After months of endless leaks and speculations, Samsung has finally announced its flagships for 2017 — the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.
The launch did not throw up too many surprises, and the Galaxy S8 houses most of the rumored and leaked features. With the Galaxy S8 set to become available soon, users of the predecessor Galaxy S7 must be wondering whether it is worth upgrading to the next-gen variant.
To help consumers take an informed decision, here's a look at the differences and similarities between the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S7.
Design
The Galaxy S8 brings to the table some major improvements when it comes to the design. This is the first phone in the series to come with minimal bezels and no physical home button. The device also repositions the fingerprint scanner to the back panel, just beside the rear-facing camera. The handset also has a screen to body ratio of 84.26 percent.
The Galaxy S7, on the other hand, has a lot more bezel, which is mainly due to the front-facing fingerprint sensor and the home button. At 72.30 percent, the screen to body ratio of the Galaxy S7 is lower than the Galaxy S8.
Display
As rumored, the Galaxy S8 comes with a 5.8-inch Quad HD+ (2,960 x 1,440 pixels) Super AMOLED Infinity display, with a pixel density of 570ppi. The screen has an 18.5:9 aspect ratio, which gives it a wider display.
By comparison, the Galaxy S7 sports a smaller 5.1-inch Quad HD (2,560 x 1,440 pixels) Super AMOLED display, with a pixel density of 576ppi. The Galaxy S7's screen supports an aspect ratio of 16:9, which was the norm in most 2016 smartphones.
So, when it comes to screen resolution and display size, the new flagship device from Samsung steals the show. Those looking for a bigger screen and higher resolution will gravitate toward the Galaxy S8.
CPU And GPU
Depending on the region the user is in, the Galaxy S7 comes in two variants. In the United States, it houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC, while in other countries, the smartphone is powered by the Exynos 8890 chipset. The device also features an Adreno 530 GPU.
On the other hand, the U.S. variant of the Galaxy S8 comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, while the international variants will house the Exynos 8895 SoC. An Adreno 540 GPU is also featured under the hood.
The latest CPU and GPU on offer in the Galaxy S8 will likely improve the performance of the handset. However, only real-world tests will be able to determine the performance gap between the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S8.
Memory And Storage
The 2017 flagship Galaxy S8 from Samsung comes with 4 GB of RAM. It will be available in 64 GB onboard storage option, which can be further expanded up to 256 GB via a microSD card.
The Galaxy S7 also boasts 4 GB of RAM. However, the device is available in two internal storage options — 32 GB and 64 GB. A user can expand this memory up to 256 GB through a microSD slot. It must be noted that the Galaxy S7 is available in the 32 GB option in the United States. The 64 GB variant is for select markets.
Consumers will be disappointed to learn that the RAM has not been bumped up in the Galaxy S8 as rumored. However, the availability of the 64 GB storage option will find favor with those looking to upgrade.
Camera
Both the Galaxy S8 and its predecessor come with a 12-megapixel rear camera, and an aperture of f/1.7. However, it is important to note that the Galaxy S8 features dual LED flash and also an innovative new functionality known as Bixby Vision. This allows users to scan items like a landmark, or a logo, and receive instant information about it.
The Galaxy S7 houses a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, while the Galaxy S8 boasts a superior 8-megapixel one.
When it comes to camera capabilities, both devices are on equal footing. It remains to be seen if slight improvements in the new handset are enough to entice consumers to upgrade.
Operating System
The Galaxy S7 initially launched with Android Marshmallow on board and since then it has been updated to Android 7.0 Nougat.
The Galaxy S8 will come with Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. However, it is likely that Samsung pushes out the Android 7.1.2 Nougat update to the newer handset first.
Battery
Both the handsets house a 3,000 mAh battery. However, the Galaxy S8 comes with built-in wireless charging facility. This feature is optional for the Galaxy S7 smartphones.
What's New?
One of the most important features the new device introduces, which the older smartphone lacks, is the presence of Bixby, the new AI developed by Samsung. This virtual assistant is akin to the Google Assistant and is believed to make the user experience smoother.
The Galaxy S8 shifts to a USB Type-C port, compared to the microUSB one on the Galaxy S7. The smartphone will also support the Samsung DeX accessory, which would enable a desktop-like experience when the handset is connected to the $150 device.
Price
The 32 GB unlocked variant of the Galaxy S7 retails for $569.99 in Black Onyx. The company is yet to announce the price of the 64 GB Galaxy S8, but it is expected to start at $720, which is $150 more than its predecessor. For now, enthusiasts can register for the upcoming device online. The handset will be available in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Coral Blue, Arctic Silver, and Maple Gold. Preorders open on March 30 and the device hits the shelves on April 21.
While most improvements are minor ones, it cannot be ignored that the Galaxy S8 features a significantly better display along with the latest CPU. The arrival of Bixby and dual audio support — which means that one will be able to pair two Bluetooth headphones simultaneously — are also positives.
However, the price difference may not go down well with many consumers, and they may decide to stick to the Galaxy S7 instead.
