Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) Review
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) Review
The Galaxy A8 2018 is Samsung's newest upper mid-range phone, but with its similar glass-and-metal design and styling, we'll forgive you if you mistake it for the flagship Galaxy S8.
The list of similarities includes a tall, edge-to-edge Super AMOLED Infinity Display, a 3,000 mAh battery, and the familiar Samsung Experience interface. But on the inside, the A8 is a mid-ranger: with a different processor and a different camera. Its performance isn't the same either.
I have spent the past few days with a Galaxy A8 2018 in one pocket and a Galaxy S8 in the other to find out how good of a phone the A8 really is and how it compares to the flagship S8. Read on to learn more.
In the box:
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 phone
User manual
Fast Adaptive Charge wall charger
USB-C to standard USB cable
In-ear headphones (white, with 3.5mm jack)
SIM card ejector tool
Design
Premium materials and water-proofing are nice to have, but the phone does not look as futuristic and trend-setting as the flagship S8.
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) Review
Even though the Galaxy A8 2018 looks similar to the Galaxy S8 from afar, the differences between them are easy to spot when you actually hold the two. The first thing you notice about the A8 is that it has much bigger bezels, ruining the impression of a true edge-to-edge, futuristic design. They don't look nearly as good as on the S8. The A8 also feels much bigger despite the fact that it is just a hair wider and very slightly thicker. What is not as slight is the difference in weight. The Galaxy A8 2018 tips the scales at 6.07 ounces (172 g), while the S8 is much lighter at 5.36 oz (152 g), and you can feel this difference.
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 (right), Galaxy S8 (left) - Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) Review
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 (right), Galaxy S8 (left) - Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) Review
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 (right), Galaxy S8 (left)
In terms of materials, the A8 is made of glass and metal. The glass is Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5, the latest and most durable in the series, while the metal is 7000-series aluminum with a matte finish, unlike that on the glossy S8. Is glass a practical choice for a phone back? On one hand, it looks great when clean, and on the other, it is rarely clean as it picks up fingerprints so easily, so… it’s up to you to decide. Fortunately, they are not that noticeable on the gold model that we have. One thing to keep in mind with glass is that it does shatter, and we do strongly recommend carrying the phone in a case. One more thing we noticed: this glass back is not as slippery as many aluminum phones, so you have a better grip on your phone.
The buttons on the sides are made of metal and feel clicky and nice to press, while the loudspeaker is on the right side (just like on the Galaxy A series from last year). On the bottom, you have a USB-C port for charging and a headphone jack.
The A8 also has an IP68 water resistance rating, meaning that it will survive a short dive in water and those summer days by the pool. It’s officially rated to withstand up to 30 minutes of immersion in fresh water as deep as 5 feet.
VIEW MORE
+ 7 images
Front view | Side view
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018)5.87 x 2.78 x 0.33 inches
149.2 x 70.6 x 8.4 mm
6.07 oz (172 g)
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018)
Samsung Galaxy S85.86 x 2.68 x 0.31 inches
148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 mm
5.36 oz (152 g)
Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)5.75 x 2.81 x 0.31 inches
146.1 x 71.4 x 7.9 mm
5.61 oz (159 g)
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)
OnePlus 5T6.15 x 2.95 x 0.29 inches
156.1 x 75 x 7.3 mm
5.71 oz (162 g)
OnePlus 5T
To see the phones in real size or compare them with other models, visit our Visual Phone Size Comparison page.
Fingerprint scanner position
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) Review
The big change on the back is the fingerprint reader placement. The weirdly positioned fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy S8 – way out of reach at the top and next to the rear camera – was one thing that everyone criticized Samsung for. Thankfully, the company has listened and it has moved the fingerprint reader on the A8 below the camera. The scanner is still a rounded rectangle, but it is now horizontal and much easier to reach. It is still not an ideal placement as it is too close to the camera – you can accidentally touch the camera lens and smudge it when you unlock your phone – but it is much, much better than on the S8.
It is not a fast fingerprint scanner, though. The fingerprint reader on the Galaxy S8 was a bit slow to react, and this one, too, is not as fast as on other phones like the Google Pixel 5 or OnePlus 5/5T.
Display
A bright and vivid display, but the bigger bezels ruin a lot of its appeal.
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) Review
The A8 features a 5.6-inch Super AMOLED display that looks great with its lush colors and deep blacks. Samsung calls this an “Infinity Display”, the marketing name for its taller and narrower displays with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio and edge-to-edge, almost bezel-less designs. This particular screen, however, is not curved like the one on the S8, and with a flat design, the bezels actually look much, much bigger than on the S8. It definitely ruins a lot of that futuristic look and feel.
In terms of specifications and performance, this display is very good. It reaches a peak brightness level on par with the Galaxy S8, so you can easily see it outdoors, under the bright sunlight, and it drops to the lowest level at night meaning that it is easier on the eyes for nightbirds.
Color representation is not quite as great as on the S8: you have slightly colder whites; colors overall are not perfectly balanced, but not too far off either. As with all Samsung AMOLED displays, you have the choice of different color modes in Settings > Display. The default Adaptive mode produces lively, lush, oversaturated colors, but if you don’t like this look you can tone it down to other modes. The basic mode is the one that gets closest to the sRGB standard that you might want to use if you want standard-accurate colors.
You also have the Always-on Display feature on the A8. It takes some additional battery power, so we recommend you set it up carefully. It would be a good idea to let it automatically turn itself off at night. You can do this in Settings easily.
