GSMArena team, 15 March 2018

Samsung Galaxy S9+ review

3. Lab tests - display and audio quality, battery life, speaker loudness

SuperAMOLED at its finest, 6.2 inches of it

The Galaxy S9+ is equipped with a 6.2-inch SuperAMOLED display, Samsung's own. Nothing's changed in the numbers - it's still in an 18.5:9 aspect (2.06:1) and resolution is 1,440x2,960px for a 521ppi density.

We measured a maximum brightness of 631nits in auto mode - that's when the phone can push out more nits than you can get just by turning the slider all the way up, in which case you'd get something along the lines of 376nits. Both numbers are lower than on the S8+ (647 nits in auto, 442 in manual) and the Note8 (647/412), though the Auto figure is within a few percents. The smaller S9 has a few extra nits in auto (658), and it practically as bright as the Plus in manual (370).

The iPhone X can still go a little brighter, while other high-end OLEDs like the LG V30 and Huawei Mate 10 Pro are marginally dimmer than the S9+ in Auto. The Pixel 2 XL and OnePlus 5T max out some 200nits down.

Display test	100% brightness
Display test	Black, cd/m²	White, cd/m²	Contrast ratio
Samsung Galaxy S9+	0	376	∞
Samsung Galaxy S9+ (Max Auto)	0	631	∞
Samsung Galaxy S8+	0	442	∞
Samsung Galaxy S8+ Max auto	0	647	∞
Samsung Galaxy Note8	0	412	∞
Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Max Auto)	0	647	∞
Apple iPhone X	0	679	∞
Apple iPhone 8 Plus (Standard)	0.392	530	1352
Apple iPhone 8 Plus (Max Auto)	0.471	621	1318
HTC U11+ (EU)	0.176	287	1631
Huawei Mate 10 Pro (vivid)	0	440	∞
Huawei Mate 10 Pro (max auto vivid)	0	623	∞
Google Pixel 2 XL	0	420	∞
LG V30	0.002	414	207000
LG V30 (Max Auto)	0.032	616	19250
OnePlus 5T	0	437	∞

Sunlight legibility is excellent on the S9+, proper top-tier performance in our test. The S9 and the S8+ are marginally better in this respect, but the S9+ is superior to the Note8. The iPhone X remains unchallenged at the top of our chart.

