S9 vs. S9+ - More significant difference than before - Which will you get?

[hasasimo]

So if prevailing rumors are to be believed, the S9+ will come with 6GB of RAM and a dual camera set-up. Meanwhile, the regular S9 will have 4GB of RAM and a single camera.

I'm confident the camera difference won't be too significant. It's been proven that you don't need two cameras for a top-notch experience, or even for a bokeh or "portrait" mode.

However, the difference in RAM is nothing to sneeze at. It's a 33% difference, and it will be noticeable in some use cases. Some Android flagships are already coming with 8GB of RAM, so I certainly don't want to pay flagship money for half of that.

I used to prefer bigger phones. I've owned a Lumia 1520, a Note7... I currently own a Note8 and a Nokia 8. I'm 6'1" with proportionate hands, yet when I started using the Nokia 8 I realized I missed phones that size. It's thinner, lighter, and overall feels much better to hold than the Note8 IMO.

That, coupled with the proliferation of bezel-less displays had me thinking I don't really need huge phones anymore. We can fit the display sizes of yesteryear's Notes in yesteryear's Galaxy S form-factor.

My point, I want the regular S9, but I also want 6 GB of RAM. Ideally, I'd like Samsung's best camera set-up as well.

I really don't like that the smaller version will be somewhat stripped-down in the hardware department.

I'll have to wait til the official announcement to make a decision, but it would be a no-brainer for me to go for the regular S9 if it came with the S9+'s RAM and camera configurations.

 

[anon(27512)]

I wan the S9+ for the bigger screen and better specs. I don't care about bokeh effects but it would be nice if the S9 produced better pictures than the S8. Pictures from my iPhone X and Pixel XL 2 are much better.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

Odds are I will wait for the Note, but if I were to pick one of these it would be the S9+

I don't care about the RAM honestly, its the cameras and screen size for me. Don't need to have 2 cameras, but when they work independently and offer different lenses why not?

 

[rushmore]

I have not seen any objective proof that 6GB with Android is noticably better than 4GB. Not seeing much to warrant jumping from my 8+. The 845 uses the same chip architecture. I think the end of year chips are the Biggie's. Apparently though there are big improvements with the Samsung SOC. US ain't getting that.

 

[mundo472]

I have not seen any objective proof that 6GB with Android is noticably better than 4GB. Not seeing much to warrant jumping from my 8+. The 845 uses the same chip architecture. I think the end of year chips are the Biggie's. Apparently though there are big improvements with the Samsung SOC. US ain't getting that.

Agreed. The Sammy chip was impressive sounding. "I wish this phone had less ram" said no one, ever.
That being said, I'm not impressed enough to drop my s8+.
We shall see...

 

[Ca_lvn]

Expected high price too comparable to the Apple X phone

 

[callihan_44]

i want the s9 for it's size, plenty big for me....if i wanted a bigger phone i would go all in on the note series again

 

[hasasimo]

i want the s9 for it's size, plenty big for me....if i wanted a bigger phone i would go all in on the note series again

Yeah, a 5.8" display is plenty. No reason to deal with huge phones anymore now that they're bezelless. The huge bummer though is that Samsung is handicapping the smaller version, 2GB less of RAM and apparently an inferior camera set-up to the S9+'s. Also apparently just 64GB of storage vs. 128GB on the S9+.

 

[Gayle Lynn]

I have not seen any objective proof that 6GB with Android is noticably better than 4GB. Not seeing much to warrant jumping from my 8+. The 845 uses the same chip architecture. I think the end of year chips are the Biggie's. Apparently though there are big improvements with the Samsung SOC. US ain't getting that.

Note 8 tests.

 

[Nubwy]

Personally, I've always found that my old iPhone 7 shot better pictures than my Note8. Pictures are much more grainy and washed out than the ones on my 7, and portrait worked much better on the 7. Cameras are generally not why I buy a phone but having 6GB of ram is nice to know you have if required. Buy what you want, because it's going to cost close to 1k for these new devices.

 

[amyf27]

For me, S9+ by default due to the larger screen. However currently with the Note 8 - if it's noticeably narrower than this phone I probably won't get it.

 

[callihan_44]

I like the smaller size, it comes down to display size and having the telephoto lens...I dont think the ram increase is going to make a huge difference

 

[illdini]

Why do people view the S9 as stripped down, and not the S9+ as having added features? To me, the Plus designation implies that there are added features.

 

[Ca_lvn]

OnePlus 5T 8 gigs ram 128 storage and only $550 check it out

 

[rushmore]

OnePlus 5T 8 gigs ram 128 storage and only $550 check it out

If you have an 8 or 8+, the 5T is a downgrade. Only a GSM device as well.

 

[Ca_lvn]

If you have an 8 or 8+, the 5T is a downgrade. Only a GSM device as well.

True forgot about only GSM for some ,I retired from the big carriers a couple years ago so much cheaper and actually better service at least for me

 

[hasasimo]

Why do people view the S9 as stripped down, and not the S9+ as having added features? To me, the Plus designation implies that there are added features.

Because 1) They've always been on the same footing in terms of specs (S7 and S7 Edge, S8 and S8+). This will be the first time this is not the case. 2) I don't recall Samsung ever releasing a flagship device with less RAM than a flagship it releases 6 months later. This will be the case with the Note8 vs. the S9. 3) 6GB RAM has become the norm, and 8GB RAM the bar for Android flagships. The S9 will have half that much.

All that said, I'll probably be getting the S9 anyway lol.

 

[illdini]

The S8+ does have one feature over the S8 (other than screen size): a significantly bigger battery. So there was some separation there. As for the Note, the argument could be made that it & not the S series is Samsung's main flagship.

Frankly, Samsung should merge the Plus & Note lines, & add the Active as a launch-day choice on multiple carriers.

 

[Frozen Corpse]

Agreed

 

[sleepnclass]

if I get one I'd get the s9+. I don't want a smaller, less powerful device.