Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ hands-on review

25 February 2018
The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are here, official, unwrapped, and we go in full hands-on mode. We might be sending off another UNPACKED event preceded by weeks of overwhelming leaks, but we are surely heading towards a new chapter in the smartphone photography.

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Anonymous, 25 Feb 2018Sony makes really good camera sensors but when they use it ... moreTry the newer ones.
Your Z5 is competitive only against the S6/Note 5 and iPhone 6s/6s Plus.
XZ Premium inspired the S9 duo's 960fps slow motion cameras. Yes it is funny.

    • S
    • Simon
    • 0xI
    • 25 Feb 2018

    I like that Samsung updated the insides this time around. I'm quite tempted by this and will probably get it, unless the price hike happened again.

    I always wished for a larger sensor, but I will take the option to shoot with that lower aperture instead, and the other improvements that they pumped in. It's not a larger sensor, but finally the upgrades are significant enough in my book, as they improved everything else that they could, it seems.

    Plus that Exynos chipset. That is the biggest single core performance boost in a very, very long time.

      Oppaii, 25 Feb 2018If someone will buy this... just buy the Note8 It’s just a... moreDude, What Are you smoking? I am a user of Note 8, and while this phone is a great device, I cannot listen to music in Stereo, Variable aperture in Note 8, non existent. Preformance is great but If I can have more, why not? and I didn't even use the pen. the S pen is gimmicky for my uses (but an awesome tool for those who do need it's functionality.)

        • D
        • AnonD-740309
        • rJK
        • 25 Feb 2018

        Anonymous, 25 Feb 2018My Z3+ has this home screen landscape. My xperia z which I bought in 2013 has landscape mode what a joke!!!!!

          Anonymous, 25 Feb 2018Why are people so excited about the Samsung flagships? They... moreI will answer about myself, Kiyasuriin, because others have different reasons than mine.
          FIRST THING. is the stereo speaker, Sure, I could grab any phone with that feature and be happy with it. but I want to have it with samsung. Why? My preference. I am not a samny fangirl like I said
          second. RAW PREFORMANCE. comparing to Snapdragon 845. this is the god of preformance when it comes to android. and I need EVERY DRIP of power possible.
          third: the camera, I love taking pictures of scenes and people and it always irritated me that I couldn't find the right light amount to picture something. either it was TOO DANG dark, or burnt image. with this babe. I can get stuff done correctly.
          as for ANY samsung flagship. I get excited only if all 7 conditions are met:
          ° Memory expandability
          ° 3.5mm jack
          ° High StB Ratio.
          ° Massive bolster in preformance
          ° Better camera with features.
          ° Security.
          and lastly.
          ° EMEA gets the more powerful version.
          all conditions are met? I'll be starry eyed! no? I can always switch to other companies.

            Anonymous, 25 Feb 2018 They misspell words at times, and even on rare occasions s... moreI agree. People need to understand that site is being run by...SURPRISE! People! humans like us! and humans can mistake. just like I can do some mistakes. and you can. and otherz.

              Absulutely need it. it's PERFECT!

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • kui
                • 25 Feb 2018

                [deleted post] They misspell words at times, and even on rare occasions state false information (last year GSM Arena spoke of a phone having a Snapdragon 830, which doesn't exist- I debunked the mythical SoC in a comment section on that particular news alert), but, overall, they kick ass! Nobodies' perfect. The joke is on you.

                  AnonD-243573, 25 Feb 2018The only new exciting feature presented here is: home scree... moreNow name me a phone that has all those features in 1 awesome package?? Find me a phone that has all those features plus loudspeakers, headphone jack, sd card, amoled display?

                  Thta's right you cant.

                    So S9 duo would have been the 1st phones ever to do 4k at 120fps but thanks to Snapdragon it was held back probably to next year :/

                    And rumours are the GPU in the Exynos models is superior? Well done Sammy you did good this year.

                    SD always holding back Exynos Users.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • wYI
                      • 25 Feb 2018

                      AnonD-669130, 25 Feb 2018Sony already has: Multi Frame Noise Reduction, since the X... moreSony makes really good camera sensors but when they use it on their phones they are bad. Funny how other companies use Sony's sensors better. Z5 user here.

                        AnonD-669130, 25 Feb 2018Sony already has: Multi Frame Noise Reduction, since the X... moreMulti frame noise reduction since the XZ? But why every pict taken from Sony phone are noisy :P
                        Dual Pixel is different from Hybrid Autofocus, Dual Pixel is the whole new level. And did you know what smartphone that has Hybrid Autofocus is? It's the Galaxy S5 was the first phone with Hybrid AF.

                          • M
                          • MdN8
                          • 8jE
                          • 25 Feb 2018

                          AnonD-669130, 25 Feb 2018Zero innovation, only ideas stolen from other manufacturers... moreWhat lawsuits? The only thing raining here are jealous Sony fans.

                            • M
                            • MdN8
                            • 8jE
                            • 25 Feb 2018

                            AnonD-669130, 25 Feb 2018Sony already has: Multi Frame Noise Reduction, since the X... moreYou forgot laser autofocus. ;-) Sony would be great if they didn't "forget" OIS and had a bit better image processing and low-light capabilities. And a better design... Doesn't the new Xperia look like a Galaxy? Seriously, why do Sony fans keep trolling here? They are on Nokia articles, they are on Samsung articles, they are worse than iPhone fans 7-8 years ago, or Nokia fans 10 years ago. Yes, we know Sony did stuff, just like everyone else.

                              • D
                              • AnonD-623081
                              • AL{
                              • 25 Feb 2018

                              I was between.. to buy Google Pixel2 or wait for new S9... Im glad i did not wait.. i woul have been very dissapointed..

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • IsY
                                • 25 Feb 2018

                                Why are people so excited about the Samsung flagships? They are boring (except for the new chipsets each year) and they are overpriced. Smartphone market and models are becoming blander each year and designers have become lazy. Only exciting thing is the ability to experience each Android skin (and most still are pretty meh).

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                                  • AnonD-669130
                                  • LqH
                                  • 25 Feb 2018

                                  Zero innovation, only ideas stolen from other manufacturers.
                                  I'm not surprised that Samsung is raining lawsuits

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                                    • AnonD-669130
                                    • LqH
                                    • 25 Feb 2018

                                    MdN8, 25 Feb 2018Nothing to do with Sony. - It has variable aperture - it... moreSony already has:
                                    Multi Frame Noise Reduction, since the XZ
                                    Dual Pixel is the same Hybrid Autofocus, different desing, same purpose and funtionality
                                    Stereo Speaker with Surround
                                    The FPS on better location and is equally fast
                                    Not to mention that the SSlowMotion is a bit longer on the XZ Premium

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • 6XU
                                      • 25 Feb 2018

                                      Anonymous, 25 Feb 2018samsung - pass - no software update , lags ...Fanboys will disagree. But I agree.

                                        • J
                                        • Jason
                                        • r@5
                                        • 25 Feb 2018

                                        galaxy s9+ is $839.00!!!!! hell yes!!!!!!!