Compare Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus deals and contracts

Samsung officially unveiled the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus on March 29th with both devices being officially released on April 21st. Here we round up everything you need to know.

The screens of both devices are relatively large. The Galaxy S8 has a 5.7” screen, whereas the S8 Plus has a massive 6.2” screen. This is a substantial increase compared to the S7 and S7 edge, which have 5.1” and 5.5” screens respectively. These edge-to-edge screens are being referred to by Samsung as ‘Infinity Displays’. This new display is the centrepiece of the S8, and the focus of Samsung's marketing

Even though the screen sizes are a lot bigger compared to previous flagship models, the phones themselves are not, which means they are relatively comfortable to hold. This image from SlashLeaks shows the Galaxy S8 in the middle compared with the iPhone 7 and Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.

Samsung have achieved this by doing three things:

• The screens are longer: most modern smartphone and TV screens have a 18:9 aspect ratio. The S8 and S8 Plus will both have a slightly longer 18.5:9 ratio, which means more of the front of the phone is covered by the screen.
• For both the S8 and the S8 Plus, the screens are completely edge-to-edge
• There are no physical buttons on the bottom of the phone, which means that the position of the fingerprint reader has had to change. You can see the sensor on the right hand side of the rear camera.
• The physical home button is replaced with an on-screen icon. A pressure sensor and vibration module have been built into the space behind the on-screen button to provide haptic feedback.

In terms of hardware, both phones are best in class, as you would expect:

• Processor: Snapdragon 835 or Samsung Exynos (depending on country)
• Cameras: 12-megapixel f/1.7 rear camera, 8-megapixel f/1.7 front camera
• Battery: 3000mAh (Galaxy S8), 3500mAh (Galaxy S8 Plus)
• Storage: 64GB, with microSD expansion slot
• Memory: 4GB
• Other: Headphone jack, USB Type-C, water resistance
  
  

As well as having a fingerprint reader, the S8 and S8 Plus will use a combination of facial recognition and iris scanning to unlock the device.

The S8 and S8 Plus also has a Samsung-made smart assistant called Bixby, with a dedicated physical button to launch it. Bixby is meant to be used a little differently compared to the likes of Siri and Google Assistant - its focus is to help you use, navigate, and control the phone, rather than search for information online. It is "context-aware", which means users can ask follow-up questions and assume it is aware of what is currently displayed. Users will be able to jump between voice and touch commands to get things done. Bixby can also be used to recognise nearby objects and show where they are on sale, or provide local information (such as restaurants nearby).

Samsung is also offering a new dock called DeX that connects the S8 and S8+ to a monitor, letting users use their Galaxy S8 as they would a desktop. Given that you need an extra hub to connect your phone to the monitor, and that it's likely that app support will be relatively limited, it will be interesting to see if this takes off. Microsoft has tried this in the past to little success.

Like the S7 and S7 edge, the S8 and S8 Plus are both IP68 certified, which means that they are water resistant to a depth of up to 1.5m for up to 30 minutes, and are protected from dirt, dust, and sand.

What the critics say (scores are out of 100)

