The Samsung Galaxy Note series is back with the Galaxy Note 8, and it’s sleeker, faster, and more impressive than ever. Then again, this is really a given for any new smartphone, but the Note 8 certainly has plenty to prove after Samsung’s fiery debacle last year. Well, without further ado, let’s start comparing the Galaxy Note 8 to its competition – and predecessors.
Of course, the main difference between the Galaxy Note 8 and its predecessors lies in the phone’s dual-camera system. Packed with a 12MP dual-pixel camera and a 12MP telephoto shooter (both sensors come with optical image stabilisation too), the Note 8’s camera configuration is indeed similar to the iPhone 7 Plus’, as well as several smartphones like the Xiaomi Mi 6 and OnePlus 5.
Aside from its camera setup, the Galaxy Note 8 comes with several neat upgrades as well. It has the Galaxy S8 series’ impressive Infinity Display, more RAM than ever at 6GB, and to top it off, there’s even a variant of the Note 8 with a very generous 256GB internal storage (though we’re not sure which market this will be reserve for).
However, there is one area the Galaxy Note 8 is particularly underwhelming: battery capacity. Equipped with a 3,300mAh cell, the Note 8 has an even smaller battery than its immediate predecessor, the Galaxy Note 7 – it’s even got a smaller battery than the Galaxy S8+. That being said, pushing the battery capacity of the Note 7 was what caused the whole debacle last year; perhaps Samsung is still playing it safe with the Note 8.
The Samsung Galaxy S8+.
Comparing the Galaxy Note 8’s specifications to its competition, there’s no denying that it’s one of the most capable smartphones released this year. Its 6.3-inch QHD+ Infinity Display is one of the sleekest and sharpest displays in the market, it has an IP68-rated body – even the S Pen is water-resistant – and given Samsung’s past excellence with its smartphone cameras, we imagine the Note 8’s dual-camera system will be quite the performer too.
However, the Galaxy Note 8 is by no means “the perfect smartphone.” Its 3,300mAh battery, as mentioned, is quite concerning. Not only is it even smaller than the Galaxy S8+‘s 3,500mAh battery, the Note 8 also has a slightly bigger 6.3-inch display. Sure, the Galaxy S8+ has respectable battery life to begin with, but given the larger dimensions of the Note 8, it’s only natural to expect a higher capacity battery.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is the most impressive Note device yet, but it also faces some tough competition. If not by the current crop of flagship smartphones, it will certainly see some strong competition from Apple, LG, or even Google with its new Pixel smartphones in the very near future. Only time will tell if the Note 8 will be another winner for Samsung.
