Smartphone Samsung Galaxy A8 and A8 + their advantages and disadvantages

Samsung has been confidently competing with large companies in the home appliances and mobile phones market for several years, proudly holding its position. Not surprising, because every year not only expensive and productive flagships come out, 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 models of phones, 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 is almost the entire front panel. In terms of performance, although slightly not up to the flagship, but much 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 photo, tactile sensations and hardware. Plus can be purchased at a good price.

Similarities and differences

So we got to the answer to the main question. The models are the same in function, performance and hardware. Even the design is the same except for the size, but the arrangement of the cameras, fingerprint sensor and screen ratio are the same. Differences in battery capacity, dimensions and display diagonal. Therefore, at the same resolution, the pixel density (ppi or pixels 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, 1.6 GHz;
• 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 packed in a sturdy white or blue cardboard box. In the center are written in gray or white: the name of the company, the type and model of the smartphone. The design is clean and minimal. We open it, take out several small brochures with instructions in different languages ​​and a beautiful and shiny candy bar catches the eye.Includes wired headset, cord length 1 meter, portable charger - EB-PG950 with USB type C cable and Micro USB adapter. And a special key-clip for removing the SIM and SD card tray.

Additionally, it is worth noting an interesting accessory - a case with bypass lighting - Neon Flip Cover. A fairly 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 the case, and the offer to download a new theme, wallpaper and icons that go with it, immediately pops up on the display.

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, blue models are absent. According to reviews, the shade "blue orchid" is unusual and attractive. The smartphone is made of materials - metal and glass, 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 located not on the side of the lens, but directly under it. In general, this is convenient, but it takes some getting used to. The external speaker is located on the right side above the power button; it is difficult to cover it with your hand while playing and watching a movie. Trays for SIM and SD are located on the left side. Accordingly, the USB slot is on the bottom, and the headphone jack is on the top.

It is also worth noting the high protection index - IP68 (International Protection Marking). The phone is dustproof and can stay at a depth of more than 1 meter for 30 minutes without disrupting its functions. All connectors are rubberized and the trays are cut cleanly and tightly. For compliance with such small nuances, the model may already occupy a niche in the rating of quality ones.

Display

The models are equipped with limitless unbent screens, which are practically bezel-free. The display itself with rounded edges looks unusual and beautiful. The super AMOLED (organic light-emitting diode) matrix contributes to a rich and contrasting picture. Very rich black color that does not change depending on the viewing angle. And at the moment, only Samsung produces displays with a super AMOLED matrix.

Very convenient setting for 4 filters: basic, adaptive, "photo" and "cinema". Adaptive allows fine settings for 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 the blue for comfortable viewing. The sensor works fine, but hardly recognizes accidental touches.

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

Hardware and functionality

In spite of the fact that the smartphone falls short of the flagship in terms of hardware, the smart processor is not bad for the current active games. The octa-core Cortex processor is split in pairs into: 6-core 1.6 GHz and 2-core 2.2 GHz. We can say that two separate processors are used to solve different problems. Thanks to this, it does not slow down the device and does not overheat, significantly saving energy consumption.

Despite the small RAM - 4 GB, the parallelized processor will be able to take on part of the load by quickly solving certain problems. The internal storage in this variant is 32 GB, but can be expanded 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. When testing resource-intensive games and applications, the phone practically did not get warm and slowed down. But over time, the filling may no longer be enough. When choosing a device for long-term gaming, it is better to think about which model to buy.

There are two ways to unlock the device:

• Fingerprint sensor (fingerprint sensor) - very fast response, no lag was found;
• 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 can be slow in the dark. Some write in reviews that the module can react to a photo.

Software and interface

The operating system installed on the smart is Android 7.1.1 Nougat with Samsung shell. The design is no different from the S8. I was pleasantly surprised by the application that allows you to automatically control wi fi, if you forgot to turn off the wireless network, it will turn itself off as soon as the device is out of the radius. When you buy a smartphone, you get 15 GB of Samsung cloud storage as a gift.

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

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 it with your fingerprint or enter the password in the terminal, of your choice. To use this function, first register in the Samsung pay app, enter your card payment details, a password for payment and draw a signature.

Camera

We can say with confidence that the device will appeal primarily to selfie lovers due to the dual front camera module. The first lens with 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 makes a good group selfie, no one is cut off. The pictures are of high quality, good detail and color saturation. Not every smart can afford it. But a small flaw is that detail, sharpness and focusing deteriorate at night, the pictures are a little blurry.

Rear camera with good parameters –16 Mpx, F1.7. As he takes pictures during the day, you don't even have to brag. Pictures are high-quality, volumetric, perfect detail and light transmission. Poor lighting or lack of light practically does not affect the quality of the pictures. Thanks to its good aperture and Tetra-cell function. Autofocus works fine.

An example of a daytime photo:

How to photograph at night:

There are also no problems in shooting video, good color rendition 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 abrupt transitions of upper and lower boundaries. Sound is not distorted at maximum volume.

A good equalizer helps to adjust 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's better to get separate headphones.

Autonomy

The battery capacity of the A8 model is 3000 mAh, and the A8 + is 3500. There is no particular difference in charging time and costs. At full load, the autonomy is about a day, in normal mode - two days. Charges 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 - RUB 34,990 / 159 890 tenge, A8 + costs 37 990/164 900.

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

Advantages and disadvantages

Before choosing a smartphone, you need to consider its strengths and weaknesses, the main qualities will be listed below:

• Nice and high-quality screen with a super AMOLED matrix;
• Fast response of the fingerprint sensor;
• Presentable appearance;
• High-quality day and night shooting;
• High-quality selfie;
• High protection index: IP68;
• Clear sound and loud enough;
• Autonomous work.

• Marked case;
• Small fingerprint sensor;
• It is inconvenient to hold in a small hand;
• Small amount of RAM.

This concludes the review of the Samsung A8 and A8 + lineup.There is no fundamental difference between the models, as you understand. It depends on preference. Someone wants a bigger screen, someone will like 5.6 inches.

Summarize. The model is perfect for photographers and bloggers, due to a good main camera and selfie. Thanks to stabilization, videos are not bouncing, 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 don't have to be afraid of rain, and it is not scary if the phone falls into a puddle. Rubberized connectors provide added protection.

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

Therefore, before figuring out which company is better to buy a phone, it is better to go through the characteristics and descriptions and compare.