Samsung Galaxy S9
$699.99
The Good
- True 12MP still images with a lot of detail
- Dual aperture for better low light shots and sharper daylight shots
- Noise kept well in check in low light
- Video quality is very good, especially 4K
- Video stabilisation is effective
The Bad
- User interface can be a bit clunky
- Low light shutter speed is a bit slow to keep ISO lower, resulting in blur instead of noise
- HDR mode is inconsistent
This is a review of the Samsung Galaxy S9 camera (not S9+) after using it for a month. If you just want to see the comparison to the old LG, skip to: 5:06
Is it really worth upgrading? Well, if you’re using a smartphone from the last 1 – 3 years and you’re still happy with it, I don’t see why you would. Many of the hyped features are things the average user won’t really notice or care about in day to day use. The camera is WAY better in low light but the old phone still holds solid for day time. The S9 has one of the best screens on the market and a fantastic camera, so I would recommend buying it if you need a new phone or if the camera is a big deal to you (or get the S9+ if you want the bigger screen, I personally don’t think the dual camera is worth the upgrade alone).
The camera is great, though. I won’t lie. I just don’t think it’s worth upgrading if you’re happy with your current device. There’s a lot of hype around these devices and sometimes it’s justified, but other times it’s a bit blown out of proportion.