Review of Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) - A-series update. Samsung Galaxy A8 review – flagship quality now cheaper Selfies with portrait photography

Are you looking for a mid-priced smartphone with flagship aspirations? Then pay attention to our review Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018). This device is not a successor to a specific device from the A series, since the manufacturer decided to make it a budget version of the Galaxy S8. This can be seen in the design, display and even the name itself - A8. Or maybe the company just wants to make us believe it?

In fact, Samsung is changing its mid-range device naming policy again. Previously, it was possible to understand the size of the phone/display based on the number. Now the company is drawing an analogy with the S and Note lines. Thus, we have the eighth generation Galaxy A. However, there is still a predecessor - Galaxy A5 (2017). The new product is better in all respects, except, perhaps, the main camera.

The Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) seems like a smart alternative to the flagship S8. The first one took over almost all recognizable features from its brother - appearance, large display and even the rear placement of the fingerprint scanner. Although there were some innovations. A dual front camera with trendy features appeared in front. Well, if you're interested, we suggest you read the full review below.

Design

Arguably, the Galaxy A8 (2018) is intended to correct the company's most ridiculous design decision when designing the S8. Namely, the location of the fingerprint scanner to the right of the camera. Finally, balance has been restored. Now the sensor is placed under the camera and fits harmoniously into the entire appearance of the back of the phone. From a usage point of view, it is still just as fast and reliable. The new product has become somewhat larger and heavier than the Samsung Galaxy S8. The screen bezels are also thicker, even than on the A8's signature shots ( obvious photomontage).

The main feature of the device is its slightly curved AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution and aspect ratio 18,5:9 . For reference, the S8 has a 1440p screen. Despite the obvious difference in resolution, both displays have rounded edges and are almost the same size. However, the pressure-sensitive home button remains exclusive to the Galaxy S8. Let's take a quick look at what's on top. Here we have a 3.5mm headphone jack, dual front camera and LED indicator. The lower part of the device is devoid of any elements.

All smartphones in the series are certified according to the standard IP68 since 2017. Simply put, the new product is completely protected from water and dust. Also nice is the dedicated tray for microSD and a dual SIM card slot. The user may not donate one of the SIM cards if he decides to expand the internal memory. The location of the speaker has not changed - on the right side, above the power button. Of course, before it looked very strange. But after the release of new devices from the J line, users had to get used to it (the same arrangement).

Display

Screen with trending aspect ratio ( 18,5:9 ) is the first bridge between the two Galaxy lines. Naturally, the company must meet user requirements, so the new representative of the A series, like the S8, has “ endless” AMOLED display. To make the phone fit the line, the resolution was reduced to 1080x2220 pixels. But thanks to a matrix like Diamond PenTile and good pixel density, the image is perfectly clear.

As always, we ran a couple of tests and the results show that the A8's display performance is on par with the J7 Pro. The maximum brightness in manual mode is 390 nits. Not bad, but switch to automatic mode and you'll get whole 590 nits. Here I would like to note a decent contrast ratio in the sun - 3.842 . However, any latest device from Samsung can boast of this.

• Apple iPhone X – 5.013
• OnePlus 5T – 4.789
• Samsung Galaxy S8 – 4.768
• Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) – 3,842

And finally, color rendition. The Korean company is a master in this matter. In the display settings settings there are three different, but very accurate color profiles. These are sRGB (AMOLED Basic), Adobe RGB (AMOLED Photo), DCI-P3 (AMOLED Cinema). Note that adaptive mode is activated by default. It has the widest color gamut and is calibrated for vibrant colors. The average DeltaE value is 6.1 . Simply put, flagship display.

Autonomy

Galaxy A8 (2018) received a battery with a capacity 3000 mAh. This is quite enough, since we have at our disposal an economical AMOLED display and an energy-efficient 14 nm chipset. Samsung uses its own fast charging technology, simply called Fast Charge. However, in practice this is common Quick Charge 2.0 from Qualcomm. It charges the battery up to 40% approximately in half an hour. It may not be as fast as Snapdragon competitors, but it's still better than nothing.

• Autonomy rating – 92 h
• 3G calls – 22:46 h
• Surfing the web – 11:25 h
• Playing Videos – 16:59 h

Despite the fast charging situation, the battery life results are excellent. The smartphone survived 16 hours and 59 minutes video playback, which is almost five hours more than . As a result, the autonomy of the device is estimated at 92 hours. Please note that this figure would be significantly lower if the function was enabled Always-On Display. We disabled it to reduce battery consumption in standby mode. Even the turned on AMOLED display drains the battery quite well.