Sunlight contrast ratio

Apple iPhone X
5.013
OnePlus 5T
4.789
Samsung Galaxy S8
4.768
Samsung Galaxy S8+
4.658
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
4.615
Samsung Galaxy S9
4.600
Samsung Galaxy S9+
4.537
Motorola Moto Z2 Play
4.459
Oppo R11
4.454
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
4.439
OnePlus 3
4.424
Samsung Galaxy S7
4.376
HTC One A9
4.274
Samsung Galaxy Note7
4.247
Samsung Galaxy A3
4.241
Nokia 8
4.239
Google Pixel 2 XL (pre-update)
4.234
OnePlus 3T
4.232
Google Pixel XL
4.164
ZTE Axon 7
4.154
Samsung Galaxy Note8
4.148
Meizu Pro 7 Plus
4.147
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017)
4.124
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
4.124
Huawei Mate 10 Pro (normal)
4.096
Samsung Galaxy Note5
4.09
Google Pixel 2 (pre-update)
4.023
LG V30
4.022
Huawei Nexus 6P
4.019
Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro
3.998
Vivo Xplay5 Elite
3.983
OnePlus X
3.983
Oppo R7s
3.964
Apple iPhone 7
3.964
Apple iPhone 8 (True Tone)
3.957
Huawei P9 Plus
3.956
Meizu Pro 6 Plus
3.935
Lenovo Moto Z
3.931
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016)
3.918
OnePlus 5
3.914
Samsung Galaxy C5
3.911
Samsung Galaxy C7
3.896
Samsung Galaxy A5
3.895
Samsung Galaxy J7 outdoor
3.879
Samsung Galaxy J2 outdoor
3.873
Samsung Galaxy A8
3.859
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018)
3.842
Sony Xperia XZs
3.818
Samsung Galaxy A9 (2016)
3.817
Motorola Moto X (2014)
3.816
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
3.812
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)
3.804
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) outdoor mode
3.802
LG V20 Max auto
3.798
Xiaomi Redmi Pro
3.798
Sony Xperia XZ
3.795
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)
3.789
Apple iPhone 6s
3.783
Meizu Pro 5
3.781
Microsoft Lumia 650
3.772
Xiaomi Mi 6
3.767
Sony Xperia XZ1
3.765
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016)
3.756
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
3.729
Apple iPhone 8 Plus (True Tone)
3.725
Oppo F1 Plus
3.709
Vivo X5Pro
3.706
Sony Xperia X Compact
3.694
Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017)
3.688
Apple iPhone SE
3.681
Huawei Mate 9
3.68
Samsung Galaxy A7
3.679
Meizu PRO 6
3.659
BlackBerry Priv
3.645
Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra
3.597
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
3.588
LG G6
3.556
Apple iPhone 6s Plus
3.53
Motorola Moto Z Play
3.526
Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)
3.523
Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) outdoor mode
3.523
Acer Jade Primo
3.521
Microsoft Lumia 950
3.512
Oppo R7 Plus
3.499
nubia Z11
3.466
Huawei P10 Plus
3.456
HTC U Ultra
3.453
Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra
3.445
Samsung Galaxy J7
3.422
Meizu MX5
3.416
LG V20
3.402
Huawei P10
3.379
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016)
3.378
Oppo R9s
3.352
Honor 8 Pro
3.341
Oppo R7
3.32
Lenovo P2
3.316
Archos Diamond Omega
3.305
Honor 9
3.289
Xiaomi Mi 5s
3.276
Nokia 5
3.261
Nokia 6 (Chinese version)
3.244
Nokia 6 (Global version)
3.238
Samsung Galaxy J2
3.235
Sony Xperia X Performance
3.234
Xiaomi Mi Note 2
3.228
Motorola Moto X Play
3.222
Oppo F3 Plus
3.218
Huawei Mate 9 Pro
3.206
Huawei P9
3.195
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
3.19
ZTE Nubia Z17
3.159
Oppo R11s
3.153
Lenovo Vibe Shot
3.113
HTC U11 Life
3.108
Motorola Moto X Force
3.105
LG Nexus 5X
3.092
HTC U11
3.089
Huawei Mate S
3.073
Microsoft Lumia 640 XL
3.065
Asus Zenfone 4 ZE554KL
3.019
Motorola Moto X4
3.012
Sony Xperia XA1
3.012
Sony Xperia L1
2.994
Sony Xperia X
2.989
LG Q6
2.987
Huawei P10 Lite
2.974
Samsung Galaxy Note
2.97
Xiaomi Redmi 5
2.951
Huawei Mate 8
2.949
Sony Xperia XA2
2.938
Xiaomi Redmi 4
2.92
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
2.913
Xiaomi Redmi 3S
2.913
Sony Xperia XA Ultra
2.906
LG G5
2.905
Huawei Honor View 10
2.896
Xiaomi Redmi 3s Prime
2.893
Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus
2.884
Sony Xperia XZ Premium
2.877
Sony Xperia XZ Premium (sRGB)
2.877
Sony Xperia Z5
2.876
Nokia 3
2.871
Microsoft Lumia 550
2.851
Lenovo Moto M
2.813
Xiaomi Redmi 3 Pro
2.803
Sony Xperia Z5 compact
2.784
Nokia 2
2.752
Meizu MX6
2.751
LG V10
2.744
Huawei Mate 10 (normal)
2.742
Motorola Moto G5S Plus
2.737
Xiaomi Redmi 3
2.735
Huawei Honor 7X
2.734
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
2.714
Meizu M5
2.71
Sony Xperia M5
2.69
Xiaomi Mi A1
2.689
Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime
2.679
Huawei P9 Lite
2.679
vivo V7+
2.671
Vivo V3Max
2.659
Xiaomi Mi Mix
2.658
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
2.654
Oppo F5
2.653
Doogee Mix
2.642
Xiaomi Mi 4i
2.641
Xiaomi Redmi 4a
2.635
Xiaomi Mi 5X (Standard)
2.616
Sony Xperia XA
2.609
Motorola Moto G4 Plus (max auto)
2.582
Motorola Moto G4 Plus
2.582
Meizu M5s
2.58
Xiaomi Mi 4c
2.574
LeEco Le Max 2
2.567
Microsoft Lumia 640
2.563
Huawei P Smart
2.563
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
2.563
Xiaomi Mi Max 2
2.561
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A (Y1)
2.556
HTC U11+
2.556
Lenovo K6 Note
2.544
Lenovo Moto G4
2.544
Oppo F1
2.528
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
2.525
Huawei Honor 7 Lite / Honor 5c
2.506
Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
2.503
BlackBerry Motion
2.494
Oppo F1s
2.481
Motorola Moto G
2.477
Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus
2.473
Huawei G8
2.471
Huawei nova
2.467
Sony Xperia Z
2.462
Lenovo Vibe K5
2.459
Meizu m3 max
2.447
Xiaomi Mi 4
2.424
Xiaomi Mi 5X (Auto)
2.417
HTC 10 evo
2.407
Huawei Honor 7
2.406
Vivo V7
2.404
Sony Xperia E5
2.386
ZUK Z1 by Lenovo
2.382
HTC 10
2.378
Oppo F3
2.376
vivo V5 Plus
2.371
Meizu m1 note
2.362
Huawei nova plus
2.329
Razer Phone
2.328
HTC One E9+
2.305
Alcatel One Touch Hero
2.272
Sony Xperia L2
2.266
Lenovo Vibe K4 Note
2.254
Sony Xperia C5 Ultra
2.253
HTC U11+ (EU)
2.253
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (MediaTek)
2.249
Sony Xperia C4 Dual
2.235
Xiaomi Mi Note
2.234
Motorola Moto G (2014)
2.233
LG Nexus 5
2.228
Huawei P8
2.196
Meizu M5 Note
2.189
Huawei Honor 6
2.169
Xiaomi Redmi Note 2
2.166
OnePlus Two
2.165
HTC One X
2.158
LG Aka
2.145
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (X20)
2.145
Archos 50 Diamond
2.134
Xiaomi Redmi Note
2.119
Xiaomi Mi 4S
2.095
Acer Liquid X2
2.084
Huawei P8lite
2.078
vivo V5
2.059
Moto G 3rd gen max manual
2.026
Xiaomi Mi 3
2.001
Xiaomi Mi Max
1.996
Sony Xperia E4g
1.972
OnePlus One
1.961
Sony Xperia Z2
1.944
Meizu m3 note
1.923
BlackBerry Leap
1.892
Meizu m2 note
1.892
HTC Butterfly
1.873
ZTE Nubia Z9 mini
1.759
Sony Xperia U
1.758
Asus Zenfone Selfie
1.68
Motorola Moto E (2nd Gen)
1.675
ZTE Nubia Z9
1.659
Jolla Jolla
1.605
Motorola Moto E
1.545
Sony Xperia M
1.473
Sony Xperia L
1.351
HTC Desire C
1.3
Sony Xperia C
1.283
Meizu MX
1.221
Sony Xperia E
1.215

