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Gadgets Smart Tech Technology

Apple Watch 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 3: Which Smartwatch Should You Buy?

Apple products have long since had many competitors try to match or one-up their products. The latest of these rivalries is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 compared to the Apple Watch Series 5.

With several different important feature categories to cover with these two products, let’s get right to it. Check out which smartwatch you should buy below. 

Price Comparison

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One of the first things to consider and compare is the price of these two smartwatches. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 comes in at a very competitive base price of $399 just like the Apple Watch 5. The Galaxy Watch base price will get you a 41mm model in stainless steel finish, while the Apple Watch base price will get you a smaller 40mm model in aluminum finish.

You will need to upgrade and pay more to get a larger mm size and other finish options. Another price variance to consider is LTE connectivity, as this will affect your smartwatch’s usability with or without using your smartphone. LTE connectivity will cost an extra $50 for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 to work without your smartphone, while Apple charges $100 for independent use of the smartwatch. 

Battery Life

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Another essential feature to think about is battery life. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is still a clear winner in this category, even though they reduced the battery life from a four-day to a two-day period. Simultaneously, the Apple Watch Series 5 comes in at a slightly disappointing 18-hour time span between charges. That will mean having to remember to charge your Apple smartwatch every single night. 

Other Tech Features

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The Apple Watch Series 5 does not disappoint with an extensive 16 GB memory for music as well as a large library of pre-recorded workouts for health and fitness-minded consumers. Apple has long since been the forerunner in offering fitness tracking tools and health monitoring features. Samsung keeps up in this category as well, with both smartwatches offering sleep-tracking and ECG sensors. 

Rounding out comparisons for these smartwatches are the differences in display features. Both smartwatches offer an always-on display feature that lets you always see the time. Whether it is day or night, indoors or out, you will always be able to read and use either one of these smartwatch brands in any environment. At 360 x 360, the screen resolution on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 comes in lower than the Apple Watch screen resolution of 448 x 368, albeit with a barely noticeable difference.  

While Apple has continued to impress year after year, Samsung is attempting to surmount the smartwatch category with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3. Even tried and true Apple product fans would be smart to give the new Galaxy Watch 3 a second look. You might be presently surprised by this Android competitor.

Either way, having a high-tech smartwatch can help keep your day – and night – on track. With just a flick of your wrist, you have the whole world at your fingertips. Perhaps the ultimate decision comes down to your favorite shape: circle or square? The choice is up to you.

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Gadgets Smart Tech Technology

iPhone SE vs. iPhone 11: Which Is Better?

Tech giant Apple expects the budget-conscious customer to go for the brand-new iPhone SE, which is as versatile as the standard iPhone 11. Both iPhone 11 and iPhone SE use the state-of-the-art iOS UI, and the same proprietary A13 bionic mobile chip powers the smartphone models. So if you have had a unique experience exploiting the features of the top-of-the-line iPhone 11, there’s absolutely no reason why you may not take to the iPhone SE.

However, the iPhone 11 enjoys a distinct edge over the iPhone SE in terms of display size, resolution, camera, and various other specs. No wonder the iPhone 11 costs $300 more than the latest budget-friendly smartphone from the Apple stable. There are crucial differences between these two iPhone models that will enable you to decide which smartphone would be more suitable for you.

iPhone SE vs. the iPhone 11: Comparison Table

            Specifications

Apple iPhone SE (2020)         Apple iPhone 11

Resolution

1334 x 750 pixels

1792 x 828 pixels

Display Size

4.7-inch Retina HD 6.1-inch LCD Liquid Retina
Dimensions 13.8cm x 6.7cm x 0.73cm

15.1cm x 6.7cm x 0.83mm

Pixel Density                326ppi

             326ppi

Mobile software

                  iOS 13         iOS 13
Weight 148g (5.22 ounces)

194g (6.84 ounces)

Front Facing Camera

            7MP              12MP
Main Camera 12MP

12MP(wide), 12MP (ultra-wide)