Sound

While reviewing the Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018), we tested the speaker and sound quality through headphones. The first one is located above the power button. In theory, it should prevent your hand from blocking the speaker, but in reality this happens quite often. Based on its characteristics, we rated it as “ great“. In other words, the sound played through the speaker is quite rich and spacious. For music lovers, it is vitally important to have high-quality sound through headphones. Samsung pleases here too, showing very clear sound with a negligible percentage of distortion.

User interface

Galaxy A8 (2018) runs Android 7.1.1(Nougat) with the company's proprietary shell Samsung Experience 8.5. With the release of Oreo, the phone received a long-awaited update to the operating system and the shell itself. The desktop, lock screen and even the notification shade have not undergone any significant changes. Therefore, if you have used the S8, Note 8 or J7, you will not find anything new for yourself.

Like any other galaxy, the A8 has many exclusive features and customization options. It has its own theme store that will pleasantly transform the appearance of the UI. Not without Game Launcher. A special application aimed at improving the user's gaming experience. All installed games are placed in a separate folder on the desktop so that their icons do not get lost among other applications.

Game Launcher settings allow you to turn off notifications during the game, remove on-screen buttons, take a screenshot or record a video. But despite the latest version of the shell, GL does not have a choice of display resolution. I would like to be able to run games in 720p to increase FPS in heavy titles. Otherwise we were satisfied. The interface is stable and fast even under high loads.

Performance

The manufacturer's proprietary SoC acts as a mobile platform Exynos 7885. This is a completely ordinary mid-range chipset with two performance cores and six energy efficiency cores. Let's say right away that the 7885 is inferior in terms of graphics processing. Therefore, we advise game lovers to consider phones with this particular chipset (and higher). However, we are grateful for two Cortex-A73, without which the UI would not work so smoothly.

Geekbench 4.1 results:

• Samsung Galaxy S8 – 1991 / 6656
• OnePlus 5T – 1960 / 6701
• Oppo R11s – 1614 / 5907
• Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) – 1532 / 4418
• Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro – 735 / 3768

Compared to its predecessor (Exynos 7880), the installed chip has a new graphics processor. Mali-G71 MP2 vs Mali-T830 MP3. In fact, the G71 is used in the Huawei P10 and Samsung Galaxy S8. The difference between the latter lies only in the number of cores. For clarity, we conducted a series of tests in popular benchmarks. The results are not flagship, but decent for a mid-range device.

Yes, the GPU is not powerful enough to run all the latest games at high graphics levels without any problems. But you shouldn't make hasty conclusions. Regular titles show stable frame rates and work flawlessly. In more demanding games ( PUBG) you will have to reduce the graphics quality to medium. This will avoid multiple lags and achieve comfortable FPS. And thanks 14nm process technology SoC does not overheat.

Camera

Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) is equipped with 16 megapixel main camera with f/1.7 aperture. The front view is what attracts attention. It consists of two sensors per 16 and 8 megapixels respectively. Aperture – f/1.9. Their other features are PDAF and LED flash, there is no optical stabilization. The camera interface is simplified with gestures, and there are many filters and shooting modes. Oddly enough, HDR (auto/on/off) is hidden from the modes and is in the settings.

Photo

The quality of the photos is quite good - the noise level is low, the picture is replete with details and reliably conveys colors. The latter, by the way, are very rich, but not beyond the norm. HDR You don’t have to turn it on, since even without it the camera copes well with dark areas in the picture. If you still decide to use it, then don’t expect magic. It works averagely, therefore, the difference between on/off is almost not noticeable.

Thanks to the wide aperture ( f/1.7) main camera, the A8 takes decent pictures at night. You can adjust the shutter speed to achieve even better images. But the existing noise and some blurriness of details remind us of which segment the desired smartphone belongs to. Panoramic photos look decent - the quality is good, there are enough details, the dynamic range and the stitching algorithm work perfectly.

The front camera with its two sensors seems more interesting than the main one. There is no autofocus here as the focus is fixed. Although there is a very interesting feature called Live Focus. With its help, the user can set the desired focus before or after shooting, which will allow him to achieve the desired result. Selfie quality is excellent. Blurring is achieved using the same Live Focus.

Video

Unfortunately, the Galaxy A8 (2018) is capable of shooting 4K video. The chipset used is to blame. Although in the quality selection list in addition to 1080p/30fps There is another resolution - 2220×1080. Such videos will look natural only on your Galaxy or any other device with the specified display resolution. Of course, there is no optical image stabilization, but there is a certain analogue of EIS. For Full HD the bitrate is normal – 17 Mbit/s. But the sound is recorded in stereo at bit rate 256 Kbps. 1080p looks great and the sound is surprisingly good.

