INQUISITR.COM / Science & Tech

Galaxy S8 Price, Specs: 3 Great Alternatives Based On Design, Software And Price

By Simon Alvarez
Published on: 09:25 PST, Mar 30, 2017

The Samsung Galaxy S8 has been launched, and it met every single expectation that the smartphone community had about the device. Seriously stunning with its slightly curved edges and eye-catching Infinity Display, the Samsung Galaxy S8, as well as its larger sibling, the Galaxy S8+, are arguably the best Android smartphones currently on the market.

Considering that Samsung has been building up the S series as a range of flagship devices, the Galaxy S8 is not an affordable smartphone — not by any means. Apart from this, the Galaxy S8 is, at its core, a Samsung device. Thus, it is still equipped with the less-than-stellar TouchWiz, the much-panned Android skin that has been a staple of the South Korean tech giant’s devices for years.

With this in mind, here are three smartphones that would serve as great alternatives to the Samsung Galaxy S8 in terms of design, price and software. All of these handsets boast impressive specs, design and value for money that could give the Galaxy S8 a good run for its money.

Design – LG G6

The recently launched LG G6 features much for the same design as the Galaxy S8. It has a tall, sleek screen that looks very similar to the Samsung flagship (sans the curved edges, of course), and its internals, while slightly less stellar than the Galaxy S8’s updated specs, are still very formidable. The main issue that users might have over the LG G6 is its processor, since the smartphone still utilizes a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chip, while the Galaxy S8 uses a more powerful Snapdragon 835 SoC, according to a TrustedReviews report.

Despite its weaker processor, however, the LG G6 still has some notable features that make it a great alternative to Samsung’s first 2017 flagship. Among these include its dual-camera system, similar water-resistant capabilities and stellar 18:9 Quad-HD screen. LG and Samsung have been rivals for years, and the tech firms’ intense competition is evident in their first flagship devices for 2017.

Price – OnePlus 3T

The Galaxy S8 is arguably the best smartphone that users could buy right now, but considering that its price starts at $720 for the base model, it is a device that only a very particular demographic could purchase. Thus, while the Samsung Galaxy S8 is itself a stellar handset, its price would be something that could prevent users from purchasing the device. Considering this, the OnePlus 3T would be an excellent alternative for users who are looking for flagship-grade performance for a lower price.

The OnePlus 3T, the latest device from one of the most aggressive smartphone manufacturers in the market, is no joke. Equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 and a whopping 6GB of RAM, the OnePlus 3T could provide the performance of the Galaxy S8 with some challenge. The camera and display of the OnePlus 3T are definitely inferior to Samsung’s flagship, but at $439 for the base model, it is difficult to argue against the OnePlus 3T’s value for money, according to a TechRadar report.

Software – Google Pixel

The Galaxy S series has always featured great smartphones, and the Galaxy S8 is the best one yet. Inasmuch as the devices themselves are excellent specs-wise, however, they remain bogged down by Samsung’s infamous Android skin, TouchWiz, which severely slows down the smartphone’s performance due to its bloatware. While the Galaxy S8’s specs are robust enough to allow TouchWiz to perform as smooth as butter, the stigma on the Android skin is something that Samsung might never be able to live out. With this in mind, Android purists would be best advised to look at Google’s own flagship smartphone, the Google Pixel, instead.

The Google Pixel is nowhere near as affordable as the OnePlus 3T or as refined in design as the LG G6, but it does offer something that none of the phones in this list has – a pure, stock Android experience, according to a Trusted Reviews report. Considering that the Google Pixel would most likely be the first device to receive the highly-anticipated Android O update this year, the Pixel is a great alternative to the Samsung Galaxy S8, at least on the software front.

The Galaxy S8 is a near-perfect device, and Samsung is perfectly aware of it. With a starting price of $720, the Galaxy S8 is a pretty expensive smartphone. Considering its design and internals, however, its premium price appears to be well-justified. The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ would be available in the USA on April 21, with other regions following on April 28.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8Ert5yjMV4

[Featured Image by Drew Angerer/Getty Images]

Share this article: Galaxy S8 Price, Specs: 3 Great Alternatives Based On Design, Software And Price
samsung
More from Inquisitr