Samsung Galaxy S9 review – it’s on sale today, but should you buy it?

LOOK out, Apple – the supercharged Samsung Galaxy S9 smartphone is finally here, and it's ruddy fantastic.

The Sun has spent nearly two weeks with the high-end blower, and we reckon it's as good an iPhone rival as they come. Here's why.

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Samsung Galaxy S9 design – one of the best looking phones we've seen

If you're settled on getting an Android phone, you can't do much better than Samsung's latest.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 is the most attractive phone the firm has ever produced, boasting a svelte 8.5mm body that feels great in the hand.

It's also got a huge 5.8-inch Quad HD curved Super AMOLED display that fills most of the phone's front – and it looks great.

Check out the best deals on the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ here.

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Samsung Galaxy S9 specs and performance – a true powerhouse

It's powered by Samsung's latest Exynos processor. That's good news, because the octa-core chip is probably going to remain the fastest smartphone processor in the world for the rest of 2018.

We found the phone's performance to be buttery smooth, and apps launched very quickly. It's a seamless experience that rivals the iPhone.

It's helped by the fact that the phone boasts a generous 4GB of RAM, and comes with either 64GB or 256GB of storage, depending on which version you buy.

The large RAM – or 'memory' – means you can run lots of apps simultaneously without a performance slow-down. And the high storage lets you keep loads of apps and high-quality photos or videos without worrying about running out of space.

But it's no surprise that the Galaxy S9 is quick – we expect Samsung phones to just work, and they still do.

Where the Galaxy S9 has really made improvements is in terms of its large selection of high-end features that could woo even the most ardent Apple fan.

Here are the big features that really wowed us.

Samsung Galaxy S9 features – artificial intelligence and augmented reality

Camera processing for AWESOME photos: Last year's Galaxy S8 used to take three photos at the same time, then processed them together for the perfect image.

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With the Galaxy S9, Samsung has given the camera some dedicated memory so it can do more at once.

That means it can now take 12 shots simultaneously, merging them into a really clear, attractive photo. It works really well for low-light photography, and for showing off high detail and impressive depth-of-field.

Super slow-mo videos: Samsung is taking slow-mo videos to the next level with the Galaxy S9.

The new phone can shoot HD video at 960 frames per second – that means 0.2 seconds of filming turns into a six second video.

It also uses an automatic motion-detect feature so you won't miss any cool action. When something hits the motion-detect box on screen, the phone will immediately begin recording for your slow-mo shot.

These clips can be turned into GIF files that can be shared on Twitter or WhatsApp, or even saved as an animation for your phone wallpaper.

AR Emoji: This is Samsung's attempt to take on the tour-de-force of Emoji whimsy that is Apple's Animoji feature.

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The AR Emoji lets you take a 3D image of your face, and then uses those details to create an Emoji version of you.

You can then record what you're doing with your face in Emoji form, and share the clip on other apps, like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.

Bixby Vision: Samsung is still dabbling with artificial intelligence, and has finally found a way to make it genuinely useful – using the camera.

The best example of this is real-time translation: if you point your camera at a sign or menu in a foreign language, it will instantly translate the words on your phone screen.

But you can also point your camera at food for a quick calorie read-out, or a famous building for some location-based info.

AKG tuned audio: Samsung has worked with audio firm AKG to fine tune the sound in its speakers, making it louder and crispier.

But Samsung has also integrated the Dolby Atmos audio standard into its smartphone, which lets the handset create an "immersive 360-surround sound" using the two speakers.

We tried this out with several videos, and the audio space the phone was able to create was genuinely impressive. It'll make watching Netflix on your smartphone way better, without a doubt.

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So what else do you need to know? The popular Midnight Black and Coral Blue colour options are back, but there's also a swanky new Lilac Purple hue that we reckon will sell like hot-cakes.

The phone doesn't go on sale until March 16, but pre-order pages are already live at most tech retailers and phone networks.

Samsung Galaxy S9 review verdict

There's very little to dislike about the Samsung Galaxy S9.

Sure, it hasn't changed much compared to last year's model, but there's not much phone makers can do to improve handsets these days anyway.

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It's got everything you expect from a top mobile: a fantastic camera, an attractive design, and lightning-quick performance.

But where Samsung is winning is on the huge selection of cool features – like AR Emoji and Bixby Vision – its latest phone has.

It's also probably one of the few phones that could win over iPhone owners too, because it's just so easy to use.

If you want to save a bit of a cash, you can get last year's very similar Samsung Galaxy S8 for around £500 now.

And casual users will probably be just as happy with even cheaper phones, like the or even the .

But the Galaxy S9 is an absolute powerhouse, so if you're gadget mad then this is the blower for you.

The Sun Says: Samsung's Galaxy S9 is basically flawless. This is a true smartphone titan that won't disappoint – if you can foot the £739 price tag, that is.

★★★★★

What do you think of the Samsung Galaxy S9? Let us know in the comments.

• You can check out our round-up of the best deals for the Galaxy S9 and S9+ here.

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