Samsung galaxy s8 active discussion. Fresh leak confirms design and specifications of Samsung Galaxy S8 Active

Without exaggeration, the flagship smartphone Galaxy S8 from Samsung can be called a hit of the South Korean manufacturer, which has succeeded past generations. With a detailed review of the model and its improved version of the Galaxy S8+, 3DNews readers can

Traditionally, along with the basic versions, which include the above-mentioned Galaxy S8 and S8+, the developer company produces Note series phablets and a smartphone for lovers of active and extreme recreation - a modification of the S-series smartphone in a protected case. The Galaxy Sx Active family of devices is aimed at those who like to travel far from civilization and prefer a truly breathtaking pastime. This year, the expected addition to Samsung's all-weather mobile range was the Galaxy S8 Active smartphone, presented a few hours ago.

The characteristics of the S8 Active did not come as a surprise to those who closely follow insider information and. The smartphone turned out to be one of the most powerful solutions today in the class of cases protected from dust, moisture and falls. But there were some differences from its predecessor, the Galaxy S8, including the device’s display. The Galaxy S8 Active has an AMOLED screen with a similar diagonal of 5.8 inches and a resolution of 2960 × 1440 pixels. But the display is made in a traditional form factor without the signature curved edges. This is not quite a full-fledged “Infinity Display”, although it retains the same aspect ratio and even resolution. The role of protective glass is played by Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

The impact-resistant case also accommodates:

  • Snapdragon 835 processor;
  • 4 GB of RAM;
  • 64 GB flash drive and microSD card slot;
  • 12 MP rear camera and 8 MP front module;
  • a separate button for quickly launching the Bixby voice assistant;
  • pre-installed Android 7.0 Nougat OS with a proprietary user interface.

The battery of the Galaxy S8 Active received special mention. In a smartphone protected from “external irritants,” its capacity reaches 4000 mAh, which is 1000 mAh more than the capacity of the S8 battery and 500 mAh more than the S8+ battery.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active is not afraid of a good shake and harsh weather conditions. IP68 certification, similar to the regular S8, helps him in this, making both gadgets impervious to dust and immersion in water. The latter, however, is limited to a depth of 1.5 m and a 30-minute time interval. In addition, the Galaxy S8 Active meets military requirements in accordance with the MIL-STD-810G standard, which ensures the integrity of all smartphone components when dropped from a height of up to 1.5 m to a surface without protruding parts. This device is facilitated by a metal case and its protective plastic bumper, complemented by rubberized elements to soften the impact.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active will be offered in two colors - gold and dark gray. It will be possible to pre-order the protected version of the flagship model from August 8th. At the initial stage of sales, the smartphone will be available for purchase only on a contract basis and only from the cellular operator AT&T, which has planned the first deliveries of the gadget for August 11. In this case, the total cost of the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active will be $850 - $28.34 monthly for the next 30 months. Samsung representatives have not yet mentioned the timing of the device’s availability for free sale.

Samsung's Galaxy Active line of smartphones and increasingly rugged wearables have made the South Korean manufacturer a top choice for the most active or most carefree mobile users. Since the Galaxy S4 Active, Samsung has offered IP67 water resistance, years before it became a flagship standard. The rugged design has since been upgraded with military-grade certifications that pass drop, extreme temperature, and IP68 water resistance tests. Year after year, Active smartphones have been released shortly after Samsung's flagship Galaxy models, sometimes differing in internal components to match the appearance of those devices. This year, perhaps the best Android smartphone, the Galaxy S8, was released, and after it the S8 Active appeared. However, in a world where IP68 protection is a common feature of flagship devices, and some also have shock-resistant screens, is the Galaxy Active line really necessary? Let's try to understand.

Contents of delivery:

  • Galaxy S8 Active smartphone
  • USB A to USB C adapter
  • Micro-USB adapter >
  • USB C to USB A charging cable
  • Fast charging adapter
  • Warranty and user manual

Design

The Galaxy S8 Active became the first device in this series after Samsung flagships switched to frameless curved screens. Samsung smartphones no longer have Edge models or models with flat screens, they are all now curved. It is not difficult to guess that the creators of the S8 Active did not wrap the screen on the sides, because the smartphone must survive a fall from a height of one and a half meters. The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, which is covered with an impact-resistant layer. Unfortunately, early reviews say that this layer is easily scratched, just like the Moto Z2 Force's shock-resistant screen. Dense metal covers the edges of the smartphone, the corners are reinforced with hard rubberized plastic. The Bixby virtual assistant still has a separate clicky button underneath the same volume button, while the power button makes a less distinct sound. There is no Home button, just like in the S8. It will be interesting to see how this plays out to users who typically want more durable buttons with a distinct tactile response on such devices.

