Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Last updated

Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Galaxy Note 8 Logo.svg
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.png
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Brand Samsung
Manufacturer Samsung Electronics
Type Smartphone
Slogan Do bigger super things.
Series Galaxy Note
First released23 August 2017;7 years ago (2017-08-23)
Discontinued8 September 2020;4 years ago (2020-09-08)
Predecessor Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Samsung Galaxy Note 7
Samsung Galaxy Note FE
Successor Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Related Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+
Samsung Galaxy A8/A8+ (2018)
Form factor Slate
ColorsMidnight Black, Maple Gold, Orchid Gray, Deep Sea Blue, Star Pink
Dimensions162.5 mm × 74.8 mm × 8.6 mm (6.40 in × 2.94 in × 0.34 in)
Weight195 g (6.9 oz)
Operating system Original: Android 7.1.1 "Nougat" with Samsung Experience 8.5
Current: Android Pie 9 with One UI 1.0
System-on-chip
CPU
  • Exynos: Octa-core (4×2.3 GHz M2 Mongoose & 4×1.7 GHz) Cortex-A53 (GTS)
  • Snapdragon: Octa-core (4×2.35 GHz & 4×1.9 GHz) Kryo 280
GPU
Memory6 GB LPDDR4X RAM
Storage
  • Global: 64, 128 or 256 GB
  • USA: 64 GB
Removable storage microSDXC, expandable up to 256 GB
BatteryNon-removable 3300 mAh, 15W charging speed
Rear cameraDual 12  MP (Wide-angle f/1.7 + Telephoto f/2.4) with 2× optical zoom, Dual OIS with Dual Pixel autofocus, 4K video recording at 30fps, 1080p at 60fps, 720p at 240fps
Front camera 8  MP, f/1.7, autofocus, 1/3.6" sensor size, 1.22 μm pixel size, 1440p at 30fps, dual video call, Auto HDR
Display6.3 in (160 mm) (160.5 mm) QHD+ Super AMOLED 2960 x 1440 1440p (521 ppi)
Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), VHT80, MU-MIMO, 1024-QAM Bluetooth 5.0 (LE up to 2 Mbps), ANT+, USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, NFC, location (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou)
Data inputsSensors:

Other:

  • Physical volume keys
  • Bixby key
Water resistance IP68, up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) for 30 minutes
ModelInternational models:
SM-N950x (Last letter varies by carrier & international models)
Japanese models:
SCV37 (au)
SC-01K (NTT Docomo)
CodenameGreat
OtherS Pen stylus
Website "Galaxy Note8 64GB (Unlocked) Midnight Black Phones - SM-N950UZKAXAA | Samsung US". Samsung Electronics America.
References [1] [2]

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is an Android-based smartphone phablet developed, produced and marketed by Samsung Electronics. The successor to the discontinued Samsung Galaxy Note 7, Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition and Samsung Galaxy Note 5, it was unveiled on 23 August 2017 and became available on 15 September 2017.

Contents

The Note 8 improves on the core device specifications and hallmark S Pen features of earlier devices. While retaining the same overall look and approximate size of the Galaxy S8+, it features an upgraded processor and, for the first time in Samsung's smartphone history, a dual-camera system on the rear of the device; one functions as a wide-angle lens and the other as a telephoto lens, with both featuring 12 MP resolution and optical image stabilization. The S Pen has increased pressure sensitivity levels and its software has been upgraded to offer improved note taking capabilities on the always-on display, as well as animated GIF and improved translation features.

History

On 20 July 2017, Samsung tweeted a teaser video showing a darkened device with a stylus, stating the date of its next "Unpacked" event as 23 August 2017. [3] [4] The Galaxy Note 8 was unveiled at that event, with a release date on 15 September 2017. [5] Samsung Galaxy Note 7 owners could buy this phablet at a special discount of $524. [6]

Specifications

Hardware

Chipsets

The Note 8 is powered by an Exynos 8895 [7] or Snapdragon 835 processor, depending on geographic region, [5] [8] along with 6 GB of RAM. [5] [8]

