Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Long Term Review: Is it Worth in 2023?

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 launched back in 2017 as a phoenix. The brand saved the Note series after the Galaxy Note 7 incident. It has been a long time so we have brought the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 long term review. The Note 8 is still available on various sites in a really affordable price range. Since it was a top-tier flagship device of its time, we are going to examine if the price is still worth it or not. Still to this date, Galaxy Note 8 has one of the best-looking builds anyone can get it at its current price because at launch it was quite expensive.

I mentioned “Phoenix”, because, after the Galaxy Note 7 fire debacle, the brand did a lot of work to make its battery safe and save the brand’s reputation. So Samsung Galaxy Note 8 actually came as a new Note series product after the Note 7 and proved that Samsung devices are safe and better. It was pretty interesting back in 2017 due to these events. Well, we are still discussing this phone because it still lives and that surely means something.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 was initially launched in 2017 at $929 for an unlocked model. It was undoubtedly one of the most expensive phones in the global market and now Samsung Galaxy Note 8 in 2023 price is $160. The price has decreased by almost nine times and has become more affordable. So the question arises, if someone has a low budget then should they consider purchasing Samsung Galaxy Note 8 in 2023? It is a genuine question because if we are to compare features and specs, the Note 8 is still very reasonable. This is why we have the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 long term review.

Alluring Design: Premium Glass and Metal at Budget

Let us start our Samsung Galaxy Note 8 long term review with a discussion of the design. The Note 8 is a flagship smartphone of Samsung from 2017 so it has a top-of-the-line design. There is a slim metal rail on the side which is part of the frame and there is Gorilla Glass 5 on both sides. Galaxy Note 8 features an eye-catching design with curves on both sides that meet seamlessly with the side rail. The side metal rail is actually wider to have more gripping space. This is causing a less curved screen than Galaxy S8 giving more flatter and wider writing space.

The front screen is curved and the back is also curved which gives an amazing look. On the front side, there is a very small forehead with sensors, an Iris Scanner, an earpiece, and a speaker. Similarly, the chin is also very small. This is a fantastic look for people who dislike the notch because it gives a simple and neat look.

On the back, there is glass with two cameras and a fingerprint scanner. If we see all the smartphones at this price range of $160 or even under $200 there is no phone that matches the design and build quality of Galaxy Note 8 because it is a flagship. Definitely, there is no glass metal sandwich premium smartphone at this price. On top of that, the cheap or affordable budget phones with LCD notches don’t have good cuts which look quite odd and dark around the notch.

Stunning Screen: Tech Meets Beauty

There are two factions of people in the smartphone world. One loves curved screens and one disapproves the curved screens due to the issue of lack of a good screen protector and the risk of cracking when dropped. Except that, almost everyone accepts that curved screens look marvelous. Samsung Galaxy Note 8 features a 6.3” curved SuperAMOLED display with 1440 x 2960 resolution. It comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 5, and 3D Touch for the home button just like Apple’s 3D or Haptic Touch and HDR10 rating.

Even after so many years, Galaxy Note has one of the best displays even for a high-end phone. It has a Super AMOLED screen with 1200 nits brightness, QHD+ resolution, HDR10 content support, curved sides, and Gorilla Glass 5 protection. This definitely gives a surreal experience compared to a budget phone at this price. We know that flagship phones of this era have a high refresh rate but we have to note that budget smartphones don’t have a higher rate than 90 Hz.

So if we compare the benefits of this screen of Note 8 such as OLED technology, HDR, curved experience, high brightness, and AOD to budget smartphones that come with a notch, LCD, low brightness, lower resolution, and not even FHD resolution, then Galaxy Note 8 wins by a mile.

