The smartphone landscape is vast, offering options for every budget and need. Today, we pit a budget-friendly contender, the Blackview A90, against a classic flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S8. Can the A90 challenge a phone that once defined premium Android?
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S8 decisively wins this comparison. While the Blackview A90 offers affordability, the S8's superior chipset, display, camera, and overall build quality make it the clear victor, despite its age. It's a testament to flagship engineering.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only) |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 40 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 66, 38, 39, 40, 41 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat16 1024/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2021, May 04 | 2017, March 29. Released 2017, April 24 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, May | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 166.3 x 77.6 x 8.8 mm (6.55 x 3.06 x 0.35 in) | 148.9 x 68.1 x 8 mm (5.86 x 2.68 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 185 g (6.53 oz) | 155 g (5.47 oz) |
| | - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 720 x 1560 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~269 ppi density) | 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~570 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.39 inches, 100.2 cm2 (~77.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.8 inches, 84.8 cm2 (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Super AMOLED, HDR10 |
| | - | 3D Touch (home button only)
Always-on display |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A73 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A53) | Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz Mongoose M2 & 4x1.7 GHz Cortex-A53) - EMEAOcta-core (4x2.35 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo) - USA & China |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6771 Helio P60 (12 nm) | Exynos 8895 (10 nm) - EMEAQualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (10 nm) - USA & China |
| GPU | Mali-G72 MP3 | Mali-G71 MP20 - EMEAAdreno 540 - USA & China |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie), One UI |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM |
| | eMMC 5.1 | UFS 2.0 or UFS 2.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.2, (wide) | 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.8, (wide), AF
other unspecified cameras | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, HDR | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Dual | - | 8 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.22µm, AF
2 MP (dedicated iris scanner camera) |
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.2, (wide) | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1440p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| | - | 32-bit/384kHz audio
|
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Iris scanner, fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 |
| | - | Samsung DeX (desktop experience support)
ANT+
Bixby natural language commands and dictation
Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 10W wired | 15W wired, QC2
Wireless (Qi) (market dependent) |
| Music play | - | Up to 67 h |
| Talk time | - | Up to 20 h (3G) |
| Type | 4280 mAh | Li-Ion 3000 mAh, non-removable (11.55 Wh) |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black, Blue, Orange, Purple | Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold, Rose Pink, Burgundy Red |
| Models | - | SM-G950FD, SM-G950W, SM-G950S, SM-G950K, SM-G950L, SM-G9500, SM-G950A, SM-G950P, SM-G950T, SM-G950U, SM-G950V, SM-G950F, SM-G950U1, SM-G950N, SC-02J, SCV36, SM-G950, G950F |
| Price | About 150 EUR | About 230 EUR |
| SAR | - | 0.44 W/kg (head) 0.75 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.32 W/kg (head) 1.27 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality | - |
Noise -92.5dB / Crosstalk -92.8dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 84h |
| Camera | - |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 4.768 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | - |
Voice 66dB / Noise 70dB / Ring 72dB |
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 199022 (v7)
GeekBench: 6656 (v4.4)
GFXBench: 13fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Blackview A90
- Affordable
- Large Display
- Decent Battery Life (potentially)
- Lower Performance
- Basic Camera
- Slower Charging
- Less Premium Build
Samsung Galaxy S8
- Excellent Performance
- Superb Display
- Great Camera
- Wireless Charging (market dependent)
- Compact Size
- Older Model
- Battery Degradation Possible
- Less Current Software Updates
Display Comparison
The Galaxy S8 boasts a stunning Super AMOLED display with excellent color accuracy and contrast, even in direct sunlight. The Blackview A90's display is likely adequate but won't match the S8's vibrancy or resolution. The S8's smaller size also makes it more pocketable.
Camera Comparison
The Galaxy S8's camera was top-tier in its time and still holds up well, offering excellent image quality and features. The Blackview A90's camera is likely to be more basic, with less detail and potentially poorer low-light performance.
Performance
The Exynos 8895/Snapdragon 835 in the Galaxy S8 provides significantly faster and smoother performance than the Helio P60 in the Blackview A90. Expect quicker app loading, better multitasking, and a more responsive user experience on the S8.
Battery Life
While both phones have decent battery life, the Galaxy S8's endurance rating of 84h is impressive, suggesting efficient power management. The Blackview A90's 10W charging is considerably slower than the S8's 15W wired and potentially wireless charging.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Blackview A90? Users on a tight budget who prioritize basic functionality and a large screen. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S8? Those seeking a reliable, compact flagship experience with a great camera and display, even if it's an older model.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the Samsung Galaxy S8 still worth buying in 2024?
Yes, if you prioritize a compact flagship experience with a great display and camera, and don't need the latest software features. Be mindful of potential battery degradation.
❓ What is the Blackview A90's target audience?
The Blackview A90 is aimed at users seeking an affordable smartphone with a large screen for basic tasks like browsing, social media, and calling.
