Elephone S8 Review - Should You Buy It?

Long ago cell phone buyers were once looking for the most powerful phone on the market. However, as of 2017, there seems to have been a shift from power (since all phones are now powerful) to design; we all crave the latest, most futuristic phone design on the market. This year, the main focus has to be bezel-less smartphones.

You’ve probably already heard of the stunning designs seen on the Mi Mix 2, Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone X. However, one phone you’re almost certainly less familiar with is the Elephone S8. And oh boy, what a phone it is…

The Elephone S8 is a flagship phone that competes with some of the big names out there. It has a triple bezeless 2K display and a 21-megapixel camera. This detailed review of the Elephone S8 will look at the pros and cons of the phone and whether or not you should buy it.

The Display – 10/10

The one part of this phone that we can find no fault on is its display. The Elephone S8 is the first ever Triple-bezel-less 2K display. The screen size is 5.8 Inches and it has a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels.

The screen itself is stunning – the pixels cannot be seen with naked eye. The vibrant colors make watching videos and gaming very enjoyable.

I did think that it could be a little brighter in broad daylight but apart from that, there is not a single downside to the display. In my opinion, the screen on the Elelphone S8 is just as good as the Samsung S8 and Mi Mix.

Hardware and software 7/10:

It comes with 2.5D curved glass with metal frame and glass case which surely enhances its appearance. It comes with the Pre-installed Android 7.1 version. It accompanies with a RAM of 4GB and Helio X25 Deca Core 2.5GHz processor which definitely boosts up the performance of the phone. Some applications are slightly laggy when opened (there is a half a second pause to open the photos application.) It would have been nice to see a Snapdragon chip in there instead. Nevertheless, this does not mean that this chip is slow. The operating system runs pretty quickly and has a nice ‘smooth’ feel to it.

Elephone S8 comes up with 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM.

There are two main issues with the hardware. Firstly there is no headphone jack meaning you will need to purchase either Bluetooth earphones or a USB type C adaptor for your normal earphones. This is not the end of the world, but it would have been helpful and more practical to see Elephone include a headphone jack.

Secondly, you cannot insert external storage – it comes with 64GB ROM and this is what you’ll need to stick with should you wish to use this phone. Realistically, unless you plan on downloading lots of films onto this phone, 64GB should be more than enough for most people. Therefore this isn’t much of an issue for most.

It is also worth mentioning that the overall build of this phone is great. It has a premium feel to it – it is strong sturdy and should be able to take a bump or two.

Camera: 6/10

The Elephone S8 has a Sony IMX258 21.0MP Rear Camera.

I know what you are thinking – why have I rated the camera 6/10 if its 21 megapixels. Well when it comes to cell phone cameras, you need to look further than just the megapixels. The camera itself seems laggy and finds it hard to focus on what is in front of it. The colors are often oversaturated and they up the ‘sharpness’ of the photo automatically making the photos look over processed.

Also, because of the bezzleless display, the selfie camera is placed on the bottom chin of the phone which makes taking selfies very awkward.

If you are looking for a phone with a really good camera then this is not the phone for you.

The final camera image quality is okay. Its better than the camera on something like the iPhone 5 but it really does lack some quality. If the camera isn’t really an issue for you, then I would seriously consider this phone, since in almost everything else it is a beast.

Also, one must remember that this phone is very cheap for what you get – other phones at a similar price point will have much worse photo quality. Therefore, if you are looking for a phone with a good camera, you are going to need to spend $300 or more. If not, then the Elephone S8 may be the right phone for you.

Unlike other smartphones here you won’t get any Dual Rear Camera. The Elephone is focusing and improving the single camera.

Battery: 9/10

Battery life is one of the most important deciding factors in purchasing a smartphone nowadays. Because, after all, what do you need one for if you run out of juice in the middle of the day? Well, Elephone seems to have taken that under consideration and that’s why their latest Elephone S8 comes with a bigger battery than you’d think.

The battery itself is 4000mAh – this is huge! I’ve been getting at least two days of mid to light usage of the phone and a day and a half of battery when I’m using it heavily (watching videos etc.) In comparison, this is far longer than any iPhone or Samsung phone on the market. Moreover, the Mi MIX 2, with a similar size6-inchch display has just a 3400mAh battery.

Of course, the Elephone S8 is not as thin or pretty as the Mi MIX 2, but I would rather pay less money and have a slightly bulkier phone which lasts several more hours than its competitors. In all honesty, when it comes to battery ife, the Elephone S8 will not disappoint you. Furthermore, the quick charge feature will let you charge up the phone to 60% in just 20 minutes making this phone even more appealing.

Elephone S8 Smartphone Vs Samsung Galaxy S8:

Here we have done a quick comparison between two edge-less smartphones.

Specifications	Elephone S8	Samsung Galaxy S8
Design Type	Ultra narrow design	Bezel-less Design
Screen Size	5.8 inch	5.8 inch
Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels	1440×2960 pixels
Processor	Helio X27	1.9GHz octa-core
RAM	4GB	4GB
Internal storage	64GB	64GB
Expandable storage up to (GB)	none	256 GB
Camera	21MP+8MP	12MP+8MP
Battery	4000 mAh	3000 mAh
Operating System	Android 7.1	Android 7.0
Weight	145 gm	155 g
Price	$239	$720!

Where to buy the Elephone S8:

We have done our research and by far the best place to buy the Elephone S8 is on Gearbest.com. They have the cheapest price and are a very reliable store that I have used many times.

It is avalible for just $239 here.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

Its display with triple bezel-less 2k resolution is the first of its kind and termed as the best in the current market.
Insane battery life
Very good firm build and overal hardware

Cons:

No external memory card support
No headphone jack
Camera could be better

Conclusion:

This is by far the best budget bezzleless smartphone on the market. If you are looking for a beautiful device with a premium feel then I would recommend you this phone. Just be aware that the camera isn’t amazing and it doesn’t have a headphone jack.