Here are the best Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ (2018) features

Samsung took the wraps off the much-rumored Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) on Tuesday, December 19 – and aside from being the first units to carry unified monikers, they bring a number of neat new features to the mid-range table, including an edge-to-edge Infinity Display and a dual-sensor front-facing camera.

Here are some of the best new features.

Build Quality

It would appear Samsung’s heard our criticism as it’s done away with the tacky plastic found on the Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017), replacing it with a metal and glass sandwich build on the Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018). What’s more, the units are subtly curved, making them a little more comfortable for one-handed use.

Connectivity

This shouldn’t come as a surprise seeing as it’s a feature most of the firm’s budget-friendly, mid-range and high-end smartphones offer, but both the Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) house a microSD slot, letting you to increase the standard memory capacity from 32/64GB, depending on the variant you opt for, to 256GB.

Dual-Front Camera

Every smartphone needs a defining feature to set it aside from the competition, and that’s the front-facing camera setup on the Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018). It comprises of two sensors, designed to provide users with enhanced imaging capabilities, like access to the Live Focus tool that debuted on the Galaxy Note 8.

The 16-megapixel f/1.9 front camera is paired with an 8-megapixel f/1.9 secondary camera. There’s a 16-megapixel f/1.7 rear camera with video digital image stabilization and a Hyperlapse mode.

Related: Check out a few Galaxy Note 8 Live Focus camera samples

Infinity Display

The Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) are Samsung’s first mid-range smartphones to tout an Infinity Display, following a not-so-brief period of exclusivity on its high-end flagships, with the former packing a high-resolution 5.6-inch panel and the latter a 6-inch – providing an unrivalled, immersive viewing experience.

Samsung Pay

As expected, the Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) ship with support Samsung Pay (MST and NFC), the firm’s mobile payment platform. The units come pre-loaded with the software; though you’ll likely need to install a few updates before entering your credit card details – or transferring data linked to your Samsung Account.

Gear VR Support

The Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ (2018) are the first handsets in Samsung’s Galaxy A series to support the Gear VR headset. The mid-range handsets can finally be used to watch immersive content using the headset.

Did we miss something? Be sure to let us know over on Facebook or Twitter – or in the comments section down below. Come on! Let’s get a conversation going.

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Samsung VR updated with Galaxy A8 (2018) and Android Oreo support

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ (2018) earlier today. These are the first handsets in the Galaxy A series to support the Gear VR headset. Samsung has now updated its Samsung VR – Video app with support for both new handsets.

The app has also been updated with Android 8.0 Oreo support for the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ and the Galaxy Note 8. Samsung is yet to release Oreo officially for these devices. It’s expected to do that early next year.

Samsung VR now compatible with the Galaxy A8

The Samsung VR app is essentially a library of immersive virtual reality videos that can be experienced on supported Galaxy devices. There are countless VR 360 videos that users can access through this app. It’s also possible for them to upload their own videos to Samsung VR.

The VR videos are sorted into different categories which include sports, nature, science, autos and machines, travel and more. It’s possible to download the videos to watch later with the Gear VR headset.

Even those who don’t have a VR headset can watch 360 VR videos using this app. They just need to move their phone around or swipe on the screen to pan in different directions.

The updated Samsung VR – Videos app is now available for download from the Google Play Store.

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Samsung’s CHG90 monitor ups its gaming credentials with DisplayHDR 600 badge

Samsung launched its CHG90 QLED gaming monitor at Comescom 2017 four months ago. The company calls it the world’s largest QLED gaming monitor that provides an IMAX-style cinematic viewing experience. The monitor has earned a new DisplayHDR 600 badge which ups its gaming credentials.

The DisplayHDR 600 badge or certification is awarded by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). The association unveiled its new HDR certification program last week. Samsung’s CHG90 is the first monitor to get this badge.

Samsung CHG90 gaming monitor

VESA divides its new ratings into three levels. DisplayHDR 400 is the baseline, 600 is mid-range and 1000 is high-end. A monitor must have a peak luminance of 600 nits to earn the DisplayHDR 600 badge. It must also have real-time contrast ratios with local dimming and 10-bit image processing.

Samsung’s CHG90 has all of that. When grating the certification to this monitor, VESA cited the monitor’s use of HDR to elevate color accuracy, contrast ratio and overall presentation vibrancy as an industry standard-setter.

“The certification further validates the CHG90’s ability to provide the optimal gaming and entertainment viewing environment,” Samsung said.

