The product:
The Note 8 is arguably Samsung's best tablet yet, but depending on your experience with the company's
offerings, the weight of such an acknowledgement will vary dramatically. If you're a stylus devotee that liked what you saw in the Note 10.1, you'll be happy to know that thanks to some software upgrades, the Note 8 integrates the stylus, or S Pen, in a smaller package with fewer seams and a more impressive screen. Still, if you're not an artist and have no interest in coming near a stylus anytime soon, go for one of the many cheaper options.
At $300, this would be an easy recommendation; however, the $400 price means you'll have to decide for yourself if the inclusion of the stylus and its integration into the OS is worth it to you.
Like the iPad Mini, the Note 8’s larger-than-typical screen necessitates a wider body -- by about an inch -- than, say, the Nexus 7. So, depending on how you're holding the tablet, its more expansive frame may feel a bit awkward, especially if your hands are of the wee variety.
The 5-megapixel rear-facing camera is located directly in the top middle of the back, and although the placement feels natural when holding the camera in portrait, my fingers were constantly getting in the way of shots when holding it in landscape.
The Note 8 ships with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and includes Samsung’s TouchWiz UI skin.
What it offers:
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is a stunning tablet with a truly useful stylus, but it's not worth $400 unless you're an artist or prefer pen input.
The advantage:
Galaxy Note 8 is comfortable to hold and has the best-looking small tablet screen yet. Writing with the S Pen feels natural and is preferred over typing on a tablet screen. Storage can be expanded via microSD, and the Watch On feature has potential as a universal remote/video content hub.
The unfavorable:
The $399 price is a lot for a small tablet, no matter its features. It's not as thin or as light as the iPad Mini, and some people won't appreciate the highly saturated look of the OS. Also, its face buttons sometimes get in the way and there are occasional performance hangs.
The price:
$399.00
The Note 8 is arguably Samsung's best tablet yet, but depending on your experience with the company's
At $300, this would be an easy recommendation; however, the $400 price means you'll have to decide for yourself if the inclusion of the stylus and its integration into the OS is worth it to you.
Like the iPad Mini, the Note 8’s larger-than-typical screen necessitates a wider body -- by about an inch -- than, say, the Nexus 7. So, depending on how you're holding the tablet, its more expansive frame may feel a bit awkward, especially if your hands are of the wee variety.
The 5-megapixel rear-facing camera is located directly in the top middle of the back, and although the placement feels natural when holding the camera in portrait, my fingers were constantly getting in the way of shots when holding it in landscape.
The Note 8 ships with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and includes Samsung’s TouchWiz UI skin.
What it offers:
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is a stunning tablet with a truly useful stylus, but it's not worth $400 unless you're an artist or prefer pen input.
The advantage:
Galaxy Note 8 is comfortable to hold and has the best-looking small tablet screen yet. Writing with the S Pen feels natural and is preferred over typing on a tablet screen. Storage can be expanded via microSD, and the Watch On feature has potential as a universal remote/video content hub.
The unfavorable:
The $399 price is a lot for a small tablet, no matter its features. It's not as thin or as light as the iPad Mini, and some people won't appreciate the highly saturated look of the OS. Also, its face buttons sometimes get in the way and there are occasional performance hangs.
The price:
$399.00
