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Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 Smartphone Review

8 follows 5. The Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) succeeds the Galaxy A5 (2017) as the latest device in the popular Galaxy A Series. The €499 (~$615) price tag could prove to be unpopular though. We will find out in our tests whether Samsung can justify this ambitious price.

Samsung counts differently: The Galaxy A8 (2018) is Samsung's successor to the Galaxy A5 (2017), equating the same number across its different smartphone classes. While the Galaxy S8 and S8+ are high-end smartphones, the 5.6-inch Galaxy A8 (2018) sits within the highly competitive mid-range. Samsung has paired the Galaxy A8 (2018) with the Galaxy A8 + (2018), which has a 6-inch Super AMOLED display.

Both Galaxy A8's share the same solid set of features. They are powered by Samsung's brand new Exynos 7885 SoC, an ARM Mali-G71 MP2 GPU and 4 GB of RAM. Likewise, there is a 16 MP main camera, dual 8 MP + 16 MP front-facing cameras, LTE Cat. 11, USB Type-C, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, and Bluetooth 5.0. There is even a dual-SIM variant.

During this review we will be testing the smaller Galaxy A8 (2018), which has a €499 (~$615) recommended retail price. This price places the Galaxy A8 (2018) among competitive rivals. We will be comparing the Galaxy A8 (2018) against the Asus ZenFone ZE554KL, the BQ Aquaris X Pro, the Honor 9, the OnePlus 5T, and the Sony Xperia XZ1.

Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 (Galaxy Series)
Processor
Samsung Exynos 7885 8 x 2.2 GHz, Cortex-A73/-A53, Exynos 7885 Octa
Graphics adapter
Memory
4 GB 
Display
5.60 inch 18:9, 2220 x 1080 pixel 441 PPI, Super AMOLED, Infinity Display, Full-HD+, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, 23.3 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm audio jack, Card Reader: MicroSD cards up to 256 GB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity sensor, Barometer, Geomagnetic sensor, Ambient Light sensor, Fingerprint sensor, Hall Effect sensor, Wi-Fi Direct, ANT+, App2SD
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0, GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), UMTS (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz), LTE Cat.11 (700, 800, 850, 900, 1.800, 1.900, 2.100, 2.300, 2.500, 2.600 MHz), Downloads bis 600 MBit/s, Uploads bis 50 MBit/s, 2x Nano-SIM, Kopf-SAR 0,241 W/kg, Körper-SAR 1,25 W/kg, Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.4 x 149.2 x 70.6 ( = 0.33 x 5.87 x 2.78 in)
Battery
3000 mAh Lithium-Ion, Talk time 2G (according to manufacturer): 24 h, Talk time 3G (according to manufacturer): 24 h
Operating System
Android 7.1 Nougat
Camera
Primary Camera: 16 MPix 16 MP, f 1.7, Pixel size 1.12 µm, Sensor size 1/2.8", FOV 78°, PDAV, Videos up to 1080p @ 30 FPS
Secondary Camera: 16 MPix Dual front-facing camera: 16 MP (f 1.9, Pixel size 1.12 µm, Sensor size 1/4.0", FOV 85°) + 8 MP (f 1.9, Pixel size 1.0 µm, Sensor size 1/3.1”, FOV 76°) Videos up to 1080p @ 30 FPS
Additional features
Speakers: Mono speaker, Keyboard: virtual, Modular power supply, USB Type-C to Type-A cable, headphones, SIM tool, quick start guide, 24 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
172 g ( = 6.07 oz / 0.38 pounds), Power Supply: 25 g ( = 0.88 oz / 0.06 pounds)
Price
499 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Like Samsung's more premium S series, the Galaxy A8 (2018) has rounded edges. This aesthetic gives the Galaxy A8 (2018) the impression of having a borderless screen with the display seemingly merging into the case. Samsung has called this Infinity Display.

The design only echoes that found in the arguably more stylish Galaxy S8 and S8+though. While the Galaxy A8 (2018) inherits the glass back from its more premium sibling, the edges of the device taper more gradually. The display and rear glass are covered by Gorilla Glass 5 and held together within a metal frame. The 8.4 mm (~0.33 in) case is extremely robust, to the extent that we could not bend or twist it. The device is available in Black, Orchid Gray, Gold, and Blue.

The high screen-to-body ratio has forced Samsung to move the fingerprint sensor to the back of the device, slightly recessing it underneath the main camera. The Dual-SIM variant has a nano-SIM and microSD card slot at the top of the device, with the other nano-SIM slot located on the left-hand side. The Galaxy A8 (2018) is IP68 certified, meaning that it is both dust and waterproof. Samsung details that the device is only waterproof up to 1.5 meters (~4.9 ft) for up to thirty minutes, which corresponds with IP67.

Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018)
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018)
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018)
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018)
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018)
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018)
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018)

Size comparison

156.1 mm / 6.15 inch 75 mm / 2.95 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 162 g0.3571 lbs155.4 mm / 6.12 inch 75.2 mm / 2.96 inch 7.5 mm / 0.2953 inch 165 g0.3638 lbs149.2 mm / 5.87 inch 70.6 mm / 2.78 inch 8.4 mm / 0.3307 inch 172 g0.3792 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 73.4 mm / 2.89 inch 7.4 mm / 0.2913 inch 156 g0.3439 lbs147 mm / 5.79 inch 71 mm / 2.8 inch 7.5 mm / 0.2953 inch 155 g0.3417 lbs146.5 mm / 5.77 inch 72.7 mm / 2.86 inch 7.8 mm / 0.3071 inch 158 g0.3483 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

Samsung offers the Galaxy A8 (2018) in multiple configurations, with every variant powered by the Exynos 7885, and 4 GB of RAM. Aside from the choice of colours, there are 32 and 64 GB variants, and the choice of single or dual nano-SIM variants.

