Although Japanese electronics giant Sharp may be better known for its high-end television lineup, but the past recent years have seen the company getting increasingly involved in the smartphone space. While most of those models are available exclusively in the Japanese market, the new AQUOS R8s Pro and AQUOS Sense8 are some of the few exceptions that are available globally including Singapore. Having tested the two devices for over two weeks, here’s my honest opinion on the duo.
Sharp AQUOS R8s Pro
At S$1,099, the Sharp AQUOS R8s Pro is perhaps the most affordable flagship phone you can get in the market. Despite its affordability, the phone boasts a bunch of high-end specifications which put it on par with some of the most popular flagship devices in the market.
The headlining feature here is of course the massive 1” imaging sensor at the back that’s capable of capturing share-worthy photos with pleasing details and excellent dynamic range even in challenging environment with poor lighting. Personally, what I love most about the AQUOS R8s Pro camera system is the ability to capture flattering photos that looks natural – just like what we see with our own eyes.
Even with the lack of a dedicated telephoto/ macro camera for close-up photography, the AQUOS R8s Pro is still possible to capture highly-detailed close-ups of flowers with 2x or 3x digital zooming via its main camera. Likewise, its also worth writing home about the unique ”Starry Sky” and ”Fireworks” modes that helps to further improve nightscape photography as well as the capturing of fireworks.
@playfuldroid Sharp AQUOS R8s Pro hands-on ? #SharpAQUOSR8sPro #SharpAQUOS #Sharp #Smartphone ? GANGSTERS – Emmett Zetto & Talentless
At the helm, the Sharp AQUOS R8s Pro is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset that was used in majority of last year’s flagship devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. In day-to-day usage, the phone promises a buttery-smooth productivity experience with snappy performance when working across multiple apps.
Memory-wise, the phone also features an ample 12GB RAM and 256GB built-in storage which is probably more than sufficient for an average user or even those who engage heavily in multi-tasking. Interestingly, the phone does comes with a microSD slot for storage expansion – a feature that we don’t typically see on a high-end device.
Upfront, the Sharp AQUOS R8s Pro continues to impress with a 6.6” Pro IGZO OLED display that outshone its competitors with a best-in-class 240Hz refresh rate which makes scrolling and animation felt much smoother on the screen. To make things even better, the phone also features an ultra-sharp FHD+ screen resolution as well as cracking peak brightness that goes up to 2,000 nits.
Coming in at just 203 grams, the Sharp AQUOS R8s Pro is among the lightest flagship phone in market. It’s nice and comfortable to hold with one hand, and feels premium enough thanks to the adoption of a luxurious matte finish which adds an extra touch of opulence to the overall handling experience. That’s not forgetting that the phone is also IP68-rated for dust and water resistance for better peace of mind.
All in all, the Sharp AQUOS R8s Pro is a reliable smartphone that delivers at all fronts. While its not exactly a full-fledged flagship like the iPhone 15 Pro or Galaxy S24 Ultra, it certainly punches above its own weight offering a premium smartphone experience at only halve the price of a typical flagship phone.
Sharp AQUOS Sense8
As for those looking for a more price-friendly smartphone for simple day-to-day usage, the new Sharp AQUOS Sense 8 certainly fits the bill. Powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset along with a respectable 5,000mAh battery, the Sharp AQUOS Sense8 not only offers an amazing smartphone experience, but also provides an exceptional battery life.
While the phone may not share the same camera hardware as the R8s Pro, its still able to capture good-looking photos with decent amount of details and dynamic range using its 50 megapixels main camera unit. And unlike the R8s Pro which features only features a single main camera, the Sharp AQUOS Sense8 has an additional 8 megapixels ultra-wide camera that’s capable of taking breath-taking landscape photos.
Over on the front side, the Sharp AQUOS Sense8 builds around a decent-sized 6.1” IGZO OLED display with FHD+ screen resolution, 90Hz refresh rate as well as a commendable 1,300 nits peak brightness. This impressive setup translates to an immersive viewing experience that’s among the best, if not the best, in the segment.
@playfuldroid Sharp AQUOS Sense8 hands-on ? #SharpAQUOSSense8 #SharpAQUOS #Sharp #Smartphone ? GANGSTERS – Emmett Zetto & Talentless
The main highlight of the AQUOS Sense8 however, lies in its ultra-slim design as well as its featherlight weight of just 159 grams which makes it an absolute joy to hold and use with one hand even for someone like me with smaller hand. More importantly, the phone is also rated IPX5/8 for water resistance, meaning its able to survive minor splash of water too.
Despite all those impressive features, the Sharp AQUOS Sense8 comes with a palatable launch price of just S$518 which makes it it easy to recommend to anyone looking for an affordable smartphone that packs a punch. For those who’re interested, the Sharp AQUOS R8s Pro and AQUOS Sense8 are available for purchase in Singapore through Sharp CocoroLife estore, Shopee, Lazada, and selected outlets of Best Denki, Challenger, Courts, Gain City and dealer stores island-wide.