The military standard MIL-STD-810G means protection from drops, extreme temperatures and other troubles, IP68 certification carries protection from water and dust. The thicker edges of the smartphone not only add to its durability, but also give room for a larger battery. The increase in thickness and weight makes the device more solid in the palm of your hand. It's 50g heavier than the S8, but only 20g heavier than the Galaxy S7 Active, while being the same thickness and width, just a couple of millimeters longer. Samsung was able to offer a durable device that still fits in your pocket.


Screen

The edge-to-edge Infinity Display isn't fully present here with its curved edges, but there are still rounded corners and a high screen-to-body ratio of 75% versus 84% ​​in the S8. The screen diagonal is 5.8 inches, the same as on the standard S8.

Using a voice command, you can force the assistant to open the recorder and immediately start recording. The same is possible in some third-party applications. You can navigate on your smartphone, you can give a command to make a call via Wi-Fi.

The main problem here is the assistant's hearing. Speech recognition cannot be called stable, although it is possible to train the assistant in case of errors. However, the corrected words are sent to Samsung for further analysis. Improved local learning and recognition would be very helpful.

The smartphone lacks the complex shortcut commands found on the Note 8. These commands take automation to the next level by activating various actions based on phrases. I would like to be able to say “Good night” to the assistant and see the activation of the Do Not Disturb feature and the blue light filter, as well as an alarm with a previously set time. For now, you can only create one phrase for one action. Since the latest version of the software was installed on the smartphone, one might think that the virtual assistant may be different on different smartphone models.

There's a card in the Bixby panel called Active Zone. On it you can see the barometer and compass readings, there are switches for a flashlight and a stopwatch. Clicking on the card opens the Active Zone in full screen, and the weather and Samsung Health suite apps also appear. There is also a switch for the flashlight in the notification center. The Galaxy S7 Active had a physical button called Activity, but now there's a Bixby assistant button instead, so it makes sense that app data has moved here.

Processor and memory

For now, this smartphone is exclusive to the American mobile operator AT&T and runs only on Snapdragon 835 processors, while the usual S8 variants in other countries are based on the Exynos 8895 processor. The difference in performance between them, if there is any, is subtle. 4 GB of RAM also contributes to high speed. Navigation is fast and smooth, applications launch just as quickly, no matter how many of them are already open. Stuttering and forced closing were observed only when setting up Bixby for the first time, but then the assistant began to work as expected. This is not surprising since the specifications are the same as the regular Galaxy S8, so the speed is the same.

Connection

The LTE-A Pro category 16 communication standard is supported, which means it will be possible to use gigabit LTE in the coming years. There is also Bluetooth 5.1, NFC/MST for mobile payments and wireless charging.

Cameras

This smartphone uses the same optics as the standard S8. The rear camera has a resolution of 12 megapixels and optical image stabilization. Front camera 8 MP. The shooting modes familiar to the latest Samsung models are available, including the depth effect on both sensors. Although the effect can be edited after shooting, this ability is limited to three modes. Near Focus displays a normal bokeh effect, Far Focus applies blur to foreground objects and shows the background clearly, and Pan Focus shows everything clearly without blur. There's no slider to adjust blur like the Galaxy Note 8's Live Focus feature.

Regular photos on the front camera come out with good exposure and detail. Selective focus works fine, although there are no problems with focus and exposure throughout the photo.

The rear camera performs well in low light, with levels of detail on par with the best smartphones and superior color accuracy and richness in the shadows. While this camera isn't a champion at managing contrast between bright and dark areas, and in this case the iPhone 7 is better, low-light colors and clarity with minimal digital noise are close to the maximum parameters. In any case, it is better to have a couple of bright areas than to have colorless darkness throughout the photo.

The tendency to produce colors well in low light may be due to the sensor's preference for a warmer yellowish tint, whereas the iPhone produces more accurate colors. It's a matter of taste and may look different to different people's eyes, but it seems like Samsung is once again the leader in low-light photography in terms of color accuracy.

Macro shots provide excellent foreground clarity and a nice blur effect, while photos are taken quickly thanks to Dual Pixel technology.

Video quality

The Pixel also performs well when shooting video. Objects come into focus almost instantly, and optical stabilization contributes to video quality. In general, the quality of the video is not inferior to the quality of the photos, the detail is high, the movements look natural, and the color rendition is normal.

