Well, I'm back with my essential phone after messing with the Note 8 over the weekend. I could've kept it longer, but I just missed this form factor too much. Don't get me wrong, the Note is a fabulous device, the camera was killer, video recording super smooth, and that zoom lens with ois is almost unreal. Not to mention the screen and spen, but at the end of day, I just wasn't that comfortable with the super tall form factor, and the one thing I hated about last year's note (the thinner spen) has returned which made the spen less enjoyable to use, IMO.
So now I'm back, a little more appreciative of this form factor and thinking how awesome it would be to have a classic spen with this ultra flat form factor and hoping those updates come fast (supposedly Oreo within 2 months, swipe finger print sensor for notification bar soon, plus more camera updates.)
You're killing me man...everytime I think I have my mind made up, I flip flop after reading your experiences back and forth the past week or so.
Was thinking of trying out the Note 8 tomorrow, against my better judgement, if even just for a few days to try it, and return it, to contemplate my next move. Everytime I play with it in a store though this past week or two, i stop after a few minutes, and quite easily tell myself it's just too big for what I really want, as I fairly firmly want nothing larger that what I've had for the last 2 years (Note 5). For pants pocket-ability certainly, and then one/one and a half handed use, it can't be done with such a tall device (and I have bigger hands).
But the screen, the great camera with zoom and OIS, the RAM, the good reviews, etc etc suck me back in as decent upgrades over what I have. And, I've had a Note 4 and 5, and I know that what Samsung brings to the table for hardware and software has served me well these past 3 years...and, is all familiar, comfortable, and has features that i'd miss if I left the Samsung series. My Note is great, but battery life is taking a bit recently, and it's hard to believe I've gone two years with the same phone, but I have, and really appreciate it, so any change has to be worth it.
I've also had the same thoughts about the trying out the Essential (though the Samsung is easier to buy and return via BestBuy, Essential would have to be through the carrier). The spot on size of course as the main draw, the feel (though a bit less glassy and more ceramic-y would be my preference) and the uniqueness all appeal to me.
But then all the QC issues from the speaker grill, to the camera (fixable or not with GCam), to the software glitches, and then the support network, have me wondering if I can really make this my day to day driver and if its really better than the Note 5 I have, factoring in any hardware or software issues if one becomes feeling like a beta tester. And its a startup so there are some times where patience is likely to be required, but really, when paying the price for these phones, should there be? As compared to the Note 5, it will have better performance wise on paper. Size wise for sure...LCD screen, I'd have to see. I had a HTC M7 and loved the SLCD screen, but go back to Amoled and one misses that as well. The spartan software experience I'd have to get used to again (had a Nexus 7 tablet).
And, to complicate things even more the realization that the IPx is going to be the same form factor size wise as the Essential, and have an Amoled screen with the Apple ecosystem and all the top end features, for basically the same price as the Note 8 outright. But, its two months or more until the IPx.
Like you, I know the Note 8 is going to be a bit too big for what I want, but I like everything else about it, and trust Samsung and am familiar with a lot of things when upgrading...so trying it out is me wanting to make it work, but knowing I wont. The Essential has a lot going for it, and importantly, has the ideal size, and screen size, but there are a lot of other question marks that aren't there with the Note. So I am guessing in a few days testing it out, it may well work out exactly as I hope, with no issues, and if so, I'll however still have lingering doubts in my head whether it will stand the test of time, or if all us owners are going to run into issues in a week/month or 6 months, that will leave us "stranded" in a way that a Samsung or Apple wouldn't, being a brand new situation and company.,
And all this is analysis without considering financial cost. If the Essential was a few hundred cheaper, I'd almost crazily, consider both. But I can't do that, both $ wise, and especially when I do also think about finally making a (semi) jump over to an Iphone/Mac, as I've really become smitten with my IPP 10.5, using it for an hour or so at least each day, and then become integrated into the Apple Ecosystem as well for Imessage and being consistent across the tablet, phone, and laptop. My thought would be to keep an Android phone on a second line to keep my foot in the Google Eco system, and have the Iphone (probably X) into the aforementioned Apple Ecosystem.
If I do that switch and it goes well, it's probably best to just keep my Note 5, saving me a fair bit of $ then a new Iphone and a 2 month old (in 2 months) Android phone...but resisting every urge not to try out one of these new Android phones, having been with Android now for 6 years, before the IPx drops (that will probably also include the V30).
Anyways, look forward to hearing your experiences with the Essential.
. But I actually do really want this. 
