Note 8 is still pretty darn good in 2025
Samsung Galaxy S8, S8 Plus, and Note 8 Receives Critical Software Update With GPS Fix and April 2021 Security Patches
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 stuck on logo bootloop
https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyS8/comments/vg8j4p/samsung_galaxy_note_8_stuck_on_logo_bootloop/id1jdoq?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share&context=3
More on reddit.comSamsung Galaxy Note 8 stuck on bootloop
Phone model ? Just download samfirm download the correct software and reflash the firmware again you can flash first 3 AP BL CP. and see if it works
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Story time: I have been using different Note 8s for years now. I tried other phones. I tried the Note 9, got the display shade problem (not shading, but the thing where it occasionaly just turns all green like a swamp, unusable). Tried the iPhone XS Max but the battery was crap. Tried Samsung S8 but too many compromises with the downgrade. Tried older phones and their battery was terrible. Tried the modern flagship Oneplus 12 for six months. but it was missing too many things, headphone jack which I actually used, no S-pen, and aside from good low light performance and gaming, the OLED on the old Samsung actually feels like it has deeper blacks and is more comfortable with me in lowlight. If the Note 8 had 120hz and a modern camera, it would still be the best phone in the world.
I got my most recent Note 8, with a small black dot in the bottom right corner (only thing that annoys me), around two years ago. Since then, I got the screen totally smashed, got the front glass replaced (without touching the LED) for like $20, got the battery replaced, replaced the back glass (and will replace the back glass again for a couple bucks). This aftermarket China battery gives me basically half-day battery life on regular usage, it's fine, I just charge it up once or twice in the day.
Things I appreciate DAILY with this phone:
- NO BEZELS. Well, I mean, Bezels, but NO NOTCH/PUNCHOUT. I'll take small bezels over a big black dot in my screen ANY day of the week.
- The Bixby button, remapped to launch Easy Drawer--a free app which is the fastest way to open any app with two touches.
- Headphone jack, bomb as always
- S pen, of course
- Fingerprint sensor gestures (up and down to open/close notification panel)
- Face ID
- Mics are still fine compared to most androids.
- Let's just take a moment to appreciate the physical fingerprint sensor. Miles better than an under-display one (trust me, I tried them), where you have to look around and touch it in exactly the right zone. With this physical button, I can unlock the phone from my pocket without even looking at it! It's so fast and seamless.
THINGS BUSTED ABOUT IT:
- not for modern gaming or emulation (I don't game on it anyways)
- a black dot on bottom right of screen (screen has not worsened, no shading or anything, no new dots in the two years I have had it). Doesn't really get in the way.
- selfie camera has spots
- front camera is not the best video compared to modern phones. But honestly I don't really care.
Any tips on increasing battery life without installing a custom rom?
Otherwise, I honestly don't see a reason not to use this phone for another two years. I can replace everything I need to if it breaks, or just get a new one for dirt cheap. No other phone I have seen is worth upgrading to. The Note 20 Ultra gets vertical lines. The folds break and get lines, even if you don't drop it. It's just how it's built. My note 9 screen has that green ghosting problem. If someone has a good argument for any android phone that is better for my use case than the Note 8, I'll hear it!