Samsung Galaxy S8 Black 64GB

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is a refurbished 2017 flagship selling for USD 105 to USD 320. It has a beautiful 5.8" AMOLED display and solid build quality, but performance lands in the 10th percentile of our database and battery life is weak. Only worth buying as a cheap backup phone at the lowest end of the price range.

The Exynos or Snapdragon chip inside the S8, depending on your region, was fast in 2017. In 2025 it's a different story. Our benchmark data puts this phone at the 10th percentile for performance, which is one of the worst scores in our current database. Apps load slowly, multitasking with 4GB of RAM gets cramped fast, and Android updates stopped years ago. You're stuck on an old version of Android with no security patches, which is worth thinking about before you type your passwords into this thing.

The display tells a more forgiving story. The 5.8" AMOLED panel at 1440 x 2960 resolution is still sharp and vibrant, landing around the 42nd percentile for display quality. That's middle of the pack, which is honestly impressive for a phone this old. The camera sits at the 23rd percentile, so photos look fine in good light but fall apart in low light compared to even cheap modern phones. Battery life is another weak spot at the 32nd percentile, and the 3000mAh cell was never a marathon runner even when new. Expect to charge this thing by mid afternoon if you actually use it.

Stacked against the Google Pixel 9a, the S8 looks like a museum piece. The Pixel 9a has a modern processor, years of software updates, and a camera that embarrasses the S8 in every lighting condition. The Motorola Moto G PB6V0014US is another budget option that beats the S8 on battery life and performance while costing around the same as a mid-priced refurbished S8. The Apple iPhone 16e is in a completely different league on performance and longevity, though it costs significantly more.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G is probably the most direct comparison for someone looking at cheap Android phones. It has a bigger battery, faster charging, a better camera system, and modern software support. The FOXX S13 is a no-name budget device that the S8 actually beats on build quality and display, but that's about the only win. If you're choosing between an S8 and any of these competitors, the S8 only wins if your budget is hard capped around USD 105 and you don't care about performance or updates.

At USD 105 to USD 320 depending on the vendor, the Galaxy S8 is cheap, but cheap doesn't always mean good value. The lower end of that spread, around USD 105, is the only price where this phone makes any sense. Once you're paying USD 200 or more, you're in range of brand new budget phones like the Motorola Moto G series or even a discounted Pixel 9a, all of which will run circles around the S8 in performance, battery life, and software support. The Newegg listings we saw range across that whole spread, so shop carefully. If you can snag one at the bottom of that range and you only need a basic phone, it's a decent deal. Pay more than USD 150 and you're overpaying for nostalgia.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 sits in a weird spot in 2025. It's a refurbished flagship from 2017 selling for USD 105 to USD 320 depending on the listing, which puts it in budget phone territory against brand new mid-rangers. The 5.8" AMOLED display still looks sharp at 1440 x 2960, and the IP68 water resistance is something you rarely see at this price. But you're buying an eight year old phone, and that age shows in the performance and battery departments.

People searching for a cheap unlocked Android phone will keep running into the S8 because refurbishers still have piles of them. The 64GB of storage with expandable memory is workable, and the 12MP rear camera was genuinely good for its time. But the 4GB of RAM and Samsung's 10nm processor are ancient by today's standards. If you just need a phone for calls, texting, and light browsing, it'll get the job done. If you want to play games or run modern apps smoothly, keep scrolling.

We pulled benchmark data on this thing and the numbers are rough. The S8 lands in the 10th percentile for performance among phones in our database, which means it's slower than 90% of what we've tested. That's not a typo. The build quality is still a standout at the 90th percentile, so it feels nicer in hand than most budget phones. But a pretty chassis doesn't make up for a processor that chokes on anything demanding.

Skip the Galaxy S8 if you play mobile games, run lots of apps at once, or need your phone to last a full day on a charge. The gaming score of 24.7 out of 100 is one of the weakest in our database, and the 3000mAh battery will have you hunting for outlets by afternoon. Anyone who cares about software updates or security should also pass, since this phone stopped receiving patches years ago. If you need a reliable daily driver, put your money toward a Google Pixel 9a, Motorola Moto G, or Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G instead. The S8 is for collectors, backup phone buyers, and people with a hard budget cap around USD 105.

Should you buy a refurbished Samsung Galaxy S8 in 2025? Only if you need a cheap backup phone or a basic device for calls, texts, and light web browsing, and only if you can find one at the bottom of the USD 105 to USD 320 price range. The build quality and display are still genuinely nice, and the IP68 rating is a rare treat at this price. But the performance is a dealbreaker for most people. The 10th percentile performance score means this phone will frustrate you daily if you try to use it like a modern smartphone.

For most shoppers, the money is better spent on a new budget phone. You'll get better performance, longer battery life, current software, and a warranty. The S8 is a classic, but it's a classic that belongs in a drawer, not your pocket. If you're a collector or you need a cheap media player with a great screen, sure, grab one. Everyone else should look elsewhere.