Our test device is the dual-SIM variant with 32 GB of internal storage, of which 23 GB is free. MicroSD card expansion can increase internal storage by up to 256 GB with it being possible to move both media files and apps to expandable storage.

The Galaxy A8 (2018) has a USB-C port that supports 2.0 speeds, fast charging, and USB OTG. Audio is handled by a 3.5 mm jack that is located next to the USB-C port.

Left-hand side: Volume rocker, nano-SIM slot
Left-hand side: Volume rocker, nano-SIM slot
Right-hand side: Power button
Right-hand side: Power button
Top: nano-SIM and microSD card slot
Top: nano-SIM and microSD card slot
Bottom: USB Type-C port and 3.5 mm jack
Bottom: USB Type-C port and 3.5 mm jack

Software

The Galaxy A8 (2018) runs Android Nougat 7.1.1 and version 8.5 of Samsung's UI, also found on the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8. There is a selection of Samsung apps preinstalled along with apps from Google, Facebook and Microsoft. These can only be disabled; none of them can be uninstalled.

Samsung has not confirmed whether or when the Galaxy A8 (2018) will be updated to Android Oreo 8.0, despite internet speculation that it will be. At the time of writing, the Galaxy A8 (2018) is shipped with a relatively recent Android security patch dated December 1st 2017.

Communication and GPS

The Galaxy A8 (2018) supports 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, which means that it can connect to both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks. Consequently, we found that transmission speeds are fast, with the Galaxy A8 (2018) achieving 269 MBit/s send and 280 MBit/s receive speeds with our reference Linksys EA8500 router. Equally, the Galaxy A8 (2018) supports LTE Cat. 11, with download and upload speeds of up to 600 Mbps and 50 Mbps respectively. NFC and Bluetooth 5.0 are included, the latter of which will be supported by Android Oreo 8.0 onwards. Android Nougat 7.1.1. supports only up to Bluetooth 4.2.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
OnePlus 5T
Adreno 540, SD 835, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
650 MBit/s +142%
Sony Xperia XZ1
Adreno 540, SD 835, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
500 MBit/s +86%
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
Adreno 508, SD 630, 64 GB eMMC Flash
329 MBit/s +22%
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
Mali-G71 MP2, Exynos 7885, 32 GB eMMC Flash
269 MBit/s
BQ Aquaris X Pro
Adreno 506, 626, 64 GB eMMC Flash
148 MBit/s -45%
Honor 9
Mali-G71 MP8, Kirin 960, 64 GB eMMC Flash
140 MBit/s -48%
iperf3 receive AX12
Sony Xperia XZ1
Adreno 540, SD 835, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
489 MBit/s +75%
OnePlus 5T
Adreno 540, SD 835, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
386 MBit/s +38%
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s +34%
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
Adreno 508, SD 630, 64 GB eMMC Flash
334 MBit/s +19%
Honor 9
Mali-G71 MP8, Kirin 960, 64 GB eMMC Flash
283 MBit/s +1%
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
Mali-G71 MP2, Exynos 7885, 32 GB eMMC Flash
280 MBit/s
BQ Aquaris X Pro
Adreno 506, 626, 64 GB eMMC Flash
242 MBit/s -14%
GPS reception outdoors
GPS reception outdoors
GPS reception indoors
GPS reception indoors

GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou determine location. This helps the Galaxy A8 (2018) achieve a relatively precise location accuracy of up to four meters (~13 ft) outside and nine meters (~29.5 ft) inside. On our test bike ride, in which we compared the Galaxy A8 (2018)'s location accuracy against a Garmin Edge 500, we often found that the mid-range smartphone plotted a better route than the professional device. Ultimately, the Galaxy A8 (2018) only calculated that we had travelled fifty meters (~164 ft) more over nearly 9 km (~5.6 mi) than the Garmin Edge 500. Hence, the Galaxy A8 (2018) should be accurate enough for most people's needs.

Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) - Total distance
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) - Total distance
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) - Bridge
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) - Bridge
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) - Turning point
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) - Turning point
Garmin Edge 500 - Total distance
Garmin Edge 500 - Total distance
Garmin Edge 500 - Bridge
Garmin Edge 500 - Bridge
Garmin Edge 500 - Turning point
Garmin Edge 500 - Turning point

Telephone and Call quality

The Galaxy A8 (2018) is available in either single or dual SIM variants, the latter of which Samsung refers to as the Galaxy A8 (2018) Duos. The Duos variant has dedicated slots for two nano-SIMs and a microSD card. When both SIMs are activated calls, messages, and data services can be assigned to a specific SIM card.

Our tests reveal that the device has good voice quality with voices remaining understandable on hands-free provided that the ambient noise is not too loud.

Cameras

Shooting with the main camera
Shooting with the main camera
Shooting with the front-facing camera
Shooting with the front-facing camera

The Galaxy A8 (2018) has a dual-camera. Surprisingly though, it is found on the front, with the main rear-camera having a single sensor. This dual front-facing camera array brings a considerable arsenal for selfies.

The front-facing array has 16 MP and 8 MP sensors, allowing for varying focal lengths and bokeh effects. There are many filters, such as beauty effects or stickers. Picture and video quality is adequate, with both the front and rear cameras able to record video up to 1080p and 30 FPS.

Although equipped with only one sensor, the 16 MP main camera has plenty up its sleeve. The f 1.7 lens, 1.12µm pixel size, and 1/2.8" sensor give the Galaxy A8 (2018) good low-light performance, while phase detection autofocus provides fast focusing.

