Samsung Galaxy S9 review

09 March 2018
It's true what they say - you don't fix what's not broken. And that's what Samsung did for the Galaxy S9 - it didn't change what was already great, it just tweaked specs wherever possible. And it has worked out just fine for them.

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  • 10 Mar 2018

AnonD-741540, 10 Mar 2018So S7 with 22:57H 3G Talk - 9:34H web browsing and 14:50H v... moreStandby performance is bad. Fine details in battery test section of the review

    xXENDER FREAKXx, 10 Mar 2018Somehow their EXYNOS chipset for the midrangers are much mo... moreIt's not that it's more efficient. The more efficient Exynos 9810 is powering a more power hungry device.
    Mid rangers don't require as much power as flagship devices.
    Say for instance, the Exynos 7880 is about as powerful and efficient as Exynos 7420.
    The Galaxy A8 doesn't have anything that requires as much power as the Galaxy S6, hence the benefit of better battery life.

      AnonD-741540, 10 Mar 2018and also let me add mate 9 scores 19:23H 3G Talk - 14:17H ... moreThat's why Endurance Rating doesn't always tell everything.
      My sister has the iPhone 7 Plus, a phone that got an average Endurance Rating from GSMArena, and from what I'm seeing, she's using her phone extensively for internet browsing, social media, and multimedia all the time, and she only charges about twice in a day; once in the mid day and another at night where any typical phone user will be sleeping and won't be using the phone.

        Were you not able to use Bixby to switch to the telephoto camera? How about 'Zoom in'. It works on the Note8. And why is the iPhone X not present on the Antutu list?

          • S
          • Shui8
          • KZK
          • 10 Mar 2018

          AnonD-235919, 10 Mar 2018I wish Samsung does it. But I am worried now, as bcoz OEMs ... moreLook at huawei mate 10 pro thread comments, most user comments there are ex-S8 and Note series. After using the Mate 10 pro, they never go back to samsung again. Battery life is way better after AI learned based on your usage.

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            • AnonD-741540
            • a3p
            • 10 Mar 2018

            AnonD-741540, 10 Mar 2018So S7 with 22:57H 3G Talk - 9:34H web browsing and 14:50H v... moreand also let me add mate 9 scores
            19:23H 3G Talk - 14:17H web browsing - 11:26H video playback and still get the score of 82H!!!
            what's going on?

              Jkokja, 10 Mar 2018The Exynos chipset was excellent in standby before but now ... moreSomehow their EXYNOS chipset for the midrangers are much more efficient than their top-of-the-line one

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                • AnonD-741540
                • a3p
                • 10 Mar 2018

                So S7 with 22:57H 3G Talk - 9:34H web browsing and 14:50H video playback scored higher in battery endurance than S9 with 22:38 3G Talk - 10:13H web browsing - 15:25H video playback!
                Your battery score system is puzzling to me!
                and also let me add mate 9 scores
                19:23H 3G Talk - 14:17H web browsing - 11:26H video playback and still get the score of 82H!!!
                what's going on?

                  • S
                  • S7 user
                  • mhF
                  • 10 Mar 2018

                  The problem with Samsung (beside the quite high prices) is the lousy software: Samsung own bloatware and Micro$oft stuff which can’t even be deleted completely and the weird desire to access my contacts even for their Galaxy Store and otherwise refusing to work, having to login and agree to silly contracts just for downloading a new screen background. Then I am still waiting since 5 months for an update on my Duos.
                  Bigger companies more and more think that they need to enslave their users for more money, ignoring that we already paid for the device.
                  I hope that this trend will turn around again.

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                    • AnonD-235919
                    • X{x
                    • 10 Mar 2018

                    I wish Samsung does it. But I am worried now, as bcoz OEMs now a days do not concentrate for the betterment of the existing products. Batterylife wasnt good with the S8 and Note 8. S8 plus was somewhat acceptable. S9 duo is having unacceptable battery-life as per various reviews. I preordered the S9+ , might cancel it now.

                      Swsko, 10 Mar 2018Mine is much better, 6,5 hrs SOTNice one, and this is one example of showing that the one thing that affects battery life is how the person use it

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                        • AnonD-481725
                        • StN
                        • 10 Mar 2018

                        People must understand what Samsung achieved in the past in smartphone camera department is due to good camera hardware set nothing else, camera sensor with medium resolution and large pixels, large aperture, OIS... they were doing no miracle, it is like safe mode, now and after they tried to go a little bit out of the safe mode "innovate" they gone down.

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                          • AnonD-481725
                          • StN
                          • 10 Mar 2018

                          Anonymous, 10 Mar 2018On auto mode? Yes in auto mode.

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                            • AnonD-481725
                            • StN
                            • 10 Mar 2018

                            Anonymous, 10 Mar 2018You mean your Sony Xperia gives you a Tripod Symbol ? That... moreIf you can't hold your smartphone steady to take a photo i recommend you Citalopram it can help you a lot in general.

                              Anonymous, 10 Mar 2018You mean your Sony Xperia gives you a Tripod Symbol ? That... moreHmmm..... Low quality photography of Sony.
                              Do you mean this?
                              https://www.gsmarena.com/piccmp.php3?idType=5&idPhone1=9081&idPhone2=8966&idPhone3=8858

                              If Sony's imaging prowess is of low quality, I wonder why Samsung bothered enough to borrow their Motion Eye camera technology for their S9 and S9+.

                                • S
                                • Swsko
                                • fwK
                                • 10 Mar 2018

                                xXENDER FREAKXx, 10 Mar 2018Let me ask u a question, does this battery life proof your ... moreMine is much better, 6,5 hrs SOT

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • Js{
                                  • 10 Mar 2018

                                  AnonD-481725, 10 Mar 2018My xperia x can go 1s shutter speed if it detect no motion ... moreOn auto mode?

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                                    • Anonymous
                                    • Js{
                                    • 10 Mar 2018

                                    Anonymous, 10 Mar 2018You mean your Sony Xperia gives you a Tripod Symbol ? That... moreDepends on how you hold it.
                                    Even without tripod, sometimes symbol shows up on mine too.

                                      • J
                                      • Jkokja
                                      • dP$
                                      • 10 Mar 2018

                                      The Exynos chipset was excellent in standby before but now it's the problem. I really hope S9+ standby time be as good as before.

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • tAT
                                        • 10 Mar 2018

                                        AnonD-481725, 10 Mar 2018My xperia x can go 1s shutter speed if it detect no motion ... moreYou mean your Sony Xperia gives you a Tripod Symbol ? That must remind you to use a tripod for all photography on Sony phones. Due to Sonys low quality photography, especially in low light. Can you recommend a good tripod for Sony phones ?