Samsung Galaxy S9 review: are there big disadvantages in the absence of a plus?

We were all expecting the release of the Samsung Galaxy S9 smartphone, and now its review is already on our website, but has the gadget changed that much and is it worth switching to it if you have a Galaxy S8 or Note 8? The first thing that attracts attention is the innovative camera - the first on the mobile market with the ability to adjust the aperture ratio. Thanks to this feature, the smartphone takes good pictures both day and night, selecting the optimal parameters depending on the shooting conditions. Performance has also increased, for which the manufacturer used its new processor. In general, a lot of changes have been made, but they are not so significant compared to last year’s flagship. Let's review the Samsung Galaxy S9 and see how the main flagship of 2020 turns out.

Specifications:

• SIM card: 2 SIM cards / Nano-SIM
• Body: metal and 3D glass
• Water and dust protection: IP68 standard
• Operating system: Android 8.0 Oreo
• Processor: 8-core 2.9 GHz / Samsung Exynos 9810
• Video processor: Mali-G71 MP20
• Screen: 5.8″ diagonal / Super AMOLED / resolution 2960 x 1440 pixels / Gorilla Glass 5 / 570 pixels per inch display
• Battery: 3000 mAh capacity / non-removable / fast charging function / wireless charging support
• Main camera: 12 MP/ two-color LED flash/ 8X digital zoom/ autofocus/ camera aperture variable F/1.5 - F/2.4
• Front camera: 8 MP/FullHD video recording
• Video camera: 4K video recording with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels
• Built-in memory: 64 GB
• RAM: 4 GB
• Memory card: MicroSD up to 256 GB
• 3G support: yes
• 4G LTE support: yes
• Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
• Wi-Fi Direct: Supports
• Wi-Fi hotspot: supports
• Bluetooth: version 5.0 LE
• NFC: supports
• USB: USB Type C
• 3.5mm headphone jack: yes
• Navigation: GPS/ A-GPS/ GLONASS
• Fingerprint scanner: yes
• Iris scanner: yes

How is the Samsung Galaxy S9 different from the S8?

Previously, S series phones were very different from each other. Yes, the appearance did not change much, but in terms of technical characteristics, the changes were clearly noticeable and served as a good reason to change the smartphone to a new one. In the case of the Galaxy S9, it is not so easy to find the differences, but they are there.

Let's start with the design:

• The side frame has become matte, which improves the practicality of the device. It will collect less fingerprints and dirt;
• The location of the fingerprint sensor has been changed. Now it is from below and the finger fits exactly on it, and does not touch the camera, as it was before;
• The volume rocker and the call button for the Bixby virtual assistant have moved a little higher, making them easier to use.

Galaxy S9 display

• The black color has become even deeper and now, with the Always-On function active, the frames are not noticeable at all, they merge with the black color of the display itself;
• Samsung Galaxy S9 review in Russian showed that the increased sensitivity mode has been returned. This will be appreciated by residents of cold regions, where they often have to operate the phone with gloves.

Interface

• In the Samsung Galaxy S9, you can create a copy of the application and log into it under a different account (as is implemented in MIUI);
• Landscape shell orientation is supported;
• When setting up your phone for the first time, you can discard most of the pre-installed programs, freeing up space and getting rid of unnecessary stuff;
• “Selfiemoji” appeared in the standard keyboard, as well as an original catalog of animations.

Iron

• A new processor of our own design, built using a 10-NM process technology;
• Now uses stereo speakers that support Dolby Atmos technology;
• A new way to identify a user is smart scanning.

What's changed in the Galaxy S9 camera?

• For the first time on the mobile market, variable aperture (f/1.5 and f/2.4) appeared;
• Slow motion mode with 960 FPS, something only Sony smartphones were famous for in the past.

With aperture F/2.4

With aperture F/1.5

These are the main changes, now let's take a full review of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and take a closer look.

What's new in Samsung Galaxy S9?

Samsung Galaxy S9 became the main character of the MWC 2020 exhibition. After Samsung showed an improved version of last year's flagship, the revolution did not happen. Long before the announcement, we saw so many leaks that all the intrigue was lost. We learned about the design, characteristics and price.

But this doesn’t make the phone any worse. We'll thoroughly test the smartphone later and write a review, but for now here are our thoughts on the new Galaxy S9.

Old design, but easier to use

True geeks on the Internet will immediately name the 10 main differences between the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S8. The average buyer does things differently. He enters the store, takes the new phone in his hand, and tries to understand how it differs from the old one. Screen? Same. Frame? In general, it has not changed, although the phone has become a little larger, more grippy, and more convenient. This is already good.

Samsung has improved the ergonomics; only the lazy would criticize it for the location of the fingerprint scanner. But to the point! I kept putting my finger in the wrong place, blindly confusing the sensor pad with the lens. Now, it seems like it will get better, but again, you need to walk around and try how this works in practice.

So, okay, what other changes? The protection from water remains, the 3.5 mm connector is retained, all this was there before. But AKG stereo speakers appeared here for the first time, very good!

Featured camera

From the photo, the Samsung S8 was good, but its ancestor, the Galaxy S7, was also cool. Essentially, the camera from the S7 moved to the S8, but the S9 finally introduced a new technology, a variable aperture camera. For what? To take beautiful photos in poor lighting, so as not to worry about the shot being ruined at night.

True, only S9+ buyers will be able to enjoy the bells and whistles, but the younger version of the S9 does not have such a feature, which is a pity. Well, not everyone wants a phone with a very large screen! But if you buy the S9+, then portrait mode works and you can shoot super-smooth video. Well, spend more money on marketing!

More power

The battery capacity has not changed, still the same 3,000 mAh. I think that the operating time results will remain the same.

Of course, the hardware has become even more powerful, the top-end Exynos and the new Qualcomm work wonders in benchmarks. Another thing is that in practice, putting the S8 and S9 next to each other, it’s difficult to feel the difference in operating speed; smartphones are fast. Although the S9 has 4 GB of RAM, just like inexpensive Chinese phones for $200. They were greedy, but in vain, it would have been better to put 6 in at once, as in the older S9+.

Software bells and whistles

Last year, some publications even called the Bixby voice assistant the failure of the year, hinting at its backwardness compared to its analogues from Google and Apple. Honestly, I didn’t use Bixby when I was using Note 8, I just turned it off and that’s it, so I won’t criticize or praise it. Improved Bixby has appeared in the new generation of Samsung smartphones; let’s try to figure out why it’s so good and what it can do.

Other bells and whistles include Animoji, or more precisely, selfimoji. Samsung copied the idea of ​​animated faces from Apple and is putting it's own spin on it.