The daylight shots in scenes one and two show that the main camera captures fine details with the sharpness of the focus enhancing the vibrant color scheme. While the Galaxy A8 (2018) cannot match the level of detail captured by the ASUS ZenFone 4, it performs better in low-light than the ZenFone 4 and the OnePlus 5T.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
click to load images

We then tested the camera under simulated lightning conditions, during which we checked the color image with the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport and image sharpness with our test chart.

Our tests show that colors and grayscale are oversaturated. While this does not look realistic, the oversaturation makes photos more vivid. Sharpness is good and decreases only at the edges of the test charts.

ColorChecker Passport: The lower part of each patch field shows the target colours.
ColorChecker Passport: The lower part of each patch field shows the target colours.
Section from the test chart
Section from the test chart
Test chart (click for original)
Test chart (click for original)

Accessories and Warranty

Samsung includes a modular power supply, a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, headphones, a SIM tool, and a quick start guide in the box. There are currently no official accessories listed on Samsung's website.

The Galaxy A8 (2018) comes with a twenty-four month warranty. Samsung shortens this to twelve months for the battery, further decreasing this to six months for parts that are more easily worn such as headphones and the power supply. Regardless, the two-year retailer’s warranty still applies. Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input devices and Operation

Samsung has preinstalled its own keyboard as the default; we particularly like its clear structure and the numerous functions and settings that are available. The Galaxy A8 (2018) also has accessibility features such as high-contrast fonts, dictation, and a flashlight notification notifying you of incoming messages or alarms. There is a 'simple mode' for smartphone beginners that applies a simpler layout and larger controls. A nice extra feature is the multi-window mode, which can display several apps simultaneously.

There are three physical buttons: the volume rocker on the left-hand side, the power button on the right-hand side, and the fingerprint sensor on the rear, which sits below the main-camera. The Galaxy A8 (2018) uses capacitive buttons for navigation, while the display has ten finger multi touch that is sensitive and worked without delay during our tests.

Keyboard in portrait mode
Keyboard in portrait mode
Keyboard in landscape mode
Keyboard in landscape mode

Display

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

The Galaxy A8 (2018) has a 5.6-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2,220x1,080, and a pixel density of 441 PPI. The display has an 18.5:9 aspect ratio thanks to its narrow bezels. The display achieves a brightness of 589 cd/m² with the ambient light sensor switched, which reduces to 347 cd/m² in manual mode. The display was brighter still in the APL50 test, which simulates an even distribution of light and dark areas, reaching up to 684 cd/m². On average, the display achieved 538.3 cd/m², which should be bright enough for use in every situation.

The OLED display is 96 percent evenly lit and theoretically has an infinite contrast ratio; pixels can be individually turned off, producing total blacks.

Unfortunately, as with most OLED panels, the Galaxy A8 (2018) uses pulse width modulation (PWM) to control brightness. We measured PWM flicker at 242.7 Hz, which while being relatively low is still likely to be noticed by those with sensitive eyes after prolonged use.

540
cd/m²
535
cd/m²
529
cd/m²
534
cd/m²
541
cd/m²
540
cd/m²
546
cd/m²
531
cd/m²
549
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 549 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 538.3 cd/m² Minimum: 1.77 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 96 %
Center on Battery: 541 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.8 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 2.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.07
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
Super AMOLED, 2220x1080, 5.60
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.50
BQ Aquaris X Pro
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.20
Honor 9
IPS/LTPS, 1920x1080, 5.15
OnePlus 5T
AMOLED, 2160x1080, 6.01
Sony Xperia XZ1
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.20
Screen
-10%
-69%
1%
5%
2%
Brightness middle
541
656
21%
458
-15%
550
2%
425
-21%
620
15%
Brightness
538
634
18%
473
-12%
535
-1%
423
-21%
610
13%
Brightness Distribution
96
93
-3%
88
-8%
92
-4%
92
-4%
93
-3%
Black Level *
0.4
0.51
0.42
0.79
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.8
5.3
9%
7.1
-22%
3.3
43%
2.1
64%
4.2
28%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.7
5.2
-93%
10.5
-289%
3.6
-33%
2.5
7%
3.9
-44%
Gamma
2.07 106%
2.22 99%
2.28 96%
2.38 92%
2.32 95%
2.02 109%
CCT
6570 99%
7905 82%
8951 73%
7226 90%
6455 101%
7086 92%
Contrast
1640
898
1310
785
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
7.8
14.5
4.5
3.4
5.8

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 242.7 Hz

The display backlight flickers at 242.7 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) .

The frequency of 242.7 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The Galaxy A8 (2018) will run in the Adaptive Display mode by default, adjusting its image parameters to suit what is currently being displayed. There are three color profiles: 'AMOLED cinema', 'AMOLED photo', and 'Simple', which are equivalent to P3 color space, AdobeRGB, and sRGB respectively. All profiles perform well under our spectrophotometer. The color and grayscale deviations are below the margin of DeltaE 3, the level at which the human eye fails to recognize color deviations. Furthermore, color temperatures are practically ideal for each color profile.

