Samsung Galaxy S9+ review – in pictures

Samsung Galaxy S9+ review – in pictures

With the same design and broadly the same specs as the last year’s Samsung Galaxy S8+, you’re probably wondering what’s new with the S9+. Well, meet the new boss: it’s got a dual camera this time around. So how does it compare to the good ol’ fashioned Galaxy S9 and where does it rank in the grand pantheon of smartphone behemoths? We spent a week with the thing to find out.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ cameras: double trouble

By far the biggest difference between the Galaxy S9 and S9+ is that dual 12 megapixel camera with dual-pixel autofocus and optical image stabilisation. Giving you 2x optical zoom, this snapper goes a long way to making sure your holiday vistas don’t turn out to be a blurry mess every time you want to capture something in the near-ish distance.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ cameras: aperture priority

This phone also shares the dual aperture setup seen on the smaller Samsung Galaxy S9: it can switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4 on the fly, cranking open the aperture fully for low-light shooting, then closing it back up again when the sun comes out. Does it make a difference? Well, to cut a long and quite technical story short, it does in low light where shots are clearer and sharper than they were on the fixed aperture Galaxy S8.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ cameras: sorted for selfies

Its selfie cam isn’t half bad either. With the same 8MP sensor and f/1.7 aperture as last year’s Galaxy S8, it’ll capture your pouting in all its glory with clear, detailed photos that’ll go down a treat.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ cameras: good for every day

In everyday conditions, it’s harder to notice a step up in image quality. Snaps are still well-judged with so much detail that you have to zoom right into the pixels to spot any limitations. HDR is incredibly fast too, with live view showing what your shot will look like before you even hit the shutter button, while multi-frame noise reduction stacks multiple frames on top of each other to reduce imperfections by upto a third.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ video: super fast

The S9 is now capable of shooting 4K footage at a borderline excessive 60fps, along with super slow-mo footage at 960 frames per second. You’ll need plenty of light around to get the right results, but needn’t rely on having the reflexes of a gazelle to get the job done. Draw a box anywhere onscreen and the phone will start recording as soon as it detects any movement. Smart.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ AR emoji: pulling faces

Samsung is attempting to imitate Apple with its latest creation: AR Emoji. Unlike the iPhone X’s Animoji, AR Emoji are created in your likeness rather than that of a unicorn, alien or fox. You simply scan your face using the S9+’s camera and then the phone does show off your newfound cartoon visage in a variety of overdramatic scenarios. It’s all good fun for about five minutes until you’ve finished customising your virtual character, decide to move on with your life and never touch the thing again.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ display: spot the difference

At 6.2in with a 1440 x 2960 resolution, the S9+ screen is almost in a league of its own when it comes to phones. Only the iPhone X can compete with the brightness, contrast, fidelity and all-round awesomeness on show here, and guess what? That screen was made by Samsung, too. As is Samsung’s wont, colours on the S9+ are saturated to the extent that they’re not entirely lifelike – but that just means pictures and video pop that little bit more in the palm of your hand.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ display: 18:9 you know

The S9+ screen has a 18:9 aspect ratio, so it retains those gloriously skinny bezels we saw in the S8. As well as proving a stellar fit for the footie highlights or a quick episode of The Good Place, it’s also a huge part of why this phone looks quite so good.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ display: not all perfect

As brilliant as the Samsung Galaxy S9+’s screen is, it’s also this phone’s greatest drawback. At 6.2in it’s so big most people are going to have to use this phone two-handed or invest in a super-durable case for the thing lest it accidentally slip out of their digits. If you’re prone to phone-smashing, using the S9+ is likely to bring you out in a cold sweat.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ design: same mould

The downside of every phone-maker chasing as bigger screen as possible with those all-important skinny bezels is that a lot of handsets really do look similar these days. While the S9+ doesn’t stand out to a huge degree from this near-identikit company its curved edges and ludicrously shiny backside render it distinct enough from the competition, if not last year’s S8+.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ design: shifted scanner

Aside from a repositioned fingerprint scanner and that new dual camera there is essentially no design difference between these two phones. Even the questionable Bixby button remains in place on the S9+’s aluminum frame, should you really need to call upon Samsung’s smart assistant in an instant. Spoiler alert: you probably won’t.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ power: breezy

As the most expensive incarnation of Samsung’s flagship phone, it’s no great surprise that the Galaxy S9+ is one of the most powerful handsets you can by. By combining the latest Exynos 9810 processor with 6GB RAM, there’s little this phone can’t do in a breeze. This is a handset with the power to act as a makeshift PC if you plug it into one of Samsung’s DeX stations. Only heavy duty media editing and properly high-end are gonna make it break a sweat.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ battery: more than a day’s worth

Thanks to a more efficient processor than ever, battery life should hold up as well. With a 3500 mAh capacity, the Galaxy S9+ can happily trundle on for a working day and a bit right now. That’s a bit more than what you’ll get with the standard S9, but it’s not a major leap forwards either. At least you really do get a lot more storage with the S9+: 128GB compared to 64GB on the standard S9.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ software: trimmed down

Samsung has dialled back its bloatware in recent years, and that remains the case with this year’s iteration of the TouchWiz UI. Running on top of Android 8.0 Oreo you don’t get anything drastically new from the OS, but the improved notifications, adaptive icons and battery optimisations are all worthwhile. Stuff like picture-in-picture for video, frame rate-boosting Game Launcher and Edge Panel shortcuts that make the most of the S9+’s curved screen are all worth having, too.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ verdict: boring but brilliant

Dual cameras aside, there’s barely any difference between the S9+ and the S9 – and the latter is probably easier to hold. If you’re after a phablet, though, the S9+ will give you quite the phone. When you add up all of this handset’s myriad charms it’s a truly awesome proposition, with a superb screen, handsome design and one of the best cameras around. So while Samsung’s Galaxy S9+ truly is a little bit boring, it’s exceptionally good. And one of those qualities outweighs the other by quite some margin.