Sections
- Page 1 Samsung Galaxy S9 Review
- Page 2 Performance and Software Review
- Page 3 Camera Review
- Page 4 Battery Life and Verdict Review
Samsung Galaxy S9 – Battery Life
Battery life on the Samsung Galaxy S9 is almost exactly the same as last year’s S8. Even with the switch to a more efficient mobile chip, it’s a shame Samsung hasn’t really been able to squeeze any more juice from the 3000mAh battery.
It’s also a shame that battery size hasn’t increased, especially since it now has a more power-hungry screen to deal with.
Obviously, battery life will vary wildly depending on your usage, but unless you’re a really light user, you’ll be unlikely to make it through the day without a degree of battery-anxiety. During the review period I normally found myself reaching for a charger by around 8pm.
Related: Best Android phones
It’s worth noting that there are lots of features on the Galaxy S9 that can be a drain on the battery.The Video Enhancer mode boosts the brightness of the display to create a faux-HDR effect when using apps such as YouTube, Netflix or Google Play Movies. With this on, however, an hour of video-watching depletes the cell by nearly 20%.
Related: What is HDR?
If you want to eke out more juice then you’d be wise to reduce the resolution of the display or limit performance. There are some fantastic power-saving modes on offer, which make a real difference to power consumption, if you can live with the sacrifices. Conversely, juggling with these modes can make it appear that you’re not getting the most out of such a powerful device.
Charging the Galaxy S9 is via the USB-C port, or through a Qi/PMA wireless charging pad. Samsung’s own fast-charging is supported – both wired and wirelessly – but you’ll always get the fastest speeds through a cable.
Why buy the Samsung Galaxy S9?
The Samsung Galaxy S9 ticks most of the boxes with regards to what most folk want in a phone: good camera, attractive design, stunning screen and plenty of interesting features to play with.
Yet it feels like Samsung could have done more. I’m not talking about another complete redesign – that was never going to happen – but with the iPhone X being such a radical departure for Apple, and the Pixel 2 having such an amazing camera, it feels like Samsung has played it safe.
Samsung seemed to think so, too, with the Galaxy S10 changing a lot from the S9. In that regard, the newer Galaxy S10 is the better phone and, if you’re after a flagship, then it’s the model to buy. While the Galaxy S9 wasn’t an exciting phone on launch, age has meant that its price has dropped, and the S9 is now a good-value alternative to the S10 offering many similar features at a more wallet-friendly price.
Trusted Score
Score in detail
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Performance 8
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Camera 8
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Design 9
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Battery Life 7
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Value 7
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Software 8
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Calls & Sound 8
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Screen Quality 10
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.