Color fidelity ('Simple' screen mode: sRGB target color space)
Color fidelity ('Simple' screen mode: sRGB target color space)
Color fidelity ('AMOLED cinema' screen mode: P3 target color space)
Color fidelity ('AMOLED cinema' screen mode: P3 target color space)
Color fidelity ('AMOLED photo' screen mode: AdobeRGB target color space)
Color fidelity ('AMOLED photo' screen mode: AdobeRGB target color space)
Color space ('Simple' screen mode: sRGB target color space)
Color space ('Simple' screen mode: sRGB target color space)
Color space ('AMOLED cinema' screen mode: P3 target color space)
Color space ('AMOLED cinema' screen mode: P3 target color space)
Color space ('AMOLED photo' screen mode: AdobeRGB target color space)
Color space ('AMOLED photo' screen mode: AdobeRGB target color space)
Grayscale ('Simple' screen mode: sRGB target color space)
Grayscale ('Simple' screen mode: sRGB target color space)
Grayscale ('AMOLED cinema' screen mode: P3 target color space)
Grayscale ('AMOLED cinema' screen mode: P3 target color space)
Grayscale ('AMOLED photo' screen mode: AdobeRGB target color space)
Grayscale ('AMOLED photo' screen mode: AdobeRGB target color space)
Color saturation ('Simple' screen mode: sRGB target color space)
Color saturation ('Simple' screen mode: sRGB target color space)
Color saturation ('AMOLED cinema' screen mode: P3 target color space)
Color saturation ('AMOLED cinema' screen mode: P3 target color space)
Color saturation ('AMOLED photo' screen mode: AdobeRGB target color space)
Color saturation ('AMOLED photo' screen mode: AdobeRGB target color space)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2 ms rise
↘ 2 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 10 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
5.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2.4 ms rise
↘ 2.8 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 12 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The display's high brightness means that the Galaxy A8 (2018) can be easily used outside. Viewing angles are good, with there being only subtle color changes and reductions in brightness at shallow angles.

Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

The Galaxy A8 (2018) is Samsung's first smartphone to use its new 14 nm, 64-bit Exynos 7885 SoC. Introduced in early 2018, the octa core Exynos 7885 is designed for mid-range devices, with two Cortex-A73 cores clocked at up to 2.2 GHz, with the remaining six cores based on Cortex-A53 architecture that clocks up to 1.6 GHz.

The ARM Mali-G71 MP2 handles graphics and can usually be found in entry-level devices such as the Oukitel K10 and the Ulefone Power 3, both of which use MediaTek's Helio P23SoC. We have included these two smartphones in our performance comparison section. The ARM Mali-G71 MP2 has two cores and can render using OpenGL ES 3.2, Vulkan 1.0, OpenCL 2.0, and DirectX 11 FL11_1, all of which are contemporary rendering engines.

