Photos on galaxy s8. Is the Samsung Galaxy S8's camera good? Where is the fingerprint scanner?
I am writing this material for people who really want to know an explanation of the characteristics of the Galaxy S8, how they work in practice, and my personal opinion about this or that point in the device. And for this just a 10 minute video and beautiful pictures not enough. Therefore, if you are just such a reader, then get ready to spend 10 minutes of your life reading. If not, then I have selected for you under this material 10-minute video reviews of top bloggers on YouTube, which will tell you clearly, quickly and superficially.
So, let's begin! Samsung Galaxy S8 (SM-G950F) at the start of sales costs 55,000 RUB in Russia, 25,000 UAH in Ukraine, 1,800 BYN in Belarus, 301,000 KZT in Kazakhstan. For fun, I converted all these prices into dollars and summarized them in the chart below:
In this section I will tell you all the characteristics: from the body to the cameras.
Design, elements on the case, materials and dimensions of the smartphone
The design of the flagship is not similar to any other device, but the Samsung style is noticeable. Everything is very smooth and in your hands it feels like a piece of glass polished to perfection. I can’t find fault with the joints of the elements; everything fits very well and without cracks. I have a black version, but in our market you can still find gold and amethyst.
By thickness The smartphone is 8 mm, nothing protrudes in the planes. The metal frame on the left and right ends is only 3.5 mm wide, to which the front and rear windows are rounded off. Samsung calls this "Edge Design". Width The S8 is quite narrow - 68 mm, which is one and a half millimeters narrower than the Galaxy S7. Samsung smartphones have always been distinguished by their compact size in terms of body/display ratio. By height The device is 6.5 mm taller than its predecessor and is 149 mm. Weight is 155 g, and as for me this is the optimal indicator that you want to feel in your hand.
Even though the S8's screen diagonal is quite large, I still want to call it compact smartphone, which will be convenient for people with small hands. When I hold it in my hand, I think that this is exactly how it should be and I don’t understand why smartphones were different before.
Ok Steve! In terms of design, I want the Galaxy S8.
On the front there is a large display, with very narrow frames at the top and bottom (each almost 7 mm). There's nothing on the bottom bezel, and part of me says, "So if the area is empty, then remove it entirely in favor of an EVEN larger display!" But the normal part of me (I think it’s normal) understands that before this there were no such screen-to-body ratios, and the engineers tried very hard to create what we have in front. 
Above the screen in the center there is a neat earpiece, to the left of which there are two sensors (light and proximity), infrared illumination for recognizing the iris of the eye even in pitch darkness, followed by an indicator light (lit in blue or red). To the right of the speaker are the front camera and a sensor for scanning the iris of the eye. The front camera is not used for iris scanning. 
On the back panel we have a protective glass that is scratch-resistant and does not have an oleophobic coating. Just above the center is the Samsung logo, which is not shiny chrome, but has a modest grey colour. Above the logo in the center there is a camera, to the left of which is a heart rate sensor and a single-LED flash. I can’t say that the flash stands out in terms of brightness and has a warm tint. To the right of the camera there is a fingerprint scanner, which is inconvenient for me and I don’t use it. 
At the top end there is a hybrid tray for two Nano SIM cards, or one card and a memory card. The tray is made of flexible plastic, which is a little disappointing, although this is not so important. The metal frame at the top and bottom ends is wider than the side edges, since the adjacent glass there is not rounded. On top we also have a microphone for noise reduction and two plastic dividers for antennas, which are practically invisible. 
At the bottom end there is a USB Tape-C connector, a headphone jack, an external speaker, a conversational microphone and two more dividers for antennas. 
On the left side there is a volume rocker and a button calling the interface virtual assistant Bixby, but more on that later. 
On the right side, the power/lock button is located alone in a convenient place. 
Chipset
The heart of the flagship SM-G950F is the top-of-the-line 2017 chipset of its own production, Exynos 8895 (analogue). It has 8 cores, 4 of which are low-power for light tasks and energy saving - ARM Cortex-A53 with a maximum frequency of 1690 MHz. The remaining 4 cores are manufactured using our own architecture Samsung Exynos M1 (Mongoose). It handles complex tasks at a maximum frequency of 2314 MHz.
The biggest feature of the processor is its 10-nanometer (nm) manufacturing technology. Manufacturers have stopped increasing gigahertz and power, and are striving for energy efficiency and compactness. So that you understand, 10 nm is almost half the size of the already small 14 nm top-end Snapdragon 821 chip. At the same time, performance has not gone by the wayside, and energy costs are several times less.
See the comparison of chipset sizes in the picture:
Diagram from Intel presentation
In terms of performance, it's not the best powerful smartphone. In AnTuTu it scores 173 thousand points and gives way to the iPhone 7 Plus. At maximum graphics settings in tanks, the frames per second of the Galaxy S8 does not reach 60. On average it shows 50 frames per second. But this is not critical, since the human eye can capture a maximum of 30 frames per second.
In summer, when the weather is very hot, the smartphone gets a little warm and holding it in your hands is very uncomfortable. Heating was noticed not only in games under maximum load, but this problem can be much more noticeable in other smartphones with a similar powerful chip.
Considering that the chipset is made using the finest technical process, I don’t understand the heating. However, I have not previously heard about heating problems from other users, and I am almost sure that this point concerns my device, which is not commercial (sent for review by the manufacturer). Plus, given that the processor and core architecture are new, over time all games and programs will be better optimized for this solution.
Memory
The device has 4 GB of RAM. This is quite enough for all tasks and I did not feel any shortcomings. The AIDA64 application shows an honest 3.5 GB of RAM. Persistent memory 64 GB, and no other versions found. 54 GB available for use. It is possible to expand the memory using microSD cards up to 256 GB, and the card slot is separate from the SIM card.
