The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is finally here. Nearly a year after its ill-fated predecessor was recalled, Samsung took the wraps off its stylus-equipped flagship phone. The Note 8 has optically stabilized dual cameras, a powerful processor, an edge-to-edge screen, and Samsung’s Bixby assistant.
Accessories make the Galaxy Note 8 even better. Whether you’re scouting out charging pads, docks, or additional S Pen styli, our guide to the best Galaxy Note 8 accessories will put you on the right track. If you’re looking for a case to protect the fragile smartphone, check out our best Galaxy Note 8 cases guide.
S Pen ($50)
Samsung’s S Pen stylus is arguably the Note’s defining feature. It’s included with the Note 8, but if you need a spare, Samsung sells extras.
With an S Pen on hand, you can take advantage of the Note 8’s Live Message feature, which lets you draw emojis, animated GIFs, and handwritten messages on photos. Screen Off Memo lets you scribble up to 100 pages of messages on the Note 8’s always-on screen when the phone’s locked, and Translate lets you translate words and convert measurements by hovering over them with the S Pen. The S Pen’s technical specs are impressive. It has 4096 levels of pressure and a 0.7mm tip, making it Samsung’s most accurate stylus to date.
Galaxy Note 8 Keyboard Cover (TBA)
If the Note 8’s touchscreen keyboard slowing you down, Samsung’s QWERTY Keyboard Cover might be just the tactile answer to your prayers. The protective hard cover snaps onto the front of the Galaxy Note 8 and pairs via Bluetooth, and doesn’t require any configuration — it works just like a normal keyboard. Better yet, when you take it off, the Note 8 automatically switches back to a software keyboard. It’s seamless.
Fast Charge Portable Battery ($60)
We’ve all been there: You’re stuck in the middle of nowhere with a battery approaching nearing empty. In most cases, you’d be flat out of luck, but not if you have Samsung’s Fast Charge Portable Battery Pack. Its 5,100mAh capacity is enough for full two charges, and it’s compatible with Samsung’s Fast Charge standard, meaning it can recharge the Note 8 up to 1.5 times faster than a standard USB charger. A nifty LED power indicator shows how much power is remaining, and a 2A charging interface ensures compatibility with a wide variety of devices.
Fast Charge Wireless Charging Stand ($60)
What better way to take advantage of the Note 8’s wireless charging feature than with a fast-charging stand? Samsung’s Fast Charge Wireless Charging Stand juices your Note 8 up to 1.4 times faster than off-the-shelf wireless chargers, and it looks good doing it. The circular, minimalist dock comes in four colors (black, white, gold, and silver) designed to match your desk’s aesthetic, and handy LED lights on the back indicate when the Note 8 is properly aligned. The Fast Wireless Charging Stand is fully compatibility with Qi devices, which means it’ll work just fine with any old Galaxy Note and Galaxy S series devices you happen to have lying around.
Gear 360 camera ($230)
The Note 8’s dual rear cameras take pretty amazing snapshots, but if 360-degree content is more your style, consider Samsung’s Gear 360. Its IP rated splash- and dust-resistant 180-degree sensors shoot 30-megapixel photos and 4K (3,840 x 1,920 pixels) 30 frames-per-second videos, and its companion software combines that data into a single 360-degree or panoramic photo. With the Gear 360 companion app for the Note 8, Galaxy S8, and Galaxy S8 Plus, you can remotely control the camera and see a live-view image of what the camera sees, and you can tweak shooting parameters like white balance, high-dynamic range (HDR), exposure, compensation, and ISO sensitivity.
Fast Charge Vehicle Charger ($12)
Need to charge your Note 8 in the car? Samsung’s Adaptive Fast Charging Vehicle Charger will get you texting in no time. It plugs into any standard cigarette lighter and charges the Note 8’s battery from zero to 50 percent in just 30 minutes, and it’s compatible with more than just the Note. The Fast Charging Adapter comes with a detachable USB to Micro USB adapter, so you can charge non-Note devices in a pinch.
Gear VR with Controller ($130)
Good news for virtual reality enthusiasts: Samsung’s new Gear VR headset is compatible with the Note 8. Once you fit the phone snugly in front of the headset’s lenses, plug it into the included USB Type-C adapter, and fire up the Gear VR’s companion app for the Note 8, you’re whisked away to a digital world. The headset supports more than 800 apps and experiences, and the included Gear VR controller lets you swipe and tap your way through a massive catalog of VR games. Plus, Samsung’s close partnership with Facebook-owned Oculus means you get access to features like Oculus Rooms and Parties, which let you hang out in VR with avatars of your Facebook friends.
Dex Dock ($124)
The Galaxy Note 8 is more than just a phone. If you have a spare monitor and Samsung’s Dex Station, it can double as a full-blown computer. Plug the Note 8 into the Dex dock and pair a keyboard and mouse via Bluetooth or USB, and you get a Windows-like desktop with resizeable apps, games, and programs. Dex comes pre-loaded with Microsoft Office apps, Adobe photo-editing tools like Lightroom Mobile, Samsung’s Internet browser, YouTube, and more, and it can remotely link to a Windows machine via VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) apps such as Amazon WorkSpaces, VMWare Horizon, and Citrix Receiver. It’s like having a desktop at your fingertips.
128GB Evo memory card ($50)
The Note 8 has a minimum 64GB of internal storage, but apps and games take up a lot of space. That’s where the phone’s MicroSD card slot comes in, which can accommodate up to 256GB of removable storage. There’s plenty of choice when it comes to MicroSD cards, but Samsung makes a great one: The 128GB Evo. It can store more than 70,000 photos and 2,000 minutes of video, and it’s UHS-1 enabled, meaning it can capture videos and photos up to two times faster than most MicroSD cards. It’s rugged too — Evo cards are waterproof for up to 24 hours, X-ray-proof, and immune to the effects of magnets and temperatures from -25 degrees to 85 degree Celsius.