Our benchmarks suggest that the Exynos 7885 is equivalent to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 and Snapdragon 626, which are found in the ASUS ZenFone 4 ZE554KL and the BQ Aquaris X Pro respectively. The Exynos 7885 easily outperforms the MediaTek competition, with the Galaxy A8 (2018) beating the Oukitel K10 and Ulefone Power 3. The Galaxy A8 (2018) fails to match the power of the OnePlus 5T and the Sony Xperia XZ1 with their Snapdragon 835's, or the Honor 9 powered by the HiSilicon Kirin 960. On average, these three devices achieve double the AnTuTu v6 score that the Galaxy A8 (2018) manages.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
83284 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
68282 Points -18%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
66226 Points -20%
Honor 9
150276 Points +80%
OnePlus 5T
172124 Points +107%
Sony Xperia XZ1
167748 Points +101%
Oukitel K10
54763 Points -34%
Ulefone Power 3
54201 Points -35%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (83284 - 87728, n=2)
85506 Points +3%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
5916 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
6264 Points +6%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
5886 Points -1%
Honor 9
7034 Points +19%
OnePlus 5T
7739 Points +31%
Sony Xperia XZ1
7056 Points +19%
Oukitel K10
6135 Points +4%
Ulefone Power 3
6344 Points +7%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (5625 - 5916, n=2)
5771 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +155%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
5214 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
5085 Points -2%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
4915 Points -6%
Honor 9
6113 Points +17%
OnePlus 5T
6595 Points +26%
Sony Xperia XZ1
6443 Points +24%
Oukitel K10
4706 Points -10%
Ulefone Power 3
4770 Points -9%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (5214 - 5387, n=2)
5301 Points +2%
Average of class Smartphone (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +109%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
1993 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
1513 Points -24%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
1314 Points -34%
Honor 9
2779 Points +39%
OnePlus 5T
3678 Points +85%
Sony Xperia XZ1
2909 Points +46%
Oukitel K10
1294 Points -35%
Ulefone Power 3
1340 Points -33%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (1993 - 2009, n=2)
2001 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +186%
System (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
4358 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
3319 Points -24%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
3492 Points -20%
Honor 9
4154 Points -5%
OnePlus 5T
5872 Points +35%
Sony Xperia XZ1
5840 Points +34%
Oukitel K10
2913 Points -33%
Ulefone Power 3
2906 Points -33%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (4358 - 4506, n=2)
4432 Points +2%
Average of class Smartphone (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +121%
Memory (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
2275 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
1380 Points -39%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
1046 Points -54%
Honor 9
3258 Points +43%
OnePlus 5T
3845 Points +69%
Sony Xperia XZ1
1752 Points -23%
Oukitel K10
1609 Points -29%
Ulefone Power 3
1566 Points -31%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (2275 - 2445, n=2)
2360 Points +4%
Average of class Smartphone (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +174%
Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
1331 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
1496 Points +12%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
1012 Points -24%
Honor 9
4126 Points +210%
OnePlus 5T
6100 Points +358%
Sony Xperia XZ1
5923 Points +345%
Oukitel K10
855 Points -36%
Ulefone Power 3
855 Points -36%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (1331 - 1356, n=2)
1344 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +944%
Web (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
1195 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
766 Points -36%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
806 Points -33%
Honor 9
1069 Points -11%
OnePlus 5T
1329 Points +11%
Sony Xperia XZ1
1181 Points -1%
Oukitel K10
700 Points -41%
Ulefone Power 3
829 Points -31%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (1090 - 1195, n=2)
1143 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +24%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
1526 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
865 Points -43%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
928 Points -39%
Honor 9
1869 Points +22%
OnePlus 5T
1962 Points +29%
Sony Xperia XZ1
1856 Points +22%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (1525 - 1526, n=2)
1526 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +232%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
4431 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
4172 Points -6%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
4369 Points -1%
Honor 9
6527 Points +47%
OnePlus 5T
6670 Points +51%
Sony Xperia XZ1
6493 Points +47%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (4429 - 4431, n=2)
4430 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +206%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
3680 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
3942 Points +7%
Honor 9
Points -100%
OnePlus 5T
8000 Points +117%
Sony Xperia XZ1
7979 Points +117%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (3680 - 4026, n=2)
3853 Points +5%
Average of class Smartphone (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points +188%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
14779 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
16841 Points +14%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
13963 Points -6%
Honor 9
28883 Points +95%
OnePlus 5T
42022 Points +184%
Sony Xperia XZ1
31618 Points +114%
Oukitel K10
8983 Points -39%
Ulefone Power 3
Points -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (14779 - 15167, n=2)
14973 Points +1%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
15262 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
18386 Points +20%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
13277 Points -13%
Honor 9
38979 Points +155%
OnePlus 5T
58097 Points +281%
Sony Xperia XZ1
47857 Points +214%
Oukitel K10
9862 Points -35%
Ulefone Power 3
Points -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (15262 - 15567, n=2)
15415 Points +1%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
13306 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
13014 Points -2%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
17044 Points +28%
Honor 9
15150 Points +14%
OnePlus 5T
21348 Points +60%
Sony Xperia XZ1
23046 Points +73%
Oukitel K10
6847 Points -49%
Ulefone Power 3
Points -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (13306 - 13914, n=2)
13610 Points +2%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
1001 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
1374 Points +37%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
849 Points -15%
Honor 9
2611 Points +161%
OnePlus 5T
4816 Points +381%
Sony Xperia XZ1
4649 Points +364%
Oukitel K10
70 Points -93%
Ulefone Power 3
72 Points -93%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (960 - 1001, n=2)
981 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3495 Points +249%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
879 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
1289 Points +47%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
725 Points -18%
Honor 9
2990 Points +240%
OnePlus 5T
5791 Points +559%
Sony Xperia XZ1
6057 Points +589%
Oukitel K10
55 Points -94%
Ulefone Power 3
57 Points -94%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (845 - 879, n=2)
862 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3845 Points +337%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
1946 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
1785 Points -8%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
2127 Points +9%
Honor 9
1809 Points -7%
OnePlus 5T
3031 Points +56%
Sony Xperia XZ1
2564 Points +32%
Oukitel K10
1200 Points -38%
Ulefone Power 3
1237 Points -36%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (1829 - 1946, n=2)
1888 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
2989 Points +54%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
729 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
835 Points +15%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
464 Points -36%
Honor 9
2666 Points +266%
OnePlus 5T
3758 Points +416%
Sony Xperia XZ1
3673 Points +404%
Oukitel K10
71 Points -90%
Ulefone Power 3
69 Points -91%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (729 - 741, n=2)
735 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone (286 - 7890, n=102, last 2 years)
2665 Points +266%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
618 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
726 Points +17%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
379 Points -39%
Honor 9
2798 Points +353%
OnePlus 5T
4016 Points +550%
Sony Xperia XZ1
3961 Points +541%
Oukitel K10
56 Points -91%
Ulefone Power 3
54 Points -91%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (618 - 634, n=2)
626 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone (240 - 9814, n=102, last 2 years)
2655 Points +330%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
1950 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
1751 Points -10%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
2132 Points +9%
Honor 9
2287 Points +17%
OnePlus 5T
3068 Points +57%
Sony Xperia XZ1
2928 Points +50%
Oukitel K10
1257 Points -36%
Ulefone Power 3
1240 Points -36%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (1821 - 1950, n=2)
1886 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone (858 - 4679, n=102, last 2 years)
3119 Points +60%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
31 fps
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
29 fps -6%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
22 fps -29%
Honor 9
55 fps +77%
OnePlus 5T
60 fps +94%
Sony Xperia XZ1
60 fps +94%
Oukitel K10
21 fps -32%
Ulefone Power 3
fps -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885
31 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone (22 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
83 fps +168%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
34 fps
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
30 fps -12%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
23 fps -32%
Honor 9
60 fps +76%
OnePlus 5T
113 fps +232%
Sony Xperia XZ1
111 fps +226%
Oukitel K10
22 fps -35%
Ulefone Power 3
fps -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885
34 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone (19 - 791, n=178, last 2 years)
244 fps +618%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
15 fps
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
14 fps -7%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
9.6 fps -36%
Honor 9
28 fps +87%
OnePlus 5T
53 fps +253%
Sony Xperia XZ1
52 fps +247%
Oukitel K10
10 fps -33%
Ulefone Power 3
fps -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885
15 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone (6.8 - 165, n=179, last 2 years)
71 fps +373%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
16 fps
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
14 fps -12%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
9.8 fps -39%
Honor 9
30 fps +88%
OnePlus 5T
60 fps +275%
Sony Xperia XZ1
56 fps +250%
Oukitel K10
10 fps -37%
Ulefone Power 3
fps -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885
16 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone (9.2 - 363, n=179, last 2 years)
138 fps +763%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
9.6 fps
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
9.5 fps -1%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
6.3 fps -34%
Honor 9
22 fps +129%
OnePlus 5T
37 fps +285%
Sony Xperia XZ1
42 fps +338%
Oukitel K10
6.2 fps -35%
Ulefone Power 3
fps -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885
9.6 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone (3.7 - 158, n=179, last 2 years)
59.9 fps +524%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
9.9 fps
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
9.7 fps -2%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
6.4 fps -35%
Honor 9
22 fps +122%
OnePlus 5T
41 fps +314%
Sony Xperia XZ1
41 fps +314%
Oukitel K10
6.5 fps -34%
Ulefone Power 3
fps -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885
9.9 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone (6.2 - 279, n=179, last 2 years)
96.7 fps +877%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
5.8 fps
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
5.3 fps -9%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
3.5 fps -40%
Honor 9
16 fps +176%
OnePlus 5T
23 fps +297%
Sony Xperia XZ1
25 fps +331%
Oukitel K10
3.6 fps -38%
Ulefone Power 3
fps -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885
5.8 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone (5 - 117, n=179, last 2 years)
42.9 fps +640%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
6 fps
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
5.3 fps -12%
BQ Aquaris X Pro
3.5 fps -42%
Honor 9
15 fps +150%
OnePlus 5T
25 fps +317%
Sony Xperia XZ1
24 fps +300%
Oukitel K10
3.7 fps -38%
Ulefone Power 3
fps -100%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885
6 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone (2.9 - 166, n=179, last 2 years)
58.6 fps +877%
Lightmark - 1920x1080 1080p (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
3.052 fps
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
9.81 fps +221%
Oukitel K10
5.25 fps +72%
Ulefone Power 3
4.99 fps +63%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885
3.05 fps 0%
Basemark ES 3.1 / Metal - offscreen Overall Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
355 Points
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
190 Points -46%
Oukitel K10
242 Points -32%
Ulefone Power 3
242 Points -32%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885
355 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (177 - 6114, n=61, last 2 years)
2145 Points +504%

