The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ have big shoes to fill thanks to a high bar set by its predecessor last year. They’ve retained much of the same design as the S8 and S8+ while adding some much-needed refinements. So was the Galaxy S9 and S9+ worth the wait?
Design
If placed side-by-side, one might be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the new Galaxy S9 series and its predecessor. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing since the S8 series wasn’t just gorgeous, but practical as well. This has translated well to the S9 and S9+ with the extra tall 18.5:9 screens curving into the sides so they are easy to hold. Even the button placement is the same from last year’s model.
The dimensions are just slightly different though, so it’s not like you’ll be able to use an S8 case on an S9 and vice versa. In addition, the fingerprint reader has been repositioned to a slightly more logical location at the bottom of the rear camera.
Display
Of course, what would a flagship Galaxy S series device be without the company’s trademark AMOLED display? In the case of the S9 and S9+, it’s 5.8 and 6.2 inch Super AMOLED displays, respectively, both with a resolution of 2960 x 1440. According to Samsung, they’re brighter than on the S8 and S8+, while still being able to exhibit true black for theoretically infinite contrast.
The displays curve into the sides of the device, giving it the effect of almost disappearing into the phone, earning it the Infinity display moniker. The bezels at the top and bottom are also nearly non-existent.
Cameras
One subtle but much-welcome improvement can be found in the imaging department. Before anything else though, the S9 only comes with a single rear camera, which may disappoint those who prefer the smaller form factor. That means if you want the advantages of the dual camera setup, you’ll need to go with the larger S9+.
Whichever one you go with, both come with Samsung’s new mechanically adjustable aperture, allowing you to switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4. What does this mean? A lower aperture means more light coming in when capturing shots, which will no doubt improve low-light photography a great deal.
They’ve also been equipped with Live Focus and Auto Scene Selection, not to mention the ability to shoot video at up to 960 frames per second! Alas, it’s limited to 720p, but capturing your family and friends’ bloopers will never be the same again.
Pre-order Through Lazada!
Itching to get your hands on the Samsung Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9+ as soon as they officially get here? Lazada is accepting pre-orders for both models and even offering freebies. You’ll get the Wireless Charger Convertible plus a Tumi Case for free, which are worth about Php7k combined. Interested? The Galaxy S9 is priced at Php45,990 while the S9+ is priced at Php52,990. Head over to their pre-order page here.
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S9 Specs
- 5.8″ WQHD+ Super AMOLED display
- 1440×2960 resolution
- 568ppi
- Gorilla Glass 5
- Samsung Exynos 9810 SoC
- 2.7GHz octa-core processor (4 x 2.7GHz Custom CPU + 4 x 1.8GHz ARM Cortex A55)
- Mali G72 MP18 GPU
- Android 8.1 with Samsung Experience 9 UI
- 4GB LPDDR4 RAM
- 64GB internal storage
- expandable via microSD (hybrid SIM 2 slot)
- 12mp autofocus rear-facing camera
- Dual Pixel Autofocus
- Dual tone, dual LED flash
- f/1.5-2.4 aperture
- OIS
- 8mp front camera
- autofocus
- f/1.7 aperture
- 4G LTE Cat. 18 6CA 1.2Gbps
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
- Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX
- NFC
- GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
- Fingerprint sensor
- 3,000mAh battery
- Quick Charge 2.0
- Wireless charging
- USB Type-C
Samsung Galaxy S9+ Specs
- 6.2″ WQHD+ Super AMOLED display
- 1440×2960 resolution
- 568ppi
- Gorilla Glass 5
- Samsung Exynos 9810 SoC
- 2.7GHz octa-core processor (4 x 2.7GHz Custom CPU + 4 x 1.8GHz ARM Cortex A55)
- Mali G72 MP18 GPU
- Android 8.1 with Samsung Experience 9 UI
- 6GB LPDDR4 RAM
- 64GB internal storage
- expandable via microSD (hybrid SIM 2 slot)
- 12+12mp dual rear-facing camera
- Dual Pixel Autofocus
- LED flash
- 2x optical zoom
- Secondary wide angle camera
- f/1.5-2.4 aperture
- OIS
- 8mp front camera
- autofocus
- f/1.7 aperture
- 4G LTE Cat. 18 6CA 1.2Gbps
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
- Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX
- NFC
- GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
- Fingerprint sensor
- 3,500mAh battery
- Quick Charge 2.0
- Wireless charging
- USB Type-C
