Best answer: The Galaxy S9 is still fine a phone, and holds its own in 2020 thanks to its solid specs, great screen, and updated software that mostly matches the Galaxy S20. That makes it worth a look if you want Samsung on a budget.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 / S9+ is rated IP68, using the Ingress Protection rating system. The dust rating is 6 (highest level of protection), and the water resistance rating is 8 (water-resistant up to 5 feet for up to 30 minutes).
The best camera phones available now
- Huawei Mate 40 Pro. An insanely good photography experience.
- iPhone 12 Pro Max. The best smartphone camera for most people.
- iPhone 12 & iPhone 12 mini.
- Huawei P40 Pro.
- Google Pixel 5.
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G.
- Oppo Find X2 Pro.
- Samsung Galaxy S20 (& Plus)
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
While the Galaxy S8 also features 4GB of RAM, the S9's new processor makes it much faster than its predecessor. If you want plenty of power and speed above everything else, then opt for the new Galaxy S9. However, if you'd rather have slightly longer between charges, then the S8 is the better choice.
The current going rate for a used Samsung Galaxy S9 64GB is between £40.50 and £171.00.
It has dual 12-megapixel cameras, much like the Galaxy Note 8 last year. One has 2x zoom and one has 1x, both have optical image stabilization. The S9 has a single 12-megapixel camera. It's a shame that while the S9 has most of the same camera advantages as the S9 Plus, it doesn't have the dual camera.
Main Camera
- Picture Size: Leave this on 4:3 (12 MP) to get the highest resolution possible for photos.
- Video Size: Set this to UHD (60 fps) for maximum quality and frame rate.
- Timer: Leave this set to Off.
- HDR (Rich Tone): Leave this set to Auto for best results.
- Tracking AF: Leave this set to Off.
Zoom. Tap the Zoom icon then move the slider left or right to zoom in or out.
Here's how to set image resolution in the stock Android Camera app:
- Display the Camera app's shooting modes.
- Touch the Settings icon.
- Choose Resolution & Quality.
- Choose a mode and a camera.
- Choose a resolution or video quality setting from the list.
How to take images with the Dual capture feature in Galaxy S9|S9+? Dual capture feature allows you to take a Live focus photo zoomed in on the subject and a photo with a wide angle background, all in one shot.
The Galaxy S9/S9+ is the only smartphone camera on the market that can turn you into an avatar. Samsung uses a data-based machine learning algorithm that analyses a 2D image of the user and maps out more than 100 facial features to create a 3D model of yourself.
Follow these steps to take a selfie with your Samsung Galaxy S9:
- Press the camera icon on the lock screen or home page. This step brings up the camera app.
- Tap the front facing camera icon.
- Smile and tap the screen.
Here is our list of some of the best Android camera apps.
- Google Camera Port (Top Choice) Arguably the best feature of the Pixel phones is the stellar cameras.
- A Better Camera. With a name like “A Better Camera,” you expect some good features.
- Camera FV-5.
- Camera MX.
- DSLR Camera Pro.
- Footej Camera.
- Manual Camera.
- ProShot.
As per the report, Samsung India Electronics told the government in a letter that if import duties are levied on display panels, the cost of manufacturing will go up and we will have to stop the manufacturing of Samsung flagship products (Note 9 and S9) in India.
Samsung camera has some top functions like wide-angle mode, low light-HDR, and a scene optimizer which adjusts camera settings to get the ideal shot depending on the subject. However, iPhone has slightly better camera features, for example, live photos. iPhone camera also seems more ideal for third-party app capturing.
December 11, 2019: Samsung is rolling out Android 10 beta updates to the Galaxy S9, S9 Plus, and Note 9 in the US, according to SamMobile. December 23, 2019: The unlocked versions of the Galaxy S10 phones in the US are now receiving the stable Android 10 update.
So all official evidence points towards the devices not receiving Android 11, which is something we expected since the beginning. But in a recent report, a Samsung support rep. claimed that the company is indeed working on One UI 3.0 for the S9 duo.
Wireless Charging is supported on Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra, Z Flip, Note10, Note10+, S10e, S10, S10+, Note9, S9, S9+, Note8, S8, S8+, S7, S7 edge, Note5, S6 edge+, S6 edge, and S6. Discover more about Galaxy for yourself. *Wireless charger sold separately.
If you want the best phone in the series, the Galaxy S20 Ultra (launch price: $1,399 in the US) is for you. It comes with the largest display at 6.9-inches, the biggest battery at 5,000mAh, and the best camera setup with a primary 108MP sensor.
The best Samsung phones you can buy right now
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The best Samsung phone you can buy.
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus. Another big-screen option.
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20. A great flagship phone for less than $1,000.
- Samsung Galaxy S20 FE.
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2.
- Samsung Galaxy A71 5G.
We didn't expect that to change with Samsung's new Galaxy S9. It uses the same Gorilla Glass 5 material as the previous Galaxy S8, and the Galaxy Note 8 both on the front and back of the phone, and it has the same curved edges on either side.
The S9 and S9+ aren't exactly the same; the most obvious difference is their display size. The S9's display is 5.8 inches, while the S9+ display is 6.2 inches. Additionally, the S9 will give you 4GB of RAM, whereas the S9+ has 6GB of RAM. However, what really makes the S9+ stand out is its camera.
Surprisingly, while the Galaxy S9's primary rear camera is omitted, Samsung does say the front-facing camera on both the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus has a Portrait Mode stand-in called 'Selfie Focus'.
When you have the camera app on your Samsung Galaxy S9 open, you can tap the icon to launch Bixby Vision. Bixby Vision can then tell you information about what the camera is pointed at: If it's an object, Bixby Vision can tell you what the object is and how much you can buy it for online.