Judging by those familiar with the iPhone X, people use the fun function, but not very actively. In the case of Samsung, this fun looks a little strange; judging by the examples, the camera copies faces in a very abstract way. So there is a strong suspicion that after the purchase and the first two hours of getting to know the smartphone, they will forget about it.

Bring your money

The new Galaxy S9 will be an expensive toy, the example of the Apple iPhone X turned out to be infectious. If Apple raises the price, then why is Samsung worse? Apparently, this is what Samsung marketers thought when they discussed what price tag to put on it. To be fair, it should be said that in official retail the Galaxy S9 is significantly cheaper than the iPhone X. But in terms of characteristics, it is simpler, it is more correct to compare the iPhone X with the Galaxy S9+, and the difference between them is not so high. For objectivity, I will take prices from “white” retail.

Apple iPhone X 64 GB costs 79,990 rubles.

Samsung Galaxy S9 - 59,990 rubles, S9+ with 64 GB costs 66,990, and the version with 256 GB of memory costs 74,990 rubles.

For comparison, now the Galaxy S8 can be bought for 46,990 rubles in the same official retail, the S8+ costs 49,990 rubles.

Why pay more

As usual, the smartphone has become even more powerful, the camera has been improved, stereo speakers have been added, and the ergonomics have been rethought. Samsung fans grumble, how can this be, almost everything looks the same, and now at a higher price, why spend more money?! And I can answer it only after getting to know the device closely, when you’ve been using it for a month or two, get a feel for the smartphone and understand its essence.

It’s not for me to explain to you that the race for bells and whistles has reached a dead end. Flagships 2-3 years old still remain relevant, without losing much in terms of characteristics to new devices. Switching from a Galaxy S8 or even an S7 to an S9 will be a bit boring.

But how many people still walk around with a Galaxy S4 or S6! Now there will be a reason to look towards new products. Another thing is that comparing the characteristics and prices, the Galaxy S8+ looks like a much better buy at the beginning of 2018 than the S9. But if you wait a few months, then prices, as usually happens, will go down.

In addition, in Russia, Android smartphones for 50-60 thousand rubles are bought much less often than iPhones of assorted colors at the same price. So we are waiting for new price wars between networks.

PS Great prices for Samsung smartphones from our friends at the friendliest gadget store Biggeek.ru! According to the Apple promotional code, iPhone X 64 GB costs 79,990 rubles. special offer for you!

Equipment Samsung Galaxy S9

Over the past few years, the manufacturer has been in no hurry to change the packaging design of its flagships. This is a black cardboard box with a strict design and without any frills. The Samsung Galaxy S9 package remains unchanged, including a paper clip, documentation in a separate envelope, a high-quality headset from AKG, a network adapter (with fast charging, of course), a USB Type-A to USB-C cable, an adapter from USB-C to microUSB, as well as an OTG adapter.

Samsung Galaxy S9 review: are there big disadvantages in the absence of a plus?

Table of contents

• Introduction
• Specifications
• Packaging and equipment
• Appearance and design
• Display
• Hardware platform and performance
• Software and firmware
• Multimedia
• Wireless Interfaces and Communications
• File system
• Battery life
• Camera
• Comparison with competitors
• Conclusion
• Additional photo examples

Introduction

Samsung smartphones do not appear on the pages of the laboratory as often as we would like, but we try not to miss flagships.
Last time it was the Samsung Galaxy S8+ in an unusual configuration, and it turned out to be quite nice. The new products shown at Galaxy Unpacked 2020 had been looming on the horizon for a long time, but no one could imagine what the manufacturer would invent this time. As it turned out, the ninth generation of the Galaxy turned out to be more of a facelift than a completely new model. Buyers became so confused that the manufacturer even had to explain what exactly had been improved compared to its predecessors.

The main focus of the presentation was on the camera, and even before the live broadcast, users began to express their conjectures that since we are talking about the camera, they will probably insert two photo modules, like some competitors.

But, alas, only the Samsung Galaxy S9+ got two photo modules, while the compact model is content with one. What then are the differences from its predecessor? Let's try to figure it out.

announcements and advertising

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RTX 2060 becomes cheaper before the arrival of 3xxx

Ryzen 4000

series included in computers already in Citylink

The price of MSI RTX 2070 has collapsed after the announcement of RTX 3xxx

Core i9 10 series is half the price of the same 9 series

The price of memory has been halved in Regard - it’s more expensive everywhere

Specifications Samsung Galaxy S9

*Modified architecture based on ARM technologies.
**“Gray” deliveries / official retail. As you can see, the Samsung Galaxy S9 is more of a logical continuation than something radically new. The dimensions and weight remained the same, although it is not clear why the new product became heavier, thicker and wider. We can assume that this is due to the thicker metal, but we cannot be sure.

The battery capacity remained the same, but “under the hood” a logical successor to the Exynos series of single-chip systems appeared. We have just such a version on test, and it is even more interesting, since in some benchmarks it shows a significant gap from its brother. We'll check it out a little later.

Among the obvious shortcomings, it is worth noting the small amount of RAM - 4 GB. Already last year, manufacturers began offering models with up to 8 GB. It's strange why the 6 GB version is only available for the Samsung Galaxy S9+.

Packaging and equipment Samsung Galaxy S9

The smartphone comes in a simple small box.

The key features of the model are listed on the reverse side.

The box design is very similar to those that Samsung has used in its other flagships.

The scope of delivery is pleasing to the eye:

• Charger;
• USB -> USB Type-C adapter;
• Adapter MicroUSB -> USB Type C;
• Stereo headset with replaceable ear pads;
• Cable;
• Documentation.

It's nice to see a stereo headset included in the package; this doesn't happen very often lately.

Samsung claims that it was tuned by specialists from AKG. It sounds very good for a complete accessory, and it fits comfortably.

The vertical charger supports the Adaptive Fast Charging system.

Supports charging current up to 2 A/1.67 A at 5 V or 9 V.

Samsung Galaxy S9 design

If you don’t delve into the details, it will be difficult to distinguish the new product from last year’s Galaxy S8. The only thing that immediately catches your eye is the location of the fingerprint scanner. It moved downwards, making it easier to use. Although at first, out of habit, you can still touch the camera lens. The dimensions of the case have changed, albeit slightly, and therefore cases from the S8 cannot be used.

The monolithic body is covered with Gorilla Glass 5 on each side, and the side frame is made of metal with a matte effect. This design still remains relevant and looks very attractive. This time, the manufacturer has revised its approach to case color options - instead of the usual golden hue, we are offered lilac and blue, as well as more classic black and silver.

The review of the Samsung Galaxy S9 smartphone confirms that, to the delight of fans, it retained the 3.5 mm audio jack, which many were worried about until the release of the new product. It is located below next to the main speaker, microphone and USB Type-C 3.1.