Internal Power: Still More Than Capable

As a high-end flagship, Samsung provided Galaxy Note 8 with top-of-the-line hardware at that time. The device was so powerful that its hardware still holds on very well till now. For the processor, there are two versions. Samsung sells Galaxy Note 8 with Exynos 8895 to the entire world but it sells Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 version in USA and China. As per the company, these are the same but most reviewers say that Snapdragon is better. So if you live in the USA get the Snapdragon version.

In the case of memory, there is 6 GB RAM, and for storage, the base variant is 64 GB. Actually 128 GB and 256 GB versional are also available. Moreover, the phone also supports a maximum 256 GB micro SD card. So this is a really good specification for a flagship of that time and if we compare the specs with other budget phones that are currently in the market in the same $160 range then Note 8 is miles better.

During our review, we played heavy Grand Theft Auto LCS and tried switching multiple applications after a good period of time and it surprised us with RAM management. Many browsers tabs, and applications were open as they were left. We also enjoyed a fantastic, fast, lag-less experience without a handset. Gaming, hardcore media consumption, or work are just buttery smooth. You can check the benchmark results and picture samples from the review video in 4K from our channel.

Battery: Well…..There is Something You Need to Know

Till this part, you have heard good things only but as a true reviewer, we have to point out every aspect. The thing is that Galaxy Note 8 was launched in 2017 and the production was stopped after the new Galaxy Note 9 came. Moreover, the Galaxy Note 8 has a smaller battery of 3300 mAh battery because Samsung played it safe after the Galaxy Note 7 battery debacle. So the users with old Note 8 may have worn off the battery and as it is small, they may experience even less Screen on Time (SoT).

In the market, there are many Samsung Galaxy Note 8 models, so we highly recommend you purchase a phone that is officially refurbished so that you get a phone with a fresh piece of battery. It may be Samsung, Amazon, eBay, BackMarket, or even your local vendor you trust who has replaced a battery. To be honest, getting fresh batteries replaced from Samsung is the best solution. iFixit also has a good guide on Note 8 battery replacement and they also sell all parts required for replacement. By the way, be aware of fake and relabeled Chinese batteries from the online market.

Software: Still Smooth but for More You Gotta Work

In our Samsung Galaxy Note 8 long term review the thing that is most important is the software. These days Samsung has a reputation as the best and fastest update provider. However, it was not the same back in 2017. So the phone only received two major OS updates. Thus Galaxy Note 8 is stuck with Android 9. Well, the apps from Google Play Store all work and there are no security issues. However, it is quite disappointing that such a capable smartphone doesn’t have the latest operating system like Android 13 while it actually could run smoothly.

So it actually comes down to you. If you are on a small budget and want to experience the flagship smartphone, and can compromise on software then it is good. Also if you are brave enough and don’t need Samsung Knox, Samsung Pay, and Samsung Pass then you can easily install Custom ROM such as Project Elixir which provides Android 13. So there are options if you wish to take it. However, it is better to stick with stock ROM as it provides better camera, Banking app security, and S Pen support.

SPen: The Crown Jewel

Hands down everyone can agree that there is no smartphone in that market that provides a stylus on the budget except cheaper older Samsung Note series phones. So Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is one of the smartphones in the market that has an S Pen. It is the main element of Note because it provides an additional dimension of productivity. As a Note user, I use S Pen from time to time to write down notes and I really enjoy it. Many people need and actually want to have a stylus but don’t have the budget for it. Current phones such as top-level S series products cost above $1000 so these old flagships provide the option.

Galaxy Note 8’s S Pen can be used for taking notes on screen, drawing, sketching, highlighting, and just for using all the normal functions. It is a really good addition to the smartphone experience. It is surprising that other manufacturers and models don’t have a stylus. So if you also want a smartphone at a really cheap price with an S Pen then the Note 8 is a fantastic option.

Camera: Still Magnificient

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is the first smartphone from the company to have dual cameras at the back. So the phone has two cameras at the back where first one is the main shooter with a 12 MP sensor with f/1.7 aperture and OIS while another is a 12 MP sensor with f/2.4 aperture, OIS, and 2x optical zoom. The second camera is for zoom and depth details to provide a bokeh or background blur effect through the ‘Live Focus’ mode.

