Samsung Galaxy S9 vs S8: Here are the differences

Samsung has finally revealed the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+.

The phones appear similar to the company’s previous S8 and S8+ models, with a couple of key differences.

Both the S9 and the S8 feature 5.8-inch displays, while the S9+ and the S8+ share a 6.2-inch screen size. However, the newer handsets are smaller than Samsung’s previous models. That’s due to the S9 and S9+ featuring smaller bezels and a greater screen-to-body ratio.

All four handsets make use of the company’s Super AMOLED display technology and feature an 18.5:9 aspect ratio.

Another major difference is the placement of the S8 and S8+’s fingerprint scanner. With the S8 and S8+, Samsung placed the fingerprint scanner to the right of the rear camera. Now the S9 and S9+’s fingerprint sensors are located below their cameras, making them more reachable.

Camera

Camera-wise, both phones are very different than their predecessors. The S9 uses a 12-megapixel camera sensor, similar to the S8 in terms of pixels, but has a variable aperture lens. A camera with a variable aperture lens has the ability to switch between multiple aperture settings. The S9 specifically can change from a f/1.5 aperture to a narrower f/2.4 aperture. However, unlike a DSLR lens, the phone lacks aperture sizes between f/1.5 and f/2.4. The S8’s 12-megapixel camera is limited to a f/1.7 aperture.

Meanwhile, the S9+ uses a dual rear camera setup with two 12-megapixel sensors, one of the lenses is also a variable aperture with the ability to switch to either a f/1.5 aperture or a f/2.4 aperture, while the other is fixed at a f/2.4 aperture.

The S9 and S9+ are also capable of recording video at a super fast 960fps.

Specs and features

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ both use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 chipset in Canada, which is a step above the Galaxy S8 and S8+’s processor from last year. The S9+, however, uses 6GB of RAM while the S8+ only has 4GB.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ both have a new Animoji-like feature that Samsung calls AR emoji. Unlike Apple’s Animoji, the phone maps the user’s face through a process that takes approximately 20 seconds. The handsets then transform the 2D image into a cartoony 3D replica that looks similar to the user.

The S9 and S9+ also uses a feature called “Intelligent Scan,” which combines the handset’s iris scanning capabilities and face recognition, replacing either unlock

Samsung’s new handsets also use Dolby Sound giving the phone stereo sound output.

For more on the Galaxy S9 and S9+ check out MobileSyrup’s hands-on here.