The keys are located in their usual places, nothing has changed in this regard. The right side of the case is occupied by the power button.

On the left is the volume rocker and the Bixby virtual assistant button.

Navigation keys are built into the display and their functionality can be customized in the parameters. Of course, we couldn’t do without a well-thought-out gesture control system, which increases the comfort of working with the Galaxy S9 phone.

Above the display there is an event light indicator, a conversational speaker, a front camera, an Iris sensor required for face unlocking, as well as standard light and proximity sensors.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 64gb review informs you that the case is also waterproof according to the IP68 standard, which means it will survive immersion under the surface of water without any consequences.

At the back there is a single main camera module (in the case of the Galaxy S9 Plus it is double). A bright flash is located to the right of it, and under the camera block there is a fingerprint scanner, for which the previous model was so criticized. They didn’t forget about the corporate logo, located closer to the center.

In terms of ergonomics, the Samsung Galaxy S9 smartphone is close to ideal, there is no reason to criticize it. With each new model, the manufacturer improved the shape of the case and brought it to the ideal. The monolithic body with rounded edges fits well in the hand, and the curved edges of the screen give the impression of framelessness. At the same time, they do not lead to accidental clicks and do not cause any inconvenience. Another important change was the fingerprint sensor, which all the fans asked to move down and it finally happened. We can say that the work on the bugs was successful. Obviously, the company has not yet succeeded in integrating it into the display. Most likely, a similar solution awaits us in the next flagship.

Design and ergonomics

Anyone who is not familiar with the predecessor of the Samsung Galaxy S 9 will fall in love with the device not with the mind, but with the heart. Smart really has a unique appearance. There are thin horizontal stripes that slightly cover the working area of ​​the display. The rounded edges of the screen are noteworthy. The huge working display area with almost invisible side frames looks great.

Reviewing the Samsung Galaxy S9 in terms of the location of controls and connection interfaces, one cannot help but note the expected positions of each of them. At the same time, the company has significantly improved the ergonomics of the device, moving individual elements to more convenient points. The following elements are located on the edges of the phone.

1. On the right is a lone power control button.
2. At the top left is a double volume rocker. Below is a button to call the software assistant. It is worth noting that it has moved downwards and has become more comfortable to be located and pressed.
3. Below is the greatest joy for average users. The company has retained the usual 5 minijack for wired headsets and headphones, without following the lead of the market. There is also a USB Type C charging and data exchange interface, a main speaker grille, and a speaking microphone hole.
4. At the top is a slot for installing SIM cards, combined, SD supported.

On the top line of the front panel there is a speaker, perfectly disguised by a black grille. There is also a front camera peephole, proximity sensors, and light sensors (also serves as an RGB colorimeter). An IRIS scanner with its own IR illumination, with the help of which the Samsung Galaxy S9 phone performs identification by face and pupil, is also located on the top line of the front panel.

The bottom line is completely empty. There are no navigation buttons or a fingerprint scanner. These controls have become on-screen, since the Galaxy S9 has an impressive display area. Slight differences in appearance are observed on the back cover. The position of the camera and the double unit of LED flash and heartbeat detector has remained virtually unchanged. But the fingerprint sensor has become smaller and moved directly under the optics.

Other cosmetic changes in the design are not so noticeable. For example, the metal frame of the case has become matte. This step made it possible to achieve even less visibility of the side frames of the display. The characteristics of the oleophobic coating on the back cover have also improved. In the Galaxy S9, both sides resist fingerprints equally well and are cleanable.

On a note! The Samsung Galaxy S9 smartphone somewhat disappointed those consumers who were planning to buy a device to replace the previous model. With the same body dimensions, the cases from the C8 do not fit the new product. However, these little things cannot stop a true fan of Samsung flagships.

Another change in the colors of the case. The company decided to abandon the pop gold color in favor of fashionable and stylish colors. The Galaxy S9 smartphone can be purchased in blue, lilac, black and silver.

Separately, it is worth noting that for its new flagship, the Samsung corporation decided to specify the parameters of resistance to water and dust. The device meets the IP68 standard and operates without any time limit under continuous flow of water, but operation is not guaranteed if the device is at a depth of 1 meter for more than 30 minutes.

Display Samsung Galaxy S9

For the first time in a long time, the manufacturer released its main flagship without any major changes to the screen. The same AMOLED matrix with a high resolution of 2960x1440 pixels and a 5.8-inch diagonal is used. This approach has its advantages, because we get a high pixel density per inch of 570 ppi. As a result, the image looks sharp even with such a large diagonal. But as you know, such a resolution also has its drawbacks, which include a decrease in autonomy and performance. The screen occupies 88% of the front panel area - not a record, but close to it.

To avoid this, you can set a lower resolution in the settings - a simple and effective way to solve the problem. The rest of the goodies inherent to the Galaxy S8 display have also been preserved - a blue filter, support for HDR10 and Always-On functions, as well as automatic color adjustment.

While conducting a review of the Samsung Galaxy S9, I noticed that the manufacturer has so far hit the ceiling, because there is simply nothing to improve in the display. The image quality and color rendition have been at the highest level for the last few years; there is no need for such a high resolution. It is only useful for working with virtual reality helmets; in other cases it is better to set it to FullHD+. By the way, it was installed initially.

The viewing angles and brightness margin are excellent, and it’s a pleasure to work with the screen under any conditions. Compared to the previous flagship, the black became a little deeper, this is the only change that I was able to notice. Otherwise, the displays are identical, except for the fact that the high sensitivity mode has returned.

Smartphone Samsung Galaxy S9 64Gb Titan - Specifications

Samsung Galaxy S9 is a smartphone with a 5.8-inch diagonal edge-to-edge screen that blends smoothly into a thin body. Premium materials - Gorilla Glass 5 and durable aluminum - are responsible for the durability and stylish appearance of the smartphone. Powerful cameras, multitasking, an improved fingerprint scanner and increased performance are just a few of the benefits of the Galaxy S9. WITH AN EASY HAND MOVEMENT In this model, the fingerprint scanner has migrated to a more convenient place: on the back panel. Just take your smartphone in your hand and your finger will be on the sensor almost intuitively. Thanks to the rounded edges of the display and thin body, the smartphone is comfortable to use with one hand.

CAMERA. RENEWED Photos taken with the Galaxy S9 will be clear and vibrant, even in low light, thanks to bright lenses, dual aperture and optical stabilization. The new ultra-fast Dual Pixel image sensor ensures instant focusing, reduces noise and allows the smartphone to shoot video at 960 frames per second. You can capture in great detail the fight on the race track, sports records or the flight of a hummingbird! Do you want to amuse your chat partner? Turn on Selfiemoji and an animated version of your face will appear on the screen.

