At Mobile World Congress 2018 today, Samsung announced the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+, successors to the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, respectively. After months of leaks, Samsung's ninth-generation phones are now official.
Preorders begin March 2, and the devices will begin shipping March 16. Before you get your credit card ready, you might want to see exactly what you're buying. Samsung's major highlight is the camera, but there are other improvements worth noting. The tables below show you what Samsung changed, comparing the Galaxy S8 to the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S8 to the Galaxy S9+.
Samsung Galaxy S8 vs. Samsung Galaxy S9
Galaxy S8 | Galaxy S9 | |
|---|---|---|
Display | 5.8-inch QHD+, 2960x1440, 570ppi | 5.8-inch QHD+, 2960x1440, 570ppi |
Network | LTE Cat 16 | LTE Cat 18 |
Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, NFC | Bluetooth 5.0, NFC |
Processors | Octa-core 2.3GHz, 1.7GHz | Octa-core 2.7GHz, 1.7GHz |
Rear camera | 12MP, f/1.7 | 12MP, f/1.5-f/2.4 |
Front camera | 8MP, f/1.7 | 8MP, f/1.7 |
Battery | 3,000mAh | 3,000mAh |
Charging | Wired, wireless | Wired, wireless |
Ports | USB Type-C, headphone jack | USB Type-C, headphone jack |
Memory | 4GB | 4GB |
Storage | 64GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
microSD slot | Yes | Yes |
Resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
Biometrics | Iris, Fingerprint, Face | Iris, Fingerprint, Face, Scan |
Height | 148.9mm | 147.7mm |
Width | 68.1mm | 68.7mm |
Depth | 8.0mm | 8.5mm |
Weight | 155g | 163g |
SIM card | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM |
Assistant | Bixby | Bixby |
Colors | Black, Blue, Gold, Gray, Silver | Black, Blue, Gray, Purple |
OS | Android 7.0 Nougat | Android 8.0 Oreo |
Samsung Galaxy S8+ vs. Samsung Galaxy S9+
Galaxy S8+ | Galaxy S9+ | |
|---|---|---|
Display | 6.2-inch QHD+, 2960x1440, 529ppi | 6.2-inch QHD+, 2960x1440, 529ppi |
Network | LTE Cat 16 | LTE Cat 18 |
Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, NFC | Bluetooth 5.0, NFC |
Processors | Octa-core 2.3GHz, 1.7GHz | Octa-core 2.7GHz, 1.7GHz |
Rear cameras | 12MP, f/1.7 | 12MP (f/1.7-f2.4), 12MP (F2.4) |
Front camera | 8MP, f/1.7 | 8MP, f/1.7 |
Battery | 3,500mAh | 3,500mAh |
Charging | Wired, wireless | Wired, wireless |
Ports | USB Type-C, headphone jack | USB Type-C, headphone jack |
Memory | 4GB | 6GB |
Storage | 64GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
microSD slot | Yes | Yes |
Resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
Biometrics | Iris, Fingerprint, Face | Iris, Fingerprint, Face, Scan |
Height | 159.5mm | 158.1mm |
Width | 73.4mm | 73.8mm |
Depth | 8.1mm | 8.5mm |
Weight | 173g | 189g |
SIM card | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM |
Assistant | Bixby | Bixby |
Colors | Black, Blue, Gold, Gray, Silver | Black, Blue, Gray, Purple |
OS | Android 7.0 Nougat | Android 8.0 Oreo |
Both the S9 and S9+ are slightly shorter, a tad wider, and a little thicker than the S8 and S8+ -- but these changes are so minor you're unlikely to notice them. Both also have more storage options and faster processors. The rest is largely the same, whether we're comparing the screens or the battery capacities. With the S9+, however, you do get more RAM and dual cameras on the back.