Memory speed is excellent and reaches 787 MB/s when reading and 195 MB/s when transferring. This is the fastest indicator currently in smartphones.
Autonomy
I’ll say right away that autonomy is not the strong point of the Samsung S8. The battery capacity is 3000 mAh, and it shows average survivability. But if you take into account the display resolution and its diagonal, then everything is pretty good.
After an hour of playing, the battery drained by 20%, meaning you can play for 5 hours without interruption at maximum resolution. Plays video over Wi-Fi – 7.5 hours. But working with a GPS navigator with a rarely active display will drain the battery in 20 hours. Still a high resolution The display makes itself felt (by the way, it can be lowered, which will have a positive effect on autonomy).
The Korean flagship is infected from 0 to 100% in 1 hour 15 minutes. The included charger charged the battery from 0 to 50% in 40 minutes. This means that there is fast charging, but the S8 does not focus on quickly recharging the charge in the first minutes.
If you are not a hardcore multimedia user, then the smartphone will last 2 days under gentle loads. Especially if you lower the display resolution.
Display
But the screen here is quite interesting. It has an unusual aspect ratio of 18.5:9 and is made according to Super technology Amoled. Screen diagonal, with such compact sizes, is 5.8 inches. Compactness is achieved thanks to the same narrow frames mentioned earlier. This means that it is more elongated in length, and all this is due to the reduction of the upper and lower frames. The maximum display resolution is WQHD (2950x1440), but it can be reduced in the settings to FullHD or even HD. Reducing the resolution will have a positive effect on autonomy.
It is noticeable only when compared point-blank.
It’s hard to find fault with the display – it’s large, clear, frameless and very bright (1000 nits). However, there is a minus: with a white color, the picture turns a little red at a direct viewing angle. This moment is visible only if you put another smartphone next to it.
The company is already sending out an update that will correct this shortcoming, but at the time of review, this update had not yet reached my sample.
The screen has an "Always on Display" function, when when the device is locked, the display shows the clock and date, notifications and battery percentage. 
Sound
I'm not a music lover, but with the Samsung S8 I wanted to become one. The sound in the headphones is simply stunning. Perhaps I just haven’t heard high-quality sound before, but I downloaded the track in flac format and in comparison with the Galaxy A5 I realized that the S8 sounds like a god. Complete immersion in music. My A-5, compared to the 2017 flagship, sounds like a leprechaun drowned in a toilet.
The external speaker of the flagship also plays well, but there are no stereo speakers. The sound comes from one speaker at the bottom end, it is loud and moderately rich, like for a smartphone. The volume reaches 70.3 dB.
Perhaps the sound was influenced by collaboration with the top audio device manufacturer Harman/Kardon. AKG branded headphones are included. They can be purchased separately for $100. On Samsung presentations stated that the S8 has a 32-bit digital-to-analog converter.
I listen to the Samsung Galaxy S8 through headphones and I can’t remember what disadvantages I talked about earlier... I don’t know how I’ll live without such sound now.
The device supports two Nano-SIM cards. Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, supports dual-channel data transmission at 5000 MHz. Bluetooth also has a surprise, it . This means you can play your favorite tracks through Bluetooth headphones and go to the other side of the house or even go out into the yard without a signal source. The range is increased 4 times compared to Bluetooth 4.2. You can also connect two headsets at once (two speakers or two pairs of headphones). These are not all the advantages of the fifth version of Bluetooth, but to use it you need a headset that supports this format.
GPS navigation works flawlessly.
Software
The Samsung S8 runs on the latest Android 7 operating system at the time of release, of course. The Samsung Experience shell is installed on top; I currently have version 8.1. Everything works quickly, but with a certain proprietary animation, which is similar to the effect of minimizing windows in Windows. The main desktop displays the clock, weather, and Google search bar by default, but by default, you can pinch to install widgets, app icons, and add screens that you can swipe right to. By swiping from bottom to top or vice versa, the “app drawer” is called up. If you swipe your finger from the right edge to the left, the EDGE panel will be called up with the ability to quickly access selected applications, contacts and various opportunities to take screenshots.
The GPU processes the interface without slowdowns at maximum frame rates. No lags were noticed in third-party applications either.
Bixby
By swiping from left to right on the main screen, as well as a separate button on the end, you can open the Bixby interface, in which you can find cards that you can configure yourself. I have this alarm clock, Gallery for today, number of steps taken, weather and summary latest news. At the moment, the assistant's capabilities are limited. Apart from the listed capabilities, the assistant can’t do anything else; it doesn’t react to voices in any way (neither Russian, nor English, nor even Korean). It is unknown when the Russian-speaking audience will be able to fully use Bixby.
However, the intentions of his work were noticed; a recommendation appeared in the notification shade to listen to music in good quality with a link to a recommended site (I had previously downloaded music on another site). I look forward to all the capabilities of Bixby's artificial intelligence and his destruction of the human race the moment he acquires it.
For now, Bixby only has a name.
Camera
The main camera on the Galaxy S8 takes 12 MP photos. The aperture is widened to F/1.7, which allows the sensor to capture more light at poor lighting. This is the widest aperture in a smartphone in my memory. Present phase detection autofocus and optical stabilization. If the smartphone cannot focus (which happens very rarely when taking photos), for example when shooting video in 4K resolution, then tapping on the display sensor can help the camera. Autofocus works using technology, it is very fast and in most cases trouble-free.
The matrix in the main camera is manufactured by ISOCELL, model S5K2L2. I assume that the American and Korean versions use a Sony sensor, model IMX333 (or another name IMX260 Pro). They say that there is no difference in the quality of pictures of the Samsung S8 with different matrices. In the S7 there was a situation where the Sony sensor took photographs in warmer tones. The size of the S5K2L2 is quite large - 1/2.5". The pixel is also not small - 1.4 microns.
I would like to note that despite all the indicators, the camera does not protrude from the body.
