Samsung Galaxy S8+
Having hit a home run with the smaller Galaxy S8, is Samsung’s Galaxy S8+ the bigger-screen phone to beat. All of the S8’s accolades apply to the S8 Plus as well: It’s a stellar performer that aptly blends beauty and horsepower. Its bigger body, however, means Samsung was able to squeeze a larger battery inside. Couple that with a surprisingly comfortable, narrow body and the Galaxy S8 Plus offers great longevity in a package that won’t make your hands sore. Bixby’s incompleteness is still annoying, as is the location of the fingerprint sensor, but the S8 Plus is still one of the most impressive packages we’ve ever seen.
Several months after the Galaxy's S8 launch, Samsung’s new Bixby virtual assistant is fully available though still hit or miss, and we’re not fans of the fingerprint sensor’s location. But when you add in excellent battery life and improvements to a camera that was already top-notch, you have two winning handsets with the Galaxy S8 and S8+.
Take it out of the box, power it on, and you’ll notice that the 6.2in display completely dominates affairs on the front. It really is a sight to behold and I urge you to give the phone a feel when you’re in the shops. Seeing really is believing and Samsung has done a tremendous job here.
It may be bigger than the regular S8 – that much should be clear by now – but the aesthetic differences end there. There’s still Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back, it’s IP68 dust- and water-resistant for a little more peace of mind, and it can be picked up in silver, blue or black.
Apple is brought an OLED screen to the iPhone X, but you have to pay a grand for the privilege. Sporting a resolution of 2960 x 1440 pixels, both the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ turned in nearly perfect scores on our tests, offering a very bright picture, amazingly vivid colors and near-perfect color accuracy.
The extra-wide 18.5:9 aspect ratio doesn’t work well with some apps, but overall, we like how immersive the experience is when watching video and playing games.
If you’re looking for accurate color, the S8 can deliver that, too. In its AMOLED photo mode, the display notched a Delta-E score of 0.28 (0 is perfect). The LG G6 was closest, at 1.01, but the Pixel XL was way behind, with 5.88. Like the LG G6, the Galaxy S8’s screen is HDR certified, which means you can enjoy a wider range of colors and better contrast on videos that support the standard. Amazon, Netflix and YouTube offer a growing variety of HDR-ready movies and shows.
That’s great news for anyone who wants to step into the future of mobile virtual reality with the new Samsung Gear VR, or simply avoid slowdown two to three years down the road. The S8 and S8 Plus have fully capable chipsets to power’s VR next generation the 3D graphics, and everyone benefits from this smartphone powerhouse.
Both chipsets are future-proofed with Gigabit LTE modems and are Gigabit Wi-Fi-ready, which will make your phone faster at home and on the road one day. Right now, you can also take advantage of Bluetooth Dual Audio, which can output audio to two sets of headphones at the same time.
The bigger screen makes multi-window – where you have two apps side-by-side on the screen – more useful. Because the screen is so long, when landscape in multi-window mode, the apps are about the same width as the Galaxy S8’s screen, but they’re still a little pokey to use because they’re squat. I found it good for quick things or watching a video while replying to emails, but not much more than that.
One-handed mode, which shrinks the screen down to the left or right side of the phone, works well. Triple tap the home button or swipe in from the corner to activate it for when two hands aren’t available.
Samsung says it's the kind of deal where you don’t need to know what phrases you can and can't say and the software will know the context of what you're doing in order to help better. It can also do cool things with the camera like recognise and provide information for landmarks and products.
We're a bit underwhelmed by Bixby, since much of its functionality has already been available via rivals for some time, including the Google Assistant that is also present on the Galaxy S8 Plus
Along with the latest Gear VR headset and the Gear 360 2 camera is an interesting docking station for the Galaxy S8 called DeX. Read more about the Samsung DeX dock.
In a similar way to Windows Continuum, the dock allows you to use a desktop-style interface on a monitor with a keyboard and mouse just by plugging the phone in. You can use apps in different windows and Samsung's browser will automatically request desktop versions of websites so you get the full experience.
The dock itself features USB-C to connect the phone and then offers two USB ports, Ethernet, HDMI and a cooling fan. You can also use a wireless keyboard and mouse if you like.
An update that adds Daydream support to the Galaxy S8+ has also rolled out after launch.
