Samsung just had one of the most eventful years a company can have in 2016 with the impressive Galaxy S7 before struggling through the latter part of the year following the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco.
The South Korean tech giant had to knock it out of the park with this year's flagship, so it took its time, failing to unveil the Galaxy S8 during February's Mobile World Congress and revamping its security protocol in the meantime. Now, Samsung has finally returned — and has spoken out in the process. The Galaxy S8 appears to be one of the most significant advances, especially in design, of any new product in the company's flagship line.
But last year's Galaxy wasn't lazy either, and while the S8's exterior certainly fits the revolutionary bill, it remains to be seen if Samsung's latest features enough sensible improvements to warrant an upgrade - especially when the S7 comes in for significantly less after a year is on the market. How do they compare? We put them head-to-head to find out.
specifications
Samsung Galaxy S7
Samsung Galaxy S8
size
142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 millimeters (5.61 x 2.74 x 0.31 in)
148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 mm (5.86 x 2.68 x 0.31 in)
Weight
5.36 ounces (152 g)
5.47 ounces
Screen
5.1 inch Quad HD Super AMOLED
5.8-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED
resolution
2,560 x 1,440 pixels
2,960 x 1,440 pixels
operating system
Android 6.0 Marshmallow (upgradable to 7.0 Nougat)
Android 7.0 Nougat
storage
32/64GB
64GB
MicroSD card slot
Yes indeed
Yes indeed
NFC support
Yes indeed
Yes indeed
processor
Qualcomm MSM8996, Snapdragon 820 (US) Samsung Exynos 8890 (International)
Qualcomm MSM8988, Snapdragon 835 (US), Exynos 8895 (International)
R.A.M.
4GB
4GB
connectivity
WiFi, 4G LTE, GSM, HSPA+
WiFi, 4G LTE, HSPA+
camera
Front 5MP, Rear 12MP with OIS
Front 8MP, Rear 12MP with OIS
Video
2160p 4K UHD
2160p 4K UHD
Bluetooth
Yes, version 4.2
Yes, version 5.0
fingerprint sensor
Yes indeed
Yes indeed
other sensors
Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity, Compass, Barometer, Heart Rate
Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity, Compass, Barometer, Heart Rate, Iris Scanner
Water repellent
Yes, IP68
Yes, IP68
battery
3,000mAh
3,000mAh
ports
Micro USB, 3.5mm headphone jack
USB Type-C, 3.5mm headphone jack
Fast charging
Yes indeed
Yes indeed
Wireless charging
Yes, Qi and PMA
Yes, Qi and PMA
marketplace
Google play store
Google play store
Color Offers
Black, white, gold, silver
Black, Silver, Orchid Gray (US models), Blue, Gold (International models)
Availability
AT&T
,
Verizon
,
sprint
,
T Mobile
AT&T,
Verizon
, sprint,
T Mobile
,
Samsung
Price
$570
Starting at $720
DT review
4 out of 5 stars
First take
In the US, the Galaxy S8 swaps its predecessor's Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 system-on-chip for the newer, more powerful 835. Elsewhere, the S8 gets Samsung's new Exynos 8895, replacing the 8890 in the international variant of the Galaxy S7. Both the Both Qualcomm and Samsung chips were comparable in performance last year, and the same seems to apply this time.
No matter which S8 you buy, it's capable of extremely fast download speeds over LTE - up to 1,000 Mbps, to be precise. Carriers will soon start upgrading their LTE networks to Gigabit class in limited capacities and - unlike the S7 - the S8 is future-proof with the necessary hardware to take advantage of the new infrastructure that will spread over the next few years.
The Galaxy S8 also uses Bluetooth 5.0, which offers improved range and data transfer, although not at the same time. It's still vastly superior to the S7's Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity.
When it comes to memory, the S8 retains the 4GB of RAM from its predecessor. Luckily, however, Samsung has followed the example of Apple and LG and decided to increase the base memory in the S8 to 64GB, up from half that in the S7. As usual, you can add one Add a MicroSD card to add to that total if you want.
The extra processing power, future-proof LTE connectivity, and larger storage space make the Galaxy S8 the clear winner in the spec race.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S8
design and display
Just as the Galaxy S7 featured a Quad HD Super AMOLED panel, so did its successor. That doesn't mean they have the same resolution though - the S8 has a slightly higher resolution of 2960 x 1440 pixels. That difference is due to the size and the edge display that both the S8 and S8 Plus use.
The S7 offers a 5.1-inch screen, while the S8 has a much larger 5.8-inch curved screen. While that may sound big, the Galaxy S8 is quite compact because Samsung has massively reduced the bezels - so you get more display in a similar frame. To make room for this edge-to-edge panel, Samsung had to remove the physical home button. It's opted for a pressure-sensitive home button in the display, similar to the On -Android screen buttons. Meanwhile, the fingerprint sensor has been moved to the back, to the right of the center-mounted camera.
