Skip to main content

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 boasts a 6.3-inch display, and a smaller, safer battery

Super Slow Motion and AR Emojis come to the Samsung Galaxy Note 8

After the disaster that was the Galaxy Note 7, a phone that was recalled due to its tendency to catch fire and explode, there was speculation Samsung would end the tarnished Note brand. That speculation was then killed with the announcement of the next Note-branded smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

The phone represented the latest and greatest in Samsung’s arsenal and could prove to be one of its best-sellers — provided we don’t run into any issues with the phone’s battery. Check out our Galaxy Note 8 hands-on review to learn more.

Recommended Videos

A dual-camera setup

samsung galaxy note 8 review hands on
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Note 8 is was the first Samsung smartphone to feature a dual-camera setup, and now that setup has gotten a few new features thanks to an update. The update actually brings a few great features from the newer Samsung Galaxy Note 9, including Super Slow Motion, which allows for the recording of video at 960 frames per second for 0.2 seconds, and AR Emojis, Samsung’s answer to Apple’s Animoji. The update is currently rolling out to France and will likely come to other users, according to XDA-Developers.

Both lenses pack 12-megapixels each, and they support a new mode called Live Focus. This is like the iPhone 7 Plus’ Portrait Mode, which lets you use a blur-effect, or bokeh, around a primary subject. Live Focus is a little different because you can change how much blur you want in your shot before and after you take a picture.

There’s also Dual Capture mode, which takes a photo with both lenses at the same time, so you get to choose between a wide and a zoomed-in photo. What makes Samsung’s dual-camera setup unique is how both lenses have optical image stabilization, meaning your shots won’t be blurry if you zoom in even more than the 2x optical zoom.

The front-facing camera on the phone sits in at 8-megapixel with an aperture of f/1.7.

Infinity Display

samsung galaxy note 8 review hands on
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The display on the phone is one of the main reasons to get it, and it’s pretty beautiful. It sits at a massive 6.3-inches, with a spectacular resolution of 2,960 x 1,440. The Infinity Display stretches the screen to the edges of the phone, meaning you get more screen real estate in a similar frame as a traditional 5.5-inch phone.

On the back, you’ll find the camera, which is one of the distinctive qualities of the Note 8 against the Galaxy S8. Otherwise, the Note 8’s layout is fairly similar to the Galaxy S8 Plus. There’s the fingerprint sensor in the same awkward placement next to the camera; the power button is on the right edge, and the volume rocker is on the left above the dedicated Bixby button. The headphone jack sits on the bottom of the phone, next to a USB Type-C charging port and speaker grill.

Flagship specifications for 2017

galaxy note 8 vs. galaxy s8 plus
Julian Chokkatu/Digital Trends
Julian Chokkatu/Digital Trends

The first thing you’ll notice about the phone is that it features Qualcomm’s 2017 flagship chip, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835. That’s the chip that was found in most 2017 flagships, and while a new one has been released since, the 835 is still a top performer. That’s especially true given the fact that it’s coupled with a hefty 6GB of RAM, which should help make the Note 8 with multitasking.

The phone comes with 64GB of internal storage, though there are larger options available internationally. Thankfully, there’s a MicroSD card slot, so you can add storage as you see fit. The Note 8 is equipped with a pretty huge range of sensors too, including the standard accelerometer, barometer, gyro, and fingerprint sensor. You’ll also get the iris scanner found on the Galaxy S8, and a heart rate sensor. It’s IP68 water-resistant, so it’ll survive submerged underwater for up to 30 minutes at a depth of 1.5 meters.

There’s also the S Pen, a standout feature of the Note series. It’s tucked away on the bottom edge of the phone, and it carries many of the same features as the S Pen on the ill-fated Note 7. You can make notes right as you take it out, on the screen’s always-on display. You can edit and add more notes, and even pin them to the always-on display so you don’t forget about them. The S Pen has more pressure sensitivity, meaning it knows when you want to make a line bold or thin, and there’s a new feature called Live Messages that lets you sketch an animated message and send it to friends as a GIF.

As was the case with the Galaxy S8, the Galaxy Note 8 is compatible with Samsung’s DeX Station desktop experience, so if you’re looking for a phone that can work like a computer too, this might be the device for you. In case you ever need tech support, Samsung has selected HelloTech to be the provider of in-home tech support and training for using the phone.

How can you get your hands on the phone? The Galaxy Note 9 has quashed some availability of the device, but it is still available through the Samsung website, and it may be available from some carriers too.

Updated on September 14: The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 receives Super Slow Motion and AR Emojis. 

Christian de Looper
Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…
Samsung’s Galaxy A23 5G packs a 120Hz display and a huge battery for $300
Samsung Galaxy A23 5G colors

Just over a week ago, Samsung introduced a 5G version of the budget Galaxy A23 smartphone in Taiwan. The company has now decided to bring it to the U.S. with an attractive asking price of $300 for an unlocked unit.

To recall, the LTE version the Galaxy A23 has been on sale in U.S. stores since March of this year. The most obvious change introduced by the A23 5G is, well, 5G support. However, Samsung has also bumped up the screen refresh rate to 120Hz, which is quite a surprising perk for a phone in this price bracket.

Read more
The Galaxy Tab S8 is selling so well Samsung needs a pause
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra with keyboard.

The Galaxy Tab S8 has been selling so well since its launch alongside the Galaxy S22  at the February Unpacked 2022 event that Samsung is struggling to meet demand. The popularity of the new Android tablets has even led the company to pause pre-orders in the U.S.

According to a report from XDA-Developers, the Galaxy Tab S8 and Tab S8 Ultra are proving to be more popular than expected, to the point that Samsung has paused their pre-orders in the U.S. While the Galaxy Tab S8 Plus is still available on Samsung's website, the vanilla and Ultra variants are unavailable. Samsung isn't taking money for those devices without knowing the supply chain and shipping dates.

Read more
Video-editing app LumaFusion to get a Galaxy Tab S8 launch
A tablet featuring the LumaFusion video editing app.

Popular mobile video-editing app LumaFusion, which has been available to exclusive to Apple devices ever since it was first published, is branching out. The editing app will be making the jump to Android devices at some point in the "first half of 2022," according to a Samsung press release showcasing the new Galaxy Tab S8 Series.

Because LumaFusion is so well-reviewed on iOS, the launch of the video-editing app on the Galaxy S8 Series is a good sign for Samsung's newest tablets. Unfortunately, fans will need to wait a little bit longer to get their hands on it as LumaTouch has yet to confirm a release date other than the vague window of the first half of 2022. While it's certainly exciting that LumaFusion will be available on Android devices, the release window announcement shouldn't come as too much of a shock for anyone following the app as it's been in beta testing for Android and Chrome OS since last year.

Read more