Results

The initial price tag of the Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) was beyond reasonable limits. The buyer could just as easily have purchased OnePlus 5T. But the company came to its senses in time and lowered the price, making its device more in demand among buyers. The A8 was created as a stripped-down version of the S8, but it exceeded all expectations. We appreciated the beautiful design, flagship display, good sound and decent cameras. The front camera especially distinguished itself. Yes, this is not a smartphone for gamers. But if you need reliable inexpensive device

Samsung has been confidently competing with large companies in the market of household appliances and mobile phones for many years, proudly maintaining its position. Not surprising, because every year not only expensive and productive flagships are released, but also reliable, budget smartphones. Therefore, the popularity of models is growing every year.

In 2018, they decided to please us, like the best manufacturers, by releasing two phone models, almost flagships - Galaxy A8 and A8+, which completely replaced such popular models as A5 and A7, which were released in 2017. We will talk about their main distinguishing features later.

Why are they called almost flagships? The main reason is the appearance, made of metal and glass with rounded edges, the display covers almost the entire front panel. In terms of performance, although they are slightly below the flagship, they are much better at taking high-quality photographs.

In general, the models are able to satisfy people’s needs based on different selection criteria - design, colors, camera, selfie photos, tactile sensations and hardware. Plus you can get it at a good price.

Now we have come to the answer to the main question. The models are the same in terms of functions, performance and hardware. Even the design is the same except for the size, but the camera placement, fingerprint sensor and screen ratio are the same. The difference is in battery capacity, dimensions and display diagonal. Therefore, with the same resolution, the pixel density (ppi or pixels per inch) will be different.

Below is a table of the similarities and differences between their characteristics:

Specifications

According to the similar and distinctive features of the models, the following characteristics have been collected:

• OS: Android 7.1.1 Nougat;
• Processor: Exynos 7885, 8-core, 64-bit;
• Two cores: CortexA73, 2.2 GHz;
• Six cores: CortexA53, 1.6 GHz;
• GPU: Mali-G71;
• Memory (Gb): RAM – 4, permanent – ​​32, microSD up to 256;
• Display: diagonal – 5.6 / 6, resolution – 1080 × 2220, pixel density per inch – 440 / 410 ppi, Super AMOLED;
• Camera (Mpx): main – 16 (f/1.7), front – 16 (f/1.9) and 8 (f/1.9);
• Radio: FM;
• Protection index: IP68;
• Slots: USB Type C, 2 nanoSIM, microSD and headset jack – 3.5 mm;
• Battery: non-removable, 3000/2500 mAh, fast charging available;
• SIM: dual SIM;
• Communications and Internet: 2G, 3G, 4G, Bluetooth 5.0;
• Network: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac;
• Navigation: GLONASS, Beidou, GPS;
• Available colors: black, gold and amethyst;
• Average price: 34,990 / 37,990 rubles or 159,890 / 164,900 tenge.

Equipment

The device and its component accessories are packaged in a durable white or blue cardboard box. In the center are written in gray or white: the name of the company, the type and model of the smartphone. The design is clean and minimalistic. We open it, take out several small brochures with instructions in different languages, and a beautiful and shiny candy bar catches your eye. A wired headset is included, the cord length is 1 meter, a portable charger is EB-PG950 with a USB type C cable and an adapter to Micro USB. And a special key-clip for removing the SIM and SD card tray.

Additionally, it is worth noting an interesting accessory - a case with edge lighting - Neon Flip Cover. This is quite a convenient thing, thanks to which you can see missed calls, SMS and other notifications without turning on the phone.

As soon as you place the phone in the case, an offer to download a new theme, wallpaper and icons that match it immediately pops up on the display.

Design

Thin monoblock body – 8.4 / 8.3 mm, with rounded edges. Available in four colors: gold, black, amethyst (lavender or “blue orchid”) and blue. But for some reason there are no blue models in the CIS countries. According to reviews, the shade “blue orchid” is unusual and attractive. The smartphone is made of materials - metal and glass, the front and back panels are covered with waterproof and dustproof 2.5D and 3D glass and a metal frame for durability.

The screen occupies almost the entire front panel, on which there is no small upper inscription; in the right corner there are two front camera modules. It is noteworthy that the fingerprint sensor is not located on the side of the lens, but directly below it. Overall it's convenient, but it takes some getting used to. The external speaker is located on the right side above the power button; it is difficult to close it with your hand while playing games or watching a movie. The SIM and SD trays are located on the left side. Accordingly, the USB slot is on the bottom, and the headphone jack is on top.

It is also worth noting the high protection index - IP68 (International Protection Marking). The phone is dustproof and can be kept at a depth of more than 1 meter for 30 minutes without affecting its functions. All connectors are rubberized, and the trays are cut in clearly and fit tightly. For compliance with such small nuances, the model may already occupy a niche in the quality rating.