100	The Independent | David Phelan Breathe easy, Samsung execs. From its looks to its performance, stunning screen to subtle innovations, the Samsung Galaxy S8 is a dazzling smartphone. No surprise that this is Samsung's best phone yet, and the slickest Android phone ever. Read full review
100	Trusted Reviews | Max Parker The best big phone ever. Comfortable to use, stunning to look at and an all-round winner. Read full review
100	Stuff | Tom Morgan Better battery life and a bigger screen improve on excellence. Bigger will be better for some, and the S8+ is a phenomenal phone, but the regular S8 is just as good for less cash. Read full review
100	Pocket-lint | Chris Hall Samsung waited a little later in 2017 to unleash its flagship phone - but it was well worth the wait. In short: the Samsung Galaxy S8+ is a masterpiece. It's expensive, but it's a masterpiece nonetheless. Read full review
100	Phone Scoop | Eric M. Zeman If you're ready to upgrade from an older Galaxy phone, the S8+ is The One you've been waiting for. Yes, it's that good. Go buy this phone now. Read full review
100	What Hi-Fi? The Samsung Galaxy S8+ is a refined design. It's not perfect, the sound could be better, but in almost all other respects, it's as good as Android gets right now. Read full review
96	ZDNet | Matthew Miller Samsung continues to set the bar for smartphone technology. If you don't use the S Pen much on the Note line, then you will be satisfied with all of the advancements in the Galaxy S8 Plus. Read full review
93	TechDissected | Cliff Wade I'd have to say the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Samsung Galaxy S8+ is a device worth owning and it's a device that a ton of people will indeed purchase. Read full review
93	Techdissected | Cliff Wade I feel it's totally worth it as far as what you are getting. The device itself is amazing and just feels natural in the hand and something that I feel other OEM's should try to mimic if at all possible. Read full review
92	What Mobile | Thomas Wellburn The Samsung Galaxy S8+ is a masterpiece of design and just about the best flagship smartphone that money can buy right now. Read full review
92	NotebookCheck | Daniel Schmidt The Samsung Galaxy S8+ offers many high-end features, a really good camera, and great runtimes. There is not much criticism for the smartphone after our review. All in all, Samsung developed a great smartphone Read full review
92	Engadget | Chris Velazco All of the S8's accolades apply to the S8 Plus as well: It's a stellar performer that aptly blends beauty and horsepower. Bixby's incompleteness is still annoying, as is the location of the fingerprint sensor, but the S8 Plus is still one of the most impressive packages we've ever seen. Read full review
90	Gadgets Now | Sulabh Puri The number of features Samsung is giving in the S8 Plus is mind-boggling. It is the Ferrari of Android Smartphones and impressed us at various levels. Read full review
90	V3 | Basil Kronfil What you end up with is a fantastic smartphone in the Samsung Galaxy S8+, which has only a couple of flaws. Read full review
90	phoneArena | Rado Slavov The Galaxy S8+ gets many things right. In fact, it's probably the best Android smartphone for users who need an extra-large display. Read full review
90	AndroidPit | Steffen Herget This Galaxy S8+ gets 4.5 stars because it's a very good smartphone, nothing more nothing less. Read full review
90	Quartz | Mike Murphy The Samsung Galaxy S8 will probably make you forget about the exploding Note 7. If you care about screen size, then this will be that phone for you. If you're in the market for a high-powered Android phone, this is probably the phone to choose, but it's a pretty close two-horse race between the S8 and the Google Pixel. Read full review
90	The Inquirer | Basil Kronfli What you end up with is a clearly flawed, fantastic smartphone in the Samsung Galaxy S8+. The fact that, by comparison, most other flagships feel nothing short of dated next to the S8+ is perhaps the biggest reason to pick it up. Read full review
90	PCWorld | Michael Simon With a stunning 6.2-inch screen and a brilliantly compact design, the Galaxy S8+ isn't just a new flagship from Samsung, it's the best phone anyone has ever made. The Galaxy S8+ truly changes the smartphone conversation. Read full review
90	AVForums | David Phelan The Galaxy S8 is the best phone Samsung has made. Well, you'd expect that. But it's genuinely one of the best phones I've ever seen, and easily the most accomplished, elegant Android phone Read full review
90	YourTechExplained | Jason England When it comes to Samsung for me there will always be more to love than to hate. The S8+ is a perfect example of that. Despite any flaws, it is a fantastic phone and it is one that will please most people. Read full review
90	Neowin | Robbie Khan For now, the Galaxy S8+ stands on its own if you want the best display experience of any phone currently available. It is not perfect, but it is the closest a Galaxy has ever been. Read full review
90	pocketnow | Juan Carlos Bagnell The S8+ certainly delivers a spec sheet arguing for that price tag. No question, there's a lot packed into this gadget. Only you and your wallet can determine if you are really going to get the full return on this investment. Read full review
90	Gizmodo UK | Holly Brockwell Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus is a beautifully-crafted, all-round high-performance flagship that we've loved using. If you're getting a phone anytime soon, make it this one. It's a beaut. Read full review
90	TechRadar | Matt Swider The Galaxy S8 Plus is the Android phone you want if you like big and tall smartphones. Read full review
90	Know Your Mobile | Paul Briden A really rather fantastic phone which sets the bar for 2017 very high indeed. It's super expensive, but it's packed with amazing technology and the overall package is highly rewarding to use. Best of all it has unbelievable battery stamina Read full review
90	CNET UK | Jessica Dolcourt Lovers of big phones won't find a prettier device with a larger screen anywhere else, but you'll want to make sure it isn't too tall for you, and the fingerprint reader too hard to reach, before you commit. Read full review
90	Mashable | Lance Ulanoff The stunning Samsung Galaxy S8+puts Samsung back on track. The Samsung Galaxy S8+ is an excellent smartphone. Read full review
90	Mobile Syrup | Patrick O'Rourke Samsung's S8 and S8+ feel like phones from the future. The smartphone is, however, not without faults. Read full review
90	T3 | Dan Grabham So what do we think of the Galaxy S8+? We think it's probably the best phone of 2017 so far. The S8+ takes smartphone screens to another level, but the fingerprint reader spoils the party. Read full review
90	The Verge | Dan Seifert Luckily for Samsung, the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are excellent devices to begin the work of rehabilitating its image. They are the best Android phones you can buy right now, with stunning displays, beautiful design, and great performance. Read full review
89	Android Authority | Nirave Gondhia Samsung's latest flagship has all the hallmarks of being one of the best phones of 2017, with its excellent design and outstanding display. However, its voice assistant needs a lot of polish to leave its current beta state. It might not be the absolute best phone, but as with previous years, it's likely to be the best phone for most users. Read full review
80	GadgetSpeak | Paul Smart If you are someone whose life revolves round a phone why not have that extra screen size that you get here. Read full review
80	The Guardian | Samuel Gibbs There are two reasons to buy the Galaxy S8+ – an epic screen and solid battery life. Everything else is pretty much the same as the smaller S8, but it's more awkward to hold and carry. The S8+ is the king of massive phones, but it's just not quite the best smartphone available. Read full review
80	Alphr | Jonathan Bray Samsung's over-sized Galaxy S8 Plus is a smartphone to be reckoned with. In essence, the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus is the same phone as the S8, with all the things that make that phone great. Is it any better, though? In my view, the answer to that question has to be no Read full review
80	Expert Reviews | Nathan Spendelow The Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus is very much a five-star handset. It's big, bold and resoundingly beautiful, but the thing that holds it back? There's still that regular-sized S8 to contend with. That's the sticking point and the main reason I've knocked a star off. Read full review
75	TechSpot | Tim Schiesser I feel the asking price is about right for the LG G6 and its position in the market. Unfortunately, while the G6 is a solid smartphone and one of LG's best, it falls behind in too many areas to take out the 'best smartphone' crown. Read full review

