Galaxy Note 8: why not rush on the new Samsung smartphone

Galaxy Note 8: Samsung has unveiled Wednesday its new smartphone, the Galaxy Note 8. A particularly anticipated model on which it is not necessary to rush. Why you should not rush to the new Samsung smartphone

A few days before the IFA, Samsung created the sensation by formalizing its Galaxy Note 8. If the vast majority of features and design had already leaked, everyone was waiting with some impatience for the officialization of the successor of the " Explosive Galaxy Note 7.

On Thursday we introduced you this new model that will remain in the memory as being the first smartphone of Samsung to embark a dual photo sensor. In addition to this feature, which tends to dominate the high-end smartphone segment, there is an XXL (6.3-inch, Super AMOLED, QHD) display, a lot of RAM (6 GB) and the famous S Pen.

The Galaxy Note 8 will be the best phablet of the year. Still, one can not help thinking that one should not rush on the last smartphone of the South Korean brand.

• Its price is very high

This is probably the major argument that will cool more than one. The Galaxy Note 8 is offered in its basic version at more than 1,000 euros (1,009 euros). The symbolic bar of 1,000 euros is here for the first time for a basic configuration and this to make to cringe.

Admittedly, the Galaxy Note 8 is not the first smartphone to be launched at a high price. In particular, the iPhone 7 Plus has a starting price of $ 909 (and climbs up to $1,129 for the 256GB version) or the Samsung Galaxy S8 + ($ 909 on its release). At this price, each small defect is amplified, starting with software tracking.

Unlike Apple with the iPhone or Google with its Nexus / Pixel, Samsung does not master the software part. As a result, the Galaxy Note 8 will not take advantage of Android 8.0 Oreo to its release and will have to content with Android 7.1.1 Nougat. Even if the update is likely to happen quickly, should a customer willing to pay more than $ 1,000 in a smartphone benefit from the latest advances as soon as they are released?

• With the S8 +, Samsung offers a competitor of choice to its Galaxy Note 8!
  
  Moreover, the policy of Samsung has enough to leave puzzled. The Galaxy Note 8 is indeed the third high-end smartphone unveiled by Samsung this year. It succeeds the Galaxy S8 and S8 +, and the differences between the models are less and less obvious.

Historically, the Galaxy Note range has stood out from the Galaxy Sx by the size of its screen. A difference that gave birth to the term phablette, a hybrid product between the smartphone and the tablet. Another notable difference is the presence of the S Pen, to which we will return a little later.

User of the first Galaxy Note, this format "small tablet" was for me a real asset. The range stood out by exceeding 5 inches at a time when the majority of smartphones did not exceed this size. Today, the market has evolved and most smartphones exceed 5 inches, leaving the term philette to devices close to 6 inches (or exceeding them).

At Samsung, the Galaxy S8 is 5.8 inches, the "+" version peaks at 6.2 inches and the Galaxy Note 8 reaches 6.3 inches. If one can eliminate the Galaxy S8, the difference between the S8 + and Note 8 is much less obvious (0.1 inch difference).

The size is not the only thing in common between the S8 + and the new Galaxy Note 8. They are released six months apart, their design is very close and several elements of the data sheet are identical, starting with the puce (Exynos 8895).

A logical proximity since there can not be a technological gap between a smartphone unveiled in February-March and another in August.

Note 8 is distinguished by the presence of the famous double sensor, a larger amount of RAM and the stylus. To these assets, the S8 + can put forward the fall of its price, a strong argument.

• And the double sensor?

That's a thought-provoking argument. High-end models are increasingly adopting the dual sensor and not just for marketing reasons. The technology has something to bring a real plus to photography on smartphone, but it is still very young. Many models with a "simple" sensor are moreover resistance in the ranking of the best photophones.

Samsung has decided to reserve the dual sensor to its Galaxy Note 8 (damage due to the popularity of the Galaxy S8) and demanding users in love with the brand will be seduced by the idea to discover it, but it will not revolutionize the shots.

• Does the S Pen always have an interest?

Remains then the famous S Pen, trademark of the Galaxy Note range. It must be recognized that the stylus of Samsung is well integrated and brings a certain comfort. However, can the S Pen alone justify such an investment?

There will always be some users for whom the stylus will have a real interest, but we are really here in a niche market, at least in Europe. Indeed, Samsung had explained when the release of its Galaxy Note 5 that the latter would not be marketed in Europe, because Europeans did not use enough stylus.

In 2017, the majority of users or professionals who need a stylus will no doubt find their happiness on the tablet side.

• It is urgent to wait for what competition will offer in the weeks to come.

2017 is a great year on the smartphone market and it is not finished. The re-entry will be marked by the announcement of the new iPhone, but Apple will not be alone. As of October, Google will create the event by presenting the Pixel 2.

We will also have an eye on the LG V30 and Nokia 8, presented on August 16th by HMD.

So the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will not be alone and will face fierce competition that justifies taking its time to weigh the pros and cons of each new model and especially find the model best suited to its use. If you do not have to rush to the Galaxy Note 8, Samsung's latest model will probably have a say when making a choice.

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