The main camera of the Galaxy S8 is practically no different from the Galaxy S7 in photography. In the video I think the S8 dominates.
Below is an example of shooting on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S7 in HDR modes. Last year's flagship did better.
For comparison, I’ll give another example of a photo taken under the same conditions on the Galaxy S8 and Xiaomi Note 4x to clearly show the quality of flagships and budget phones. 
Below is a gorgeous shot with bokeh effect on the Galaxy S8. When taking photographs in good lighting, the smartphone focuses at lightning speed (I never tire of writing this).
Another macro shot:
Shooting in the blinding sun in automatic mode was not impressive. But there are many manual settings in the "Pro" mode: ISO adjustment, aperture effect, presets, manual focus, etc.
Night shot with and without flash. When using a flash, the algorithm works well, there are no highlights and in some cases it is difficult to tell that the photo was taken with a flash. 
Selfie camera
The selfie camera, a first for smartphones, has autofocus. This is an 8 megapixel ISOCELL S5K3H1 matrix with an F/1.7 aperture. It takes excellent pictures for a selfie camera, nothing more to say. 
Video shooting
Samsung shoots video in resolutions from VGA to 4K (UHD) resolution. When recording Full HD at 30 frames per second, video shooting in HDR mode is available. There is optical and electronic stabilization. I was amazed by the color reproduction, focusing and stabilization capabilities. You don’t need a lot of words here, you just have to see:
Youtube decided to cut the resolution down to 2k over time.
Peculiarities
Among the features of the smartphone is the ability to connect to a monitor using the DeX docking station. You can also connect a mouse and keyboard to it. The monitor displays the Samsung operating system on Android based, externally similar to Windows. Made for her standard applications and Microsoft office solutions. I did not succeed long time use this gadget, but the reviews about it are not bad.
With DeX, you can open a browser, work in office applications, view and even edit photos. Applications open in full windows. Even Instagram and others are launching, but few applications have yet been adapted for this platform.
The second feature is the ability to unlock the device using the iris of the eye or face. They say that a face scanner can be fooled by a printed photo, but it’s not so simple and who would bother with this? If the options above do not always work quickly, especially if you are walking, then with the finger scanner everything happens at lightning speed, but it is not located in a very convenient place and does not recognize a wet finger.
The third feature I would like to note is the presence of a heartbeat scanner.
The fourth feature, which I did not mention earlier, is the presence of moisture and dust protection according to the IP68 standard.
Pros and cons of Samsung Galaxy S8
It's time to sum up all of the above.
pros
- thin frames around the display;
- clear, bright and elongated display, with the ability to adjust the resolution;
- convenient design and well-assembled body;
- good cameras in all respects;
- user-friendly interface;
- support for the upcoming version of Bluetooth 5;
- great sound in headphones;
- loud external speaker;
- notification indicator;
- moisture and dust protection.
Minuses
- staining the rear glass, which is prone to scratches;
- the sharp edges of the USB connector rub your finger while playing;
- Due to such a premium design, the smartphone can be fragile, you need to wear a case;
- sometimes it gets quite hot under load (perhaps this is a problem with my sample or raw software, this should be fixed by updating and optimizing games for the new kernel);
- All unlocking means are inconvenient.
My review of the Galaxy S8
The smartphone scored 5 points. Many people talk about it as the emperor of smartphones. Personally, the camera is important to me, and here it is very decent. Is it the best? This is questionable, and when compared with the Galaxy S7, they are very similar. Although the Galaxy S8's video recording is impressive.
And so the question hung in my head: is it worth buying a Galaxy S8 for the photo capabilities of the camera, if the Galaxy S7 has the same level for more affordable money? I would consider buying a Galaxy S8 for the excellent sound in the headphones and cool display, for the sake of video recording and good design. Although the design is secondary, and I would rather show off cool photographs than the cool design of a glass rectangle (as you can see, the WOW effect from the design gradually faded away for me, you get used to good things very quickly).
Overall, the device deserves a place among best smartphones throughout the history of smartphone manufacturing. The general opinion about the product consists of many little things that I tried to describe in this material. The disadvantages that I noted are perhaps the only ones for me. Knowing Samsung's approach to software, some of them will most likely be fixed. Oh yes, the software is what makes Samsung smartphones worth loving.
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Smartphone review Sony Xperia XZ: second flagship in a year
Review of the Huawei P10 Plus smartphone: a thin flagship phablet
This year, Samsung decided that size really does matter, so the new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ have larger screens of 5.8 and 6.2 inches, respectively. Other companies have already tried to make devices with the largest possible displays, but the Koreans have really reached a new, unprecedented level in this regard. How convenient it is to use the new “galaxies” - read the translation of the review from YugaTech on Trashbox.
It is noteworthy that even the simple version of the Galaxy S8 has a larger screen diagonally than the unsuccessful phablet Galaxy Note 7, not to mention the “plus”. What will the eighth Galaxy Note be like then? Will its screen be larger than 6.2 inches? It’s very interesting what Samsung will come up with for fans of the stylus and large display, but for now let’s look at the eighth “galaxy”.
Characteristics
- Screen: 5.8/6.2 inches, Super AMOLED, 2960×1440 pixels, 570 / 529 ppi, protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
- operating system: Android 7.1 Nougat, Samsung Experience 8.1 shell.
- Processor: Exynos 8895, eight-core (4×Cortex-A53 at 1.7 GHz and 4×2.3 GHz at 2.3 GHz), 10 nm.
- GPU: Mali G71-MP20.
- RAM: 4 GB (LPDDR4).
- Storage: 64 GB (UFS 2.1) with support for microSD cards up to 256 GB.
- Main camera: 12 megapixels (Sony IMX333 + S5K2L2 ISOCELL), Dual Pixel, f/1.7 aperture, optical stabilization (OIS), video recording 1080p×60FPS, 4K×30FPS.
