Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) is a captivating mid-range smartphone that combines premium aesthetics with impressive features. With its 6-inch Super AMOLED display and sleek design, it stands out in its class. The phone boasts a water-resistant glass and metal construction, similar to Samsung's flagship models. It also offers a dual front camera setup, a first for Samsung phones, for stunning selfies. Powered by an octa-core processor and with ample RAM and storage options, it delivers smooth performance. The Galaxy A8+ (2018) comes at an attractive price point, making it a competitive choice in the market.

Design and Build Quality

The Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) boasts an aesthetically pleasing design that is reminiscent of the flagship Galaxy S series. With its slim top and bottom bezels, curved corners, and rounded sides, the phone exudes a premium look and feel. The 6-inch Super AMOLED display, although lacking the curved edges found on the Galaxy S8, still offers vibrant colors and sharp visuals. The device is slightly thicker and bulkier than its flagship counterparts, but this doesn't detract from its overall appeal.

The Galaxy A8+ (2018) features a glass back panel that adds to its sleek design, but it does attract fingerprint smudges easily. Using a case is recommended to maintain its pristine appearance. The placement of the fingerprint scanner below the rear camera module is a welcome change from previous models, making it easily accessible. However, the scanner itself is a bit small and not as fast as on other phones, but it still gets the job done.

In terms of durability, the Galaxy A8+ (2018) is IP68-certified, making it water and dust resistant. This allows the phone to survive short dives in water without any issues. The build quality is solid, with a sturdy frame and construction that feels reliable. The phone also offers good grip, ensuring that it doesn't slip easily from the hand.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) impresses with its sleek design, premium materials, and robust build quality. While it may not be as slim as its flagship counterparts, it still exudes a premium look and feel. The device's durability, water resistance, and solid construction make it a reliable choice for everyday use.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) features a 6-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2220 x 1080 pixels. The screen size is generous, providing an immersive viewing experience for multimedia content and gaming. The aspect ratio of 18.5:9 enhances the cinematic feel. The Super AMOLED technology ensures vibrant colors and deep blacks, making the visuals pop on the screen. The display offers good color accuracy and vibrancy, enhancing the overall viewing experience. The brightness levels are impressive, allowing for good outdoor visibility even in direct sunlight. The touch responsiveness of the screen is smooth and accurate, making it easy to navigate and interact with the device. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass, which provides durability and scratch resistance. The pixel density is sharp, resulting in crisp and detailed visuals. The viewing angles are wide, ensuring that the content is easily visible from different perspectives. The display also supports an always-on feature, allowing users to quickly glance at notifications and time without fully waking up the phone. Additionally, the device offers features like adaptive brightness and a blue light filter to reduce eye strain. Overall, the display of the Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) delivers a visually stunning and immersive experience with its vibrant colors, sharp details, and impressive brightness levels.

Performance

The performance of the Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) is commendable, thanks to its powerful chipset and efficient GPU. The device is equipped with an Exynos 7 Octa chipset, which delivers smooth multitasking and lag-free performance. In CPU benchmarks, the Galaxy A8+ (2018) performs admirably, showcasing its processor's efficiency. App loading speeds are quick, ensuring a seamless user experience.

In terms of gaming capabilities, the Galaxy A8+ (2018) offers a satisfying gaming experience. The GPU benchmarks reveal impressive graphics scores, allowing for smooth gameplay and visually stunning graphics. The device handles demanding games with ease, providing an immersive gaming experience.

The Galaxy A8+ (2018) excels in system optimization and thermal management. It efficiently manages resources, resulting in optimized performance and extended battery life. The benchmark tests and synthetic benchmarks confirm the device's prowess in performance metrics.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) delivers a high level of performance for everyday tasks, multitasking, and gaming. Its powerful chipset, efficient GPU, and system optimization contribute to a smooth and lag-free user experience. Whether it's loading apps quickly or handling demanding games, the Galaxy A8+ (2018) performs exceptionally well.

Software and User Interface

The Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) runs on the Android 7.1 operating system with Samsung's custom user interface on top. The interface is smooth and responsive, providing a user-friendly experience. The device comes with some pre-installed apps, including Samsung's own apps like Samsung Health, Samsung Pay, and Bixby. While these apps can be useful, some users may find them to be bloatware if they do not use them regularly. However, the good news is that the Galaxy A8+ allows users to uninstall or disable most of these pre-installed apps to free up storage space and customize their device according to their preferences.

The user interface is clean and intuitive, making it easy to navigate through the various settings and features. The Samsung Galaxy A8+ also supports features like Always-on Display, which allows users to view important information like time, date, and notifications without fully unlocking the device. Additionally, the device supports Samsung Pay, allowing users to make contactless payments using their phone.

Overall, the software experience on the Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) is smooth, user-friendly, and customizable. The combination of Android 7.1 with Samsung's custom interface provides a good balance between functionality and ease of use.