Display

The models are equipped with limitless, uncurved screens with virtually no frames. The display itself with rounded edges looks unusual and beautiful. The super AMOLED matrix (on organic light-emitting diodes) contributes to a rich and contrasting picture. Very rich black color that does not change depending on the viewing angle. And at the moment, only Samsung produces displays with a super AMOLED matrix.

Very convenient setting with 4 filters: basic, adaptive, “photo” and “cinema”. Adaptive allows fine adjustments to brightness and temperature. In the sun the picture is visible due to the brightness and color saturation. At night, Blue light filter allows you to adjust the intensity of blue for comfortable viewing. The sensor works fine, but practically does not recognize accidental touches.

The Always On Display feature displays the time, calendars, notifications, and icons when the screen is off. This is very convenient, because there is no need to turn on the device to find out, for example, the time and date. And allows you to save battery.

Hardware and functionality

Despite the fact that the smartphone is a little short of a flagship in terms of hardware, the fast processor is still not bad for today’s active games. The eight-core Cortex processor is divided in pairs into: 6-core 1.6 GHz and 2-core 2.2 GHz. We can say that two separate processors are used, solving different problems. Thanks to this, the device does not slow down and does not overheat, significantly saving energy consumption.

Despite the small RAM - 4 GB, the parallel processor will be able to take on part of the load by quickly solving certain problems. The internal memory in this variant is 32 GB, but can be increased up to 256 GB thanks to a separate SD card slot. I hope that Samsung will continue to release new smartphones with a separate slot for dualism and SD. When testing resource-intensive games and applications, the phone barely warmed up and slowed down. But over time, the filling may no longer be enough. When choosing a device for gaming for a long period, it is better to think about which model to buy.

There are two ways to unlock your device:

• Fingerprint sensor (fingerprint sensor) – responds very quickly, no lags were detected;
• Unlocking by looking at the screen is a face recognition function; its sensor is located at the top of the front panel and shifted to the left. To unlock your smartphone this way, you need to look straight at the screen. It takes a little longer than the fingerprint sensor and can be slow in the dark. Some write in reviews that the module can also respond to a photograph.

Software and interface

The operating system installed on the smart phone is Android 7.1.1 Nougat with Samsung shell. The design is no different from the S8. I was pleasantly surprised by the application that allows you to automatically manage wi-fi, if you forgot to turn off the wireless network, it will turn itself off as soon as the device is out of range. When you purchase a smartphone, you receive 15 GB of Samsung cloud storage as a gift.

Two active SIM cards allow you to create clones of applications and create multiple accounts. You don't have to make the switch yourself. This function is very convenient, it allows you to organize your personal and work life.

You can pay with a smartphone like a plastic card. The payment process is as follows: the cashier enters the amount, you place your smartphone at the terminal. Then you can activate with your fingerprint or enter a password in the terminal, of your choice. To use this feature, first register in the Samsung pay application, enter your card payment information, payment password and draw a signature.

Camera

We can say with confidence that the device will appeal primarily to selfie lovers due to its dual front camera module. The first lens with a resolution of 16 Mpx and an aperture of 1.9 and a viewing angle of 76 degrees, the second with the same aperture, but the resolution is 8 Mpx and a viewing angle of 85. The second camera takes a good group selfie, no one is cut off. The pictures are of high quality, with good detail and color saturation. Not every smart phone can afford this. But a small flaw is that at night detail, sharpness and focus deteriorate, the pictures turn out a little blurry.

Rear camera with good parameters – 16 Mpx, F1.7. The way he takes photos during the day, you don’t even have to brag. The pictures are high-quality, voluminous, with perfect detail and light transmission. Poor lighting or lack of light has virtually no effect on the quality of pictures. Thanks to good aperture ratio and Tetra-cell function. Autofocus works fine.

Example of a day photo:

How to photograph at night:

There are also no problems in shooting video, good color rendition and detail at any time of the day. Due to good stabilization.

Sound and headset

The smart device is equipped with an external powerful speaker. The sound is smooth, soft and without sharp transitions of the upper and lower boundaries. At maximum volume the sound is not distorted.

A good equalizer helps you tune the bass, highs, and lows as clearly and pleasantly as possible. The headset sounds good, but not loud either. If you want to immerse yourself in music, it is still better to purchase separate headphones.

Autonomy

The battery capacity of the A8 model is 3000 mAh, and the A8+ is 3500. There is no particular difference in charging time and costs. At full load, autonomy is about a day, in normal mode – two days. Charges to 100% in about an hour and a half.

Price

How much does a phone like this cost? In terms of characteristics and quality, both devices are inexpensive, but they differ in price: A8 - RUB 34,990 / 159,890 tenge, A8+ costs 37,990 / 164,900.

