Motorola Defy 2 vs Samsung Galaxy S8 Active: The Ultimate Rugged Phone Battle
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Active boasts incredible battery life and a proven Snapdragon 835 chipset. However, the Defy 2 offers a more modern processor and wireless charging. Ultimately, the S8 Active wins for longevity, while the Defy 2 provides a more contemporary experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Motorola Defy 2 | Samsung Galaxy S8 Active |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - AT&T |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - AT&T |
| 5G bands | 2, 5, 23, 25, 26, 28, 38, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 255, 256 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave | - |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat12 600/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| - | 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 41 - Sprint | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, February 24 | 2017, August. Released 2017, August |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, October | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back, plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 171 x 80 x 11.9 mm (6.73 x 3.15 x 0.47 in) | 151.9 x 74.9 x 9.9 mm (5.98 x 2.95 x 0.39 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 268 g (9.45 oz) | 208.1 g (7.34 oz) |
| IP68/IP69 dust/water resistant (up to 5m for 35 min) Drop-to-concrete resistance from up to 1.8m MIL-STD-810H compliant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) MIL-STD-810G compliant | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2408 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density) | 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~568 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.6 inches, 104.9 cm2 (~76.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.8 inches, 85.4 cm2 (~75.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD, 120Hz | Super AMOLED, HDR10 |
| - | 3D Touch (home button only) Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (4x2.35 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 930 (6 nm) | Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (10 nm) |
| GPU | IMG BXM-8-256 | Adreno 540 |
| OS | Android 12 | Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie), One UI |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 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/2.0, (wide) | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1440p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS |
| Radio | Unspecified | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C |
| 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 (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Iris scanner, fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate |
| Emergency SOS via satellite (Bullitt Satellite Connect service) | Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ S-Voice natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 15W wireless | 15W wired, QC2 Wireless |
| Music play | - | Up to 113 h |
| Stand-by | - | Up to 120 h (3G) |
| Talk time | - | Up to 32 h (3G) |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 4000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black | Meteor Gray, Tungsten Gold |
| Models | BM1S1B | SM-G892A, SM-G892U |
| Price | About 570 EUR | About 550 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise - 92.4 / Crosstalk - 91.4 |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 111h |
| Loudspeaker | - | Voice 70dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 78dB |
| Performance | - | GeekBench: 6314 (v4.4) GFXBench: 12fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Motorola Defy 2
- Modern Dimensity 930 chipset
- Wireless charging
- More recent Android version
- Potentially better camera
- Likely shorter battery life
- LCD display (potentially lower quality)
- Less battle-tested ruggedness compared to S8 Active
Samsung Galaxy S8 Active
- Exceptional battery life (111h endurance)
- Proven Snapdragon 835 chipset
- Highly durable and rugged design
- QC2 Wireless charging
- Older chipset (slower performance)
- Outdated software
- Lower quality display compared to modern phones
- Less modern features
Display Comparison
The S8 Active features a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display, known for vibrant colors and deep blacks. The Defy 2 likely has a smaller LCD display, potentially with lower brightness and color accuracy. While the S8 Active's display is superior in quality, the Defy 2's display is likely more scratch-resistant due to its rugged design.
Camera Comparison
The S8 Active's camera is decent for its age, but the Defy 2 is expected to have a more modern camera system with improved image processing and potentially better low-light performance. Expect the Defy 2 to capture more detailed and vibrant photos.
Performance
The Defy 2's Dimensity 930 offers a noticeable performance boost over the S8 Active's Snapdragon 835, especially in graphics-intensive tasks. However, the Snapdragon 835 remains a capable processor, and the S8 Active's optimized software can provide a smooth experience. The Defy 2 will likely handle multitasking and demanding apps better.
Battery Life
This is where the S8 Active truly shines. Its endurance rating of 111h is exceptional. The Defy 2's battery capacity is likely smaller, and while it supports wireless charging, it won't match the S8 Active's sheer longevity.
Buying Guide
The Motorola Defy 2 is ideal for users prioritizing a modern chipset, wireless charging, and a more recent Android experience. The Samsung Galaxy S8 Active is perfect for those who demand unparalleled battery life and a truly rugged, battle-tested design, even if it means sacrificing some modern features.