Sharp Aquos sense8: A Comprehensive Look At Sharp's Feature-Packed Midrange Smartphone

Body and Design

The Sharp Aquos sense8 strikes a balance between elegance and robustness. Its 153×71×8.4 mm dimensions and 159 g weight make it compact and lightweight, ensuring comfortable single-handed use. The combination of a glass front, plastic back, and aluminum frame delivers durability while maintaining a sleek aesthetic. Available in Black, Copper, and Green, the phone offers stylish choices for various tastes. Here are the relevant specs:

With those dimensions and weight, the Sharp Aquos sense8 strikes a balance between portability and usability. Its slim and lightweight profile ensures comfortable handling during long sessions, whether you're browsing, gaming, or chatting.

The relatively compact width and height make it easy to fit into most pockets or bags without feeling bulky, while the slim design avoids fatigue when holding the device for extended periods.

The plastic back offers a practical combination of durability and weight reduction. Plastic is less prone to shattering than glass, making it ideal for users who value reliability over premium aesthetics. The finish resists fingerprints, providing a cleaner look and a secure grip.

The aluminum frame adds a layer of rigidity and premium feel to the build. Aluminum is lightweight yet strong, helping to protect the phone against bends and impacts while contributing to its overall solid construction. This blend of materials achieves a fine balance between affordability and resilience.

The Sharp Aquos sense8 comes in three elegant colors, each catering to different personalities and preferences:

• Black: Classic and versatile, this color suits professionals, minimalists, and users who prefer a timeless, understated design.
• Copper: This warm and unique tone is perfect for those who want to make a statement without being overly flashy. It's ideal for users who appreciate a touch of individuality and sophistication.
• Green: Vibrant yet calming, the green variant appeals to nature lovers and individuals who enjoy bold but not overwhelming aesthetics. It's a great choice for those who like their devices to reflect personality and energy.

If we compare the Aquos sense8 with the predecessor Sharp Aquos sense7, it's a bit larger and thicker. The Aquos sense7 was 152×70×8 mm and 158 g.

IP Rating and MIL-STD Compliance

(Related: IP ratings and MIL-STD explained.)

Sharp has designed the Aquos sense8 with ruggedness in mind, making it suitable for users in demanding environments. The IP65/IP68 water and dust resistance and MIL-STD-810H compliance for shock resistance add a layer of assurance for durability and reliability in tough conditions. This ensures it can handle drops, shocks, and extreme environments - a standout feature in its price range.

For those new to it, what is "IP" in "IP68"? Ingress Protection, my friend! It's all about guarding your precious gadgets against intruders. In this case, the intruders are dust and water.

Breaking down the two digits, the first digit, which is 6 in this case, tells us about the Sharp Aquos sense8's resistance to solids like dust. A 6 means it's practically dust-tight. No need to worry about tiny particles sneaking in and causing mischief.

And the second digit (5 or 8) is the real star of the show. It signifies the device's resistance to liquids. The digit 5 means your Aquos sense8 can withstand low-pressure water jets from any direction, making it resistant to rain, splashes, and the occasional clumsy beverage spill.

The digit 8 means the phone can withstand being submerged in water. So, it's not just a light drizzle protector; it can take a proper dunking.

IP65/IP68 isn't just a technical spec; it means you can live your life without constantly worrying about your phone's vulnerability to the environmental elements. Whether you're a bit clumsy with drinks or you enjoy the great outdoors, your Sharp Aquos sense8 is your reliable companion.

As for the Aquos sense8's MIL-STD-810H compliance for shock resistance, here are the tests a device has to undergo to earn this certification:

• Shock Testing (Method 516.8): This test involves subjecting the device to sudden impacts and drops from various heights onto different surfaces. The device is dropped multiple times in various orientations to assess how well it can survive real-world accidents, such as falling off a table or slipping out of a bag.
• Vibration Testing (Method 514.8): This test simulates the vibrations a device might experience during transport or use, such as when it's carried in a bag while walking or in a car. The device is exposed to continuous vibrations over an extended period to see if any components become loose or damaged.
• Drop Testing: In addition to shock and vibration tests, drop tests are performed to assess the device ability to endure drops from typical heights (often around 1.2 to 1.5 meters) onto hard surfaces like concrete. This is crucial for assessing the durability of the device's build and materials.

While the Sharp Aquos sense8 is MIL-STD-810H compliant for shock resistance, it's important to note that this does not equate to full MIL-STD-810H compliance found in typical rugged devices, which undergo the full suite of MIL-STD-810H tests, which can include resistance to extreme temperatures, humidity, salt fog, sand, and dust, as well as immersion in water.

