Ever since Samsung unveiled the Samsung Galaxy S7 edgesmartphone, their flagship S and Note smartphones have all been IP68-certified to be dust- and water-resistant.
Let’s take a look at the engineering behind the Samsung’s IP68 rating, and clarify its limitations, so you can enjoy your Samsung smartphones for many years to come!
What Samsung introduced in their flagship smartphones from the Galaxy S7 edge onwards was IP68 dust- and water-resistance without prior preparation.
Unlike prior water-resistant smartphones, you don’t need to prepare it in any way before you dunk it into water. There is no need to cap the earphone and USB ports. It is dust- and water-resistant 24/7.
To achieve this feat, Samsung introduced a number of engineering improvements :
An unspecified “new type of water resistance technology” was used to seal the unit internally against the ingress of water,
An “exclusive type of water protective tape” was added to the back of the front and rear glass, as well as other internal parts,
Rubber linings were used on parts like the USB port, the earphone port, and the SIM card tray to prevent the ingress of water
Anti-corrosive materials like nickel and platinum and corrosive-resistant coating were used for all external metal parts and connectors like the earphone and USB ports,
The USB port has a short circuit sensor to cut-off power when it detects a short circuit due to water contact
Portable electronic vents were used to ensure a good flow of air and outflow of water and humidity
As you can see, a lot of engineering went into ensuring that Samsung smartphones are dust- and water-resistant, while remaining ultra-slim.
Teardowns by iFixit also showed considerable use of adhesive in subsequent models, all the way to the latest Samsung Galaxy Note 10+, to maintain this IP68-rated dust and water-resistance.
Is The Samsung S Pen IP68 Rated Too?
The S Pen of IP68-rated Galaxy Note devices are also IP68-rated against dust and water. However, the S Pen requires slightly different techniques to achieve such water-resistance :
its printed circuit board (PCB) is covered with a special epoxy material
rubber seals are used to seal off vulnerable passageways
important components like the pen pressure switch are also covered by rubber seals
This allows the pen tip to move as needed, while preventing the ingress of water that will damage the internal components of the S Pen.
[adrotate group=”1″]
Samsung IP68 Rating Clarified
All Samsung smartphones that are IP68-rated can withstand complete immersion in water up to 1.5 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes.
This means you can take it for jogs in the rain, or reading in the bathtub. However, we must point out that IP68 is a rating for water immersion.
IP68-rated devices are NOT designed to withstand water pressure. We therefore do not recommend you take it into the shower or while you swim.
The IP68 certification is based on a specific set of test conditions :
Temperature Range : 15-35 °C
Pressure Range : 86-106 kPa
Maximum Water Depth : 1.5 metre
Maximum Time of Immersion : 30 minutes
If you exceed those conditions, Samsung’s IP68 measures may not prevent the ingress of water.
In fact, if you check your User Guide, you will see that Samsung warns against exposing their IP68 smartphones to “water moving with force“.
This means you should not place them under running water from a tap or a waterfall. Even ocean waves may exert enough force to drive water into their chassis.
Summary : IP68 = Water-Resistance, NOT Waterproofing
The takeaway message is this – Samsung IP68 smartphones are water-resistant, not waterproof. You need to be gentle with them when they are exposed to water.
The biggest problem is water pressure, not depth. You can leave it at the bottom of a swimming pool without worry, but the force of water from a tap can exceed the IP68 pressure rating.
Do NOT do this!!! Never pour water on your device, because it exerts pressure!
Let’s consider a real-world scenario – taking photos and videos while snorkelling.
You won’t reach a depth of 1.5 m when you snorkel. But swinging your device underwater could literally force water into the chassis!
That doesn’t mean you cannot use your device underwater. You can, but you must make sure not to exert too much force. Take it in and out of the water gently, and if you have to move, do so gently.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
When pictures of the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus first leaked, pundits criticised how similar it looked to its predecessor – the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus. But the familiar facade hides a number of important upgrades. Find out why we think the new Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is the perfected Galaxy S8 Plus!
The Samsung Galaxy S9 & Galaxy S9+
Like the Samsung Galaxy S8, there will be two sizes – the Galaxy S9 (SM-960) with a 5.8″ display, and the larger Galaxy S9 Plus (SM-965) with a 6.2″ display. Here is a table comparing their specifications :
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S9+
Samsung Galaxy S9
Model
SM-965
SM-960
Display
6.2" Super AMOLED Infinity Display
- 1440 x 2960 pixels (529 ppi)
5.8" Super AMOLED Infinity Display
- 1440 x 2960 pixels (570 ppi)
Dual Camera System
- Main Dual Aperture Camera with 12 MP Dual Pixel sensor, OIS lens with f/1.5 and f/2.4 variable apertures
- Telephoto camera with 12 MP Dual Pixel sensor, OIS lens and f/2.4 aperture
- dual-tone LED flash
Dual Aperture Camera
- 12 MP Dual Pixel sensor with 1.4 μm pixels
- OIS lens with f/1.5 and f/2.4 variable apertures
- dual-tone LED flash
Super Slow-mo
Yes, 720p (0.2 seconds)
Yes, 720p (0.2 seconds)
Samsung Live Focus
Yes
No
Connectivity
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
- LTE Cat18 : 1.2Gbps DL / 150 Mbps UL
- WiFi : 802.11ac (2x2)
- USB Type C
Samsung Exynos 9810
- LTE Cat18 : 1.2Gbps DL / 200 Mbps UL
- WiFi : 802.11ac (2x2)
- USB Type C
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
- LTE Cat18 : 1.2Gbps DL / 150 Mbps UL
- WiFi : 802.11ac (2x2)
- USB Type C
Samsung Exynos 9810
- LTE Cat18 : 1.2Gbps DL / 200 Mbps UL
- WiFi : 802.11ac (2x2)
- USB Type C
Iris Scanner
Yes, with IntelligentScan capability
Yes, with IntelligentScan capability
Fingerprint Sensor
Yes, Rear-Mounted
Yes, Rear-Mounted
Bixby Button
Yes
Yes
Dust & Water Resistance
IP68
IP68
Audio
AKG-tuned Stereo Speakers
3.5 mm audio jack
AKG-tuned Stereo Speakers
3.5 mm audio jack
FM Radio
Yes
Yes
Battery
3,500 mAh lithium-ion battery
15 W Fast Wireless Charging Capability
3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery
15 W Fast Wireless Charging Capability
Dimensions
73.8 mm wide
158.1 mm tall
8.5 mm thick
68.7 mm wide
147.7 mm tall
8.5 mm thick
Weight
189 g
163 g
Available Colours
Midnight Black / Coral Blue / Lilac Purple / Titanium Silver
Midnight Black / Coral Blue / Lilac Purple / Titanium Silver
This time around, Samsung made more of an effort to differentiate the two models. The larger Galaxy S9 Plus not only comes with a larger battery, it also has more memory and storage options, as well as a dual camera system.
[adrotate group=”1″]
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Colour Options
Samsung is making the Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) available in four colour options – Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple, and Titanium Silver. However, not all of them will be available worldwide.
In Malaysia, only these three colours are available (at least initially) – Midnight Black, Coral Blue, and Lilac Purple.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus Up Close
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) is very similar to the Samsung Galaxy S8 in design. They both boast the same glass and metal design, with an Infinity Display and IP68 dust- and water-resistance.
In most countries, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) is powered by the Samsung Exynos 9810, while in the US, it runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. It comes with 6 GB of LPDDR4x memory, and 64 GB of storage (with a 128 GB option in some countries).
Despite rumours that Samsung would be ditching the dedicated Bixby button and 3.5 mm earphone port, they will both still here.
The Front Camera
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) retains the Galaxy S8‘s front camera with the 8 MP Samsung S5K3H1 sensor and an f/1.7 lens. It is capable of recording 4K videos at 30 fps, and has great low-light capability.
Its low-light capability will come in handy, as the front camera does not have flash support, not even screen flash. Still, we hope that Samsung will at least throw in screen flash, which costs nothing to add.
Dual Aperture Camera
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) boasts a new dual aperture camera, that was first used in the rare and expensive Samsung W2018 smartphone (available only in China). This dual aperture camera has a mechanical aperture that lets you switch between an incredibly bright f/1.5 aperture, and the f/2.4 aperture for a deeper depth of field.
The f/1.5 aperture is the widest aperture so far in a smartphone, offering just over ⅓ stop more light than the f/1.7 aperture of the Samsung Galaxy S8‘s camera. This translates into better low-light photography with less noise.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) has an additional telephoto camera that is not available in the Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check). This camera has a 12 MP sensor, but lacks the Dual Pixel capability of the main camera, and is coupled to a f/2.4 lens.
This telephoto camera does not just give you a 2X zoom capability, it actually adds Live Focus and Dual Capture capabilities. You can also switch between the two cameras in the midst of recording a video, and because they both have OIS lenses, the video will be stabilised all the way.
[adrotate group=”1″]
New Samsung ISOCELL Fast Sensor
Samsung used their latest ISOCELL Fast SAK2L3 sensor in the new cameras. This is a 12 MP sensor with large 1.4 µm pixels for excellent low-light performance.
The Fast designation means it comes with its Dual Pixel and Super PD capabilities. It also boasts a 3-stack FRS (Fast Readout Sensor) that allows high-speed captures of Full HD video.
The Dual Pixel technology is an autofocus technology that uses the dual photodiodes in every pixel on the image sensor for phase-detection autofocus. This allows for faster and more accurate focusing, because it uses many more autofocus pixels, instead of just a few dedicated pixels (usually less than 5% of the total).
Super Slow-Mo
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) supports a new Super Slow-mo feature, which allows you to record 720p video at 960 fps.
The Super Slow-mo videos can be instantly edited, with a random selection from preloaded choices. Or you can use your own music / songs. You can also create a GIF from the recorded video, with three style of looping – reverse, forward or swing.
The new ISOCELL Fast sensor, when paired with the Samsung Exynos 9810, is said to be fast enough to record slow-motion 1080p video at 960 fps / 4K video at 120 fps. However, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 is not fast enough, so Samsung limited Super Slow-mo capability to ensure consistent experience worldwide.
There are other caveats too – Super Slow-mo is limited to 20 shots per video, with approximately 0.2 seconds of recording and 6 seconds of playback for each Super Slow-mo shot.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Bixby Live Translation
The original Samsung Bixby is capable of live translation, so a more accurate description of this new feature is AR (augmented reality) Translation.
In the original Bixby, the translation appears as a separate card. But in the new Samsung Galaxy S9 Bixby implementation, the translation appears as part of the image. Hence, our opinion that it should be called AR Translation.
In fact, it is smart enough to take note of the font and background of the text being translated, and render the translation as if it was the original text!
This is, without doubt, a truly useful combination of Bixby and augmented reality!
AR Emoji
This is arguably one of the coolest software features in the new Samsung Galaxy S9 camera system. You can use either the front or rear camera to take a picture of anyone, to create augmented reality emojis that look like your subject!
The Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) will automatically create an avatar that looks like you, which you can customise to your satisfaction. They will also automatically create 18 stickers showing a range of different emotions for you to use in your instant messages.
But that’s not all – the avatar will imitate your facial expressions. You can even record videos that can be shared with your friends!
Intelligent Scan
The Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) has a “new login method” called Intelligent Scan. This is not really a new feature, but a combination of the existing facial recognition and iris scanning capabilities.
In bright conditions, Intelligent Scan uses facial recognition to login. But when it gets too dark, the iris scanner kicks in. This allows for easier and faster logins in low light or super bright conditions.
