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Why buy a Samsung Galaxy S8?

The Samsung Galaxy S8 may be a couple of years old now, but it still holds its own against many newer handsets, such as the Galaxy S9 and the iPhone X. Not being the latest model means it’s quite a bit cheaper than it used to be, so there’s never been a better time to get hold of the phone that introduced the Infinity Display to the world.

  • Infinity Display – The S8 was the first Samsung smartphone to feature an Infinity Display, an edge-to-edge screen giving you a larger 5.8-inch screen without the need for a bigger handset. The default resolution is Full HD+ and can be changed to WQHD+ in the settings.
  • Wireless charging – The Galaxy S8 has wireless charging capabilities and has a ‘fast charging’ mode that can be turned on or off in the settings.
  • Security – An iris scanner allows you to open your phone by looking at it, or you can set up face recognition and open your phone by holding it up like you’re about to take a selfie. Or there’s the classic fingerprint scanner on the back of the phone, it’s up to you. The S8 also has a secure folder that can only be opened by you, so you can keep your private files and apps private.
  • Camera – The S8 has a dual pixel 12MP rear camera and 8MP front ‘selfie’ camera, each with an F1.7 lens allowing you to take photos at night that are just as clear and crisp as those you take in the day. The camera sits flush with the back of the phone and you can turn on Pro Mode if you really want to experiment with the settings and get creative.
  • Battery – Samsung says the S8’s 10nm processor allows it to charge faster than ever, while power consumption is down 20% so you should be able to go longer without a charge.
  • Operating system – The S8 was launched with the Android 7.0 ‘Nougat’ operating system, but subsequent versions of Android have been made available for the S8, including Android 9.0 ‘Pie’ in February 2019.
  • Bixby – Bixby, Samsung’s personal assistant, was first launched with the S8 and can do things like web searches, give you quick access to the camera app, provide recommendations and more. And you can use voice, text or touch to interact with it.
  • Accessibility – You’ll find all of the S8’s accessibility features in the settings, under the categories vision, hearing, and dexterity and interaction. Features include a high contrast keyboard, screen zoom, subtitles, sound detectors, interaction controls and easy screen turn on.

How to get a good deal on a Samsung Galaxy S8

Other than choosing the phone itself, there are other things to look out for when getting yourself the best possible phone deal. Here are a few things to consider.

  • Contract length – The standard length of mobile phone contracts is 24 months, but increasingly providers are giving you more of a choice, including being able to spread the cost of a handset over 36 months in order to bring down the monthly cost.
  • Data – It’s worth working out how much data you need before you start looking at deals, but a number of providers will let you switch between different plans once your contract starts so you can adjust your allowance as needed.
  • Texts and calls – Most deals include unlimited texts and calls as standard, or such a high number of texts or minutes that it may as well be unlimited. But it’s worth checking before you choose.
  • Upfront cost – Some providers will allow you to choose the upfront fee you pay, which has an effect on the cost of your monthly payments. Others, such as Virgin Mobile, don’t charge upfront fees at all and offer longer contracts instead to keep prices down. Our comparison page rounds up all the best phone deals with no upfront cost.
  • Free gifts – Keep an eye out for free tech and other incentives being offered with Galaxy S8 deals, such as extra data or cashback.

Which providers offer Samsung Galaxy S8 deals?

At the time of writing, giffgaff is the only mobile phone provider offering Samsung Galaxy S8 deals directly. But there are deals available through third party sites, and you can find the best of those in our comparison results.

Getting a mobile deal though a third party site can be much more beneficial than going directly to the network itself – your contract is still with the provider and it’s them you’ll deal with after signing up, but you might also get a cashback or free gift offer you wouldn’t otherwise have had.