In contrast, the Aquos sense8's compliance is limited to specific shock and vibration tests relevant to everyday usage scenarios. This partial compliance means that while the device can handle occasional drops and minor shocks better than most non-rugged phones, it is not designed to endure the same level of environmental extremes that fully rugged phones can.

For comparison, the predecessor Aquos sense7 was rated IP68 for dust and water resistance up to 1.5 m for 30 minutes, and it also boasted the MIL-STD-810H compliance for shock resistance.

Display

(Related: Know more about the various kinds of displays and screen specs.)

At the heart of the Aquos sense8 is its 6.1-inch IGZO OLED display, which boasts a 90 Hz refresh rate, 1300 nits peak brightness, and support for 1 billion colors. These specifications ensure vibrant visuals with deep blacks, smooth scrolling, and excellent outdoor visibility.

Sharp Aquos sense8 display. Image credit: Sharp

The 1080×2340 pixel resolution at around 422 PPI density results in crisp and detailed images, making it ideal for streaming, browsing, and gaming. The approximately 85% screen-to-body ratio provides an immersive viewing experience in a compact form factor.

Here are the relevant specs:

The Sharp Aquos sense8's 6.1-inch IGZO OLED display is a standout feature, blending cutting-edge technology with practical enhancements to deliver a premium visual experience. IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) is a unique technology used in display panels that enhances electron mobility compared to conventional silicon-based displays. When combined with OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) technology, it results in high efficiency and superior image quality.

IGZO OLEDs consume less power, making them ideal for a portable device, extending its screen-on time significantly. The higher electron mobility allows for crisp and detailed visuals, particularly noticeable in text and fine graphics.

The 90 Hz refresh rate enhances the fluidity of the display, making animations, scrolling, and transitions feel noticeably smoother compared to standard 60 Hz displays. This feature is particularly beneficial for gaming and content browsing.

Faster refresh rates reduce motion blur, improving responsiveness. For everyday content consumption, smooth scrolling improves the experience when reading articles, navigating social media, and browsing the web.

The display's Full HD+ resolution of 1080×2340 pixels results in a pixel density of approximately 422 PPI (pixels per inch), ensuring incredibly sharp visuals.

This resolution is ideal for watching high-definition videos, as details are crisp and colors pop. It's also perfect for reading text and viewing small fonts without jagged edges or pixelation.

With a peak brightness of 1300 nits, the Aquos sense8 is well-suited for outdoor use, even under bright sunlight. High brightness levels ensure clear visibility and enhanced HDR content.

Higher brightness levels are essential for navigation, photography, and communication when outdoors. A high brightness also contributes to richer highlights in HDR videos, making them more immersive.

The display's ability to render 1 billion colors ensures highly accurate and nuanced color reproduction. This feature is particularly valuable for photography and videography enthusiasts, as it provides a true-to-life preview of images and videos.

For content creators and designers, it delivers superior color accuracy for editing tasks. Movies and TV shows come alive with vibrant, lifelike colors and subtle gradients.

In conclusion, the Aquos sense8's IGZO OLED display is more than just a viewing panel - it's a feature-rich experience tailored to elevate media consumption, gaming, and everyday interactions. Its combination of high refresh rate, vivid color support, exceptional brightness, and power efficiency makes it a standout in the midrange smartphone market.

For comparison, the predecessor Aquos sense7 featured a similar display but with a 60 Hz refresh rate and 1080×2432 px resolution.

Networks

(Related: Cellular networks explained.)

Networking is the invisible thread that connects us all in the digital world! The Sharp Aquos sense8, with its support for the networking quartet of GSM, HSPA, LTE, and 5G technologies, is like a well-connected socialite in the world of networks.

GSM and HSPA are the stalwarts, providing 2G and 3G connectivity, respectively. Then there's LTE, the foundation of modern 4G networks, delivering faster internet speeds and improved call quality. And of course, the star of the show - 5G. It's the future, promising blazing-fast download and upload speeds, reduced latency, and a world of possibilities for future applications.

SIM

The Sharp Aquos sense8 supports dual Nano-SIM.

Chipset - Performance

Powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 (4 nm) chipset and an octa-core CPU (comprising two types of cores), the Aquos sense8 delivers reliable performance for everyday tasks and moderate multitasking. The Adreno 710 GPU handles casual gaming and graphical applications smoothly. Here are the relevant specs:

The Sharp Aquos sense8 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset, a 4-nm midrange processor designed to balance power efficiency and performance. The smaller 4-nm node minimizes power consumption, contributing to extended battery life.

