Galaxy S8 and S8plus

Galaxy S8 and S8+ are still top-of-mind for those looking to buy a flagship phone today, so it's hard to believe they've actually been available for a full three months already. Our initial review was published on April 18, and I've been using the phone since that week. Naturally I've hopped around to other phones in that time, but continued coming back to the Galaxy S8 as it's maintained a "primary device" designation for me.

With a few months of use under my belt, I have a better feeling for the Galaxy S8 than we ever could just using a phone for a week or two before a review. Here's how the Galaxy S8 is holding up for me, and where I think it stands in the smartphone world as we move through July.

Samsung Galaxy S8

STILL A BEAUTY
More time with the hardware

I've held a lot of excellent smartphone hardware this year, in particular the LG G6, Sony Xperia XZ Premium and HTC U11. Each of those phones has its own personality and hardware strengths, and I wouldn't hesitate to say each of them is worth the money. But the Galaxy S8 is completely unique and removed from them all — it feels like something different entirely.

The hardware sets unreasonable expectations for when you switch to any 'normal' phone.
It's so slick, smooth and narrow that it actually feels like a small device despite its relatively large display size. The optical illusion of the curved display making those side bezels feel even smaller than they are definitely works, and it sets unreasonable expectations for when you switch to any "normal" phone. The subtle curves rarely bother me when trying to swipe and tap, which is something I couldn't say about the Galaxy S7 edge no matter how much I tried to adapt. Yes all of those aspects mean it's a tad on the slippery side, but I think that's a fine compromise for a phone that's this good looking and comfortable to hold.

I still love how the hardware just melts away and lets you focus on the big, brilliant display. Samsung's displays are ridiculously good and somehow continue to get better year after year despite already being tops in the industry for the past few release cycles. Colors pop, fine lines are crisp and the brightness is amazing even in harsh sun (which we've recently actually had a lot of in Seattle). Other phones have good displays, but I still hold Samsung on a higher level.