- Front camera: 8 megapixels, wide-angle sensor, f/1.7 aperture.
- Battery: 3,000 / 3,500 mAh, lithium-ion, fast charging from 0 to 100% in 75 minutes.
- Dimensions (mm): 148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 (Galaxy S8), 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 (Galaxy S8+).
- Weight (grams): 155 / 173.
- Slots for SIM cards: one nanoSIM, the second - combined.
- Connectivity: 4G/LTE (up to category 16), Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C, 3.5 mm audio jack, dual-band (2.4 / 5 GHz) Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS / GLONASS / Galileo.
- Sensors: fingerprint scanner, pressure sensor, accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope, geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, heart rate sensor, proximity sensor, light sensor.
- Water protection: IP68.
- Available colors: in Russia so far only black, golden and mystical (pink-gray).
- Price: 54,990 / 59,990 rubles.
Appearance and design
The flagship Galaxy S line has undergone a major redesign this year. The general concept has not changed, but the approach is completely different. Both versions of the smartphone received a curved screen at the edges, and the frames at the top and bottom were greatly reduced. Like the LG G6, the corners of the display panel are rounded. This is not only beautiful, but also practical in terms of the strength of the case. In case of fall or other external influences There is less chance that a matrix with rounded corners will be damaged.
Hardware control buttons and the Samsung logo, which was previously usually located on the top frame, have been removed from the front panel. This freed up space for the display. Only some sensors and the front camera remain. We have already seen this in the Xiaomi Mi MIX, which has nothing on the front side of the body except a display, a camera and a pair of sensors.
The bottom edge is strewn with a 3.5 mm port, universal USB Type-C and a speaker grid. Unfortunately, Samsung isn't dabbling in two separate stereo speakers just yet.
The top edge is equipped with a tray for nanoSIM cards. There is also an additional hybrid slot for microSD cards up to 256 GB. It can be used for an additional nanoSIM.
The rear panel contains a camera sensor that does not protrude from the body with a two-tone LED flash on the left and a fingerprint scanner on the right. The position of the fingerprint sensor is at least strange, but more on that later. The back of the device is covered with protective glass. Corning Gorilla Glass 5. It is slightly curved along the edges, which creates a pleasant visual effect, but also thanks to this the phone fits perfectly in the hand.
The case is protected from water and dust according to the standard IP68. The smartphone can be immersed in water to a depth of 1.5 meters for no more than 30 minutes.
Overall, there are no issues with Samsung in terms of the appearance and design of the Galaxy S8. The phone looks impressive and feels good in the hand.
Screen
Samsung is doing the right thing by making the screen the main feature of its smartphones. They are allowed to do this, because own panels Super AMOLED- almost the best on the market. Galaxy S8 has the most big screen in the flagship line of the South Korean manufacturer. 5.8 inches is even larger than the typical diagonal of phablets (5.5-5.7 inches). This is a big improvement, especially considering the dimensions are almost identical to the previous generation.
This diagonal was achieved by removing hardware buttons and a fingerprint scanner on back panel. The Samsung inscription was also moved there. The frames were reduced to a minimum - there was only room for the front camera, a pair of sensors and an iris scanner.
The edges of the display are curved, as you would expect from a flagship smartphone Samsung lines. Let us remember that this “trick” first appeared in the Galaxy Note edge, and then migrated to the Galaxy S line. Now there is no division into the regular and edge versions - both “galaxies” have a curved screen.
Screen resolution - 2960x1440 pixels(WQHD+). Thus, the pixel density is 570 ppi. The firmware of smartphones provides a function that automatically or manually changes the screen resolution to save energy. By default, the indicator is set to Full HD+ (2280x1080). The lowest level is HD+ (1480×720). The latter is used when the energy saving mode is turned on.
From left to right: selecting resolution, picture mode and other settings
The aspect ratio of this screen is quite strange - 18.5:9. Not the best option for watching videos and pictures in games. But the firmware provides a function for adapting content to the display.
As for the matrix itself, these are top quality Super AMOLED panels. Color rendition, detail and contrast - on high level. Under the rays of the sun, the display behaves perfectly - readability is maintained. The Galaxy S8 firmware has a function to reduce blue radiation at night - reducing eye strain.
Camera
Samsung pays a lot of attention to the camera in its flagship smartphones. The eighth generation of the Galaxy is no exception - the devices take excellent photos and videos. Galaxy S8 uses new sensor Sony IMX333 and S5K2L2 ISOCELL matrix with resolution 12 megapixels(the same number was in S7).
Sample photos from Galaxy S8 (images are highly compressed)
The main camera supports optical image stabilization (OIS). The videos are of very high quality, but it is clear that Samsung programmers have not yet completed the camera software. When making sharp turns, the picture is slightly blurred. Perhaps this will be fixed with the final update before the start of sales. Video recording in 4K×30FPS or 1080p×60FPS resolution is supported. The frame rate for slow motion video is limited to 240FPS at 720p resolution.
The front camera has received a big improvement - from 5 to 8 megapixels. There is a wide-angle sensor with a good aperture ratio - f/1.7. Your selfies will definitely look good even in poor lighting conditions.
The camera application interface has been greatly redesigned. Now it looks like some kind of social network like Snapchat. We added a lot interesting features and chips. For knowledgeable users A professional shooting mode is provided. In it you can manually adjust the ISO value (50−800), shutter speed (1/2400 to 10 seconds), white balance and picture profile.
Many people liked the Galaxy S7 camera launch feature double click to the Home button. Since it was removed, this “trick” moved to the unlock button.
operating system
The new products run on the Android 7.0 Nougat platform, on top of which proprietary firmware Samsung Experience(formerly TouchWiz). As is always the case with Samsung, several applications are preinstalled: Samsung Notes, proprietary Browser, Secure Folder and others. But it's still not as bad as it was in the 2014−2015 versions of TouchWiz.
