Too big, too similar, too expensive
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus is a lovely phone. I’ve been lucky enough get hands on with it before it goes on sale, but it has a big, big problem.
It’s packed full of power, has a dazzling display, strong camera and eye-catching design – but so does its smaller, cheaper sibling, the Samsung Galaxy S8 .
In fact, the only differences between the two handsets are 1) screen size, 2) battery size and 3) price.
You may want a large screen, but unlike last year where we got a 5.1-inch Galaxy S7 and 5.5-inch Galaxy S7 Edge , the standard Galaxy S8 packs a huge 5.8-inch display.
At 6.2 inches the Galaxy S8 Plus screen is monstrous, yet it feels unnecessary alongside its already-large non-plus namesake.
The bigger 3,500mAh battery (vs 3,000mAh in the S8) is a nice addition, but Samsung’s S7 duo had one of the better battery performances of 2016’s flagships and the Galaxy S8 should continue that trend – plus with fast and wireless charging, if you do run low it’s easy and quick to top up.
All this dampens the appeal of the larger power pack in the S8 Plus. Then comes the price.
Samsung has upped the cost of its new flagship duo, with the Galaxy S8 featuring an already wallet-troubling $720 (£689, AU$1,199) price tag.
The S8 Plus meanwhile, demands $825 (£779, AU$1,349) for the privilege of a bigger screen and battery – which doesn’t sound like great value for money to me.
