While Samsung became more famous last year for battery issues and washing machines that took on a life of their own, 2017 will make every tech geek forget about that. The company will be giving Apple a big run for their money (actually they’re making those amazing OLED screens for the upcoming iPhone 8), and from the products we’ve tested, they’ll easily be making the top 10 hottest tech gadget lists on many sites.
One of the hottest smartphones of 2016 was the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, and the company is already topping that with the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8 a year later. You can read our full breakdown on that here, but here’s a nice taste of what to expect.
Samsung Galaxy S8
The screen might be bigger, but the phone will stay the same size thanks to Samsung’s edge-to-edge curved display.
If you like buttons on your smartphone, they’ll be going away to make up for the larger screen size. The home button that many Samsung users have grown accustomed to will be moving to the back along with the fingerprint scanner access area.
The good news is that the S8 has a new technology called 3D Touch-esque pressure sending that is under the screen while providing even more security. As you can see in the above image, there’s much less bezel area with sleek rounded corners giving you even more display area.
The S8 will also be equipped with an iris scanner which should give you even more security, especially for authorizing payments. It’s still surprising how many people check their bank balances and pay bills on wifi hotspots, but at least Samsung is making this much safer to keep those hackers at bay.
The most exciting addition to the S8 is Bixby, a new digital assistant to rival Siri and Alexa. Samsung is integrating Bixby into apps to be more user-friendly and intuitive. You can still ask it plenty of questions, but this is one digital assistant that takes assisting to a whole new level.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
For what you get, it’s truly a deal you can’t refuse. If you had the Galaxy S6, you’ll notice a huge upgrade with the S7. The screen is bigger, and the phone just feels lighter and sleeker in your hand.
The 5.5-inch screen has beautiful detail for watching videos, streaming your favorite TV shows or checking out your friend’s pictures.
One other very nice plus is the side display which is easily accessible by just swiping your thumb along the side of the phone. You’re able to specify which side in the settings. It may sound like an unnecessary thing, but once you start using it, you’ll realize how much you will rely on it for news, tools and your contacts. It’s like having a running ticker tape on your computer.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
It comes with an HDR-ready screen, an upgraded S Pen stylus along with four amazing speakers to make any audiophile happy. Samsung has future proofed the screen for those that will want to hang on to this tablet for more than just one year.
The Tab S3 will make your friends who have an iPad Pro 9.7 (or less) jealous when they see the video quality of the HDR screen. Just show them an episode of Game of Thrones or The Magicians, and you’ll really get under their skin.
The all-glass upgrade gives this tablet a very sleek and elegant design. No more rubberized feeling plastic cover that came with the. You’d never imagine that glass could be so comfortable to hold in your hands. Before you ask, it’s smudge proof, so all those annoying sweaty hand marks on earlier models are a thing of the past.
While the keyboard is extra, this is one tablet that is the best 2-in-1 for travelling while staying productive.
Galaxy Edge Smartwatch Gear 3
The Super AMOLED screen, GPS and intuitive controls allow users to learn how to work all of its functions easily. This was one of the most frustrating things for me with the Apple Watch. Rather than spending hours figuring out what everything does, the Gear 3 takes you by the hand and speeds you through everything it has to offer.
They come in leather, stainless steel, plastic and silicone/rubber.