Color accuracy is awesome if you know what you're after and are willing to go into display settings and select the appropriate mode. Measured against an sRGB target color space, Basic mode yields an average DeltaE of 1.5, AMOLED Photo is faithful to AdobeRGB within an average DeltaE of 1.9, while AMOLED Cinema can reproduce the DCI-P3 color space with an average DeltaE of 1.7. Adaptive mode (the default setting) measured against an sRGB target will get you an average DeltaE of 4.8.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ battery life

The Galaxy S9+ packs a 3,500mAh battery - that number remains unchanged from the last generation. We're firm supporters of the 'moar is better' philosophy when it comes to battery capacity, but if Samsung thinks 3,500mAh is enough - so be it. A year later, chipsets are more powerful while still made on a 10nm process, so there was a certain amount of anxiety on our part going into the battery tests.

It turns out we were wrong to worry. The Galaxy S9+ posted very similar results to the model it replaces. A 40-minute bump in video playback longevity sees that number verging on 17 hours. Web browsing over Wi-Fi depleted the S9+'s battery in a little over 11 hours, leaving the S8+ reloading pages for an hour more. If voice calls are your thing, the S9+ can do those over 3G for a full day and then some, an hour and a half more than the S8+.

Those numbers translate into an Endurance rating of 86 hours, 2h less overall than the S8+ and 3h less than the Note8. That said, the S9+ outlasts the Note8 in each of the three individual disciplines, only to lose its lead due to the Note's lower standby consumption.

Even with the drop in the web browsing endurance, the S9+ remains one of the best performers in the field - only the Mate 10 Pro has an edge here (okay, with 15:21h the Mate is a league of its own). And then it's only the Mate that comes close to the video playback endurance of the S9+.

Our endurance rating denotes how long a single battery charge will last you if you use the Samsung Galaxy S9+ for an hour each of telephony, web browsing, and video playback daily. We've established this usage pattern so our battery results are comparable across devices in the most common day-to-day tasks. The battery testing procedure is described in detail in case you're interested in the nitty-gritties. You can also check out our complete battery test table, where you can see how all of the smartphones we've tested will compare under your own typical use.

