Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review: The Phoenix reborn (review)

Yes, this Note 8 review is probably one of the last full reviews to be published out since its release date back in August. We’re still working on building our team here at deTeched, but our goal is to give you the best information as fast as we can produce it.

The Samsung Galaxy Note smartphone is Samsung’s second flagship release each calendar year. In years past, Samsung releases the Galaxy S smartphone in the spring part of the year, while the Note follows in the late summer/early fall portion of the calendar. The Note is known for its unique stylus that is stored inside of the phone’s frame, as well as for its ultimate functionality and its large display. While other phones have followed the Note’s large display in recent years, most notably Apple finally caved to having larger displays, no one has done it better than Samsung with the Note lineup. The Note always comes with the heftiest of price tags for Android phones, but it’s always justified by its top of the line specs, no matter what year the phone comes out in.

Last year was a big snafu for Samsung – it had to recall every single Note 7 off the market due to a battery flaw that led to a small number of Notes catching fire. Tech bloggers and even major media websites covered the Note 7 debacle like it was a global terrorist attack, and even wrote about rumors how Samsung might kill off the entire Note line altogether. The recall cost Samsung over $5 billion in lost revenue, but Samsung came out firing for 2017. It released two Galaxy S smartphones, an S8 and an S8+ which received rave reviews across the board. I used both phones for a couple of months each and came away blown away at how much Samsung improved as a company. Its S8 and S8+ were not only fast, gorgeous and all-around solid performers, but Samsung also releases software updates for its devices faster than any other manufacturers not named Google. It also streamlined TouchWiz to the point where it no longer slowed down over time or decreased in battery life. I wish I had enough time to get those full reviews published on deTeched, but at least I could get out a minor summary here.

I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Samsung for the past several years. I fell in love with Android phones with the Note 3 several years back. Before that, I was a diehard iPhone fanboy, but the Note 3’s massive display, ultra-fast performance, huge battery and overall package just made me a fan. I loved the Note 4, and still, consider it to be one of the best Androids of all time, but was disappointed in the Note 5 and came away saddened by the Note 7 recall. I hated when Samsung did away with the external memory card slot on the Note 5. I also hated when Samsung went from the utilitarian build of the Note 4’s removable back and went to an all-glass build. I also hated that Samsung took extremely long to update its software that left users loaded with bugs. In 2017, I finally see the light. Samsung’s vision for its smartphones have come together in one device – the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, the Phoenix has been reborn.

About this review

I’m using the US unlocked version of the 64GB Note 8 on the AT&T network. The phone was purchased from Samsung and was not provided as a review unit. I’ve mostly used it in San Diego, CA, but have traveled with it across the country for business and pleasure for the past three months. It’s been my daily driver and I do not intend to compare it to its siblings. This phone deserves its own full review. My review will focus on real-world usage. I won’t get into extreme details like speed tests, or photo evaluations (I’m not a photo expert) or things of the sort. This review is going to be based on how the average Note user would use their smartphone.

Specs you care about

• Cost: MSRP starts at $929.99
• Cost to repair broken display without insurance: $300
• Dimensions: 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6 mm (6.40 x 2.94 x 0.34 in)
• Weight: 195g
• Display: 6.3″ Super AMOLED
• Resolution: 1440 x 2960 pixels (521 pixels per inch density)
• Processor: Snapdragon 835 (US)
• Memory: 6GB
• Storage: 64GB internal expandable via microSD
• Front Camera: 8MP
• Rear Camera: Dual 12MP with OIS and 2X optical zoom
• Operating System: Android 7.1.1 Nougat
• Durability: Gorilla Glass 5 with an IP68 water and dust resistance rating
• Audio jack: yes, 3.5mm
• Charging port: USB-C
• Speaker: Down firing single speaker
• Bluetooth 5.0
• Stylus: S-Pen
• Sensors: Iris scanner, rear fingerprint reader, barometer, heart rate, SpO2
• Battery: 3300mAh with fast charging and fast wireless charging

Build

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has the largest display of any major retail smartphone in the US with a 6.3″ display. It manages to pack in a massive display into a sleek polished metal frame sandwiched between two pieces of Gorilla Glass 5 layers in Black and Orchid Gray. The Note 8 comes with Samsung’s Infinity display which basically translates into a large display with almost no vertical bezels. There are small bezels that line the top and bottom of the phone, but it doesn’t have the weird “eyebrow” as found in the iPhone X and Essential smartphone.

On the left side of the Note 8 is where you’ll find the volume rocker and Bixby button that are both responsive and clickable with a perfect amount of resistance. On the right is where you’ll find the power button and on the top is where the SIM/micro SD card slot resides. On the bottom is where the USB-C charging and data port lie which is flanked by a super useful 3.5mm audio jack and S-Pen stylus. On the back of the Note is where the dual camera, heart rate monitor, and fingerprint sensor lie.