RAM                 3GB

               4GB

Storage

256GB, 128GB, 64GB

256GB, 128GB, 64GB

Processor

Apple A13 Bionic Apple A13 Bionic

Fingerprint Sensor

Home button

Not Available

Battery 1,821mAh battery

3110mAh battery

Expandable Storage

n/a

n/a

Unique Features Wireless charging, dual-SIM compatible, IP67 water-resistant

Wireless charging, dual-SIM compatible, and IP68 water-resistant

Headphone Jack

 Not Available Not Available
Price (USD) $549(256GB), $449 (128GB), $399 (64GB)

$849(256GB), $749(128GB), $699(64GB)

Price (AUD)

AU$999(256GB), AU$829 (128GB), AU$749 (64GB)

AU$1,449 (256GB), AU$1,279 (128GB), AU$1,199 (64GB)

Price (GBP) £569 (256GB), £469 (128GB), £419 (64GB)

£879 (256GB), £779 (128GB), £729 (64GB)

The iPhone 11 Has Astonishing Cameras:

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The iPhone 11 features two 12MP back cameras, one having a wide lens and the other extra-wide lens having a 120° FOV (field of view). Both the rear cameras come with practical features like 2x optical zoom, Night Mode, up to 5x digital zoom, improved focusing, depth control, portrait mode, and Smart HDR. The front selfie camera has been upgraded with intelligent HDR, Memoji and Animoji compatibility, 12MP, and portrait mode functionalities.

In sharp contrast, the iPhone SE sports a 7MP selfie camera with portraiture mode. There is only one 12MP single-lens camera at the back with depth control (for adjusting background blurriness), up to 5x digital zoom, portrait mode, and Smart HDR.

The fact that the iPhone 11 sports an extra 12MP camera at the backside tips the scales in its favor compared to iPhone SE.     

The iPhone 11 Comes With A More Powerful Battery:

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The iPhone SE allegedly has a 1821mAh battery, the same battery that the iPhone 8 carries. Users and mobile phone reviewers are yet to give their feedback on the battery life of the SE; it seems to be standard. Alternatively, the iPhone 11 is equipped with a more powerful 3110mAh battery because of its bigger size.

Since the iPhone 11 has a larger display and a better resolution than iPhone SE, it naturally needs a more performance-oriented battery.   

The iPhone 11 Has Slightly Better Memory Than iPhone SE:

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That the iPhone SE comes embedded with the same A13 Bionic mobile chip and runs on similar iOS13 software puts it on an even keel with the iPhone 11. You can expect the SE to perform as effectively as the iPhone 11 and also stay functional for years to come. Nevertheless, all apps you open will continue to be active in the background in the iPhone 11, thanks to its 4GB RAM compared to SE’s 3GB RAM.

The iPhone SE might also take a tad longer time to open an app you have not used recently due to its lesser memory capability. 

The iPhone 11 Wins In Terms of Display Size and Resolution:

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The iPhone 11 has a somewhat larger display, and a higher resolution than the iPhone SE translates into an enhanced user experience. Though both smartphones have the same pixel density (326ppi), you’ll still feel the qualitative difference owing to the iPhone featuring an LCD liquid Retina HD display.

The iPhone 11’s Avant-Garde Design Versus iPhone SE’s Classic Looks:

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If you’re the old-school type, you might prefer the iPhone SE’s classic bezel design. The iPhone 11 resembles the iPhone X in terms of looks with a narrower and sleeker bezel. The iPhone 11 is also resistant to water up to a depth of 2m for half an hour. How? Because of its IP68 water resistivity feature.

By contrast, the SE integrated with IP67 can resist water up to a depth of 1.5m for 30 minutes maximum. 

The iPhone SE Is More Affordable:

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You end up paying $699.00 for the iPhone 11 (64GB) model, whereas iPhone SE (64GB) costs $399.00. Therefore if you’re willing to overlook the iPhone 11’s better features (in terms of camera, memory, and battery life), opting for the iPhone SE makes practical sense.