Intelligent Scan addresses the key problem with the iris scanner – it doesn’t work in bright conditions. However, it is easier to fool than a point cloud facial recognition system like Apple Face ID, and future honor smartphones,
[adrotate group=”1″]
New Fingerprint Sensor
Samsung moved the fingerprint sensor to a central location right beneath the main camera at the back. This is a much better location, especially if you are left-handed. But that’s not all.
Samsung also used a new swipe fingerprint sensor. It is much easier and faster to register your fingerprint with this new sensor. This addresses a major criticism of the Galaxy S8 and Note8 smartphones.
However, its close proximity to the rear camera, and its swipe functionality means you still have to regularly clean the camera lens to avoid blurry pictures.
Hybrid SIM
As it was with the Samsung Galaxy S8, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) will be offered with a nano SIM + microSD tray, or a hybrid SIM tray, depending on region. If you want dual SIM, dual standby capability, you will need to get the model with the hybrid SIM tray.
The hybrid SIM tray allows you to either use a second SIM card, or a microSD card, but not both at the same time. The microSD slot officially supports microSD cards of up to 256 GB in size, although it should have no problem supporting larger capacity microSD cards, like the 400GB SanDisk Ultra (Price Check).
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
IP68 Dust & Water Resistance
Like the Galaxy S8, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) is IP68-rated for dust- and water-resistance. Best of all, you don’t even have to prepare it in any way before you dunk it into water! For more information how how Samsung achieved this feat, take a look at our article,Samsung Galaxy S7 IP68 Engineering Explained.
Officially, the Galaxy S9 Plus can withstand complete immersion in water up to 1.5 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes. That means you can take it for jogs in the rain, reading in the shower or soaking in bath. Heck, you can even take it for a swim!
There are some caveats though. The IP68 rating applies to a specific set of test conditions : 15-35 °C, 86-106 kPa, 1.5 metre, 30 minutes. Even so, water may enter and damage the Galaxy S7 edge if it is exposed to “water moving with force“, like running water from a tap or waterfall, or ocean waves.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) has a 5.8″ bezel-less Infinity Display, so it does not feel like a large smartphone. In fact, it feels smaller than the 5.5″ Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, and even 5.2″ smartphones like HTC 10. This means it will feel more comfortable in smaller hands, and fit better in smaller pockets.
The large Super AMOLED display is beautiful as always. However, the WQHD+ resolution of 1440 x 2960 results in a non-standard 18.5:9 display ratio. Watching movies will result in some pillarboxing– a black bar on each side of the movie.
The Gorilla Glass 5 back looks fabulous… at first. It is easily smudged by oily fingerprints, because it lacks the oleophobic coating of the front Gorilla Glass 5 cover protecting the display.
[adrotate group=”1″]
Setting Up The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) comes with Android 8.0 Oreo installed. The setup process is the same as the Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check), whose setup video can be seen below.
Available Memory & Storage
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) comes with 6 GB of LPDDR4x memory, of which 3 GB (50%) is available for use. That is a lot of bloat, equal to that of the Galaxy S8. But seriously, 3 GB of memory is more than enough memory to run many applications simultaneously. In fact, it is more memory than what many mid-range smartphones ship with!
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) comes with 64 GB of internal flash storage, with 50 GB of free space for you to use. That is enough space to store about 11,000 photos, or 6 hours of 1080p videos, or just over 2 hours of 4K videos. If that’s not enough, you can top it up with a microSD card (up to 256 GB).
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Camera Performance – Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) uses the 12 MP Samsung ISOCELL Fast SAK2L3 sensor in the dual aperture camera. It is capable of switching between the f/1.5 aperture, and the f/2.4 aperture.
The maximum 12 MP resolution is attained with the 4:3 aspect ratio, with 4032 x 3024 pixels, and a file size of between 3 MB and 5 MB.
Here are 10 high-resolution samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos, which you can also download to examine.
Telephoto 2X Zoom Capability
Here are two pictures to show you the additional reach the secondary telephoto camera gives you.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Camera Performance – Video Recording
Like its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) is capable of recording 4K videos from both front and back cameras. However, Samsung still limits the 4K recording time to just 10 minutes. This was likely done to ensure that the sensor does not overheat the battery.
Video Recording Test #1 : Piano (1080p)
In this video, you can see the amount of detail the sensor captures, even at just 1080p. There is a good control of the highlights – you can see into the Padini Concept Store in the background.
You can also see how well its OIS capability worked, even when we switched between the main camera and the telephoto camera.
Video Recording Test #2 : Piano (4K)
The resolution at 4K is incredible. You can even see some of the price tags deep inside the Padini Concept Store. There was some seeking issues with the telephoto camera at 0:17, but they were only present at this particular angle – where there are other subjects behind the pianist, Mr. Yang.
Video Recording Test #3 : Japanese Band (1080p)
This was taken with the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) mounted on a DJI Osmo Mobile gimbal. You can see a lot of wobbling. This sadly appears to be the camera’s OIS trying to compensate for the stabilisation already provided by the gimbal.
The highlights were slightly overblown, but it was still an admirable effort for such bright spotlights in a dim environment.
Video Recording Test #4 : Japanese Band (4K)
Again, there was significant wobbling from the OIS, when used with a gimbal. But we can’t help but admire the sharpness and detail captured in this video.
[adrotate group=”1″]
Video Recording Test #5 : Street Market (1080p)
The combination of OIS and EIS allowed the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) to deliver really good image stabilisation.
Video Recording Test #6 : Street Market (4K)
Its image stabilisation capabilities were not diminished with the higher resolution. Overall – very good OIS and EIS performance.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Work Performance – PCMark
We tested the Samsung Galaxy S9’s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
The Samsung Exynos 9810 powering the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) is about 5.5% faster than the Exynos 8895 used in the Samsung Galaxy S8. This is not a high score by any means, being slightly slower than the Snapdragon 625 powering the ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro.
Battery Life – PCMark
We then tested the Galaxy S9 Plus’ battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) lasted as long as the Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check). Despite having a 16.7% larger battery, it was only sufficient in making up for its larger display and memory capacity.
[adrotate group=”1″]
Battery Recharging Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus comes with an adaptive fast charger with a power output of 18 W. Take a look at how fast it recharged its 3,500 mAh battery.
It took the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) about 95.5 minutes (1 hour 35.5 minutes) to recharge its battery from 20% to 100%. This is just 8.5 minutes longer than it takes the Galaxy S8 to recharge its 3000 mAh battery.
This gives it a rather disappointing battery life : recharging ratio of 5.7 : 1. Its recharging performance is good, but Samsung needs to improve its battery life.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Gaming Performance – 3DMark
We tested the Galaxy S9 Plus’ gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Unlimited test.
What the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) lacked in work performance, it more than made up in gaming performance. Its ARM Mali-G72 MP18 graphics processor was 44% faster than the ARM Mali-G71 MP20 used in the Galaxy S8.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus’ CPU cores also delivered 32% faster physics processing than those of the Galaxy S8.
Our Verdict & Award
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) looks almost identical to its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S8. While some see it as a “lack of innovation“, others point out that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
Whatever we may think of its familiar design, there is no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is the best Galaxy smartphone ever made.
Samsung basically fixed every major criticism of the Galaxy S8 smartphone. They moved the fingerprint sensor to a better position, and used a much better swipe-type sensor. They buttressed the iris scanner with the facial recognition system, allowing easy login in bright and low-light conditions.
The biggest hardware change was the addition of a dual aperture camera, coupled with a telephoto camera. The dual aperture camera allows you to switch between an incredibly bright f/1.5 aperture and a f/2.4 aperture for greater depth of field. The telephoto camera not only offers 2X optical zoom, it also enables the Live Focus and Dual Capture capabilities.
Samsung also introduced a new Samsung ISOCELL Fast sensor in the main camera. It has large 1.4 µm pixels with Dual Pixel and Super PD capabilities. It also has a 3-stack FRS (Fast Readout Sensor) that enables the new Super Slow-mo mode – the ability to record 720p video at 960 fps.
[adrotate group=”2″]
The other new Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (Price Check) features like AR Emoji, Bixby Live Translation and Intelligent Scan are software in nature.
The downside? The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus comes with the same 3,500 mAh battery, but has a shorter battery life and longer recharging time.
With the exception of the shorter battery life, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is better than the Samsung Galaxy S8+ in every possible way. This is why we think it deserves our Editor’s Choice Award. Congratulations, Samsung!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
When pictures of the Samsung Galaxy S9 first leaked, pundits criticised how similar it looked to its predecessor – the Samsung Galaxy S8. But the familiar facade hides a number of important upgrades. Find out why we think the new Samsung Galaxy S9 is the perfected Galaxy S8!
The Samsung Galaxy S9 & Galaxy S9+
Like the Samsung Galaxy S8, there will be two sizes – the Galaxy S9 (SM-960) with a 5.8″ display, and the larger Galaxy S9+ (SM-965) with a 6.2″ display. Here is a table comparing their specifications :
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S9+
Samsung Galaxy S9
Model
SM-965
SM-960
Display
6.2" Super AMOLED Infinity Display
- 1440 x 2960 pixels (529 ppi)
5.8" Super AMOLED Infinity Display
- 1440 x 2960 pixels (570 ppi)
Dual Camera System
- Main Dual Aperture Camera with 12 MP Dual Pixel sensor, OIS lens with f/1.5 and f/2.4 variable apertures
- Telephoto camera with 12 MP Dual Pixel sensor, OIS lens and f/2.4 aperture
- dual-tone LED flash
Dual Aperture Camera
- 12 MP Dual Pixel sensor with 1.4 μm pixels
- OIS lens with f/1.5 and f/2.4 variable apertures
- dual-tone LED flash
Super Slow-mo
Yes, 720p (0.2 seconds)
Yes, 720p (0.2 seconds)
Samsung Live Focus
Yes
No
Connectivity
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
- LTE Cat18 : 1.2Gbps DL / 150 Mbps UL
- WiFi : 802.11ac (2x2)
- USB Type C
Samsung Exynos 9810
- LTE Cat18 : 1.2Gbps DL / 200 Mbps UL
- WiFi : 802.11ac (2x2)
- USB Type C
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
- LTE Cat18 : 1.2Gbps DL / 150 Mbps UL
- WiFi : 802.11ac (2x2)
- USB Type C
Samsung Exynos 9810
- LTE Cat18 : 1.2Gbps DL / 200 Mbps UL
- WiFi : 802.11ac (2x2)
- USB Type C
Iris Scanner
Yes, with IntelligentScan capability
Yes, with IntelligentScan capability
Fingerprint Sensor
Yes, Rear-Mounted
Yes, Rear-Mounted
Bixby Button
Yes
Yes
Dust & Water Resistance
IP68
IP68
Audio
AKG-tuned Stereo Speakers
3.5 mm audio jack
AKG-tuned Stereo Speakers
3.5 mm audio jack
FM Radio
Yes
Yes
Battery
3,500 mAh lithium-ion battery
15 W Fast Wireless Charging Capability
3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery
15 W Fast Wireless Charging Capability
Dimensions
73.8 mm wide
158.1 mm tall
8.5 mm thick
68.7 mm wide
147.7 mm tall
8.5 mm thick
Weight
189 g
163 g
Available Colours
Midnight Black / Coral Blue / Lilac Purple / Titanium Silver
Midnight Black / Coral Blue / Lilac Purple / Titanium Silver
This time around, Samsung made more of an effort to differentiate the two models. The larger Galaxy S9+ not only comes with a larger battery, it also has more memory and storage options, as well as a dual camera system.
