The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Microsoft Edition is now available for purchase from the software giant’s online store where the device carries a price tag of $929. Much like the Samsung Galaxy S8 Microsoft Edition released earlier in mid-November, the Galaxy Note 8 variant sold by the company headquartered in Redmond has been pre-loaded with a handful of productivity applications as well as the Microsoft Launcher for prospective buyers who might prefer this solution over the proprietary Samsung Experience Android skin.
As expected, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 sold by Microsoft includes a variety of applications aimed at productivity such as Word, Excel, OneNote, and Outlook. Furthermore, the smartphone offers access to Microsoft’s proprietary voice-activated AI-powered assistant Cortana, though Samsung’s Bixby should still be a valid option for users who might prefer it instead. But aside from these software additions and a new launcher which can technically be acquired from the Play Store on any Android device running version 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich or newer, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Microsoft Edition retains all the hardware characteristics of the standard unlocked model launched by the Korean OEM in the United States. This includes the generous 6.3-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2960 by 1440 pixels, and the 10nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset housing eight 64-bit CPU cores and an Adreno 540 graphics chip. The flagship carries 6GB of RAM and 64GB of on-board storage expandable via microSD and is powered by a 3,300mAh battery with fast charging and wireless charging capabilities. The back panel accommodates a dual 12-megapixel camera setup with OIS and phase detection autofocus, while an 8-megapixel front-facing sensor provides auto HDR and 1440p video recording capabilities at 30fps.
The Microsoft Launcher has been pre-loaded on top of Android 7.1.1 Nougat but Samsung is expected to release an update to Android Oreo within the next several months. But evidently, users who will be using the Microsoft Launcher won’t necessarily see any changes to the user interface once Android Oreo releases to public channels. As mentioned previously the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Microsoft Edition is available for $929 unlocked and the price corresponds to the 64GB model, as the 128/256GB variants haven’t received the same treatment from the software giant and this is unlikely to change.