The S8+ has a fingerprint scanner, iris scanner and facial recognition built in for unlocking the phone and authenticating purchases.
As with the S8, the fingerprint scanner is placed on the back next to the camera, but now the device is much longer. Despite being used to phablets with fingerprint scanners on the back I found it initially awkward and unreliable. I got used to it after a few days, adjusting my default holding position higher up the phone, but it would be much better placed below the camera.
The iris scanner on the front is a good alternative to inputting a passcode or pattern to unlock the device, if you’re not in direct sunlight. It came in handy when the phone was flat on the desk, but it will struggle with glasses and contact lenses.
For a small speaker, the Galaxy S8 pumps out pretty sweet sound. When we listened to Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” on this phone, the lyrics were clearer, and the volume was louder, than the same track on the LG G6.
The latter handset sounded slightly muffled by comparison. However, you don’t get stereo sound from the Galaxy S8 as you do from the HTC U Ultra.
The 3500mAh cell inside the Galaxy S8+ is a nice upgrade over the 3000mAh cell in the regular S8, but considering it has that much bigger 6.2-inch display, you’ll still be reaching for that charger every night. You might be able to stretch it beyond that, though, especially since Samsung offers many different ways of tuning the phone to your requirements. If you want to eke out more juice, you can reduce the resolution (it’s set to 1080p by default) or the performance. There are some beefy power-saving modes on offer as well and they make a real difference if you can live with the sacrifices.
There are also modes that drastically reduce the battery life, so it’s probably best to use these sparingly or when you’re near a plug. The Video Enhancer mode, for example, boosts the brightness of the display to create a faux-HDR effect when you’re in certain apps such as YouTube or Netflix. With this on, an hour of video watching depletes the cell by nearly 20%. Turn it off and you’ll get double that.
Like the S7, the S8+ uses Samsung’s own Adaptive Charging rather than Qualcomm’s Quick Charge. This is one of the slower proprietary forms of charging, but it doesn’t require that you use the exact charger that comes in the box – like Dash Charge on the OnePlus 3T. A full charge from 0% to 100% takes about 1hr 40mins, whereas I can fully juice a OnePlus 3 in just over an hour. Samsung has switched to the reversible USB-C port – making it probably the biggest phone so far to switch – but wireless charging remains an option. As always, Samsung has its own Fast Wireless Charging available, but using this will add another 30 minutes to your charging time.
Considering the Galaxy Note 7 burst into flames due to issues with batteries, I don’t think it’s much of a surprise that Samsung has been somewhat unambitious when it comes to the cells here. This is a phone with a sizeable screen and I haven’t yet been able to fully kill it in a day of moderate use – which feels like a win to me.
There are two reasons to buy the Galaxy S8+ – an epic screen and solid battery life. Everything else is pretty much the same as the smaller S8, but it’s more awkward to hold and carry.
It’s clear that, with the Galaxy S8 and S8+, Samsung set out to create more than a phone. It’s trying to build a more Apple-like ecosystem, with devices ranging from the Gear VR and the DeX dock to the new Samsung Connect app for controlling smart home gear and the Bixby assistant. It’s also evident that Samsung hasn’t yet reached that goal, as Bixby’s voice features can be hit or miss.
But even with that shortcoming, the Galaxy S8 still beats the Android competition while surpassing the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in terms of design, display quality and features. The new iPhones are better, though, when it comes to sheer speed and their cameras.
The Galaxy S8 isn’t the first phone to offer a nearly bezel-free design, and yet it looks and feels more modern than the LG G6 (despite Samsung’s awkward fingerprint-sensor placement). The Infinity display is simply gorgeous, and the Snapdragon 835 chip lives up to the hype both in speed and battery efficiency. Some shoppers may want to wait for the iPhone X, but these are the best Android phones you can buy right now and our top picks overall.
Is Samsung’s Galaxy S8+ The Bigger-Screen Ohone to beat?
Several months after the Galaxy's S8 launch, Samsung’s new Bixby virtual assistant is fully available though still hit or miss, and we’re not fans of the fingerprint sensor’s location. But when you add in excellent battery life and improvements to a camera that was already top-notch, you have two winning handsets with the Galaxy S8 and S8+.