FRAMELESS SCREEN The 18.5:9 aspect ratio is optimal for full-screen gaming, watching videos, surfing the Internet and working with documents. On such a limitless screen it is convenient to work in two applications at once, placing the windows next to each other: you can watch a live broadcast of a match or a new series, while simultaneously exchanging impressions with friends. You can create shortcuts for the apps you use most often -in pairs-, so you can open them at the same time. HDR and Super AMOLED technologies allow the display to display the entire color gamut even in bright sunlight. Immerse yourself in what's happening on the screen!

ABSORBING SOUND Stereo speakers from the famous company AKG produce rich, deep sound. Thanks to Dolby Atmos technology, you will experience excellent music quality and surround special effects both from speakers and headphones. Maximum volume increased by 1.4 times compared to the previous generation!

IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE With a powerful eight-core processor, 4 GB of RAM and a space-saving cooling system, the smartphone can easily cope with the latest games, multitasking and high-definition movies. If you don't have enough built-in memory, you can always expand it up to 400 GB using microSD cards.

SMART IDENTIFICATION Samsung Galaxy S9 can be unlocked using both an iris scanner and facial recognition. Depending on the lighting and the required level of security, the smartphone will determine which identification method is best. For example, in daylight, the facial recognition function is used, in the twilight, iris scanning is used, and if you need to pay for a purchase via Samsung Pay, both methods are used.

IN ANY CONDITIONS, the Galaxy S9 is protected from dust and water according to the IP68 standard - this means that it can easily survive a half-hour stay in fresh water at a depth of up to one and a half meters. Increased battery capacity and optimized power consumption will allow you to stay connected even longer.

Samsung Galaxy S9 performance and specifications

As before, two versions of the smartphone are going on sale - on its own Exynos 9810 Octa processor, which will officially be available in Russia and Europe, as well as on the flagship Snapdragon 845, intended for China and America. The Exynos 9810 was one of the manufacturer's first chips made using a 10nm process technology, which provides huge advantages in terms of heat dissipation and battery power consumption. Samsung Galaxy S9 technical specifications suggest the presence of 8 cores, 4 of which operate at a frequency of up to 2.7 GHz (high-performance) and the same number up to 1.5 GHz (energy efficient, used when performing everyday tasks to save battery). The Mali-G72 MP18 video accelerator is responsible for processing graphics in games. Undoubtedly, the result was a powerful combination that should perform well under any conditions, but nevertheless, no one could surpass the Snapdragon 845.

Galaxy S9 test in Antutu

Samsung Galaxy S9 technical specifications in terms of memory capacity have not changed at all. The buyer has to choose between 64, 128 or 256 GB of internal memory. In any case, the RAM will be 4 GB and, surprisingly, this is enough, although even inexpensive Chinese flagships will have more of it. By the way, it works quickly, because it is made according to the LPDDR4x standard. In the younger version, 51 GB of free space remains for use; if this is not enough, then to expand the volume you will have to sacrifice one SIM card. Instead, you can install a microSD card with a capacity of up to 400 GB.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 64gb smartphone review makes it clear that the performance reserve will be enough for at least the next few years. I conducted all tests at the maximum screen resolution, you can see the results below. All games run smoothly, even during dynamic scenes the load on the processor and graphics chip does not exceed 50%. In most top games, for example in Tanks, we see a stable 60 fps on maximum graphics, but in Injustice 2 the number of frames per second reaches 30. This is the maximum for today, this game is too demanding.

Galaxy S9 Specifications

• Screen: Galaxy S9: 5.8”, 2960 x 1440 pixels, Super AMOLED, 570 ppi, Always On, Gorilla Glass 5
• Camera: 12 MP, Dual Pixel, autofocus, flash, optical image stabilization, f/1.5/2.4, 4K 60 fps video recording
• Front camera: 8 MP, f/1.7
• Chipset: 8 cores (4 cores at 2.8 GHz and 4 cores at 1.7 GHz), 10 nm, 64 bit, Exynos 9810 | 8 cores (4 cores at 2.7 GHz and 4 cores at 1.7 GHz), 10 nm, 64 bit, Snapdragon 845 (in some regions)
• Graphics chip: Mali-G72 | Adreno 630
• RAM: 4GB LPDDR4X
• Internal memory: 64 GB (UFS 2.1)
• Memory card: microSD up to 400 GB
• GPS and GLONASS
• Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac), MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0 LE, NFC
• USB Type-C 3.1
• Two Nano-SIM slots
• Accelerometer, Geomagnetic Sensor, Gyroscope, RGB Ambient Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Barometer, Hall Sensor, Fingerprint Scanner, Iris Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor
• AKG stereo speakers
• 3.5mm jack
• Water and dust protection IP68
• Platform: Android 8.0 Oreo, Samsung Experience shell
• Battery: non-removable, 3000 mAh
• Dimensions: 147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5 mm
• Weight: 163 grams

New user identification method

When conducting a review of the Samsung G960 Galaxy S9, one cannot fail to mention a new method of user identification, which is based on smart scanning technology. Its key feature is the combination of facial and iris recognition, which provides fast and hassle-free access to the smartphone in difficult environments. Unlocking works quickly under any conditions, although there is a slight delay when compared with a fingerprint scanner. It takes about a second from the moment the user is recognized until the lock screen is removed. You can use the technology in conjunction with a fingerprint scanner, choosing which is more convenient at the moment. For example, if the smartphone is lying on its back, then it will be much faster and more convenient to unlock it by face.

Test two: clarity

The next category for comparison is the clarity of the images. Here we'll take a look at each camera's sharpness, and how well it holds up in poor lighting conditions. For S9+, the aperture value selected by the camera will be indicated.

Full size

Bigger

First of all, a qualifying shot of a brick wall. Zooming in reveals the sharpness of images taken on Galaxy phones, but "oversharpening" is a well-known signature feature of Samsung devices. It’s interesting that the photo from the iPhone is somewhat “softened” around the edges, but the Mate 10 captures the brick texture best of all.

Here I was surprised to see how blurry the letters on the steps behind the model were in the S9+ photo. Samsung says the aperture is narrowed down to f/2.4 specifically for sharpness, which in theory should be true. But at f/2.4, the camera should also keep more distant objects in focus. However, this is just not the case.

We see the same thing in the next photo: the hotel name should be much clearer than it turned out here, although the S9+ diligently reduced the aperture. This got me wondering: wouldn't f/1.5 be even softer?

Switching to manual mode on the S9 allows you to choose between two aperture settings yourself. Taking shot after shot, I didn't find any huge difference between sharpness at different apertures.

If Samsung's engineers designed the dual aperture to allow f/1.5 to help with low light shooting while allowing f/2.4 to be sharp in bright light, then I just don't see it.

