Note: We may earn commissions (at no cost to you) if you buy through links on our site. Learn more.
Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy S8
...


9/10
Informr score
The Samsung Galaxy S8 currently has an Informr score of 9 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 79 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Future-proof features and performance
  • Blazing performance
  • Stunning design
  • Gigabit LTE support
  • MicroSD support
  • Plenty of internal storage
  • All-day battery life
  • QuickCharge and wireless charging support
  • Crisp, vibrant display
  • Great camera (even in low lighting)

What's bad

  • Slippery finish
  • Darker colors are fingerprint magnets
  • Hard-to-find fingerprint scanner
  • Screen measurement might mislead

Hoping to redeem themselves after the Note 7 debacle, Samsung’s latest entry in their popular flagship S-series brings mobile firsts and some interesting changes to the mix. There’s no denying that the phone is an absolute stunner in pictures. But a pretty phone isn’t always a phone that’s good for daily use.

Reviews are rolling in on this much-anticipated release and we’ve slogged through them all so you don’t have to!

Let’s see what they’re saying!

The Galaxy S8 features a metal and glass chassis with a glossy finish and edge-to-edge display. While reviewers raved about how great it looks, they complained fingerprints and smudges. Some also felt the glass treatment made the phone slippery—something you want to be careful about with a phone of this price.

IT Pro UK said, “It's an absolutely gorgeous device - instantly striking and breathtakingly beautiful. It is, without a doubt, the best example of smartphone design produced to date.”

The overall design has changed from the typical Samsung layout. The phone is slimmer across and taller overall. With the tiny bezels on the front display, they’ve had to shift the fingerprint scanner to the rear. This was met with mixed reviews. While no one had trouble with responsiveness, many reviewers noted that it was hard to tell the fingerprint scanner and camera lens apart.

The phone also has an IP68 waterproof rating and a front-facing iris scanner.

Heading around front, you’ll see the biggest changes from Samsung’s usual formula. The screen now extends to the edges of the device, gently curving to meet the frame. There’s also no physical home button at the bottom. Instead, you’ll use a pressure sensor in the screen and software buttons.

Reviewers raved about the screen—both for its appearance and performance. Alphr said, “This is about as good a screen as you can get.”

While it’s a 5.6-inch screen, the 1440-by-2960 resolution is an important consideration. This means you can’t compare this to screen sizes on many other models. PC Magazine highlights this, saying, “On a standard 16:9 aspect ratio phone, you get the same real estate in a 5.6-inch screen. So I think you should consider the S8's screen on par with the 5.5-inch, 16:9 displays on the Galaxy S7 Edge and iPhone 7 Plus.”

Performance, once again, had reviewers singing Samsung’s praises. Depending on your region, you’ll find either a 2.35GHz octa-core Snapdragon processor or an Exynos 8895 processor. Paired with 4GB of RAM, reviewers found no delays or overheating issues.

Alphr summed up opinions well, saying, “Every benchmark revealed speeds at the very top of the class… it’s pretty clear that the S8 offers far more future-proofing than any other device we’ve seen to date.”

You’ll find Android 7 Nougat on the phone out of the box with Samsung’s TouchWiz UI. While Samsung’s been dinged in the past for piling on bloatware, it appears they’ve streamlined things for the S8. All models come with 64GB of internal storage. Should you need more, the microSD slot supports cards up to 256GB.

On paper, the 12MP rear camera doesn’t seem that impressive. However, reviewers found that real-world use was a different story. Both PC Magazine and V3 called it the best smartphone camera ever released. Optical image stabilization and a large aperture make the phone good for low-light photography.

Heading around front, you’ll find an 8MP lens. It also includes autofocus for easier selfies. Reviews for the front lens were equally positive. Low-light performance isn’t as good as the rear camera.

The battery was another aspect that surprised reviewers. The 3,000mAh battery doesn’t appear to offer any more capacity than the battery in the S7, yet reviewers had no problem pushing a day and a half on a single charge. QuickCharge support saw full recharges in just over an hour.

If you’re in an area with spotty signals, support for Gigabit LTE and HPUE means you might see stronger signals. Reviews showed that these features live up to the hype. Your experience will depend on the network in your area.

The phone also includes Bluetooth 5. But none of the reviewers could find a Bluetooth 5 device to test the new features.

Overall, reviews for the Galaxy S8 are overwhelmingly positive. Apart from a slippery, smudge-prone finish, there were few complaints. PC Advisor UK summed up opinions well, saying, “Samsung has taken the best phone around and made it even better with an impressive screen and design. It ticks a shed load of boxes you'd want a flagship to do.”


