Phones Samsung Galaxy S8

[MRU]

Ok, I'm really torn right now. Just yesterday I more or less scratched the S8 off my list for its RAM management issues, but now that I tried my commute with my main SIM (which has unfortunately spotty coverage at times) in the S7 Edge, I noticed that it stayed connected to LTE much better than my iPhone 7, so it looks like I might actually do quite OK with a single SIM phone if the antenna is just good, and despite my earlier impression, Samsung seems to do quite fine in this department.

I have some concerns about the S8 still. The fingerprint scanner placement is one, but it sounds like people have gotten used to it after the initial shock. Then there's the RAM management issue, which is hopefully solved by an update, but it's still something to keep in mind. Finally we have the utterly useless Bixby button. Why, Samsung, why? Not to forget Samsung's constant habit of dropping the ball with updates, but there's some hope that they'll finally learn.

However, I would still like a waterproof phone equipped with a good camera and a headphone jack, and preferably something that doesn't take ages to charge and can actually provide me with modern smartphone functionality such as mobile payments. If the OnePlus 5 fails to deliver (I'm most concerned about waterproofing as it looks like they've finally done something to the camera), the S8 is enticing despite all of its flaws.

It's a shame there isn't a device rental service where we could just hire these flagships for a few weeks to see if they fit with our lifestyle / usage patterns, rather than having to gamble hundreds of € each time. It would save some of us hundreds each year.

The S8 isn't perfect. Again nothing is.

But you just have to see if the areas it stumbles are really bothersome or an encumbrance on your enjoyability of using the device, or whether where it scores really well in features and hardware make up for those areas it struggles with.

It is a great device overall, although I find myself very encumbered by its software (ram management) currently, I still wouldn't have an issue recommending it to others, for its many other strengths.

It just sadly looking like it may not be the device for me, and not for the reason I was hesitant in picking it up initially for.

 

[soulreaver99]

Here's a screenshot of the new US Unlocked update.

Still can't get Samsung Pay to work with the Gear S3 watch though. :-(

 

[Michael Goff]

S6 on Sprint: May 1 patch
S8 on ATT: April 1 patch

 

[co.ag.2005]

If anyone in the US has been on the fence, the unlocked variant is available for $100 off. Also, anyone have experience with Best Buy price matching something that was bought less than 14 days ago? I bought my S8 12 days ago, just curious if they'd give me this $100 off my purchase. If not, I may return it and buy again

DEAL: US Unlocked Galaxy S8 Drops to $625, S8+ as low as $699 ($100+ Off)

 

[Zaft]

If anyone in the US has been on the fence, the unlocked variant is available for $100 off. Also, anyone have experience with Best Buy price matching something that was bought less than 14 days ago? I bought my S8 12 days ago, just curious if they'd give me this $100 off my purchase. If not, I may return it and buy again

DEAL: US Unlocked Galaxy S8 Drops to $625, S8+ as low as $699 ($100+ Off)

Do they work on Sprint?

 

[co.ag.2005]

Do they work on Sprint?

it should.. they are supposed to work with all carriers in the USA. Here's the fine print at Best Buy's website under specifications

"Carrier Compatibility: AT&T, Consumer Cellular, Cricket, H2O Wireless, Net10, Simple Mobile, Sprint, T-Mobile, TRACFONE, Total Wireless, US Cellular, Verizon"

 

[Zaft]

it should.. they are supposed to work with all carriers in the USA. Here's the fine print at Best Buy's website under specifications

"Carrier Compatibility: AT&T, Consumer Cellular, Cricket, H2O Wireless, Net10, Simple Mobile, Sprint, T-Mobile, TRACFONE, Total Wireless, US Cellular, Verizon"

Sometimes its weird with the Band support, ill have to look into that. Thanks.

 

[co.ag.2005]

Sometimes its weird with the Band support, ill have to look into that. Thanks.

yeah, I get that. They're supposed to have all the bands. I have Verizon and mine's been working flawlessly with service.

 

[epicrayban]

Got the update on my unlocked S8 as well. Includes June security patch. Let's see if Samsung keeps this up.

 

[Michael Goff]

Got the update on my unlocked S8 as well. Includes June security patch. Let's see if Samsung keeps this up.

And I continue to be jealous as I haven't gotten even the May patch or the BT fix.

 

[Roadstar]

It's a shame there isn't a device rental service where we could just hire these flagships for a few weeks to see if they fit with our lifestyle / usage patterns, rather than having to gamble hundreds of € each time. It would save some of us hundreds each year.

The S8 isn't perfect. Again nothing is.

But you just have to see if the areas it stumbles are really bothersome or an encumbrance on your enjoyability of using the device, or whether where it scores really well in features and hardware make up for those areas it struggles with.

It is a great device overall, although I find myself very encumbered by its software (ram management) currently, I still wouldn't have an issue recommending it to others, for its many other strengths.

It just sadly looking like it may not be the device for me, and not for the reason I was hesitant in picking it up initially for.

That rental service would be awesome. If I could try out how it works in my car and with my Bluetooth headphones prior to departing with lots of cash, it would make these purchase decisions much easier. Now that I was out with the S7 Edge, it was so nice to once again pay with my phone, so sticking with the iPhone seems once again more unlikely. However, maybe I'll hold out for little over a week now to check what's the OnePlus 5 like before rushing to the store to get an S8.

