Tech Revisited: Samsung Galaxy S8

The Galaxy s8 has been out for over 2 years now, so it is time to see how it stood the test of time.

Software:

The S8 unlocked just received the android pie update in May and it transformed this device. The experience on Oreo for the last few months has been sluggish and ridiculously slow. The OS was using 3 gbs of ram leaving only 1 gb for other uses. The new update on pie uses 2.2 gbs so the experience is much better. After 2 years the Bixby button is re-programmable, which is a huge plus. I use mine to launch my email, but you can make it do whatever you want. The launcher is OKAY, but the icons are large for my taste and there are tons of bloat ware.

Hardware:

The S8 still holds up in the hardware department. The usb-c port is reversible and allows for fast charging. The headphone jack makes it convenient to listen to music on the go and paired with the beautiful top of the line 1440p Samsung AMOLED 5.8” display makes a great media consumption experience. The phone is thin at 8 mm thick, but because of this the battery is small by 2019 standards. There are a few issues with the hardware- the screen smudges super easily. I find myself cleaning it several times a day just because it attracts oils so much more than any other display I have used. The phone is very slippery, and I recommend a d brand skin or case to increase grip. The iris scanner just flat out doesn’t work and the bezels are somewhat large for 2019 standards. The fingerprint is fast, so no issues there.

The snapdragon 835 chip set is plenty snappy, but it is severely bottle necked by the 4 gbs of ram. 64 gbs of storage is the base model, which I find to be plenty, but if you need more there is expandable storage. The NFC payments are easily one of my favorite features, because then a wallet or cash isn’t needed. The water resistance has been tested plenty of times on my device while camping and it is great.

Performance:

In everyday use the Galaxy S8 is slightly, but noticeably laggy. The Geekbench single-core score is 1,813 and multi-core is 6,342.

Camera:

The camera of the S8 is good, not great, but good. The pixel 3 totally blows it out of the water in almost any scenario.

Price:

Unlocked New: $399.99

Unlocked Used: $199.99

These prices rival the pixel 3a, the iphone SE, and the iphone 6.

Overall Review:

The S8 is a good phone for the budget minded. It’s decently fast in performance and has decent battery. The 835 is much better then the budget chip sets such as the 670 and the same with the camera. So if you are looking for a cheap, but practical former flagship phone, the S8 is perfect for you.