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Samsung is reportedly making a second, more powerful Galaxy S8… but you can’t have it

Published Mar 16th, 2017 2:20PM EDT

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Samsung’s upcoming new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are expected to be the two most powerful Android phones to date when they’re released next month. As great as they should be when it comes to performance, however, those of you who buy a new Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ following their launch will apparently have to do so with the knowledge that the versions of the S8 and S8+ released in the United States will not measure up to certain other models.

A new set of leaked photos that show Samsung’s stunning new Galaxy S8 (in Apple’s Jet Black finish from the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus) have pushed the buzz surrounding Samsung’s next-generation flagship phones to all new heights. The new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ have been refined and redesigned, improving upon their predecessors in every way. They look incredible, the new specs sound incredible, and there’s little doubt that these will be the Android phones to beat for the foreseeable future.

As it turns out, however, Samsung may be prepping special versions of its Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ handsets that will outperform the models released in the US.

Samsung often uses different processors to power its North American and international flagship phone models, and that will be the case once again in 2017. The NA versions of the company’s new phones will be powered by the Snapdragon 835 chipset, while the rest of the world will get a new Exynos chip. That’s not the cause for concern, however. According to IHS China’s research director Kevin Wang (via GizmoChina), the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ that launch in China will have 6GB of RAM compared to 4GB in every other market.

Nothing is confirmed until it’s announced by Samsung, of course, but supply chain rumors this late in the game from a reputable source like IHS seem unlikely to be mistaken. Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ on March 29th during a press conference in New York, and the phones are expected to be released about a month later.

Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 15 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.