With costs of flagship telephones just like the iPhone 11 Pro, Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and the OnePlus 8 Pro ($999 at OnePlus) commonly breaking the $1,000 mark, shopping for a price range handset or a used older-generation mannequin can prevent massive cash. But what’s the higher choice: shopping for a used flagship that launched just a few years in the past or getting a brand-new price range telephone? Will the efficiency be nearly as good? Can they deal with the identical duties? Are they each protected to make use of? To discover out, I pitted two telephones towards one another. One is the Galaxy S8 ($205 at Back Market). Launched in 2017, the telephone was the top of cell expertise in its day. With a robust processor, an incredible single rear digital camera, a stunning curving display screen and a water-resistant design, the Galaxy S8 earned a glowing rating in CNET’s evaluation on the time. I picked it up preowned within the UK for less than £205 (about $255 or AU$370).
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Available new for round that value is the Moto G Power (known as the Moto G8 Power within the UK). Brand-new (it was launched in April), it prices £220, $275 or AU$399 — a extremely inexpensive choice. It has a 6.4-inch display screen, 4 rear cameras, an octa-core processor and the most recent Android 10 software program.
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Galaxy S8 vs. Moto G Power: Is a used telephone higher than…
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The Galaxy S8 was the flagship of its day, however yesterday’s prime tech all the time trickles right down to change into right now’s naked minimal and this older telephone put up a hell of a struggle. Its processor efficiency outstrips the Moto, its single digital camera takes beautiful photos and its waterproofing and Android Pay help makes it a strong price range choice.The Moto G8 Power’s a number of cameras, nonetheless, do present extra capturing choices, its battery life is far better and its up-to-date Android software program means it will keep safer to make use of for years to return. The S8, then again, will not obtain safety updates for for much longer, making it extra susceptible to hackers.Read extra: That used or refurbished Android telephone could be unsafeIt’s that security difficulty that clinched the win for the Moto G8 on this piece, however learn on to see extra element on how I got here to that conclusion.
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It could be three years previous, however the Samsung Galaxy S8’s nice processor efficiency, succesful single rear digital camera, waterproofing and Android Pay compatibility make it a compelling alternative nonetheless for these looking for used telephones on a price range.
Read our Samsung Galaxy S8 evaluation.
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Motorola’s Moto G Power has an enormous, vibrant display screen, a number of rear cameras and the most recent model of Android. It’s a wonderful price range purchase in case you’re after a brand-new telephone.
Read our Moto G Power evaluation.
Processor efficiency: Galaxy S8 beats Moto G PowerBoth telephones pack octa-core processors. The Galaxy S8 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset whereas the G8 Power incorporates a Snapdragon 665. Both have 4GB of RAM. On our suite of benchmark exams, the Galaxy S8 was the clear winner, with higher efficiency noticed for each processor and graphics exams. You can see the total breakdown of rating on the bar graph beneath, however the takeaway right here is that regardless of being three years previous, the Galaxy S8 is the higher performing telephone.Moto G Power vs. Galaxy S8 efficiency chart
Legend:
Geekbench 5 Single core
Geekbench 5 Multicore
3D Mark Sling Shot
Note:
Longer bars equals higher efficiency
It’s noticeable, too. While on a regular basis navigation across the residence screens is comparable on each telephones, the S8 handles graphically demanding video games higher. When the G8 Power is ready on the default high quality, the sport Asphalt 9: Legends was somewhat stuttery and have become nearly unplayable once I modified the graphics to excessive. The S8 dealt with these excessive graphics with little seen slowdown. Less demanding video games such because the peaceable Alto’s Adventure performed completely effectively on each telephones. They additionally dealt with photograph enhancing in Snapseed and high-definition video streaming on YouTube and Netflix with out breaking a sweat.
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Winner: The S8’s superior processor processor efficiency makes it higher geared up to sort out the number of demanding video games on the Google Play Store. For on a regular basis duties like e-mail and WhatsApp although, you will not discover the distinction.
Discover the most recent information and finest opinions in smartphones and carriers from CNET’s cell specialists.
Camera: Galaxy S8’s single rear digital camera vs. Moto G8 Power’s 4When it launched, the S8’s single rear 12-megapixel digital camera was among the many finest cameras discovered on a telephone. But issues have moved on and right now’s telephones pack a number of cameras, providing wider angles and telephoto zooms. The Moto G8 Power packs 4 cameras on its again: a regular 16-megapixel, an 8-megapixel ultrawide, an 8-megapixel 2x telephoto zoom and a 2-megapixel macro. You’d assume that with these many cameras, the Moto G8 Power can be the clear-cut winner. But the Galaxy S8 places up a hell of a struggle. Moto G Power.
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Galaxy S8.
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In this primary shot overlooking Edinburgh’s Dean Village, the S8 has higher trying distinction than the Moto, which seems to be considerably washed out as compared. Moto G Power.
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Galaxy S8.
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The identical is true on this scene taken inside Dean Village. The Moto has evidently tried to brighten the shadows, but it surely’s not a very good look and the punchier tones of the S8 are a lot better.Moto G Power, huge angle.
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The Moto’s further cameras do show you how to get totally different views from the scene vantage level, nonetheless. This huge scene captures extra of the fluttering flags…Moto G Power, 2x zoom.
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…whereas this zoomed view provides a horny composition across the numerous chimney stacks — neither of which the S8 can obtain. Moto G Power macro lens.
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Galaxy S8.
