14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung’s mobile chief took the stage today during the Unpacked 2017 event to announce the company’s first flagships. The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are quite the same in terms of design, but they do have some notable differences.
Over the past two years, we got used to seeing a flat Galaxy S smartphone, announced together with a dual-edge variant. But this year, Samsung decided to change the strategy completely and offer two smartphones with the same design, but different sizes.
A 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display with 2960 x 1440 pixel resolution on the Galaxy S8 places the phone among the largest on the market, but the Galaxy S8+ comes with an even bigger screen. The larger variant has a 6.2-inch display, the same pixel resolution and aspect ratio of 18:5:9 on the Infinity Display.
Dimensions for the two phones clearly show the difference in size, the S8 measures 148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 (mm) and weighs 155 grams, while the S8+ 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 (mm) and weighs 173 grams. In terms of design, the phones are identical, proving that the standard variant is aimed at consumers who aren’t comfortable with phablet-sized devices.
When it comes to hardware, there are few differences between the two phones. The Galaxy S8 and S8+ both run an octa-core Snapdragon 835 platform. They feature 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage with the option to add 256GB with a microSD card, and 12MP sensors on the back, with 8MP selfie shooters in the front.
There’s a major difference in terms of battery capacity, though, as the Galaxy S8+ draws power from a 3,500mAh battery, by 500mAh larger than the S8. The larger display does consume more power, therefore the need for a bigger battery. IP68 certification makes sure users can submerge the phones up to 30 minutes in 5 feet of water, making them suitable for underwater pictures and video recording.
Both premium smartphones feature Samsung’s virtual assistant Bixby, iris and fingerprint scanners, USB Type-C port, fast charging and connect with the DeX station.
| Galaxy S8 | Galaxy S8+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 (mm) 155g | 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 (mm) 173g |
| Display | 5.8-inch Quad HD+, 570ppi | 6.2-inch Quad HD+, 529ppi |
| Memory | 4GB RAM, 64GB storage | 4GB RAM, 64GB storage |
| Processor | Snapdragon 835 platform | Snapdragon 835 platform |
| Camera | 8MP (front), 12 MP (back) F1.7 | 8MP (front), 12MP (back) F1.7 |
| Battery | 3,000mAh, fast charging | 3,500mAh, fast charging |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi, NFC | Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi, NFC |
| Ports | USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
| OS | Android 7.0 Nougat | Android 7.0 Nougat |
| Sensors | Iris, fingerprint, face recognition | Iris, fingerprint, face recognition |