Since the hardware control buttons were removed, Samsung decided to slightly level out this loss. Now they are almost always below virtual buttons Recent, Home and Back. Sometimes two disappear, and only Home remains. The central button has pleasant feedback and adjustable sensitivity. Not on the desktop separate button to call the application menu - a universal gesture from bottom to top or vice versa is responsible for this.
There is special software for curved screen edges: App Edge, People Edge, Clipboard Edge and more. All of this interacts to one degree or another with curved screen. For example, you can bring up the favorites panel by swiping on this area. There is also a utility for creating a screenshot or even a GIF animation.
Security features include a fingerprint sensor and an iris scanner. The finger sensor was moved to the back cover and placed next to the camera. Thus, you can only reach it with a normal grip right hand And index finger. But the fingers themselves must also be long enough. The sensor itself works quickly and stores up to four fingerprints.
Another innovation in the firmware and design of the smartphone is the Bixby voice assistant. It can be called up in any application using the button on the left side of the case. Bixby is a kind of mixture of traditional voice assistant, learning artificial intelligence and recommendation systems. Wherever you call Bixby, it will understand the context and find exactly what you need. However, in test samples the assistant practically does not work.
Overall, Samsung's new Android skin is very pleasant to use. Smooth animations and cute icons are pleasing to the eye, and thoughtful functions turn ordinary interaction with a smartphone into a real pleasure. For those who do not like the standard interface, themes are available in the company catalog - there you can find a shell to suit your taste.
The 64 GB test sample was free 53.98 GB. Thus, more than 10 GB is occupied by the firmware.
Iron
The guys from YugaTech.com tested a smartphone in a version with a processor Exynos 8895 Samsung's own production. It is this chipset that is equipped with the Galaxy S8 for Europe and the CIS. This is the ninth generation of Exynos processors. And they can compete with solutions from Qualcomm, Huawei and other companies.
Exynos 8895 is built on a 4+4 architecture: four ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.7 GHz) are responsible for simple tasks, and four custom Exynos M1 cores (2.3 GHz) are turned on when processing heavy processes like games. But the main difference between the 8895 and the previous generation is the graphics accelerator. The new product uses the Mali G71-MP20 video chip. The big increase in productivity is precisely his merit.
Despite the fact that Samsung abandoned the new Cortex-A73 cores (Snapdragon 835 and Kirin 960), its own Exynos M1 cores show approximately the same power.
Test results Galaxy S8 in benchmarks:
- AnTuTu: 174,155.
- Quadrant Standard: 43,185.
- PCMark: 5,371 (Work 2.0), 6,034 (Work 1.0).
- PCMark Storage: 4,421.
- 3DMark: 3,159.
- Vellamo: 7,269 (Browser), 3,324 (Metal Graphics), 3,621 (multi-core test).
- Geekbench 4.0: 1,974 (single-core), 6,339 (multi-core).
Calls, communication and battery
The new Samsung flagship is equipped with everything modern standards communications, including 4G / LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0(for the first time in a smartphone) and NFC. The voice quality in calls is ideal. It's nice that Samsung still pays a lot of attention to the most important function of the phone - calls. Bluetooth receiver version 5 allows you to connect two pairs of headphones or other audio accessories to one Galaxy S8.
Having increased the screen diagonal, Samsung, unfortunately, decided not to do the same with the battery. In a regular “galaxy” it is installed non-removable battery with capacity 3,000 mAh, and in the Plus version - 3,500 mAh. However, the manufacturer claims that the operating time will remain the same.
In the PC Mark Battery Test benchmark, which emulates an intense load, the smartphone worked for 10 hours 43 minutes. At the same time, the brightness was set to 50%, the sound was turned off, and the phone was also switched to airplane mode. To be honest, the result is controversial. The same Galaxy S7 lasted longer in the same benchmark.
Galaxy S8 in video playback worked 10 hours 45 minutes at the same brightness, volume and networks turned off. And this is also less than in the Galaxy S7 - about 1 hour.
Galaxy S8 wireless charging stand
As they say, here you decide for yourself what is more important to you - a cool and large screen, or a little longer battery life. The battery charges via the USB Type-C connector in approximately 75 minutes from 0 to 100%. Wireless charging is supported. And yes - it does not explode when charging.
Results
Samsung really tried to do new smartphone, original and innovative. Although we have already seen the LG G6 and Xiaomi Mi MIX, the eighth Galaxy is a completely different smartphone. Koreans are getting closer to the moment when we will simply carry a large panel with a display without frames and a bulky case.
In Galaxy S8 you can find best screen, powerful processor, beautiful body design, quality materials and a good camera.
Of course, art requires sacrifice, so there was a fly in the ointment. Among the shortcomings, we can note the poor ergonomics of the fingerprint scanner. In addition, the price has increased, although for Russia this is not particularly noticeable - the price tags for the new Galaxy S8 are approximately at the same level as the Galaxy S7 at the start of sales.
Fine:
- Stylish design.
- Great screen.
- Powerful processor and a lot of memory.
- Good camera.
- Iris scanner.
- A well-developed shell for Android.
- Opening hours could have been better.
- The price has increased.
- The fingerprint scanner is inconvenient.
During the testing process, a number of comparative tests were carried out in different conditions and modes.
In contact with
What's the difference between the Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone 7 Plus cameras?
iPhone 7 Plus has a dual main camera with a wide-angle (ƒ/1.8 aperture) and a telephoto lens (ƒ/2.8 aperture). This solution allows you to receive and also use 10x digital zoom. Both cameras have a 12-megapixel sensor. A 7-megapixel sensor (ƒ/2.2 aperture) is responsible for taking selfies (front camera).
The Samsung Galaxy S8 has a 12-megapixel main camera (ƒ/1.7 aperture) and an 8 MP front camera (ƒ/1.7 aperture).
