Samsung Galaxy J8 Review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCEnnssgzJU

The Galaxy J8 is Samsung’s mid-range smartphone, introduced in May 2018 and available on the market from August 2018. It shipped in Gold, Silver, Blue, and Black, and at launch it sold for around $240. Samsung positioned it as a price/performance option, carrying a number of features from its higher-range devices down into the mid-range tier.

Design of the Samsung Galaxy J8

The back of the Galaxy J8 is polycarbonate plastic rather than metal or glass. The front carries Samsung’s Infinity Display: a 6-inch screen with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio and thin bezels that push the screen-to-body ratio to roughly 76%. The phone measures 8.2 mm thick and weighs 195 grams, and the curved edges make it feel slimmer in the hand than its size suggests. The rear camera and fingerprint scanner sit flush with the body, so the phone rests flat on a surface without rocking.

The power button is on the right side and the volume buttons on the left. The SIM and microSD slots are separate trays rather than a single combined tray. On the bottom edge sit a microUSB 2.0 port and a headphone jack. The microUSB 2.0 port is dated next to the USB-C connector found on some other phones in this class.

Specifications and performance

The Galaxy J8 runs a Snapdragon 450 with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, expandable via microSD up to 256 GB. The processor is octa-core at 1.8 GHz, paired with an Adreno 506 GPU. That is enough for titles such as Real Racing, but not for games with high graphics demands.

The display resolution is 720×1480, lower than some other phones in the same segment, though the SUPER AMOLED panel keeps everyday use comfortable. In benchmarks the J8 scored 69,832 points on AnTuTu, and on GeekBench 745 single-core and 3,789 multi-core.

The J8 ships with Android 8.1 Oreo and Samsung’s Experience 9.0 interface, the same software layer used on the company’s flagship phones. In daily use it stays responsive for messaging, browsing, and casual apps.

Camera, fingerprint scanner and battery

The Galaxy J8 has a dual rear camera: a 16 MP main sensor and a 5 MP secondary sensor, with a Live Focus mode in the camera app. The front camera is also 16 MP and includes a flash for video calls and low-light selfies. Both the front and rear cameras record Full HD video at 30 FPS.

The fingerprint scanner sits just below the rear cameras. Its closeness to the lenses makes it easy to smudge them while reaching for it, though the scanner’s response speed is acceptable. The J8 also has a face scanner as a second unlock option.

The battery is 3,500 mAh, enough to get through a full day on a single charge.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Android 8.1 Oreo with Experience 9.0; SUPER AMOLED display; dual rear cameras with Live Focus; both fingerprint and face unlock; 3,500 mAh battery that lasts a day.
• Cons: polycarbonate back rather than metal or glass; microUSB 2.0 instead of USB-C; 720×1480 resolution below some phones in the segment.

Who is it for?

The Galaxy J8 fits someone who wants a mid-range Samsung for everyday tasks: messaging, browsing, casual games, and photos, with a current Android build, day-long battery life, and both fingerprint and face unlock. It is not aimed at users who need flagship-level gaming performance, a high-resolution screen, or a metal-and-glass build.