Why you should buy a second-hand Samsung Galaxy S8 in 2020

Buy Samsung Galaxy S8 for less than $200

Almost three years and two successors after its introduction, the Galaxy S8 is, of course, hard to find in shops new anymore. Dealers sell remaining stock on eBay or Amazon still have some new and refurbished models that go for around $275 to $375. But real savers look around on eBay auctions. Because there you can find a Galaxy S8 in good condition for as little as $150

You can also find the fancy LED View Cover on eBay for another $30 to $40. I enjoyed its functionality during my long-term review of the Galaxy Note 8. It protects the display of the Galaxy S8, whose repair often costs around $300.

Buying used equipment is an important signal to the industry to reduce the production of new equipment. In view of poor recycling rates and increasingly scarce resources, the use of older models is the responsible alternative. And in the case of the Galaxy S8, it's also one you won't regret. Because...

The Galaxy S8 still gets updates

Granted, the Galaxy S8 has already received its two big Android updates. It went on the market with Android 7 and is now on Android 9, but it receives security patches every month. Should Samsung again follow the update schedule of the Galaxy S7, we expect security updates every three months from March 2020 onwards, before receiving the last update lands in March 2021. Another indication of the reliability of the Galaxy S8 software is that the device is included in Google's list of "Enterprise Ready" devices.

The Galaxy S8 had resisted two unpopular design trends at the time. The display came onto the market without a notch and instead had thin black bezels at the top and bottom. And the Koreans gave their fans a headphone jack when many others were ditching it. The included AKG headphones sounded great - and you could use them for all your other audio devices as well.

Some weaknesses have to be conceded to the aged Galaxy S8. The fingerprint sensor is not a millimeter away from its unfortunate position next to the camera lens. So you will want to wipe the greasy fingerprints from the lens before each time you take a shot, so that the photos do not blur.

Cameras have become much better since the S8

The only thing that not only the successor, the Galaxy S9, but many other smartphones since then can do significantly better than the S8 is photos and videos. Don't get me wrong! Both the main and the selfie camera of the S8 still deliver solid results, even in low light conditions. But the competition, as well as Samsung itself, have been making significant progress in the camera sector since March 2017. There are now modern features like...

• Ultra-wide angle lenses
• Night mode
• Portrait mode
• Optical zoom
• Slow-motion mode
• Macro mode

All processor power including new computing subunits as well as main cameras, some of which are equipped with five sensors, came into the focus of the arms race for the best smartphone camera. This is the discipline in which the Galaxy S8 will no longer compete. Among the devices from the year 2019, your favorite is a OnePlus:

• A $400 smartphone just beat the Pixel 4, iPhone 11 and Note 10 in our camera test
• Apple still king of video as iPhone 11 Pro wins our camera blind test

Conclusion: The S8 doesn't look old yet!

Thanks to its high-quality workmanship right from the start, the Galaxy S8 still shows no signs of weakness. Only the camera has hardly anything left to oppose the more modern competitors. On the second-hand market, however, you will hardly find a better device of this quality for this money.

If you already own a Galaxy S8, you can continue to use it for a whole year; security patches will come after 90 days at the latest. Otherwise, you can sell it now on good terms; it could be your last chance!