[adrotate group=”1″]
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Colour Options
Samsung is making the Galaxy S9 (Price Check) available in four colour options – Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple, and Titanium Silver. However, not all of them will be available worldwide.
In Malaysia, only these three colours are available (at least initially) – Midnight Black, Coral Blue, and Lilac Purple.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Samsung Galaxy S9 Up Close
The Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) is very similar to the Samsung Galaxy S8 in design. They both boast the same glass and metal design, with an Infinity Display and IP68 dust- and water-resistance.
In most countries, the Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) is powered by the Samsung Exynos 9810, while in the US, it runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. It comes with 4 GB of LPDDR4x memory, and 64 GB of storage (with a 128 GB option in some countries).
Despite rumours that Samsung would be ditching the dedicated Bixby button and 3.5 mm earphone port, they will both still here.
The Front Camera
The Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) retains the Galaxy S8‘s front camera with the 8 MP Samsung S5K3H1 sensor and an f/1.7 lens. It is capable of recording 4K videos at 30 fps, and has great low-light capability.
Its low-light capability will come in handy, as the front camera does not have flash support, not even screen flash.
Dual Aperture Camera
The Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) boasts a new dual aperture camera, that was first used in the rare and expensive Samsung W2018 smartphone (available only in China).
This dual aperture camera has a mechanical aperture that lets you switch between an incredibly bright f/1.5 aperture, and the f/2.4 aperture for a deeper depth of field.
The f/1.5 aperture is the widest aperture so far in a smartphone, offering just over ⅓ stop more light than the f/1.7 aperture of the Samsung Galaxy S8‘s camera. This translates into better low-light photography with less noise.
[adrotate group=”1″]
New Samsung ISOCELL Fast Sensor
Samsung also used their latest ISOCELL Fast SAK2L3 sensor in the new cameras. This is a 12 MP sensor with large 1.4 µm pixels for excellent low-light performance.
The Fast designation means it comes with its Dual Pixel and Super PD capabilities. It also boasts a 3-stack FRS (Fast Readout Sensor) that allows high-speed captures of Full HD video.
The Dual Pixel technology is an autofocus technology that uses the dual photodiodes in every pixel on the image sensor for phase-detection autofocus. This allows for faster and more accurate focusing, because it uses many more autofocus pixels, instead of just a few dedicated pixels (usually less than 5% of the total).
Super Slow-Mo
The Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) supports a new Super Slow-mo feature, which allows you to record 720p video at 960 fps.
The Super Slow-mo videos can be instantly edited, with a random selection from preloaded choices. Or you can use your own music / songs. You can also create a GIF from the recorded video, with three style of looping – reverse, forward or swing.
The new ISOCELL Fast sensor, when paired with the Samsung Exynos 9810, is said to be fast enough to record slow-motion 1080p video at 960 fps / 4K video at 120 fps. However, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 is not fast enough, so Samsung limited Super Slow-mo capability to ensure consistent experience worldwide.
There are other caveats too – Super Slow-mo is limited to 20 shots per video, with approximately 0.2 seconds of recording and 6 seconds of playback for each Super Slow-mo shot.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Bixby Live Translation
The original Samsung Bixby is capable of live translation, so a more accurate description of this new feature is AR (augmented reality) Translation.
In the original Bixby, the translation appears as a separate card. But in the new Samsung Galaxy S9 Bixby implementation, the translation appears as part of the image. Hence, our opinion that it should be called AR Translation.
In fact, it is smart enough to take note of the font and background of the text being translated, and render the translation as if it was the original text!
This is, without doubt, a truly useful combination of Bixby and augmented reality!
AR Emoji
This is arguably one of the coolest software features in the new Samsung Galaxy S9 camera system. You can use either the front or rear camera to take a picture of anyone, to create augmented reality emojis that look like your subject!
The Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) will automatically create an avatar that looks like you, which you can customise to your satisfaction. They will also automatically create 18 stickers showing a range of different emotions for you to use in your instant messages.
But that’s not all – the avatar will imitate your facial expressions. You can even record videos that can be shared with your friends!
Intelligent Scan
The Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) has a “new login method” called Intelligent Scan. This is not really a new feature, but a combination of the existing facial recognition and iris scanning capabilities.
In bright conditions, Intelligent Scan uses facial recognition to login. But when it gets too dark, the iris scanner kicks in. This allows for easier and faster logins in low light or super bright conditions.
Intelligent Scan addresses the key problem with the iris scanner – it doesn’t work in bright conditions. However, it is easier to fool than a point cloud facial recognition system like Apple Face ID, and future honor smartphones,
[adrotate group=”1″]
New Fingerprint Sensor
Samsung moved the fingerprint sensor to a central location right beneath the main camera at the back. This is a much better location, especially if you are left-handed. But that’s not all.
Samsung also used a new swipe fingerprint sensor. It is much easier and faster to register your fingerprint with this new sensor. This addresses a major criticism of the Galaxy S8 and Note8 smartphones.
However, its close proximity to the rear camera, and its swipe functionality means you will have to regularly clean the camera lens to avoid blurry pictures.
Hybrid SIM
As it was with the Samsung Galaxy S8, the Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) will be offered with a nano SIM + microSD tray, or a hybrid SIM tray, depending on region. If you want dual SIM, dual standby capability, you will need to get the model with the hybrid SIM tray.
The hybrid SIM tray allows you to either use a second SIM card, or a microSD card, but not both at the same time. The microSD slot officially supports microSD cards of up to 256 GB in size.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
IP68 Dust & Water Resistance
Like the Galaxy S8, the Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) is IP68-rated for dust- and water-resistance. Best of all, you don’t even have to prepare it in any way before you dunk it into water! For more information how how Samsung achieved this feat, take a look at our article,Samsung Galaxy S7 IP68 Engineering Explained.
Officially, the Galaxy S9 can withstand complete immersion in water up to 1.5 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes. That means you can take it for jogs in the rain, reading in the shower or soaking in bath. Heck, you can even take it for a swim!
There are some caveats though. The IP68 rating applies to a specific set of test conditions : 15-35 °C, 86-106 kPa, 1.5 metre, 30 minutes. Even so, water may enter and damage the Galaxy S7 edge if it is exposed to “water moving with force“, like running water from a tap or waterfall, or ocean waves.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) has a 5.8″ bezel-less Infinity Display, so it does not feel like a large smartphone. In fact, it feels smaller than the 5.5″ Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, and even 5.2″ smartphones like HTC 10. This means it will feel more comfortable in smaller hands, and fit better in smaller pockets.
The large Super AMOLED display is beautiful as always. However, the WQHD+ resolution of 1440 x 2960 results in a non-standard 18.5:9 display ratio. Watching movies will result in some pillarboxing– a black bar on each side of the movie.
The Gorilla Glass 5 back looks fabulous… at first. It is easily smudged by oily fingerprints, because it lacks the oleophobic coating of the front Gorilla Glass 5 cover protecting the display.
[adrotate group=”1″]
Setting Up The Samsung Galaxy S9
The Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) comes with Android 8.0 Oreo installed. Let’s boot it up, and see how easy it is to set-up!
Available Memory & Storage
The Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) comes with 4 GB of LPDDR4x memory, of which 1.5 GB (37.5%) is available for use. That is a lot of bloat, equal to that of the Galaxy S8. With that in mind, 1.5 GB of memory is plenty of memory to run several applications simultaneously. In fact, it is more memory than what some low-end smartphones ship with!
The Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) comes with 64 GB of internal flash storage, with 48.8 GB of free space for you to use. That is enough space to store about 11,000 photos, or 6 hours of 1080p videos, or just over 2 hours of 4K videos. If that’s not enough, you can top it up with a microSD card (up to 256 GB).
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Camera Performance – Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) uses the 12 MP Samsung ISOCELL Fast SAK2L3 sensor in the dual aperture camera. It is capable of switching between the f/1.5 aperture, and the f/2.4 aperture.
The maximum 12 MP resolution is attained with the 4:3 aspect ratio, with 4032 x 3024 pixels, and a file size of between 3 MB and 5 MB.
Here are 6 high-resolution samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos, which you can also download to examine.
The new camera is just amazing. The detail and colour are top-notch, and the noise level is really low.
A word of caution – the f/1.5 aperture may offer great low-light performance, but it has a very narrow depth of field. If you don’t focus properly on your subject, it will end up blurred.
Too bad there’s no way to switch to the f/2.4 aperture for greater depth of field in the Auto mode. You can only switch apertures in the Pro mode.
[adrotate group=”1″]
Camera Performance – Video Recording
Like its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) is capable of recording 4K videos from both front and back cameras. However, Samsung still limits the 4K recording time to just 10 minutes. This was likely done to ensure that the sensor does not overheat the battery.
Below are four video samples, all taken without the use of gimbals.
Video Recording Test #1 : Piano (4K)
The camera’s resolution is really good. You can pick out the tiny signs in the background very clearly. It also demonstrated good control of the highlights – you can see into the Padini Concept Store in the background.
The optical and electronic image stabilisation capabilities also appear to have improved. It was almost as good as mounting the Galaxy S9 on a gimbal!
The recorded audio was clear, but still lacked the wider dynamic range of the HTC 10 (when HiRes Audio is enabled).
Video Recording Test #2 : Piano (1080p)
Even at this lower resolution, the amount of details captured by the Samsung Galaxy S9 is amazing. We also love how well it was able to control the highlights in the bright background. You can see the details that are usually washed out in other smartphones.
Video Recording Test #3 : Street Market (4K)
Look at how stable the recorded video was, even as we walked down this street market and looked around. It may not be as good as mounting the Galaxy S9 on a gimbal, but it comes real close!
Video Recording Test #4 : Street Market (1080p)
The 1080p walk-through appears to be even smoother than the 4K walk-through. So if you want the best-possible image stabilisation for your video, try recording in 1080p.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Work Performance – PCMark
We tested the Samsung Galaxy S9’s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
When it comes to work applications, the Samsung Exynos 9810 powering the Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) is about 6% faster than the Exynos 8895 used in the Samsung Galaxy S8. This puts it at par with the Snapdragon 625 powering the ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro.
Battery Life – PCMark
We then tested the Galaxy S9’s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.
Note : All four smartphones compared here have a 3,000 mAh battery.
[adrotate group=”1″]
Battery Recharging Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S9 comes with an adaptive fast charger with a power output of 18 W. Take a look at how fast it recharged its 3,000 mAh battery.
It took the Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) about 108 minutes (1 hour 48 minutes) to recharge its battery from 20% to 100%. This is 21 minutes longer than it takes the Galaxy S8 to recharge the same battery capacity.
This gives it a battery life : recharging ratio of 5 : 1 – a rather disappointing performance.
Note : Our Samsung Galaxy S9 sample did not come with its charger. We used the Samsung Galaxy S8‘s charger instead. We will retest when we receive the official Galaxy S9 charger.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Gaming Performance – 3DMark
We tested the Galaxy S9’s gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Unlimited test.
What the Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) lacks in work performance, it more than makes up in gaming performance. Its ARM Mali-G72 MP18 graphics processor was 37% faster than the ARM Mali-G71 MP20 used in the Galaxy S8.
The Samsung Galaxy S9’s CPU cores also delivered 28% faster physics processing than those of the Galaxy S8.
