Sharps Aquos R8s Pro Review: Is This the Future of Smartphones?

Introduction

The Sharp Aquos R8s Pro is the latest flagship smartphone from Sharp. It was unveiled in early 2023 as a premium device aimed at competing with other high-end phones like the iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

The R8s Pro sports an attractive, sleek design with a large 6.8-inch OLED display featuring a 144Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and animation. It’s powered by the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor which provides blazing fast speeds and performance for apps, games, and multitasking.

For photography, the R8s Pro packs a triple camera array with a main 50MP sensor, a 48MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, and a 20MP ultra wide camera. The selfie camera is 32MP. Video can be captured in up to 8K resolution.

Some unique capabilities of the R8s Pro include a built-in vapor chamber for cooling during processor-intensive tasks, and Sharp’s AI-powered cameras with features like auto framing during video calls.

Overall, the Sharp Aquos R8s Pro delivers top-of-the-line specs and features to compete with any premium flagship phone on the market in 2023. Keep reading for a more in-depth look at what this Android phone has to offer.

Design

The Sharp Aquos R8s Pro features a sleek and stylish design with an aluminum metal frame and Gorilla Glass back. At just 8.1mm thick and weighing 186g, the R8s Pro is slimmer and lighter than many flagship phones on the market.

Despite its light weight, the phone feels solid and durable thanks to its premium build materials. The aluminum frame provides rigidity while the Gorilla Glass back gives a smooth, durable finish that resists scratches and fingerprints.

The R8s Pro measures 158.9 x 74.9mm overall, making it easy and comfortable to hold in one hand. The rounded corners and edges ensure a smooth in-hand feel.

Overall, the design balances slimness and durability with a stylish yet understated look. The R8s Pro feels every bit a flagship phone in terms of its excellent build quality and refined design aesthetic.

Display

The Aquos R8s Pro features a massive 6.85-inch dual-edge OLED display with HDR10+ support. The screen has a QHD+ resolution of 3440 x 1440 pixels and an ultra-smooth 120Hz refresh rate.

Sharp has outfitted the R8s Pro with its Seamless Display design, which dramatically reduces the bezels around the screen. The result is an impressive 91.1% screen-to-body ratio for a truly immersive viewing experience whether you’re watching videos, playing games, or browsing the web.

Some of the other display highlights include:

• 10-bit color depth for over 1 billion colors
• DCI-P3 wide color gamut for vivid, true-to-life visuals
• 240Hz touch sampling rate for fast, responsive screen interactions
• In-display fingerprint sensor for quick biometric authentication
• HDR10+ certification for optimal high dynamic range performance
• 500 nits peak brightness for great legibility even in bright daylight
• Contrast ratio of 100,000:1 for deep blacks and brilliant whites
• Blue light reduction modes to decrease eye strain

With its massive real estate, brilliant colors, buttery smooth refresh rate, and bezel-less design, the Aquos R8s Pro’s display looks set to impress even the most discerning users. It’s tailor-made for multimedia consumption and also provides ample screen space for productive multitasking.

Camera

The Sharp Aquos R8s Pro features a powerful triple camera system on the rear and a single front-facing camera.

Rear Camera

• Main Camera: 50MP wide angle camera with f/1.9 aperture
• Ultrawide Camera: 16MP ultrawide camera with f/2.2 aperture
• Telephoto Camera: 8MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 aperture and 5x optical zoom

The triple rear camera setup provides a versatile photography experience. The main 50MP sensor captures highly detailed photos with excellent dynamic range. The 16MP ultrawide camera has a 123-degree field of view for capturing expansive landscapes or fitting more into the frame. The 8MP telephoto camera enables 5x optical zoom for getting closer to distant subjects.

Additional rear camera features include:

• Dual Pixel PDAF autofocus for fast and accurate focus locking
• Optical image stabilization (OIS) to minimize shake and blur
• 10-bit HEIF photo capture
• 4K video recording at 60fps
• Slow motion 720p video at 960fps

Front Camera

The Sharp Aquos R8s Pro has a 32MP front-facing camera with f/2.2 aperture. It supports 4K video recording and also offers auto-HDR and portrait mode effects. The front camera should deliver sharp, detailed selfies and high-quality video for vlogging and streaming.

Performance

The Sharp Aquos R8s Pro is powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which provides excellent performance. This flagship-level processor is built on a 4nm manufacturing process and contains 1 Cortex-X3 core clocked at 3.2GHz, 4 Cortex-A715 cores at 2.8GHz, and 3 Cortex-A510 cores at 2.0GHz for optimal efficiency.

For graphics, it has the Adreno 740 GPU which delivers smooth gameplay and impressive graphics. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 brings substantial improvements over its predecessor in terms of CPU performance, GPU performance, AI processing, and power efficiency.

The Aquos R8s Pro comes with 12GB or 16GB of fast LPDDR5 RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking and quick app launching. The generous RAM allows you to run multiple demanding apps simultaneously without slowdowns.

