Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Review [With Video]: The Best Galaxy Note Ever

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has everything in terms of the features that the S8 and the S8+ have to offer. Additionally, the Galaxy Note 8 offers an improved camera with dual-lens and a bigger 6.3-inch screen which is the best in smartphones. And not to forget the S-Pen, which in the right hands could work wonders. The Galaxy Note 8 is very competitively priced for Rs 67,900. Having said that Samsung has recently reduced the price of flagship Galaxy S8 and S8+ to Rs 53,990 and Rs 60,990.
With the launch of the new iPhone 8, 8 Plus and the iPhone X, Samsung seems to be well placed to take command of the flagship market in India. This is because the iPhone 8 and the 8 Plus appear boring while the much talked about iPhone 10 is too expensive. The Galaxy Note 8 creates a safe space for itself.
After using the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 for close to three weeks this is what we feel about the phone.

What’s cool?

The Galaxy Note 8 should be seen as a complete device tailor-made to enhance productivity. Of course, the S-Pen stylus offers an unmatched experience which even the latest iPhones cannot. Then there’s the Samsung Dex. The Galaxy Note 8 (or the S8/S8+) can power a bigger screen with Samsung Dex and work like a PC seamlessly.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 flaunts a massive 6.3-inch display. Thankfully, Samsung is now offering a one-time screen replacement offer this time with the Galaxy Note 8. The Galaxy Note 8 offers a similar 6.3-inch 18:5:9 aspect ratio Infinity Display which is protected by corning Gorilla Glass 5.
Sporting a very similar spec sheet when compared to the Galaxy S8 and S8+, the Galaxy Note 8 looks slightly different. This is the first Samsung phone to boasts a dual-lens rear camera with optical image stabilisation on both the lens. The dual-lens camera module of the Galaxy Note 8 is made of two 12-megapixel wide-angle and telephoto sensors-- one with an aperture of f/1.7 and another lens has an aperture of f/2.4. There is a dual-tone LED Flash as well.
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The camera is one of the best in the business. No doubt about that. But that D-SLR Like bokeh effect works great only on human beings and not pets or other objects. Also, with optical image stabilisation both the lens, the video recordings are way more stable. On the front, there is an 8MP selfie camera which will easily please you with the results.
Talking about hardware specifications, the Galaxy note 8 is powered by an octa-core Exynos 8895 processor with 6GB of RAM. Running Android 7.1 Nougat operating system, the device offers a hybrid SIM and microSD card slot and supports 4G connectivity.
The S-Pen stylus is now IP68 water-resistant like the device itself. Interestingly, Samsung has redesigned the S-Pen completely to make it look and feel like a real pen.
When it comes to productivity, you can now take notes on up to 100 pages on the locked screen itself with the S-Pen. You can simply pin the notes or your to-do list on the lock screen itself so, that you forget important tasks.
With the S-Pen you can now create Live messages, animations, GIFs as well. It can be also used for instant translation of any kind of text on all Indian languages. Texts inside images can also be translated.
SamsungGalaxy Note 8 with S Pen specs
On the security front, there is biometrics like iris scanner, face recognition along with a fingerprint sensor at the back. The device comes with a USB Type-C port with 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 5.0 and is powered by a non-removable 3,300mAh battery. For those unaware, Bluetooth 5.0 allows pairing of two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. Also, Bixby now responds to voice and Samsung Pay makes the Note 8 even more attractive.
The Galaxy Note 8 will comes with a transparent phone cover and a pair of AKG earphones out of the box. Also, there are useful adapters like USB Type-C connector and micro-USB connector along with the charging adapter and cable for free.

What’s not cool?

The looks of the Galaxy Note 8 doesn’t appeal much when compared to the S8 or S8+ and totally falls flat when placed beside the Apple iPhone X. The Galaxy Note 8 looks like a solid rectangular slab when compared to the curvy Galaxy S8 and S8+. However, the device feels premium and flaunts a solid build. Like the S8 series, the Note 8 also features a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 rear panel. The Galaxy Note 8 is a tall smartphone and can peep out of your trouser pockets. Also, it is slightly heavier than the Galaxy S8+ and weighs 195 grams.
Models hold Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Note 8
The battery life of the Galaxy Note 8 is not that great. You can expect the battery to last maximum one day with mixed usage. You can’t escape the daily charge cycle with the Galaxy Note 8. Those who haven’t used the S8 or S8+ will take some time to get used to the weird placement of the fingerprint scanner. For S8 or S8+ users, the fingerprint scanner on the Note 8 feels easier to reach.

Verdict

The Galaxy Note 8 will easily impress you with its performance, display quality, dual-lens camera and the S-Pen. Considering the competitors, the Galaxy Note 8 offers way more for the price. For older Galaxy Note 5 users, the new Galaxy Note 8 is totally worth the upgrade. But if you are not keen on a big and heavy phone and not sure of that stylus then skip the Galaxy Note 8 for the Galaxy S8+ or S8.