Is the Samsung S8 still worth buying in 2023? The Samsung Galaxy S8 was released in 2017 and has now been on the market for several years. While it was a popular phone when it was first released, it may not be the most up-to-date option available in 2023.
If you are considering purchasing a Samsung Galaxy S8, it’s important to keep in mind that technology continues to evolve rapidly and newer models with advanced features have been released since the S8’s launch. You may want to compare the S8’s specifications and features to newer models to determine if it is the best option for you. Additionally, you may want to consider factors such as price, availability of software updates, and the phone’s overall longevity before making a purchase decision.
What else happened in 2017, when the Samsung Galaxy S8?
In 2017, Donald Trump was sworn in as President of the United States; the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced their third child, and Catalan independence is making headlines.
The Galaxy S8 was released the same year.
Three years later, the world has changed in unexpected ways. COVID-19 had spread at an alarming rate worldwide at the time of writing. It is now considered a global pandemic and is expected to change how we live for the foreseeable future.
In the mobile space, relatively little has changed.
Smartphones are faster than ever, but that happens with each iteration, so nothing new. The most important features in 2020 will be high HZ displays, larger batteries, and cameras with excellent low-light performance. The recently unveiled Galaxy S20 offers an excellent blend of all three.
The Galaxy S20 is superior to the Galaxy S8. The S10 is as well. However, their superiority isn’t so great that the difference is comparable to seeing a DVD for the first time after watching VHS for a decade.
The secret has been revealed.
The big secret is that top-tier 2017 specifications, such as those found in the S8 will still be relevant in 2023. Processors, RAM, displays, and cameras remain excellent. Many newer mid-range devices perform similarly, with one major difference: they are nowhere near as premium and pleasant to hold. That is the primary distinction between the S8 and a newer mid-range device like the Galaxy A51.
Another distinction is the price, and there is a significant price difference between the Galaxy S8 and a new mid-range smartphone.
For example, a refurbished Samsung Galaxy S8 in Grade A (very good) condition costs around £185. For the same level of performance, a mid-range smartphone released in the last 6 months will cost between £350 and £450.
The price difference between a Galaxy S8 and a Galaxy S20 is even more pronounced. The SIM-free Samsung Galaxy S20 costs £799.99 at the time of writing, which is more than four times the price! The question is, what do you lose if you buy a Galaxy S8? What are you willing to give up?
The most significant shortcomings
Galaxy S20 Refurbished.
The main differences between the S8 and the Galaxy S20 are the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and the larger battery.
The S8 has a fingerprint sensor on the back and a 3,000 mAh battery. The fingerprint sensor is extremely fast, but it can be awkward, and the battery is nowhere near as large as the S20’s 4,000 mAh unit. With repeated use, you will notice this.
You also missed out on the stunning full-screen display of the S20 (the S10 series also has this feature). Even Samsung’s mid-range phones, such as the Galaxy A51, now have full-screen displays, though the quality of the displays on these devices is not as good as the display on the S8. The S8 is superior in this regard.
Samsung’s newer top-tier phones are also faster and have better cameras (the S20’s camera is outstanding), but these enhancements are standard.
You need to know that the S8’s display, processor, RAM, battery life, and camera performance were still very good in 2023, and they are more than capable of competing with the latest mid-range handsets. We’ll go over these features in greater detail below to help you decide whether the Galaxy S8 is still worth purchasing in 2023.
You can purchase a refurbished Samsung Galaxy S8.
The Galaxy S8 has a 5.8-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED (2960 x 1440) display with 570 PPI.
It is more pixels per inch than the display on the S20 (563 pixels).
This, combined with the S8’s 0.4″ smaller display, results in a very crisp and vibrant display that’s a joy to watch videos on and use daily.
The S8 was released before “full screen” displays were popular, but it was revolutionary, with no side bezels and a small top and bottom chin. It was dubbed the “Infinity Display” by Samsung and is still in use today. It is, in fact, the same display as in the S9, and it remains one of the best smartphone panels ever.
Processor and RAM
The Exynos Octa 8895 (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad), 64-bit, 10nm processor in the Galaxy S8, is paired with 4GB of RAM. The processor is comparable to Snapdragon 835, which came standard phones in the United States.
The Exynos Octa-core processor in the S8 is a couple of generations old, but it’s still a fast performer. In 2017, Geekbench tested its benchmark, yielding a multi-core score of 1457. To put that in context, the S10 received a score of 2,490, but it is two generations younger, having been released in 2019.
For smartphones, 4GB of RAM is plenty. Many smartphones now have 6GB, 8GB, or even more RAM, but there comes the point when enough is enough. 4 GB of RAM is sufficient for gaming, multitasking, and running split-screen apps. 6GB and 8GB are preferable, but 4GB is adequate.
Life of the battery
The 3000 mAh battery on the Galaxy S8 is rated for 20 hours of talk time and 16 hours of video playback. In practice, you should get a full day out of the battery with moderate use. The majority of reviewers highly rate battery life.
Of course, battery life is subjective because it is determined by how your phone is used. The answer is fast charging, which the S8 has. You can use a fast charger for up to 15W to get a 10 to 50% charge in about 25 minutes.
Camera
The Galaxy S8 has an 8-megapixel front-facing camera and a 12-megapixel dual-pixel rear camera.
When it came out, many people thought it was the best smartphone camera ever. It’s still a very good smartphone camera, but the Galaxy S10 and S20 have moved the game along quite a bit.
Because there is no ultra-wide-angle lens, you are limited to a fixed focal length, which is the S8’s main disadvantage over newer smartphones. If you want an ultra-wide-angle lens, consider the S9, S10, or S20 (or S21 and S22 if you are buying in 2023).
The S8 takes excellent photos when it does take them. The autofocus is quick, and the images are extremely sharp. Although the S20 has a dedicated Night Mode, it’s also great for low light if you switch to Pro Mode and adjust the shutter speed and ISO.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 was worth it in 2023, thanks to its stunning display, long battery life, excellent build quality, and snappy performance. Even though newer flagships may have more features, they cost so much more than the extra features that are useless.
How to buy a Samsung Galaxy S8 in 2023?
In 2023, you can get the Grade A refurbished Samsung Galaxy S8 for around £185, and we honestly can’t think of a better smartphone for the money.
If you want a small-ish phone, Samsung has no direct competitors in the mid-range sector. The S8’s 5.8-inch screen makes it smaller than all of Samsung’s A-series phones. In any case, the S8 would be less expensive, so we’d go with that.