Compared to older midrange chipsets, it provides a significant uplift in both CPU and GPU capabilities. This chipset is well-suited for moderate multitasking, gaming, and media playback while ensuring smooth overall operation.

The CPU is divided into two clusters, each designed for specific tasks:

• 4×Cortex-A78 Cores (2.2 GHz): These are the high-performance cores that handle demanding tasks such as gaming, video editing, and running resource-intensive apps. They ensure that applications load quickly and run smoothly when under heavy processing loads.
• 4×Cortex-A55 Cores (1.8 GHz): These are the efficiency cores optimized for low-power tasks like web browsing, messaging, and background activities. By delegating simpler tasks to these cores, the phone can conserve battery life.

This dynamic division of tasks ensures an efficient balance between performance and power consumption, making the phone versatile for a range of use cases.

The Adreno 710 is a capable midrange GPU that supports casual gaming, graphics-intensive applications, and media playback. It handles games like PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Asphalt 9 at medium to high settings with smooth frame rates.

The GPU is adequate for photo and video editing, as well as augmented reality (AR) experiences. It offers seamless playback of high-resolution videos, including 4K content.

Given this combination of chipset, CPU, and GPU, here are the tasks that the Aquos sense8 is good at:

• Everyday Multitasking: Switching between apps like social media, messaging, and productivity tools is fluid.
• Media Consumption: Smooth streaming of Full HD+ videos, even in HDR.
• Moderate Gaming: Delivers playable performance in popular titles at reasonable settings.
• Photography and Light Editing: Handles photo processing and light video editing effectively.

However, while the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 is capable, certain high-demand scenarios may require a more powerful configuration:

• Heavy Gaming: Games requiring sustained performance, such as Genshin Impact at max settings, may push the chipset to its limits, causing potential throttling.
• Professional-Level Video Editing: Tasks like rendering 4K videos with advanced effects might feel sluggish.
• AI-Driven Applications: Resource-intensive AI features such as real-time video enhancement or advanced machine learning workloads could benefit from a flagship chipset.

In summary, the Sharp Aquos sense8's Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset, with its octa-core CPU and Adreno 710 GPU, provides sufficient performance for most users. It excels in multitasking, casual gaming, and media consumption but is best suited for general usage rather than heavy-duty professional tasks or demanding gaming. This makes it a well-rounded choice in the midrange smartphone segment.

For comparison, the predecessor Aquos sense7 featured the Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm) chipset, housing an octa-core CPU (2×2.2 GHz Kryo 660 Gold + 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 660 Silver) and the Adreno 619 GPU.

Memory and Storage

Here are the relevant specs:

The 8 GB RAM and 256 GB UFS 2.2 storage ensure smooth app management and ample space for files, with the option to expand storage via a microSDXC card slot.

For comparison, the predecessor Aquos sense7 came with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage, expandable via a microSDXC card.

Cameras

The dual rear camera setup includes a 50 MP primary sensor with dual-pixel PDAF and OIS for sharp, stable shots even in low light; and an 8 MP ultrawide sensor with a 120° field of view, perfect for landscapes and group photos. It can record high-quality videos, although specific resolution details are unspecified.

The 8 MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture ensures clear selfies and supports 1080p video recording at 30 fps.

Rear Camera

Image credit: Sharp

The Sharp Aquos sense8 is equipped with a versatile dual-camera system, designed to provide an excellent photography experience for everyday use. Let's have a detailed look at the camera setup and its features. Here are the relevant specs:

Specification	Sharp Aquos sense8
Number of Cameras	2 (Dual)
Resolution (Megapixels)	50 MP (wide), 8 MP (ultrawide)
Focal Length	23 mm, 15 mm
Aperture	f/1.9, f/2.4
Sensor Size	1/1.55″, N/A
Autofocus	Dual-pixel PDAF, N/A
Image Stabilization	OIS, N/A
Field of View	N/A, 120°
Video Recording	Yes
Other Features	LED flash, panorama, HDR

The primary, 50 MP wide lens captures highly detailed photos, making it ideal for most scenarios, from landscapes to portraits.

Its large sensor size (1/1.55″) enables better light intake, resulting in clearer images with improved low-light performance.

The 8 MP ultrawide lens is perfect for capturing expansive landscapes, group photos, or tight spaces where a wider field of view is required.

Its 120° field of view allows you to include more in the frame without needing to step back.

