The Switch from Google Pixel XL to Samsung Galaxy S8

As I sit here with my new Samsung Galaxy S8, I have to say that I'm thoroughly impressed with this device. The design is sleek and futuristic, making it stand out from other smartphones on the market. However, as much as I've grown to love the S8, I have to admit that I didn't switch from my Google Pixel XL solely because of its superior hardware. In fact, there are several reasons why I made the switch, but the main gist is that no smartphone currently available comes close to the Galaxy S8 in terms of performance and features.

One reason for my switch was the desire to have a phone that truly feels like it's from the future. The S8 has a design that looks and feels premium, with a glass back and a metal frame that exudes luxury. It's clear that Samsung put a lot of thought into designing this device, and it shows in every aspect of its construction.

However, I also switched to the Galaxy S8 because of its software. While Samsung's software has improved significantly over the years, it still lags behind other manufacturers like Google and OnePlus. Nevertheless, the benefits of using an Android device with Samsung's custom UI make it a worthwhile trade-off for many users.

In this article, I want to focus on why I didn't switch to the Galaxy S8+ instead of the standard model. As someone who has always opted for the larger phone or bigger model of a smartphone, I was expecting the S8+ to win me over with its bigger screen and battery. However, after using both phones for an extended period and switching between them, I found that the smaller S8 is actually the better option for me.

One reason for this is the placement of the fingerprint scanner on the S8. While Samsung's design has improved significantly since the Galaxy S6 series, the finger scanner is still not ideal. On the S8+, it can be a bit challenging to reach, especially with one hand. This is due to the phone's tall aspect ratio and slightly curved screen, which makes it difficult to position your fingers correctly. I know some people might say that Samsung offers alternative lock methods like facial recognition or iris scanning, but for me, the fingerprint scanner on the S8 is a non-negotiable feature.

The finger scanner issue is a common problem that many users have faced with previous Samsung devices. According to Apple's data, people unlock their phones an average of 80 times per day, which translates to over 50,000 misreads and minor inconveniences over two or three years of ownership. This might seem like a small issue, but it can add up quickly, especially if you're someone who relies on your phone for daily tasks.

Another reason I prefer the S8 is its screen layout. On the S8+, the top edge of the screen is almost unreachable with one hand, making it difficult to navigate without adjusting your grip or using two hands. In contrast, the regular S8 has a more accessible top edge, which makes it easier to use one-handed. This might not seem like a significant difference, but it can make a big impact on your daily usage.

Finally, I have to say that the S8's screen is just more convenient for me than the S8+. When holding the phone in my hand, the screen is at a comfortable height and width, making it easy to read content or browse the web. The S8 Plus, on the other hand, takes up a lot of space with its larger screen and taller aspect ratio, which can be unwieldy when trying to use one-handed.