In fact, I don't see any particular reason why Samsung developers couldn't just leave the camera with an f/1.5 aperture and leave it at that. All this bells and whistles around variable aperture simply don't translate to results in real-world testing.

So, back to the rest of the phones. In bright conditions, the Mate 10 takes the sharpest photos. Both Samsung phones show strange ghostly patterns around the cars here, which generally doesn't help with the clarity of the photo.

Even at dusk, the Mate 10 was sharpest in this shot of the building, and at such long distances the iPhone comes in second. Honestly, even the S8 is doing better here than the S9+.

Now we'll move into the darkest corner to test the camera's low-light performance, an area where Samsung always shines. This wide shot is impressively sharp on the S9+, just look at those spokes on the motorcycle wheel. The Mate 10 and iPhone are close behind, and even the S8 looks pretty good.

Now we move a little closer to the wall - what a surprise! The S8 completely beats the S9+. In fact, even Mate 10 and iPhone photos look sharper here than the S9+. So while Samsung phones can do wonders in low light, the S9+ is inconsistent, while the Mate 10 is fairly resilient to varying lighting conditions.

So, Huawei Mate 10 Pro wins the second round of our competition.

Sound

A review of the Samsung Galaxy S9 64 GB revealed positive changes in terms of sound. The stereo sound effect, for which the main speaker sounds paired with a conversational speaker, is pleasantly surprising. This creates a full-fledged stereo effect with support for Dolby Atmos technology. The speakers sound very loud, and just as importantly, the sound is clear. This makes listening to music with friends enjoyable. The included AKG EO-IG955 headphones, which the manufacturer is so proud of, are also pleasing. They sound great and will delight even music lovers.

Samsung Galaxy S9 review: “Camera. Created anew."

The main thing about the Samsung Galaxy S9 is the camera. It’s not for nothing that even the slogan for the ninth generation flagship phone from Samsung sounds like “The camera. Reimagined." (“Camera. Recreated.”). The company wants to inform you that it has worked seriously in this direction.

Why is such a big emphasis placed on this function? Perhaps because at first glance it is quite difficult to visually distinguish the new Galaxy S9 from its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S8.

Taking a look at the S9's specifications, you notice the same screen size (5.8 inches), resolution (QHD+) and aspect ratio (18.5:9) as last year's smartphone. In addition, the Samsung Galaxy S9 is equipped with a battery of the same capacity (3000 mAh), as well as RAM and internal memory (4 GB and 64 GB), supports a headphone jack and IP68 degree of protection against dust and moisture.

What's actually new about the Samsung Galaxy S9, you might ask? Well, there's Samsung's new Exynos 9810 chipset (if you're in the US, you'll get Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845), Google's latest software in the form of Android 8 Oreo, and the best part... a 12-megapixel variable aperture rear camera.

Release date and price

The Samsung Galaxy S9 release date is set for March 16th worldwide, although you can pre-order the phone now. It is worth noting that Samsung is running a special promotion - if you pre-order from February 25 to March 1, delivery or pickup is possible as early as March 8. If you pre-order on March 2, you will be able to receive a new smartphone on March 16.

The price of the standard Samsung Galaxy S9 model is 59,990 rubles, and the Galaxy S9+ model will cost 66,990 rubles.

Design and appearance

• Glass and metal. Very similar to S8.
• Better placement of the fingerprint scanner. Stereo speakers tuned by AKG.

As we said, the Samsung Galaxy S9 is very similar to its predecessor.

Upon closer inspection, you'll notice that the bezels above and below the display have been trimmed down a bit, reducing the overall height of the smartphone.

This means Samsung has added a few fractions of a millimeter to the width and thickness of the Galaxy S9 to accommodate all the internal components. The dimensions of the device are 147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5 mm, and the phone still fits very comfortably in the hand.

It's heavier than the S8 (168 grams versus 155 grams), but lighter than the iPhone X (174 grams).

Samsung made the screen darker when the device is turned off and hid the iris scanner hole in a narrow bezel above the display to minimize visual elements for a cleaner, more minimalist look.

On the right side of the phone, the only interruption of the metal frame is the Power/Lock key, and on the opposite side you'll find the volume above the Bixby button - yes, Samsung left the Assistant shortcut key.

The SIM/microSD tray is on the top. For audiophiles, Korean engineers left a mini-jack headphone jack on their flagship device.

This port is located next to a centrally located USB-C port and a speaker (one of two, the other being built into the opposite side of the phone).

The two speakers provide stereo sound, and they have been tuned by Austrian sound masters AKG Acoustics (the company is now owned by Samsung) to further improve the sound quality on the Galaxy S9. Dolby Atmos support is also included, providing 360-degree audio for a more immersive audio experience.

We listened to a few demo tracks during our hands-on time with the phone, and it really does sound great, with a relatively good spatial audio effect.

Samsung also claims that the Galaxy S9's speakers are one and a half times louder than those of the S8.

Another positive aspect of the design is the new location of the fingerprint scanner. It's no secret that many users weren't too happy with the scanner placement on the Galaxy S8, S8 Plus and Note 8 last year, and the good news is that the South Korean company has taken that feedback into account.

The sensor has now moved under the camera. This is a much more natural scanner position and is easily accessible with your index finger for quick release. In addition, the fingerprint registration process itself has been optimized.

If fingerprint scanning isn't your thing, the Galaxy S9 also offers facial and iris recognition. Instead of two separate biometrics, the face and eye scanners work in tandem to provide faster unlock times, and since the device uses an infrared (IR) camera, it will work even in the dark (think Face ID on the iPhone X).

Samsung Galaxy S9 will be available in three colors: Diamond Black, Titanium and Ultraviolet.

Screen

• 5.8-inch QHD+ Super AMOLED 18.5:9 Infinity Display
• Same as Galaxy S8

As for the display of the Samsung Galaxy S9, there are no surprises here - exactly the same screen is used in the S8.

This means you get Samsung's excellent 5.8-inch QHD+ "Infinity" Super AMOLED display, with the taller 18.5:9 aspect ratio that's increasingly becoming the norm on flagships after appearing on several phones last year. Still a great display for watching movies and gaming.

Rear camera

• World's first smartphone with f/1.5 lens aperture
• Camera that adapts to light like the pupil of an eye
• Super slow motion (960 fps)

The big innovation of the Samsung Galaxy S9 is the 12-megapixel camera located on the rear panel.

It features Samsung's Dual-aperture technology, which allows the camera to capture more or less light depending on the light level.

In conditions where light levels exceed 100 lux (roughly sunrise), the Galaxy S9's camera defaults to an aperture of f/2.4, reducing the amount of light entering the sensor to prevent images from being overexposed.

When light falls below 100 lux, the aperture expands to f/1.5, allowing the Galaxy S9 to capture 28% more light than the S8.