Sources:

https://www.cnet.com/news/iphone-11-vs-iphone-se-features-your-miss-when-you-save-that-extra-300-dollars/

https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/there-are-6-major-differences-between-the-new-400-iphone-se-and-the-700-iphone-11-that-can-help-you-decide-which-one-to-buy/slidelist/75261603.cms

 

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Gadgets Smart Tech Technology

Getting To Know The Galaxy S20 5G

So you’re thinking about getting the new Samsung Galaxy S20 as your phone. You want to unlock access to the similarly new 5G cell phone networks being deployed in America recently. All of this new technology can be tough to wrap your head around, with each generation of technology’s new collection of jargon and buzzwords. When it comes to shopping for new gadgets, the decisions you have to make are a lot simpler than they may appear at first glance. Keep reading to learn more about the Samsung Series 5G network and its capabilities.  

Who’s Ahead in the Game?

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Earlier this year, Sprint and T-Mobile partially paused 5G rollout as they worked on a merger that would allow them to benefit from improved access to specific technologies mutually. Samsung had not completed the work needed to make its low-end vanilla Galaxy S20 compatible with Verizon’s millimeter wave-based 5G network. Now, however, both those things have finished, and so when it comes to 5G, the only decision to make when purchasing your Galaxy S20 line phone is which company’s network will suit your needs and desires.  

The Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20 Plus, and Galaxy S20 Ultra should all give the same 5G coverage from whatever network you decide to use.

5G Wavelengths With Phone Carriers

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AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile are the big providers when it comes to 5G. The key differences between the three major companies providing 5G in America come down to the consequences of radio wavelengths they are using for the 5G technology. Those can essentially be split into three categories: low-band, mid-band, and millimeter wave or mmWave. The higher the band used, the higher the potential speeds, but the worse the coverage area and building penetration.  

Verizon is committed to using millimeter waves, and so is only available in 36 cities currently. AT&T has a millimeter wave deployed in 35 US cities. However, in addition to that, they use low-band and mid-band, allowing their nationwide coverage map to show 5G availability in most of the densely populated areas of the continental US. T-Mobile focuses on low- and mid-band. The phone carrier claims nationwide 5G coverage, which isn’t entirely accurate according to the coverage map but does appear to provide 5G access to a significantly wider audience than AT&T.

4G LTE vs. 5G

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There might be a significant degree of marketing hype adding to the 5G appeal right now because, in practice, low-band and mid-band 5G tends to offer only marginal improvements over 4G LTE speeds. In some cases, 4G LTE was faster than 5G in the same location! Millimeter wave is the only one of the three bands that can offer faster speeds 5G promises to deliver; however, mmWave has difficulty filtering through barriers or other physical obstructions. In turn, these quicker speeds are hard to achieve in practice. Although low-band and mid-band have an easier time getting through walls, even these seem to need ideal conditions to offer more than a slight improvement over the old 4G.  

One could argue that current technologies aren’t even “true” 5G necessarily. Authentic 5G is dependent on a combination of millimeter wave and lower band signals working together. That does mean, though, that the 5G speeds we see right now will increase over time, as phone carriers get closer to fully recognizing the technology.

Check out these cover maps for more information about Samsung 5G:

Verizon https://www.verizon.com/5g/coverage-map/

AT&T https://www.att.com/5g/coverage-map/

T-Mobile https://www.t-mobile.com/business/coverage/5g-coverage-map

Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/galaxy-s20-and-5g

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Gadgets Smart Tech Technology

Note 20 Ultra: 5 Reasons To Pick Up This Pricey Powerhouse Android

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is creating waves in the smartphone market. Though the Galaxy Note 20 comes at a high price, this high-end phone has heavy-duty hardware and serious features. So if you’re considering grabbing this smartphone, keep your eye out for a promo that could get you a hefty discount.

