Initial hands on in store

[RaRa85]

I have already decided to leave my trusty old LG V20 behind for the Galaxy S9+. I went in to T-Mobile today for a hands on impression and get some time with the device. I am really impressed by what Samsung has done. I know it's only a iterative update to the S8+ but Samsung really has fixed all the annoyances of the original that I had. Even looking at the smaller S9, it is ever so slightly wider as to make it more attractive and less elongated IMO.

The camera looks very promising already. Coming from the V20 I can already appreciate the spec bump in MP and quality we're getting in the front facing camera. I am going to love taking selfies with my kids on this thing.

The screen is amazing. I already knew that but it's exciting to finally be looking at this thing full time in just a couple weeks. The colors are beautiful. Everything is vibrant and the blacks are just perfect.

The speakers sound brilliant. I watched a few YouTube videos in the store and I actually had to turn the volume down to just over half way since there were other people looking at phones too. My ears definitely appreciated the sounds coming from the phone. I covered the bottom speaker to see if there actually any sound coming from the earpiece and it sure enough was. The main speaker is at the bottom though.

The feel in the hand was very premium and the usual slippery finish but I think I'm going to go with a clear, slim case because I love the look of the design. I'm pretty cool navigating around the camera UI and I recently learned that you can change the shutter speed and focus while recording in pro mode. I tried that as well. I'll have to watch a Samsung camera tutorial as I wasn't able to figure out where the regular slow motion recording option was.

Lastly I'm impressed by Samsung's ability to have new phones available within days after an announcement unlike with LG. They already have commercials for the new phones. I think that's my biggest take away in contrast to LG. Samsung is established and it shows. I think if LG had been able to do some of the things Samsung is able to do with excellence, I could stay with LG but they haven't been able to do that. That's probably the main reason I'm excited to finally join this family of devices. I plan to make a ton of content with the Galaxy S9+ and keep it long term.

 

[Theot]

I have already decided to leave my trusty old LG V20 behind for the Galaxy S9+. I went in to T-Mobile today for a hands on impression and get some time with the device. I am really impressed by what Samsung has done. I know it's only a iterative update to the S8+ but Samsung really has fixed all the annoyances of the original that I had. Even looking at the smaller S9, it is ever so slightly wider as to make it more attractive and less elongated IMO.

The camera looks very promising already. Coming from the V20 I can already appreciate the spec bump in MP and quality we're getting in the front facing camera. I am going to love taking selfies with my kids on this thing.

The screen is amazing. I already knew that but it's exciting to finally be looking at this thing full time in just a couple weeks. The colors are beautiful. Everything is vibrant and the blacks are just perfect.

The speakers sound brilliant. I watched a few YouTube videos in the store and I actually had to turn the volume down to just over half way since there were other people looking at phones too. My ears definitely appreciated the sounds coming from the phone. I covered the bottom speaker to see if there actually any sound coming from the earpiece and it sure enough was. The main speaker is at the bottom though.

The feel in the hand was very premium and the usual slippery finish but I think I'm going to go with a clear, slim case because I love the look of the design. I'm pretty cool navigating around the camera UI and I recently learned that you can change the shutter speed and focus while recording in pro mode. I tried that as well. I'll have to watch a Samsung camera tutorial as I wasn't able to figure out where the regular slow motion recording option was.

Lastly I'm impressed by Samsung's ability to have new phones available within days after an announcement unlike with LG. They already have commercials for the new phones. I think that's my biggest take away in contrast to LG. Samsung is established and it shows. I think if LG had been able to do some of the things Samsung is able to do with excellence, I could stay with LG but they haven't been able to do that. That's probably the main reason I'm excited to finally join this family of devices. I plan to make a ton of content with the Galaxy S9+ and keep it long term.

Nice, I'm on a G6 and looking at this too. I need to get into a store this week for a hands on. My only concern is the durability of the screen if it was to get dropped. That curve is always exposed.

 

[RaRa85]

Nice, I'm on a G6 and looking at this too. I need to get into a store this week for a hands on. My only concern is the durability of the screen if it was to get dropped. That curve is always exposed.

Yeah me too. That's why this will most likely be my first phone I get a case for. Never used one before. I'm hard headed like that.

 

[jasonandrews25788]

they say it has slimmer bezels than the S8+.

 

[RaRa85]

they say it has slimmer bezels than the S8+.

I can't speak for that as I've never played with one long enough to know the difference. But I can visually tell that it is ever so slightly wider on the S9 than the S8. It's a small difference that really fixes the issue I had with the S8.