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
2.35 GHz
Processor
Processor
2.35 GHz
5.8"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5.8"
12+ MP, f/1.7
Camera
Camera
12+ MP, f/1.7
3000 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


DxOMark
DxOMark

While the S8’s front camera cannot quite keep up with the latest high-end smartphones, it still delivers very solid results, with mostly good exposures and a very good balance between noise reduction and detail preservation in still image mode. Selfie videos are pretty good, too, with the exception...

- Lars Rehm, DxOMark
TechRadar
TechRadar

The large, bezel-less display is truly iconic and beautiful, and the screen quality excellent. The fingerprint scanner being placed on the back is a poor decision from Samsung, as well as the iris scanner / facial recognition not working well enough to be a real consideration. However, these aren’t...

- Gareth Beavis, TechRadar
Android Central
Android Central

The real value comes in comparing the S8 to the S9. They have mostly the same design, the same software, and identical amounts of internal storage. The camera on the S9 is much better, but for most situations, the S8 will still take fantastic photos. If you're eyeing the Galaxy S9, you can get 90% o...

- Tom Westrick, Android Central
Android Central
Android Central

Samsung filled it with high-end specs, tons of features and lots of software to try and appeal to a wide swath of potential customers. And for the most part, those pieces all held together after 10 months of use.

- Andrew Martonik, Android Central
Gearburn
Gearburn

The Galaxy S8 screen, performance and camera still excel and the battery life has been a pleasant surprise. But in that same breath, the S8’s biometrics are clearly its biggest weakness — especially as time goes by. Don’t forget a case, by the way.

- Hadlee Simons, Gearburn


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Samsung Galaxy S8 user manual here.


Samsung backs up the Galaxy S8 with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Galaxy S8 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Samsung support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Samsung's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.




Resources


Manuals / User Guides Helpful Links Share / Embed

Maybe one of your friends will find this review helpful? Please help us spread the word.


Quick view

Screen Size
5.8"

The Samsung Galaxy S8's screen size is 5.8 inches with 1440 x 2960 pixels resolution.

Processor
2.35 GHz

There is a Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 Octa core 2.35 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 7.0 Nougat (Update Available: 9.0 Pie) operating system (OS).

Camera
12+ MP

You can take photos with the phone's onboard 12+ MP, f/1.7 camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 8+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
64 GB

Internal memory is 64 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 256 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
3000mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 3000 mAh battery. Samsung's performance ratings are 1200 minutes, 840 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

Galaxy S8 Specs

Overview
Release Date April 21, 2017
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System Android 7.0 Nougat (Update Available: 9.0 Pie)

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 Octa core 2.35 GHz
Internal Storage 64 GB
RAM 4 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD Yes
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 0.46 W/kg
Body: 1.01 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included USB Power Adapter, Manual, Headphones, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Yes
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Yes
SIM card size
Nano-SIM
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB USB Type-C
USB OTG Support Yes
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC, aptX
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 256 GB)
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
12+ Megapixels, f/1.7
Zoom
8x digital
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Face detection, Geotagging, Image stabilization, ISO, Multi-shot, Panorama, HDR, Voice activation, Exposure compensation, Slow motion recording
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, 3G2 / 3GPP2, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV, ASF, FLV, AVI, MKV
Video Recording Parameters
Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels), 30 fps
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
8+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
Auto focus, Wide angle lens
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology Super AMOLED
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 1440 x 2960 pixels
Pixel Density 570 pixels
Size 5.8 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, Infinity Display
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 3000 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging Yes
Fast Charging Yes
Video Playback Time Up to 960 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 840 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Up to 720 minutes
Talk Time Up to 1200 minutes
Standby Time Up to 13.4 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Aluminium
Colors Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold, Burgundy Red
Dimensions [H x W x D] 14.9 x 6.8 x 0.8 cm (5.9 x 2.7 x 0.3 in)
Weight 155 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Water Resistant
Rugged design No
IP Rating IP 68
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor Yes
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA): Samsung SM-G950

Also available in dual SIM variant.

Additional Sensors: Heart Rate Sensor, Barometer, Iris Sensor, Pressure Sensor

Related Links Quick Start Guide (PDF)
Manual (PDF)
Samsung Galaxy S8 Reviews
Where to buy Samsung Galaxy S8
Suggest a correction