  • EE – EE pay monthly mobile deals come with up to three free ‘Smart Benefits’; you can choose from Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Arcade and more. EE has the UK’s biggest and best 4G network, covering 99% of the population.
  • iD Mobile – iD Mobile plans come with data rollover, which automatically keeps unused data at the end of the month and adds it to next month’s allowance. Plans also feature bill capping and EU-inclusive roaming, within a few non-EU destinations as well.
  • O2 – O2 gives you the option of choosing your contract length, upfront cost and monthly price so you can strike the best balance for you. You don’t get these options if you go through a reseller, which you might have to if you want an S8, but you do still get membership to O2 Priority.
  • Three – All pay monthly plans on Three include access to Three+, the provider’s rewards and offers app. All SIM-only and monthly phone plans include unlimited data, meaning no speed limits, no data caps, and endless streaming, browsing, and sharing in the UK.
  • Virgin Mobile – There are no upfront fees if you go directly to Virgin mobile, but at the time of writing you won’t be able to get the S8 directly with Virgin, and will have to go through a reseller. Virgin plans data-rollover and unlimited data for messaging on WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook.
  • Vodafone – Vodafone offers a 30-day network guarantee and lets you manage your bills with the My Vodafone app, and these features don’t change if you sign up via a reseller. Vodafone’s Entertainment plans also come with your choice of streaming subscription.

Refurbished Samsung Galaxy S8 phones

There’s nothing to add here in terms of where to look – your best bet is still going to be a deal from one of the big network providers but via a reseller. Refurbished phones are a good way to save extra cash and most of the time all you’ll be putting up with is a little bit of wear and tear.

Which phones are similar to the Samsung Galaxy S8?

These are the phones we’d class as being similar to the Samsung Galaxy S8, in terms of the phone’s features and how much you’re likely to pay.

  • Samsung Galaxy S Series – The S8’s successor, S9, was launched in 2018, taking over from the S8 as Samsung’s top handset, only to be usurped by the later S10. For some reason, the next Samsung S series phone released was the S20, which included several different models with varying sizes and features. Since the S20 series release, Samsung has remained consistent, releasing a few versions of the same S series phone; the most current models at the time of writing are S22. Any of the S22 handsets offer a significant upgrade from the S8 and you’ll find that all the major providers offer it so you’ll have more choice in terms of provider and plan.
  • Samsung Galaxy A Series – Samsung’s A Series was introduced in 2014 as an entry-level version of its popular S Series phones, offering a good quality handset at a cheaper price. Samsung’s A Series phones are good value if you like Android and don’t want to spend a fortune on the latest and greatest features. At the time of writing, current models include A12, A22, A32, A52s A03s, each with slightly different specifications.
  • iPhone SE – Apple’s iPhone SE is a good alternative for anyone who likes Apple products that doesn’t want to fork out a lot of cash. Currently on the 3rd generation, the SE offers a similar user experience to the latest iPhone 13, though it’s more compact and isn’t as powerful. It does have the same A15 chip, a perfectly decent camera and graphic display, though it’s a much more affordable option.
  • Sony Xperia 10 III – This is a mid-range Sony phone with good specs, and now available with 5G capabilities. The Xperia 10 III has a 6” wide OLED display, triple lens camera with ultra-wide angle, wide-angle and telephoto capabilities, and a high capacity battery that will last all day.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between the Samsung S8 and S8+?

They are different sizes – that’s it. The S8+ has a 6.2-inch screen compared to the 5.8 inches of the regular S8. Other than that, the two phones have the same specifications.

Is the Samsung S8 dual SIM?

There are dual SIM versions of the S8 around, but you are unlikely to get one of these from a mobile network provider because in order to make the most of a dual SIM phone you need it to be unlocked, and most providers lock phones to their network. If you want one, you’ll need to go to a retailer such as Amazon and probably pay upfront, then look for SIM-only deals.

What is the best price for a Samsung Galaxy S8?

You can see the best and latest Samsung Galaxy deals in our comparison at the top of this page. We also have a more general collection of Samsung Galaxy deals.

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