Legend

 
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 Samsung Exynos 7885, ARM Mali-G71 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, Qualcomm Adreno 508, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
BQ Aquaris X Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 626, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Honor 9 HiSilicon Kirin 960, ARM Mali-G71 MP8, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
OnePlus 5T Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Qualcomm Adreno 540, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Sony Xperia XZ1 Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Qualcomm Adreno 540, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Oukitel K10 Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, ARM Mali-G71 MP2, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Ulefone Power 3 Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763T, ARM Mali-G71 MP2, 64 GB eMMC Flash

This pecking order is not reflected in our browser benchmarks though. The Galaxy A8 (2018) is much closer to the trio of more powerful smartphones, while outperforming the ZenFone 4, the Aquaris X Pro, and both MediaTek Helio P23 powered smartphones.

JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (66.1 - 414, n=3, last 2 years)
194.9 Points +297%
OnePlus 5T (Chrome 63)
66.5 Points +36%
Sony Xperia XZ1 (Chrome 61)
61.3 Points +25%
Honor 9 (Chrome 59)
58.6 Points +19%
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 (Chrome 64.0.3282.137)
49.07 Points
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (48 - 49.1, n=2)
48.5 Points -1%
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL (Chrome 62)
28.09 Points -43%
BQ Aquaris X Pro (Chrome 59.0.3071.125)
26.84 Points -45%
Ulefone Power 3 (Standardbrowser 7.1.1)
22.91 Points -53%
Oukitel K10 (Standard Browser 7.1.1)
19.84 Points -60%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33525 Points +259%
OnePlus 5T (Chrome 63)
12509 Points +34%
Honor 9 (Chrome 59)
10208 Points +9%
Sony Xperia XZ1 (Chrome 61)
10096 Points +8%
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 (Chrome 64.0.3282.137)
9350 Points
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (9165 - 9350, n=2)
9258 Points -1%
BQ Aquaris X Pro (Chrome 59.0.3071.125)
4424 Points -53%
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL (Chrome 62)
4398 Points -53%
Ulefone Power 3 (Standardbrowser 7.1.1)
3155 Points -66%
Oukitel K10 (Standard Browser 7.1.1)
3051 Points -67%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Ulefone Power 3 (Standardbrowser 7.1.1)
23714 ms * -455%
Oukitel K10 (Standard Browser 7.1.1)
22893 ms * -436%
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL (Chrome 62)
9425 ms * -120%
BQ Aquaris X Pro (Chrome 59.0.3071.125)
8742 ms * -104%
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 (Chrome 64.0.3282.137)
4275 ms *
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (4123 - 4275, n=2)
4199 ms * +2%
Sony Xperia XZ1 (Chrome 61)
3268 ms * +24%
Honor 9 (Chrome 59)
3149 ms * +26%
OnePlus 5T (Chrome 63)
3096 ms * +28%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1653 ms * +61%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall
OnePlus 5T (Chrome 63)
181 Points +16%
Sony Xperia XZ1 (Chrome 61)
170 Points +9%
Average Samsung Exynos 7885 (156 - 168, n=2)
162 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 (Chrome 64.0.3282.137)
156 Points
Honor 9 (Chrome 59)
107 Points -31%
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL (Chrome 62)
95 Points -39%
BQ Aquaris X Pro (Chrome 59.0.3071.125)
86 Points -45%
Oukitel K10 (Standard Browser 7.1.1)
46 Points -71%
Ulefone Power 3 (Standardbrowser 7.1.1)
43 Points -72%

* ... smaller is better

With its eMMC flash memory, the Galaxy A8 (2018) cannot match the speed of its UFS flash memory equipped competitors. Read and write speeds are sufficient, ensuring a largely smooth experience. We did notice though that the Galaxy A8 (2018) takes slightly longer to write large amounts of data than its UFS equipped competitors. This is particularly apparent when installing apps. The Galaxy A8 (2018) performs well in our microSD card using our reference Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 card, achieving read and write speed of up to 270 MB/s and 150 MB/s respectively. Neither the Galaxy A8 (2018) nor its competitors could reach the Toshiba's maximum potential speeds though.