The main camera housing of the Samsung Galaxy S8 does not protrude beyond the rear panel of the smartphone, like the iPhone.
Taking photos with Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone 7 Plus cameras
Color rendition
In terms of photo shooting, both flagships show excellent quality of mobile photography, and final result largely depends on the scene and camera software settings.
In most cases, the image of the Galaxy S8 is more contrasty, bright and saturated, while the 7 Plus is softened, realistic and natural.
The HDR mode is definitely better on the Galaxy S8. For those unaware, a smartphone with HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology takes multiple photos at different exposures and then combines the best features of the two photos to create a single image.
In most cases in the test, the iPhone's picture turned out to be too dark, while the Samsung flagship Photos turn out lighter and more contrasty.
Zoom and portrait photography
But in portrait photography, the iPhone 7 Plus is the leader. Thanks to the second camera with a telephoto lens, there is a 2x optical zoom, which will allow you to zoom in on the image without loss of quality, while the Galaxy S8 only has digital zoom. Also, thanks to the dual camera, the iPhone has the ability to capture images with the “Bokeh” effect (a clear figure remains in focus, and the background becomes blurred, just like in DSLR cameras). However, here you need to get the hang of it: the exposure does not always allow you to achieve the desired effect, the edges are not always clear, and the light and distance must be maintained. Also, do not forget that the “Portrait” mode is a software feature of iOS.
Taking photos in motion
When the subject moves intensely, both cameras capture excellent images. Of course, flaws may appear in both representatives, and here a lot depends on the time you press the “shutter”.
Photos in low light conditions
In low-light conditions, the iPhone 7 Plus lags behind the South Korean flagship “thanks” to more noise.
Photo on the front camera
The front camera of the Galaxy S8 is slightly blurry and overly softens the image when taking a selfie. But the main advantage of the “galaxy” is a wider viewing angle of the lens, which allows you to capture more space with a minimum distance from the smartphone.
But in low light conditions, selfies from the Galaxy S8 turned out to be brighter and more detailed. But don’t forget that in the iPhone 7 Plus the display can act as a flash, so this nuance is partially compensated.
Shooting video with the main camera of Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone 7 Plus
Color rendition
In practice, when shooting video, the picture in the Galaxy S8 turned out to have more contrast, although less clear (slightly blurred), but this moment very much depends on the available exposure and lighting. The Galaxy lens has a slightly larger viewing angle for the main camera.
In turn, the seven with the Plus prefix suffers from gray tones and dark areas. Despite this, color rendition when recording video on the 7 Plus is more pleasant, although not always realistic.
Optical stabilization
Image stabilization on the Galaxy S8 works somewhat the best way than in the top seven. In low light conditions, detail is better on the flagship of the South Korean giant. In good lighting, you won't notice much of a difference.
Autofocus speed
In terms of autofocus during dynamic zoom and zoom, the iPhone clearly wins. The S8's autofocusing process is slower. But when an object suddenly appears in the frame (for example, on the right or left side of the smartphone), the opposite is true - the Samsung Galaxy S8 copes with this task faster.
Shooting video in low light conditions
In low light conditions, the image is more detailed in the S8. There is also slightly less noise in the Samsung, and a larger number of minimally illuminated objects are included in the image. But in dynamic scenes, autofocus works better on the iPhone 7 Plus.
Underwater photography
Underwater photography in poor conditions with muddy water without various types of accessories showed that samsung camera copes with this task better. Images are clearer and sharper.
IN good conditions illumination and clear water, the image is equally good for both flagships.
Slow Motion Mode
Slow Motion mode is also good on both smartphones.
Macro photography
When shooting macro, the 7 Plus can focus closer to the subject.
Front camera video
If when comparing the main camera of two flagships, not everything is so clear and the result largely depends on the scene, then with the front camera everything is much more obvious. iPhone 7 Plus records richer and more a bright picture. The downside is a large number of dark areas. The iPhone focuses at a shorter distance, but the autofocus speed itself is higher in the Galaxy S8.
Bottom line
The cameras in both smartphones are really good. Every year, manufacturers take small steps to improve the resulting quality of mobile images. new level. In terms of video shooting, it’s difficult to single out any of the flagships and you obviously won’t notice any obvious differences.
But when it comes to photos, the Samsung Galaxy S8 is clearly the leader. The images are of higher quality. The camera in the Galaxy works faster. There is access to RAW out of the box, while the iPhone only has access to . The front camera has higher resolution and slightly better stabilization and the ability to shoot in low light.
So, if we discard the features with portrait photography with the dual camera of the iPhone 7 Plus, then we give preference in taking photos to the Galaxy S8. Let's hope that in September Apple will rehabilitate itself and demonstrate a new technology milestone, but that will be a completely different story.
In recent years, smartphones have performed well in terms of photography. Previously, the South Korean manufacturer provided too much unnecessary functionality, but in Lately The pre-installed Camera app provides interesting, convenient and useful options. This year's flagships are equipped quality camera, which in skillful hands can work wonders.
New camera app
Application Camera on Galaxy S8 Not much has changed compared to previous devices, but it has still been updated to make it easier to use. New option The layout of the elements places the camera's most sought-after features in the center. For example, you can now zoom when taking photos by simply moving the shutter button from left to right. Thus, with one finger you can both take pictures and change the size of the image.
What Each Camera Mode Can Do
Swiping to the right in the camera interface allows you to open different shooting modes. Among them are available following:
Bixby Assistant in the Camera app
Along with these smartphones, Samsung introduced a new digital assistant called Bixby, which is not quite ready for use yet. However, it is with the camera that the assistant already works; we are talking about a function called Bixby Vision.
You need to press the Bixby button on the case. Point the camera at an object or landscape and the assistant will display related images and links to purchase the specified items. Bixby Vision works with a variety of items, including cosmetics with stickers and electronics from famous brands. Sometimes the assistant gets things mixed up.