The difference is significant, and we witnessed just how good the S9's camera is in a demo that was compared to the excellent Google Pixel 2 XL smartphone camera.

The actual test used was the Galaxy S9+, but both Samsung smartphones use the same technology, so the results will also be the same.

As a result, the photo quality of the Galaxy S9+ was head and shoulders above that of the Pixel 2 XL. Google's smartphone wasn't even close to the S9+: Samsung captured images with more detail, greater clarity and less noise (30% less noise than the previous generation of Galaxy cameras, according to Samsung).

Of course, we'll be testing out the Galaxy S9's camera more during our in-depth review, but it's safe to say we're impressed with its potential.

However, this is not all the advantages of the new product. The rear camera can also record videos at 960fps.

Samsung has improved its slow-motion video capture technology, increasing the frame rate to 960fps to take on Sony phones like the Xperia XZ1 and XZ1 Compact.

960fps slow motion video is recorded at 720p (HD), while 240fps slo-mo can be captured at Full HD (1080p) resolution.

Thanks to its smart Motion Detection feature, this phone does all the work. All you have to do is point the camera at the area you want to capture. You don't even have to press the shutter button. Galaxy S9 will automatically start recording when it senses movement. This way you won't miss a fleeting, perfect moment.

See also The first photos of the Samsung Galaxy S9 smartphone, taken in low light conditions.

Bixby Vision

• Bixby assistant will translate and count calories in food
• Internet connection required for features to function

Another feature of the Samsung Galaxy S9 camera is Bixby Vision. The smart assistant was already present in the camera app on the Galaxy S8, but now it has gained more features.

One of the features of Bixby Vision is the live translation mode: point the camera at text in a foreign language, and the Galaxy S9 will automatically translate the words into your native language.

The demos showed us a feature that could handle a variety of font types and sizes, and although it took a bit of time to get the translation, it turned out to work well.

It's worth noting that you'll need an internet connection to use live translation, so if you're roaming abroad you'll need to keep an eye on your data usage.

And Bixby can tell you how many calories are in your food, although we weren't able to test this feature during our hands-on time with the phone, so we can't vouch for its accuracy. Stay tuned for our full review of the Samsung Galaxy S9, where we'll put this feature to the test.

Bixby Vision is also location aware and can suggest directions and provide information about points of interest that you point your smartphone camera at.

Selfiemoji

• Samsung's response to Apple Animoji is still damp
• Easy to save and use in third party applications

Another important feature of the Galaxy S9, again related to the camera, is the animated selfiemoji.

It's Samsung's answer to Animoji on the iPhone X. You take your selfie, and the Galaxy S9 creates a 3D animated character of you.

The level of "similarity" varies greatly, and you may question whether the character on screen is actually based on your appearance.

You can choose the hairstyle, glasses and clothing for your virtual doppelganger, although the options here are limited to 12 outfits and seven types of glasses. Selfiemoji will also be able to imitate your actions, since the Galaxy S9 is capable of tracking and displaying more than 100 facial movements. Note that lip movements or actor's surprise come out well, but the S9 cannot always recognize more subtle expressions.

You can save an image of your selfiemoji or record a video (with audio) of yourself talking/singing/shouting, and your avatar will repeat those actions. The animation is then saved as a GIF for easy use in any third-party social app or messenger.

Samsung Galaxy S9 also creates 18 preset emojis from your avatar and adds them to the Samsung keyboard. You can then use them whenever you type, allowing you to quickly and easily share your experiences with a picture of yourself.

Battery and performance

• 3000mAh battery delivers same performance as predecessor
• Android 8 runs smoothly thanks to its powerful processor

For those of you hoping for improved battery life on the Samsung Galaxy S9, we have some bad news - battery life has not changed.

Samsung equipped the Galaxy S9 with the same 3,000mAh battery as the S8, and we're told it will deliver similar performance to the S8.

However, this is not a big deal as we know that the Galaxy S8 can easily last a day on a single charge even with moderately high usage.

When it comes to processing power, the heart of the Samsung Galaxy S9 is the in-house Exynos 9810 chipset, which will power the smartphone globally, excluding the US.

The American version of the Galaxy S9 will use the flagship Snapdragon 845 processor from Qualcomm.

The RAM will be 4GB, which is 2GB less than the Galaxy S9 Plus, but provides enough headroom to run the latest Android 8 Oreo operating system smoothly.

Samsung's Touchwiz UI sits on top of Oreo, although it's much lighter these days compared to the versions found on models like the Galaxy S2 and S3.

The Galaxy S9's built-in storage holds 64GB of files, but with a microSD port that supports cards up to 200GB, you can easily expand the storage if needed.

The USB-C port at the bottom of the S9 flanks the speaker and headphone jack.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S9 is a top-notch flagship and has the potential to become the best smartphone in the world.

Possibly the best camera among smartphones and some interesting innovations. There is no doubt that the Galaxy S9 is an improvement on its predecessor in many ways, and is another step forward from Samsung, although not as noticeable and bright as in the case of the S8.

Although in order to find out how well everything is, more detailed acquaintance with the new product and testing is necessary, the early signs are very positive.

The review uses materials from techradar.com

Samsung Galaxy S9 interface

While the design of the smartphone has undergone virtually no changes, a lot of work has been done on its interface and functionality. Out of the box, the phone runs on the Samsung Experience 9.0 shell, based on the 8th generation of Android. This gives access to interesting features, the first of which catches your eye when you turn it on - the ability to select pre-installed applications, most of which can be discarded. Thanks to this, the user has the opportunity to leave only what he needs and what he will use.

Samsung Galaxy S9 review in Russian 2020 showed that you can now create copies of applications, which allows you to log into them from different accounts at the same time. For this purpose, the Dual Messenger system utility was added. Cloned apps are marked with a special icon in the bottom corner so you can easily identify them.

But these are not all the features of the Samsung Galaxy S9. Now its shell supports landscape orientation, which is especially useful for motorists. The remaining changes concern only the appearance of some elements.

Using the keyboard, in just a couple of clicks, you can send GIFs and AR-emojis that you created earlier. They are also available in the online catalog, where you can conveniently search for them by tags.

A review of the Samsung Galaxy S9 64gb in Russian showed that the Bixby virtual assistant is almost completely translated into Russian, but it is almost impossible to use it, since it has not yet learned to support voice and text commands in Russian. If you speak English well, consider yourself very lucky. To activate the assistant, just say “Hi, Bixby” (even if the smartphone is locked) or by pressing the corresponding key. The capabilities of the assistant are very great; it can control any functions of the system, but they are not yet available in Russian.

To the left of the home screen is the Bixby Hello panel, where you can check out a selection of cards from third-party apps - a good way to find out the latest news. After spending a little time setting up, you will receive only the information you are interested in.