Among the camera features, dual-pixel PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus) splits each pixel into two photodiodes, allowing the camera to detect phase differences and focus more quickly.

It excels in tracking moving subjects and maintaining sharp focus in action shots or videos.

OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) uses physical lens movements to compensate for camera shake.

This results in sharper photos in low light by allowing longer exposures without blur.

LED flash provides additional illumination for night or indoor shots, ensuring subjects remain well-lit in darker environments.

Panorama mode is ideal for capturing sweeping vistas. It stitches together multiple photos into a single, wide-angle image.

And HDR (High Dynamic Range) combines multiple exposures of the same shot to balance highlights and shadows, resulting in better detail in bright skies and dim foregrounds.

It helps produce more realistic and vivid colors in challenging lighting conditions.

Given this combination of hardware and features, here are the use cases of this camera setup:

• Daylight Photography: The 50 MP lens delivers sharp, vibrant shots with plenty of detail.
• Low-Light and Night Photography: OIS and the large sensor ensure reduced noise and clearer results in dim settings.
• Travel and Group Shots: The 8 MP ultrawide lens captures more scenery or people in a single frame.
• Videography: The dual-pixel PDAF ensures smooth and focused videos.

In conclusion, the dual-camera setup of the Sharp Aquos sense8 is versatile and packed with features designed to meet a variety of photographic needs. From sharp, stable images in low light to wide-angle shots for travel or events, this system strikes a balance between functionality and ease of use, making it an excellent choice for midrange photography enthusiasts.

For comparison, the older Sharp Aquos sense7 featured a dual camera setup consisting of a 50.3 MP (23 mm, f/1.9) wide lens supporting dual-pixel PDAF (but no OIS), and an 8 MP (15 mm, f/2.4) ultrawide lens. Its feature set matched that of the Aquos sense8.

Battery and Charging

(Related: Battery specs and charging types explained.)

Here are the relevant specs:

The 5000 mAh battery is a key highlight, promising long-lasting performance for heavy users. With 18 W wired charging, the phone recharges reasonably quickly, though faster charging speeds would have been welcome.

For comparison, the older Aquos sense7 had a 4570 mAh Li-ion battery.

Sound

(Related: Know more about the sound specs and features.)

Here are the relevant specs:

Audiophiles will appreciate the inclusion of a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a feature that's increasingly rare in modern smartphones.

For comparison, the predecessor Aquos sense7 came with a similar audio setup.

Connectivity

The Sharp Aquos sense8 covers the connectivity essentials, with the various options contributing to a well-rounded connectivity suite. With support for dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, it ensures you can connect to common Wi-Fi networks.

The Aquos sense8 boasts Bluetooth 5.1, ensuring a seamless connection, whether you're connecting to headphones, speakers, or other devices. With features like A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) for high-quality audio streaming, LE (Low Energy) for power efficiency, aptX HD for superior audio quality, and aptX Adaptive for dynamically and efficiently adjusting the audio bit-rate based on the complexity of audio and the quality of connection, your Bluetooth experience reaches new heights.

The Sharp Aquos sense8 features the GPS positioning system for accurate navigation and location services.

The Sharp Aquos sense8 features NFC, the digital magician! This technology allows you to make contactless payments, share files, and connect with other NFC-enabled devices with just a tap. It's like having a digital handshake, simplifying tasks and making your device interactions effortless.

Last but not least, the trusty USB-C - the universal connector. Whether you're charging your device, transferring files, or connecting to external devices, USB Type-C ensures a reliable connection. It's the jack-of-all-trades, allowing you to expand your device's capabilities and stay connected to the wider world of technology.

Sensors

The Sharp Aquos sense8 comes equipped with the following sensors:

• Proximity Sensor: Detects the presence or movement of an object (say, with infrared, sound, light, or electromagnetic fields) without physically contacting it. It is used, for example, to turn off the screen when you position your device close to your ear while making a call.
• Fingerprint Sensor: Used for quick and secure unlocking. It is side-facing in the Aquos sense8.
• Gyro: The gyroscope can detect when your device is being twisted or turned in any direction. It enhances the accuracy of apps and games that rely on precise motion, like augmented reality (AR) apps and racing games.
• Accelerometer: The accelerometer detects changes in the device's orientation and acceleration. If you tilt, shake, or move your device, the accelerometer knows.
• Compass: The compass determines your device's orientation. It is essential for navigation apps, map orientation, and augmented reality experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What is Sharp Aquos sense8 release date?

  The Sharp Aquos sense8 was released in January 2024. It was announced on the 17th January, 2024.