Samsung’s latest flagship phablet, the Galaxy Note 8, is finally available in Kenya. The smartphone was launched earlier today and is available for Ksh 104,999. This is for the base model that you can find in any Samsung branded shop across the country.
The Galaxy Note 8 is a very important device for Samsung given the disaster that was the Note 7. The Note 7 was supposed to be its flagship phablet for 2016 but battery issues that caused some units to overheat and even explode forced the company to discontinue the device. I know this happened last year but we have to mention it given that the Note 8 is supposed to be its replacement.
Samsung has said more that once that it learnt from the Note 7 and now it implements an 8-point battery safety check on its devices. This is to ensure not issues arise going forward. So far, we haven’t heard of any devices catching fire and this probably means the 8-point battery safety check system is working, who knows?
Back to the Galaxy Note 8 in Kenya, the company says it is here to offer enhanced productivity to its users. This is thanks to the S-Pen among other features. The S-Pen has always been a defining feature of the Note series and on the Note 8 it does even more. For starters, the Note 8 is IP68 certified that makes it possible for you to use it in wet conditions. You could not do this with the previous Note devices.
“With the Galaxy Note8, the S Pen takes things a step further incorporating a fun Live Message feature, improved Screen off memo capabilities and enhanced Translate functionality. The refined S Pen enables users to express themselves in ways that no conventional stylus can.” – Samsung
Besides the S-Pen, the Galaxy Note 8 comes with a 6.3 inch infinity display. This sounds big but the 18:9 aspect ration of this display means that you can comfortably hold it with one hand. It is a bit tall and thinner than most other smartphones. This is the same aspect ratio Samsung used on the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. This display makes it perfect for media consumption by offering what the company is calling an “immersive viewing experience.” For thos who do not know, the infinity display just refers to the lack of bezels and how curved the screen is.
Powering the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is the company’s own Exynos 8895 octa core processor that is paired with 6GB of RAM, Mali-G71 MP20 and 64 GB of internal storage space that can be expanded to 256GB using a microSD card slot.
Samsung Galaxy S8
For the camera, the Note 8 comes with a 12 MP dual lens unit with dual pixel technology. The front camera is an 8MP one. I have not spent enough time with the Note 8 so I won’t be telling you if the cameras are that good or not.
The Galaxy Note 8 also comes with Bixby that the company introduced on the Galaxy S8. his intelligent interface helps users get more out of their phone and is also available in the Note 8. Contextual awareness capabilities enable Bixby to offer personalized help based on what it continues to learn about the user’s interests, situation and location.
Why So Expensive?
So, now that we know the Note 8 is available in Kenya, why is it expensive? I mean, Ksh 105,000 is too high even for the Note series that we have always seen in the 80,000 and 90,000 neighbourhood. Well, Samsung says that the research and development that goes into this and the materials used to make it contribute to this. The company particularly pointed out the display that is curved and the accompanying technology running behind the scenes to ensure everything works fine. Is this enough reason to get the Note 8? That will be up to you.
Also Read: The Nokia 8 Goes On Sale In Kenya For Ksh 60,000
