The Galaxy Note 8 reportedly has a battery problem of its own

Update: Samsung has given us an official line, which we've included below.

Some owners of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 are reporting that their handset is dying once it reaches a 0 percent charge and won't come back to life - not ideal if you're Samsung and you had to recall the Note 8's predecessor last year for an overheating problem.

For the time being the issue doesn't seem to be too widespread, and only appears to be affecting users in the US for the most part, but SamMobile has pulled together numerous forum posts and complaints that suggest this is more than just one or two isolated incidents we're dealing with.

Of course Samsung will swiftly replace your faulty Note 8 if it's still under warranty, but considering the company was at great pains to emphasize just how much testing the Note 8 battery went through, this is a blip that it could do without.

For the time being, Samsung seems to be in fact-finding mode. "We have yet to get any official report for this matter and are unable to comment until we obtain more specific information of the device," reads a statement the company sent us. "Any customers with a similar matter are encouraged to contact Samsung."

From hero to zero

Samsung will certainly be hoping it's a blip - right now it's not clear whether the problem lies with the hardware or the software of the Note 8. If it's the latter, then a fix could be rolled out via a software update. 

Based on posts from users, some people do genuinely seem to have an issue, while others can get their Note 8 devices working fine even after going right down to a 0 percent battery charge. For the time being at least, it's probably wise not to let your own handset do the same.

In fact, that's good battery practice in general - whether you're using a Note 8 or an iPhone X, gadgets don't really like having their batteries fully drained, though it certainly shouldn't kill them completely.

TOPICS
David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

Latest in Samsung Galaxy Phones
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display the January 22, 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge colors seemingly revealed in new video, and there’s another sign of an imminent launch
Samsung Galaxy S25 on a blue deals background
Bored with your iPhone? The ‘incredible’ Samsung Galaxy S25 just hit a record-low price in the Amazon Spring Sale
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 in blue
5 things I want from the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7
Samsung Galaxy S25 from the front
The Now Bar on Samsung One UI 7 is about to get a lot more useful – and could soon match Live Activities on iOS
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display the January 22, 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event.
A fresh Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge leak hints at a 2K display and a titanium frame
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 in Paris in front of the Louvre pyramid
I switched to a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 five months ago and I haven’t looked back – here are five things you need to know before buying a foldable phone
Latest in News
Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin Rennovations
Disney’s giving a classic Buzz Lightyear ride a tech overhaul – here's everything you need to know
Hisense U8 series TV on wall in living room
Hisense announces 2025 mini-LED TV lineup, with screen sizes up to 100 inches – and a surprising smart TV switch
Nintendo Music teaser art
Nintendo Music expands its library with songs from Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Tetris
Opera AI Tabs
Opera's new AI feature brings order to your browser tab chaos
An image of Pro-Ject's Flatten it closed and opened
Pro-Ject’s new vinyl flattener will fix any warped LPs you inadvertently buy on Record Store Day
The iPhone 16 Pro on a grey background
iPhone 17 Pro tipped to get 8K video recording – but I want these 3 video features instead