Galaxy S9+ review

A big, bright screen for movies and games — Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

The Galaxy S9+ centers its experience around a large 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display. This curved screen delivers deep blacks and vibrant colors, making it ideal for watching videos or playing games. Even years after its release, the screen remains a highlight, offering an immersive viewing experience that competes well with newer devices. The phone itself feels solid and premium, with a glass back and an aluminum frame.

Samsung also made small but meaningful improvements over the previous model, such as moving the fingerprint sensor to a more natural, center-aligned position on the back and adding stereo speakers for better sound. It also keeps practical features that many modern phones have dropped, including a headphone jack and a microSD slot for expandable storage. If you want a big, beautiful screen without spending a fortune on a brand-new flagship, this phone still delivers. For more opinions on similar devices, browse our phone reviews.

A camera that shines in the dark — Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

The main camera on the Galaxy S9+ is a 12MP sensor with a variable aperture that can open as wide as f/1.5. This was one of the first phones to offer such a wide aperture, and it makes a real difference in low-light situations. Photos taken at night or in dim environments come out bright, detailed, and with less noise than most competitors of its era. The camera also supports super-slow-motion video at 960 frames per second, letting you capture dramatic slow-mo clips of fast-moving subjects.

The artificial intelligence features, like AR Emoji, were less impressive and felt more like a gimmick than a useful tool. Still, the core camera performance is excellent, especially for anyone who takes a lot of indoor or evening shots. If you want to compare this phone to other models, check our phone directory for a full list of devices.

Dual lenses for zoom and portrait shots — Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

The Galaxy S9+ was the first Galaxy S phone to feature a dual-lens rear camera system. Alongside the main 12MP wide-angle camera, there is a 12MP telephoto lens that provides 2x optical zoom. This setup allows you to get closer to your subject without losing quality, which is great for portraits or capturing details from a distance. It also enables a Live Focus mode that adds a blur effect to the background, mimicking the look of a professional DSLR portrait.

A Dual Capture tool snaps both a wide shot and a zoomed-in shot at the same time, giving you two versions of each photo to choose from. While the regular Galaxy S9 could achieve a similar portrait effect using software, the dual-camera hardware on the Plus model delivers better results, especially for framing. Overall, this camera system gives you more creative control.

Small tweaks that make a big difference — Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

The Samsung Galaxy S9+ sticks closely to its predecessor's recipe, but a few thoughtful changes elevate everyday use. The fingerprint sensor, previously an awkward offset, now sits centered on the back where your finger naturally lands. This may seem trivial on paper, but it makes enable the phone far more fluid. Samsung also added stereo speakers for the first time on a Galaxy S phone, giving movies and music more presence than the single speaker on the S8.

The phone kept the 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display that remains vibrant and sharp for watching videos, and it kept the headphone jack many rivals had already abandoned. The new AR Emoji mode falls flat, but the core experience?refined biometrics and better audio?makes the phone feel more polished day to day. You can compare it directly against its smaller sibling using our side-by-side comparison to see which size suits you.

Water resistance and expandable storage — Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

While newer phones have shed these features, the Galaxy S9+ holds onto two practical touches that many users still value. The IP68 rating means it can survive submersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes, giving you confidence when using the phone in the rain or near the pool. The microSD slot, meanwhile, lets you expand the 64GB to 256GB of built-in storage by adding a card for photos, music, or offline video.

This combination?waterproofing and storage flexibility?used to be standard on flagship phones but is now rare. The 3,500mAh battery keeps the phone running through a full day, and both 15W wired and Qi wireless charging make topping up convenient. If you are searching for a used or discounted model with these features, our phone finder can help you locate deals online.

Is the Galaxy S9+ right for you? — Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Samsung Galaxy S9+ review: Still a solid choice years later

The Galaxy S9+ never aimed to be major, and it isn't. It refines the Galaxy S8 formula with a better camera, improved ergonomics, and stereo sound while keeping the big, beautiful screen that made its predecessor popular. The 12MP main camera with its f/1.5 aperture captures impressively bright low-light shots, and the 12MP telephoto lens offers 2x optical zoom not available on the standard S9. The Snapdragon 845 or Exynos 9810 chip and 6GB of RAM handle daily tasks smoothly, though you may notice slower loading with newer heavy games.

If you can find the S9+ at a reduced price, it delivers a premium Samsung experience with a dual camera, quality display, headphone jack, microSD support, and water resistance that many current phones lack. The biggest catch is software support: Samsung no longer guarantees security updates, so you are relying on what the phone shipped with. For the price, it remains a capable big-screen companion.