These days budget smartphones have a very high-megapixel main camera at the back but other cameras have a mere 2 MP sensor which is really not that great. They just feel like numbers so it is quantity over quality. But some phones do have good ultrawide angle cameras and zoom cameras. So that is what Note 8 is missing. Again compared to budget options, the Galaxy Note 8 is still on the safer side with its camera.

Despite all that, Galaxy Note 8 provides a solid set of cameras on the back with optically image-stabilized 12 MP cameras that support 4K video recording at 30 fps, 1080p at 60 fps, and 720p at 240 fps. The main rear camera setup is capable of shooting at 4k 30 fps but mods have made it work for 4K at 60 fps as well. We still don’t get such power even in mid-range phones. So at the under $200 price, Galaxy Note 8 is nailing the camera segment. As it is also a flagship, the photo qualities are what a flagship should produce.

For the front camera, the Galaxy Note 8 features an 8 MP sensor with f/1.7 aperture. This is also a wide aperture selfie camera that can gather a lot of light and provide good selfies. There is also Dual video call support and 1440p video recording capacity. This is also a power that budget smartphones can’t provide. Some of the special camera features of Galaxy Note 8 are as follows:

• 4K UHD Video Recording
• Slo-Motion Recording
• Tracking Autofocus
• OIS on Both Cameras
• 1080p 60 fps
• Bixby Vision

We tested the low light performance of the camera and that was brilliant because we tested taking photos during Tihar at night around 8 PM. All the photos look great without using any flash. We have demonstrated them below in the album attached to this article.

Notable Features and Experience

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has all the features and sensors that we could demand. It has a really loved S-Pen which makes it a real Note. There are many new features like Live Message, Translation, Zoom, etc. that come with the SPen. My top vote goes to the power of taking notes without unlocking the phone. It can be great for many journalists, students, etc., and anyone in general. These things have many possibilities. S-Pen has come a long way and the Note 8 has what it could at that time

Galaxy Note 8 has many flagship features such as an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. This is a feature that no other budget smartphone in this price range can offer. There are health features such as S Health, Pedometer, Heart Rate, and Oxygen Saturation (SPo2) Monitor. There is definitely a lot to have on this device. Some new notable features of Galaxy Note 8 are:

• 2X Optical Zoom
• Live Message
• 3D Touch
• Increased pressure sensitivity
• Thinner S Pen
• App Pairing and Split screen tasking
• Portrait mode with better background blur
• Dual Camera with OIS on both
• SHealth with Heart Rate and Oxygen Saturation Monitor
• Faster Iris Scanner
• IP68 rating

Conclusion

At the end of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 long term review, we have to summarize everything. Galaxy Note 8 provides excellent design, brilliant screen, and top-tier display tech even in 2023 compared to budget smartphones at its current price. The processor, RAM, and storage are also very competitive at under $200. The system can also provide really smooth experience. However, the only compromise is the older operating system. This can actually be a big deal breaker for many people because new features and security update is quite important.

In terms of the camera, the Note 8 has a fantastic main back camera and front camera. It only misses out on ultrawide cameras and macro or zoom cameras. Except for those, video quality and low light performance are better than cheaper Android smartphones. Battery can also be another weak point for this device as it is quite small. So definitely get a fresh piece with a replaced battery or replace it yourself.

So if you also want a gorgeous-looking smartphone with top class screen, decent internals, flagship camera, SPen, IP rating, Iris scanner, and notch-less experience at a cheaper price then you can get yourself a Galaxy Note 8, but do note the things I have mentioned such as smaller battery, lack of software update and missing out on some camera features. By the way, if you can add $50 more, you can get Galaxy Note 9 with some important updates. We have also published Galaxy Note 9 long term review with detailed information.