In conclusion, while I could have easily opted for the Galaxy S8+ due to its bigger screen and battery, I found that the smaller S8 is actually the better option for me. From the placement of the fingerprint scanner to the screen layout and overall design, there are several reasons why I prefer the standard model over its larger counterpart.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enWhat's up guys? David here.And I've decided to make the switch from my Google Pixel XL......which I switched to about six months back, to the Samsung Galaxy S8.Now I have a 8 bunch of different reasons on why I'm making the switch.But the gist of it is, there's no smartphone right now that comes close to the S8 on a hardware level.This thing straight up looks like it's a phone from the future. And while Samsung software is far from perfect...it has improved over the years and comes with its own unique set of advantages.But what I want to talk about in this video is not so much why I switched to the Galaxy S8...but why I didn't end up switching to the Galaxy S8+ (plus).Because I've always been the kind of person to go with the bigger model of a smartphone...and my reasoning has always been the same. With a bigger phone, comes a bigger screen and a bigger battery.So when Samsung first announced the Galaxy S8 and the S8+, I was fully expecting the S8+ to win me over.But after using both phones for a while now and going back and forth between them...For the first time ever, I think the smaller model is the better option. At least for me.Now before those of you who bought the Galaxy S8+, dislike this video. I know it's going to happen anyway.I'm not saying that the S8+ is a bad choice okay?If I thought the S8+ was a bad choice then I wouldn't have switched to the S8 to begin with.And believe me when I tell you that choosing between the 2 wasn't an easy decision...as the S8+ still has the advantage of a bigger screen and a bigger battery.So why then? Why would I, someone who's always used the bigger phone or the bigger model of a phonedecide to give up the bigger screen and the bigger battery for the smaller S8.Well, first thing has to do with the placement of the fingerprint scannerwe all know that Samsung messed up with this placementAnd with the S8+, with it being such a tall phone, it's just not easy to reachI'm not going to be one of those people who says its unreachableIt's not unreachable, but it isn't comfortable to reach eitherOn the regular S8 at least if you're right handed this isn't really an issuenow I can already see the comments about how Samsung offers alternative lock methodsAnd if you don't like the fingerprint scanner you don't have to use itbut I don't really buy that argument, okay?facial recognition is obviously insecure and while the iris scanner is secureI don't it's a good option as a primary lock method, if your walking, if your in direct sunlight or if you're wearing sunglassesit isn't going to work well, and it's always going to be a slower two step processof first waking the phone, and then bring it up to your face, that's not convenient to doand that's not something I'd want to do every time I wanted to access my phoneI know to some of you, the finger print scanner may seem like a small thing to complain aboutbut according to Apple's data, people unlock their phones on average 80 times per dayfor me it's easily over 100 times per day, but even if you multiply 80 by 365 days in a yearand multiply that, over 2 or 3 years of ownership, it adds up to over 50,000 plus, minor inconveniencesand that's not even counting the misreads okay and trust me there will be misreadsthat fingerprint scanner on the S8, both the S8s isn't the most accurate one out thereit doesn't compare with the Pixel or the OnePlus 3and on the S8 Plus it's even worse because sometime's you don't reach up high enough and it only gets a partial printthe second argument I have in favor of the S8is unlike the S8 Plus the top of the screen is easily reachable with one handOn the S8 Plus with the new aspect ratio the opposite corner of the screen is almost unreachablewithout completely having to adjust your grip.For comparison, the regular or smaller S8 screen is about as high up when you hold it in your handas the Google Pixel XL or the iPhone 7 Pluswhich for many people it's already near the limits of one handed use,the S8 Plus literally takes it to a whole different level.And unless you plan on using Samsung's one handed mode a lotI would say that the S8 Plus is a two handed phoneand then my third and final argument in favor of the \"smaller Galaxy S8\"has to do with those air quotes I've been using throughout this videowhen I refer to the \"smaller S8\"because while the huge display on the S8 Plus is amazinglets not forget, that the smaller Galaxy S8 has a pretty damn big screen itselfI mean you see Samsung fanboys laughing at iPhone usersbecause the \"smaller S8\" has a bigger screen than the 7 Plusbut I don't know if people are taking that seriously enoughI mean, Samsung fit a 5.8 inch display or the surface area equivalent of a 5.5 inch displayinto the width of a 5.1 inch phonethat's a big deal and I don't think people ever bought big phones because they just love the big form factorI don't think people bought big phone because they wanted something harder to hold in the handor something that took up more room in their pocketNo, I think people bought big phones because they wanted the bigger screenand the bigger battery,and while you don't get the bigger battery on the Galaxy S8lets be clear about that, you are at least getting a big screen.and it comes with all the advantages of having a smaller overall deviceI watched a movie on both phones to test them outand I found the experience on the regular S8 to be more enjoyable because the difference in screensizewas easily accounted for by bring the phone closer to my eyebut the lighter weight on the S8 made holding the phone for an extended period of timemuch less of a strain than it was on the S8 PlusNow don't get me wrong okay?I'm not going to sit here and pretend that the new aspect ratio on the S8 changes everythingin certain situations, like when you're watching videos in portrait on instagramyour still limited to the screen widthwhich takes you right back to making it feel like a traditional 5.1 inch displayand in those situations, I miss the bigger screen on the S8 PlusAlso, at the end of the day when my S8 had 10% battery remainingeven though it was technically enough and did the job.I still found myself missing the peace of mind I had with the additional 5 or 10 percentI was getting on the bigger model.But when you factor in the more convenient fingerprint scannerthe easier to reach display, a screen that's arguably big enoughand all the perks you get with a smaller overall deviceand the fact that it cost 100 dollars less,I think this year the smaller S8 has the edge.but that's just my opinion. Okay? It's just an opinion, what do you guys think?Which model of the S8 did you end up going with and why?Let me know down below in the comments.Anyways that is it for me in this video. Thank you guys for watching and always I'll see you in the very next episode.\n"