Smartphone Samsung Galaxy A8 and A8 + their advantages and disadvantages

Samsung has been confidently competing with large companies in the market of household appliances and mobile phones for more than a year, proudly holding its positions. 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 as 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 not up to the flagship, they are much better for high-quality photographs.

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

Similarities and differences

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

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

Specifications

According to the similar and distinctive features of the models, the following characteristic is collected:

• OS: Android 7.1.1 Nougat;
• Processor: Exynos 7885, 8-core, 64-bit;
• Two cores: CortexA73, 2.2 GHz;
• Six cores: CortexA53, 1.6GHz;
• GPU: Mali-G71
• Memory (Gb): operational - 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;
• Communication 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 strong white or blue cardboard box. In the center are written in gray or white: company name, type and model of smartphone. The design is clear and minimalist. We open it, pull out several small brochures with instructions in different languages, and a beautiful and shiny monoblock catches our eye. Included is a wired headset, cord length is 1 meter, portable charger is EB-PG950 with USB type C cable and a Micro USB adapter. And a special key-clip to remove the SIM and SD card tray.

Additionally, it is worth noting an interesting accessory - a case with bypass illumination - Neon Flip Cover. A rather convenient thing, thanks to which you can see missed calls, sms and other notifications without including the phone.

One has only to put the phone in a case, and immediately pops up on the display an offer to download a new theme, wallpaper and icons that match with it.

Design

Slim monoblock body - 8.4 / 8.3 mm, with rounded edges. Available in four colors: gold, black, amethyst (lavender or "blue orchid") and blue.But in the CIS countries, for some reason, there are no blue models. 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 top 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. In general, it is convenient, but you need to get used to it. The external speaker is located on the right side above the power button, during the game and watching a movie it is difficult to close it with your hand. Trays for SIM and SD are located on the left side. Accordingly, the USB slot is at the bottom, and the headphone jack is at the top.

It is also worth noting the high protection index - IP68 (International Protection Marking). The phone is dustproof and is able to stay at a depth of more than 1 meter for 30 minutes without compromising its functions. All connectors are rubberized, and the trays are cut clearly and fit snugly. For the observance of such small nuances, the model may already occupy a niche in the ranking of quality ones.

Display

Models are equipped with borderless non-curved screens, in which there are practically no bezels. The display itself with rounded edges looks unusual and beautiful. Matrix super AMOLED (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, displays with a matrix of super AMOLED are produced only by Samsung.

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

The Always On Display feature puts the time, calendars, notifications, and icons on the off screen. This is very convenient, because there is no need to turn on the device to find out, for example, the time and date. And saves power.

Hardware and functionality

Despite the fact that the smartphone is a little short of the 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 tasks. Thanks to this, the device does not slow down and does not overheat, and energy consumption is significantly saved.

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 further new smartphones from Samsung will be released with a separate slot for dualism and SD. During the test for resource-intensive games and applications, the phone practically did not warm up and slowed down. But over time, the filling may no longer be enough. When choosing a device for games for a long period, it is better to think about which model to buy.

Unlocking the device is possible in two ways:

• Fingerprint sensor (fingerprint sensor) - responds very quickly, no lag was detected;
• Unlocking when looking at the screen is a face recognition function, its sensor is located at the top of the front panel and is shifted to the left. To unlock your smartphone in this way, you need to look straight at the screen. It takes a little longer than the fingerprint sensor, and in the dark it can slow down. Some write in the reviews that the module can also react to a photo.

Software and interface

The operating system installed on the smart is Android 7.1.1 Nougat with the 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 buying a smartphone, you get 15 GB of Samsung cloud storage as a gift.

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

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

Camera

We can say with confidence that the device will be enjoyed primarily by selfie lovers due to the dual front camera module. The first lens has 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 a resolution of 8 Mpx and a viewing angle of 85.The second camera turns out a good, group selfie, no one is cut off. The pictures are of high quality, good detail and color saturation. Not every smart person can afford it. But a small flaw is that detail, sharpness and focus worsen at night, the pictures are a little blurry.

Rear camera with good parameters -16 Mpx, F1.7. How fotkaet day, you can not even brag. The pictures are high-quality, voluminous, ideal detailing and light transmission. Poor lighting or lack of light does not practically affect the quality of the pictures. Thanks to good aperture and Tetra-cell function. Autofocus works fine.

Example of a daytime photo:

How to photograph at night:

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

Sound and headset

Smart 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 to set the bass, upper and lower limits 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, while the A8 + is 3500. There is not much difference in charging time and costs. At full load, autonomy is about a day, in normal mode - two days. Charged to 100% in about an hour and a half.

Price

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

But sometimes, in honor of different holidays, their subscribers are offered various discounts or loans on good terms. Therefore, it is up to you to decide where it is profitable to buy.

Advantages and disadvantages

Before choosing a smartphone, it is necessary to take into account its strengths and weaknesses, the main qualities will be listed below:

• Good and high-quality screen with a super AMOLED matrix;
• Quick response fingerprint sensor;
• Presentable appearance;
• High-quality day and night shooting;
• Quality selfie;
• High protection index: IP68;
• Clear sound and loud enough;
• Offline work.

• Mark Corps;
• Small fingerprint sensor;
• Uncomfortable to hold in a small hand;
• Small amount of RAM.

This review of the Samsung A8 and A8 + line comes to an end. There is no fundamental difference between the models, as you understand. This depends on preference. Someone will want a bigger screen, someone will like 5.6 inches.

Summarize. The model is perfect for photographers and bloggers, due to the good main camera and selfie. Thanks to stabilization, the videos are not jumpy, which is very important. You can play the phone, while it still supports new and heavy games, then there may be minor difficulties.

Impressive appearance and high level of protection and water resistance. You can not be afraid of rain, and it's not scary if the phone falls into a puddle. Rubberized connectors enhance protection.

I also really liked the data and file protection function, which can be hidden and unlocked only with a fingerprint. It's a shame that in many cities the function of paying with Samsung pay is not yet available. But they promise to turn it on 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 and compare.