You might be wondering, what is so ultra about the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra that makes it stand out from others? Before you start sizing up the Note 20 Ultra, do take note that this workhorse comes with everything. So if you’re someone who finds a smartphone indispensable for your daily activities, you should go for the Note 20 Ultra. The following are five practical reasons that make Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra a good buy. 

Quick and Constant Updates

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Forking out $1,300 for the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra might seem reasonable when you discover that Samsung now guarantees three OS upgrades for Note 20, Note 10, S20, and S10. To be specific, the South Korean chaebol is extending OS upgrade support to premium A-series gadgets. So if you are willing to use the Note 20 for three years, a $1,300 price tag may not seem so exorbitant after all.

The One UI 3.0 update is on the cards in the forthcoming months, implying that you may have to be patient and wait a while. Nevertheless, given Samsung’s strong commitment to implement key software upgrades and occasional patches of late, you can rest assured the upgrades will happen sooner than later. Hence, if you plan to keep your Note 20 for the next three years, you’ll take advantage of multiple security patches and three OS updates.

Wireless DeX: The USP of Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

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The novel and innovative wireless DeX functionality are undoubtedly the most versatile feature of Galaxy Note 20. The state-of-the-art Samsung DeX connectivity lets you use the Note 20 like a laptop by hooking it up with an external display such as a monitor or TV. Hitherto, you needed a USB cable, DeX pad, or DeX station for superimposing your smartphone onto a compatible external display.

However, the wire-free DeX lets you make the most of wireless connectivity through Wi-Fi. The wireless DeX feature comes in immensely handy in so many different ways you can multitask on your PC or TV display. On the other hand, you can use apps effectively both on your smartphone and the companionable external hardware simultaneously. You can browse the web and enjoy a movie on Netflix on your TV at the same time.   

Unmatchable Power

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When you bring home the Note 20 Ultra, you’ll be one of the select users to experience the versatility of the latest Android chipset-Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the only handset with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ under its hood. Additionally, the Note 20 also gets a massive boost from the octa-core Exynos 990 chipset, coupled with 256GB/512GB storage and 12GB RAM.  

The Amazing S Pen

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That Samsung has made some noteworthy improvements on the S Pen gives you another good reason to go for the Note 20 Ultra. The combined and coordinated effect of an intuitive 120Hz display and the reduced latency (9ms) make you feel like you’re putting pen to paper. You can bet you won’t come across a better stylus than the current S Pen.

A Gorgeous Display

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The colossal 6.9 AMOLED display is incredibly arresting and impeccable. Boost up the screen resolution to QHD+, and you have a Note 20 Ultra display that is simply unmatchable and unrivaled, making it another reason to potentially shell out big bucks for this device.

Sources:

https://9to5google.com/2020/09/11/note-20-ultra-5-reasons-to-pick-up-this-powerhouse-android-video/

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Gadgets

The New Samsung Galaxys Might Be The Best Phones Out There

The year 2020 has been far from conventional. However, the irregularities haven’t stopped technology in its ever evolving-form. This is especially the case with smartphones. New and improved models are flooding shelves — both tangibly and digitally. One manufacturer in particular with a wide range of impressive products is Samsung.

As one will see in this piece, Samsung released a plethora of very impressive smartphones. Many of the experts within the industry even believe that Samsung is currently setting the standard as it pertains to smartphones. We’ll dive in and look at a few of the more exciting options.

Galaxy Z Flip

The Galaxy Z Flip has a number of people delighted at its properties. As in the name of the product, this is an Android smartphone with a foldable display. Many in the industry praise the construction of the phone, as it’s generally smaller than others in its class.

The Galaxy Z Flip is the first foldable glass display smartphone in the history of Samsung. Debuting in February, the phone was offered in Mirror Purple and Mirror Black. The phone also features a 6.7-inch display, a hideaway hinge and ‘flex mode’. This mode enables the phone to be free-standing — which then results in the user being able to watch a split-screen video. The top screen will feature a movie or media video — whereas the bottom will allow the user to control it accordingly.