Otherwise, these phones look pretty similar on the sides and back, right down to the materials. Samsung's signature polished glass wraps around the back of the S8, surrounded by a ring of aluminum.
The screen is really the differentiator between the design of both models. The S8's wider 18:5:9 aspect ratio allows you to view more content, potentially making multitasking easier.
As long as you can stand the fingerprint sensor being relocated to the rear, the S8's luxurious display and amazing screen-to-bezel ratio make for a device that's simultaneously more useful and aesthetically pleasing than the one it replaces.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S8
Battery life and charging
The Galaxy S8's battery retains the 3,000mAh capacity of its predecessor, but will benefit from Qualcomm's Quick Charge 4.0, which debuts with the Snapdragon 835.
According to the chip manufacturer
, this latest iteration of its fast charging technology is 20 percent faster and 30 percent more efficient than the previous one and can be used for five hours in five minutes. Like the S7, the S8 will also support wireless charging.
The Snapdragon 835's 10nm manufacturing process also makes it slightly smaller than last year's Galaxy S7's 14nm chip, resulting in a 25 percent reduction in power consumption.
according to Qualcomm
.All of these tweaks should help the S8 stay up and running longer than the outgoing flagship, although the size of the battery remains the same.
If we
checked the S7 last year
, we found the battery life to be satisfactory - if a bit unimpressive - averaging just over a day of use. A more economical processor and improved Quick Charge capabilities mean Samsung's latest device is likely to outperform this benchmark.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S8
Camera, software and price
camera
The Galaxy S8's rear camera is still rated at 12-megapixels, while the front sees a jump from 5 to 8-megapixels. We've been impressed with the Galaxy S7's performance over the last year, particularly in low light, thanks in no small part to the f/ 1.7 aperture of the rear lens. On the rear camera, the S8 does not improve, but instead focuses on the changes on the front.
Samsung has added autofocus to the S8's selfie camera, making it easy to snap a group photo. While the main camera's improvement seems to be more iterative this year, the front camera offers notable improvements that make the S8 the more versatile option in everyday use .
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S8
software
Samsung started rolling out Android 7.0 Nougat to the Galaxy S7 in January, and unsurprisingly the Galaxy S8 launches with the same version. While the core suite of Samsung apps will see some modest improvements, like Music, S Health and a new Family Care parental control app, the main difference between the two models is the addition of Samsung's personal assistant, Bixby.
Samsung introduces Bixby as
great progress
over its previous S Voice service, and a lot of that has to do with Bixby's artificial intelligence. According to the company, Bixby can perform any action that you would normally perform through touch in supported apps. Users can start Bixby instantly via a dedicated button on the side of the device, and you can even trigger it in the camera app to read QR codes, identify objects and more. Weeks after the S8's launch, however, some Bixby features are available
still not alive
, including voice recognition - so it looks like you'll have to wait a little longer if you want to get the most out of Samsung's new personal assistant.
Ultimately, we're not sure Bixby will be useful, but there's also DeX - a docking station for the S8 that allows for a desktop Android mode on an external monitor. Samsung also said there's a more cohesive design theme across the UI of the S8. With all these improvements, Samsung's latest flagship comes out on top when it comes to software.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S8
price and availability
The Galaxy S8 was released on April 21st on all four major carriers in the US. It's available in three colors: Black Sky, Orchid Gray, and Arctic Silver. Carrier pricing ranges from $720 to $750 -- $100 more than the Galaxy S7 at launch.
Samsung is charging a premium for this year's flagship, putting it among the pricier smartphones on the market today. While the S8's display and design have been greatly improved, the practical benefits aren't quite as clear, as the S7 was already a smooth, powerful device .
With that in mind, the S7 can be had for a lot less - just $570
directly from Samsung
, and a few bucks more from the porters.
Amazon
now even sells the phone for $430. If you're not too keen on the looks of the S8, the S7 is a great alternative.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S7
Overall winner: Samsung Galaxy S8
After seven iterations of Samsung's cross-border smartphone - some less significant advances than others - the Galaxy S8 features stunning design, the latest and greatest in artificial intelligence, and class-leading silicon.
The Galaxy S8 is the better device - but is it several hundred dollars better? Only you can answer this question if you consider your usage behavior and your priorities when it comes to a smartphone. The silver lining of this comparison is that no matter which Galaxy You decide you probably won't be disappointed.
Article originally published 3/30/2017 by Adam Ismail.Updated 4/25/2017: Updated Bixby information in Software section.
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