Battery

The Galaxy Note 8 is equipped with a non-user-replaceable 3300 mAh battery with up to 15 Watts of charging performance using Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0. [9]

Display

The Note 8 has a 6.3-inch 1440p Super AMOLED display with curved edges similar to the Galaxy S8, but with a slightly more flat surface area. Samsung marketed it as an "Infinity Display". [5] [8]

Camera

It is Samsung's first phone to feature a dual-lens camera system, which comes with a 12 MP wide-angle lens with f/1.7 aperture and a 12 MP telephoto lens with f/2.4 aperture and twice the focal length, both equipped with optical image stabilization. [5] [8]

Like the predecessor, it supports video recording with 2160p (4K) at 30fps (limited to 10 minutes each video [10] ), 1080p (Full HD) at up to 60 frames per second and 720p (HD) slow motion at up to 240 frames per second. [11]

Storage

In the United States, it is sold with 64 GB of internal storage, along with microSD card support, but increases storage to 128 GB and 256 GB internationally. [5] [8]

Biometrics

The handset features a fingerprint scanner next to the rear camera, [5] and retains facial recognition and iris recognition similar to the S8. [12]

Audio

The Note 8 comes bundled with high-end AKG-tuned earbuds [13] as well as the Note series' proprietary S Pen. Compared to the Note 5, the S Pen in the Note 8 has enhanced levels of pressure sensitivity (4,096 distinct levels of pressure), [8] though The Verge noted that those enhancements were featured in the defunct Note 7. [5] Ports include a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a USB-C port for charging and data transfer. [5] It has support for Samsung DeX as well, letting Note 8 users connect their device to a dock and monitor to enable a PC-like computing environment with mouse and keyboard input. [5]

Exterior

Both the Note 8 and its S Pen are certified with IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, and is available in five color variants: "Midnight Black," "Orchid Gray," "Maple Gold," "Deepsea Blue," and "Blossom Pink" – which is often dubbed "Star Pink." [5] However, the Maple Gold, Deep-Sea Blue, and Blossom Pink variants are not available worldwide, and are limited to certain regions and/or countries. Similar to the Galaxy S8, the Note 8 has a dedicated physical key for launching the Bixby virtual assistant. [5] [8]

A limited edition version for the 2018 Winter Olympics was made, with a white back, gold accents, and themed wallpapers. [14]

Software

The Note 8 came with Android 7.1.1 "Nougat" with Samsung's own custom user interface pre-installed. [5] [8] The S Pen offers expanded software features, including "Live Message" for the creation of handwritten notes combined with emojis resulting in short animated GIFs. Users can remove the S Pen from the device and immediately write notes on the display through "Screen Off Memo," which works due to the screen's always-on capabilities. The screen can collect up to 100 notes and allows the user to easily go back to notes pinned directly on the always-on screen. A "Translate" feature now recognizes punctuation marks, letting users highlight entire sentences rather than single words, and supports 71 different languages. [15] [5] The edges of the screen on the Note 8 allow the user to open two apps at once in a multi-window view, dubbed "App Pair." [15] In the Camera application, a new "Live Focus" effect lets users adjust the intensity of background blur both before and after capturing photos, while "Dual Capture" makes both rear cameras take individual photos of the same subject, with one acting as a close-up shot and the other from a distance capturing the whole scene. [15]

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 received an Android 8.0 "Oreo" update on March 30, 2018, with Samsung's custom skin overlaid. [16] [17] The software update brought enhancements and changes in the user interface with the menu options in the home screen and settings streamlined. The Edge lighting has also been improved with introductions to new lighting options. [18] The Oreo update also brought enhanced stability to the Samsung DEX (UI/UE) docking system as well as introduced improvements to the DEX interface, where the Apps screen displays in full screen instead of in a pop-up window. [19] An update to Android 9 Pie was released on 26 February 2019. [20]

Reception

Camera testing company DxOMark gave the Note 8 a rating of 94, the joint-highest score of any phone, shared with the iPhone 8 Plus. [21] [22] Just a few days after the report of the Note 8 published was, the Pixel 2 was tested and given a 98 score, besting them both. [23] [24] It was noted that the Note 8 had better optical image stabilization than the IPhone X. [25]

Like the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, the Note 8 was heavily criticized for its placement of the fingerprint scanner, which unlike most other Android phones that have the fingerprint scanner placed underneath the rear camera, the S8, S8+ and Note 8 instead had it placed next to the camera, making it uncomfortable and forces many users to shift their hands upwards in order to reach it.