The Galaxy A8 2018 is Samsung's newest upper mid-range phone, but with its similar glass-and-metal design and styling, we'll forgive you if you mistake it for the flagship Galaxy S8.
The list of similarities includes a tall, edge-to-edge Super AMOLED Infinity Display, a 3,000 mAh battery, and the familiar Samsung Experience interface. But on the inside, the A8 is a mid-ranger: with a different processor and a different camera. Its performance isn't the same either.
I have spent the past few days with a Galaxy A8 2018 in one pocket and a Galaxy S8 in the other to find out how good of a phone the A8 really is and how it compares to the flagship S8. Read on to learn more.
In the box:
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 phone
User manual
Fast Adaptive Charge wall charger
USB-C to standard USB cable
In-ear headphones (white, with 3.5mm jack)
SIM card ejector tool
Design
Premium materials and water-proofing are nice to have, but the phone does not look as futuristic and trend-setting as the flagship S8.
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) Review
Even though the Galaxy A8 2018 looks similar to the Galaxy S8 from afar, the differences between them are easy to spot when you actually hold the two. The first thing you notice about the A8 is that it has much bigger bezels, ruining the impression of a true edge-to-edge, futuristic design. They don't look nearly as good as on the S8. The A8 also feels much bigger despite the fact that it is just a hair wider and very slightly thicker. What is not as slight is the difference in weight. The Galaxy A8 2018 tips the scales at 6.07 ounces (172 g), while the S8 is much lighter at 5.36 oz (152 g), and you can feel this difference.
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 (right), Galaxy S8 (left) - Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) Review
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 (right), Galaxy S8 (left) - Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) Review
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 (right), Galaxy S8 (left)
In terms of materials, the A8 is made of glass and metal. The glass is Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5, the latest and most durable in the series, while the metal is 7000-series aluminum with a matte finish, unlike that on the glossy S8. Is glass a practical choice for a phone back? On one hand, it looks great when clean, and on the other, it is rarely clean as it picks up fingerprints so easily, so… it’s up to you to decide. Fortunately, they are not that noticeable on the gold model that we have. One thing to keep in mind with glass is that it does shatter, and we do strongly recommend carrying the phone in a case. One more thing we noticed: this glass back is not as slippery as many aluminum phones, so you have a better grip on your phone.
The buttons on the sides are made of metal and feel clicky and nice to press, while the loudspeaker is on the right side (just like on the Galaxy A series from last year). On the bottom, you have a USB-C port for charging and a headphone jack.
The A8 also has an IP68 water resistance rating, meaning that it will survive a short dive in water and those summer days by the pool. It’s officially rated to withstand up to 30 minutes of immersion in fresh water as deep as 5 feet.
VIEW MORE
+ 7 images
Front view | Side view
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018)5.87 x 2.78 x 0.33 inches
149.2 x 70.6 x 8.4 mm
6.07 oz (172 g)
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018)
Samsung Galaxy S85.86 x 2.68 x 0.31 inches
148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 mm
5.36 oz (152 g)
Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)5.75 x 2.81 x 0.31 inches
146.1 x 71.4 x 7.9 mm
5.61 oz (159 g)
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)
OnePlus 5T6.15 x 2.95 x 0.29 inches
156.1 x 75 x 7.3 mm
5.71 oz (162 g)
OnePlus 5T
To see the phones in real size or compare them with other models, visit our Visual Phone Size Comparison page.
Fingerprint scanner position
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) Review
The big change on the back is the fingerprint reader placement. The weirdly positioned fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy S8 – way out of reach at the top and next to the rear camera – was one thing that everyone criticized Samsung for. Thankfully, the company has listened and it has moved the fingerprint reader on the A8 below the camera. The scanner is still a rounded rectangle, but it is now horizontal and much easier to reach. It is still not an ideal placement as it is too close to the camera – you can accidentally touch the camera lens and smudge it when you unlock your phone – but it is much, much better than on the S8.
It is not a fast fingerprint scanner, though. The fingerprint reader on the Galaxy S8 was a bit slow to react, and this one, too, is not as fast as on other phones like the Google Pixel 5 or OnePlus 5/5T.
Display
A bright and vivid display, but the bigger bezels ruin a lot of its appeal.
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) Review
The A8 features a 5.6-inch Super AMOLED display that looks great with its lush colors and deep blacks. Samsung calls this an “Infinity Display”, the marketing name for its taller and narrower displays with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio and edge-to-edge, almost bezel-less designs. This particular screen, however, is not curved like the one on the S8, and with a flat design, the bezels actually look much, much bigger than on the S8. It definitely ruins a lot of that futuristic look and feel.
In terms of specifications and performance, this display is very good. It reaches a peak brightness level on par with the Galaxy S8, so you can easily see it outdoors, under the bright sunlight, and it drops to the lowest level at night meaning that it is easier on the eyes for nightbirds.
Color representation is not quite as great as on the S8: you have slightly colder whites; colors overall are not perfectly balanced, but not too far off either. As with all Samsung AMOLED displays, you have the choice of different color modes in Settings > Display. The default Adaptive mode produces lively, lush, oversaturated colors, but if you don’t like this look you can tone it down to other modes. The basic mode is the one that gets closest to the sRGB standard that you might want to use if you want standard-accurate colors.
You also have the Always-on Display feature on the A8. It takes some additional battery power, so we recommend you set it up carefully. It would be a good idea to let it automatically turn itself off at night. You can do this in Settings easily.
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