 

[soulreaver99]

If anyone in the US has been on the fence, the unlocked variant is available for $100 off. Also, anyone have experience with Best Buy price matching something that was bought less than 14 days ago? I bought my S8 12 days ago, just curious if they'd give me this $100 off my purchase. If not, I may return it and buy again

DEAL: US Unlocked Galaxy S8 Drops to $625, S8+ as low as $699 ($100+ Off)

They will. You can call customer care and they will do it or go in store. Had a friend just do the same thing.

 

[co.ag.2005]

They will. You can call customer care and they will do it or go in store. Had a friend just do the same thing.

sweet, thanks!

EDIT: yep, I called and they will be crediting me the $100 difference! Sweet! @epicrayban , when did you get your S8 from Best Buy? on the 31st, right? call and get them to price match to the new price.

 

[HiDEF]

I noticed this when I placed the phone down; is this normal?

Some more

I dropped my phone from the couch the other night. I thought it wasn't anything major, but maybe I messed up the edges? Not sure what to think of it.

Edit: Erica Griffen says its common.

 

[epicrayban]

sweet, thanks!

EDIT: yep, I called and they will be crediting me the $100 difference! Sweet! @epicrayban , when did you get your S8 from Best Buy? on the 31st, right? call and get them to price match to the new price.

I got it directly from Samsung. Argh. I have a feeling they won't price match, but I'll try.

 

[soulreaver99]

First full workday using the S8+

Can confirm it will last you the whole day

 

[co.ag.2005]

I got it directly from Samsung. Argh. I have a feeling they won't price match, but I'll try.

Dang. Probably not. I just couldn't remember.

 

[widgeteer]

Haven't dropped by this thread in a while. Wanted to pop in and say my 8 Plus is still a BEAST. Best phone on the market right now. Samsung Pay is just about the best thing ever.

 

[epicrayban]

Haven't dropped by this thread in a while. Wanted to pop in and say my 8 Plus is still a BEAST. Best phone on the market right now. Samsung Pay is just about the best thing ever.

The S8 is such a well rounded phone. It does nearly everything well, and in some areas, it's untouchable by any other smartphone.

Reliable, consistent, easy to use, highly customizable, feels both lean and feature-rich, beautiful class-leading hardware, amazingly ergonomic (I don't think people appreciate enough the fact that it's smaller and more comfortable than the S7 Edge!), fully waterproof...

Last year, I called the S7E the most worry-free phone. The S8 takes that to the next level.

 

[MRU]

The S8 is such a well rounded phone. It does nearly everything well, and in some areas, it's untouchable by any other smartphone.

Reliable, consistent, easy to use, highly customizable, feels both lean and feature-rich, beautiful class-leading hardware, amazingly ergonomic (I don't think people appreciate enough the fact that it's smaller and more comfortable than the S7 Edge!), fully waterproof...

Last year, I called the S7E the most worry-free phone. The S8 takes that to the next level.

Hardware wise yes.

However, Software wise it has some genuine issues which do encumber the stellar powerful hardware quite significantly compared to other devices. To the point where the device does not currently live up to it's potential that the great hardware by itself promises to deliver.

 

[epicrayban]

Hardware wise yes.

However, Software wise it has some issues which do encumber the hardware quite significantly compared to other devices.

What software issues?

 

[Michael Goff]

What software issues?

My BT cuts out sometimes, Wifi occasionally drops, and so does my cellular.

 

[epicrayban]

My BT cuts out sometimes, Wifi occasionally drops, and so does my cellular.

Yeah, you need that update that fixes the BT. Not sure what's going on with WiFi/cellular dropping... but would/could that be hardware issues?

 

[MRU]

What software issues?

1. Agressive ram. The fact that the device can only run 5-6 apps before it begins jettisoning them and forcing apps to content refresh or reload. Compare that to something like the G6 which will comfortably keep 12-14 or more apps backgrounded and for long periods of time without forcing apps to content refresh or reload. Other devices simarly handle ram better like Huawei (with arguably a heavier skin than Samsung) HTC and Sony.

2. Bixby which uses up resources in the background despite being mostly redundant for 99% of users and even using a remapper still means the device has to keep Bixby services running in order to bypass it (the bypasses available work by launching Bixby, quickly exiting it and relaunching whatever key/app you set up - this invariably means a simple press of a button is using even more resources that the device is already struggling with (see 1).

3. Colour calibration. Samsung provide one of the best displays on the market (certainly best AMOLED period) and refuse to allow users to colour calibrate their device when using that accurate RGB (basic mode) restricting it to Adaptive display mode where actual colour calibration is an athema in an non accurate over-saturated mode.

4. Animation stutters and framerate drops throughout the stock launcher despite all the hardware power to back it up. Issues that can be resolved by using another launcher, but in doing so only prove how the software is indeed encumbering the hardware.

All of these are software Issues that are not letting the hardware which is beautiful and powerful truly shine.

 

[Zaft]

4. Animation stutters and framerate drops throughout the stock launcher despite all the hardware power to back it up. Issues that can be resolved by using another launcher, but in doing so only prove how the software is indeed encumbering the hardware.

All of these are software Issues that are not letting the hardware which is beautiful and powerful truly shine.

I tried out an unlocked version with no demo software running at B&H. I was surprised at some of the stutters that it had. Not as bad as the ones at verizon/att etc but still it was there.