Forget the ‘boring’ Galaxy S9, there’s a cheaper alternative available right now

The best thing about the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 phones is the Infinity Display design they share. Both phones have huge screens and small bezels, design features that many smartphone buyers came to appreciate last year.

The good news is that Samsung will use the same Infinity Display design in mid-range phones going forward. The bad news is that they’re not so budget-friendly, although they’re going to be a lot cheaper than the Galaxy S9 and Note 9 phones of the world.

Announced a few days before Christmas, the Galaxy A8 is available in stores in South Korea right now. The phone launched on Tuesday with local carrier KT, the second largest mobile operator in the country.

Purchased unlocked, the phone costs 599,500 won, or around $561. That’s definitely more affordable than the Galaxy S8 or Galaxy Note 8. But it’s also about as expensive as the newly launched OnePlus 5T flagship.

Discounts will be offered depending on subscription plans, KT told The Korea Herald. That’s something to expect in other markets where the Galaxy A8 will land. It’s unclear at this time what these markets are. But it’s likely Samsung will start selling it around the world in the near future, well before the Galaxy S9 arrives.

In addition to the Infinity Display design, the Galaxy A8 packs other features found on high-end Galaxy devices, including support for Samsung Pay and Gear VR integration. Furthermore, the Galaxy A8 is the first handset in the Galaxy handset to adopt a dual-lens front-facing camera. On the back, the handset has a rear-facing fingerprint sensor located in a central position, a design that has also been observed in various Galaxy S9 renders and leaks. In other words, the Galaxy A8 may very well be considered the Galaxy S8 Mini Samsung never made.