Samsung Galaxy S7 Active vs. S8 Active: A Rugged Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Galaxy S8 Active edges out the S7 Active thanks to its faster Snapdragon 835 chipset, slightly improved battery life, and a more modern design. However, the S7 Active remains a solid choice, especially if you find it at a significantly lower price.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S7 active | Samsung Galaxy S8 Active |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - AT&T |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - AT&T |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat9 450/50 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat12 600/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| - | 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 41 - Sprint | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2016, June. Released 2016, June | 2017, August. Released 2017, August |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), plastic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back, plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 148.8 x 74.9 x 9.9 mm (5.86 x 2.95 x 0.39 in) | 151.9 x 74.9 x 9.9 mm (5.98 x 2.95 x 0.39 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 184.8 g (6.53 oz) | 208.1 g (7.34 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) MIL-STD-810G compliant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) MIL-STD-810G compliant | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2560 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~576 ppi density) | 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~568 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.1 inches, 71.7 cm2 (~64.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.8 inches, 85.4 cm2 (~75.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED | Super AMOLED, HDR10 |
| Always-on display | 3D Touch (home button only) Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Quad-core (2x2.15 GHz Kryo & 2x1.6 GHz Kryo) | Octa-core (4x2.35 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 (14 nm) | Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (10 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 530 | Adreno 540 |
| OS | Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), upgradable to 7.0 (Nougat), TouchWiz UI | Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie), One UI |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 32GB 4GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS | 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS), 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., OIS | 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 | HDR |
| Single | 5 MP, f/1.7, 22mm (wide), 1/4.1", 1.34µm | - |
| Video | - | 1440p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, LE, aptX | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS |
| Radio | Stereo FM radio, RDS | No |
| USB | microUSB 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 | Iris scanner, fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate |
| ANT+ S-Voice natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ S-Voice natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 15W wired, QC2 Wireless (Qi) (market dependent) | 15W wired, QC2 Wireless |
| Music play | Up to 110 h | Up to 113 h |
| Stand-by | Up to 384 h (3G) | Up to 120 h (3G) |
| Talk time | Up to 32 h (3G) | Up to 32 h (3G) |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Camo Green, Titanium Gray, Sandy Gold | Meteor Gray, Tungsten Gold |
| Models | SM-G891A | SM-G892A, SM-G892U |
| Price | About 360 EUR | About 550 EUR |
| SAR | 0.92 W/kg (head) 0.75 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.32 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -94.3dB / Crosstalk -93.4dB | Noise - 92.4 / Crosstalk - 91.4 |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 96h | Endurance rating 111h |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 72dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 78dB | Voice 70dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 78dB |
| Performance | Basemark OS II 2.0: 2487Basemark X: 32362 | GeekBench: 6314 (v4.4) GFXBench: 12fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S7 active
- Excellent durability
- Good battery life (96h)
- Fast charging
- Wireless charging
- Compact size
- Older chipset
- Slightly less vibrant display
- Camera not as good as S8 Active
Samsung Galaxy S8 Active
- Faster Snapdragon 835 chipset
- Slightly better battery life (111h)
- Improved camera performance
- Brighter and more accurate display
- More modern design
- Higher price
- Still a relatively small screen
Display Comparison
Both phones feature 5.1-inch Super AMOLED displays with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. However, the S8 Active boasts a slightly brighter display and improved color accuracy. The S7 Active's display is still excellent, but the S8 Active offers a more visually appealing experience.
Camera Comparison
The S8 Active features a 12MP rear camera with a wider aperture (f/1.7) and improved low-light performance compared to the S7 Active's 12MP camera (f/1.9). Both phones capture decent photos, but the S8 Active consistently produces better results, especially in challenging lighting conditions. The S8 Active also has a slightly improved front-facing camera.
Performance
The S8 Active's Snapdragon 835 chipset is noticeably faster than the S7 Active's Snapdragon 820. This translates to smoother multitasking, quicker app loading times, and better gaming performance. The S8 Active's octa-core CPU also provides a performance advantage over the S7 Active's quad-core processor.
Battery Life
While both phones have a 4,000mAh battery, the S8 Active achieves a slightly better endurance rating (111h vs 96h) due to its more efficient chipset. Both phones support fast charging (QC2) and wireless charging (Qi).
Buying Guide
The Samsung Galaxy S7 Active is ideal for budget-conscious users who prioritize durability and don't need the absolute latest performance. The Samsung Galaxy S8 Active is a better choice for those seeking a more powerful processor, slightly longer battery life, and a more refined user experience, willing to pay a premium for it.