THE PEAK PHONE DEBATE

What more could we possibly ask for?

How good do these phones need to get before we're satisfied?

For some time now, we've been offered features and functions we hadn't even thought of, let alone demanded.

Turns out, there's always something better and besides, after a firey 2016, Samsung is still on the road to redemption...

Without dwelling on the disastrously flammable fate of last year's Galaxy Note7, there's no escaping the fact Samsung has taken a bold step continuing with the Note brand at all. It's a testament to the devotion of Note users that many of them have simply waited all this time to upgrade their existing phablet.

This means they could still be using the Note5, released this time in 2015 and will be itching to get their hands on some of the developments Samsung have offered over the last 2 years.

Of course, the Note5 was (and probably still is) a fantastic phone. Big screen, curvy back, fast processor, fingerprint sensor - even wireless charging. (That's right, you iPhone addicts - Samsung has literally been doing it wirelessly for years)

The Note5 introduced the clickable S Pen too, a stylus that actually feels like a pen, with a lot more functionality.

Probably the best phone of 2015 by quite some margin. So if you're still using one today, you'll be feeling pretty smug about the fact other manufacturers are only now starting to successfully copy some of those features.

There wasn't a Note6. In order to sync up with the Galaxy S releases, 2016 meant the Note7 instead. As we now know, too hot to handle.

So how far has the Note come since August 2015?

I was a little surprised the first time I encountered the Note8 at its lack of curviness. For some time now, Samsung handsets have been whittling away the edges both front and back, pioneering the now famous no-bezel appearance. While the Note8's display does still reach right to the edge, there is now a noticeable ridge between the screen, the frame and the glass back. I believe this is supposed to make the phone easier to hold, but for me, it just makes it more uncomfortable and less sexy to look at.

In fact, due to its sheer size and weight, I initially felt as though this is probably the hardest-to-hold phone I've ever tried to get a grip on.

But, as is often the case, first impressions can be deceiving.

While both the Notes 5 and 7 featured 5.7" screens, the Note8 clocks up a mighty 6.3 inches. I assumed this would make it impossible to fit in my pocket but like the S8 and S8+ from earlier this year, the screen is much longer (or wider, depending on which way you're holding it) due to the 18.5:9 aspect ratio. In other words, the Note8 isn't fat, just tall.

So while the glassy finish and sharp edges make it slippery, at least it's still narrow enough to wrap one hand around.

What keeps the Note8 looking better than many other phones in its class (not that many are in its class) is the fact the dual-lens rear camera now fits completely flush with the back of the handset, making it less prone to dirt and scratches. Although some people lost their minds when Samsung moved the fingerprint sensor from front to back on this year's S8s - it's still there, thankfully, as it's the obvious place for a finger to go when you're holding a phone this big in one hand. In response to the moaners who were too uncoordinated to keep their fingers off the camera lens, Samsung have moved the sensor slightly further away by placing the flash in between.

The other important physical feature of any Note, is of course, the on-board S Pen. Still the most versatile stylus available, you can draw, write, highlight, select, drag and drop more effectively than ever. There's something tactile about clicking the S Pen out of its slot to make a quick note - even when the screen's off. This season's S Pen can help you translate whole passages of text with one easy selection. There's also a fun feature called Live Message, which creates an animated Gif of your hand-written note you can then send to someone else. Very bespoke.

I could rabbit on at length about the speed and reliability of the Note8, but the sad fact is, I take all that stuff for granted now. Samsung have been making amazing devices for a long time and I've been using them for so long that it's only when I'm reviewing another brand I appreciate just how well every part of a high-end Samsung works. In saying that, the processing power of 6GB is not to be sneezed at, but that's the sort of grunt you need for the top-level dual-lens photography on offer, not to mention the Note8's multi-tasking abilities, now enhanced by a new Edge Panel feature that allows you to open two apps with one swipe.

In fact, I used to find the Edge Panel used to be a bit of a gimmick but it's now been refined to be genuinely useful, accessible even from a locked screen if you like.  Your calendar, favourite apps and contacts are now only a swipe away.

I remain less convinced about the practicality of Samsung's virtual assistant, Bixby. Like the S8s, there's a dedicated Bixby button on the Note8, with more and more Bixby functions being introduced all the time. I'm not really sure why we need Bixby when all Android phones offer Google Now already. In saying that, I have definitely made use of some Bixby features, especially converting images to text (like a scanner). This is one trick Bixby performs really well.

I was surprised by the sound quality offered by the Note8. Strangely, still no stereo speakers here but in terms of sheer volume, I was impressed. What's more, the latest bluetooth connectivity seems more reliable and powerful than ever. Me likey.