Samsung Galaxy S9 review and testing shows that using Bixby now awards experience points and levels. Points are given both for working with the assistant and for improving the quality of its functioning - correcting incorrect commands and making suggestions for its further development. This gives a certain competitive spirit and promotes the active development of the assistant through the efforts of the users themselves - a cunning move by the manufacturer.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ review: screen

The display is traditionally one of the trump cards of Samsung flagships (who do you think Apple orders OLEDs for iPhone X from? You’re right). At the same time, the company, which annually receives praise from experts for the screens of its top smartphones, does not stop, continuing to improve its organic LED panels to the best of its ability. The diagonal and resolution of the Galaxy S9+ have not changed compared to last year's S-series flagship: 6.2 inches and 2960 x 1440 pixels, aspect ratio 18.5:9.

But at the same time, the screens of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ are better than those of the eighth-generation flagships - at least, this is the conclusion reached by DisplayMate experts armed with special measuring equipment, who have no reason not to believe. It’s hard to notice the difference by eye, but color rendition has been improved, and the maximum brightness has increased by 20% (only in automatic adjustment mode and in bright sunlight).

From left to right: iPhone X, Galaxy S9+, Galaxy Note8. The backlight of all smartphones is at maximum, auto-adjustment is disabled, Samsung devices have the “Adaptive Display” mode set, the TrueTone function of the iPhone X is disabled, a screenshot from the S9+ is displayed on the iPhone for easy comparison

The default calibration has changed slightly - with the same settings, the white tint on the screen is slightly warmer than that of the Note8 (and probably the Galaxy S8/S8+, but I didn’t have them on hand to say for sure). In addition (also, apparently, a calibration feature), with automatic brightness adjustment disabled at maximum, the S9+ display at an angle is slightly less bright than that of the Note8 or iPhone X:

Finally, like most current flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S9+ supports HDR content playback, and the device’s screen is certified by the UHD Alliance according to the Mobile HDR Premium standard. In practice, this means that the smartphone is able to reproduce high dynamic range video in all its glory in the HDR standard with 10-bit color coding (more than a billion shades). You can find HDR video, for example, on YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and popular online cinemas in Russia are also starting to support it - of course, if the film was released by a studio in HDR. Unfortunately, the Galaxy S9+ cannot shoot video in HDR (for example, the Sony flagship Xperia XZ2, recently announced at MWC2018, can do this).

The Always-On Display feature in the Galaxy S9+ has been improved - now you can select the backlight level (by default, it adjusts automatically). The smallest one does not hurt the eyes even in complete darkness, and the brightest one makes information visible even in the sun.

Wireless communications

The smartphone definitely has no problems with this; the Samsung Galaxy S9 review showed that it supports all modern communications. Among them are LTE-A Cat18 (1200/200 Mbit/s), Wi-Fi of all bands and frequencies with support for MIMO 2×2 technology, as well as Bluetooth 5th generation with the ability to connect two devices simultaneously. There are two modifications of the device on sale: the Galaxy S9 with two SIM cards will be officially sold in our country, but you can also find a single-SIM device. NFC and MST are intended for using Samsung Pay, where without them in one of the main flagships of 2020. Navigation systems include GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BDS. Everything works quickly and stably, as befits a flagship from one of the leading brands.

Specifications Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (SM-G965F/DS)

The price of the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is high, and the number of new features raises doubts about the advisability of purchasing a new flagship. Therefore, it is logical to compare both generations with each other.

Autonomy Samsung Galaxy S9 64gb

Samsung Galaxy S9 review in Russian showed that when developing its new model, the manufacturer retained the same battery capacity - 3000 mAh, which, taking into account the other characteristics, will not be enough. But thanks to the improved technical process, the smartphone works as long as its predecessor, despite the fact that it has become a little more powerful. On average, the battery is discharged after 5-6 hours of display activity. In games at 50% brightness it lasted about 5.5 hours, and in FullHD video playback mode at the same brightness it lasted for 12.5 hours. For such a battery capacity, this is an excellent result; good optimization of the system is visible.

Supports fast (it takes 1 hour 47 minutes to fully charge) and wireless charging.

Testing the Samsung Galaxy S9+ camera. Now with aperture control and 960 fps shooting

At the official presentation of the new Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ smartphones, almost the main attention was paid to shooting capabilities. The devices were also accompanied by a special slogan “The Camera. Reimagined”, which implies a rethinking of the camera and shooting capabilities. It’s interesting that at the presentation of the previous generation smartphones Galaxy S8/S8+ they talked a little about cameras.

Indeed, if during the transition from the Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 Edge generation to the Galaxy S8/S8+ there were few changes regarding photography, then in the new Galaxy S9/S9+ the manufacturer tried to bring something truly new.

First, let's note that the cameras of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ have some differences. Before this, all S-series flagships of the same generation had identical shooting modules.

Differences between the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ cameras

The difference is clearly visible on the slide. The Galaxy S9 has a regular single camera on the back, while the Galaxy S9+ has a dual camera. Otherwise, the Galaxy S9/S9+ cameras, including the front ones, are identical.

The additional camera has a different, narrower viewing angle (2× zoom is provided) and allows you to implement a high-level trend mode with background blur in portraits or other photographs.

Main camera

Additional camera

We tested the Samsung Galaxy S9+ model, so everything said about the shooting capabilities will also be true for the Galaxy S9, with the exception of modes where an additional camera is used.

Let's note some features of the dual rear camera of the Samsung Galaxy S9+ smartphone:

• matrix (sensor) resolution of the main camera is 12 megapixels;
• Matrix (sensor) resolution of the additional camera is 12 megapixels;
• main camera matrix size – 1/2.55”;
• matrix size of the additional camera - 1/3.6”;
• the presence of an optical non-switchable image stabilization system for the main and additional cameras;
• Dual Pixel hybrid autofocus system using phase detection autofocus;
• equivalent focal length and aperture of the main camera lens - 26 mm and F1.5;
• equivalent focal length and lens aperture of the additional camera - 52 mm and F2.4;
• ability to select F1.5 or F2.4 aperture in the main camera.

It should be noted right away that the additional camera is simpler, its matrix is ​​smaller in size, and it is inferior to the main one both in terms of shooting quality and functionality. It is not used in difficult shooting conditions, even if you select it. The usual cropping of the main camera frame occurs to provide a narrower viewing angle.

We pointed out the reasons why manufacturers, even in flagship smartphones, make the additional camera simplified compared to the main one in the Galaxy Note8 camera test.

The front selfie camera appears to have remained unchanged from the previous generation. There may be differences in the sensors used, but the main characteristics are the same: 8-megapixel 1/3.6” ​​matrix, f:1.7 lens aperture, autofocus.