Our Verdict & Award
The Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) looks almost identical to its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S8. While some see it as a “lack of innovation“, others point out that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
Whatever we may think of its familiar design, there is no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S9 is the best Galaxy smartphone ever made.
Samsung basically fixed every major criticism of the Galaxy S8 smartphone. They moved the fingerprint sensor to a better position, and used a much better swipe-type sensor. They buttressed the iris scanner with the facial recognition system, allowing easy login in bright and low-light conditions.
The biggest hardware change was the addition of a dual aperture camera. It allows you to switch between an incredibly bright f/1.5 aperture and a f/2.4 aperture for greater depth of field. The dual aperture camera also appears to have improved image stabilisation.
Samsung also introduced a new Samsung ISOCELL Fast sensor in the Galaxy S9. It has large 1.4 µm pixels with Dual Pixel and Super PD capabilities. It has a 3-stack FRS (Fast Readout Sensor) that enables the new Super Slow-mo mode – the ability to record 720p video at 960 fps.
[adrotate group=”2″]
The other new Samsung Galaxy S9 (Price Check) features like AR Emoji, Bixby Live Translation and Intelligent Scan are software in nature.
The downside? The Samsung Galaxy S9 comes with the same 3,000 mAh battery, but has a shorter battery life and longer recharging time.
With the exception of the shorter battery life, the Samsung Galaxy S9 is better than the Samsung Galaxy S8 in every possible way. The Samsung Galaxy S9 is the Samsung Galaxy S8 perfected, and unreservedly deserves our Editor’s Choice Award. Congratulations, Samsung!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Samsung announced in June 2017 that they were killing off My Knox, replacing it with Samsung Secure Folder that ships with the Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 Plus and Galaxy Note8 smartphones.
Secure Folder is compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge smartphones that have been upgraded to Android 7.0 Nougat.
Updated @ 2017-12-22 : Revamped the article, adding a migration guide, and a final email from Samsung.
Updated @ 2017-11-16 : Added a new email from Samsung with a confirmed end-of-service date for My Knox.
Originally posted @ 2017-06-07
Samsung Kills My Knox
In early June 2017, Samsung announced that they’re killing My Knox, and replacing it with Secure Folder. The end-of-life date was set for 19 December 2017.
Beginning 20 December 2017, the My Knox app would no longer be available to download from the Google Play Store. The My Knox portal will also be disabled – you won’t be able to login.
Samsung replaced My Knox with their new Secure Folder solution. They promise that it is a superior solution.
Samsung Secure Folder
Samsung Secure Folder is a new security solution that leverages the defense-grade Samsung Knox security platform to create a private, encrypted space on a Samsung Galaxy smartphone running on Android 7.0 Nougat or better.
It is available in the Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 Plus and Galaxy Note8 smartphones, but can be downloaded and installed in the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge smartphones that have been upgraded to Android 7.0 Nougat.
As no Mobile Device Management (MDM) is required, it is suitable for both personal and business usage. Here are additional details :
Apps and data can be installed or created within Secure Folder, or moved there from outside.
Apps and data moved to Secure Folder are kept separate, leveraging SE for Android – preventing unauthorized communication between apps inside and outside.
Application data and files are encrypted with defense-grade Sensitive Data Protection (SDP) technology – using 256-bit AES cipher algorithm to secure data.
Data remains encrypted even after the user has exited Secure Folder or has turned off the device, and is decrypted when a user successfully authenticates himself / herself.
It can also be used alongside Knox Workspace, enabling two Knox container solutions at the same time.
This allows users to have access to both a dedicated work environment (Knox Workspace), as well as a secure personal area (Secure Folder).
[adrotate group=”1″]
How To Migrate From My Knox To Secure Folder
Fortunately, Samsung made it easy to migrate your private data from My Knox to Secure Folder. Here are the steps :
Log into the My Knox app
Go to My Knox Settings, and select Backup and restore.
Backup your My Knox data (you’ll need a Samsung account to do this).
Install and setup Secure Folder, if you have not already done so.
Log into Secure Folder.
Go to Secure Folder Settings, and select Backup and restore.
Select Restore (using the same Samsung account), and you’re done!
if you are worried about the dangers of backing up your encrypted data to the cloud (it is encrypted!), you can use this alternative method :
Log into the My Knox app.
Copy the data out into the Samsung smartphone, or a secure computer
Install and setup Secure Folder, if you have not already done so.
Move the data into Secure Folder.
Samsung My Knox Termination Chronology
In early June 2017, Samsung sent out this email to all registered Samsung users :
First Samsung warning about terminating My Knox
My Knox will no longer be available on new Samsung devices in 2017. You may continue your secure space experience by setting up Secure Folder, available now from Galaxy Apps.
Secure Folder runs on Android N OS or higher versions only. It leverages the defence-grade Samsung Knox security platform to create a private, encrypted space on your Samsung Galaxy phone. Applications and data moved to Secure Folder are partitioned separately on the device and gain an additional layer of security and privacy.
To seamlessly transfer your private content between solutions, please back up your My Knox data and restore it to Secure Folder. To back up your My Knox data, go to My Knox settings > Backup and restore. Remember, a Samsung account is required to use this feature.
You can restore the backup data after setting up Secure Folder. Go to Secure Folder settings > Backup and restore > Restore.
You may use My Knox until its end-of-service date (which will be announced soon). However, be aware that we will not be actively maintaining the service or adding new features.
This was followed by this email on 15 November 2017, revealing its end-of-service date as 19 December 2017.
Samsung confirms end-of-life date for the My Knox service
Dear customers,
Thank you for using My Knox.
As previously announced, we will end support for My Knox on 19th December 2017. You will not be able to download My Knox from any app store after the end-of-service date.
You may use My Knox on your mobile device until you uninstall the application. However, you will be unable to log in to the My Knox portal to remotely manage your device (e.g. to reset your My Knox password or unlock My Knox).
If you have a phone that runs the Android N OS, we recommend transferring your private data in My Knox to Secure Folder, available at Google Play or Galaxy Apps, and on new Samsung phones such as the Galaxy Note 8. We also recommend backing up your My Knox data first, and restoring the data after you set up Secure Folder.
To back up My Knox data, go to My Knox Settings > Backup and restore > Back up My Knox data. Please note that a Samsung account is required to use the My Knox backup and restore feature.
If your phone does not support Secure Folder, then please back up the content to outside My Knox (e.g. using the Move to Personal mode feature).
For more information regarding My Knox termination, please visit My Knox FAQ .
We hope you have enjoyed your experience with My Knox. Samsung is committed to continuous innovation to provide you with the highest-quality products and services.
This final email was sent on 20 December 2017, noting that My Knox is now terminated :
The final Samsung email on the termination of the My Knox service
Dear customers,
Thank you for using My Knox.
As previously announced, we will terminate the My Knox service on 19th December 2017. You will not be able to download My Knox from any app store from then on. You will also be unable to log in to the My Knox portal to remotely manage your device.
You may use My Knox on your mobile device until you uninstall the application. However we highly recommend you to back up your data or move it to outside My Knox.
If your phone supports Secure Folder, we recommend transferring your private data in My Knox to Secure Folder, available at Google Play or Galaxy Apps, and on new Samsung phones such as the Galaxy Note 8. We also recommend backing up your My Knox data first, and restoring the data after you set up Secure Folder.
To back up My Knox data, go to My Knox Settings > Backup and restore > Back up My Knox data. Please note that a Samsung account is required to use the My Knox backup and restore feature.
However, if your phone does not support Secure Folder, then please back up the content to outside My Knox (e.g. using the Move to Personal mode feature).
We hope you have enjoyed your experience with My Knox. Thank you for using our service.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
29 November 2017 – Samsung Malaysia Electronics adds a soft touch to their flagship smartphones with the Samsung Galaxy Note8, S8+ and S8 Pink Edition smartphones!
Adding a soft touch to Samsung’s latest flagship smartphones, Samsung Galaxy Note8 Soft Pink and Galaxy S8 and S8+ Rose Pink call to ladies who have long waited for the perfect device that speaks to their femininity.
“We are happy to announce the arrival of the Soft Pink Galaxy Note8 Soft Pink, together with Galaxy S8 and S8+ Rose Pink in Malaysia to give fans, especially the ladies, a choice of colours to complement their lifestyles. Pink is a reflection of the cheerful, ambitious and passionate woman who dreams big and aspires to achieve more through her smartphone. We are confident that these two new shades of pink will be a hit among the ladies,” said Mr KM Liew, Head of IT & Mobile Business, Samsung Malaysia Electronics.
[adrotate group=”2″]
Price & Availability
The Galaxy Note8 Soft Pink and Galaxy S8 and S8+ Rose Pink is available in Malaysia at the recommended price of RM3,999 (~US$ 975), RM3,299 (~US$ 805) and RM3,699 (~US$ 902) respectively (inclusive of 6% GST).
All three devices are also available in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, and Maple Gold, while the Galaxy S8 and S8+ are available in Coral Blue as well.
Every purchase of the Galaxy Note8, S8 and S8+ Pink Edition come with a complimentary pink Alcantara cover worth up to RM209 / ~US$ 51, while stocks last and 20% off base fares and premium flatbed fares by AirAsia X.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Be sure to catch our coverage of the launch event for the presentations by Samsung VP Lee Jui Siang, and Samsung Product Manager, Julian Thean. Don’t forget to also read ourSamsung Galaxy S8 Review! Find out why we gave it our Editor’s Choice Award!
Douglas Lim On His Galaxy S8 Smartphone
Most of us remember him from the sitcom Kopitiam, which is the Malaysian version of Friends. Since then, Douglas Lim has done everything from busking to stand-up comedy, and now directing and producing his own shows. We had some time to chat and he recounted to me his experience during the recent month-long tour at the Melbourne International Festival.
[adrotate banner=”5″]
Jinny Boy On His Galaxy S8 Smartphone
Jin Lim, or Jinny Boy, started off as Hitz.fm radio announcer, and now makes hilarious videos with his buddy and co-conspirator, Reuben Kang on the popular JinnyBoyTV YouTube channel.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 & S8+ Smartphones
The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ (Amazon | Lazada) are now available for purchase at the recommended retail prices of RM 3,299 (~US$ 729) and RM 3,699 (~US$ 819) respectively.
Don’t forget to also read ourSamsung Galaxy S8 Review! Find out why we gave it our Editor’s Choice Award!
Support Tech ARP!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
On 4 May 2017, Samsung Malaysia officially launched the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ smartphones (Amazon | Lazada) in a star-studded event. Join comedians and YouTube stars like Harith Iskander, Douglas Lim, Jinny Boy and Reuben Kang at the Samsung Galaxy S8 launch!
Don’t forget to also read ourSamsung Galaxy S8 Review! Find out why we gave it our Editor’s Choice Award!
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Launch
Malaysian comedian Harith Iskander, officially the Funniest Person in the World, kickstarted the Samsung Galaxy S8 & S8+ launch event.
Then Lee Jui Siang, Vice President of IT & Mobile Business, Samsung Malaysia, gave us an update on pre-order for the Galaxy S8 & S8+ smartphones.
Finally, Julian Thean, Senior Product Manager of IT and Mobile Business, Samsung Malaysia, gave a presentation of the Samsung Galaxy S8 & S8+ smartphones.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ (Amazon | Lazada) are now available for purchase at the recommended retail prices of RM 3,299 (~US$ 729) and RM 3,699 (~US$ 819) respectively.
Don’t forget to also read ourSamsung Galaxy S8 Review! Find out why we gave it our Editor’s Choice Award!