Due to the battery incident with the Note 7, Samsung was more cautious with the Note 8, implementing a slightly smaller battery than the Note 7, which had a 3500 mAh battery; a non-removable 3300mAh lithium-ion battery was used in the Note 8. As a result, the Note 8 did not have the best battery life, and many users did not hold back from complaining about it.

The Note 8 was praised by both consumers and critics for the "Infinity Display" (meaning the display has much smaller bezels than the traditional smartphone), for its "punchy colors" and brightness, which is approximately 1200 nits.

Multiple tech reviewers pointed out that the Note 8 had a weak mono speaker. However, it was also praised for being one of the few 2017 flagships left that still included a headphone jack, unlike most flagships that followed Apple's 2016 controversial decision to remove the headphone jack entirely from the IPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which required users to use the included 3.5 mm headphone jack adapter or use wireless ear buds instead.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smartphone</span> Handheld mobile device

A smartphone, often simply called a phone, is a mobile device that combines the functionality of a traditional mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allowing users to access a wide range of applications and services, such as web browsing, email, and social media, as well as multimedia playback and streaming. Smartphones have built-in cameras, GPS navigation, and support for various communication methods, including voice calls, text messaging, and internet-based messaging apps.

Google Nexus is a discontinued line of consumer electronic mobile devices that ran a stock version of the Android operating system. Google managed the design, development, marketing, and support of these devices, but some development and all manufacturing were carried out by partnering with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Alongside the main smartphone products, the line also included tablet computers and streaming media players; the Nexus started out in January 2010 and reached its end in October 2016, replaced by Google Pixel family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy Note (original)</span> Android smartphone by Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy Note is an Android smartphone produced by Samsung Electronics. It was unveiled at IFA Berlin 2011 and first released in Germany in late October 2011, with other countries following afterwards. The Galaxy Note was distinguished by its unusually large form factor—later referred to using the term "phablet"—which straddled the size of the average smartphone at the time, and that of a small tablet: it features a 5.3-inch display, and is bundled with a stylus branded as the "S Pen", which can be used to navigate the device's user interface, and write or draw in supported apps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phablet</span> Electronic device with features of both a smartphone and a tablet

A phablet is a mobile device combining or straddling the size formats of smartphones and tablets. The word is a blend word of phone and tablet. The term was largely unused by the late 2010s, since average phone sizes eventually morphed into small tablet sizes, up to 6.9 inches (180 mm), with wider aspect ratios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy S series</span> Series of smartphones and tablet computers

The Samsung Galaxy S series is a line of Android-based smartphones and tablet computers produced by Samsung Electronics. In conjunction with the foldable Galaxy Z series, the series serves as Samsung's flagship smartphone lineup, and is the high-end line of the wider Samsung Galaxy family of Android devices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy Note</span> Discontinued series of high-end Android phablets and smartphones

The Samsung Galaxy Note is a discontinued line of high-end flagship Android phablets and smartphones developed and marketed by Samsung Electronics. The line was primarily oriented towards pen computing; all Galaxy Note models shipped with a stylus pen, called the S Pen, and incorporate a pressure-sensitive Wacom digitizer. All Galaxy Note models also include software features that are oriented towards the stylus and the devices' large screens, such as note-taking, digital scrapbooking apps, tooltips, and split-screen multitasking. The line served as Samsung's flagship smartphone model, positioned above the Galaxy S series, and was part of the wider Samsung Galaxy series of Android computing devices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy S7</span> 2016 Android smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and Samsung Galaxy S7 Active are Android-based smartphones manufactured, released and marketed by Samsung Electronics. The S7 series serves as the successor to the Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+ and S6 Active released in 2015. The S7 and S7 Edge were officially unveiled on 21 February 2016 during a Samsung press conference at Mobile World Congress, with a European and North American release on 11 March 2016. The S7 Active was unveiled on 4 June 2016, and released on AT&T in the United States on 10 June 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro (2016)</span> 2016 Android smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro (2016) is an Android smartphone produced by Samsung Electronics. It was released in March 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016)</span> Samsung smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) is an Android-based mid-range smartphone produced by Samsung Electronics in 2016 and is either based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 or Exynos 7870 chipset.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Experience</span> Software overlay by Samsung Electronics