And that extra size also means the S8 Plus has a larger battery – you’re getting an extra 17% capacity here, up from 3,000mAh to 3,500mAh. But that’s your lot. Having searched in vain for extra incentives to spend an extra £90, we’ve found none.
Samsung Galaxy S8+ Design
It may be bigger than the regular S8 – that much should be clear by now – but the aesthetic differences end there. There’s still Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back, it’s IP68 dust- and water-resistant for a little more peace of mind, and it can be picked up in silver, blue or black.
You’d think that 6.2in display would render a phone useless but there you’d be wrong. Samsung’s Galaxy S8 Plus isn’t that much bigger than the regular-sized S8, with Samsung keeping the width down to a paltry 73.4mm. Surprisingly, it’s very comfortable to use in just one hand.
You better have deep pockets, though, as the S8 Plus is pretty lanky. At just shy of 160mm tall, it’s half a centimetre taller than the Pixel XL, and might be tricky to squeeze into shallow pockets. Why the long face? Well, it’s perfect for entertainment.
You better have deep pockets, though, as the S8 Plus is pretty lanky. At just shy of 160mm tall, it’s half a centimetre taller than the Pixel XL, and might be tricky to squeeze into shallow pockets. Why the long face? Well, it’s perfect for entertainment.
Samsung Galaxy S8+ Display
The extra-wide 18.5:9 aspect ratio doesn’t work well with some apps, but overall, we like how immersive the experience is when watching video and playing games.
When watching the new Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer, we could make out every wrinkle in Rey’s hands as she seemed to levitate the rocks around her with the Force, as well as every rising ring of smoke around Kylo Ren’s smoldering mask. As the camera panned around to the island where Luke was training Rey, it was hard not to be impressed by the golden sunshine that reflected off the water, as well as the lush, green foliage dotting the mountains.
The S8 backed up our experience by reproducing a superb 183 percent of the sRGB color gamut. That blows away the LG G6’s 134 percent, but the AMOLED screen on the Google Pixel scored an even higher 191 percent. (However, when you turn on Adaptive Display mode on the Galaxy S8, it can reach as high as 255 percent.)
The S8 backed up our experience by reproducing a superb 183 percent of the sRGB color gamut. That blows away the LG G6’s 134 percent, but the AMOLED screen on the Google Pixel scored an even higher 191 percent. (However, when you turn on Adaptive Display mode on the Galaxy S8, it can reach as high as 255 percent.)
The 18.5:9 aspect ratio doesn’t work well with every app. For instance, in Super Mario Run, we noticed unsightly bars above and below the game. But Samsung’s own apps are optimized, and you can fill the screen by pushing a button while watching YouTube and Netflix, even if the video looks a bit stretched out.
The 12-megapixel sensors on the back haven't changed much since last year. That's not a bad thing since they were great cameras to start with; just don't expect any huge jumps in quality. Photos were uniformly well-exposed with excellent color reproduction. And as always, these dual-pixel cameras focus incredibly fast, and the optical image stabilization does an excellent job keeping subjects crisp and clear. Low-light performance was in line with the S7 cameras, which is no surprise since they both have 1.4µm sensor pixels and f/1.7 apertures. Still, expect to see the occasional fuzzy edge and less-accurate focusing when it gets a little too dark. Samsung says it improved the processing pipeline so there's no lag between capturing a shot and being ready to snap the next.
Sample
The S8 and S8 Plus also double as solid video cameras. They capture quality footage at up to 4K with great colors and minimal jittering. I just wish Samsung offered more flexibility — there's a record button, and that's about it.
There is an improved 8-megapixel front camera with a wider field of view for group selfies. It has a f/1.7 aperture too, so it's decent enough in low light and in general it's a great performer. Selfies were clean, detailed and nicely colored, especially when viewed on the punchy AMOLED screen. Even better, you can hold up a palm to snap a selfie, no fumbling with buttons required.