[adrotate banner=”4″]
The Samsung x Grab Pre-Order Collection Offer
In conjunction with the Samsung Galaxy S8 launch in Malaysia, Samsung collaborated with Grab to offer thousands of pre-order customers complimentary rides to their preferred Samsung Experience Stores to collect their Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones!
These Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ (Amazon | Lazada) pre-order customers get to enjoy two GrabCar rides (up to RM 30 per ride) to and from Samsung Experience Stores in Malaysia. This offer is limited to the first 14,000 redemptions from 4 May to 10 May 2017, so hurry and grab it while the offer lasts!
Support Tech ARP!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The new Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ (Amazon | Lazada) have just arrived, and now Maxis customers can enjoy the fastest phone on the fastest network. With Maxis 4G-LTE Advanced, customers will experience more than 50x faster speeds than the average mobile Internet speed in Malaysia on their Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada).
Maxis 4G-LTE Advanced On The Samsung Galaxy S8
The LTE Advanced (LTE-A) standard allows for download speeds of up to 150 Mbps – about 15X the average speed (10 Mbps) of Internet broadband in Malaysia.
You can download movies, stream videos faster and more, whether indoors or outdoors, on the amsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) with Maxis 4G-LTE Advanced. Maxis claims it also guarantees zero buffering on YouTube HD 98% of the time.
Maxis 4G-LTE Advanced is currently available to more than 40% of Malaysians, with more sites being built every day.
[adrotate banner=”5″]
Support Tech ARP!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
We are one of the fortunate few to receive a pre-launch unit of the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) smartphone. This is the most anticipated smartphone from Samsung since the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, which was a huge hit. Will the Galaxy S8 live up to expectations? Or did the high bar the Galaxy S7 edge prove too hard to surmount? Read on and find out!
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Specifications Compared
Samsung is offering two variants in the Galaxy S8 family. The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) is the smaller model with a 5.8″ display; while the Samsung Galaxy S8+ is a larger model with a 6.2″ display. We compare their specifications against the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S8+
Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
Display
6.2" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2960 pixels (529 ppi)
5.8" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2960 pixels (570 ppi)
5.5" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2560 pixels (534 ppi)
Protection
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (front & back panels)
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (front & back panels)
Corning Gorilla Glass 4 (front & back panels)
Operating System (At Launch)
Android 7.0 Nougat
Android 7.0 Nougat
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
System Platform
Samsung Exynos 8895
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Samsung Exynos 8895
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
Memory
4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
Storage Options
64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 256 GB
64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 256 GB
32 GB / 64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 200 GB
Front Camera
8 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens
8 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens
5 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens
Rear Camera
12 MP Sony / Samsung (1.4 µm) sensor with f/1.7 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash
12 MP Sony / Samsung (1.4 µm) sensor with f/1.7 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash
12 MP Sony / Samsung (1.4 µm) sensor with f/1.7 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash
3,500 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capability (wired & wireless)
- wireless charging (WPC and PMA)
3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capability (wired & wireless)
- wireless charging (WPC and PMA)
3,600 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capability (wired & wireless)
- wireless charging (Qi and PMA)
Dimensions
159.5 mm tall
73.4 mm wide
8.1 mm thick
148.9 mm tall
68.1 mm wide
8.0 mm thick
150.9 mm tall
72.6 mm wide
7.7 mm thick
Weight
173 g
152 g
157 g
Colour Options
Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold
Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold
Black Onyx, Silver Titanium, Gold Platinum
[adrotate banner=”5″]
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Hands-On Look
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) has a large 5.8″ Super AMOLED display with a WQHD+ resolution of 1440 x 2960 pixels. But thanks to its Infinity Display design, the Samsung Galaxy S8 is actually narrower than the Galaxy S7 edge! This means it will better fit smaller hands, while offering a larger display.
The new Infinity Display almost covers the entire front aspect of the Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada). Samsung achieved this by removing the physical Home button and making it part of the display. It is pressure-sensitive, and works like a physical button.
What’s really new is the iris scanner that first appeared in the ill-fated Galaxy Note7, and the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. Samsung also introduced a better front camera. We will look into them in greater detail shortly.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) received a nice boost to its front camera. It now pairs an 8 MP sensor with the f/1.7 lens. It is capable of recording 4K videos at 30 fps, and has great low-light capability. its low-light capability will come in handy, as the front camera does not have flash support, not even screen flash.
Samsung maintained the same excellent 12 MP sensor from the Galaxy S7 edge, which boasts large 1.4 μm pixels and Dual Pixel autofocus technology. That doesn’t mean the sensor is capable of delivering twice as many pixels of resolution though.
Dual Pixel technology is actually an autofocus technology that uses the dual photodiodes in every pixel on the image sensor for phase-detection autofocus. This allows for faster and more accurate focusing, because it uses many more autofocus pixels, instead of just a few dedicated pixels (usually less than 5% of the total).
The slight camera bump in the Galaxy S7 edge is now eliminated, probably because the entire device is now 0.3 mm thicker. However, the back is not perfectly flat, because of the protective ring around the camera and fingerprint sensor. That is not a bad thing, just something to note.
Hybrid SIM & Fingerprint Sensor
This is the European model (SM-G950F), so it does not have a hybrid SIM tray. If you want dual SIM, dual standby capability, you will need to get the South East Asian model (SM-G950FD). This gives you some flexibility – you can choose to use either a second SIM card, or a microSD card, but not both at the same time. The microSD slot supports microSD cards of up to 256 GB in size.
With the removal of the physical Home button, Samsung moved the fingerprint sensor to the back of the Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada). This is not unique as many smartphones have a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor (e.g. Huawei Mate 9, Honor 5C). However, the Galaxy S8 fingerprint sensor is awkwardly placed next to the camera sensor, instead of the more natural position below the camera sensor.
The higher position makes it harder for the user to reach (because the Galaxy S8 is a tall device). Being offset makes it harder for left-handed users to use, and makes it easy for all users to smear the main camera lens with their oily fingerprints. Obviously Samsung is aware of this problem, because the Galaxy S8 will alert you to clean the main camera lens!
Sadly, we did not like this fingerprint sensor. It is harder to use, as our video later will show, although its usability improves with practice. But the good news is – the Samsung Galaxy S8 also supports new alternative login methods like iris scanning and face recognition.
[adrotate banner=”5″]
Iris Scanner & Facial Recognition
These are new abilities for a Samsung Galaxy S series smartphone. They were first introduced in the Galaxy Note7, The iris scanner was surprisingly easy to set up and use, and so, it quickly became our favourite way to log into the Galaxy S8.
The iris scanner works best if you are not using glasses or contact lenses though, and it may not work in bright sunlight. Its accuracy may also be affected by dirt and fingerprint smudges on the iris camera and LED sensor. Finally, the iris scanner takes longer to log in than the fingerprint sensor, but the coolness factor is undeniable.
The facial recognition feature is easier and faster to use because it does not require you to align your eyes with the sensor focus circles. However, it is less secure than the iris scanner or fingerprint scanner.
IP68 Dust & Water Resistance
Like the Galaxy S7 edge, the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) is IP68-rated for dust- and water-resistance. Best of all, you don’t even have to prepare it in any way before you dunk it into water! For more information how how Samsung achieved this feat, take a look at ourSamsung Galaxy S7 IP68 Engineering Explained.
Officially, the Galaxy S8 can withstand complete immersion in water up to 1.5 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes. That means you can take it for jogs in the rain, reading in the shower or soaking in bath. Heck, you can even take it for a swim!
There are some caveats though. The IP68 rating applies to a specific set of test conditions : 15-35 °C, 86-106 kPa, 1.5 metre, 30 minutes. Even so, water may enter and damage the Galaxy S7 edge if it is exposed to “water moving with force“, like running water from a tap or waterfall, or ocean waves.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Setup Process
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) runs on Android 7.0 Nougat, and is very easy to set-up. If you are setting it up as a new device, it should take you only 5-7 minutes to finish the setup process.
The Ergonomics
Looking at the specifications, you would expect the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) to be a large phablet. After all, it has a large 5.8″ display. Yet, it feels smaller than its predecessor, the 5.5″ Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, and even 5.2″ smartphones like HTC 10.
Despite the large display, it is narrower at just over 6.8 mm wide. This makes it a better fit for smaller hands. Because it’s narrower, the Galaxy S8 also fits pockets better. That said, it is longer and will poke out of shallower pockets.
The large Super AMOLED display is beautiful as always. Despite claims of red screen issues, our review unit had no such problems. However, the WQHD+ resolution of 1440 x 2960 results in a non-standard 18.5:9 display ratio. Watching movies will result in some pillarboxing– a black bar on each side of the movie.
The Gorilla Glass 5 back looks fabulous… at first. It is easily smudged by oily fingerprints, because it lacks the oleophobic coating of the front Gorilla Glass 5 cover protecting the display. The smudges are particularly obvious on the Midnight Black version.
[adrotate banner=”5″]
Available Memory & Storage
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) comes with 4 GB of LPDDR4 memory, of which 1.5 GB (37.5%) is available for use. There is a fair bit of bloat. That said, 1.5 GB of memory is enough to run several applications simultaneously. In fact, it is more memory than what some low-end smartphones ship with!
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) comes with 64 GB of internal flash storage, with 52.6 GB of free space for you to use. That is enough space to store about 12,000 photos, or 6.5 hours of 1080p videos, or 2.5 hours of 4K videos. If that’s not enough, you can top it up with a microSD card (up to 256 GB).
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Camera Performance – Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) uses the same excellent 12 MP camera as the Galaxy S7 edge. It will use either the Sony IMX260 sensor, or Samsung’s own ISOCELL S5KL1 sensor. They are both identical in specifications and performance – with Dual Pixel autofocus technology and 1.4 μm pixels.
The maximum 12 MP resolution is attained with the 4:3 aspect ratio. Each picture has a resolution of 4032 x 3024, and a file size of between 3.8 MB and 4.8 MB. Here are 6 high-resolution samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos, which you can also download to examine.
It’s no surprise that the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) performed exactly as its predecessor, the Galaxy S7 edge, in this respect. It still remains one of the best, if not the best, smartphone camera out there today.
[adrotate banner=”5″]
Camera Performance – Video Recording
Like its predecessor, the Galaxy S7 edge, the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) is capable of recording 4K videos from both front and back cameras. However, this time, Samsung has limited the 4K recording time to just 10 minutes. This was likely done to ensure that the sensor does not overheat the battery that lies next to it.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge has no such limitations, and is thus, a better smartphone for 4K video recording. However, the Galaxy S7 edge is somewhat limited by the 4 GB file size limit. When you record a long 4K video, it will be broken up into separate files that are about 11 minutes in length, with a short recording gap in between.
Below are six video samples, all taken without the use of gimbals.
Test #1 : Blues Band (1080p)
We really liked how the Galaxy S8 captured this rendition of Mongo Santamaría’s 1962 hit Watermelon Man. The audio quality was very good, albeit lacking the wider dynamic range of the HTC 10 (when HiRes Audio is enabled). The noise reduction is decent, although the background noise is still audible, especially at around the 3:20 mark.
Test #2 : Blues Band (4K)
In this video, note the incredible amount of detail captured by the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada). We are particularly impressed with its ability to capture detail in the darker foreground, while not overblowing the much brighter background. It also demonstrated decent image stabilisation, although it’s far from being the best we have seen.