There are so many other features that make this a great phone, but as I've already said, you'll find most of them on previous Samsung devices. Fast, wireless charging, water resistant, amazing battery life, user-friendly yet high quality cameras, brilliant accessories... it's all there.

As for the exploding elephant in the room, I have talked to the Samsung people personally and they have convinced me their new safety and quality control regime is rigorous and includes independent checks to ensure these phones keep their cool. Given the success of the Galaxy S8 and S8+, it looks like they're on the right track.

At $1599, the Note8 had better be the coolest phone you've ever experienced. It probably is. 

What's more, if you're still using that Note5 from 2015, definitely time for an upgrade.


Click here for more information about the Samsung Galaxy Note8

BEST CAMERA FOR THE COST

I don't do selfies.

The last thing I want to see online is an image of me.

As result, I've never really made camera quality a priority when it comes to choosing a smart phone.

But some things are just too good to ignore...

There's a reason Oppo labels its handsets "camera phones." As far as sheer megapixel power goes, I'm not aware of another phone that matches up to the Oppo R11.

Not only does the R11 boast the same dual-lens configuration you'll find with the rear facing cameras on the latest top-of-the-line models from Samsung and Apple, the lenses on this Oppo device are even higher specced - at a whopping 20 and 16MP.

What's more, the forward-facing (selfie) camera is also 20MP.

This adds up to an insane amount of photographic fire-power, especially when this phone is literally less than half the price of some of those other handsets.

Of course, none of this cool camera craziness means anything if the rest of the phone doesn't match up. Well I'm here to tell you, given Oppo only arrived in New Zealand earlier this year, now they've definitely moved in for good.

From the moment you pick the R11 up, you can't help but be impressed. It's ultra-light and super-slim, but the metal casing means the phone feels sturdy, not flimsy.

The best, most unique physical feature of the R11 is its natural curve - the rounded back fits into your palm snugly like a phone-shaped glove. Those aforementioned dual-lenses are the only slight blemish here; because the camera is so grunty, it's too large to fit seamlessly into the casing so has a slightly raised edge. This isn't really a negative I suppose, more a feature of this phone's stunning design.

Some people have compared this device's appearance to the latest iPhone, but that's a bit unfair... to the iPhone. The R11 is much better looking, with none of the square, boxy edges you'll find on the Apple device. Everything about the Oppo is bevelled, rounded and curved - even the dual-antenna strip looks more like a racing-stripe than something functional.

Under the hood, the pleasant surprises keep coming. The Qualcomm SDM660 processor provides enough brainpower to push things along at a reasonable pace. 4GB of ram is sufficient to multi-window two apps at once, making use of the R11's ample 5.5inch screen space. 64GB of internal storage seems to be the standard with top-end phones these days, but there's an SD slot to expand this if you need to. However, you may choose to use that slot for a second sim card. The R11's dual sim functionality is easy to access and means you can take full advantage of different plans, or keep work and private phone use separate, in a single handset.

Till now, I haven't been a fan of Oppo's own operating system, ColorOS which is built over the top of the more flexible Android foundation. On the R11 version though, there's a lot more functionality, with a new settings shortcut window you can pull up from the bottom of the screen, giving you instant access to functions like Do Not Disturb which were hard to find on previous iterations.

Still no app drawer though, so you'll be stuck with as many home screens as it takes to fit all your apps on.

The fingerprint sensor (under the home key) isn't just fast, it's lightning. I don't know how Oppo does this, but I'm glad they do.

The 3000mAh battery, while not the biggest available, might well be one of the fastest-charging, thanks to Oppo's VOOC "flash-charging" system which means even if you're starting to run low, plugging in for as little as five minutes can buy you another 2 hours talk time. Oddly, Oppo's still using microUSB rather than the more versatile USB-C connection. That said, I now have so many phone cords and adapters floating around my house this kind of thing makes little difference these days.

But we really have to finish where we started. The cameras are genuinely impressive - even for a guy like me who isn't usually that impressed by cameras. You can choose either the telephoto or wide-angle lens on the back, or do what I usually do and leave it to the phone to decide. The much hyped "bokeh" or blurred-background effect is so easy to achieve with the R11, I used it on everything, making me feel like a real artist.

The selfie camera isn't just high-res, it's packed with more options than a Subway sandwich with everything on it. You can take pics by waving your hand at the phone - ideal for group shots on the end of a selfie-stick. The camera will automatically optimise the shot if there's two of you in it instead of one. But my favourite has to be the filters - not just available for stills but for video too. My Insta feed never looked so nostalgic.

All of this sounds like premium stuff and it really is. From the way it looks, the way it feels to the way it performs and of course, the R11's stunning photos, this is the most fun I've had with a phone for a while. For under $770, it's hard to justify buying anything else.


Click here for more information on the Oppo R11