The Samsung Galaxy Note 8: A Comprehensive Review

Hey guys, this is Austin, and today I'm here in New York City for the launch of the new Samsung Galaxy Note 8. My first thought with the Note 8 is that it actually feels a little bit different to the Galaxy S8 and S8+. So when you look at it up front, it looks very, very similar. Yes, it does have a 6.3-inch display instead of 6.2 on the S8+, but in hand it actually has a little bit more of an edge.

Before, it was very much like a tapered thing all the way from the screen to the back, but now there's actually something to grab onto. The Note 8 still has the Infinity Display, which means it has super small bezels on top and bottom, it does have a curved display on the edges, and it also does have the wraparound edge on both the left and right side.

All this jargon means that it actually feels really nice in the hand. The Galaxy Note 8 is still going to be water-resistant, which is nice. Taken as a whole, the hardware does feel very similar to the Galaxy S8 and especially the S8+. It's not going to be a huge jump, but what you're really getting here is the S Pen and especially that new dual camera setup.

This guy is rocking a pair of 12-megapixel cameras that are very similar to the iPhone 7 Plus. So, there's one wide-angle lens as well as one telephoto. It's a 2x crop, and there are a lot of things you can do with this camera. You can get some great shots with it, especially in low-light conditions.

Inside, the Note 8 is rocking a Snapdragon 835 processor, as well as an Exynos option in some international markets. It has six GB of RAM, 64 Gigs of storage, and a MicroSD card slot. So this is very similar to what you're getting on the Galaxy S8. The biggest difference is that you're getting two extra gigs of RAM.

The Note 8 also has a Bixby button, because you know, that was a huge hit on the S8. It launches Bixby, which still exists. It's slightly better now. Moving on, what is a little bit cooler is DeX. This is Samsung's solution to being able to turn your phone into somewhat of a desktop.

So if you get the DeX dock, you can hook up a monitor, mouse, keyboard, kind of like some of the Windows phone stuff that I have taken a look at recently. Now this actually worked pretty well on the Galaxy S8, and they've done even more improvements with more apps and more features on the Note 8.

It's still not quite there for me, as essentially you're just running Windowed Android apps, but I feel like, as this gets better and better, it's going to become more and more of a reason to pick up a Samsung device. Which brings me to my next point, the rest of the software.

It's exactly the same as the Galaxy S8. Kind of a trend with this video, I think. So, it's not bad, it's not like TouchWiz back in the day, but it is nowhere near stock Android. Because of that, this guy is shipping with Android 7.1 Nougat, as opposed to Oreo, which of course is not quite out yet.

But still expect a little bit of a delay on getting updates with this, just like every other Samsung phone. One cool thing Samsung did with the Note 8 software is App Pair. So this is kind of like Spaces on your desktop. You can have a pair of apps set to automatically open together.

And they will have the correct sort of multitasking setup. And that is kind of cool. For example, you could have YouTube launch with, say Twitter, or whatever you want to do, and you can have that kind of custom. It's not a huge feature, but I guess it's something.

