Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Pro Reviews

If you currently own the Note 8, there’s seriously not a whole lot of reasons to make the upgrade to the Note 9 – it's just not worth forking over the extra money!

So, what's the final verdict? We've got two big, beautiful phones, with similar features and hardware specs. How does one make the call on which one to buy? Well, consider two things. First — the S Pen. Yeah, that's the main differentiator here — not the cameras, which are only slightly different, not Android 8 Oreo, which doesn't seem to do much for the Galaxy S9+ and is already en route to the Note 8 anyway. The S Pen is an awesome tool for those that want the freedom of jotting down notes by hand or those who would like to do sketching on the go. If you care about your stylus game, going for the Note 8 is a perfectly logical choice. Second — price. From Samsung's own website, the Galaxy S9+ can be bought for $840 unlocked, while the Galaxy Note 8 still costs $950. Ouch, that's a $110 price hike and you trade the newer hardware of the S9+ for the Note 8's S Pen. You probably see where we are going with this — if you don't see yourself using the stylus, absolutely go for the Galaxy S9+ without question.

When you're spending around $1,000 for a smartphone, you're going to want to have a lot to like – and both of these handsets very much deliver. They're at the top of their games in performance, camera quality, visuals, and offering software that feels custom-tailored to this unique hardware.

The OnePlus 5 is one of the best phones to get if value for money is what you’re looking for. It was far from perfect at launch, but software updates have taken care of many of the wrinkles, and now, with a starting price below $500, it is a phone worth checking out. Thanks to the top-notch hardware under its hood, speed is one of its biggest strengths, and Android enthusiasts could find the clean, bloat-free UI more appealing than Samsung’s software experience. But is the OnePlus 5 a worthy alternative to the Galaxy Note 8? Not really. Anyone who is even considering the Galaxy Note 8 as their next Android phone is likely someone who does not make compromises. True, you can get two OnePlus 5 phones for the price of a Galaxy Note 8, but with its modern and efficient design, with its superior camera, with its feature-rich interface and S Pen integration, the Note 8 is definitely the handset to go with if you demand the very best Android can currently offer.

After a tricky year and a few lessons learned, the Note 8 is back to winning ways.

There’s nothing quite like a Galaxy Note. Samsung’s flagship may not stray wildly beyond the Galaxy S8 and S8+ we’ve already seen, but the changes it brings – S Pen, camera, and more RAM – pay dividends in all the right ways. Certainly it’s not a cheap device, but nobody said the cutting-edge would be easily attainable. For many, the Galaxy S8+ will be more than enough Android. Still, the excellent dual-camera functionality Samsung has developed, not to mention the S Pen which simply gets better generation after generation, mean the new Note still more than justifies its spot at the top of the phone-maker’s range. Right now, the Note 8 is as good as it gets.

The Note 8 is Samsung’s big phone comeback story, making up for the Note 7 recall. It has an expansive 6.3-inch ‘Infinity Display,’ faster 6GB of RAM performance and two best-in-class rear cameras, which add up to one of the most expensive phones ever. Just don’t expect record-breaking battery life from its predictably average-sized battery that plays it safe. It’s the best big phone you can buy, if you can handle the enormous size and price.

The Galaxy Note 8 retakes the throne as the ultimate Android phone for now, but some intense competition is just over the horizon.

The Galaxy Note 8 is nothing less than a triumphant return for Samsung's flagship phablet and the best phone it has ever rmade.

Between the Galaxy Note 8 and the iPhone 7 Plus, it's the Note 8 that currently has the 'wow!' advantage. This is exclusively due to its modern, almost-bezelless design, as well as smooth, glossy finishes and fresh color options. When you pick up a Note 8, even the boring all-black one, it strikes you as an intensely powerful and cutting-edge device; an extremely expensive, $930 high-end smarpthone that can do it all, and then some. And it really delivers. Right now, it's the culmination of Samsung's expertise and effort in mobile. This is the ultimate Galaxy.

If you're a die-hard Note fan, and already like the new look Samsung introduced with the S8 this year, then maybe the Note 8 makes a lot of sense. But if the most attractive thing about this handset for you is just the dual cameras, maybe wait until the Galaxy S9 and see if you can't get some similar imaging hardware in a more compact package for a lot less money.