The build is second to none. The Note 8 is a best in class build and offers every single feature you can hope for in a build and even manages to get an IP68 water and dust resistance rating. Oh, and it does it in a super slim package at just 8.6mm thick. You don’t have to take my word for it on the build quality – I have so many iPhone friends who have seen my Note 8 and every single one of them commented at how great the phone looked without knowing what it was.

Daily Performance

There are a limited number of Android smartphones that have 6GB or more of internal memory. The phone that comes to mind when it comes to loads of RAM is the OnePlus 5 and 5T which have 6GB and 8GB depending on the model you choose. No other Android flagship sold through US carriers has 6GB of RAM, and quite honestly, none actually need it. The Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL run a very clean version of Android that doesn’t need additional RAM. The LG V30 has 4GB of RAM and runs pretty smooth with what its got. Technically the HTC U11 can be purchased in a 6GB variant, but only unlocked when purchased direct. The Galaxy Note 8 actually needs and benefits from the full 6GB of RAM that comes installed.

The Note 8 is easily the most functional smartphone on the planet right now. It goes beyond social media needs like Snapchat and Instagram, basic gaming needs like Words with Friends – it comes as close as it gets to a portable computer more than any other smartphone. If you’ve owned a Galaxy Note before, you know what I’m talking about. It was the first Android to employ dual apps where you could be emailing and reading a webpage at the same time. Or you could choose from a smattering of other combos to whatever you needed most. With Dex, an accessory that turns your Note 8 into an actual computer, you’ll need and want the extra RAM to multi-task like a normal computer would. The Note 8 is also a very capable virtual reality machine when paired up with the Gear VR headset and controller. It’s also the only phone with a powerful stylus that can be used for taking handwritten notes, it can be used to edit photos, send live messages as well as a whole bunch of other things that no other smartphone can do. Again the Note 8 is in a class of its own when it comes to software features. Android purists will hate a phone like this because they think all of these features as bloat. Lastly, for the sake of not overextending this portion of the review, it also has Bixby built-in which is Samsung’s smart assistant similar to Apple’s Siri and Google’s Assistant. Although, the Note 8 also has Google’s Assistant too.

The 6GB of RAM paired up with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 make the Note 8 a true performance powerhouse. Sure there are other phones that are just as smooth and as fast, but no other phone can do as much as the Note 8. Everything I throw at it is fast and I have not once experienced a slow down or crash. No random restarts or other strange bugs either. I’ve been using the Note 8 to its full potential for the past several months. I send a ton of work emails, texts, take notes using the S-Pen (it’s impossible to draw chemical structures as a chemist with a finger in note-taking apps on other phones), take pictures every day with a mix of videos, and play lots of movies and games on it too. No matter what I do, the Note 8 stays one step ahead.

Battery

The Galaxy Note 8 has a non-removable 3300mAh battery. I honestly hate comparing battery sizes to other phones because a battery’s size doesn’t necessarily determine how much actual life you’ll get out of it. Daily battery life is made up of more factors than I would like to list, but size is just one of those factors. As you’ve read in the usage section, I use my Note 8 more than most people use their phones.

No matter the day, I always make it to the end without the battery dying. Some days I’ll actually drop below 10%, but consider my average day starts out at 6:00 am at the gym where I listen to music at max volume through Bluetooth headphones for just over an hour. I then head to work where I use my phone to take calls, send texts and take pictures of my work (part of the life of a modern chemist). I then come home to pick up my dog where we spend an hour at the dog park where I play Clash Royale and read the news for the day. After that I come home, eat dinner, ride my spin cycle and listen to more music for an hour, followed by a 30-60 minute walk with my dog while I listen to my M&D MW60 wireless headphones while sending work emails at the same time. It’s only after I get home when I connect my Note 8 to the charger before I hop into bed and watch a couple of YouTube videos.

I’ve had several phones that had better-perceived battery life, and I say “perceived” because I used those phones less. The only other phones which I think actually had significantly better battery life was the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 Plus. But you have to factor in those phones are larger than the Note 8 and have a much smaller display at 5.5″ with less resolution and brightness to boot. Nonetheless, those phones do have better battery life.

I do like that Samsung also managed to vastly improve the discharge rate when the phone is not being used. There have been over a dozen times when I forgot to connect my Note 8 to a charger before bed and woke up to it without any significant battery loss, maybe 2-3% on average. In the past, even with the S6 or with other phones like the LG V20, if I ever left the phone not connected to a charger I would easily lose 10-20% battery life overnight. Losing 2-3% on average is nothing considering I have all notifications on as well as the always on display.

