Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus Review (2018): Bigger, Faster, and Brilliant in Every Way

Introduction: Samsung’s Powerhouse Flagship

In 2018, Samsung doubled down on innovation with the Galaxy S9 Plus, the larger and more powerful variant of the Galaxy S9. While the standard S9 impressed with refinement, the S9 Plus pushed the envelope further, combining a massive display, dual cameras, and top-tier hardware that made it one of the most complete smartphones of its time.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus wasn’t just a phone. Samsung stated that luxury and performance could coexist in a sleek and intelligent design.

Design and Build: Sleek, Premium, and Purposeful

The Galaxy S9 Plus continued Samsung’s mastery of smartphone design. With its seamless glass body and curved Infinity Display, it exuded sophistication and modernity.

• Dimensions:1 × 73.8 × 8.5 mm
• Weight: 189 g
• Materials: Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 5 front and back
• Colors: Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple, Titanium Gray

Samsung learned from user feedback on the S8 series and moved the fingerprint sensor below the camera, making it easier to reach. The curved glass melted beautifully into the metal frame, giving the S9 Plus a luxurious feel and a flawless finish. It was elegant yet tough, water-resistant (IP68), and engineered for people who wanted both style and substance.

Display: Big, Bold, and Beautiful

Samsung’s display technology reached new heights with the Galaxy S9 Plus.

• Size: 2 inches
• Type: Super AMOLED
• Resolution: 2960 × 1440 (Quad HD+)
• Aspect Ratio: 5:9
• HDR Support: Mobile HDR10
• Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 5

The Infinity Display remains one of the most immersive screens ever made. Colors pop with accuracy, blacks are deep, and brightness levels are phenomenal, even in direct sunlight. Watching videos, gaming, or browsing the web felt cinematic. Samsung’s adaptive brightness and color tuning made the Galaxy S9 Plus display the gold standard for 2018 smartphones.

Performance: Power Meets Precision

Under the hood, the Galaxy S9 Plus packed serious muscle.

The Exynos 9810 was a beast of a processor, capable of handling intense multitasking, gaming, and productivity with ease. Paired with 6 GB of RAM, it offered a smooth and responsive experience across apps and games.

Samsung’s Game Launcher and Game Tools enhanced the experience further, optimizing performance while allowing players to record gameplay or block notifications. In benchmark tests, the Galaxy S9 Plus consistently ranked among the top-performing phones of 2018.

Camera: Dual Power, Professional Results

The Galaxy S9 Plus took everything great about the S9’s camera and made it even better with dual rear sensors.

• Primary Camera: 12 MP, Dual Aperture (f/1.5 – f/2.4), OIS
• Secondary Camera: 12 MP Telephoto, f/2.4, OIS, 2x Optical Zoom
• Front Camera: 8 MP, f/1.7, autofocus
• Video Recording: 4K at 60fps, 1080p at 240fps, Super Slow Motion 960fps (720p)

Dual Aperture Mastery

The main sensor automatically switches between f/1.5 for low light and f/2.4 for bright environments, ensuring consistently sharp and balanced photos.

Telephoto Lens

The second lens added 2x optical zoom and enabled Live Focus, Samsung’s version of portrait mode. This allowed users to adjust background blur (bokeh) in real time or after the shot.

Super Slow-Motion

The 960fps slow-motion video feature was both fun and creative, letting you capture fleeting moments with cinematic flair.

Image Quality

In both daylight and low light, the S9 Plus camera delivered outstanding clarity, natural colors, and minimal noise. Samsung’s improved multi-frame image processing made photos crisp and vibrant in any setting.

Audio and Multimedia: Stereo Sound, Tuned by AKG

Samsung enhanced the entertainment experience with stereo speakers tuned by AKG and powered by Dolby Atmos.

• Dual speaker setup (earpiece + bottom speaker)
• 3D surround effect with Dolby Atmos
• Included AKG earphones in the box

The sound is loud, full, and immersive. Combined with the stunning display, it makes the Galaxy S9 Plus perfect for movies, music, and games. Importantly, Samsung kept the 3.5 mm headphone jack, a beloved feature disappearing from most flagships in 2018.

Software: Intelligent and Intuitive

The Galaxy S9 Plus shipped with Android 8.0 Oreo and Samsung Experience 9.0 UI. Samsung’s interface became smoother, more refined, and visually cleaner compared to the older TouchWiz days.

Key Software Features

• Bixby 2.0: Enhanced voice assistant with better contextual understanding.
• Intelligent Scan: Combines facial and iris recognition for faster, safer unlocking.
• Edge Panels: Quick access to favorite apps and contacts.
• Always-On Display: Shows time, notifications, and calendar events.
• Samsung Pay: Works with both NFC and MST for universal mobile payments.

Bixby Vision also got smarter, capable of live translation, shopping suggestions, and identifying landmarks or objects via the camera.

Battery Life and Charging

With a 3500 mAh battery, the Galaxy S9 Plus offered reliable endurance for an entire day of heavy use.

Charging methods included:

• Fast Charging (Quick Charge 2.0)
• Fast Wireless Charging

The combination of Samsung’s power-efficient chipset and AMOLED display helped balance performance and battery life, ensuring smooth performance without overheating or lag.

Connectivity and Extras

The Galaxy S9 Plus was fully loaded with features that catered to both professionals and enthusiasts.

• USB Type-C
• 5 mm headphone jack
• Bluetooth 5.0
• NFC + MST for Samsung Pay
• IP68 water and dust resistance
• microSD support (up to 400 GB)
• Dual SIM option (varies by region)

These features made the S9 Plus a complete package, no compromises, no missing essentials.

Security and Privacy

Samsung offered multiple biometric security options, including:

• Fingerprint scanner
• Iris scanner
• Face recognition
• Pattern, PIN, and password

The new Intelligent Scan combined iris and facial data to unlock faster and more accurately, even in low light. Samsung Knox added an extra layer of defense for business users and privacy-conscious individuals.

Galaxy S9 Plus vs Galaxy S9

The Galaxy S9 Plus wasn’t just a bigger version. It was a more capable phone with additional RAM, dual cameras, and longer battery life, all of which elevated it above its smaller sibling.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Stunning Super AMOLED display
• Excellent dual camera system
• Smooth performance with 6 GB RAM
• Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos
• Premium design and IP68 protection
• microSD support and headphone jack
• Reliable battery life and wireless charging

Cons:

• Similar design to S8 Plus
• AR Emoji lacked refinement
• Bixby still less intuitive than Google Assistant

Conclusion: The Ultimate Android Flagship of 2018

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus was everything a flagship phone should be in 2018, powerful, elegant, and loaded with features that truly mattered. It delivered professional-grade photography, immersive entertainment, and refined performance in a beautifully crafted design.

While some called it an evolutionary upgrade, the Galaxy S9 Plus proved that perfection lies in the details. It wasn’t just a smartphone, it was Samsung’s masterpiece for those who wanted the best Android experience money could buy. Even years later, the Galaxy S9 Plus remains one of the most well-balanced and iconic Galaxy phones ever made.

Specs