Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S9+: Which Phone Should You Buy?

New Samsung Galaxy phones have arrived. But what is the best option for you?


The Galaxy S9 5.8 "and the Galaxy S9 + 6.2" are great phones that offer similar processing capabilities, design, and camera. But there are clear differences between the two devices, which make it a different option depending on what you expect from a smartphone.

Here we take a closer look at what the Galaxy S9 and S9 + have to offer and in which areas one model comes from the other.

What is the same?
Before we focus on the differences, let's take a quick look at the features that the Galaxy S9 and S9 + share. Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 845 processor powers both phones and promises a performance boost over last year's Snapdragon 835 handsets, especially in terms of graphics and more efficient power consumption.

Both phones maintain the infinity screen that Samsung introduced last year with the Galaxy S8 and S8 +, and the screens on both phones stretch from one end to the other. These screens in the latest Samsung phones are OLED panels with the same resolution of 2,960 x 1,440 Samsung also promises brighter screens than you have with the Galaxy S8 and S8 +, though we'll have to wait until we test the new phones to see how brilliant they are.

The S9 and S9 + offer a wide selection of images thanks to the variable aperture of the main lens. This means that you should take pictures with the larger aperture in low light, which should allow more light and create a sharper image. At other times he will use the narrower f / 2.4 aperture so his last shot does not disappear. Both the S9 and S9 + can vary the aperture as both software use to support multi-picture noise reduction.

You can also expect the same software features in the Galaxy S9 as in the S9 +. Both phones feature Bixby Personal Assistant, including enhancements to Bixby Vision's image recognition capabilities provided by Samsung. Both phone models are also compatible with the intelligent scan feature, which combines iris scanning with face detection to connect to your phone.

What is different?
The size is the most obvious difference between the two phones. At 5.8 x 2.7 x 0.33 inches, the S9 is shorter and narrower, which makes sense as it has a smaller screen of 5.8 inches. The Galaxy S9 + has a larger 6.2-inch panel and a larger body, 6.2 x 2.9 x 0.33 inches, to accommodate this screen.

Turn the phones over and you will see another big difference between the S9 and the S9 +. The latter model has two rear cameras instead of a single lens on the back of the S9. While the S9 has a variable-aperture 12-megapixel trigger (between f / 1.5 and f / 2.4, depending on the situation), the S9 + adds a 12-MP telephoto lens with an f / 2.4 aperture added. This gives the S9 + a 2x optical zoom, which corresponds to a feature of the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X with two Apple lenses.

Less obvious are the internal differences between the two models. The S9 includes 4GB of RAM, pretty standard for a flagship phone. But the S9 + increases the ante with 6GB of memory. You will also find a larger battery in the S9 +: a 3500 mAh power supply compared to the 3000 mAh battery in the S9. (By the way, these are the same battery sizes for the S8 or S8 +.)

Which phone should I have?

Given the differences between S9 and S9 +, the right model for you depends on the features that are at the top of your wish list.

Get the Galaxy S9 +, if you want a 2x zoom, and make many portraits: If you're longing for the phones with two rear cameras, it's obvious that the new Samsung phone has them. The two rear cameras of the Galaxy S9 + allow 2x optical zoom. If you need to look at something nearby, the S9 + can zoom without the distortion you expect from a digital zoom.

With the second lens of the S9 +, you can create portraits with bokeh effect, in which the subject of a photo stands out against a blurry background. And with Live Focus, you can adjust the blur before taking a picture in the background of a photo and then set a feature that the owners of Note 8 will enjoy.

Get the Galaxy S9 for a more compact cell phone: The 18: 9 aspect ratio on both Galaxy models makes it easier to hold with one hand than yesterday's Phablets. But you can not avoid a phone with a smaller screen taking up less real estate. If you've seen ever larger devices wondering how to charge this whole phone, you might like the S9, which retains a relatively compact shape without sacrificing too much screen.

Get the Galaxy S9 + Power for More Power: Galaxy S9 + S9 and are probably the best power devices with Android on the block, at least until more phones get the Snapdragon 845. But the S9 + processor has a little more under the hood in the form of its 6GB of RAM. This should give some stimulus to S9 + over S9, especially when switching applications.

Get the Galaxy S9, if you do not want to pay a higher price: Samsung requires 720 for an unlocked S9 and 840 for an unlocked S9 +. While these prices are lower than those of the S8 and S8 + models, the price difference between standard models and larger models has risen to $ 120. If you want to record this difference, the S9 is the phone to get. And the exchange could help you save even more because Samsung promises you up to $ 350 discount if you have a legitimate phone.

Get the Galaxy S9 + for longer battery life: Look, the Galaxy S9 and the S9 + are full-length phones. They have batteries the same size as the S8 and S8 +, and these two phones lasted 10:39 and 11:04, respectively, in our Tom Guide battery test. The new models should work even better in our web browsing test, thanks to the Snapdragon 845 mobile processor and its power management features.

But a bigger battery means more charge, even with this larger screen to keep it. Since the S8 + in our battery test exceeded the S8 in 25 minutes, we expect the S9 + to outperform the S9 as soon as we have the opportunity to test both phones. If you want a rugged phone, the S9 + is the best option.