Samsung Experience was the name of the software overlay by Samsung for its Galaxy devices running Android 7.x “Nougat” and Android 8.x “Oreo”. It was introduced in late 2016 on a beta build based on Android 7.0 “Nougat” for the Galaxy S7, succeeding TouchWiz. It has been succeeded in 2018 by One UI based on Android 9 “Pie” and later versions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy S8</span> Android smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Samsung Galaxy S8+ are Android smartphones produced by Samsung Electronics as the eighth generation of the Samsung Galaxy S series. The S8 and S8+ were unveiled on 29 March 2017 and directly succeeded the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, with a North American release on 21 April 2017 and international rollout throughout April and May. The Samsung Galaxy S8 Active was announced on 8 August 2017 and is exclusive to certain US cellular carriers.

The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are a pair of Android smartphones designed, developed, and marketed by Google as part of the Google Pixel product line. They collectively serve as the successors to the Pixel and Pixel XL. They were officially announced on October 4, 2017 at the Made by Google event and released in the United States on October 19. On October 9, 2018, they were succeeded by the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huawei Mate 10</span> Android-based smartphone line by Huawei

The Huawei Mate 10, Huawei Mate 10 Pro and Huawei Mate 10 Lite are Android smartphones designed and marketed by Huawei as part of the Huawei Mate series. There is also a Mate 10 Porsche design, which has 256 GB of storage but is otherwise identical to the Mate 10 Pro. They were first released on 16 October 2017. Versus the predecessor Mate 9, the Mate 10 pro flagship phone has a faster processor with an integrated neural processing unit, a slightly larger OLED screen (6.0") with a taller 18:9 aspect ratio, a significantly longer battery life and a glass back construction. Chinese and international models are available in dual SIM configuration. It comes with Android 8 and a newer version of Huawei's EMUI interface. All Mate 10 models are unlocked and GSM only. Huawei phones, including the Mate series, are not sold or financed through U.S. carriers due to pressure from U.S. intelligence agencies, though they are available from independent and online retailers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy S9</span> Android smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are Android-based smartphones unveiled, manufactured, released and marketed by Samsung Electronics as part of the Samsung Galaxy S series. The devices were revealed at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on 25 February 2018, as the successors to the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)</span> Android-based smartphone by Samsung Electronics

Samsung Galaxy J5 2017 is an Android-based smartphone produced, released and marketed by Samsung Electronics. It was unveiled and released in July 2017 along with the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017). It has an advanced 64-bit class system on a chip (SoC) backed by 2 GB or 3 GB Of LPDDR3 RAM. It packs a Non-removable 3000 mAh battery. The Galaxy J5 (2017) is the successor to the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016). It still sells in Zerod

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy Note 9</span> Android phablet smartphone by Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is an Android-based phablet developed, produced and marketed by Samsung Electronics as part of the Samsung Galaxy Note series. It was unveiled on 9 August 2018, as the successor to the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. It is available in six colours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy S10</span> 2019 flagship smartphones by Samsung Electronics