Bixby is included in the camera app, encouraging users to use it frequently, as well as physical button on the body motivates you to often ask voice queries. If you find its work useful for comparing what you see in stores with your own eyes with what you can find on the Internet, you can activate the “Quick Launch” option in the camera settings.
Using focus manually
Do you want to master the bokeh effect on ? Open manual settings by swiping left next to the camera shutter button and select Pro shooting mode. Here, click on the “Manual Focus” option and move the cursor until you achieve the desired effect. You will see green lines in the viewfinder that indicate what the camera is focusing on. After this you can take photos.
Activating Quick Launch
By default, Fast Startup is enabled initially. You need to quickly press the power button on the right side of the case twice to launch the camera application. You can use this option even when the screen is off. If you accidentally turn off this function, you can return it in the camera settings.
Galaxy S8 smartphones have larger screens compared to the previous generation devices, so reaching the farthest edges is not easy. For this reason, the shutter button floating on the screen increases the convenience of photography. You can enable it in the camera settings, it is located two lines below quick launch cameras. When enabled, the camera interface will show a floating button that can be placed anywhere in the Camera app.
Shooting video before taking photos
In the camera app settings, turn on Motion photo to record a short video before taking a photo.Quickly switch between cameras
The button for switching between cameras is located at the top of the application interface. You can also switch with a simple upward gesture in the viewfinder, which is convenient to do with one hand.
Use photo filters
At the bottom of the camera interface, where the shutter button is, swipe left to open effects. You can also get here from the “Face Masks” menu. There are many different filters available here, some suitable for landscape photos, others for selfies.Face smoothing
The front camera resolution of the Galaxy S8 is 8 megapixels, which is quite a lot. The aperture is f/1.7, there is autofocus, so you can safely use this camera to photograph yourself and your friends. If you're not completely confident in your beauty, you can use the beautification modes built into the camera app to hide imperfections. Click on the icon that looks like a person with long hair to reveal different beautification options, like smoothing the skin, adding artificial lighting, or brightening the eyes.
Wide-angle selfies
To take wide-angle photos with the front camera, you need to swipe right on the area next to the shutter in front camera mode, just like opening the filter on the rear camera. Wide-angle selfie mode is similar to panoramic shooting in the rear camera, you need to swipe the viewfinder from left to right to take a photo.Use face masks
Samsung has built a feature into the Galaxy S8's camera called Face Masks; It's not the same as Snapchat filters, although it works almost identically. You can use them in the front camera on yourself or in the back camera with other people. Unfortunately, they cannot be used in conjunction with other effects; only one filter can be applied at a time.Quite recently, two fresh “space” flagships Samsung Galaxy S8 and its slightly larger one appeared on the mobile device market. Galaxy version S8+. It would seem that there is nothing else to chase, what other improvements can be put into these small devices. Apparently, Samsung, which was bound to happen sooner or later, also asked similar questions. Since after the breakthrough Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge in many ways, it has become pointless to technically improve gadgets, then where to go next? The South Korean developer has directed the development of its flagships along a new path. Namely, design and ease of use. Instead of trying to outplay their biggest competitor - the IPhone - developers from the country of Morning Freshness paid attention to the comfort of their own customers.
Specifications of Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus
In terms of technical features, the S8 and S8+ rightfully occupy a leading position not only among their own representatives, but also among the flagships of other brands. They outperform their younger predecessors quite a bit - S7 and S7 Edge. However, Samsung representatives themselves pay much more attention to the design of the phone and the various “tricks” that appeared here. So let's take a look at what's here.
Housing materials
The phone body, like most modern Samsungs, is made of glass and metal. The frame that frames the perimeter is metal, and the front and back panels are completely hidden under the glass. By the way, the S8 has Gorilla Glass 4, but the “baby” S8+ is protected by Gorilla Glass 5. Both have an oleophobic coating, which means that the phones are protected from minor scratches, dust and do not glare in the sun. And at the same time extremely easily soiled. It’s better to immediately purchase a case for your new gadget, otherwise you risk going crazy trying to get rid of instantly appearing and omnipresent fingerprints on the case.
The phone is very pleasant to hold in your hand, but it gets dirty at the speed of light
Design
The materials of the S8/S8+ are not much different from their predecessors, but there have been dramatic changes in design. Now the working screen occupies almost the entire surface of the front panel - as much as 84% of its area. The speaker, retinal scanner, proximity sensor, front camera and light sensor remain in place. Do you understand what this means? No mechanical button“Home” and the famous Samsung logo above the display. “Home” button, as well as touch “Return” and “ Running applications” have now become part of the screen. These “managers” retained their functions. Virtual Home key is located in its usual place and is always accessible to the user. The feeling of pressing it is exactly the same as pressing the previous physical version - you can feel a kind of click both when you press the key and when you release it. If you press this sensor with great force, it will vibrate and instantly take you to the main screen. For those who are concerned about the availability of the key while running various full-screen programs, for example, games, let us clarify that Home is always available.
The fingerprint scanner had to be moved to the back panel, because there was simply no room left in front
On the back side, along with the camera and flash, the developers placed a fingerprint scanner. Not all users were satisfied with this solution, however, you must admit, the creators simply had no alternatives.
Sizes and colors
The dimensions of the Samsung Galaxy S8 are 148.9 x 68.1 mm, and the height is 8 mm, while the weight is 152 g. The Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus is slightly larger than its counterpart: length and height - 159.5 x 73.4 mm, thickness - 8.1 mm, and weight - 173 g.
The dimensions of the phones, in general, do not feel too capacious or inconvenient. The devices fit perfectly in the hand. True, small flaws are revealed when trying to reach the S8+ fingerprint scanner. If in the S8 the sensor button can be found without much difficulty, then in the Plus model this becomes a significant task. Otherwise, the ergonomics of the devices perform well.
