd better get used to holding the Note8 right, and looking at it with your eyes wide open, as the fingerprint sensor is best left as a last resort. We've had mixed success with iris recognition on the S8+, some of us quickly adjusting to it, while for others it just wasn't a good fit with the angle at which they used their phone.
Software
The Galaxy Note8 runs on a heavily customized version of Android 7.1.1. Ideally, it should have been Android Oreo, but we guess that's coming down the line too.
The Samsung UX you'll find on the Note is the same as what's been around for some six months on the S-series flagships but also on models lower down the ranks like the J-series, for instance.
Of course, the Note8 gets the Edge features that the flat J's aren't equipped to handle. Apps edge, People edge, Tasks edge - a ton of actions are available with a simple inward swipe from the side.
A new addition to the software package is App pair in multi-window - you can pair apps and launch them simultaneously, and for some apps, it even works for two instances of the same one. Talk about productivity.
DeX, Bixby, Gear VR
Introduced with the Galaxy S8, the DeX docking station will be available for the Note8 as well. Just add a monitor, keyboard, and a mouse, and you have a full-featured desktop experience. Okay, it might be an overstatement, and the potential target audience may be small, but the option is there if you find a use case. Samsung will be bundling DeX with pre-orders of the Note8 in Europe.
It's still beyond us why every phone maker must come up with a personal assistant of its own, but if someone can pull it off, it's probably Samsung. Yes, we're talking about Bixby, which the company is aiming to make the backbone of its services. And here we were, forcing the poor lad to try and recognize our booze - what, it was a heavily advertised feature.
The Note8 will naturally support the latest Gear VR headset, or the other way around - the point is, the two will work together. The newest iteration of the headset that goes by the same name, and is not confusing at all, comes with a Controller with a touch pad, a trigger and a few more buttons - a giant leap in interaction over the previous temple touch pad design.
Camera
The Galaxy Note8 is different as far as Samsung's latest Notes go - it dares to introduce a feature not seen in the current S-series phone (the S-Pen doesn't count). It's a dual camera, finally, one that's been so long in the making that some will say Samsung's late to this party. Well, better late than never.
The setup builds on the camera already found on the Galaxy S8, which was in turn carried over from the S7. That means a primary cam with a 12MP Type 1/2.55" sensor paired with a 26mm equivalent lens with a f/1.7 aperture. Sitting next to it is another, smaller 12MP sensor (Type 1/3.4") behind a 52mm lens with an f/2.4 aperture.
You got that right - it's a '2x zoom' deal, not unlike a certain archrival did last Fall. Samsung's dual camera is superior on paper. Both sensors are larger, and both apertures are wider than those on the iPhone 7 Plus. Now, Apple's handset has a marginally longer reach (56mm equivalent tele), but then the Note8's wide is wider, and the 2mm on the near end make a much bigger difference in coverage.
But wait, there's more. Both sensors on the Note8 feature dual pixel autofocus - that is, every photosite is also a phase detection agent. And on top of that the wide angle and the telephoto cam both feature optical image stabilization. Beat that, Apple. Okay, they might, the next iPhone is only a few weeks away.
Anyway, the two cameras open a world of possibilities beyond the obvious 2x zoom, but again, it's the world we've been living in for a while now. We're talking about the depth of field effects, portrait mode, and post-focus - the usual stuff makers do with two cameras (LG excluded).
The brief moments we had with the Note8 were spent in a decidedly subject-deprived press conference room, so we didn't get a chance to experiment with the camera nearly enough. There's a bunch of samples provided by Samsung from much more photo-friendly locations, and a few of those you can marvel at below.
Full-resolution camera samples
Those were the select few shots taken at full resolution, the bulk of the images were in the aspect ratio of the display itself - 2.06:1, your new-found favorite aspect for pictures.
Camera samples in 18.5:9 (2.06:1)
Next up, a few sample shots, which were taken in low light.
Camera samples in 18.5:9 (2.06:1)
For a more detailed assessment of the Note8's camera, you'll need to wait for our full review, of course, complete with a full set of sample images from our usual locations.
Wrap-up
Now don't be mad, S8, but the Galaxy Note8 has us a little bit more excited than you managed earlier in the Spring. And no wonder - in Europe where most of our team is based, the last Galaxy Note smartphone you could buy via official channels was the Note 4, and while we stomached being denied the Note5, the Note7's untimely demise was a bit too hard of a hit.
Well, good thing then that the Note8 is finally here, and even better that it's not just an S8+ with an S-Pen. We've grown fond of the versatility that dual cameras offer, and it's quite hard to believe that Samsung's the last to hop on that train. At least it helps the troubled Note lineup make a convincing return. On paper, at least - we won't be convinced until we get to properly review the Galaxy Note8.
There are those occasions when a highly-anticipated device ends up being just a mark on the calendar once the announcement date's behind us. With the Galaxy Note8, it seems, such disappointment is out of the question. Now if only those review units could be here sooner.
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