The CHG90 is a 49-inch super ultra-wide 32:9 HDR gaming monitor with 3840 x 1080 resolution and a 1800R curvature. It has a 144Hz screen refresh rate which can also be adjusted to 60Hz/120Hz when required.

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Purported Galaxy S9 back panel hints at a single rear camera

We’re pretty certain no one wants the rumors of the Galaxy S9 sporting a single rear camera to turn out to be true, but that’s what the plot seems to be building up to. There have been reports that Samsung will keep a dual rear camera exclusive to the Galaxy S9+, and today, a new leak purportedly showing the back panels for the S9 suggest the smaller device will indeed have only one primary camera, in addition to a fingerprint sensor placed below the camera module.

Why a single rear camera for the Galaxy S9? No one knows

The reasons for Samsung limiting the smaller of the Galaxy S9 variants to a single rear camera are unknown. It could be a cost-saving measure to tackle the ever-increasing prices of flagship smartphones, or maybe the company has simply run out of space to fit everything in the compact packages brought about by the “bezel-less” smartphone design. Or, well, Samsung is just trying to imitate Apple in the wrong way; we have no way to tell. There is hope for both S9 models featuring larger batteries than their predecessors, though, so the 5.8-inch Galaxy S9 shouldn’t be completely void of any improvements other than the usual bump in specs that we expect on every new flagship.

There’s also the thing about the rear-facing fingerprint sensor being located where it should have been from the start. It’s not going to make those happy who bought the Galaxy S8 or Galaxy Note 8 this year and have no plans to upgrade to the S9, but for everyone else, it should take care of a major consumer pain point. Even the iris scanner is expected to be made faster and more accurate, so while an in-display fingerprint sensor isn’t making its way to Samsung’s upcoming flagship, the company looks set to perfect existing security features.

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Specs comparison: Galaxy A7 (2016) vs Galaxy A8+ (2018)

The Galaxy A8+ (2018) has been officially unveiled today. On the face of it, the handset is a significant improvement over its predecessor. Its key selling points include the Infinity display and the dual front camera with Live Focus.

The Galaxy A series has come a long way since the Galaxy A7 (2016) came out almost two years ago. Last year’s handsets told a story of refinement. Samsung has kicked things up a notch with the new Galaxy A handsets.

Specs comparison: Galaxy A7 (2016) vs Galaxy A8+ (2018)

When we reviewed the Galaxy A7 (2016) two years ago, we crowned it the best mid-range phone in Samsung’s lineup. It was just that good. Samsung fans have come to expect a lot from the Galaxy A series. The Galaxy A8+ (2018) certainly lives up to expectations.

The table below details the key specs differences between these two handsets. Those who are still holding on to a Galaxy A7 (2016) will find it worth their while to upgrade to the latest handset.

We’ll be reviewing the Galaxy A8+ (2018) in the near future so do return to check it out. The full spec sheet of this handset is now available on our devices page.

	Galaxy A7 (2016)	Galaxy A8+ (2018)
Display	5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED	6-inch FHD+ (2220×1080) Super AMOLED Infinity
Processor	Exynos 7580 Octa, 1.6GHz octa-core, Mali-T720MP2 GPU	Exynos 7885 Octa, 2.2GHz dual-core + 1.6GHz hexa-core, Mali-G71 GPU
RAM	3GB	4/6GB
Rear Camera	13-megapixel, f/1.9 aperture	16-megapixel, f/1.7 aperture, phase detection autofocus
Front camera	5-megapixel, f/1.9 aperture	16-megapixel + 8-megapixel dual camera, f/1.9 aperture, Live Focus portrait mode
Storage	16GB internal, microSD card slot (up to 128GB)	32GB/64GB internal, microSD slot (up to 256GB)
Software	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, upgradable to Android 7.0	Android 7.1.1 Nougat, upgradable to Android 8.0 Oreo
Connectivity	Dual-SIM, LTE, FM Radio, dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.1, GPS, USB Type-C	Dual-SIM, LTE, FM Radio, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC, USB Type-C
Battery	3,300 mAh, fast wired charging	3,500 mAh, fast wired charging
Other features	Samsung Pay (NFC model only), fingerprint sensor	Samsung Pay (NFC and MST), fingerprint sensor, IP68 dust and water resistance, Always On Display, Gear VR support

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Specs comparison: Galaxy A5 (2016) vs Galaxy A8 (2018)

Samsung’s new Galaxy A series phones are finally out, and they bring substantial upgrades to the company’s mid-range lineup. There’s the Infinity display for a virtually all-screen experience, dual front cameras, and even support for the Gear VR. When you compare the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+ to the Galaxy A series devices from 2016, when the lineup first encroached on flagship territory with a premium design and high-end specs, the A8 and A8+ become even more impressive.

