Samsung’s Return to Glory

After a disastrous 2016 with the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung is looking to put the past behind them and have done so in spectacular fashion with the Galaxy Note8. Featuring an edge-to-edge display with state-of-the-art features, Samsung has encapsulated what a smartphone needs in 2017 and then some. With a price tag significantly higher than the Galaxy S8+, the Note8 has big shoes to fill and it does so very convincingly.

Designed to Impress

The Galaxy Note8 comes with a 6.3-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED display screen, allowing you to reach a maximum screen resolution of 2960×1440 (WQHD+.) This lets you view more in greater resolution and colour reproduction. It even makes YouTube videos worth watching as you can view it in its original form or fit to screen, making full use of its large 18.5:9 aspect ratio.

With the Infinity Display, you have a near bezel-less display screen with a very short forehead and chin. You can even customise your screen resolution settings between HD+, FHD+ or WQHD+.

Its insanely large screen also makes app pairing a breeze, being able to squeeze two apps together perfectly while still giving enough attention to each of them. While great to look at from afar or in your hands, the glass back of the Galaxy Note8 is very easily prone to smudging so if that vexes you, I’d suggest investing in a good cover.

The location of the fingerprint scanner is still a design feature that irks many. Much like the Galaxy S8 and S8+, the fingerprint scanner on the Note8 is located directly next to the dual-camera system and LED flash.

While it does provide balance, it is an odd place for many as it is much higher than usual and it leans towards the left. A good note – saw what I did there – to take away from this is that its placement will lower the chances of you accidentally unlocking your phone when it’s in your hands.

Topping the Charts

With the Exynos 8895 processor alongside 6GB of RAM, the Galaxy Note8 is a beast to work with. Whether it’s breezing through social media apps, streaming Spotify and YouTube while running

Waze or even taking down notes in a meeting with the audio recorder running, the Note8 is a multitasking machine. There have been no hiccups in its speed and performance as it switches between a multitude of apps easily and efficiently.

Much like any smartphone these days, the Galaxy Note8 is prone to warming up when used too frequently, and especially on apps that are prone to cause smartphones to heat up.

YouTube is the common enemy as well as Waze and Google Maps, especially when Spotify is running alongside them. Thankfully, it isn’t as bad as other smartphones as the Galaxy Note8 just feels warm to the touch.

Even the speed of which the Galaxy Note8 recharges itself is quick and snappy. Sadly, you will have to purchase the wireless charger separately. This was a bit of a letdown as I was hoping to test out just how quick the wireless charging pod would be and how badly it would heat up the Galaxy Note8.

Two Times the Fun

The first of the Note series to feature dual cameras at the rear, the Galaxy Note8 is one of the top contenders in its photo-taking skills.

A feature that utilises both the telephoto and wide-angle lens to great effect is its Live Focus feature, which captures a close-up image of your subject as well as a wider shot for greater diversity. You can even adjust the background blur before and after the image is captured to suit your liking.

As it is with any millennial, a good way to test out a smartphone camera is by taking pictures of food. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. There were more pictures to be taken and shown but most of the time, I was too hungry to actually whip out the Galaxy Note8 and snap a picture or two. Sadly, I would only remember on taking a picture after I’m three-quarter done with whatever I’m eating.

Here are a few snapshots I took in the two weeks I spent with the Galaxy Note8.

Still Needs Some Work

Samsung has also upped its game in terms of security, introducing three different security functions to the Galaxy Note8. Besides its questionable fingerprint scanner (placement), the Galaxy Note 8 also comes with an iris scanner as well as facial recognition.

If you’re wearing glasses or contacts, the iris scanner is a hit-and-miss as the results of unlocking the device with your eyes fluctuate. As for the facial recognition, you must be in a brightly-lit room and even then, it sometimes doesn’t unlock.

One great addition into the Galaxy Note8 would be Bluetooth 5.0. This allowed me to send files over at insane transfer speeds without needing both devices next to each other. I could transfer images to my friend in another room and he would still receive it in a matter of seconds. The Galaxy Note8 also comes with IP68 rating, which means its both water and dust resistant.

Almost like a Real Pen

The S Pen is extremely accurate when it comes to writing and highly sensitive as well. Sadly, it’s a bit harder for left-handers to use as it requires different finger positioning to write effectively. You can also take notes without turning on the screen. Simply remove the S Pen and start jotting away. The S Pen can also magnify onto a specific part of an article or onto a point of interest on a map. It also makes translation easier instead of having to use your fingers to navigate.

Verdict:

With its top-of-the-line features and components, the Samsung Galaxy Note8 is by far my favourite smartphone of 2017. Now, who needs a kidney? I have an extra…