Multimedia

This year, users managed to get acquainted with the advantages and disadvantages of frameless long screens. They have problems with video formatting due to the unusual aspect ratio. As a result, the video is cropped or stretched to fit such screens. In this case, the ratio is 18.5:9, just like the original S8. Video originally shot in 2:1 format is the best option for this smartphone, but even then there are black bars at the bottom and top. YouTube already has automatic screen filling for 2:1 format, but such content is rare.

Listening to music here is more enjoyable than on many other smartphones. The speaker produces loud and quite rich sound compared to other flagships. Samsung has once again succeeded in this area.

Call quality

Nothing special can be said about the quality of phone calls on the S8 Active. There are no complaints, you can hear your interlocutors normally, and they also hear you clearly. The sound in the ear is a little quieter than we would like, but the speakerphone is loud.

Autonomous operation

Compared to the standard S8, the battery capacity has increased by 1000 mAh and is 4000 mAh. This means 32 hours of talk time versus 30 hours. This also means use throughout the day, with a moderate load of one and a half days even with the Always On Display active. In standby mode, the developers promise three to four days on the S8 and five days on the S8 Active. In tests with the screen turned off, the device lasted almost 11 hours, two and a half hours more than the S8 and almost the same as the Galaxy S7 Active. The fast charging time was not too fast and amounted to two hours.

Is it possible to buy Samsung Galaxy S8 Active in Russia

Currently, the device is not sold in Russia and Samsung does not say whether it will appear in large retail chains in the future. Perhaps the device can be purchased in small online stores.

Conclusion

The S8 Active managed to do something that modern smartphones don't do. It's taken cutting-edge technology and packaged it into a rugged design that fits easily into your pocket. It would seem that you need to make the metal case thicker, add rubber corners and impact-resistant glass and you're done. In fact, the process is not so simple and the South Korean manufacturer managed to cope with it. In addition to the usual protection from water and dust found on other smartphones, this model has increased protection against falls and extreme temperatures.

The device still has normal size and weight. Although it is heavier than the standard S8, its battery capacity has increased, and with it the battery life. Edge-to-edge smartphones continue to hit the market, which tend to be more fragile, but Samsung still offers an option for those who want a more rugged device.

pros

  • Military standards for protection, durability and strength
  • Great camera with fast focus
  • Increased battery capacity
  • Improved Bixby assistant

Minuses

  • Heavier than standard S8
  • The camera shoots with a yellowish tint

The release of the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active has not yet been officially announced, but we already know almost everything about it. The newest member of Samsung's Active smartphone line will have most of the features of the Galaxy S8, but will be clad in a particularly durable body. Famous tester Evan Blass (@evleaks) has published an official render of the Galaxy S8 Active.

The picture doesn't show us much that we didn't already know, but we can pick out a few small details. The smartphone will have a raised frame to better protect the display and metal bumpers on all four corners that appear to have Torx screws. It's possible that this indicates that the bumpers will be replaceable, but again, this may just be for cosmetic effect. But if these bumpers actually turn out to be removable, it could open up a whole new market for accessories. This will be a great way to differentiate the S8 Active from its glass brethren.

In terms of specs, the Galaxy S8 Active (likely an AT&T exclusive) will have a 5.8″ (2960×1440) Super AMOLED flat screen with Gorilla Glass 5 and an 18.5:9 aspect ratio, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64 GB of internal memory, expandable via microSD cards, 12-megapixel main camera + 8-megapixel front camera, 4000 mAh battery and fast wireless charging. The Galaxy S8 Active will support MIL-STD-810G and IP-68 with water and dust resistance. The Bixby intelligent assistant will also be on board and will have its own special button to call it. The smartphone will be available in 2 colors: Meteor Gray and Titanium Gold.

Some sites quote a release date of August 1, 2017, based on screen protector product listings from Amazon, but this is obviously not a very reliable source. Regardless of whether this becomes true, we know for sure that we will see the Galaxy S8 Active soon. After all, the render has July 21st listed on screen, indicating a potential release date that has been delayed.

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Together with the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active, you will no longer have to worry about possible falls of the smartphone on the floor or into water - the flagship body is dressed in “armor”, the degree of protection of which meets the requirements of the military standard MIL-STD-810G.

Performance backlog

Translated into a more understandable language, we can talk about the fact that the mobile device is not afraid of dust, dirt, falls from a height of one and a half meters and immersion under water to a depth of about 1.5 m for half an hour. With all this, the “armored car” body is equipped with Pro-level “filling”, which the smartphone inherited from the classic version of the Samsung Galaxy S8: the most powerful Snapdragon 835 chip, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage and advanced Adreno 540 graphics. With such a high-performance hardware base, the model will not lose its relevance over the next few years.