But sometimes, in honor of various holidays, they offer their subscribers various discounts or credit on good terms. Therefore, it’s up to you to decide where it’s profitable to buy.

Samsung Galaxy A8

Advantages and disadvantages

Before choosing a smartphone, you need to consider its strengths and weaknesses; the main qualities are listed below:

• Good and high-quality screen with super AMOLED matrix;
• Fast response of the fingerprint sensor;
• Presentable appearance;
• High-quality day and night photography;
• High-quality selfie;
• High protection index: IP68;
• Clear sound and loud enough;
• Autonomous work.

• Stainless body;
• Small fingerprint sensor;
• It is inconvenient to hold in a small hand;
• Small amount of RAM.

This concludes the review of the Samsung A8 and A8+ line. As you understand, there is not much fundamental difference between the models. It depends on preference. Some will want a larger screen, others will like 5.6 inches.

Summarize. The model is perfect for photographers and bloggers due to its good main and selfie cameras. Thanks to stabilization, the videos are not jumpy, which is very important. You can play on your phone as long as it still supports new and difficult games, then there may be some minor difficulties.

Impressive appearance and high level of protection and water resistance. You don't have to be afraid of rain, and you don't have to worry if your phone falls into a puddle. Rubberized connectors enhance protection.

I also really liked the function of protecting data and files, which can be hidden and unlocked only with a fingerprint. It's a shame that in many cities the payment function using Samsung pay is not yet available. But they promise to enable it soon, which will be very convenient.

Therefore, before you figure out which company is better to buy a phone, it is better to go through the characteristics and description in full and compare.

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What was only recently available only to top-end smartphones is already appearing in the list of capabilities of cheaper models. One such example is the A series from Samsung. These gadgets get the manufacturer's signature design, once exclusively flagship attributes, and a price tag that is lower than that of top models. This time, the smartphone of this line has a dual front camera that recognizes the user’s face instead of entering a password, and a large, elongated Infinity Display. Let's see what else is interesting about the Galaxy A8.

The A series is next after the flagship S and Note models. Globally, this is a more affordable version of the top Samsung smartphone, but with some limitations compared to the older model.

In the A line, which this year is called A8, there are two smartphones that differ from each other in display size (and, accordingly, body), memory and battery capacity. The rest of the features and characteristics are the same. We already had a review of the older model, and now it’s time for a more compact variation.
Equipment and first impressions

The standard delivery package with the device in the box includes a cable, charger, headset, and a “clip” for opening SIM card trays. Taking into account the fact that not every smartphone comes with simple headphones in the box, the Galaxy A8 package is really good and you won’t have to buy anything additional. Alas, we were unable to evaluate everything; our sample was received by the editors without the accompanying accessories.

First of all, of course, all attention goes to the display. Firstly, rounded corners are quite rare nowadays, which still looks fresh. Secondly, the smartphone itself is not as large as gadgets with such large screen diagonals are usually found. This is not to mention all the gadget capabilities that a few devices have.

Design and usability

Samsung Galaxy A8 is made of glass and metal. The front and back sides are completely glass, while the sides are covered with a polished frame in the color of the body. The latter has four options: black, gold, “orchid” and blue. At the same time, blue is the only color whose frame does not coincide with the design of the case and is highlighted in “golden” color. To my taste, black looks great, even if it is easily soiled. Everything is assembled wonderfully: the joints are neat, the buttons and SIM card trays hold well in their places, it is impossible to deform the case without effort.

Externally, the Galaxy A8 repeats the S8 model, only the display is not so rounded on the sides. There are other differences, such as the placement of buttons and a fingerprint scanner, and, of course, a different case size (149.2 x 70.6 x 8.4 mm, 172 g). But in general, the concept is repeated, and for a significantly more affordable price tag, the buyer will receive a completely premium gadget.

This is not the most comfortable smartphone to use, but only those with small palms will feel this. And even then, once you get a little used to the size of the case, everything will be fine. And taking into account the size of the display, the device can be called miniature. I used it mostly without a case and didn't have any problems with it slipping out. But it was necessary to intercept it often. Therefore, it’s still worth using the complete (or getting some other) case. This will have a negative impact on the size of the case, but you will have a little peace of mind regarding the safety of the glass smartphone.

If the buttons are placed without surprises, and the fingerprint scanner, unlike the flagship, is completely in its place (behind the camera), then the place for the only speaker, which is located on the right side, immediately above the power button, can be called a little unusual. This was also the case in the previous version of the A-series. There are also two separate trays for SIM cards on the case, one of which also serves for a memory card. The trays are rubberized, since the body is protected from water and dust according to the IP68 standard (can be immersed in water one and a half meters for half an hour). Right there on the case there are open USB Type-C ports and a headphone jack, which many people are getting rid of.

