The Samsung Galaxy S8 line of flagship smartphones ranks highest in Consumer Reports's latest survey, getting top ratings.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are among the most popular and high-end smartphones currently available on the market, boasting gorgeous designs combined with powerful specs and features all around.
Samsung had a tough year last year with two Galaxy Note 7 recalls over exploding batteries, and observers were wondering whether the company would be able to regain consumer trust after that fiasco. As it turns out, Samsung not only regained consumers' trust with the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, but the two flagships are also the best-ranked smartphones just months after going on sale.
Samsung Galaxy S8 And Galaxy S8+ Ranked Best Smartphones
The larger Samsung Galaxy S8+ takes the very top spot, followed by the Galaxy S8 in second place. Rounding up the top five are the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge from last year, followed by the LG G6 and the iPhone 7 Plus.
This goes a long way in the never-ending rivalry between Samsung and Apple, as Samsung takes the first three positions while Apple's flagship ranks fifth.
"The phones occupying the loftiest spots in the Consumer Reports smartphone ratings all excel at nearly everything, but there's always one top dog, and at the moment it's the Samsung Galaxy S8+, followed closely by its slightly smaller sibling, the Galaxy S8," notes Consumer Reports.
"If you want a stunning camera, long battery life, and gorgeous display in a water-resistant package, one of these could be the right phone for you."
The mighty flagships don't come cheap, however. The Samsung Galaxy S8 will set you back by $720, while the Galaxy S8+ starts at roughly $840.
Samsung Galaxy S8 Design
The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ do have stunning designs, in addition to high-end specs. Both smartphones boast large displays for an amazing screen-to-body ratio, and they're tall and skinny so they have a small footprint and they're not hard to hold with one hand. Nevertheless, it might still be quite difficult for some to tap the upper part of the smartphones one-handedly, especially with the Galaxy S8+.
Not everything's perfect with the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ design, however, and Consumer Reports calls it like it is. The fingerprint scanner on both handsets is oddly placed on the rear right next to the camera, which makes it uncomfortable and inconvenient to use, and often results in accidental smudges on the camera lens.
Samsung initially wanted to equip its Galaxy S8 line with in-display fingerprint authentication and teamed up with Synaptics to make it happen, but the implementation took longer than expected and Samsung ultimately decided to launch the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ with rear-mounted fingerprint scanners rather than delay the release.
Despite this design flaw, the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ stirred great interest and they're wildly popular, which Consumer Reports proves with its latest stats. Until the Galaxy Note 8, the iPhone 8, and the Google Pixel 2 make their official debuts, it seems the Galaxy S8 line rules the high-end smartphone market.