Samsung Galaxy A8 2018Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KLBQ Aquaris X ProHonor 9OnePlus 5TSony Xperia XZ1Average 32 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
8%
-11%
21%
83%
46%
-7%
805%
Sequential Read 256KB
299.9
287.4
-4%
270.5
-10%
293
-2%
699
133%
679
126%
242 ?(25.8 - 452, n=247)
-19%
1467 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
389%
Sequential Write 256KB
104.2
205.3
97%
139.6
34%
204
96%
203.4
95%
204.4
96%
100.5 ?(14.8 - 196, n=247)
-4%
1077 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
934%
Random Read 4KB
82.6
68.6
-17%
37.97
-54%
55.7
-33%
138.1
67%
156.6
90%
43.2 ?(3.59 - 117.2, n=247)
-48%
241 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
192%
Random Write 4KB
14.69
7.59
-48%
12.07
-18%
32.7
123%
20
36%
14.93
2%
22.4 ?(0.75 - 91, n=247)
52%
265 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
1704%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
77.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
86.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
12%
78.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
1%
68 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-13%
65.5 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-16%
71.8 ?(8.2 - 96.5, n=178)
-8%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
62.3 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
66.5 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
7%
49.77 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-20%
34.64 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-44%
47.71 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-23%
52.9 ?(3.4 - 87.1, n=178)
-15%

Games

The Galaxy A8 (2018) supports all current games from the Google Play Store, despite its relatively weak GPU. The ARM Mali-G71 MP2 handles intense games well, achieving 30 FPS at maximum graphics on “Asphalt 8: Airborne” and 54 FPS on “Dead Trigger 2”. While having the same GPU as the Oukitel K10 and the Ulefone Power 3, the Galaxy A8 (2018) manages to outperform them both in benchmarks thanks to its more powerful CPU. We found that the position and motion sensors worked fine when playing games.

Asphalt 8: Airborne
Asphalt 8: Airborne
Dead Trigger 2
Dead Trigger 2
Dead Trigger 2
 SettingsValue
 high54 fps
Asphalt 8: Airborne
 SettingsValue
 high30 fps
 very low30 fps

Emissions

Temperature

GFXBench Battery Test (T-Rex Benchmark)
GFXBench Battery Test (T-Rex Benchmark)

While idling, the device runs at a maximum temperature of 26.1 °C (~79 °F), increasing to a maximum of 39.2 °C (~102.6 °F) during our stress tests. The device contends with high internal temperatures, as demonstrated by our GFXBench battery test. Performance drops after around half of the thirty passes of both the T-Rex and the Manhattan benchmarks, the former being less intensive while the latter is more computationally intensive. This reduction in performance is sustained until the benchmarks finish. There was no noticeable reduction in performance during our gaming tests, nor should this be noticeable in daily use.

Max. Load
 36.2 °C
97 F
36.3 °C
97 F
35.5 °C
96 F
 
 36.5 °C
98 F
37.9 °C
100 F
35.8 °C
96 F
 
 36.9 °C
98 F
37.8 °C
100 F
37.7 °C
100 F
 
Maximum: 37.9 °C = 100 F
Average: 36.7 °C = 98 F
32.7 °C
91 F
34.4 °C
94 F
35.1 °C
95 F
33.9 °C
93 F
38.1 °C
101 F
36.7 °C
98 F
34.4 °C
94 F
37.4 °C
99 F
39.2 °C
103 F
Maximum: 39.2 °C = 103 F
Average: 35.8 °C = 96 F
Power Supply (max.)  28.6 °C = 83 F | Room Temperature 20.6 °C = 69 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 36.7 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 37.9 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 39.2 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.8 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Thermal imaging camera - front of the Galaxy A8 (2018)
Thermal imaging camera - front of the Galaxy A8 (2018)
Thermal imaging camera - back of the Galaxy A8 (2018)
Thermal imaging camera - back of the Galaxy A8 (2018)

Speakers

Speaker characteristics
Speaker characteristics

Like the Galaxy S8, the Galaxy A8 (2018) supports Ultra High Quality (UHQ) audio with up to a 32-bit sampling depth. There is only a mono speaker, which is located near to the power button. It produces little bass though, so do not expect faithful audio reproduction. Surprisingly, the sound produced does fill a room. Additionally, mid and high tones are linear, and there is no distort even at the maximum volume of 85 dB(A).

