Samsung Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy S7: Should You Upgrade?

Samsung Galaxy S8

vs Galaxy S7: Samsung has lifted the lid on the long-awaited Galaxy S8 – and we're very impressed. But what sets the Galaxy S8 apart from the Galaxy S7 in terms of design, specs and price? Here's a guide complete.

Last years

Samsung Galaxy S7

was a truly wonderful phone, earning itself a perfect 5/5 rating from

Trust notice

.We even gave it our 2016 phone of the year award, so impressed were we with its design, performance and value for money.

But with the fiery Galaxy Note 7 and tough competition from the iPhone 7, Samsung had to go back to the drawing board to create something truly special in the Samsung Galaxy S8. phone, but so far we're impressed.

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If you're thinking of upgrading to Samsung's latest flagship (which will be released on April 28), here are the main differences between the Galaxy S8 and S7 and the Galaxy S8+ and S7 Edge.

If you can't be bothered to read the entire article, we've included a brief summary of what you need to know at the bottom of this page.

Samsung Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy S7 Design – What's the difference?

The Samsung Galaxy S7 received top marks from us last year, and for the most part, that perfect score was down to its sleek and sleek design.

What's most impressive is that Samsung has improved the design of the phone with the Galaxy S8. Thanks to the introduction of what the company calls an "infinity screen", where the screen takes up almost the space at the front of the phone, resulting in an incredibly slim bezel.

move the fingerprint sensor to the back of the phone

, Samsung was able to fit many more screens into

a body that is only slightly larger

than the Galaxy S7. For example, the dimensions of the Samsung Galaxy S7 are: 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm, with a 5.1-inch screen. But the Galaxy S8, with a huge screen of 5.8 inches, is only slightly larger at 148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0mm.

Samsung Galaxy S8

The Galaxy S8 is truly gorgeous and very different from the flagship Samsung Galaxy smartphones we've seen before. It's a huge step up from the Galaxy S7 – and the ill-fated Note 7, which we thought was a great phone. (until it explodes). It's also worth noting that

Galaxy S8 and S8+ both feature Samsung's 'Edge' style curved display

, which is why there is no separate phone with the "Edge" branding.

The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are heavier than their predecessors, weighing 155g and 175g respectively. This contrasts with the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, which weighed 152g and 157g respectively. These weight increases are negligible, although any Anyone used to owning a small, lightweight device (like the 4-inch iPhone SE) may find it hard to get to grips with the Galaxy S8+.

The only other point to note is that the Samsung Galaxy S8 is available in the UK in

black, blue and silver color options

, although we'd be surprised if more colors weren't added over time.

Here's our mobile editor Max Parker's take on the new design:

“While the backs are similar, everything changes on the front for the S8 – and it's a gorgeous phone. combine to make this the most beautiful phone I have ever seen. The S7 was simple, but the S8 takes it to a whole new level

Samsung Galaxy S7

Samsung Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy S7 Specs – How much more powerful is the Galaxy S8?

Although the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are not significantly larger than their predecessors, they both feature

a much larger screen

.The Galaxy S8 uses a

5.8-inch Super AMOLED panel

, while the Galaxy S8+ sports an even larger 6.2-inch screen.

What's weird about the screens is that they use a new,

wider 18.5:9 aspect ratio

, which means they have a slightly odd QHD+ screen resolution of 2960 x 1440 pixels. pixels lower - see the table below for details.

The good news is that Samsung has also

significantly improved the processor of the Galaxy S8

The Galaxy S7 used either a Samsung-built Exynos 8990 or a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, depending on your market. 10 nm much more efficient.

Samsung claims that the

the new phone is 10% faster

, thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8995 chip inside. This comes with 4 GB of RAM (unchanged) and 64 GB of storage (instead of 32 GB).

Samsung Galaxy S8

For photography, it's

largely the same camera setup

like before. There's a 12-megapixel DualPixel shooter on the back of the phone, with a wide f/1.7 aperture and optical image stabilization (OIS) to boot.

higher resolution selfies than the Galaxy S7

(8 megapixels against 5 megapixels), as well as an f/1.7 aperture and autofocus.

Perhaps the only noticeable change to the camera is the introduction of multi-frame image processing. This means the Galaxy S8 takes three frames when you press the shutter button and uses the trio of shots to reduce blur. and refine your photos.

Elsewhere, you still get a waterproof case, wireless charging and an SD card slot. Micro-USB has been replaced by the more versatile USB Type-C port, which is a transfer of note 7. We also saw the addition of an iris scanner, which is another feature taken from the Note.

Best Android Apps

Samsung Galaxy S7

As for battery life, it's too early to tell.

The Galaxy S8 uses the same 3,000 mAh cell as the Galaxy S7

, while the Galaxy S8+'s 3500 mAh battery is slightly smaller than the 3600 mAh cell inside the Galaxy S7 Edge. But since the screen resolution hasn't changed significantly and that Samsung has introduced a much more efficient processor, we'd be surprised if battery life wasn't improved.

Samsung's new phones run on Google's latest Android 7.0 Nougat operating system, which is the same software we saw on the Galaxy S7. added Samsung's Bixby personalized digital assistant – think Siri, but by Samsung.

For a full spec comparison, see the table below:

Samsung Galaxy S8

Samsung Galaxy S7

Filter

5.8 inches (Super AMOLED)

5.1 inches (Super AMOLED)

Display resolution