Samsung Galaxy S9 review: Plans | Pricing | Specs

How well does the smallest member of the Galaxy S9 family really compare?

During Samsung's launch at Mobile World Congress 2018 for its Samsung Galaxy S9 and Samsung Galaxy S9+, I was able to spend some time assessing the new handsets.

That's nowhere near enough time for a full review, which will come through shortly, but certainly enough time to get a feel for where Samsung is going with its new premium flagships. While the Galaxy S9+ will get most of the attention thanks to its dual camera system, does that leave the Galaxy S9 as the less attractive option?

Early upsides

• Camera looks to be a strong contender in the premium space.
• Android Oreo provides plenty of new features and performance improvements.

• Read more on the upsides of the Samsung Galaxy S9

  

  Camera app works well: Yes, you don't get the same dual camera approach of the Galaxy S9+ but you do get features such as Super Slow-mo and the AR Emojis if that entices you. Where the S8's camera was essentially identical to that found on the S7, my brief testing time with the S9's camera suggests that, for a single-lens camera, it's still pretty decent.

  Oreo onboard: Samsung fans with a Galaxy S8 have (mostly) been waiting for Oreo, but if you pick up an S9, it's part of the standard package. Hopefully Samsung will fast-track Android P to its 2018 flagships a little faster than it's been shuffling Android O onto its 2017 equivalents.

  I can find the fingerprint sensor! The single best way I could work out finding the sensor on the Galaxy S8 was to put a case on it so that the ridge around the sensor was easy to spot without looking. No need with the S9 because it's both lower down the phone and nicely ridged.

  Cool colour options: Yes, basic black does go with everything but if you're more outgoing, the new lilac option is very attractive – and I say that as someone who typically doesn't even like "out there" designs!

  Good performance: The Exynos-based Galaxy S9, which is the variant we get in Australia compares well against the hyper-competitive pack of premium 2018 smartphones. Here's how it compares using Geekbench 4's CPU test:

  And here's how it stacks up using 3DMark's Slingshot Extreme test:

  The Galaxy S9 may be the smaller sibling of the Galaxy S9+, but it matches it essentially identically in app performance, which means you're getting one of 2018's best performing phones if you buy one.

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Early downsides

• A little too similar to the Galaxy S8.
• The Galaxy S9+ represents better value for money.

• Read more on the downsides of the Samsung Galaxy S9

  

  Will AR Emojis wear out their welcome? It's not hard to look at Samsung's new AR Emoji and figure that it's "doing an Apple" by copying Animoji. Your mileage may vary on that score, but while the process of creating an AR emoji is simple enough, they're still pretty gimmicky and I do wonder whether they'll just be a sales gimmick rather than something worth getting excited about.

  Bixby button is still a thing: Samsung wants you to love Bixby. It seems to need you to love Bixby and that means that the S9, like the S8 before it, features the side-mounted Bixby button that most folks disliked a lot.

  Looks just like the S8: Yes, there's only so much you can do with a glass and metal slab but if you were hoping for a new look for Samsung's premium smartphone ranges, maybe 2018 isn't the year for you to update.

  The S9+ is better: The S9 is a little less expensive than the S9+, but you're still very much in premium price territory here. As such, if you were going to drop north of $1,000 on one, why not go the whole hog and get the truly premium model?

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Early verdict

• An incremental improvement on the Galaxy S8 that doesn't reinvent the wheel.

• Read our full Samsung Galaxy S9 verdict

  
  The Galaxy S9 is a perfectly fine phone that looks to fix many of the niggling complaints that surrounded the Galaxy S8, while also increasing performance and camera quality.

  That's a fine improvement, although it is rather hard not to think that the Galaxy S9+ might be the smarter buy, especially if you're purchasing outright.

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Pricing and availability

Samsung Galaxy S9

The Galaxy line continues to evolve

A faster processor and a new operating system makes the Samsung Galaxy S9 a worthy successor to the S8. Available for purchase right now!

Buy Now

• Samsung sells the Galaxy S9 outright for $1199 with 64GB of onboard storage, but you can find it cheaper by comparing prices on the Samsung Galaxy S9 from Australian retailers.
• Contract options are also available from Telstra, Vodafone and Optus.