Overall, if you're looking for a large-screen smartphone, honestly, it's kind of an no-brainer over the S8+. The dual cameras alone are going to make it worth it.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- Hey guys this is Austin.Today I'm here in NewYork City for the launchof the new Samsung Galaxy Note 8.My first thought with the Note 8is that it actually doesfeel a little bit differentto the Galaxy S8 and S8+.So when you look at it up frontit looks very, very similar.Yes, it does have a 6.3 inch displayinstead of 6.2 on the S8+.But in hand it actually hasa little bit more of an edge.Before it was very muchsort of like a tapered thingall the way from the screen to the back.But now there's actuallysomething to grab onto.The Note 8 still has the Infinity Display.So this means that ithas super small bezelson top and bottom.It does have a curveddisplay on the edges.And it also does have thesort of wraparound edgeon both the left and right side.All this jargon means,it actually does feelreally nice in the hand.The Galaxy Note 8 is stillgoing to be water resistant,which is nice.And taken as a whole, thehardware does feel very similarto the Galaxy S8 and especially the S8+.It's not going to be a huge jump,but what you're reallygetting here is the S Penand especially that new dual camera setup.This guy is rocking a pairof 12-megapixel camerasthat are very similar to the iPhone 7 Plus.So there's one wide anglelens as well as one telephoto.It's a 2x crop, and there'sa lot of cool thingsthat you can do with it.Not only do we have the wide angle lens,but you can also jump into the telephoto,and if we hit Live Focus,essentially what we should be able to do,so we actually just took three photos.So not only did we usethe wide angle shot,but we also do have the telephoto,and we have version with background blur.So what's interesting about the Note 8is that you can actually adjust this.So you can basicallyturn it all the way off,or go maximum blur.Looking at it closely, it looks decent,but he's a little bit soft.Now, I think that's actually an issueI've found a lot with the iPhone7 Plus with the portrait mode,and this is a sort of similar setup,but in theory they have done a better jobof implementing it by actually allowingyou to take multiple photos.However this, while it did a good jobof sort of isolatinghim from the backgroundit looks very similar towhat you get on the iPhone.Now beyond that, it'sa fairly similar setup.Like I said, they're both 12 megapixels.And to my eye, it looks pretty similarto the photos that you'regetting on the Galaxy S8,but thankfully there's no camera bump.What's not great about that,is that it also means thatthe fingerprint sensoris still going to be around back.So it is still very, very easyto accidentally touch your camera,when you actually meanto unlock the phone.So Jimmy, what are yourthoughts on the Galaxy Note 8?- Dude, it fits in my hand, it's crazy.It's fine, like, I like iPhone,but the screen is reallynice, and it's fast.- I think I'm gonna takeover the video again.- Yeah, take it.(laughing)- The Note 8 is rocking a 6.3inch, super AMOLED display,and I think honestly, thisis probably one of the bestsmartphone displays around.But Samsung has kindabeen on top of the gamefor a couple years now here.I've got to admit, whenthe Galaxy S8 came out,I felt like that was thebest hardware on any phone,and the Note is super similar.So it still does have not only USB-C,but also a headphone jack,which is nice to see.But of course, being a Note,it does have the S Pen.The S Pen has gained a few new features,like you can use it to translate text,as well as of course you can use itto doodle and sketchand that kind of stuff.Now I know a lot of peoplereally do like the S Pen,but personally I don't find a ton of usefor a stylus on a phone.And that actually bringsus to one of the downsidesof the Note 8.It has a very small 3300 mAh battery.Now for comparison, the Galaxy S8+,with a slightly smaller screen,has a 3500 mAh battery.The Note 7 was a big partof the presentation today.So, in case you've beenliving under a rock,the Galaxy Note 7 was kind of a big deal.And by big deal, I mean it kept explodingand, yeah, did not go well.So of course, the battery is smaller here.I think they're being alittle more conservative,and I think that is a good thing,but it also means that,with such a giant display,and pretty powerfulspecs, I'm curious to seewhat the actual batterylife is going to be.Inside, the Note 8 is rockinga Snapdragon 835 processor,as well as an Exynos optionin some international markets.It has six GB of RAM, 64 Gigs of storage,as well as a MicroSD card slot.So this is very similarto what you're gettingon the Galaxy S8.The biggest differenceis that you're gettingthat two extra gigs of RAM,but to be totally honest,it's going to be a verysimilar experience.The Note 8 also has a Bixby button,because you know, thatwas a huge hit on the S8.It launches Bixby, which still exists.It's slightly better now.Moving on, what is alittle bit cooler is DeX.So this is Samsung's solution tobeing able to turn your phoneinto somewhat of a desktop.So if you get the DeX dock,you can hook up amonitor, mouse, keyboard,kind of like some ofthe Windows phone stuffthat I have taken a look at recently.Now this actually workedpretty well on the Galaxy S8,and they've done even more improvementswith more apps and morefeatures on the Note 8.It's still not quite there for me,as essentially you're justrunning Windowed Android apps,but I feel like, as thisgets better and betterit's going to becomemore and more of a reasonto pick up a Samsung device.Which brings me to my nextpoint, the rest of the software.It's exactly the same as the Galaxy S8.Kind of a trend with this video, I think.So, it's not bad, it's notlike TouchWiz back in the day,but it is nowhere near stock Android.And because of that, this guy is shippingwith Android 7.1 Nougat,as opposed to Oreo,which of course is not quite out yet.But still expect a little bit of a delayon getting updates with this,just like every other Samsung phone.One cool thing Samsung didwith the Note 8 software is App Pair.So this is kind of likeSpaces on your desktop.You can have a pair of apps setto automatically open together.And they will have the correctsort of multitasking setup.And that is kind of cool.For example, you could haveYouTube launch with, say,Twitter, or whatever you want to do,and you can have that kind of custom.It's not a huge feature,but I guess it's something.With the Note 8, Samsung have takenwhat is arguably one ofthe best designed phonesout on the market right now,and added the S Pen, as wellas the dual camera setup.Now, if you're looking fora large-screen smartphone,honestly, it's kind of ano-brainer over the S8+.I feel like the dual cameras aloneare going to make it worth it.But, what do you guys thinkabout the Galaxy Note 8?Let me know in the comments below,and I will catch you on the next one.