Until materials with a detailed disassembly of the Galaxy S9+ and analysis of components appear on the Internet, it is difficult to talk about the type of main camera matrix used in it. It may be new, but it's identical in size and resolution to those found on the Galaxy S8/S8+ and Galaxy Note8.

The lens aperture has been slightly increased from f:1.7 to f:1.5 (the lower the value, the higher the aperture), and, very interestingly, the Galaxy S9+ lens has aperture control . Two values ​​can be set - f:1.5 or f:2.4.

The state of the open (F1.5) or closed (F2.4) aperture of the main camera of the Samsung Galaxy S9+ can be easily seen

This is a unique feature for smartphone cameras, and this has never been seen before, unless, of course, we are talking about some specific hybrid devices that combine a camera and a smartphone.

Changing the camera aperture on a smartphone?

Why was it necessary to control the lens aperture? After all, this complicates the design and adds moving parts.

When developing lenses, a compromise is always sought between many parameters (dimensions, weight, image quality, cost, etc.). A high lens aperture is good, because the matrix receives more light. But as the aperture increases, it becomes more and more difficult to make a lens as “sharp” and close-to-glare-proof; its dimensions grow, the complexity of the optical design increases, and the cost increases.

As a result, the developers of the Galaxy S9+ managed to achieve an aperture of f:1.5, while the lens turned out to be very compact: note that Samsung, unlike many others, manages to make the cameras in its flagships not protrude outward. But, apparently, with such aperture the image turns out a little less sharp. To avoid a drop in clarity, a lower aperture of f:2.4 is used.

Unlike many other manufacturers, in Samsung flagship smartphones the camera module practically does not stand out from the body

It turns out that with sufficient lighting, when noise is minimal, the camera sets the aperture value f: 2.4, and when there is a lack of light, when noise and noise reduction systems begin to make a significant contribution to the final image, a more open aperture f: 1.5 is used, providing more light entering the matrix.

Comparison of a selected area of ​​the frame with 100% magnification when shooting with a manual aperture setting of F1.5 and F2.4. The area at the edge of the frame was specially chosen, since it is there that the difference in detail is most noticeable

Aperture F1.5. Frame section at 100% zoom

Aperture F2.4. A section of the frame with 100% magnification. It is clearly noticeable that in the selected area of ​​the frame the detail is higher in the image with an aperture of F2.4

Original file with aperture F:2.4

Original file with aperture F:1.5

Also, closing the aperture can be useful when there is too much light, when even at the lowest sensitivity the minimum shutter speed is not enough. We are not sure if this is the case in the Galaxy S9+, but it is possible.

At the moment, only in the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ you can manually control the aperture (professional mode). In other smartphones, the aperture has a fixed, unchangeable value

By the way, the aperture size affects the depth of field. By choosing an aperture value when shooting in “professional” mode, you can control the blur within small limits. In this case, it will be controlling natural blur, not a software effect.

Launch the camera

You may notice that there have been some changes in the design of the camera mode interface. Auxiliary shortcuts (switching the front and main cameras, flash mode, settings shortcut) have moved from the edge closer to the shutter button, and shooting modes are now located in their place. Switching between these modes occurs either by directly touching the corresponding inscriptions, or by swiping across the screen.

Samsung Galaxy Note8 Camera Mode

Samsung Galaxy S9+ Camera Mode

The more elongated screen of modern smartphones has become even more inconsistent with the proportions of the camera matrix. As a result, we either have large margins on the side or a cropped frame.

If it is more convenient for you, the shutter button can be marked in any place.

Arbitrary location of the shutter button

Finally, the developers got rid of additional downloadable extensions that increase the shooting functionality. The functions of most of these extensions are simply built into the interface.

You can select a set of shooting modes yourself. It's strange that the "normal" slow motion mode and the "sport" mode are not initially activated

The functionality of the camera mode is for the most part similar to its predecessors, with further development of the Bixby assistant, the addition of AR Emoji, new stickers, etc. We described some of these functions during our preliminary acquaintance with the Samsung Galaxy S9+.

From a group of pictures, a smartphone can automatically assemble a video with the application of various effects and the addition of sound. Some people will probably want to share this video on social networks.

Among the important innovations, we can note the addition of a 4K video mode at 60 fps (UHD (60 fps)).

For video recording, you can enable the HEVC (H.265) codec. When selected, more highly efficient coding is used. Files, all other things being equal, will take up less, but such encoding requires large computing resources. Apparently, there are no problems with this in the Galaxy S9/S9+.

But, perhaps, the main highlight of the Galaxy S9/ S9+ was the super slow motion mode, which was completely new for Samsung.

Video at 960 fps

Flagship smartphones have had very advanced slow-motion video capabilities for quite some time now. If we talk about top models, a mode with a recording speed of up to 240 fps is usually used. At this speed, for example, they shoot new iPhones and Galaxy S8/S8+ smartphones.

And in the Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+, the frame rate when shooting with the slow-motion effect reaches an impressive 960 fps.

This super slow motion mode makes your videos look really cool. The function allows you to arrange a wide variety of shooting experiments. Feel like the creators of the YouTube channel The Slow Mo Guys. Until this feature becomes widespread in top smartphones, you can easily surprise your friends - the main thing is that among them there are no owners of Sony smartphones. The fact is that super slow motion 960 fps appeared in top Sony smartphones a year ago.

Editing a video with “super slow motion”

Due to technical limitations, super-slow-motion video shooting was implemented in a specific way. During the shooting process, only a small segment slows down, which in real time lasts only 0.2 seconds and then stretches to 6 seconds. To determine the moment that needs to be slowed down, two methods are used: automatic and manual. In automatic mode, you specify an area in the frame where some event should occur and the camera, based on its algorithms, determines the required moment.

Some of our examples of what you can achieve with super slow motion video mode

It should be noted that in practice this does not always work. To slow down the necessary moments that are present in the video, sometimes it was necessary to do up to five takes.

You can select the desired moment yourself by clicking a special shortcut when shooting.

You also need to be aware that the recording quality in this mode will be reduced.

By the way, there is also a “normal” slow-motion mode here. Videos are recorded at 240 fps and Full HD resolution (1920×1080), which corresponds to the latest generation iPhone. Previously, at this speed, Samsung smartphones recorded video at a lower HD resolution (1280x720).

Filming

Top-end Samsung smartphones have been pleasing us with their focusing speed for both photo and video shooting for several years now. Focusing is very fast. The oddity discovered in the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S8/S8+, when the autofocus speed noticeably decreased when selecting the fps mode, was not noticed here.

We recommend using an additional camera only in extreme cases. It's not as good as the main one. The main one shoots just fine, however, this was predictable.