Samsung Galaxy J8 (2018) Impressions

Samsung will soon bring a new J series smartphone for the Philippine market, the Galaxy J8 (2018).

Meet the new Galaxy J8

It's mid-range smartphone which boasts an 18.5:9 Infinity Display with slim bezels, pretty good specs for a J series phone, and dual camera setup with Live Focus mode for bokeh or background blur.

On paper, it is also even better than some A series phone like the Galaxy A6 (2018) in particular.

Promising right? So, let's check it out!

Samsung Galaxy J8 (2018) Specs

Display: 6-inch 2.5D curved Super AMOLED Infinity Display w/ HD+ 1440 x 720 resolution at 268 ppi

CPU: 1.8GHz 64-bit Snapdragon 450 octa-core processor

GPU: Adreno 506

RAM: 3GB

ROM: 32GB expandable via microSD card slot up to 256GB (dedicated)

Main Camera: 16MP f/1.7 + 5MP f/1.9 w/ AF and LED flash

Selfie Camera: 16MP f/1.9 w/ softlight LED flash

Battery: 3,500mAh

OS: Android 8.0 Oreo w/ Samsung Experience 9.0

Connectivity: WiFi a/b/g/n (2.4/5GHz), 4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.2 LE, ANT+, FM Radio, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, dual SIM

Sensors: Accelerometer, proximity, sound

Others: Fingerprint sensor, face unlock, Colors: blue, black, gold

Dimensions: 160 x 75.8 x 7.95 mm

Weight: 177 g

Price: PHP 15,990 (PHP 14,990 sale price)

Disclaimer: We borrowed this handset from Samsung Philippines. This is not a sponsored content.

Note: Sadly, we do not have the box and accessories of this device. We will update this post with the unboxing as soon as possible.

Build Quality/Design

Neat back design with proper fingerprint scanner placement in the middle

The Galaxy J8 (2018) sports a modern looking design with respectable build. The body is mostly made out of sturdy polycarbonate material with glass on the top of the AMOLED panel.

Neat familiar Samsung design with respectable build quality!

It doesn't feel as premium as its A series relatives, but the craftsmanship is nearly as refined. It has no sharp edges on the curves and well machined overall.

Personally, I also think that it is quite durable. Until now, the review unit I have still has no cracks or visible scratches even if it doesn't have a case.

Nothing on the top

Micro USB port and 3.5 mm headphone jack slot below

Volume rocker at left

Dedicated dual SIMs and microSD card slots

Power button and the speaker at right

This handset is also quite stylish. It also has neat curves and good finish. The side bezels are slim too. The top and bottom chin bezels are thicker, but it is still considered as thin for a mid-range smartphone. Thanks to its 18.5:9 screen aspect ratio.

We noticed that it is also far from being big and thick. This phone measures at just 160 x 75.8 x 7.95 mm. In comparison, it is noticeably smaller than the Galaxy C9 Pro last year with 6-inch screen. That device is 162.9 mm tall and 80.7 mm wide.

As expected, the buttons and ports of this handset are similar with other J series phones. It has nothing on the top and the micro USB is found below.

At left, you'll find the volume rocker and the dual SIM and dedicated microSD card slots. At right, the power button is there together with the single side side firing speaker.

The fingerprint scanner and dual camera setup are positioned properly at the back of the phone.

Overall, the build and design of this handset is respectable. It is comfortable to hold and not that prone to fingerprint smudges too.

Initial Findings

Decent AnTuTu score

1. Despite the lack of the more premium metal unibody design, the Galaxy J8 (2018) still looks quite good. It also has good curves and sturdy enough construction.

The  6-inch 2.5D curved Super AMOLED Infinity Display w/ HD+ 1440 x 720 resolution is decent. It isn't the sharpest around, but its colors are punchy with deep contrast and blacks. It also has good sunlight legibility.

It has no light sensor for auto brightness though.

2. Inside, the processor it has is a step-up versus the ageing Exynos 7870 octa-core processor. It is now rocking the newer gen and speedier Snapdragon 450 octa-core processor with better Adreno 506 GPU for casual gaming.

It also has ample 3GB RAM for multitasking and 32GB ROM for storage. It is expandable via microSD card as expected.

We also like that Samsung included a pretty large 3,500mAh of battery here.

The 4G LTE connectivity of this device is quite strong so far as well.

3. It runs on Android 8.0 Oreo operating system w/ Samsung Experience 9.0 skin. It is neat, snappy, and straight forward as expected. We will further test it out in the next few weeks.

Camera samples soon!

4. The dual camera setup of this device is promising! It has the potential to be Samsung's best "affordable" camera phone yet. At the back, you'll find a 16MP f/1.7 snapper paired with a 5MP f/1.9 secondary camera. It is one of the few with f/1.7 aperture size for better lowlight snaps.

For selfies, you'll find a 16MP f/1.9 sensor. Its aperture size is still brighter than most f/2.2 and f/2.0 selfie cameras from competing phones. It even has a dedicated softlight LED flash if the scene is too dark.

It also has cute stickers for you to try.

5. The Galaxy J8 has both the fingerprint scanner and face unlock tech. It also has OTG connectivity. It has no LED light indicator and gyro sensor though.

Related: Samsung Galaxy J8 (2018): First Camera Samples

As of the moment

So far, quite good! The Samsung Galaxy J8 (2018) is shaping up to be a respectable mid-ranger with excellent back and front cameras and strong battery performance for the expected price.

The keyword there is the "expected price", so let's hope that Samsung will price it right.

Stay tuned for more info and our full review soon!