Test #3 : Street Market (1080p)
In this test of the Samsung Galaxy S8’s image stabilisation capability, you will note that it does a rather decent job of smoothing out the jerkiness during our walk. It is not the best we have seen, but it’s still pretty good.
Test #4 : Street Market (4K)
The 4K video is noticeably jerky. This is probably because it can only rely on OIS (optical image stabilisation), but there’s no EIS (electronic image stabilisation).
Test #5 : Night Dancing (1080p)
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) exhibited great control of the scene. It captured great detail in the much darker foreground, while doing a very respectable job of controlling the highlights in the much brighter background. There was also no abrupt changes in the exposure when we panned from a brighter scene to a darker one. Very good!
Test #6 : Night Dancing (4K)
The resolution in this 4K video is amazing, considering the fact this was taken at night with limited light. The camera’s f/1.7 lens really helped to deliver great low-light performance.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Work Performance – PCMark
We tested the Samsung Galaxy S8’s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Samsung Galaxy S8
Huawei Mate 9
ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra
HTC 10
Work Performance Score
(Average)
6049
7593
6313
6105
Web Browsing
7261
8717
6257
5782
Video Playback
3799
4987
4287
3321
Writing
6936
7883
7166
7463
Photo Editing
6996
9702
8262
9694
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) is as fast as the Snapdragon 820-powered HTC 10 in work applications, but slower than the Huawei Mate 9 which is powered by the Kirin 960.
Battery Life – PCMark
We then tested the Galaxy S8’s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.
This is amazing. The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) has a relatively small 3,000 mAh battery, but it lasts as long as the Huawei Mate 9 (4,000 mAh) and the ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra (4,600 mAh). In fact, it lasts more than twice as long as the HTC 10, which has the same battery capacity!
[adrotate banner=”5″]
Battery Recharging Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S8 comes with an adaptive fast charger with a power output of 15 W. Take a look at how fast it recharged the 3,000 mAh battery.
It took the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) just 87 minutes (1 hour 27 minutes) to recharge its battery from 18% to 100%. This is a battery life : recharging ratio of 8.4 : 1 – a truly amazing performance.
The fastest recharging happened up to the 85% level. This took just 57 minutes. Then the recharging speed slowed down, and it took a further 30 minutes to top up the remaining 15%.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Gaming Performance – 3DMark
We tested the Galaxy S8’s gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Unlimited test.
Samsung Galaxy S8
Huawei Mate 9
ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra
HTC 10
Gaming Score
29509
27853
17719
23171
Graphics
33279
36605
21124
27512
Physics
21130
15164
11328
14925
Graphics Test 1
173.1 fps
202.5 fps
115.2 fps
136.6 fps
Graphics Test 2
124.3 fps
131.1 fps
76.3 fps
106.4 fps
Physics Test
67.1 fps
48.1 fps
36.0 fps
47.4 fps
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) edged out the Huawei Mate 9 in this test. Its GPU was slightly slower, but its CPU was significantly faster than the competition. It can definitely handle any game you throw at it, and then some!
Overall Performance
AnTuTu is a nice benchmark for testing various performance aspects of Android devices.
Samsung Galaxy S8
Huawei Mate 9
ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra
HTC 10
TOTAL SCORE
175422
123167
76096
113813
3D SCORE
74336
40114
18816
50700
– 3D (Marooned)
43953
23313
10861
34778
– 3D (Garden)
30383
16801
7952
15922
UX SCORE
52159
39975
26794
30890
– UX Data Secure
7996
7943
5077
6319
– UX Data Process
5866
6985
4198
3379
– UX Strategy Games
11165
11860
7503
5433
– UX Image Process
22716
5580
6879
9521
– UX I/O Performance
4416
7607
3137
6238
CPU SCORE
38513
31992
23689
21915
– CPU Mathematics
10996
9680
6950
8494
– CPU Common Use
10939
11139
6311
5931
– CPU Multi-Core
16578
11173
10428
7490
RAM
10414
11086
6797
10308
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) really pulverised the competition in this test. It was 42% faster than the Huawei Mate 9, 54% faster than the HTC 10, and 2.3X faster than the ASUS ZenFone 3 Ultra.
[adrotate banner=”5″]
Our Verdict & Award
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) is a work of design and engineering marvel. Even with greater scrutiny and safety protocols in place, Samsung managed to squeeze in a plethora of new technologies into the Galaxy S8.
First and foremost is the Infinity Display, which is almost bezel-less and covers almost all of the front aspect. To achieve this, Samsung integrated a pressure-sensitive Home button into the display itself, and moved the fingerprint sensor to the back.
The Infinity Display also allowed Samsung to increase the display size while reducing the width of the device. The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) has a large 5.8″ display in a form factor that equivalent to a regular 5″ device. It makes for a better fit for smaller hands, and most pockets.
The new 18.5 : 9 aspect ratio is useful for viewing two different screens at the same time, but introduces pillarboxing when you watch movies. Samsung allows you to stretch the videos to fit the entire screen, but you will lose the upper and lower parts of the videos. So it’s a trade-off.
As their flagship smartphone, it comes as no surprise that the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) is fast… very fast actually. It also has plenty of memory and Samsung thankfully upgraded the internal storage to 64 GB. This should be more than enough for most users, even if they enjoy recording 4K videos.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) retained the same amazing camera used in its predecessor, the Galaxy S7 edge. It takes the same excellent pictures and videos, even in low-light conditions. It only loses out a little in its image stabilisation and audio fidelity capabilities. Even so, this is still one of the best smartphone cameras in the market.
[adrotate banner=”4″]
We also love what Samsung did with its battery. The Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) comes with a smaller batter than the Galaxy S7 edge, but it actually lasted an hour longer (12 hours) in our stress test! That puts it on par with smartphones with 5,000 mAh batteries. Best of all – you can completely recharge it in less than 1.5 hours!
The offset fingerprint sensor, though, was awkward to use. We highly recommend that Samsung move the fingerprint sensor to the more conventional position below the main camera in their next device. We far prefer the iris scanner, which is really easy (and cool!) to use.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) proves that Samsung still has the magical touch. They continue to lead the field in developing new technologies that are not only awe-inspiring, but actually add new practical capabilities. The boys and girls are Cupertino better buck the hell up, because Samsung is leaving them in the dust with the Galaxy S8!
There can be no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S8 deserves our Editor’s Choice Award. Job well done, Samsung!
Support Tech ARP!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
28 April 2017 – To celebrate the impending arrival of Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and S8+ in Malaysia, Samsung Malaysia Electronics invites you to #UnboxYourPhone and be part of a nationwide Samsung Galaxy S8 roadshow that promises exciting deals to own the all new Galaxy S8 and S8+ (Amazon | Lazada)!
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Roadshow Offers Revealed!
From 5th May until 7th May 2017, simultaneous roadshows will be held across the country at three locations – Sunway Pyramid (Klang Valley), Queensbay Mall (Penang) and Sutera Mall (Johor Bahru) – and all 76 Samsung Experience Stores (SES) will be participating in this 3-day promotion so that Malaysians all over can take part and enjoy the special launch promotion.
At every Samsung Galaxy S8 roadshow and all participating Samsung Experience Stores, Samsung is pleased to offer a Limited Edition Starter Kit for every purchase of the Galaxy S8 or S8+ (Amazon | Lazada). It consists of :
a clear cover,
a screen protector,
a wireless charger stand,
and a USB Type-C cable for a seamless mobile set up.
Adding on to the rewards, Samsung is also giving away a compact 5,100mAh battery pack. It charges itself as quickly as it charges your phone, so keeping powered up with this mighty battery pack is a breeze.
Purchase With Purchase
On top of that, visitors to the nationwide roadshows are entitled to an exclusive purchase-with-purchase promotion where fans can enjoy 50% off retail price for the new Gear VR with Controller (RRP: RM499) and new Gear 360 (RRP: RM999) for every purchase of the Galaxy S8 or S8+ (Amazon | Lazada)!
Trade-Up To A Galaxy S8 / S8+!
Samsung is also introducing its limited time Trade-Up campaign where consumers can exchange their current smartphone for a brand new Samsung Galaxy S8 or S8+ (Amazon | Lazada).
Simply bring your eligible smartphone to any of the 76 Samsung Experience Stores nationwide, Galaxy S8 roadshow locations and selected authorised dealers, and receive a special rebate on the new Samsung Galaxy S8 or S8+ (Amazon | Lazada).
Samsung DeX
[adrotate banner=”4″]
Fans dropping in at any of the three roadshows will also get to experience the seamless transition from smartphone to desktop PC with Samsung DeX. Samsung DeX is a new service that lets users use their Galaxy S8 and S8+ (Amazon | Lazada) using a simple dock – DeX station, as they would a desktop.
This offers convenient access to apps, web browsing, and more, directly from their phone to a bigger screen without having to carry multiple devices or transfer data. DeX station supports keyboard and mouse gestures once connected, thus providing the effortless usability of a PC for efficient multitasking and maximised productivity.
Priced at RM459 (~US$ 109), get a sneak peek of the Samsung DeX at the roadshow before it becomes available in June.
Support Tech ARP!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
You might have heard of the Samsung Galaxy S8 Red Screen issue. Many are now claiming that it is a defect that requires a recall, like that of the Galaxy Note7. But we will show you why this is just a software issue, not a hardware defect.
The Galaxy S8 Red Screen Defect?
While most of the world eagerly await their pre-ordered Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ smartphones, they have already shipped to Samsung fans in the United States and South Korea. However, some early users in South Korea claim that their Galaxy S8 and S8+ (Amazon | Lazada) smartphones have a very noticeable reddish tint.
They posted photos of their Galaxy S8 and S8+ (Amazon | Lazada) smartphones in forums and social media. The search term “Galaxy S8 Red Screen” trended at the top of Naver, South Korea’s top search engine.
Samsung’s Response
Samsung pinpointed the problem as a software issue, one that can be easily fixed with manual colour calibration by the user, or at Samsung service centers. However, they soon decided to roll out an update to fix the problem directly, while increasing their colour range.
“The Galaxy S8 and S8+ are equipped with Super AMOLED displays to provide rich, expressive colors and optimal color range, saturation and sharpness depending on the environment.
In the past, we have received feedback that consumers wanted the ability to customize the color setting of their Galaxy devices due to natural variations in displays, and we provided the option to do so in previous software updates.
While the Galaxy S8 and S8+ have the ability for the user to modify the color of the display, Samsung has listened to feedback and has decided to release a software update as early as next week which will provide customers with a further enhanced ability to adjust the color setting to their preference.”
But this has not allayed the concerns of some users, including people who are waiting for their pre-ordered Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones to arrive. More so when some media publications are fanning the story for more page views and clicks.
Super AMOLED Isn’t New Technology
Introduced in 2011, the Super AMOLED display technology has been around for about 6 years now. It has been improved since then, of course. But the current version has been around since 2014, and used without issues in the Galaxy S7 edge and even the Galaxy S6 edge.
The Super AMOLED display used in the new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ (Amazon | Lazada) is hardly a new technology that is susceptible to glitches and poor manufacturing quality. That makes a software issue more plausible than a hardware or quality issue.
Debunking The Galaxy S8 Red Screen Defect
But we are not here to speculate, so we took a look at what might possibly cause the Samsung Galaxy S8 red screen effect.. As it so happens, we have a Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) and a Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. Let us show you why this is just a software problem, and what might be the real causes.
