Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Everything we know so far (Updated: August 18)

In this post, which will be updated regularly, we take a closer look at the latest rumors surrounding the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. We’re talking Note 8 release date, specs, features and more. Come back often.

The Galaxy Note 7 turned out to be a disaster for Samsung. The phone had major issues with its battery, that ultimately resulted in a total global recall. Nevertheless, the company will still release a successor, the highly anticipated Galaxy Note 8.

The Note series has always been popular among consumers, and it will be interesting to see if this changes in 2017 because of what happened with the Note 7. To make sure sales don’t suffer, Samsung’s upcoming smartphone has to bring a couple of new things to the table, while the tech giant must also convince people that the product is safe to use.

Although the smartphone is still a few days away, we already know quite a bit about it. In this post, we take a closer look at all the rumors surrounding the Galaxy Note 8 including when will it be released, what it will look like, how much it will set you back, and more. If you’re interested, keep reading.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Release date

We have heard quite a few rumors regarding the release date of the Galaxy Note 8 so far. One of them claimed that the phablet will be officially unveiled at IFA 2017 in Berlin, which kicks off in September. However, we now know that the smartphone actually won’t be unveiled at Europe’s largest consumer electronics trade show but will make its debut a little bit sooner. 

Samsung has sent out press invites for its Unpacked event taking place in New York City on August 23, when the Galaxy Note 8 will officially be announced. The flagship will then land in the US, UK, and a few other countries in September, before making its way to additional markets in October.

As usual, the event will be live streamed, so you’ll be able to watch the phablet’s reveal on your computer or smartphone, among other devices.

The smartphone has already been approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the US and carries the model number SM-N950 (following SM-N930 for the Note 7). As expected, the listing indicates that the Galaxy Note 8 will support both GSM and CDMA networks for full compatibility with US carriers.

As for the actual Galaxy Note 8 release date, we know that Koreans will get it from September 15, the same day the LG V30 is expected to go on sale. It remains to be seen whether the Note 8 will be launched in other regions on the same day, but we have a strong hunch that will be the case.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Specs and software

Just like the Galaxy S8 series, the Note 8 is expected to sport a curved Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2,960 x 1,440 pixels and 18.5:9 aspect ratio. However, it will be quite a bit bigger when compared to the one found on the Note 7, which features a 5.7-inch screen. The latest rumors suggest that the Note 8 will have either a 6.3- or a 6.4-inch display.

The upcoming phablet is rumored to be powered by either the latest Snapdragon 835 chipset or the upgraded (and unannounced) Snapdragon 836. Well, at least the US model. Samsung is also expected to offer a variant with the Exynos 8895 processor under the hood in Europe and other markets, which also powers the Galaxy S8.

The Note 8 will come with either 4 or 6 GB of RAM and should, according to most rumors, be equipped with a dual-camera setup on the back. The device is expected to sport 12 and 13 MP lenses with autofocus, f/1.7 aperture, and 1.12µm pixel size. The two lenses could be a wide-angle and a telephoto lens (similar to the latest iPhone and the OnePlus 5) with 2X optical zoom. The device is also tipped to have an 8 MP selfie snapper on board.

It’s worth pointing out that the Note 8 might not be Samsung’s first smartphone with a dual-camera setup. That title may go to the upcoming Galaxy C10.

Moving on to the fingerprint sensor, it looks like this won’t be built into the screen of the device as originally expected. According to a report by Naver, there are still various technical limitations when it comes to in-display fingerprint scanners, which is why Samsung will not use it on the Note 8. Interestingly, multiple reports claim Apple has managed to do so on the upcoming iPhone.

Based on the fact that the Note 8 will feature small bezels around the screen (more on this later), the company won’t be able to mount the fingerprint sensor on the front either, as there’s just not enough room available below the screen. This means that once again the fingerprint scanner will likely be found on the back of the device (something which has seemingly been corroborated by recently leaked renders, seen in the tweets below).