The Samsung Galaxy S10 is a line of Android-based smartphones manufactured, released and marketed by Samsung Electronics as part of the Samsung Galaxy S series. The Galaxy S10 series is the tenth generation of the Galaxy S series, its flagship line of phones next to the Note models, which is also the 10th anniversary of the Samsung Galaxy line of smartphones. Unveiled during the "Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2019" press event held on 20 February 2019, the devices started shipping in certain regions such as Australia and the United States on 6 March 2019, and internationally on 8 March 2019.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 is a line of Android-based phablets developed, produced, and marketed by Samsung Electronics as part of the Samsung Galaxy Note series. They were unveiled on 7 August 2019, as the successors to the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Details about the phablets were widely leaked in the months leading up to the phablets' announcement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy A90 5G</span> 2019 phablet by Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy A90 5G is an Android phablet manufactured by Samsung Electronics as part of its fifth-generation Galaxy A series lineup. It comes with Android 9 (Pie) with Samsung's One UI skin, 6/8 GB RAM, 128 GB of internal storage, and a 4500 mAh battery. It is Samsung's first mid-range smartphone to support 5G network connectivity. The Galaxy A90 5G was first unveiled in South Korea on September 3, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsung Galaxy J6+</span> Android smartphone

Samsung Galaxy J6+ is a mid range Android smartphone produced by Samsung Electronics in 2018.

References

  1. "Specifications of Samsung Galaxy Note 8". Samsung.
  2. "Galaxy Note 8 Specs". GSMArena.
  3. Gartenberg, Chaim (20 July 2017). "Samsung's next Galaxy Note will be announced on August 23rd". The Verge . Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  4. Heater, Brian (20 July 2017). "Samsung's Unpacked event happens August 23, likely bringing the Galaxy Note 8 with it". TechCrunch . Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Welch, Chris (23 August 2017). "Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 comes with a 6.3-inch screen and dual camera". The Verge . Vox Media . Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  6. Samsung offering Galaxy Note 7 owners discount Note 8 Archived 22 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine Zoomit
  7. Passingham, Michael (1 December 2017). "Samsung Galaxy Note 8 – Performance, battery life and conclusion". Trusted Reviews. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Siddiqui, Aamir (23 August 2017). "Samsung Launches the new Galaxy Note 8 with an Infinity Display and Dual Rear Cameras". XDA Developers . Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  9. "The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Charges at Mostly 15W with the Samsung 25W USB-C Fast Charging Wall Charger". GTrusted. 8 December 2017.
  10. Hinum, Stefan. "Samsung Galaxy Note 8". Notebookcheck. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  11. Samsung Galaxy Note 8 specification sheet – GSM Arena
  12. McGarry, Caitlin (14 September 2017). "How to Set Up Iris Scanning on the Galaxy Note 8". Tom's Hardware . Purch Group . Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  13. P., Daniel (23 August 2017). "Note 8 comes with a set of 'premium' AKG earphones in the box, tuned by Harman Kardon". PhoneArena. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  14. Gao, Richard (16 January 2018). "Galaxy Note8 Olympic Games Limited Edition comes with a white back, gold accents, and themed wallpapers". Android Police. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  15. 1 2 3 Siddiqui, Aamir (23 August 2017). "A Look at the Galaxy Note 8's New & Improved Software Features". XDA Developers . Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  16. "Android – 8.0 Oreo". Android. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  17. "Samsung site lists Oreo update dates for Galaxy Note8, S7 and the 2017 A-series". GSMArena.com. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  18. "Difference between Samsung Android 8.0 Oreo device and 7.0 Nougat device | Samsung Support Philippines". Samsung ph. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  19. "4 Reasons Not to Install Galaxy Note 8 Oreo & 10 Reasons You Should". GearOpen. 19 June 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  20. "Galaxy Note8 (SM-N950F)" . Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  21. Fingas, Jon (3 October 2017). "Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone 8 Plus tie for top spot in camera test". Engadget . Oath Inc. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  22. Gordon, Scott Adam (4 October 2017). "Galaxy Note 8 ties with iPhone 8 Plus for best smartphone camera: DxOMark". Android Authority. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  23. Smith, Chris (5 October 2017). "The Pixel 2 just beat the iPhone 8 Plus and Galaxy Note 8's camera scores fyfdrr". BGR . Penske Media Corporation . Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  24. Coldewey, Devin (4 October 2017). "Pixel 2 dethrones iPhone 8 Plus and Galaxy Note 8 in camera rankings". TechCrunch . Oath Inc. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  25. Galaxy Note 8 crushes iPhone X and Pixel 2 in OIS video recording comparison

Further information

Preceded by Samsung Galaxy Note 8
2017
Succeeded by