In 30 minutes of charging, Samsung's Adaptive fast charger will get the S9+'s battery from flat to 37%. It's not blazing fast, and we've seen much more impressive numbers from, say, Huawei (58% of the larger 4,000mAh battery on the Mate 10 Pro in the same amount of time). The iPhone X, on the other hand, will be at only at 20% after a 30-minute charge from flat with the bundled adapter, so there's that.

A couple of things should be noted. Number one, we had the Exynos version of the Galaxy S9+ for testing, and the Snapdragon variant has been known to post different results (typically not as good). Number two, the effect of the always on display on overall endurance will vary wildly depending on what percentage of the time the phone will spend in a pocket or purse. The AOD turns off in the dark or when its proximity sensor is covered. Our test takes into account the power consumption as it is while sitting on a desk during the day (when it'll be on all the time) - so take our numbers as the worst case scenario.

Loudspeaker

It took a while, but we're finally there - the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ have stereo speakers. They've done it the Huawei way - the bottom-firing driver covers the low end of the spectrum and one of the channels in the stereo pair, while the earpiece is responsible for the other channel's mids and highs.

While in landscape, the speakers switch according to orientation, so the earpiece acts as left channel while the earpiece is on the left, and right channel if you hold the phone the other way around. When in portrait, the right channel goes to the earpiece.

Not only is the sound stereo, but it's also loud. The Galaxy S9+ placed in the Very good category in our three-pronged loudness test - marginally ahead of the iPhone X and marginally behind the LG V30 in total decibels. The output is clean and full-bodied, and a (strictly non-official) panel of two stereo speaker phone owners at the office ruled it superior to the Pixel 2 XL and the iPhone X in terms of quality.

Speakerphone test	Voice, dB	Pink noise/ Music, dB	Ringing phone, dB	Overall score
Samsung Galaxy Note8	67.8	69.5	71.5	Good
Samsung Galaxy S8+	68.5	69.4	71.6	Good
OnePlus 5T	68.4	73.2	69.9	Good
Google Pixel 2 XL	66.2	70.4	78.2	Good
Apple iPhone X	68.9	74.0	76.2	Very Good
Samsung Galaxy S9+	68.4	74.0	80.1	Very Good
LG V30	66.9	72.3	84.5	Very Good
Huawei Mate 10 Pro	70.1	73.8	84.2	Excellent
Apple iPhone 8 Plus	76.0	74.6	79.0	Excellent
Razer Phone	69.3	75.0	90.5	Excellent
HTC U11+ (retail)	91.2	75.4	90.7	Excellent

Solid audio quality

The Samsung Galaxy S9+ managed to replicate the performance of its smaller sibling when it came to audio output accuracy. The larger of the two flagships had the same perfectly clear output with an active external amplifier and negligible degradation with headphones.

Where the Galaxy S9+ didn’t quite match the Galaxy S9 is loudness - the Plus model was still above average, but it not really impressive. Then again that may not matter much depending on your headphones - for those sticking to lower-impedance ones the S9+ likely won’t be any different.

Test	Frequency response	Noise level	Dynamic range	THD	IMD + Noise	Stereo crosstalk
Samsung Galaxy S9+	+0.01, -0.03	-92.6	92.5	0.0012	0.0076	-93.4
Samsung Galaxy S9+ (headphones)	+0.03, -0.03	-92.2	92.2	0.0017	0.042	-76.3
Samsung Galaxy S9	+0.01, -0.03	-93.4	93.5	0.0057	0.0074	-93.9
Samsung Galaxy S9 (headphones)	+0.02, -0.03	-93.0	92.9	0.0038	0.048	-75.5
Samsung Galaxy S8+	+0.01, -0.03	-92.1	92.1	0.0020	0.0086	-92.5
Samsung Galaxy S8+ (headphones)	+0.03, -0.03	-92.5	92.5	0.0024	0.046	-77.3
HTC U11	+0.05, -0.11	-94.1	94.1	0.0017	0.0067	-94.5
HTC U11 (headphones)	+0.05, -0.02	-93.7	93.8	0.0018	0.105	-53.7
LG V30	+0.02, -0.01	-93.2	93.1	0.0008	0.0069	-94.2
LG V30 (headphones)	+0.03, -0.02	-92.9	92.9	0.0057	0.051	-68.1

Samsung Galaxy S9+ frequency response

You can learn more about the tested parameters and the whole testing process here.

Next Page » 4. User interface

3. Lab tests - display and audio quality, battery life, speaker loudness

Reviews Samsung Galaxy S9+ reviewPage 3