Other things worth pointing out are that the Note 8 is expected to be waterproof (IP68), will naturally come equipped with the popular S Pen as well as an iris scanner, and pack at least a 3,500 mAh battery. The latest rumors also suggest that the device will be available with 64 GB, 128 GB and even 256GB of storage, which you’ll be able to expand for an additional 256 GB with the help of a microSD card. Force touch, throughout the screen, has been rumored to be present as well.

When it comes to software, the phone will run Android 7.1.1 Nougat with Samsung’s custom user interface on top. It will likely have a more fully-fledged version of Bixby on board, the company’s digital assistant that made its debut on the Galaxy S8. This means it’ll probably have the same dedicated Bixby button on the side, which not everyone is a fan of.

As a bonus, the alleged wallpaper set of the Galaxy Note 8 is already available online right here.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Design

OnLeaks released a set of renders, as well as a 360-degree video, of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 8. They show the device from all angles leaving nothing to the imagination.

As you can see, the Note 8 will look more or less the same as the Galaxy S8 series, with a few minor differences here and there. It will be a little bit bigger and have a slightly redesigned back thanks to the dual-camera setup. Unfortunately, the images above show that the fingerprint scanner will be positioned on the right side of the cameras just like on the Galaxy S8, which a lot of users don’t really like. In addition, the device will likely have a glass back, a metal frame, and come equipped with the popular S Pen that pops out from the bottom of the device.

The design of the device has also been hinted at in recent images posted on Twitter by Evan Blass. The first one potentially shows us the front of the upcoming phablet in the Midnight Black color option.

Shortly after, Evan Blass posted another image online, this time revealing the front, back, and sides of the smartphone in two color variants. In addition to Midnight Black, the picture also shows the Note 8 in what appears to be Maple Gold, which we have already seen on the Galaxy S8. You can check it out below.

Of course, in addition to Midnight Black and Maple Gold, the Note 8 will also come in a few other color options. According to leaker Roland Quandt, the phablet will be available in at least one new color — Deep Blue.

Although the leaks we’ve seen so far haven’t been confirmed yet, it seems very likely at this point that the Note 8 will look a lot like the Galaxy S8 series, only bigger. There’s really no need to change the design based on the fact that it has been so well received among consumers. We’d also expect the same software design as that found on the Galaxy S8.

If you were waiting for some real world images of the Galaxy Note 8, several have surfaced out of China. They’re not the best quality, but they do serve as confirmation of previously leaked renders and press images:

Finally, these images of a Note 8 dummy unit are a good representation of what to expect from the device:

Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Price

The Galaxy Note series is known as being quite expensive. Unfortunately, that probably won’t change with the Note 8. There’s actually a very good chance that the phone will cost even more than the Note 7.

When the Note 7 launched in the US, it retailed for around $850 on average or $80 more than the unlocked version of the Galaxy S7 Edge. As the Galaxy S8 Plus is more expensive than its predecessor ($824.99 unlocked), it’s quite possible that Samsung will also increase the price of the Note 8.

There’s still a chance that you’ll be able to get the smartphone for around $850, but a price tag of $900 or maybe even a bit more seems like a safer bet at this point. If the base storage goes up and the phone gets an additional camera, Samsung might have no choice but to bump up the price. In Europe, the smartphone is expected to retail for around €1,000.

That’s a lot of money to pay so it will be interesting to see how high the demand will be for the smartphone, especially considering the fact that Samsung’s reputation has taken a beating in the US as well as in other countries in the past year.

The good news is that Samsung will likely give out some free goodies along with the Note 8, at least during the pre-order period. The tech giant used this strategy last year when it offered products like a 256 GB microSD card, the Gear Fit 2, and the Gear VR headset for free with every purchase.

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These are all the rumors regarding the Galaxy Note 8 we have come across so far. We’ll update this page as soon as we hear more.

Meanwhile, do let us know your thoughts on Samsung’s upcoming smartphone. Would you consider buying it if it will be more expensive than its predecessor? Let us know by posting a comment down below.