A branded “book case” – Neon Flip Cover – arrived at the editorial office with a smartphone. Fans of such cases will definitely like the notification system that illuminates the edges of the top cover of the case.

Display

What Samsung clearly does well is screens. The Galaxy A8's 5.6-inch display is surrounded by fairly standard bezels on the sides, but they're small at the top and bottom. The manufacturer called such screens Infinity Display. The corners are rounded, which looks interesting and, in my opinion, beautiful. The resolution was 2220×1080 pixels (440 ppi). The 18.5:9 aspect ratio “stretches out” the picture, and if you hide the system buttons, you can get more information displayed on such a screen than on regular ones.

Based on personal experience, I wouldn’t say that this is noticeable in everyday use, but the screen looks cool and modern. Not all software can use this aspect ratio correctly, and, probably, in the future, software manufacturers will better adapt applications to such screens. Video (probably the only thing you really have to choose a viewing mode with) can be expanded to full screen, or displayed with the original aspect ratio and two black bars on the sides. A fully stretched picture is slightly cropped, which is not noticeable in general plans, but can be noticeable in large ones, where the presenter’s head, for example, turns out to be slightly cropped.

As far as color display is concerned, there is nothing to worry about. The Super AMOLED matrix is ​​responsible for everything. There are four color profiles in the Galaxy A8: Cinema, Photo, Adaptive and Basic. Initially, the smartphone is set to “Adaptive” (it also allows you to adjust the color temperature and individual shades), but the closest thing to natural color reproduction is “Basic”, which is not so oversaturated. Viewing angles are good, but the greenish “filter” is noticeable when you rotate the display slightly. The screen performs well in use.

Even on a bright day, the display is easy to read. For the evening there is a Blue light filter. The sensor works accurately, but does not recognize accidental touches well, which are almost inevitable (even if they don’t happen that often) if you use the smartphone with only one hand. Separately, it is worth noting the Always On Dislpay function, which displays the time or calendar on the locked screen, and also displays notification icons. If you believe the statistics of power consumption, then this takes 5-6% of the charge per day.

Face recognition and fingerprint scanner

Galaxy A8 can “recognize” the user by face or fingerprint. Naturally, there are also standard unlocking means, in the form of a PIN code and others. This time the fingerprint scanner is placed more conveniently than in flagships, and is located exactly where the finger naturally supports the smartphone. It works great. But this is not the most interesting authentication method today.

Using one of the front cameras, the gadget can recognize the user by face. You just need to press the unlock button and point the front camera at yourself. In good lighting the function works fine. But in difficult conditions, the procedure will either take longer (2-4 seconds), or the device will not recognize the user at all. And if there is enough light, then neither the hood nor the hat will interfere with the camera. Alas, closed eyes will not interfere with unlocking either. Another important condition will be the position of the face in front of the smartphone, so if the user is sitting at a table and the smartphone is lying next to him, he will have to either enter the PIN or lift the gadget.

Overall, the function works well, although it is still far from ideal. In all other cases, when it is not possible to identify a face (in the dark, for example), a fingerprint scanner will save the day, as it will unlock the device almost instantly, and no special conditions will be required for it.

Sound

As already mentioned, the speaker in the Galaxy A8 is located on the side, closer to the top corner. The solution is quite unusual. The speaker itself is loud. The sound quality is average, because, probably due to the protective membrane, the sound turns out to be slightly muffled, as if the slot was covered with something. High frequencies clearly dominate over low frequencies, as a result of which the sound may seem squeaky, especially at maximum (or close to it) volume.

We don’t have the opportunity to evaluate the quality of the included headset, but the smartphone copes well with third-party headphones. There’s also nothing to complain about the earpiece and microphone.

Performance and software

The calculations inside the Galaxy A8 are handled by the eight-core Exynos 7885, where two A73 cores with a frequency of 2.2 GHz are responsible for “heavy” tasks, and for everything else there are six A53 cores – 1.6 GHz. Video is processed by Mali-G71. The amount of RAM is 4 GB, and there are two storage options - 32 and 64 GB (in Ukraine there will be only a junior version), which can be supplemented with memory cards without sacrificing a second SIM card. Of course, the gadget supports Wi-Fi ac standard, Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC.

There are no impressive numbers in the tests, but this is not a flagship model. The main thing is that everything works quickly enough and without problems. Even the games are fine. There is no excessive heating either, which is definitely a nice bonus. It is unlikely that the average user will encounter tasks that this smartphone cannot handle.

