Few days ago Samsung officially released information on the Galaxy Note8 smartphone with a focus on a bigger screen and improved functionality. The Infinity Display, S Pen and camera features have been upgraded in the latest device in the Galaxy Note range. Can this become a hit for Samsung? Let’s see…
The Samsung Galaxy Note8’s Tech Specs
To start with, with the specs are as followed: The display is a 6.3-inch Quad HD+, Super AMOLED with 2960×1440 resolution. The camera is a dual camera with dual optical image stabilisation (OIS). Image modes include wide-angle with 12MP dual pixel AF, F1.7 and OIS and telephoto with 12MP, AF, F2.4, OIS and 2X optical zoom with up to 10x digital zoom. The front camera is 8MP AF and F1.7.
The body is 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6mm, weighs 195g and has a dust and water resistance rating of IP68 (Meaning the Note8 can handle submersion in up to 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes). The processor is the Octa core 2.3GHz Quad + 1.7 Quad, 64-bit processor or the Octa core 2.35Ghz Quad + 1.9GHzm 64-bit processor.
There is 6GB of RAM in the Galaxy Note8 with options of 64GB, 128GB or 256GB. A microSD care slot is available with up to 256GB capacity. The battery is capable of charging wirelessly with WPC and PMAFast Charging compatibilities. The OS that comes with the device is Android 7.1.1; connectivity includes Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, VHT 80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM, Bluetooth v5.0, ANT+, USB type-C, NFC and location (GPS, Galileo, Glonass and BeiDou).
Payment features are enabled via NFC and MST. The sensors on the Galaxy Note8 include the accelerometer, barometer, fingerprint sensor, gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, hall sensor, heart rate sensor, proximity sensor, RGB light sensor, iris sensor and a pressure sensor. Authentication and security are done through pattern, pin and password locks. Biometric lock types in iris scanner, finger print scanner and facial recognition.
Bigger Display
The display on Samsung’s Galaxy Note8 is designed with multitasking in mind. This device’s viewing area is 14% wider than the Galaxy Note5 when in landscape mode. In hand, the body feels comfortable and not too big thanks to well-designed curves. The fingerprint scanner is positioned on the back, and the home button is underneath and hidden underneath the Infinity Display. Users will be able to launch two apps simultaneously with a tap. The 18:5:9 aspect ratio is there to help the multi-windows easy to view.
Improved S Pen
The S Pen has been with the Galaxy Note series for a while, and it has been improved for the Galaxy Note8. Users will be able to create their animated GIFs from videos to send to their friends and share on social media; you will be able to use the S Pen to express yourself in creative ways or as a serious work device. The S Pen can be used as a note pad without the phone being unlocked thanks to Samsung’s Always on Display. Users can highlight, take notes and have the text on the screen translated from other languages. The tip of the pen is 0.7mm, under half the size of the Galaxy Note 5’s pen. There are 4096 levels of pressure, and the S Pen has a dust and water-resistant rating of IP68.
Better Camera
The camera on the Galaxy Note8 has a Live Focus feature that allows you to take bokeh shots and adjust the level of blur in the background later. The Dual Capture function takes in what’s happening outside the frame in case you miss anything. Night shots are possible with the wide-angle camera, 1.4µm pixels and F1.7 lens.
Users who like gaming on their mobile will be impressed with the Galaxy Note8’s performance. The phone supports Vulkan API to give games better performance without having the battery drained. The sound on the Note8 comes from AKGH earphones and 11Φ woofers and 8Φ tweeters.
In the box, Samsung’s Galaxy Note8 comes with the phone and S Pen, tweezer and pen nibs, USB power adapter, Micro USB connector, USB Type-C connector, USB cable, ejector pin and earphones. The Note8 comes with Bixby assistant, is compatible with Gear 360 and Gear VR, and can be used with Dex for a PC like experience.
The device will be available in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Maple Gold and Deepsea Blue.
“We have been closely working with Samsung to make meaningful advancements in the science of smartphone quality and safety evaluation. As a result, the Galaxy Note8 has successfully completed a rigorous series of device and battery safety compatibility test protocols. We look forward to maintaining our strategic relationship with Samsung and helping ensure device safety for all consumers.” said Sajeev Jesudas, President, UL International.
The release date is set for mid-September.