Samsung also spent time cleaning up the camera interface, which was already pretty elegant. You switch between the front and rear cameras with a swipe up or down, and the list of usual photo modes — food, selective focus, slow motion and "pro" — is smaller and more streamlined. This time, though, swiping right opens up a list of Instagram-friendly color options to give your photos a little more character. And speaking of character, Samsung took a page from Snapchat's playbook and added face-tracking filters that are bizarre and fascinating. They range from the cutesy (kawaii cats and rabbits eating carrots) to stranger fare, like a cowboy filter that fires a pistol when you blink. The S8 and S8 Plus come with 31 of these filters, and if nothing else, they're perfect for amusing toddlers who are otherwise busy getting loaded on Easter candy.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus is the fastest and most powerful phone we’ve ever tested. It doesn’t have 6GB of RAM outside of China, but it doesn’t really need it. The proof is in the performance. 4GB of RAM coupled with either the speedy Qualcomm 835 (US) or even faster Samsung Exynos 8895 (UK and everywhere else) chipset topped all of our benchmark tests.
It’s these smaller 10nm chipsets that make this phone more powerful, and they also draw less energy than last year’s 14nm chips. Samsung’s Exynos chips are always a little more powerful, but Qualcomm’s have the US-essential CDMA capabilities to work with Verizon and Sprint.
Our Geekbench benchmarking gave the Exynos chipset a 6,630 multi-core score, while the Qualcomm chipset averaged a 6,000 multi-core score. More importantly, we experienced no slowdown other than gradually appearing Bixby animations – that’s not actual slowdown.
For the people in search of buying advice, here's all you need to know about the S8 and S8 Plus's screens: They're awesome. Thanks for reading.
Samsung Galaxy S8+ Camera
The S8 and S8 Plus also double as solid video cameras. They capture quality footage at up to 4K with great colors and minimal jittering. I just wish Samsung offered more flexibility — there's a record button, and that's about it.
There is an improved 8-megapixel front camera with a wider field of view for group selfies. It has a f/1.7 aperture too, so it's decent enough in low light and in general it's a great performer. Selfies were clean, detailed and nicely colored, especially when viewed on the punchy AMOLED screen. Even better, you can hold up a palm to snap a selfie, no fumbling with buttons required.
Samsung also spent time cleaning up the camera interface, which was already pretty elegant. You switch between the front and rear cameras with a swipe up or down, and the list of usual photo modes — food, selective focus, slow motion and "pro" — is smaller and more streamlined. This time, though, swiping right opens up a list of Instagram-friendly color options to give your photos a little more character. And speaking of character, Samsung took a page from Snapchat's playbook and added face-tracking filters that are bizarre and fascinating. They range from the cutesy (kawaii cats and rabbits eating carrots) to stranger fare, like a cowboy filter that fires a pistol when you blink. The S8 and S8 Plus come with 31 of these filters, and if nothing else, they're perfect for amusing toddlers who are otherwise busy getting loaded on Easter candy.
Samsung Galaxy S8+ Performance
It’s these smaller 10nm chipsets that make this phone more powerful, and they also draw less energy than last year’s 14nm chips. Samsung’s Exynos chips are always a little more powerful, but Qualcomm’s have the US-essential CDMA capabilities to work with Verizon and Sprint.
Our Geekbench benchmarking gave the Exynos chipset a 6,630 multi-core score, while the Qualcomm chipset averaged a 6,000 multi-core score. More importantly, we experienced no slowdown other than gradually appearing Bixby animations – that’s not actual slowdown.
Both chipsets are future-proofed with Gigabit LTE modems and are Gigabit Wi-Fi-ready, which will make your phone faster at home and on the road one day. Right now, you can also take advantage of Bluetooth Dual Audio, which can output audio to two sets of headphones at the same time.
Samsung is charging you more than ever for this phone, but it is offering better value when it comes to internal storage space. There’s just one option: 64GB, up from the 32GB entry-level S7 Edge. You don’t need to chose between 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB this year.
What if you want more space? Thankfully, the microSD card slot returns, giving you ample expandable storage (up to 256GB more). Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus and Google’s Pixel XL don’t support microSD cards, so this is a nice perk.
What if you want more space? Thankfully, the microSD card slot returns, giving you ample expandable storage (up to 256GB more). Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus and Google’s Pixel XL don’t support microSD cards, so this is a nice perk.
Samsung Galaxy S8+ OS
The S8+ runs the latest version of Samsung’s customised Android, TouchWiz, based on Android 7.0 Nougat, not the latest 7.1. It’s the same version as the S8. For more on TouchWiz, please see the Galaxy S8 review.
