Head-To-Head: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Vs. Essential Phone

Android Wars

Undaunted by the prospect of a huge iPhone unveiling within weeks, Android smartphone makers have some big releases of their own this fall. Samsung's follow-up to the disastrous Galaxy Note 7, the Galaxy Note 8, is now in pre-orders. And the first phone from Essential, the company launched by Android co-founder Andy Rubin, has just begun to ship to customers. The device is known as the Essential Phone, and aims to serve as a fresh spin on an Android device. Which phone is the better fit for you? In the following slides, the CRN Test Center compares Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 with the Essential Phone on specs and price.

First Things First

While Rubin is certainly a major figure in the Android world, it's worth remembering that the Essential Phone is still a first-gen device. Early adopters should expect to encounter some shortcomings. Essential has had a bit of a rocky run so far, with the device delayed several months from when it was first promised. And this week, Rubin had to apologize for a leak of customer data.

That being said, even experienced companies make mistakes. And sometimes, they make huge mistakes. Case in point being Samsung and the Galaxy Note 7, which was prone to catching fire in both its original and replacement versions--and ultimately taken off the market. This time around, Samsung is assuring that such issues have been headed off through an eight-point battery safety check for the Galaxy Note 8, as well as additional testing from a third-party expert.

Display

On size, the Galaxy Note 8 has the larger display of the two phones at 6.3 inches versus 5.7 inches on the Essential Phone. Both devices are mostly screen on the front, thanks to minimal bezels around the display.

In terms of display quality, the Galaxy Note 8 has the edge thanks its use of Super AMOLED, generally considered to offer better and brighter colors than LCD, which is the display technology that the Essential Phone comes with. Plus, the Note 8 is higher-res with 2,960 x 1,440 pixels, compared with Essential's 2,560 x 1,312 resolution.

Body

Both phones feature durable materials in their frames, with the Galaxy Note 8 made from aluminum with a glass covering on the back, and the Essential Phone featuring a titanium body with a ceramic back. The Essential Phone also includes Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on its display. However, the Note 8 comes out ahead in terms of water resistance with a rating of IP68, meaning the device can survive in waters of 5 feet for a half-hour. The Essential Phone comes with no promises in terms of water resistance.

Processor And Memory

Both smartphones promise plenty of speed thanks to the use of the latest (and fastest) Qualcomm mobile processor. That would be the octa-core Snapdragon 835, which has a clock speed of up to 2.45GHz. The Note 8 aims to offer an extra boost though thanks to the inclusion of 6 GB of RAM, a large amount for a smartphone. The Essential Phone doesn't skimp on memory either, however, with 4 GB of RAM included.

Battery Life

Despite the battery failings of the previous Note device -- some of which resulted from the large size of the phone's battery -- Samsung is including a sizable battery in the Galaxy Note 8, at 3,300mAh. Samsung promises up to 14 hours worth of Wi-Fi usage on the phone, or 13 hours of usage over 4G. The Essential Phone has a smaller, 3,040mAh battery, and Essential hasn't offered a prediction on how many hours of usage that users can expect with the phone.

Camera

Dual cameras are quickly becoming a standard in premium smartphones, and both the Galaxy Note 8 and the Essential Phone boast a two-camera setup. For the Note 8, it's a 12-megapixel telephoto camera with 2X optical zoom and a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera. Both cameras include optical image stabilization. For the Essential Phone, it's a pair of 13-megapixel cameras, one that uses both color and monochrome sensors, and one focused on monochrome. The result, according to Essential, is "stunning images that are rich in color and detail, even in low light."

Special Features

While the Essential Phone certainly wants to compete on all of the typical premium smartphone features, the phone really is intended to stand out on its extras. The smartphone includes a connector that magnetically snaps to external accessories, for extending the functionality of the device. The first accessory is a small 360-degree camera, though there's an expectation of many more to come.

The Galaxy Note 8 has some extras of its own to offer, with the digital S Pen that's housed within the phone itself. The device also features the Bixby virtual assistant built in, which can be launched with the press of dedicated button on the left side of the phone.

Price And Availability

Shipping of the Essential Phone commenced this week, while the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is in pre-order, with shipping scheduled to begin on Sept. 15 in the U.S.

The Essential Phone is clearly the less pricey of the two smartphones, with a starting price of $699. Getting the 360-degree camera will add another $179. The Note 8, meanwhile, has a starting price of $930. The higher price tag is attributable to the larger display size, water resistance, and inclusion of the S Pen--as well as to the fact that Essential is a brand-new entrant that's no doubt looking to compete on price with top players such as Samsung.