Samsung’s new Galaxy S9 and S9+ are just fresh from the oven. The two devices offer new features that were missed by their predecessor. However, one of their headlining is their ludicrous prices.
The Samsung Galaxy S9+ price starts at Php52,990, while the maxed out 256GB variant will retail for a crazy Php60,990. This makes it much more expensive than Samsung’s current Android king, the Galaxy Note 8 — which *only* has a price tag of Php49,990.
The Note 8 has been hailed as the enthusiast’s best friend due to its over-the-top set of features. However, now that the Galaxy S9+ is here, I know you are also curious about what does this device offer to overthrow Samsung’s other giant.
We made the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8 specifications table below so we can further investigate the reason why Samsung’s new giant device is valued more than their existing phablet.
Samsung Galaxy S9+ | Samsung Galaxy Note 8 | |
---|---|---|
Operating System | Android 8.0 Oreo Samsung Experience 9 | Android 7.1.1 Nougat TouchWiz |
SIM | Dual SIM, hybrid Nano | Dual SIM, hybrid Nano |
Display | 6.2-inch QHD+ Super AMOLED screen 2960 x 1440 resolution, ~531ppi 18:9 aspect ratio Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | 6.3-inch QHD+ Super AMOLED screen 2960 x 1440 resolution, ~531ppi 18:9 aspect ratio Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
Processor | 2.9GHz Samsung Exynos 9810 octa-core | 2.3GHz Exynos 8895 octa-core processor |
RAM | 6GB LPDDR4 RAM | 6GB LPDDR4 RAM |
Storage | 64GB/128GB/256GB UFS 2.1 | 64GB/128GB/256GB |
Security | Iris scanner, Fingerprint scanner | Iris scanner, Fingerprint scanner |
Front camera | 8-megapixel f/1.7 | 8-megapixel front camera |
Rear Camera | 12-megapixel (f/1.5-f/2.4, 2x optical zoom) 12-megapixel (wide-angle) Dual pixel sensor OIS Dual-tone flash 4K video recording 960fps slow-mo @720p | 12-megapixel (f/17, telephoto) 12-megapixel (wide-angle) Dual pixel sensor OIS Dual-tone flash 4K video recording |
Connectivity | 4G LTE, Cat. 18, up to 1.28Gbps WiFi 802.11 ac, Hotspot Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX NFC GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou USB Type-C | 4G LTE, Cat. 16 WiFi 802.11 ac, Hotspot Bluetooth 5.0, LE NFC GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou USB Type-C |
Audio | Dual AKG speakers Dolby Atmos | Mono speaker |
Others | Bixby 2.0 IP68 dust and water-resistant | Bixby 1.0 IP68 dust and water-resistant S-Pen stylus |
Dimensions Weight | 158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5mm 189g | 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6 mm 195g |
Colors | Midnight Black Lilac Purple Coral Blue | Midnight Black Deepsea Blue Orchid Gray Maple Gold |
Battery | 3500mah Li-Po non-removable battery Fast charge, Wireless charging | 3300mah Li-Po non-removable battery Fast charge, Wireless charging |
See also: Galaxy S9 versus Galaxy S8 Specs Comparison
As it turns out, the new Galaxy S9+ has one-uped the Note 8 in a lot of areas. It runs on a newer version of Android, operates on a new Exynos chipset, boasts stereo speakers, has better camera features, and a slightly larger battery capacity.
And of course, let’s not forget that the Galaxy S9+ has fixed the problematic fingerprint scanner placement issue that the Note 8 and Galaxy S8 have.
This time, the only possible reason to get the Note 8 is if you really want to save Php6,000. Or, if that S-Pen stylus really has a value for you.
But whatever you end up getting, or if you already own a Galaxy Note 8, then it’s better that you just keep it as both devices are still two of the best Android smartphones in the market today.
You can check out the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus prices in the Philippines here.