As our video demonstration shows, turning on the Blue light filter in the Galaxy S8+ (Amazon | Lazada) instantly gives the display a very noticeable reddish tint. Switching from the default screen mode of Adaptive display to AMOLED Cinema, AMOLED photo or even Basic also made the display turn a little pinkish.
So what can we conclude from this demonstration?
[adrotate banner=”4″]
The Blue light filter option in the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) produces an unnaturally reddish hue.
The AMOLED Cinema, AMOLED photo and Basic screen modes in the Samsung Galaxy S8 produces a slightly pinkish hue.
Changing the brightness level does not prevent the reddish / pinkish hue from occurring.
The reddish / pinkish hues disappear when we turn off the Blue light filter and/or switch back to the Adaptive display screen mode in the in the Samsung Galaxy S8.
The reddish / pinkish hues are not seen in the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, even when we turned on the Blue light filter, or switched to a different screen mode.
You can replicate this phenomenon in any Samsung Galaxy S8 (Amazon | Lazada) smartphone. This shows that the display software that controls the screen modes and blue light filter are improperly introducing a reddish tint. The upcoming software update is likely to fix this problem.
Support Tech ARP!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Innovation means breaking away from familiarity. It is about changing the way we see and use things, which has the power to transform the way we live and think. Instead of another addition to the lineup of generic smartphones, Samsung presents a completely renewed and unique design of the Galaxy S8 & S8+.
Oneness
The Galaxy S8 & S8+ is a manifestation of holistic oneness. Elements that felt needlessly mechanical have been eliminated to only focus on the essence of the device itself, which resulted in a design that merges the user and device as one. Extraordinary technology serves as an innovative silhouette of the device as well as give users extended experiences.
The Galaxy S8 & S8+ uses the entire front panel as its display, leaving a powerful silhouette that surpasses the limits of current devices. The Home button has been removed to utilize its technical space to expand user space and shatter the boundary between the device and the real world. The 18.5:9 screen ratio maximises immersion and lead users to new experiences.
A grip is defined by how well a device’s curves fit in a hand. The subtle curvature of the device’s front, back, and middle convene at each of the edges to form a perfect symmetry, thereby virtually eliminating the bezel. The curves are harmoniously synchronised with the rounded edges to fit comfortably in a user’s hand.
The glass material has a glossy finish that naturally blends in with the scene, rendering a brilliant reflection of the world around you even while the device is off. The flow of the glass material and the hidden rear camera lens creates a sense of unified fluidity of the Galaxy S8 & S8+ design.
[adrotate banner=”5″]
Harmony
Complicated, multi-layered connections and nuances are prevalent throughout our society and culture. Boundaries have diminished among various fields and the desire to be unbiased about a particular region, gender, or age is growing larger. The Galaxy S8 & S8+ design is about maintaining a natural balance that suits well with anyone, instead of striving to appeal to specific preferences.
Neutral colours blend in with our lives effortlessly due to its balanced nature. Neutral colours provide comfort by lowering the intensity of colour saturation, and at times can also create unforeseen beauty as light touches the glass in various angles.
Midnight Black has great depth and is reminiscent of solid onyx, emphasising a strong sense of unity. The golden profundity of Maple Gold preserves the integrity of the original colour while bringing out the natural ease of neutral colours. The calm and mysterious Orchid Gray that is a reinterpretation of youthful sensibilities is a colour that is trendy yet balanced.
Accessories attract just as much attention as the device. The case is made from Alcantara, a material that is soft yet doesn’t show signs of wear and tear even after prolonged use. It fits in the palm easily and exudes a sophisticated aura.
The translucent cover mixes and matches with the colours of the Galaxy S8 & S8+ and brings unexpected beauty into existence. The silicone cover boasts vivid colourss which are representative of the millennial generation. With its flexible and unconstrained design, the Galaxy S8 & S8+ becomes an object of everyday life that adapts to any space or circumstance.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Continuity
A product loses its sense of unity when the external hardware design and the internal software interface design aren’t cohesive. Only when a product feels cohesive can its design provide stability to the users. Galaxy S8 & S8+’s innovative exterior speaks a single language of design that seamlessly connect from the inside to the outside, and again from the outside to the inside.
Starting from the user’s initial interaction with the Always On Display to the Lock and Home screen, ambient visual effects of a galaxy are displayed throughout. This beautiful first impression gently flows in the background while the user interacts with the Galaxy S8 & S8+.
A series of wallpapers based on differing moods as well as the interactive galaxy effects respond differently to new angles providing a sense of infinite expansion and continuation that is felt both from the exterior and within the display.
The Galaxy S8 & S8+ Home screen features a totally new design, including icons, search bar, and even weather widgets, that altogether provide a sleek impression to its users. The icons are designed using a concept called ‘Light & Line’, which cuts a part of the visual line so that real life shadows and light are mimicked.
Users can feel One Continuous Experience from the new soft Home button to the icons in the display that all speak a single language of design. Users can move to apps from the Home screen using a simple vertical swipe. It provides an easier and more intuitive accessibility than previous Home screens by unifying all methods of editing displays and offering multi-selection modes.
Newness
Over the past decade, interactions with smartphones have mostly been touch-based. We introduce an evolved next generation interface, Bixby, that responds to both touch and voice. Users can freely and seamlessly choose the way they want to interact based on their environment.
Pressing the newly added button on the left side of the device will provide optimised information, and speaking to the device while holding the button will understand the user’s rhythm and pace to get the task done. Bixby is continously evolving, so the longer users interact with it the more Bixby becomes an essential confidant of our daily lives.
Bixby analyses voice patterns and provides information in a card format that is appropriate to the context. When you turn on Bixby while heading home after work, it will display a calendar card about family gatherings, or a contact card of a close friend you speak to at that time. Users can retrieve needed information from each card without having to access the app every time.
Accessing all features through touch alone isn’t necessary. Bixby is equipped to provide voice responding functions that previously only have been accessed through touch. A more natural voice interaction is enabled through Partial Landing technology that comprehends users’ commands from the given context, and fills in the gaps by presenting additional options.
[adrotate banner=”4″]
Bixby can recognise images the user is seeing and provide relevant information. Users can press the Bixby Vision icon while turning on the camera or looking at an image from the gallery to prompt a search regarding a product or place that is shown on the screen or even recognise and translate text.
Record any content or task you want to remember later through Bixby to have it remind you later. Whether it’s a reminder to watch a video when you get home or simply to do your laundry, just save the information on Reminder and Bixby will keep you on track.
The Galaxy S8 & S8+ pushes boundaries and overcomes limits to create a single, unified design that is more straightforward and concise than any other tool that has ever been held in our hands. All experiences come into unison through the Galaxy S8 & S8+, helping users advance toward discovering a new meaning of their daily lives.
Support Tech ARP!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Kuala Lumpur, April 7, 2017 – All eyes have been on Samsung since the world’s leading technology company unveiled its newest Galaxy, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ (Amazon | Lazada), as part of its endeavour to #UnboxYourPhone. Now that the phone’s revolutionary features have been revealed, it is time to get your hands on it!
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Pre-Order & Prices
To celebrate the impending Malaysian debut, Samsung Malaysia Electronics is pleased to announce a 3-day pre-order promotion of its latest flagship smartphone in Malaysia. As early as 10:00am on11th April 2017, Samsung Malaysia’s pre-order site will go live and fans can place their order to be among the first proud owners of their very own Galaxy S8 and S8+ (Amazon | Lazada), and enjoy the specially bundled accessories and more!
Pre-order customers will receive a Limited Edition Starter Kit that consists of a clear cover, a screen protector, a wireless charger stand, and a USB Type-C cable for a seamless mobile set up. Adding on to the rewards, Samsung is also giving away a sleek 5,100mAh battery pack that promises to give users an extra fuss-free battery boost for added convenience.
The pre-order promotion does not end here. All pre-orders of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ (Amazon | Lazada) also come with an extra benefit, the Samsung Protection Plus, covering mechanical and electrical breakdowns as well as accidental damage to help users prepare for the unexpected. With this extended service, users will receive a 1-year screen crack protection that allows for one-time replacement in a 12-month period for accidental damage claim; and an additional 1-year extended warranty.
All this bundled package worth over RM900 is complimentary when you purchase the Galaxy S8 or S8+ via the special pre-order at their recommended retail price of RM3,299 / ~US$ 729 and RM3,699 / ~US$ 819 respectively.
Own a brand new Galaxy S8 and S8+ (Amazon | Lazada) with exclusive rewards and privileges in just a few steps:
Place a deposit of RM300 online via debit or credit card.
Select from the three colour options – Midnight Black, Orchid Gray or Maple Gold.
Choose your preferred Samsung Experience Store to collect your brand new Galaxy S8 or S8+.
An email confirmation will be sent to the registered email address.
Collect your Galaxy S8 or S8+ on 4th May 2017, a day before everyone else gets their hands on this remarkable device at the official Malaysian launch!
To find out more, please visit www.samsung.com/my/s8preorder/. Promotion is valid while stocks last on a first-come-first-serve basis. Fans can also check out concurrent Galaxy S8 and S8+ (Amazon | Lazada) pre-order promotions by telco partners Celcom, Digi, Maxis, U Mobile and Yes; e-commerce partners Lazada and 11street; as well as retailer partners Courts Mammoth, Harvey Norman and Senheng.
Support Tech ARP!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Ever since it was leaked that Samsung is giving away limited number of the exclusive Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultimate Edition smartphones, people have been frantically trying to find out how to get one. Samsung stores are being mobbed all over the world. Find out what the heck is going on!
Hunt For The Galaxy S8 Ultimate!
Former Galaxy Note7 users have been questioned whether they still have their devices. One wife reportedly ransacked her husband’s belongings, only to find a second smartphone he used to keep in touch with his mistress. But no Galaxy Note7. #SoDead
1 like = 1 chance to win the Galaxy S8 Ultimate Edition
1 share = 10 chances to win the Galaxy S8 Ultimate Edition
1 like + 1 share = You do the math!
#S8Ultimate #iCantWait #h3h3
Samsung Mobbed!
But as our international correspondent, C. Lee Yu, reports from a particularly badly-mobbed Samsung Experience Store in New York City, some people are refusing to rely on their luck or social media skills. Instead, they are mobbing some Samsung stores, demanding to BUY theGalaxy S8 Ultimate Edition.
C. Lee Yu only barely made it to safety, thanks to the kungfu skills that all Asian people are born with. He advises everyone else to pack guns, or just stay at home and pre-order the regular Galaxy S8. Seriously.
[adrotate banner=”5″]
Please Feed Us!
If you don’t support us, who will? The last we checked, money still does not fall down from the heavens. Too bad we can’t live on sunshine and rainfall. We are not plants. In fact, we don’t even like eating our vegetables! We LOVE meat. So if you like our work, help us buy some meat… or send us some meat! Preferably with a nice bottle of red to go with it. 😀
If you are one of the few with a Samsung Galaxy Note7 (dead or alive), Samsung will give YOU the Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultimate Edition in exchange! But don’t worry if you were not a Galaxy Note7 user. We will share with you how you can to get your hands on the Galaxy S8 Ultimate Edition!
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultimate Edition
Samsung is only making a limited number of the Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultimate Edition available in select countries around the world. How does it differ from the regular Samsung Galaxy S8? See for yourself!