The OS in the Galaxy A8 is currently available to the user: Android version 7.1.1 with the Samsung Experience 8.5 shell. It is generally similar to what is in, for example, Note 8, but some little things may be missing. Overall, the shell is fast and beautiful. It will also come with branded calendar applications, notes, physical activity monitoring and others. Bixby works in some countries (in our case, it resembles Google Now cards that show calendar events, weather, etc.).
Autonomy

The Galaxy A8 has a 3000 mAh battery. It lasted 8:28 in the PCMark 8 battery life test, and 4:17 in Geekbench. In actual use, you can easily last a day with 5-6 hours of screen time. But games and frequent use of the camera and navigation can greatly impact this indicator.

Unfortunately, we were not able to measure the charging time from the included charger, but, for example, the power supply from the MacBook Pro will completely restore the battery in 1:45. Unfortunately, the gadget cannot be charged at induction charging stations.

Cameras

The Galaxy A8 has three cameras, but the dual one is not the main one, as is now popular, but the front one. So, on the back there is a 16-megapixel sensor with an f/1.7 aperture. In front are two different sensors, 8 MP with f/1.9 and a viewing angle of 85°, and next to it is a sensor with 16 MP, the same aperture and a viewing angle of 76°. The latter is also used for face recognition (if you close the second one, this does not affect the operation of the function in any way).

The main camera takes excellent photos when there is enough light. In the evening, in poor lighting, or with warm indoor lamps, very aggressive noise reduction is noticeable, which greatly affects detail. Also, in difficult conditions, colors are not accurately reproduced. But overall the camera can be praised. Its capabilities will not be enough only for users who are demanding of cameras, but everyone else will be quite comfortable with it. The main thing is not to be lazy, take a couple of extra shots and make sure that everything is in focus.

The video is recorded in Full HD or Full HD+, which “adjusts” the image to the screen resolution. Those who want to record 4K videos will not have this opportunity. Fans of slow motion also have nothing to please.

The front two sensors are used for, firstly, different angles (this way you can take either a single or a group selfie), and secondly, for Live Focus - the Galaxy A8 will artificially blur the background. For normal selfies, and especially the blur function, you will need good lighting, otherwise the result will not be the best (poor sharpness, inaccurate colors). But when there is light, the photos will be quite good, although not with the most truthful blur and a slight oversaturation of colors.

The application is quite simple. Basic buttons and settings are at your fingertips. There are several popular shooting modes, including Pro, which doesn't allow you to adjust focus or shutter speed. But automatic, again, will be completely sufficient for most users.

Pros: Good design, build, case materials, Infinity Display, IP68, enough performance, software, fast charging, good battery life, cameras

Minuses: Price on par with Galaxy S7 Edge

Technical characteristics of Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018):

• type: Smartphone;
• preinstalled OS: Android;
• RAM: 4 GB;
• built-in memory: 32 GB;
• expansion slot: microSD (up to 256 GB);
• type: Nano-SIM SIM cards;
• quantity: SIM cards 2;
• processor: no data;
• number of cores: 8;
• frequency: GHz 1.6-2.2;
• Rechargeable battery: 3000 mAh (non-removable);
• operating time: (manufacturer's data) up to 12 hours of Internet work (3G), up to 14 hours of Internet work (LTE), up to 15 hours of Internet work (Wi-Fi), up to 17 hours of video playback, up to 43 hours of audio playback , up to 64 hours of audio playback always when the screen is off, up to 19 hours of talk time (3G WCDMA);
• diagonal: inches 5.6;
• resolution: 2220×1080;
• matrix type: Super AMOLED;
• PPI: 441;
• Brightness adjustment sensor: +
• other FHD+: 16 million colors, thin screen bezels with an aspect ratio of 18.5:9;
• main camera: 16 MP (F1.7);
• video recording: FHD 1920 x 1080 (30 fps);
• flash: +;
• front camera: MP 16 + 8 (F1.9);
• high-speed data transfer: GPRS, EDGE, 2G GSM, 3G WCDMA, 4G LTE FDD, 4G LTE TDD
  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4G+5.0 GHz), VHT80, Wi-Fi Direct;
• Bluetooth: 5.0 (LE up to 2 Mbit/s);
• GPS: + (GPS, GLONASS, Beidou);
• IrDA: -;
• FM radio: +;
• audio jack: 3.5 mm;
• NFC: +;
• interface connector: USB 2.0 (Type C);
• dimensions: mm 149.2×70.6×8.4;
• weight: g 172;
• protection against dust and moisture: + (IP68);
• case type: monoblock (non-separable);
• body material: plastic;
• keyboard type: screen input;
• also a fingerprint scanner, face recognition, Always-On Screen function, MST technology, Dual Messenger function, ANT+, accelerometer, barometer, gyroscopic sensor, geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, RGB light sensor, presence sensor, S Voice.

