The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ Give You Next-Level Photos and Stereo Speakers
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The Specs
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset; 4/6 GB of RAM
64 GB of expandable storage (via microSD card)
5.8-inch (S9) and 6.2-inch (S9+) Infinity Super AMOLED display at 2,960 by 1,440 pixels
12 MP camera with adjustable aperture (f/1.5 and f/2.4), 12 MP secondary camera with telephoto lens (S9+ only), and 8 MP selfie camera
3,000 mAh (S9) and 3,500 mAh (S9+) battery; fast wired and wireless charging
Fingerprint sensor and iris scanner
Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support
Standard audio jack; bundled high-quality earbuds by AKG
Waterproof body
Samsung’s Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ have familiar designs with subtle, yet essential ergonomic improvements. Of course, the duo of high-end phones also come with improved hardware specs, headlined by a groundbreaking camera with adjustable aperture.
Once again, Samsung offers its range-topping smartphone in two sizes — a Galaxy S9 with a 5.8-inch display, and a bigger Galaxy S9+ with a 6.2-inch screen. This time around, the differences between the two phones go beyond the size of their display and battery. The Galaxy S9+ has a dual camera and more RAM, so it's bound to be the better option for more demanding users.
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Familiar Looks and Improved Ergonomics
The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ look almost completely identical to their predecessors. Save for the new, much more convenient location of the fingerprint sensor (below the camera instead of on its right side), it's impossible to tell the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S9 apart. The Galaxy S9+ also looks a tiny bit more distinctive, thanks to its dual camera (a first for a Galaxy S phone).
Samsung did well to stick to the same design language as last year. The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ were arguably the best-looking phones to launch in 2017. With many Android manufacturers shamelessly trying to copy the iPhone X display notch in their latest offerings, the S9 and S9+ will continue to stand out from the crowd just as seamlessly.
Both Galaxy S9 variants have a waterproof body with superb build quality. Note that covering the phones with a protective case is pretty much mandatory, though, as their curved display and glass back won’t handle drops well.
Groundbreaking Camera
In a first for a Galaxy smartphone, the 12 MP main camera of both S9 models features a mechanical aperture. Depending on the lighting conditions, the camera will automatically switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4; advanced photographers can change aperture manually in pro mode.
The Samsung Galaxy S9+ has a 12 MP secondary camera with a telephoto lens and optical image stabilization, so it offers even more versatility than its compact sibling.
Having an aperture as bright as f/1.5 enables the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ to capture low-light photos with exceptional quality. The daytime photos captured by both phones are predictably great, too.
Ultra slow-motion video capture at 960 frames per second is another cool camera novelty brought by the Galaxy S9 family. The feature allows you to stretch 0.2 seconds of time into 6 seconds of fun, easily shareable HD clips.
The camera performance of the Galaxy S9+ has earned it the top spot in the prestigious DxOMark rankings. You can find out more details about the testing process and the results here.
Android Oreo and Bixby
The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ run Android Oreo with Samsung’s custom user interface. The amount of personalization options the latter offers is nothing short of overwhelming, so you'll have plenty to pick from.
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A year after debuting to a lukewarm reception, Samsung’s virtual assistant Bixby is back in the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ with a host of augmented reality features. By utilizing the front- and rear-camera sensors, Bixby can help you shop, translate signs from foreign languages in real time, search for similar photos online, read wine labels, and even count the calories in the food you're about to eat.
Again, Bixby comes with a dedicated button on the left side of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. You can disable it if you wish, but you can't customize it to your liking.
AR Emoji
The AR Emoji are essentially Samsung’s answer to the iPhone X Animoji by Apple. The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will create an animated version of you with the help of the selfie camera. You can even accessorize your augmented reality self before sharing.
The augmented reality emoji are reasonably accurate, but not exactly mind-blowing. When it comes to displaying your emotions, they're nowhere near the level of Apple’s Animoji. Overall, the whole AR emoji thing feels like a hastily put together answer to a rival’s offering — not a groundbreaking cool feature.
Exceptional Performance and Battery Life
Unsurprisingly, with the help of Qualcomm’s most powerful mobile chipset to date, the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ feel incredibly fast and fluid on every occasion. With 50% more RAM (6 GB versus 4 GB), the Galaxy S9+ will have an edge in multitasking over the S9. If you plan on frequently switching between your favorite game, an email client, Slack, and a web browser, we suggest that you opt for the bigger Galaxy.
The AKG-tuned stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support are a long-coveted, welcome addition to the Samsung Galaxy lineup. The audio experience they deliver is a vast improvement over the bottom-firing speaker of the previous generation.
Unlike other manufacturers, Samsung won't make you choose between having stereo speakers or an audio jack. The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ not only have the aforementioned feature, but also a pair of great-sounding earbuds by AKG in their retail box.
Expect to easily get a full day of use from both Galaxy S9 models between charges. With a significantly larger battery, the Galaxy S9+ has an edge over the S9 in this instance. As always, the phones support rapid wired and wireless charging.
Wrap Up
The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will be two of the best smartphones you can buy in 2018. Each of them offers great design, class-leading hardware, and a feature-packed software experience.
The phones' camera performance will be an industry benchmark going forward. The improved location of the fingerprint sensor and the addition of stereo speakers are welcome improvements over the past generation.
Retail availability for both phones will kick off on March 16. There will be three colors to choose from — Midnight Black, Coral Blue, and Lilac Purple. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ are priced at $720 and $840, respectively. Samsung offers a trade-in program, which will give you up to $350 for your old phone toward a Galaxy S9 purchase.
Both phones will come with a vast array of accessories. They include an overwhelming selection of original and third-party cases, a VR headset, and an all-new DeX desktop pad, among many others.
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