One reason for the improved battery life is Samsung’s software optimization tools. The device now regularly scans itself for apps that are dragging on the phone’s performance and shuts them down, with your permission of course. I let my Note 8 do its thing and I believe it’s the major reason behind the improved battery performance. I have no doubt I could get better battery life if I didn’t use the high-performance mode which enables the highest display quality and brightness settings. I could go with the Optimized settings with 1080p resolution and lower brightness, but who wants that? That’s like buying a Ferrari to drive it like a Prius. I appreciate that Samsung gives users the option, but I doubt many will use it in the optimized mode. It’s certainly a good option to have though when I am traveling and know I’ll need extended battery life.

I couldn’t be more satisfied with the battery life on the Note 8. It keeps up with me and never leaves me wanting more.

Camera

The Note 8’s dual camera is legitimately one of the best you can get. Not only is it super fast to load and snap pictures, but it’s also so detailed that I’ve had friends ask me if my photos were taken with a DSLR. I’m mainly going to show examples of photos taken with the Note 8 with my shaky hands below. I’m not a camera expert so I can’t tell you if the photos are oversaturated, inaccurate, but I can tell you that I love the photos it takes and these are memories I’ll be able to cherish forever. Keep in mind the photos have been compressed using Google Photos so I don’t slow down the site loading speed more than necessary.

Useful features

The S-Pen is where it’s at with the Note 8. I know it’s not a tool most general users would find useful, but my day job it’s necessary as I design and build new chemicals in hopes one of them will treat a neurological disease (medicinal chemist). I draw chemical structures on a daily basis and take notes using my S-Pen on the Note 8 when I’m in meetings. It’s easier for me to keep my notes this way since paper tends to get disorganized and lost over a period of time. For artists, photographers and other professions where a stylus is useful, the Note 8 is the only option for people like me.

Another really cool feature is Samsung’s virtual reality app using the Gear VR headset. When Samsung first came out with Gear VR a couple of years back, it was neat in concept but more of a gimmick because there was very little content to be had on it. Now in its third iteration, Gear VR still uses a similar headset but is much more evolved due to the ever-growing library of games, movies, 3D movies, and apps that are compatible with it like Hulu, DirectvNOW, and Netflix. I’m not much of a video watcher, but whenever I throw on Netflix, Hulu or any other video content, I feel like I’m in a real movie theater especially when I put on headphones for the full effect. It’s so immersive that I find myself wasting too much time in another world.

Display

Samsung is the king of display makers for smartphones no questions asked. It’s so good at making displays that even Apple caved and bought Samsung OLED displays for the iPhone X. The Note 8 has a 6.3″ Super AMOLED display that is the brightest and most detailed across any smartphone. Other smartphones try to match the performance of a Samsung display, and while those look good, none look as great as what you’ll find on the Note 8. It broke a record for all smartphones reaching 1200 nits at maximum brightness. This means your Note 8 display will be too bright when you’re in dark settings when it’s on max, and it will look great even in full sunlight. Its display also uses the full 100% DCI-P3 gamut which is used in premium 4k TVs. The color gamut is deeper than ever with the Note 8’s “deep red” which means it can reach saturation levels never seen in a smartphone before. To the naked eye, it’s just super clear, very colorful and a pleasure to look at no matter the content that’s on the display.

Audio Jack

Let me just say “Thank you Samsung for keeping the audio jack.” Every other smartphone manufacturer, besides LG, is doing away with the audio jack and they’re using excuses like they need the space for other things. Samsung has proven you can build a slim, large display, and water-proof phone with an audio jack with the Note 8, S8 and S8+. Most of us love wireless headphones, but we also love our wired headphones especially for taking calls. There are very few wireless headsets that sound good to callers on the other end, but almost all wired headsets sound great on calls. Also, audiophiles like me know wired headphones just sound better than compressed audio over Bluetooth, and USB-C headphones are wonky and expensive. USB-C headphones are also very hard to get. There are about 10-15 USB-C headsets you can get on Amazon with limited success in the reviews.

So again, thank you Samsung for building such a great phone while leaving in the audio jack which serves us all well.

Conclusion

The Note 8 has been reborn from the ashes and is better than ever. It has every single feature you could ask for in a smartphone: S-Pen, wireless charging, audio jack, true multi-tasking, a fantastic camera, VR, Bixby, battery optimization, an incredible display and best in class performance. The price starts at $929 which might seem a bit steep for most, but when you factor in everything that it can do over the competitors like the Google Pixel 2 XL (which costs almost the same), LG V30, and iPhone X, the price seems quite fair considering the Note 8 is a true workhorse.

If you want a phone that can do everything the Note 8 is the one for you. As much as I hate assigning the “best of” tags to anything, the Note 8 is easily one of the best Android smartphones of 2017. If you want a large display smartphone, you won’t find anything better.

Get your own Samsung Galaxy Note 8 from Samsung, Amazon, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and Best Buy.

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