Camera

The camera on the Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) offers a versatile shooting experience with its 16MP main rear camera and dual front cameras consisting of a 16MP main lens and an 8MP wide-angle lens. The rear camera captures images with good detail and sharpness, thanks to its high megapixel count. It also performs well in daylight photography, producing images with accurate colors and a wide dynamic range. The camera features an aperture that allows for better low-light performance, enabling users to capture clear and noise-free images even in dimly lit environments. The camera also has image stabilization, which helps in reducing blur caused by shaky hands or movement, resulting in sharper and more stable images.

The front cameras are perfect for selfie enthusiasts, allowing for wider shots with the wide-angle lens. The camera features various shooting modes like portrait mode, HDR, and panorama mode, giving users more options to capture different types of shots. Additionally, the camera has a pro mode for those who prefer manual controls and an AI scene recognition feature that automatically adjusts settings based on the scene being captured.

When it comes to video recording, the Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) is capable of recording 4K videos with good detail and clarity. The camera also supports video stabilization, ensuring smooth and steady footage. Slow-motion video and time-lapse modes are also available, adding creativity to your video recordings. The camera supports different video formats, providing flexibility for sharing and editing your captured videos.

Overall, the camera on the Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) delivers good image quality, especially in daylight conditions, and offers a range of features and shooting modes to enhance your photography and videography experience.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) comes with a 3,500mAh battery, which is quite decent for a phone of its size. The battery life is good and can easily last a full day with moderate use. It also has power optimization features that help extend the battery life by intelligently managing background processes and limiting power consumption. The phone supports fast charging, allowing you to quickly recharge the battery when needed. However, it does not support wireless charging, which may be a drawback for some users. Overall, the battery performance of the Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) is satisfactory, providing enough power to keep up with your daily tasks without frequent recharging.

Connectivity and Networking

The Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) offers a wide range of connectivity options to keep you connected wherever you go. It supports 4G LTE network compatibility, ensuring fast data speeds for browsing the internet, streaming videos, and downloading files. The device also supports dual SIM functionality, allowing you to use two SIM cards simultaneously for better convenience.

In terms of wireless connectivity, the Galaxy A8+ (2018) supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac standards, ensuring fast and stable internet connections. It also has Bluetooth 5.0, which provides faster data transfer speeds and improved range compared to previous Bluetooth versions. NFC (Near Field Communication) is also available, enabling you to make contactless payments and share files with other NFC-enabled devices.

For wired connections, the Galaxy A8+ (2018) features a USB-C port, which allows for fast charging and data transfer. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack for connecting wired headphones or speakers.

In terms of navigation, the device has GPS functionality, allowing you to accurately track your location and navigate using popular apps like Google Maps.

Additionally, the Galaxy A8+ (2018) supports wireless charging, making it convenient to charge your device without the need for cables.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) offers a comprehensive range of connectivity options, ensuring that you stay connected and have access to fast internet speeds, wireless charging, and convenient features like dual SIM support and NFC.

Additional Features

Comparison with Other Related Phones

The Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) is a mid-range smartphone that competes with other devices in its price range, such as the OnePlus 5T and Honor View 10. When comparing the Galaxy A8+ with these devices, several key differences and similarities emerge.

In terms of design, the Galaxy A8+ stands out with its premium glass and metal materials, similar to the flagship Galaxy S series. It also features an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, giving it an edge over the OnePlus 5T and Honor View 10 in terms of durability. However, the A8+ is slightly bulkier compared to the more sleek OnePlus 5T.

One area where the Galaxy A8+ excels is in its display. It boasts a 6-inch Super AMOLED display, which is vibrant and offers great viewing angles. In comparison, the OnePlus 5T and Honor View 10 have 6.01-inch and 5.99-inch displays, respectively, but they lack the Super AMOLED technology found on the A8+.

When it comes to camera performance, the Galaxy A8+ shines with its dual-front camera setup, a first for Samsung phones. This allows for better selfies and adds a unique feature to the device. On the other hand, the OnePlus 5T and Honor View 10 have single front cameras, although they still produce good quality images.

In terms of performance, the Galaxy A8+ is powered by the Exynos 7 Octa chipset, while the OnePlus 5T and Honor View 10 feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 and Kirin 970, respectively. Benchmark comparisons show that the OnePlus 5T performs slightly better than the A8+ in terms of processing power.

Pricing is another important consideration. The Galaxy A8+ is priced at ₹32,990, making it a competitive option in its segment. The OnePlus 5T starts at ₹32,999, while the Honor View 10 is priced at ₹29,999. Both devices offer similar features and performance to the A8+, but the OnePlus 5T has gained popularity for its value for money proposition.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) offers a combination of premium looks, a vibrant display, and a good camera system. While it may not be the most powerful device in its price range, it stands out with its unique features and Samsung's brand reputation. Ultimately, the choice between the A8+, OnePlus 5T, and Honor View 10 depends on individual preferences and priorities.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

Conclusion: The Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) offers a compelling package with its premium design, vibrant display, and capable camera system. While it may not have all the bells and whistles of flagship devices, it still delivers a solid performance for everyday tasks and casual gaming. The device's water resistance and expandable storage add to its appeal. However, the fingerprint scanner could be improved, and the phone's larger bezels may not be to everyone's taste. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) is a great option for those looking for a stylish and feature-packed mid-range smartphone without breaking the bank.