Samsung experienced just about one of the most up-and-down years a company can in 2016, excelling out of the gate with the impressive Galaxy S7, before struggling through the back half of the year after the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco.
The South Korean tech giant needed to hit it out of the park with this year’s flagship, and so it took its time, neglecting to reveal the Galaxy S8 during Mobile World Congress in February, and overhauling its safety protocol in the meantime. Now, at long last, Samsung has returned — and made a statement in the process. The Galaxy S8 looks to be one of the most significant leaps forward, particularly in design, of any new product in the company’s flagship lineage.
More: Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus: Our first take
But last year’s Galaxy was no slouch either, and although the S8’s exterior certainly fits the revolutionary bill, it remains to be seen if Samsung’s latest boasts enough meaningful improvements to necessitate an upgrade — especially when the S7 can be had for significantly less after a year on the market. How do they compare? We put them head-to-head to find out.
Specs
Samsung Galaxy S7
Samsung Galaxy S8
Size
142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 millimeters (5.61 x 2.74 x 0.31 inches)
148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 mm (5.86 x 2.68 x 0.31 inches)
Weight
5.36 ounces (152g)
5.47 ounces
Screen
5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED
5.8-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED
Resolution
2,560 x 1,440 pixels
2,960 x 1,440 pixels
OS
Android 6.0 Marshmallow (Upgradeable to 7.0 Nougat)
Android 7.0 Nougat
Storage
32/64GB
64GB
MicroSD card slot
Yes
Yes
NFC support
Yes
Yes
Processor
Qualcomm MSM8996, Snapdragon 820 (U.S.)
Samsung Exynos 8890 (International)
Qualcomm MSM8988, Snapdragon 835 (U.S.),
Exynos 8895 (International)
RAM
4GB
4GB
Connectivity
Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, GSM, HSPA+
Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+
Camera
Front 5MP, Rear 12MP with OIS
Front 8MP, Rear 12MP with OIS
Video
2,160p 4K UHD
2,160p 4K UHD
Bluetooth
Yes, version 4.2
Yes, version 5.0
Fingerprint sensor
Yes
Yes
Other sensors
Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate
Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, iris scanner
Water resistant
Yes, IP68
Yes, IP68
Battery
3,000mAh
3,000mAh
Ports
Micro USB, 3.5mm headphone jack
USB Type-C, 3.5mm headphone jack
Quick Charging
Yes
Yes
Wireless Charging
Yes, Qi and PMA
Yes, Qi and PMA
Marketplace
Google Play Store
Google Play Store
Color offerings
Black, white, gold, silver
Black, silver, Orchid Gray (U.S. Models),
Blue, gold (International models)
Availability
AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile
AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile
Price
$570
Starting at $720
DT review
4 out of 5 stars
First take
In the U.S., the Galaxy S8 trades its predecessor’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 system-on-chip for the newer, more powerful 835. Elsewhere, the S8 will receive Samsung’s new Exynos 8895, replacing the 8890 seen in the international variant of the Galaxy S7. Both the Qualcomm and Samsung chips were comparable in performance last year, and the same looks to be true this time around.
Whichever S8 you buy, it’ll be capable of seriously fast download speeds over LTE — up to 1,000Mbps to be exact. Carriers will soon begin rolling out their gigabit-class LTE networks in limited capacities, and — unlike the S7 — the S8 is future-proof with the necessary hardware to take advantage of the new infrastructure as it proliferates over the next several years.
The Galaxy S8 also utilizes Bluetooth 5.0, which offers improved range and data transfer, though not at the same time. It’s still far superior to the Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity on the S7.
In terms of memory, the S8 retains the 4GB RAM of its predecessor. However, Samsung has thankfully followed the example of Apple and LG and decided to bump up base storage in the S8 to 64GB, up from half of that in the S7. As usual, you can add a MicroSD card to raise that total even higher, if you wish.
The added processing power, future-proofed LTE connectivity, and greater stock storage make the Galaxy S8 the clear winner in the specs race.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S8