 

[anon(5630457)]

I went to Best Buy today and played around with the S9+. I didn't care for it. The fingerprint sensor's location is worse than the S8's fingerprint sensor. On the S8, the index finger rested naturally near the spot of the FPS. On the S9+, I had to shimmy my hand down the device in order to reach the FPS. I certainly would've dropped the phone if it wasn't tethered to a security device. For Pixel 2 XL owners, the FPS on the S9+ is lower in a more unnatural position than the location of the FPS on the P2XL.

And the purple looked pink to me.

 

[TheGeekNextDoor]

That's alright...they really want you to use the face unlock thing with iris scanner combo. I can see how it would be too low though. They just can't win with the finger print reader on back with the double lenses running down the middle.

 

[amyf27]

I'd checked one out at a tmpbile a couple days back. A few photos I'll share.

 

[20blks]

People will complain no matter where the place the FPS. Nothing will make everyone happy. I had no issue with where the scanner is on the S8. At least samsung didn't get rid or the FPS like apple did

 

[RaRa85]

I went to Best Buy today and played around with the S9+. I didn't care for it. The fingerprint sensor's location is worse than the S8's fingerprint sensor. On the S8, the index finger rested naturally near the spot of the FPS.

I disagree. Unless you have unusually long index fingers or you just picked the phone up higher than most people, the index finger never naturally landed all the way at the top of the device. Coming from the V20, the placement is much better to me. You don't have to do any work really. You just pick the phone up and your index finger is already there.

 

[RaRa85]

I'd checked one out at a tmpbile a couple days back. A few photos I'll share.//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180304/4d34f2db6798e927d3c78c8f3e188cfe.jpg//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180304/f944fc0cbb9ed91d39de36de84653f44.jpg//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180304/e76b843b04d4f3e1845682164c5e9564.jpg//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180304/730f318453a2216a501494cba1291e2c.jpg//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180304/4ade8dd0af1ae3335ae8def417670ded.jpg//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180304/317e8812925b6f40830897d0b365e7d0.jpg

Nice photos. I usually take photos myself but I was messing around with the camera too much to bother taking pics of the phone itself.

 

[amyf27]

Nice photos. I usually take photos myself but I was messing around with the camera too much to bother taking pics of the phone itself.

Nice camera indeed

 

[anon(5630457)]

I disagree. Unless you have unusually long index fingers or you just picked the phone up higher than most people, the index finger never naturally landed all the way at the top of the device. Coming from the V20, the placement is much better to me. You don't have to do any work really. You just pick the phone up and your index finger is already there.

For you.

 

[RaRa85]

For you.

Yeah but also for most people as just about everyone complained of Samsung's placement of the FPS. Also interesting that Samsung would be the only one with a "clean your lens" reminder in the camera app. I wonder why THEY would do that. But the difference between LG and Samsung is that Samsung actually does listen to reviews and complaints and changed it in one generation where as LG would just continue down their own path.

 

[Vega007]

Considering no one has the same size of hands or fingers, this will vary. I would imagine the consensus would be the new fingerprint scanner location is at a better spot, but it won't be for everyone.

As for my take, I too thought the purple looks pink, but this doesn't really matter. I still don't like the curved screen and this is why I am still clinging on to my S7 and don't plan on upgrading this year.

 

[RaRa85]

Considering no one has the same size of hands or fingers, this will vary. I would imagine the consensus would be the new fingerprint scanner location is at a better spot, but it won't be for everyone.

As for my take, I too thought the purple looks pink, but this doesn't really matter. I still don't like the curved screen and this is why I am still clinging on to my S7 and don't plan on upgrading this year.

Well I know that. I'm just pointing out that the majority are in the "new FPS is in a better position" category. There's never a one size fits all.

 

[anon(5630457)]

Well I know that. I'm just pointing out that the majority are in the "new FPS is in a better position" category. There's never a one size fits all.

It really isn't though. I still smudged the camera many times on the S9+ while reaching for the FPS. A fingerprint sensor should never be next to the camera.

But I think this thread has derailed from its intended purpose.

 

[dmb219]

My camera is always smudged. If I want to take a pic that matters I wipe the lens.

 

[AKFL3TCH3R]

The only thing I really cared for in the store was the screen and the speed of the phone. Other than that, it wasn't very exciting since I have an S8+. The FPS placement doesn't feel as good as on the S8+.

 

[rave264]

Oh nice! I didn't realize they were already in the stores. I'll need to check it out asap