The bigger screen makes multi-window – where you have two apps side-by-side on the screen – more useful. Because the screen is so long, when landscape in multi-window mode, the apps are about the same width as the Galaxy S8’s screen, but they’re still a little pokey to use because they’re squat. I found it good for quick things or watching a video while replying to emails, but not much more than that.
One-handed mode, which shrinks the screen down to the left or right side of the phone, works well. Triple tap the home button or swipe in from the corner to activate it for when two hands aren’t available.
Samsung Galaxy S8+ Bixby and Dex
The biggest new software feature by far is Bixby which might sound like a butler's name and it sort of is. Bixby is a new digital assistant along the lines of Siri and Google Assistant you can instantly access with the dedicated button on the side. We answer 'What is Bixby?'.
Samsung says it's the kind of deal where you don’t need to know what phrases you can and can't say and the software will know the context of what you're doing in order to help better. It can also do cool things with the camera like recognise and provide information for landmarks and products.
We're a bit underwhelmed by Bixby, since much of its functionality has already been available via rivals for some time, including the Google Assistant that is also present on the Galaxy S8 Plus
In a similar way to Windows Continuum, the dock allows you to use a desktop-style interface on a monitor with a keyboard and mouse just by plugging the phone in. You can use apps in different windows and Samsung's browser will automatically request desktop versions of websites so you get the full experience.
The dock itself features USB-C to connect the phone and then offers two USB ports, Ethernet, HDMI and a cooling fan. You can also use a wireless keyboard and mouse if you like.
An update that adds Daydream support to the Galaxy S8+ has also rolled out after launch.
Samsung Galaxy S8+ Biometrics
As with the S8, the fingerprint scanner is placed on the back next to the camera, but now the device is much longer. Despite being used to phablets with fingerprint scanners on the back I found it initially awkward and unreliable. I got used to it after a few days, adjusting my default holding position higher up the phone, but it would be much better placed below the camera.
The iris scanner on the front is a good alternative to inputting a passcode or pattern to unlock the device, if you’re not in direct sunlight. It came in handy when the phone was flat on the desk, but it will struggle with glasses and contact lenses.
Samsung Galaxy S8+ Speakers
The latter handset sounded slightly muffled by comparison. However, you don’t get stereo sound from the Galaxy S8 as you do from the HTC U Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S8+ Battery
Aside from the overall size, and of course price, the biggest difference between the two Galaxy S8 flagships are their batteries. However, I’ve found they both last about the same amount of time, so don’t pick up the S8+ expecting it to last multiple days without needing a charge.
The 3500mAh cell inside the Galaxy S8+ is a nice upgrade over the 3000mAh cell in the regular S8, but considering it has that much bigger 6.2-inch display, you’ll still be reaching for that charger every night. You might be able to stretch it beyond that, though, especially since Samsung offers many different ways of tuning the phone to your requirements. If you want to eke out more juice, you can reduce the resolution (it’s set to 1080p by default) or the performance. There are some beefy power-saving modes on offer as well and they make a real difference if you can live with the sacrifices.
There are also modes that drastically reduce the battery life, so it’s probably best to use these sparingly or when you’re near a plug. The Video Enhancer mode, for example, boosts the brightness of the display to create a faux-HDR effect when you’re in certain apps such as YouTube or Netflix. With this on, an hour of video watching depletes the cell by nearly 20%. Turn it off and you’ll get double that.
Considering the Galaxy Note 7 burst into flames due to issues with batteries, I don’t think it’s much of a surprise that Samsung has been somewhat unambitious when it comes to the cells here. This is a phone with a sizeable screen and I haven’t yet been able to fully kill it in a day of moderate use – which feels like a win to me.
Verdict
There are two reasons to buy the Galaxy S8+ – an epic screen and solid battery life. Everything else is pretty much the same as the smaller S8, but it’s more awkward to hold and carry.
It’s clear that, with the Galaxy S8 and S8+, Samsung set out to create more than a phone. It’s trying to build a more Apple-like ecosystem, with devices ranging from the Gear VR and the DeX dock to the new Samsung Connect app for controlling smart home gear and the Bixby assistant. It’s also evident that Samsung hasn’t yet reached that goal, as Bixby’s voice features can be hit or miss.
But even with that shortcoming, the Galaxy S8 still beats the Android competition while surpassing the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in terms of design, display quality and features. The new iPhones are better, though, when it comes to sheer speed and their cameras.
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