Going by its initial looks, the Samsung Galaxy S9 has a lot to offer. For one, the Snapdragon 845 offers 25% boost in performance and the inclusion of the dual aperture camera, changes the photography game for smartphones. However, are these features enough to make a purchase? Every phone comes with its share of pros and cons and the Galaxy S9 is no different. Here, we’ve listed down a few reasons why you should (or shouldn’t) buy the Samsung Galaxy S9.
Samsung Galaxy S9 Pros
1. That Awesome Display
The display is one of the major strength of Samsung phones, and when it comes to flagship phones they certainly push all the way ahead. The Galaxy S9 sports a gorgeous 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display. It’s everything you’d want in a display — it’s bright, sharp and vivid. Additionally, this display is accentuated by the bezel-less edge-to-edge Infinity display. In fact, this year’s flagships have even slimmer bezels than its predecessor. What’s more, unlike the recent Android phones that have been following the notch trend, thankfully the Galaxy S9 has retained its front design.
2. The Game-changing Dual Aperture Mode
The Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ is the first smartphone to sport a camera with dual aperture. This mechanical aperture is capable of switching between f/1.7 and f/2.4 automatically, thus helpc capturing clearer and better pictures irrespective of the light conditions. Other than that, the Galaxy S9+ boasts of a dual camera setup with a combination of Telephoto lens and a Wide-angle lens. This combination lets you capture admirable shots in the Bokeh Mode.
3. Dual Stereo Speakers + Dolby Atmos
With the acquisition of Harman in 2017, Samsung has steadily worked with the audio giant to enhance the sound experience. The Galaxy S9 sports a cool dual stereo system, where the earpiece acts as the secondary speaker. What’s more, the duo of these speakers is tuned by AKG. Plus, the inclusion of Dolby Atmos results in a theatre-like audio experience. Thanks to Bluetooth 5.0, you can play sound on two devices (via Bluetooth, of course) simultaneously.
4. Intelligent Scan Unlock
On the security front, the Galaxy S9 comes with the Intelligent Scan Unlock method. This is essentially is a combination of the Iris Unlock and the Face Unlock methods. This feature automatically determines the optimal mode of authentication. The first priority is given to the Iris Unlock. However, if the phone can’t scan your Irises, it’ll try to unlock the phone through the second method. This results in a faster authentication process. To add to it, the phone is backed by a number of authentication methods like fingerprint, pattern, password also.
5. The Advantage of Expandable storage
The Galaxy S9 lets you expand the memory to up to 400GB via a microSD card. Since the 256GB variant is significantly costlier than the 64GB, this move is more than welcome. What’s more, the S9 series has retained the 3.5mm headphone jack. Coupled with the AKG earphones, it’d is a treat for the audiophiles. Similar to its older cousins, the Samsung Galaxy S9 is IP68 certified meaning that the phone is both dust and water resistant.
Samsung Galaxy S9 Cons
1. Bloatware — Both Hardware and Software.
Compared to its peers, Bixby isn’t a capable voice assistant. The assistant, which isn’t a year old, still requires a lot of work. Also, the different implementations in the form of as Bixby Voice, Vision, and Home ends up confusing the user furthermore. To add to it, the phone has a dedicated Bixby key on the left edge. Unless you’re a regular user of Bixby, this key is more or less a structural bloatware. There’s a horde of pre-installed apps. Not only does it have a copy of Google’s apps (app store, mail, and calendar) but it also has a slew of apps like Samsung Health, Connect, which ends up cluttering your phone. It’s well and good if you can use these apps to your advantage, however, it’s seldom the case. As they say, that’s the price that comes with buying a Samsung phone.
2. Battery Life — Same Ol’ Spec
The battery is one area, where Samsung has played safe in recent years, especially after the Galaxy Note 7 debacle. Unlike last year’s flagships, the Galaxy S9 is still powered by a 3,000mAh battery unit. Though the Snapdragon 845 is expected to increase the battery life, however, it remains to be seen how much difference does it actually bring to the Galaxy S9. If you recollect, the battery life on the Galaxy S8 and the Note8 were below average. Both the phones required at least two charges to make it through the day. On the bright side, the phone is capable of fast charge via a USB Type-C port. Plus, you can also invest in a wireless charger, to juice it up without hassles.
3. Half-baked AR Emoji
Yes, Samsung’s attempt at AR Emojis is commendable, however, they are nowhere near Apple’s Animojis. The AR Emoji is basically a set of 18 animated GIF stickers that you can use for your chats and messages. A little resemblance would have been great. What say?
4. The Absence of a Dual Camera Setup
Last but not the least, the Samsung Galaxy S9 doesn’t come with a dual camera setup.
Yay or Nay
The Samsung Galaxy S9 is a complete package and offers a slew of features and options. With a brand new processor, a great camera, Bluetooth 5.0, and a equally-great sound system, the Galaxy S9 is truly the perfect flagship. Plus, not to forget the incredible bezel-less edge-to-edge Infinity display. Though it’s a tad hard to find shortcomings in this phone, it’s not without its share of faults. For one, the new Intelligent Scan Unlock prefers ease over security. Secondly, both Bixby and AR Emoji requires a lot of work, before they can be considered perfect or even near-perfect. Not to mention, the glass back also means that it’s a magnet for fingerprints and smudges. Nevertheless, the decision is ultimately yours as to which of these points matter most to you, and eventually, whether you’d want to buy the Samsung Galaxy S9 or not. What are your thoughts on the new flagship? Do let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