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The Moto G8 Power’s macro mode allowed me to focus nearer on this flower, however the low 2-megapixel decision means there’s not a lot element within the ultimate picture. I really favor the shot from the S8, which has sufficient decision to let me crop additional into the picture and nonetheless have higher trying element.Winner: It’s a toss-up. The Galaxy S8 takes superior photos from its single digital camera and offers higher colours and distinction. But the Moto G8 Power has extra capturing choices, which snag photographs that would not be doable with the S8. Neither is a transparent winner over the opposite, so it comes down to non-public choice.Battery: Moto G8 Power’s large cell retains on goingAs the Moto G8 Power’s title suggests, the telephone packs a meaty battery: 5,000-mAh. That vastly outstrips the Galaxy S8’s 3,000-mAh cell. The G8 Power does have a much bigger display screen to energy although, which doubtless takes a toll on battery life. While we’re nonetheless ready on official lab take a look at outcomes for the G8 Power, I carried out a small-scale take a look at of my very own. After one hour of streaming a YouTube video (with equal excessive brightness and quantity muted on each telephones) the Galaxy S8 had dropped from totally charged to 87% remaining. The Moto, nonetheless, solely dropped to 94%. Anecdotally, the S8 can final a lot of the day — however provided that I used to be aware about my energy utilization. To eke out probably the most juice, I averted demanding gameplay and video streaming. In normal, in case you’re pondering of continuous to make use of your telephone throughout an evening out after work, anticipate to energy up earlier than you permit the workplace (ought to workplaces and nights out ever change into issues we do once more).
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Winner: The Moto G8 Power, with its capacious battery, will not battle to get by way of a full day of use and has loads of energy to spare to order a midnight pizza. (Pepperoni. Extra cheese.)Security: The Moto G8 Power’s up-to-date software program provides peace of thoughts for longerBecause any telephone that does not have the most recent safety patches is extraordinarily susceptible to being hacked, software program safety on an older handset is an excellent greater deal than it usually is. Most Android producers are likely to help their telephones for 2 to 3 years, then successfully minimize them free because it turns into too time-consuming to maintain updating older fashions.The newest software program model for the Galaxy S8 is Android 9 (aka Pie), with safety updates that arrived earlier this April. That means it is just about bang updated and due to this fact protected to make use of. According to Samsung’s replace information web page, the S8 will obtain quarterly (slightly than month-to-month) safety updates, though for the way lengthy it will obtain these updates is not identified and Samsung wasn’t in a position to give a transparent reply when contacted. It’s value noting that the S7 Active (launched in 2016) remains to be receiving safety patches, so it is doable the S8 may have some time forward of it but.
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As for the Moto G8 Power, safety is an enormous benefit. It’s brand-new, runs the most recent Android 10 software program and can doubtless not solely obtain the subsequent massive replace to Android 11, however can even obtain safety patches additional down the road. Winner: When your telephone receives an replace additionally is determined by your service, however because the newer telephone, the win goes to the Moto G8. In addition, Motorola’s replace web page reveals that it is at the moment updating telephones way back to 2018’s Moto E5. Based on that, it is truthful to imagine that the G8 Power will nonetheless be protected to make use of in early-mid 2022.Design, show and extrasThe Galaxy S8 seems to be and feels just like the extra luxurious telephone, even accounting for the slight scuffs and scratches that trace that it was preowned. The curved glass and strong really feel is extra premium than the plastic-backed Moto G8 Power. But there isn’t any denying that the Moto’s large 6.4-inch show makes movies extra immersive than the S8’s 5.8-inch display screen. True, its decision is not as excessive, leading to a decrease pixel density (399 ppi in comparison with the S8’s 570 ppi), however you probably will not discover a distinction. When I used the telephone, icons and textual content on the Moto seemed completely crisp and sharp, and high-resolution movies look nice.The S8 does up the stakes with IP68 waterproofing (the G8 Power solely has a nano coating to guard itself towards mild splashes), in addition to NFC, which helps you to use Android Pay and Samsung Pay. Both telephones have rear fingerprint scanners, cost with the newer USB-C sort cable, and have 64GB of storage with the choice to develop with a microSD card.
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Winner: The addition of waterproofing and NFC for Android Pay put the Galaxy S8 forward, however the Moto G8 Power’s greater display screen can be useful to these of you wanting to observe Netflix on the go.Which do you have to purchase?It’s tougher than I assumed to decide between the 2. Despite being three years previous, the Galaxy S8 holds its personal extraordinarily effectively, with glorious processor and digital camera efficiency, a luscious design and options like waterproofing and Android Pay compatibility. The massive level towards it’s the software program. While it is nonetheless technically receiving safety updates, it is very a lot in the direction of the tip of its supported life cycle and as per the recommendation from trade specialists, utilizing an unsupported telephone will be harmful. Using expertise for longer is one thing we must always all attempt to do and rescuing used telephones from ending up in landfill is definitely a very good factor. But it is vital to take action safely and persisting in utilizing an unsupported telephone, exposing your private information and banking particulars, even nude pics, to hackers is not a danger it’s best to take. As such, the S8’s real looking usable life is not so long as the Moto G8 Power’s. The Moto additionally has the advantage of the larger display screen and it affords digital camera options not discovered on the S8.
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Given these factors, my cash must go on the Motorola Moto G8 Power, if just for the peace of thoughts of getting its software program supported for longer. Had I spent only a bit extra, nonetheless, I may have picked up the Galaxy S9 ($220 at Back Market), used, for below £300 — being a whole yr newer than the S8 I used, its real looking life is quite a bit longer, which might resolve my essential concern over the S8. I’ve little question that the S9 would have been the clear winner on this shootout.So do take into account shopping for used — it is a good way of placing superior tech in your pocket, not stretching your price range and rescuing an in any other case nice telephone from landfill. But it is vital to buy sensible: Buy from a trusted supply (I used MusicMagpie within the UK however Gazelle performs an similar service within the US) and ensure it is current sufficient that it will nonetheless obtain safety updates for a very long time to return.