On average, the Galaxy Z Flip can cost approximately $1,380.

Galaxy S20

Roughly costing $999.99, the Galaxy S20 is a very affordable option considering the bells and whistles it brings to the table. If one is a fan of taking high-quality pictures, this might be the phone for you. The Galaxy S20 has 30X Space Zoom range. The picture quality captures immense deatil with this facet. It also involves a high-resolution telephoto sensor and a tremendous camera setup.

The video capabilities are also quite special. This phone can record 8K video (unlike most phones which offers 4K footage). It has a number of features (such as Single Take — an A.I. application) to enhance the recording process even further. Lastly, the RAM available in this phone can exceed many laptops on the market. When further mentioning that this phone is waterproof, there’s a ton to like about the Galaxy S20.

Galaxy S20+

If one researches the online marketplace, you’ll see the Samsung Galaxy S20+ for as cheap as $699.99. Much like the S20, the S20+ has Single Take A.I., 8K video capabilities, and a waterproof build.

Additionally, the phone also possesses 5G capabilities. It also prides itself on being a phone with long-lasting battery life. The phone comes in Cosmic Black, Cosmic Gray, Cloud Blue, and Aura Blue.

S20 Ultra

The S20 Ultra is widely considered to be the most impressive Samsung smartphone when it comes to sheer size. It has the biggest screen of any Samsung smartphone (6.9-inch display). Duly, it has all of the camera capabilities of the S20 and S20+ — only enhanced further with a 10X telephoto snapper, 100X Super-Resolution Zoom, 12 MP ultra-wide, and 108 MP.

Duly, the S20 Ultra has built-in stereo speakers, waterproof capabilities, and up to 512 GB of expandable storage. In a word, wow.

Image Source: Android Central

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Gadgets

iPhone X vs. iPhone 8: Which Phone Gives More Bang For Your Buck?

A huge debate is currently raging within the tech world — particularly for those individuals looking to purchase a new phone.

The prices of these new prototypes continue to skyrocket. No longer can a smartphone be looked at as merely an item. At this point, top-of-the-line models are investments. Apple in particular is known for introducing hotly-desired products. The iPhone 8 was revolutionary for its time. Millions upon millions clamored for the chance at purchasing the device. Months later, the transcendent iPhone X made its way on shelves across the world. Much like its predecessor, the X is said to be unlike any mobile device we’ve seen.

Comparatively speaking, subtle crossover does exist. However, there are some integral differences as well.

We first must talk about the price of each option. Starting on the lower end, the iPhone 8 will roughly cost $699-$849 in one large lump sum. A monthly payment plan could set the buyer back approximately $40/month for 24 months. The iPhone 8 Plus is a slight step up — ranging from $799-$949. The iPhone X — on the other hand — has a set range of $999-$1,149. It’s the most expensive smartphone Apple has released to date.

We aren’t talking about a complete overhaul in terms of appearance. In general, iPhones have remained rather consistent from an aesthetics point of view. The iPhone 8 is the smallest of the three options in both thickness and length. The largest phone length wise is the iPhone 8 plus. Though the iPhone X is slightly longer than the iPhone 8, it’s the thickest in width of the three options. The iPhone 8 Plus is considerably heavier than either the 8 or the X.

In terms of screen size, the iPhone X registers with the largest (5.8 inches). It narrowly edges out both the 8 (4.7 inches) and the 8 Plus (5.5 inches). Another benefit of the iPhone X is the quality of the said screen. The newly improved technology offers a Super Retina HD display — whereas the versions of the 8 offer only a ‘Retina’ option. This punctuates the clarity quality of both pictures and video even further. From a display standpoint, the iPhone X also does not have the bar section — nor a home button — at the bottom of the phone. Instead, the entire presentation is a touch-screen.