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.245.12532.940.33137.238.24031.741.75039.642.76328.327.38027.32910026.92712526.730.31602437.620020.942.825020.951.931519.555.540018.560.750017.564.663017.567.980015.769.5100015.872.3125016.670.1160015.872.2200015.470.8250015.573.131501674.6400015.876.850001670.2630016.373.7800016.376.61000016.273.71250016.465.71600016.454.3SPL28.685N1.162.6median 16.4median 69.5Delta2.29.335.236.232.929.237.228.431.73539.633.428.329.927.329.626.928.926.727.52432.720.94320.947.919.55018.55717.565.517.566.715.772.215.869.616.67015.870.315.469.615.572.91672.515.868.11669.916.371.816.369.416.264.316.461.116.455.528.682.21.152.8median 16.4median 66.72.21035.240.732.946.337.244.431.748.639.648.928.337.627.329.926.933.726.732.92445.520.955.320.956.619.559.118.568.417.564.917.567.415.766.215.87016.672.715.873.815.474.415.575.91679.315.8781671.816.371.516.371.416.272.416.464.716.446.328.686.31.165.5median 16.4median 68.42.27.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSamsung Galaxy A8 2018Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KLOnePlus 5T
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.8% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 26% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 64% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 47% of all tested devices were better, 9% similar, 45% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 37% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 55% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 56% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 37% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

OnePlus 5T audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 21.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.9% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (3.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 14% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 78% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 35% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 57% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes are de/selectable)

Power Management

Energy consumption

The Galaxy A8 (2018) is energy efficient, requiring a maximum of 1.1 W while idling and up to 5.97 W under load. The combination of 3.86 W average power consumption and a 3,000 mAh battery should guarantee a long battery life. The battery is lithium-ion and is non-removable. The 10 W power supply supports Fast Charge, fully recharging the Galaxy A8 (2018) in ninety-five minutes.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.15 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.67 / 1.02 / 1.1 Watt
Load midlight 3.86 / 5.97 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
3000 mAh
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
3300 mAh
BQ Aquaris X Pro
3100 mAh
Honor 9
3200 mAh
OnePlus 5T
3300 mAh
Sony Xperia XZ1
2700 mAh
Power Consumption
-59%
-30%
-72%
-18%
-68%
Idle Minimum *
0.67
0.84
-25%
0.67
-0%
1.13
-69%
0.58
13%
0.51
24%
Idle Average *
1.02
2.31
-126%
1.7
-67%
2.25
-121%
1.44
-41%
2.16
-112%
Idle Maximum *
1.1
2.33
-112%
1.78
-62%
2.3
-109%
1.53
-39%
2.23
-103%
Load Average *
3.86
4.76
-23%
4.42
-15%
4.89
-27%
3.17
18%
7.45
-93%
Load Maximum *
5.97
6.39
-7%
6.3
-6%
7.99
-34%
8.54
-43%
9.28
-55%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Its low power consumption helps the Galaxy A8 (2018) achieve above average battery life in contrast to our comparison devices. During our realistic Wi-Fi test, in which we simulated the load required to load websites at 150 cd/m² brightness, the Galaxy A8 (2018) lasted for eleven hours. This impressive runtime extended to fifteen hours in our H.264 video test. The Galaxy A8 (2018) lasted far longer than its competitors here, despite being beaten in some of our other battery tests.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
25h 46min
WiFi Websurfing
10h 46min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
15h 08min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 20min
Samsung Galaxy A8 2018
3000 mAh
Asus ZenFone 4 ZE554KL
3300 mAh
BQ Aquaris X Pro
3100 mAh
Honor 9
3200 mAh
OnePlus 5T
3300 mAh
Sony Xperia XZ1
2700 mAh
Battery Runtime
-5%
0%
-15%
3%
-18%
Reader / Idle
1546
1665
8%
1840
19%
1399
-10%
1754
13%
1612
4%
H.264
908
698
-23%
644
-29%
564
-38%
799
-12%
580
-36%
WiFi v1.3
646
562
-13%
730
13%
516
-20%
718
11%
601
-7%
Load
260
286
10%
254
-2%
278
7%
257
-1%
172
-34%

Pros

+ premium design
+ real Dual-SIM functionality
+ accurate GPS
+ water and dust proof
+ bright, well-tuned Super AMOLED display
+ good camera
+ fast charging

Cons

- unable to uninstall pre-installed apps
- PWM display flickering
- internal storage not particularly fast
- throttling under load

Verdict

The Galaxy A8 (2018) in review. Test device courtesy of allestechnick.
The Galaxy A8 (2018) in review. Test device courtesy of allestechnick.

With the Galaxy A8 (2018), Samsung has made a well-equipped mid-range smartphone that has a lot of things going for it. The design looks and feels premium while being IP68 rated. The Super AMOLED Infinity-Display is visually impressive, being well tuned, bright while also having a high resolution. The Dual-SIM variant is truly Dual-SIM, with microSD card expansion handled by a dedicated slot rather than having to choose between a second SIM or a microSD card. Selfie fans get a dual front-facing camera with good optics that leaves room for gimmicks while still taking good pictures, the latter of which also applies to the 16 MP rear camera.

Good performance, but at a questionable price. The Galaxy A8's pricing creates unnecessary competition with the Galaxy S8, as that only costs €100 more.

Despite the positives, the ambitious €499 (~$615) recommended retail price will probably put off potential buyers. While it can now be found for cheaper, the Galaxy A8 (2018) remains closely priced to the Galaxy S8, which brings better features and performance for just €100 (~$123) more at the time of writing. There are also alternatives to the Galaxy A8 (2018) that are equally as fast, like the ASUS ZenFone 4 ZE554KL or the BQ Aquaris X Pro, which are available for around €450 and €350 (~$555 and $430) respectively.

Samsung Galaxy A8 2018 - 02/25/2018 v6(old)
Manuel Masiero

Chassis
86%
Keyboard
72 / 75 → 96%
Pointing Device
92%
Connectivity
47 / 60 → 78%
Weight
90%
Battery
95%
Display
86%
Games Performance
41 / 63 → 65%
Application Performance
58 / 70 → 82%
Temperature
91%
Noise
100%
Audio
70 / 91 → 77%
Camera
80%
Average
78%
86%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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Manuel Masiero, 2018-03- 2 (Update: 2020-05-19)