User Rating: 5 (1 votes)

The front panel of the smartphone is quite featureless - many other “frameless” devices look the same. Unlike the company's more expensive flagships, there are still frames on the sides, and the screen is not curved at the edges. Only the duo of front cameras looks unusual here, but you might not notice them, mistaking them for some kind of sensors. The back of the phone looks more original. The fingerprint scanner is located under the camera, which should be convenient after the asymmetrical back of the Galaxy S8. In addition, these elements have different shapes and are united by a common frame. True, there is nothing more to note here. The layout of the controls is typical for Android smartphones. We can only note the speaker on one of the ends, while it looks unusual. It’s also nice that the case has a mini-jack connector for .

The dimensions of the smartphone are 159.9 × 75.7 × 8.3 mm, weight – 191 grams. Interestingly, it is larger, thicker and heavier than the Samsung Galaxy S8+, despite the fact that the latter has a 0.2-inch larger screen. Even the inexpensive one turned out to be more compact, and the weight of the new product is comparable to a heavy one. The case materials can be called premium - metal and glass. In addition, it is protected from water and dust according to the IP68 standard, which means it should withstand short-term immersion in water.

Samsung Galaxy A8 Plus (2018) will be available in several colors: black, gold, blue and gray.

Screen

One of the main features of the phone is a large 6-inch AMOLED screen, fashionably elongated (18.5:9 aspect ratio) and rounded at the corners. It's quite sharp, with Full HD+ resolution (2220x1080 pixels) and a pixel density of 411 per inch. This is more than enough for a clear image, and the AMOLED matrix will provide rich colors, endless contrast and decent viewing angles. In addition, we only note the Always on Display function. It allows you to display current information on the switched off screen: time, date, icons of various events and notifications. Moreover, in this mode, the display always consumes a small amount of energy, which negatively affects the autonomy of the smartphone.

Cameras

You can expect pretty high quality shooting and advanced selfies from the Galaxy A8 Plus (2018). The smartphone received three cameras: a rear one of 16 MP and two front ones of 16 and 8 MP.

Little is known about the shooting capabilities; there is almost no data. The main camera is equipped with phase focusing and a wide f/1.7 aperture, which can be good for shooting in low light. Digital stabilization is provided for video shooting, although the maximum video resolution is limited only to Full HD resolution (1920x1080 pixels). For the front cameras, f/1.9 aperture, various filters, stickers, as well as selfies with a bokeh effect or a blurred background are announced.

Communications

The communication capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy A8 Plus (2018) are excellent:

• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
• LTE Cat 11
• Bluetooth 5.0
• A-GPS
• FM radio
• NFC chip.

Everything, like all decent flagships, could only be added with an IR port. The smartphone works with two nano-SIM cards, there is even a separate third slot for a memory card, which can be called a significant plus. For charging and connecting to the laptop, a modern USB type C connector is used, albeit of standard 2.0.

Battery

Most likely, the autonomy of the smartphone will be quite high. This is facilitated by a good battery capacity (3500 mAh) and an energy-efficient screen type with a reasonable, rather than ultra-high resolution. Yes, there are “frameless” models with a larger battery, for example, but on average no one is yet chasing high capacity in such models. The manufacturer does not name any specific operating time in different modes, but promises fast charging.

Performance

You can expect strong performance from the Samsung Galaxy A8 Plus (2018), although it will still be a cut below typical flagships.

The new product uses Samsung's proprietary eight-core Exynos 7885 Octa processor (two Cortex-A73 cores at 2.2 GHz and six Cortex-A53 cores at 1.6 GHz). It received a fairly powerful Mali-G71 graphics accelerator, which is enough for the vast majority of mobile games in Full HD resolution. This filling looks like a noticeable step forward compared to its predecessors that were “moderate” in performance.

Memory

Samsung Galaxy A8 Plus (2018) is equipped with 4 GB of RAM, and the storage capacity varies: 32 or 64 GB. This is quite normal for the device level, and you can expand this volume using . By the way, the slot for it is not combined, but separate. This means you don't have to choose between additional connectivity or memory.

Peculiarities

The phone runs an OS and a proprietary interface. Samsung is in no hurry to release smartphones with the new, eighth, version of the system, but we can expect that the new product will be updated to it over time. What is unusual about the Galaxy A8 Plus is an elongated AMOLED screen with thin frames around it, a dual front camera, the ability to unlock with your face and support for the proprietary Bixby assistant.

Price

The price of the Samsung Galaxy A8 Plus (2018) is almost ridiculously high, it is stated that it will sell for 600 euros (about 42,000 rubles). The start of sales is expected in January 2018. The price of a smartphone looks very strange, the fact is that a more advanced and larger flagship, the Galaxy S8+, can be bought for almost the same money.