Samsung unveils the Galaxy Note 8

It has been over a year since the launch of the Galaxy Note 7 and the massive recall that followed. Since then we have seen the successful launch of the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, but today we see the new Note. Samsung has just unveiled the Galaxy Note 8, the successor to the Note 7.

Pre-orders for the device will kick off tomorrow August 24th, while the Note 8 will officially launch on September 15th, a longer wait to ship than what we saw with the Note 7. Samsung is implementing its new battery test system, which we saw first used on the S8 and S8 Plus. This eight step system will ensure that the issues seen with the battery in the Note 7 will not occur with the Note 8 and any other future Samsung devices.

The Galaxy Note 8 features a 3,300mAh battery inside, which is smaller than the 3,500mAh battery in the S8 Plus. It is not surprising to see a smaller battery as this helps to alleviate some concerns with the battery in the next Note. Samsung is packing a 6.3-inch 2960 X 1440 bezel less display in the Note 8. It comes in at 522 pixels per inch and fits inside a 6.4″ x 2.9″ x 0.34″ device. Like the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, the home button is built-into the software, while Samsung has placed the fingerprint sensor on the back.

Powering the Note 8 is Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Octa-core 2.35GHz and a 1.9GHz processor in the United States. The international variant will feature a Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa-core 2.35GHz and a 1.7GHz processor. Regardless of the processor setup, Samsung is pairing it with an insane 6GB of RAM. This beats out the 4GB of RAM found in the S8 and S8 Plus, but it also tops most other smartphones with a considerable amount of processing power. Samsung has a custom interface running on top of Android 7.1.1 Nougat and it will

Samsung has a custom interface running on top of Android 7.1.1 Nougat, and it will hopefully get an update to Android Oreo in the future. You have 64GB of internal storage inside, but it can be expanded via a micro SD card slot. You will also charge the Note 8 through the USB-C port or with a wireless charger.

The big advancement with hardware features would be the dual 12-megapixel camera setup on the back. This is the first time that Samsung has implemented a dual lens camera on a flagship device. It will allow Note 8 users to get a higher quality image and to create a bokeh zoom effect on photos taken. The dual 12-megapixel sensor can also record video at full 4K as well. The design team must not have received customer feedback though, as the fingerprint sensor still resides on the back.

Samsung has opted for an 8-megapixel lens on the front for selfies, Snapchats, and video calling. Another important feature of any Galaxy Note would be the S-Pen stylus that is included with the Note 8. Given that the device now has a massive 6.3-inch display, you can use it as a traditional notepad with the S-Pen.

Overall, the Galaxy Note 8 is shaping up to be a very feature filled well-made device. Moreover, it seems that Samsung wants to remove the thought of battery issues, given a smaller sized one inside and the eight step testing process. They also round out the large 6.4-inch device with Gigabit LTE support and IP68 water resistance.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 will be landing on T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, US Cellular, Xfinity Mobile, and Verizon Wireless in the United States. As expected Samsung will eventually offer an unlocked version of the device as well. Pre-orders will start tomorrow, August 24th, 2017, but the device will not land until September 15th, 2017. The Note 8 will only arrive in two colors, black or orchid gray, come launch day.

There is some final good news for customers who bought the Note 7–Samsung will accept a trade-in of your current phone and will give you up to $400 to purchase the Note 8. However, for those who just pre-order the device, you can choose from a 128GB micro SD card and wireless charger or a Samsung Gear 360 as a gift. It is likely that carriers offering the device will have special pre-order deals as well.