Finally, Galaxy S9 has arrived. Samsung has revealed its new flagship smartphone at the MWC 2018. It has been packed with the upgraded hardware and more advanced camera. Several new features have been introduced, including AR Emoji, which is quite similar to Apple’s Animojis. All these things make the device incredibly exciting. But how does it feel to use in real life? Can it meet your expectation? In this Galaxy S9 review (hands on), you will find all the details.
Galaxy S9 Review (Hands On): Design
When you look at the Galaxy S9, you will find that it looks quite similar to its predecessor. However, there are some changes. The amount of bezels above and below the screen has been decreased slightly. It enables Samsung to reduce the overall height of the device.
Despite being a bit smaller, the Galaxy S9 is heavier than last year’s S8. However, you will not face any issue in holding it for a long time. In fact, you will hardly notice the extra weight. The sleek combination of metal and glass has made the device very comfortable to grab.
The fingerprint scanner has been relocated below the camera sensor. So, you can use it comfortably. Last year, the users were very frustrated with the scanner being placed beside the shooter sensor. It disabled them from unlocking the device quickly and smoothly.
Galaxy S9 Review (Hands On): Display
There is nothing new to say about the screen. Samsung decides to stick to the same 5.8-inch display of the Galaxy S8. It retains the Quad HD+ resolution and a high pixel density of 570 ppi. And there is the AMOLED panel. So, basically, you will get the same razor sharp and colorful view as the screen of the Galaxy S8.
The screen ratio is still 18.5:9. And it is the same old Inifinity Display that we had seen in last year’s model. That means, 90% of the front of the phone is covered by the screen.
But don’t think that the similar features have made the screen boring. According to DisplayMate, it is the world’s best smartphone display right now. In fact, it is much better than your 4K UHD TV. Thanks to the significant enhancement in brightness and color accuracy.
Galaxy S9 Review (Hands On): Camera
The biggest improvement has taken place in the camera department. While the megapixel range is same (12-MP), the rear shooter has the ability to switch between f/2.4 and f/1.5 apertures. It can be very useful for taking outstanding shots under changing conditions. And it can capture photos with an incredible pace. In fact, it is faster than any other mobile shooter on the market. Thanks to the inclusion of the Super Speed Dual Pixel Package, which enables the camera to take 12 shots, rather than 3, at the same time. It results in a massive reduction of noise and a highly improved image quality.
The video recording capability has been also enhanced significantly. Similar to the recently launched Sony Xperia XZ1, it can capture awesome slow-mo footages at 960 fps.
The 8-MP front facing camera is very impressive. It can take high quality selfies. It is also really good at making crystal clear video calls. In addition, the selfie shooter is able to transform your facial expressions to emjois, just like Apple’s animojis. Thanks to the inclusion of the AR Emoji.
Galaxy S9 Review (Hands On): Hardware and Performance
Galaxy S9 has been packed with the new Snapdragon 845 processor, 4 GB RAM and the advanced Adreno 630 GPU. All these upgraded components will create a massively positive impact on the overall performance. All the games and apps will run smoother than ever before. Despite having all the advanced hardware, Samsung’s new phone is very unlikely to beat the iPhone X. The A11 processor in Apple’s smartphone is too powerful to be outperformed, as suggested by recent reports. We will cover all the details and the benchmark results in our complete Galaxy S9 review.
The Galaxy S9 is available in three different internal storage options, including 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB. There is no 32 GB variant. If the internal storage capacity is not enough for you, you can always take the advantage of the microSD card slot. The device supports up to 400 GB of external memory card. So, you have tons of space to create a massive collection of movies in your phone.
Galaxy S9 Review (Hands On): Battery
Galaxy S9 sports a 3,000 mAh battery. The battery of last year’s Galaxy S8 also had the same capacity. The predecessor managed to last more than 80 hours in GSMArena’s endurance rating test. We expect to see the same performance from the battery of this year’s smartphone. In fact, it might last a bit longer, as the device comes with a power efficient processor and several software tricks. We will cover all the details in our extensive Galaxy S9 review.
Galaxy S9 Review (Hands On): Early Verdict
Galaxy S9 is going to be one of the most successful smartphones of this year. There is no doubt about it. It comes with outstanding cameras capable of delivering stunning performance in all conditions, including low light. The display is gorgeous as usual. The design is almost the same as the predecessor. But still, it looks fabulous. The only area in which the Galaxy S9 is not going to outclass the competitors, including the iPhone 8, is the hardware performance. However, it will be still OK in terms of overall gaming experience. So, the Galaxy S9 will drive a lot of consumers away from the other smartphone brands.
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