Samsung may release a cheaper Galaxy Note 8 with 4GB RAM in China

Samsung usually reserves its highest-specced phones for the Chinese market — the country was the first to pick up a 6GB version of the Galaxy S8 — but it looks like the manufacturer is set to launch a Note 8 variant with 4GB of RAM in the country. That's according to TENAA's certification page for SM-N9508 and SM-N9500, the country-specific variants of the Note 8 destined for the Chinese market.

Given that the standard version of the Note 8 with 6GB of RAM retails for $930, Samsung is likely looking to roll out a base model that will be priced at around $800 - $850 in China. According to Gear India, the 4GB model will be available alongside the standard 6GB editions, with the variant offering 6GB of RAM and 64GB storage set to retail for ¥6,288 ($945) in the country. Samsung will also launch a model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage, which will end up retailing for ¥7,088 ($1,065).

Aside from the decrease in memory, the 4GB variant of the Note 8 is unchanged from the standard model — it has a 6.3-inch Super AMOLED Infinity Display, Snapdragon 835, 64GB of storage, microSD slot, dual rear cameras, and a 3300mAh battery. The fact that the 4GB Note 8 variant is certified by TENAA means that a launch is on the cards.

There's no official word as to when the Note 8 will make its debut in China, but rumors point to an unveil on September 13, with availability kicking off from September 23. It's unclear if the 4GB model will make its debut at the same time as the standard editions, but with the launch a few weeks away, we should know more soon.

Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Asia

Harish Jonnalagadda is a Senior Editor overseeing Asia at Android Central. He leads the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, contributing to reviews, features, and buying guides. He also writes about storage servers, audio products, and the semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.