Samsung launches Galaxy Note 8 in New York but with few surprises following leaks

Leaks in the run-up to Samsung Galaxy Note 8 launch pretty much gave it all away

Samsung has finally launched the Galaxy Note 8, which will hopefully prove to be a more successful (and safer) follow-up to the disastrous Galaxy Note 7, but following a series of leaks there were few surprises in store.

As expcted, there's a 6.3in QHD+ AMOLED Infinity display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio at the forefront of the Galaxy Note 8 and, unsurprisingly, and this comes with support for Samsung's new-and-improved S Pen which supports a finer tip and better pressure sensitivity.

The S Pen also comes with a new 'Screen Off Memo' feature that lets users doodle on the display while it's switched off, while Live Message allows users to scribble animated doodles and easily turn into a GIF.

Looks wise, the Galaxy Note 8 sports the same metal and glass chassis as that first seen on the Galaxy S8. It boasts the same IP68 resistance against water and dust, and both fingerprint sensor and iris scanners for unlocking the device.

Under the hood, in the UK at least, you'll find Samsung's homegrown Exynos 8895 processor, which comes paired with 6GB RAM and 64GB built-in storage, which can be expanded up to 256GB via the built-in microSD slot. There's also a 3,300mAh battery, and Samsung has been keen to point out that this has gone through rigorous testing - more than usual - and probably won't, er, go up in flames.

This supposedly fire-proof battery comes with support for both fast charging via USB-C and wireless charging baked-in.

Camera-wise, there's a dual 12MP sensor setup on the rear of the phone, which packs Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) on both the wide-angle lens and the telephoto lens. There's also an 8MP camera on the front, which offers both OIS and optical zoom.

Despite the recent launch of Android Oreo, the Galaxy Note 8 runs Android 7.0 Nougat, which comes topped in Samsung's usual custom user interface. Bixby, unsurprisingly, is included and can be accessed via the smartphone's dedicated Bixby button.

Samsung DeX support is also included, when means when the Galaxy Note 8 is docked, it will offer a desktop experience.

At launch, the Galaxy Note 8 will be available in Midnight Black and Maple Gold colour variants in the UK. There's talk that two additional colours, Orchid Grey and Deepsea Blue, will be made available at a later date.

The Galaxy Note 8 is available to pre-order in the UK from today, priced at a wallet-busting £869, SIM-free, and it'll start shipping on 15 September. Full pricing details can be found here, while readers in the US can order one here.