Samsung Galaxy A8: Plans | Pricing | Specs

Samsung's first Galaxy A smartphone for 2018 combines an infinity display with dual front-mounted cameras for the selfie-obsessed.

Samsung always makes headlines when it releases Galaxy S or Galaxy Note phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S9 released in March 2018 and the Galaxy Note9 released in August 2018). However, these aren't the only Samsung handsets that carry the Galaxy badge.

For some years Samsung has produced Galaxy A series handsets that have a focus on mid-range performance and pricing, typically building on many of the features of the previous year's Galaxy S phones.

The 2018 iteration of the Samsung Galaxy A8 is in many ways a slightly refined version of the generally excellent Samsung Galaxy S8. There's also a larger version, the Samsung Galaxy A8+, which is basically the equivalent of the Samsung Galaxy S8+.

Design

• Features the same "infinity display" technology as the Samsung Galaxy S8.
• IP68 rating provides robust protection against the elements.

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy A8's design

  

  The Galaxy A8 features Samsung's full-screen 5.6-inch "infinity display". It boasts the same 18:9 aspect ratio as the S8, but only supports 1080-pixel resolution. This is in keeping with the A8's mid-range pricing, and is still sharp enough for a quality viewing experience.

  As with the previous generation of Galaxy A phones, the A8 comes with the official IP68 rating for water resistance. This rating promises full protection against dust particles, as well as the ability to survive submersion in up to 1.5m of water for as long as 30 minutes. You wouldn't want to go nuts and take it scuba diving; no phone has yet been built to that standard. But for everyday splashes or dunks, it should be fine.

  Other elements of the Samsung Galaxy family making their return in the A8 include support for microSD cards as big as 400GB; voice integration via Samsung's Bixby virtual assistant; and Samsung Pay functionality for making in-store transactions without the need for a credit card.

Camera

• Dual 16MP front-facing sensors provide more flexibility than a typical selfie camera.
• A larger rear-facing sensor promises better low-light performance.

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy A8's camera

  

  While the Galaxy A8 2018 more or less mimics the Galaxy S8/S8+ in features, the one area where Samsung has done some significant tweaking is in the camera department. At the rear there's a 16-megapixel (MP) single sensor; but at the front, Samsung has paired a 16MP fixed-focus f/1.9 camera sensor with an 8MP f/1.9 sensor.

  It's not the first phone to feature dual front sensors; Huawei's Nova2i is already running with that feature. However, unlike the budget Huawei handset, the Galaxy A8/A8+ allows you to selectively pick the focus using the "Live focus" feature brought across from the Note 8. The end result should be selfies that are as sharp, or soft, as you want them.

  The front-facing camera also allows for facial recognition, which you can use to unlock your phone instead of a PIN or the built-in fingerprint scanner.

Performance

• Solid specs should ensure respectable performance in most tasks.
• Multi-taskers will appreciate the 4GB of RAM.

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy A8's performance

  The Galaxy A8 2018 should be a moderately powerful device. It features an octa-core chip with two cores clocked at 2.2GHz and six cores clocked at 1.6GHz. It also packs 4GB of RAM, which should ensure a responsive experience when multitasking across multiple apps or playing more-demanding 3D games. Admittedly, the Galaxy A8 is not going to outshine the Galaxy S9, but it should still be a solid competitor in the mid-range space.

  One unusual factor for a handset launching in 2018 is that Samsung is shipping it with Android 7.1.1 rather than the newer Android 8.0. A system update has started making the rounds through various regions as of August 2018, but Australia is not one of them. Still, Samsung clearly has confidence in the Galaxy A8 2018's overall performance, given that it's the first of the Galaxy A series phones to come with Gear VR virtual reality compatibility.

Battery

• All-day battery life should be eminently viable thanks to the 3,000mAh battery.
• USB-C fast charging keeps downtime to a minimum.

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy A8's battery

  The Samsung Galaxy A8 packs a 3,000mAh battery, which is relatively standard for higher-end smartphones in 2018. Judging by Samsung's track record in battery performance, together with the handset's slightly scaled-back performance, it should have no trouble seeing you through a full day on a single charge.

  If you do find yourself out of juice, you won't be left hanging too long thanks to the A8's support for fast charging via USB-C.

Pricing and availability

Samsung Galaxy A8

Mid-range power

By streamlining the best aspects of the Galaxy S8, Samsung has assured the Galaxy A8 offers impressive performance and features at an attractive price.

Buy Now

• The Galaxy A8 retails for $649 if you buy directly through Samsung, though you can save a decent chunk of cash by shopping around.
• Optus and Vodafone offer the Galaxy A8 on contract, if you prefer paying in installments.