Beyond expectation

THE Samsung Galaxy S8 has a lot to live up to, being the South Korean manufacturer's newest flagship. It is also one of the few truly premium high-end Android phones in the market, with a price tag to match.
I had only a week to put the S8 through its paces, and the first impressions were good.
The phone itself is beautiful. Measuring only 68.1mm across, it feels thin despite having a 5.8in display.
The curved glass that makes up the front and back of the phone blends into the metal frame so completely that it feels smooth and seamless, like a well-worn worry stone.
I often found myself just twirling and flipping the phone in my hand, until I remembered that a case would be the first accessory I would slap on the phone, to protect it from inevitable drops.
Spills, however, are no problem for the S8. It is water- and dust-resistant, and can survive a 1.5m deep dunking for up to 30 minutes.
When setting up the phone for the first time, Samsung lets users pick and choose which Samsung apps to install, thus reducing the number of bloatware and freeing up more of the onboard 64GB of expandable memory. I was impressed.
I was again impressed that, despite the large touchscreen, the S8 is able to differentiate between deliberate finger taps, and accidental commands caused by fat palms overflowing onto the screen.
The 5.8in Quad HD+ Super Amoled on the Samsung Galaxy S8 has an elongated 18.5:9 ratio display, capable of displaying 2960x1440 resolution images.
Pictures, text, and videos look amazing on the infinity display with its curved edges that round the corners and go right up to the metal frame.
I would imagine that reading on the larger Galaxy S8+ could be a dream come true.
However, out of the box, the S8 defaults to full high definition resolution only. This, perhaps, is a way to extend the phone's 3000mAh battery life.
At full HD, I find the phone could end a busy day with approximately 20% charge to spare, but a half-hour drive with turn-by-turn directions and the screen at QHD+ could drain the battery down to 85% from a full charge.
With an Octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM, performance is not an issue with the Samsung Galaxy S8. Tasks and apps ran as smooth as butter.
The interface, however, takes some getting used to. There are a plethora of ways to secure the phone.
Passwords, PINs, patterns, and fingerprints are the typical options, and on top of that, the S8 has the secure iris scanner and the less secure facial recognition options as well.
I had fun using the convenient iris scanner. On the other hand, the fingerprint scanner is placed in an awkward position, next to the camera lens.
I also tested out Bixby, Samsung's own virtual assistant. I found it very similar to Google Assistant, Google Goggles, Google Translate, and Google Now combined.
Some of these apps are pre-installed on the phone already, thanks to the Android 7.0 Nougat-based OS.
For the main camera, the Galaxy S8 sports a 12MP dual-pixel sensor with an f1.7 lens, capable of recording 4k video. The front-facing camera is an 8MP camera with an f1.7 lens and smart autofocus.
All my doubts about the quality of the camera were gone the moment I took the first few pictures.
The rear camera performs beautifully in all typical situations, including low light. Selfies are also much sharper and distinct, thanks to the autofocus.
It is clear that Samsung has put a lot of thought into the camera's interface.
Double tapping the power button launches the camera app in a snap, and the wide screen gives more space for touch controls, making every option more accessible as well.
What I felt was the most overlooked feature of the Samsung Galaxy S8 is its audio capabilities.
The phone is bundled with a pair of Pure Sound by AKG hybrid earphones. This, paired with the personalised audio profile buried deep in the options menu, results in an audible experience superior to other smartphones out there.
Sounds are crisp and clear, perfect for classical and acoustic pieces, but if you are looking for a thumping beat, you may need to get another pair of headphones.
All in, the Samsung Galaxy S8 is worth its asking price of RM3,299. Nevertheless, it is not a luxury everyone can afford or aspire to.
The smartphone is available at all Samsung stores and retailers in midnight black, orchid grey, and maple gold.
For more, visit the Samsung Malaysia website.