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultimate Edition
Samsung Galaxy S8
Display
5.8" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2960 pixels (570 ppi)
5.8" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2960 pixels (570 ppi)
Protection
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (front & back panels)
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (front & back panels)
Operating System (At Launch)
Android 7.0 Nougat
Android 7.0 Nougat
System Platform
Samsung Exynos 8895
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Samsung Exynos 8895
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Memory
6 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
Storage Options
256 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 256 GB
64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 256 GB
Front Camera
8 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens
8 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens
Rear Camera
12 MP Sony / Samsung (1.4 µm) sensor with f/1.7 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash
12 MP Sony / Samsung (1.4 µm) sensor with f/1.7 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash
3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capability (wired & wireless)
- wireless charging (WPC and PMA)
3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capability (wired & wireless)
- wireless charging (WPC and PMA)
Dimensions
159.5 mm tall
73.4 mm wide
8.1 mm thick
148.9 mm tall
68.1 mm wide
8.0 mm thick
Weight
173 g
152 g
Colour Options
Black As Night, Monday Blues, Good As Gold
Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold
AWESOME Ultimate Edition Logo
OF COURSE!
Nahhhh....
Basically, it is the Samsung Galaxy S8 with 50% more memory, and 4X the internal storage! AWESOME, isn’t it? But you can’t buy it because it’s currently not available for retail sale!
If You Still Have A Galaxy Note7…
If you still have a Samsung Galaxy Note7 with you, in any condition, you can trade it in for a Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultimate Edition for FREE! No shit.
Just walk right up to any Samsung store, plunk down your Galaxy Note7 (dead or alive), and ask for the Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultimate Edition. So much #win! 😀
It was so popular that many people refused to return their Galaxy Note7, despite Samsung’s extensive recall program. In fact, Samsung had to issue a “kill order” at the end of 2016 to try and disable the Galaxy Note7 phablets that are still out there!
The “Galaxy Note7 For S8 Ultimate Edition” exchange program is their way to thank their most fanatical fans.
But I Don’t Have A Note7….
Don’t worry. Samsung is reserving a limited number of Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultimate Edition smartphones for those who get the most likes for pictures of the Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultimate Edition.
All you have to do is share one of these pictures PUBLICLY in social media, using these details and hashtags :
1 like = 1 chance to win the Galaxy S8 Ultimate Edition
1 share = 10 chances to win the Galaxy S8 Ultimate Edition
1 like + 1 share = You do the math!
#S8Ultimate #iCantWait #h3h3
Samsung will use the third-party tracking service H3H3 to track the number of likes on your post, and award those with highest number of likes with a Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultimate Edition!
Obviously, you can increase your chance by posting multiple times, and getting your friends to like your post! 😀
Make sure you share them publicly. If they cannot see them, they cannot track them!
Please Feed Us!
If you don’t support us, who will? The last we checked, money still does not fall down from the heavens. Too bad we can’t live on sunshine and rainfall. We are not plants. In fact, we don’t even like eating our vegetables! We LOVE meat. So if you like our work, help us buy some meat… or send us some meat! Preferably with a nice bottle of red to go with it. 😀
Samsung has done it again – creating a smartphone with features that make people go oooh and ahhh. Two of them actually. But they didn’t start from scratch. The new Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ smartphones had their genesis in their two highly-acclaimed predecessors – the Galaxy S7 edge and the Galaxy S6 edge. Let’s take a look at the evolution of the Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone!
The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge is famous for being the first smartphone to feature a display that curved at the two edges. But it also marked Samsung’s first foray into an all metal-and-glass design with a non-removable battery. It had an aluminium unibody chassis with Gorilla Glass 4 protection on both front and back aspects.
You may not recall it, but it was also the first Samsung smartphone to support wireless charging and Samsung Pay. Needless to say, the Galaxy S6 edge was very sexy, and impressed us greatly. The only things we didn’t like about it – the lack of a microSD slot, and the bottom location of the 3.5 mm audio port.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
The popularity of the Galaxy S6 edge ensured that Samsung would retain the curved edge display for the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. They also retained the magnificent Quad HD Super AMOLED display. Why fix something that’s not broken?
Samsung fixed the biggest gripe users had with the Galaxy S6 edge, restoring the microSD slot in the form of a Hybrid SIM tray. They also renewed their emphasis on the main camera by using a new 12 MP Dual Pixel camera with f/1.7 lens. It was arguably the best smartphone camera of 2016.
But what the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is probably best known for is its IP68 design. It is the first non-ruggerdised smartphone to be IP68 dust- and water-resistant all the time. That means you can immerse it in water without prior preparation, and it does not look like a brick!
What we didn’t really fancy – the limited internal storage (it had just 32 GB of storage initially), and the 5 MP front camera, which was so 2015.
The Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung built upon their highly-successful Galaxy S7 edge to create the new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. It maintained the same curved screen and IP68 protection, albeit with a higher resolution WQHD+ display and Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
The removal of the edge moniker suggests that Samsung has decided to only use the trademark curved AMOLED displays in their Galaxy S family going forward. Samsung also removed the Home button completely, creating an incredible Infinity Display.
Samsung maintained the same highly-acclaimed 12 MP Dual Pixel camera from the Galaxy S7 edge, but gave the front camera a new 8 MP sensor with autofocus capability. The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ also boast the iris scanner that was first introduced with the Galaxy Note7.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ smartphones have a dedicated button that activates the new Bixby artificial intelligence assistant. They can also be connected to the Samsung DeX dock, which provides you with a desktop-like computing experience.
[adrotate banner=”5″]
The Evolution Of The Samsung Galaxy S8
To better illustrate the evolution of the Samsung Galaxy S8, we prepared this detailed specification comparison of the new Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ smartphones, with their predecessors.
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S8+
Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
Display
6.2" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2960 pixels (529 ppi)
5.8" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2960 pixels (570 ppi)
5.5" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2560 pixels (534 ppi)
5.1" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2560 pixels (577 ppi)
Protection
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (front & back panels)
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (front & back panels)
Corning Gorilla Glass 4 (front & back panels)
Operating System (At Launch)
Android 7.0 Nougat
Android 7.0 Nougat
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Android 5.0 Lollipop
System Platform
Samsung Exynos 8895
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Samsung Exynos 8895
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
Samsung Exynos 7420
Memory
4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
3 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
Storage Options
64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 256 GB
64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 256 GB
32 GB / 64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 200 GB
Network : LTE Cat. 16 (1 Gbps / 150 Mbps)
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz), MIMO (2 x 2)
Bluetooth : Version 5.0 LE, ANT+
Others : USB 3.1, NFC, GPS
Network : LTE Cat. 16 (1 Gbps / 150 Mbps)
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz), MIMO (2 x 2)
Bluetooth : Version 5.0 LE, ANT+
Others : USB 3.1, NFC, GPS
Network : LTE Cat. 8 (450 / 50 Mbps)
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz), MIMO (2 x 2)
Bluetooth : Version 4.2 LE, ANT+
Others : USB 2.0, NFC, GPS
Network : LTE Cat. 6 (300 / 50 Mbps)
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz), MIMO (2 x 2)
Bluetooth : Version 4.1 LE, ANT+
Others : USB 2.0, NFC, IR Remote, GPS
3,500 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capability (wired & wireless)
- wireless charging (WPC and PMA)
3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capability (wired & wireless)
- wireless charging (WPC and PMA)
3,600 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capability (wired & wireless)
- wireless charging (Qi and PMA)
2,600 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- fast charging capability (wired only)
- wireless charging (Qi and PMA)
Dimensions
159.5 mm tall
73.4 mm wide
8.1 mm thick
148.9 mm tall
68.1 mm wide
8.0 mm thick
150.9 mm tall
72.6 mm wide
7.7 mm thick
142.1 mm tall
70.1 mm wide
7.0 mm thick
Weight
173 g
152 g
157 g
132 g
Colour Options
Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold
Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold
Black Onyx, Silver Titanium, Gold Platinum
White Pearl, Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum, Green Emerald
Support Tech ARP!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Every year, we are told that the smartphone market is saturated, and that it’s harder for the next smartphone model to offer consumers any real reason to upgrade. After all, how much more innovation can you pack into a device the size of a notepad?
Yet, the prognosticators of doom are proven wrong every single year. Not only are established brands like Apple and Samsung still churning out new smartphone models year after year, new smartphones brands like Neffos and Infinix are being established all the time.
That does not mean that consumers are just lapping up whatever they produce though. Many smartphones do poorly, selling only at great discounts.
What We Want In Our Next Smartphone
Now, we don’t know the secret formula to a successful smartphone, but we can tell you the 5 features we want in our next smartphone. Let’s see if they are also what you want in your next smartphone.
Water-resistant smartphones also allow for greater creativity and flexibility. You can’t use them underwater, but you can use them near water without fear. Check out this video I took with the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 during a recent trip to Krabi.
A Better Front Camera
Top-of-the-line smartphones like the HTC 10, the iPhone 6S and the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge boast truly excellent main cameras, but their front cameras have long been neglected. They are only adequate for Instagram and Facebook selfies. They really need a much better front camera that can take higher resolution photos and better videos.
A better front camera is also important if you are using a gimbal like the DJI Osmo Mobile. Such gimbals use the smartphone’s front camera to record selfie videos. So it is important to use a smartphone with a good front camera.
OPPO identified and targeted that unfulfilled need in the market with their Selfie Expert smartphones. Their OPPO F1s smartphone, for example, has 16 MP front and rear cameras. Perhaps their success was the reason why the 2017 Samsung Galaxy A7 also has 16 MP front and rear cameras!
We don’t think you need a 16 MP front camera for videos. Even the 5 MP sensor on the Galaxy S7 edge is already capable of recording 4K videos. But a higher resolution sensor paired with a bright, fast lens would allow for better selfies and selfie videos.
Better Audio Recording & Playback
One thing we really liked about the HTC 10 was its Hi-Res Audio recording and playback capability. Audio fidelity is an oft-overlooked feature, which is a shame because it makes a HUGE difference to the videos you record.
Once you have tried recording videos in Hi-Res Audio, you will wonder how you ever made do with the flat audio recording of other smartphones. The Hi-Res Audio recording and playback capability is definitely something we are looking for in our next smartphone.
No Limit Video Recording
Many smartphones are so good at recording videos that they have virtually decimated the consumer camcorder market. The only thing holding them back are the 30-minute recording limit and the 4 GB file size limit.
The 30-minute limit is used to avoid duties imposed on video cameras, while the 4 GB file size limit is due to the use of, or support for, the FAT32 file system.
The 4 GB limit is particularly problematic for smartphones that can record in 4K (like the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge and the HTC 10), because it limits them to just 10-11 minutes of footage.
We record a lot of long videos, and sometimes in 4K. So it is important that our next smartphone removes those limits by supporting the exFAT file system.
Longer Battery Life
This seems like a very obvious feature to demand, but it needs some clarification.
Smartphone manufacturers are well-aware that we want smartphones with long battery lives. That’s why some smartphones boast very large capacity batteries.
But a larger battery is not just the only way to achieve a longer battery life. What’s ultimately important to us is battery life, not battery capacity.
If they can deliver a longer battery life using more power-efficient components, even better! What matters to us is battery life, not battery capacity.
What Smartphone Are We Looking Forward To?
[adrotate banner=”4″]
As big fans of the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, we are very psyched up about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8 launch on 29 March 2017. Rumours and leaks are rife on the Internet, but as we all know – nothing is true, until the big reveal!
But will it have a better front camera? Support for Hi-Res Audio? How about the removal of video recording limits? Can Samsung improve its battery life?
We await with bated breath… 😀
Support Tech ARP!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