Despite their rather large size, both phones fit perfectly in the hand. Just trying to reach the opposite top corner- in vain
The phones have five colors, but only three are available for Russia: yellow topaz (gold), black diamond and mystical amethyst (silver).
Screen
The screen is the most remarkable part of the phone, because it takes up almost the entire space of the front panel. The diagonal size of the regular version is 5.8 inches with a pixel density of 570 ppi, while the plus model is 6.2 inches with a pixel density of 529 ppi. The screen resolution is 2960 x 1440 pixels, i.e. Quad HD+. The screen, of course, has curved edges, just like the Galaxy S7/S7 Edge. However, this time the developers tried to make the display “limitless” and they really succeeded.
Due to the fact that the side frames in the front plane of the screen have disappeared, and the upper edges on both sides of the display are extremely narrow, an unusual feeling is created as if you are immersed in the image. In addition to this, the slightly elongated proportions of the screen add originality to the phone. It uses an 18.5:9 ratio instead of the usual 16:9. Surprisingly, such an innovation does not cause any discomfort. Quite the contrary. Now the screen can accommodate much more information, which is certainly convenient. And such an unusual display of the picture only adds to its uniqueness.
Both versions of the phone use same type SuperAMOLED screen. If you have already used mid- and high-end Samsung phones, then you know about all the advantages of this type of screen. You still have access to various detailed settings - color mode, calibration, blue filter, contrast, brightness, etc. The screen performs well both indoors and on a brightly lit street. Among other things, in the screen settings you can set the desired resolution and the list of applications that will be used in full screen mode.
Photo gallery: smartphone display testing
The intelligent assistant still needs improvement - at least in the Russian version
Biometric phone security
Facial recognition and an iris scanner have been added to the available data protection tools. In the first case, you need to take into account many different nuances. In good lighting, the sensor works perfectly and without failures. But if the light is dim or practically non-existent, don’t be surprised if own phone Suddenly he doesn’t recognize you. Also, recognition may not work if, for example, you are trying to unlock your phone while lying down or your current appearance is somehow different from the one that was originally captured. In addition, many note that it is easy to deceive the scanner by simply showing it a photo of the owner. In the second case, recognition takes a little longer, but the method is much more reliable.
The retinal scanner may act up if you are wearing sunglasses. The rest - including ordinary glasses - is not a hindrance to him
AKG headset
Samsung acquired Harman last year. This developer is famous for having previously created various audio products for brands such as Harman Kardon and Bowers & Wilkins. This time, Harman started collaborating with Samsung. The result of their work was in-ear headphones with remote control, designed and released specifically for S8 and S8+. We must pay tribute, the sound in them is really good. However, this is only at mid frequencies. Avid connoisseurs good sound They will clearly notice that the bass in these headphones is not very powerful, and there is no immersion effect or depth of sound either. And the volume of the AKG headset is very low. Maybe it's the phones themselves, you ask. But no. If you replace the included headset with any other more or less high-quality headphones, the sound will improve significantly. “Space” new products produce a simply gorgeous range of sound waves, but AKGs are definitely not suitable for revealing it.
Camera Features
Both phones inherited the camera from their top-end ancestor, the Galaxy S7. The resolution of the main lens is 12 megapixels, and the aperture is f/1.7. The front camera is a little worse - only 8 megapixels with an aperture value of the same f/1.7. The focal length is 26 mm, there is optical stabilization. In terms of technical strength, the camera is really no different from its predecessor. So what's new?
And the fact is that Samsung has focused on the software part of its cameras. Shooting in low light conditions has improved. The developers turned to Dual Pixel technology, which accelerated autofocus, as well as continuous shooting.
Daytime shooting (+photo examples)
When shooting during the day, there are no complaints about the camera. The pictures come out clear, highly detailed, without blur, even if the subject was in motion. The picture itself is saturated, sometimes even too rich, but these are the features of the entire mobile Samsung equipment. The white balance is adjusted perfectly, the color gamut pleases with its maximum plausibility.
The phone adjusts the white balance very sensitively, with virtually no mistakes. There are no complaints about macro photography.
In addition to other modes, the Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ has the ability to manually adjust focus. You can independently choose which view your phone should focus on
By the way, you can shoot in two modes - auto and manual. Manual mode allows you to adjust exposure, shutter speed, ISO, white balance. In addition, the S8/S8+ offers several preset modes to choose from. However, even without them the camera behaves quite decently.
Shooting in low light (photo)
We are already accustomed to the fact that in poor lighting conditions, when it begins to get dark outside or you enter a room with your camera, the quality of shooting deteriorates sharply, the picture acquires a lot of noise, blurriness appears and saturation disappears. This does not happen in the case of the Galaxy S8/S8+. The phone takes excellent pictures even in dim light.
The picture was taken during the evening - there is no noise, and the detail is as high as during daytime shooting. As you can see for yourself, the camera on the new Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ is not inferior, but also superior to some DSLRs
Front-camera
8 megapixels allow front camera take pictures with quality no worse than the main lens. It supports autofocus mode and auto face retouching. The camera does not have its own flash, but the screen backlight is a good substitute.
Even in dim light, the sculpture’s selfie came out detailed and rich.
Video
The maximum available resolution in which the S8/S8+ can shoot is 4K, i.e. 3840 x 2160 pixels, frame speed reaches 30fps. In the lower FullHD resolution, the frame rate increases to 60 fps. For video shooting, optical stabilization is available, which instantly straightens the frame. The phones produce an excellent picture - a decent level of saturation, brightness and detail even in dark time days. Sound recording is also different high quality- there are no strange interferences or noises, the audio track is clear and loud.
The South Korean developer realized in time that it’s not a matter of pixels at all and “bigger” does not mean “better.” The camera on the S8/S8+ is not superior to the camera on the same S7, but the difference in shooting quality is noticeable.