For storage, the phone is equipped with 256GB or 512GB of UFS 4.0 internal storage. The latest UFS 4.0 storage standard offers incredible read and write speeds, resulting in fast loading of apps and games. The large storage capacity gives you plenty of space for apps, media files, and more.

Overall, with its cutting-edge processor, ample RAM, and fast UFS 4.0 storage, the Sharp Aquos R8s Pro delivers exceptional performance for a smooth and responsive user experience when gaming, multi-tasking, or using demanding apps.

Battery Life and Charging

The Sharp Aquos R8s Pro packs a generous 5,000 mAh battery that delivers excellent battery life. Even with heavy use, most users will easily get a full day of use on a single charge.

For charging, the R8s Pro supports fast charging up to 30W over USB-C. Using the included 30W charger, you can charge from 0% to 50% in just 30 minutes. A full charge from empty takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes, which is very quick for a battery this large.

Slow charging overnight is also an option if you want to be gentle on the battery. The phone will fully charge in around 2 hours when using a slower 10W charger.

So in summary, the large battery capacity combined with fast charging provides exceptional uptime. You should never find yourself caught short, even on busy days. The R8s Pro delivers all-day battery life and quick top-ups when needed.

Software

The Sharp Aquos R8s Pro comes pre-installed with Android 13 operating system out of the box. Android 13 introduces several new features including improved privacy controls, language settings, and accessibility.

Some of the pre-installed apps on the Aquos R8s Pro include:

• Sharp Apps – Custom apps developed by Sharp for photo editing, display optimization, etc.

• Google Apps – Google’s core apps like Gmail, Maps, YouTube, Drive, etc.

• Microsoft Apps – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook etc.

• Facebook, Instagram, Twitter – Social media apps.

• Netflix, Prime Video, Spotify – Entertainment apps.

• Flipboard – News curation app.

Overall, the Aquos R8s Pro offers a clean software experience thanks to Android 13. The pre-installed apps cover most of the essentials without much bloatware.

Special Features

The Aquos R8s Pro comes with several noteworthy special features that help it stand out.

Waterproof Design

One of the most exciting aspects of the R8s Pro is its waterproof design. It has an IP68 rating, meaning it can withstand being submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes without damage. This makes it great for using in wet environments or taking poolside pictures without worry. The waterproofing gives peace of mind that an accidental drop in water won’t ruin the phone.

Advanced Security

The R8s Pro has several advanced security features to help keep user data safe. It uses biometric authentication with both facial recognition and an in-display fingerprint scanner for unlocking the phone. The facial recognition uses a 3D scanning system for accurate identification. The fingerprint scanner is ultrasonic, able to read prints through water and grime for reliable unlocking.

The phone also has a privacy mode that allows hiding apps and data from snooping eyes. Overall the R8s Pro has some of the best security features available in a smartphone today.

Pricing and Availability

The Sharp Aquos R8s Pro was first announced in June 2022 and became available in select markets starting in July 2022. The smartphone launched with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of around $900 USD.

Pricing does vary somewhat between regions. In Japan, the home market for Sharp phones, the Aquos R8s Pro retailed for around 120,000 JPY. In Europe, the phone sold for approximately 850 Euros.

The Sharp Aquos R8s Pro represents a premium smartphone model for the company. With its large 6.6-inch display, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, and Leica branded cameras, the R8s Pro is priced similarly to other high-end flagship phones on the market.

Its pricing positions the R8s Pro as a top-tier device meant to compete with offerings from brands like Apple, Samsung, and Sony within the same price bracket. While not as widely available worldwide as some brands, for customers seeking Sharp’s display quality and industrial design, the Aquos R8s Pro delivers flagship specs and performance at a comparable premium cost.

Conclusion

The Sharp Aquos R8s Pro is an impressive flagship smartphone that competes with the top Android phones on the market in 2023. It has a sleek and stylish design with a large 6.8-inch QHD+ OLED display that provides vivid colors and deep blacks. The screen has a high 144Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and animations.

Inside, the Aquos R8s Pro is powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, providing exceptional performance for everyday tasks and high-end mobile gaming. It comes with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, leaving plenty of room for apps, photos, videos and files.

For photography, the R8s Pro packs a 50MP main camera, 64MP telephoto lens and 12MP ultrawide lens. This versatile triple camera array can capture stunning landscape shots, detailed close-ups and great portrait images. The 32MP selfie camera also produces sharp, high-quality photos.

With its large 5,500mAh battery, the Aquos R8s Pro can easily last through a full day of use on a single charge. When you do need to top up, it supports rapid 80W wired charging that can take the phone from 0% to 50% in just 12 minutes.

On the software side, the phone ships with Android 13 and Sharp’s intuitive custom UI. Unique features like extendable storage and AI face unlock provide added functionality and security.

Overall, the Sharp Aquos R8s Pro brings top-tier performance and features at a competitive price point. If you’re looking for a premium Android phone that can handle work and play at the highest level, the R8s Pro is a stylish and powerful option worth considering.