Specs comparison: Galaxy A5 (2016) vs Galaxy A8 (2018)

We’ll have a detailed review for both devices in the future, but for now, take a look at the table to see how the smaller of the new A series phones compares to the Galaxy A5 (2016) on the specifications front. To see how it compares to the A5 (2017), go here, and also see the full spec sheet on our devices page.

	Galaxy A5 (2016)	Galaxy A8 (2018)
Display	5.2-inch FHD Super AMOLED	5.6-inch FHD+ (2220×1080 pixels) Super AMOLED Infinity
Processor	Exynos 7580 Octa, 1.6GHz octa-core, Mali-T720MP2 GPU	Exynos 7885 Octa, 2.2GHz dual-core + 1.6GHz hexa-core, Mali-G71 GPU
RAM	2GB	4GB
Rear Camera	13-megapixel, f/1.9 aperture	16-megapixel, f/1.7 aperture, phase detection autofocus
Front camera	5-megapixel, f/1.9 aperture	16-megapixel + 8-megapixel dual camera, f/1.9 aperture, Live Focus portrait mode
Storage	16GB internal, microSD card slot (up to 128GB)	32GB/64GB internal, microSD slot (up to 256GB)
Software	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, upgradable to Android 7.0	Android 7.1.1 Nougat, upgradable to Android 8.0 Oreo
Connectivity	Dual-SIM, LTE, FM Radio, dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.1, GPS, microUSB v2.0	Dual-SIM, LTE, FM Radio, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC, USB Type-C
Battery	2,900 mAh, fast wired charging	3,000 mAh, fast wired charging
Other features	Fingerprint sensor, Samsung Pay (NFC model only)	Samsung Pay (NFC and MST), fingerprint sensor, IP68 dust and water resistance, Always On Display, Gear VR support

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Specs comparison: Galaxy A7 (2017) vs Galaxy A8+ (2018)

Samsung has finally unveiled its new Galaxy A series handsets today. The Galaxy A8+ (2018) carries the baton from the Galaxy A7 (2017). This handset was initially supposed to be launched as the Galaxy A7 (2018) but Samsung has decided to switch up the names this year.

The new handset is quite impressive on paper. It carries over the premium metal and glass build that was one of the best things about its predecessor. It also has an Infinity display and is the first Galaxy A handset with support for the Gear VR.

Specs comparison: Galaxy A7 (2017) vs Galaxy A8 (2018)

Check out the table below to find out the differences in specifications between last year’s flagship Galaxy A handset and the Galaxy A8+ (2018). The biggest changes include the Infinity display and the dual front camera with Live Focus.

We’ll soon be reviewing the devices so do stay tuned for that. You can find the full spec sheet for the Galaxy A8+ (2018) on our devices page.

	Galaxy A7 (2017)	Galaxy A8+ (2018)
Display	5.7-inch Full HD Super AMOLED	6-inch FHD+ (2220×1080) Super AMOLED Infinity
Processor	Exynos 7880 Octa, 1.9GHz octa-core, Mali-T830MP3 GPU	Exynos 7885 Octa, 2.2GHz dual-core + 1.6GHz hexa-core, Mali-G71 GPU
RAM	3GB	4/6GB
Rear Camera	16-megapixel, f/1.9 aperture	16-megapixel, f/1.7 aperture, phase detection autofocus
Front camera	16-megapixel, f/1.9 aperture	16-megapixel + 8-megapixel dual camera, f/1.9 aperture, Live Focus portrait mode
Storage	32GB internal, microSD card slot (up to 256GB)	32GB/64GB internal, microSD slot (up to 256GB)
Software	Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, upgradable to Android 7.0	Android 7.1.1 Nougat, upgradable to Android 8.0 Oreo
Connectivity	Dual-SIM, LTE, FM Radio, dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS, NFC, USB Type-C	Dual-SIM, LTE, FM Radio, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC, USB Type-C
Battery	3,600 mAh, fast wired charging	3,500 mAh, fast wired charging
Other features	Samsung Pay (NFC and MST), fingerprint sensor, IP68 dust and water resistance, Always On Display	Samsung Pay (NFC and MST), fingerprint sensor, IP68 dust and water resistance, Always On Display, Gear VR support

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