Paul Briden 24/08/2017 - 12:59pm

We look at how the Galaxy Note 8 will compare to its stable-mates

Samsung has now officially outed its Galaxy Note 8 at its Samsung Unpacked event in New York, which took place on August 23. True to form, the full picture we'd gleaned from months of leaks was exactly on point, Samsung launched an impressive device packed with top-tier tech, but none of it was a surprise.

Still, as expected, what we did get was essentially a bigger version of the Galaxy S8+ but with a few extra tweaks. A more squared off design, for one thing, as well as the S-Pen stylus, enhanced multitasking features, and Samsung's first dual-sensor camera on the back.

Below we'll take a look at how the specs compare and what the key differences are.

Samsung Galaxy S8 & Galaxy S8+ Specs

  • Dimensions:148.9 x 68.1 x 8mm/159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1mm
  • Weight: 155g/173g
  • Display: 5.8in (Galaxy S8 @570ppi) & 6.2in (Galaxy S8 Plus @529ppi) Quad HD+ Super AMOLED, 2960x1440 Infinity Display (18.5:9 Aspect Ratio)
  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (10nm) octa-core CPU OR Samsung Exynos 8995 (10nm) octa-core CPU - region dependent
  • GPU: Adreno 540 (Qualcomm Snapdragon) OR ARM Mali-G71 (Samsung Exynos) - region dependent
  • RAM:4GB OR 6GB - region dependent
  • Software: Android Nougat
  • Connectivity: 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Type-C USB, NFC, GPS, Fingerprint scanner
  • Storage: 64GB
  • MicroSD: Yes
  • Primary Camera: 12MP, f/1.7 aperture, 1/2.5" sensor size, 1.4µm pixel size, Dual-Pixel Phase Detection Autofocus, OIS, touch focus, face/smile detection, Auto HDR, panorama, 2160p video @30fps, 1080p video @60fps
  • Secondary Camera: 8MP with autofocus, f/1.7 aperture, Auto HDR, 1440p video @30fps
  • Battery: 3,000mAh
  • Other: IP68 Certified (Water & Dust Resistant)

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Specs

  • Dimensions: 162.5 x 74.6 x 8.5mm
  • Display: 6.3in Quad HD+ Super AMOLED, 2960x1440 Infinity Display (18.5:9 Aspect Ratio)
  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (10nm) octa-core CPU OR Samsung Exynos 8995 (10nm) octa-core CPU - region dependent
  • GPU: Adreno 540 (Qualcomm Snapdragon) OR ARM Mali-G71 (Samsung Exynos) - region dependent
  • RAM:6GB
  • Software: Android Nougat
  • Connectivity: 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Type-C USB, NFC, GPS, Fingerprint scanner, Iris Scanner, Face Scanner
  • Storage: 64GB, 128GB or 256GB - region dependent
  • MicroSD: Yes
  • Primary Camera: Dual-12MP, f/1.7 and f/2.4 apertures, 1/2.3" sensor size, 1.55µm pixel size, Dual-Pixel Phase Detection Autofocus, OIS, 2x optical zoom, touch focus, face/smile detection, Auto HDR, panorama, 2160p video @30fps, 1080p video @60fps
  • Secondary Camera: 8MP with autofocus, f/1.7 aperture, Auto HDR, 1440p video @30fps
  • Battery: 3,300mAh
  • Other: IP68 Certified (Water & Dust Resistant), S-Pen Stylus

On the whole there is not be a massive difference between the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8 series, but this isn't unusual for Samsung's historic approach to both ranges; the Note is usually very close in design and features to its contemporary Galaxy S stable-mate for a given year, with a few tweaks here and there.

Design wise it's looking very similar, although a bit more squared off in shape. It retains the same curved edge, Super AMOLED "Infinity Display" technology meaning a massive edge-to-edge, wrap-around screen with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. It's be a wee bit larger than the Galaxy S8+ in all dimensions and the display is slightly bigger on the diagonal at 6.3in, but all in it's quite close.

It also keeps the water and dust proofing certification, and most of the same connectivity types.  Much of the internal hardware is the same, including the processor options for Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 series and Samsung's own top-tier Exynos equivalent.

The core changes include the addition of both an iris scanner and a face scanner, the presence of a superior dual-camera sensor with 2x optical zoom, a bigger battery cell, and an uplift in RAM and storage capacity. In addition it carries the signature Note series pressure-sensitive S-Pen (which is itself IP68 water proofed, just like the main bodyshell) and features the usual raft of split-screen multitasking features designed to fully leverage both the stylus and the massive display.

The battery is boosted by 300mAh extra over the Galaxy S8+ so should see some VERY impressive battery life considering what a powerhouse the existing model has proven. A base level of 6GB RAM should also see noticably better performance, especially on intensive multitasking and gaming.