Compare Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus specs side-by-side with other phones COMPARE SPECS

Dimensions & Form	Form factor: Touchscreen bar Dimensions 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm (6.28 x 2.89 x 0.32 in) Weight: 173 g (6.1 oz)
Screen	Size: 6.2 inches diagonal Resolution: 2960 x 1440 pixels Screen Density: 531 ppi Screen-to-Body Ratio: 83.3 % Display Type: Super AMOLED
Runs
Performance	Chipset: Exynos 8895 Octa CPU: Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz & 4x1.7 GHz) GPU: Mali-G71 MP20 RAM: 4GB
Camera	Main Camera: 12 megapixels with LED flash Secondary Camera: 8 megapixels
Storage	Built-in Storage: 64GB Expandable Storage: Micro SD
Battery & Charging	Capacity: 3000 mAh Removable Battery: No Wireless Charging: Yes Quick Charge: Yes (v2)
SIM standard	Nano SIM Compare SIM Only deals
Water & Dust Resistance	IP68 Rating: Protection from contact with harmful dust, and protection from immersion in water up to a depth of 30m for up to 30 minutes
Fingerprint Reader	Rear
References & More info	Official website GSMArena specs page

Photos taken with the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus

We've used Flickr to find a selection of pictures taken by the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus camera. Here is a selection of photos taken by users from around the world so you can see what kind of picture quality you can expect from real-world use of the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

All images shown are used under the rights and terms specified by the Creative Commons.