Authentication Methods

Similar to its basic counterpart is the 5.8-inch display of the smartphone, built on the basis of a SuperAMOLED matrix with a resolution of 2960x1440 pixels. However, there are still differences - due to the protruding sides, the screen of the Active version has lost its beveled edges. The space above the display is occupied by numerous sensors, an 8 MP selfie camera and iris scanner - a special sensor identifies the owner of a smartphone by his retina. Another method of user authentication is fingerprint scanning. But the place for the fingerprint sensor cannot be called successful - the finger constantly strives to touch the “eye” of the main camera located nearby.

Maximum configuration

If we're talking about the device's camera, it should be noted that it is deservedly considered one of the most advanced. A sensor with a resolution of 12 MP and a maximum aperture of f/1.7 ranks first in all kinds of ratings and tests and shows very decent results in real use.

Mobile photographers have at their disposal an optical image stabilization system, tenacious autofocus and flexible settings for photo and video shooting. Among other useful features of the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active, it is necessary to highlight support for fast and wireless charging technologies, as well as the Bixby voice assistant, which is designed to simplify the user’s interaction with the smartphone.

You should not think that the Galaxy S8 Active smartphone is much better compared to the Galaxy S8 Active, because it is not. The smartphone should be perceived as the best choice among devices with increased durability, while it does not sacrifice performance, screen, camera and other advantages. Battery life has been significantly improved, but for the sake of durability, it has to give up the design elements that made the S8 so attractive.

  • Pros of the Galaxy S8 Active
  • Full Galaxy S8
  • High battery life
  • Rugged housing
  • Impact resistant screen

Some people prefer a flat screen to a curved one.

  • Cons of the Galaxy S8 Active
  • Too big and heavy for many
  • Nothing different except the body
  • More expensive than the standard model

The screen is scratched

What we liked about the Galaxy S8 Active

The main advantage of the Galaxy S8 Active is that at its core it is still the same excellent S8 smartphone. Every specification, every feature and every component remains the same. This means you'll get high performance, a wide range of software features, and one of the best cameras around. The case is protected from water and dust, and there are no fewer connectors. The traditional 3.5 mm headphone jack remains in its place without a plug. You also get a gorgeous Super AMOLED screen with excellent brightness that is easy to view even in direct sunlight.

One characteristic has changed noticeably, but for the better. Battery capacity has increased to 4000 mAh instead of 3000 mAh in S8 and 3500 mAh in . Naturally, the battery life has also increased. Most often, by the end of the day the charge remains at 20% -30%.

The developers also want to highlight this smartphone with a shock-resistant screen. Presumably, you can drop it from a height of one and a half meters onto a hard surface and the screen will remain intact.

What you didn't like about the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active

When working with a smartphone every day, it does not cause any major complaints. The main disadvantage is the size. The smartphone is wider, longer, thicker and heavier than the standard version, and by a lot. It is 10 g heavier even compared to, in size it is between. This is a lot, especially considering that the screen size is the same as the standard S8.

Due to its large size, the smartphone is harder to work with and uncomfortable to hold, even when compared to the slippery S8. Its appearance is not as beautiful as the sleek standard version.

There is another aspect, not so noticeable. The shock-resistant screen became so thanks to a special film on top of Gorilla Glass 5. As in the Moto Z2 Force smartphone, this coating is easily scratched. Thus, the scratches do not remain on the glass itself, but on the plastic on top, but they are still scratches.

There are four major mobile operators in the US and the S8 Active is sold only by AT&T. This means there are a dozen generally unnecessary pre-installed apps, although they can be disabled or uninstalled. Changes have also been made to the operating system. Fortunately, the smartphone should also appear on other operators.

The device costs $849, which is $100 more than the standard S8 and the same as the S8+. This is a big difference for a smartphone that does not differ in terms of specifications and functionality.

Is it worth buying the Galaxy S8 Active?

Power users who are always looking to get a device with maximum battery life may want to get a flagship smartphone like the S8 with a large 4000mAh battery. However, first we need to think about what made the standard S8 so attractive: its design.

The Active model is larger and heavier, and lacks the curved screen edges that are a hallmark of the S8. On the other hand, for some, on the contrary, this will become an advantage, but the same cannot be said about gravity. Because of its thickness, the S8 Active doesn't look or feel like the flagship Galaxy S8, which is what most people pay for.

Thus, those wishing to buy the S8 can hardly recommend the S8 Active only because of the larger battery. This plus alone cannot outweigh the size, weight, shape and price. This smartphone can only be recommended to those who need it for work or because of their lifestyle.

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