Review: Galaxy S8 gives Samsung a shot at reputation rehabilitation

The Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are Samsung's newest phones, and it is a critical launch for Samsung — not only because they are the firm's newest flagship phones, but they also may help erase the bad memory of the (recalled, overheating and exploding) Galaxy Note 7.

Overall, Samsung has made an impressive, solid phone that shows that the company is still trying to move ahead — though with perhaps a bit more caution than before.

That's all right, though: This is a phone that balances a careful polish with a few features that still push the envelope.

Those who loved the Galaxy S6 will notice a marked improvement in speed and a much better screen. S7 users will notice the buttonless front.

Still, those on the fence about picking up the S8 or the upcoming iPhone — expected out in the fall — may consider waiting.

In a vacuum, Samsung's made a pair of phones that give it a real shot at redemption. In the real world? Most users will probably want to see what the competition has to offer.

One thing you will notice is that Samsung pushed the screen (6.2 inches for S8 Plus and 5.8 inches for S8) to the limit, with an "infinity screen," which curves over the edges of the phone. This display has rich colors — occasionally a bit too rich, particularly with reds. Overall, it's visually stunning and the extra screen space makes a noticeable difference.

And the phone itself was snappy and responsive, making it a breeze to switch between apps and run two at a time. The retina scanner worked well, as did the rear-mounted fingerprint reader (although it was a little awkward to hold). Samsung has also improved the camera on these phones, and those improvements stood out, particularly with lowlight photos.

Samsung didn't push the boundaries with the battery in these phones — for obvious reasons — but managed with software to ensure that its increased screen size doesn't drain the battery away.

Samsung made some big promises at its launch event about Bixby, which would provide a chance for the company to show it can really play with Apple and Google when it comes to phone voice assistants. The voice feature are not yet available. Some other assistant features are, but overall it's disappointing.