The camera on the iPhone X is considerably superior when compared to either the 8 or the 8 Plus. The rear-facing lenses on the iPhone X both have optical image stabilization. As such, the lighting on the pictures becomes enhanced or lessened (depending upon personal preference). The iPhone 8 doesn’t feature this aspect at all, and the iPhone 8 Plus only is equipped with this facet with its wide-angle lens. The iPhone X also offers the highly popular Portrait Mode — which is perfect for those with a penchant for frequent selfies.

Perhaps the most striking difference between the two models is the apparatus in opening the respective phones. On both the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, users utilize touch ID. This secures one’s phone with fingerprint recognition. With the absence of the home button, the iPhone X instead opted to roll with Face ID. The phone will now unlock based upon the user’s facial features and profile. Apple insists that the Face ID aspect is far more secure when compared to someone’s fingerprint.

Furthering down the discussion on appearance, all three models offer similar color schemes and identical capacity in terms of GB storage and water resistance. The battery life on an iPhone X lasts approximately two hours longer than that of the 8 or 8 Plus.

There are surely some tweaks from the iPhone 8 models in comparison to the iPhone X. Though not hugely substantial, the sleek X offers the bells and whistles of an improved device — whilst also utilizing the practicality size-wise of a smaller phone.

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Gadgets

Getting To Know The Samsung Galaxy S8

A huge debate is currently raging within the tech world — particularly for those individuals looking to purchase a new phone.

The prices of these new prototypes continue to skyrocket as the Apple vs. Samsung battle shows no sign of slowing down. No longer can a smartphone be looked at as merely an item. At this point, top-of-the-line models are investments. Both brands are known for introducing hotly-desired products, and have engaged in a “space race” of sorts for the past decade.

With each company recently releasing their eighth generation model, we are going to take a deeper dive into the revamped Samsung Galaxy S8.

We first must talk about the price. As is the case with any phone, there are various payment options for the Galaxy S8. If one chooses to pay in one large lump sum, it will cost somewhere between $699-$799. There is also a monthly payment plan which is approximately $30/month for 24 months at 0% APR.

With the Galaxy S8, there isn’t a huge change in terms of appearance. In general, Galaxy devices have remained rather consistent from an aesthetics point of view. The eighth generation does offer the largest screen size, as Samsung’s sleek design and “Infinity Display” maximizes the phone’s dimensions. The S8’s 5.8-inch screen is larger than that of the iPhone 8 (4.7 inches) and iPhone 8 Plus (5.5 inches).

Beyond merely the size of the screen, the screen’s quality is also extremely impressive. Completely bezel-less, the default resolution is Full HD+, and can be changed to Quad HD+ if desired. This punctuates the clarity quality of both pictures and video even further. From a display standpoint, the S8 has a small home button which allows the majority of the device to be a touch-screen.

The camera on the S8 is considerably superior when compared to previous models. Regardless of the time of day, the S8’s camera produces bright and crystal-clear images. For selfie-lovers, they should be ecstatic about Samsung’s new “Smart Auto Focus” feature. This feature tracks faces, allowing everyone in the shot to be in focus. The rear camera also shoots video in 4K, ensuring users that their memories will be captured in crystal-clear resolution. Add in the Dual Pixel sensor that allows the camera to focus quickly, and it’s hard to find a better camera on a smartphone.

From a security standpoint, Samsung has really stepped it up. Unlike the iPhone which has moved exclusively to the Face Scan, the S8 offers two other options in addition to the Face Scan. Since the phone still has a home button, the Fingerprint Scanner remains a viable option. However, for those seeking even more security, Samsung’s Iris Scanner takes things to a new level. Users can hold the phone up and align their eyes with on-screen circles. The S8 will then scan their irises and unlock the phone.

Furthering down the discussion on appearance, the S8 offers similar color schemes and identical capacity in terms of GB storage to previous models. Factor in the phone’s tremendous battery life and this undoubtedly Samsung’s most impressive cellular device to date.