Canon’s entry-level Rebel T7 DSLR targets social media users

On top of its M50 mirrorless with 4K video, Canon also took the wraps of its latest DSLR, the Rebel T7. The successor to the two-year-old, 18-megapixel Rebel T6 now has a much bigger 24.1-megapixel sensor, making it more attractive next to excellent smartphone cameras on the iPhone X and Galaxy S8+, for instance.

The Rebel T7 makes it fairly easy to take photos with “Scene Intelligent” and auto modes, then share them on social networks via WiFi and NFC. Other specs remain largely unchanged, including the 9-point phase-detection autofocus, 3fps burst shooting speed and 1,920 x 1,080, 30fps video. Clearly, this is a camera for beginners, albeit beginners that have developed high expectations because smartphone cameras are so good these days.

The Rebel T7 also arrives in April of 2018, and will only be sold as a kit with the the EF-S 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 IS II lens for $550. For around the same price, however, you might be more tempted by Nikon’s D3400, which has a similar sensor and offers slightly better performance.

Huawei MediaPad M5 Hands-on Review

Research Center:
Huawei MediaPad M5

Huawei has made a new Android tablet for movie watchers and mobile game players. It’s the 10.8-inch MediaPad M5, and it’s one of the most sensibly-designed tablets we’ve encountered. The M5 is the middle-of-the-line model in Huawei’s new M5 tablet range, succeeding the MediaPad M3, and it’s joined by the 10.8-inch M5 Pro, and a more hand-friendly 8.4-inch MediaPad M5. We spent the most time with the Pro version, but the differences between all three are few, so our experience with the Pro mostly applies the others as well.

Multimedia tablet

First, let’s address the difference between the M5 Pro and the regular M5. It’s the addition of stylus support, and the inclusion of the new M-Pen stylus in the box. The stylus won’t operate with either of the other M5 tablets.

Both 10.8-inch MediaPad M5 tablets have pogo-pins connectors for a keyboard case, which when connected activates a Windows-style desktop environment for greater productivity and speed. Otherwise, the key specs are identical between the two. The 8.4-inch M5 has one key difference. It has dual speakers built-in, rather than the quad-speaker set-up on the larger M5 devices.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

That makes a difference, and ties into the clever design and media-friendliness of the 10.8-inch MediaPad M5 tablets. The IPS screen has a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600, and a strong pixel-per-inch density of 280ppi. It looks sharp, bright, and brilliantly high resolution. It’s also apparently enhanced by something called ClariVu. This improves picture quality by 20 percent, Huawei said, but how it does this and what the exact changes are were not immediately obvious.

In Huawei’s demo it looked a little like alterations we expect from High Dynamic Range (HDR). We’ll need to investigate this further, watching different videos, before we can understand how it works, and its effectiveness.

The Huawei MediaPad M5 is one of the most sensibly-designed tablets we’ve encountered.

Over the screen is a 2.5D piece of glass, matted to the aluminum unibody. This is the first time Huawei has used the same kind of 2.5D glass design we see on its phones for a tablet, and a rarity in the industry. It makes a massive difference in comfort. There are no sharp edges where the screen meets the body, making it comfortable to hold — a big deal if you’re watching a full length movie, or multiple TV episodes. Almost everyone would be doing this with the tablet in landscape orientation, and Huawei has put some thought into this.

The speakers run along the top and bottom edges of the tablet when held in landscape orientation, but they thankfully don’t get covered by your hands. Huawei has also placed the volume rocker and the sleep-wake key on the tablet’s right hand side corner. They fall instantly to finger, and aren’t intrusive when you’re handling the tablet. The Huawei brand name is even placed along the bottom edge in landscape orientation, prompting you to hold it this way.

Sound is also a major part of the MediaPad M5’s expertise here. We only saw a few brief video demos on the MediaPad M5, but it was good enough to make us want to watch more. The quad-speakers are tuned by Harmon Kardon, and they use Huawei’s Histen surround sound technology too. If video on a tablet is your thing, you’re going to adore the MediaPad M5.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

How about the stylus? After all, it’s the reason you’ll want to pay more — inevitably — for the M5 Pro. In the short time we spent with it, we weren’t so impressed, unlike first tries with the S Pen stylus that comes with Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S3 tablet, or the Apple Pencil. It’s quite thick, but the quick access shortcut buttons are placed in a position near the tip that makes them all-to-easy to press when holding the stylus normally.

The stylus also didn’t work especially well outside of Huawei’s own supplied note app, giving the impression it needs some software optimization to perform better. We’ll need more time to properly assess it, but at the moment it’s not a reason to buy the M5 Pro over the regular 10.8-inch M5.

In the short time we spent with the M5 Pro’s stylus we weren’t very impressed.

All three MediaPad M5 tablets have the Kirin 960 processor inside, a 13-megapixel camera on the back, an 8-megapixel camera on the front, and both Wi-Fi and 4G LTE connections built-in. They’re available in two colors, champagne gold and space grey, and run Android 8.0 Oreo with Huawei’s own EMUI 8 user interface over the top. A game mode further proves the MediaPad M5’s entertainment credentials, pushing power and system resources to the game for the best experience possible.

The battery inside the 8.4-inch MediaPad M5 will allow 11 hours of continuous video, and it can recharge in two hours, while the 10.8-inch model shows 10 hours of continuous video, and charges up in three hours. The stylus provides 50 days of use on a charge. Rather annoyingly, the MediaPad M5 does away with the 3.5mm headphone socket, but it does include a dongle adapter in the box.

It’s early days, but the 10.8-inch MediaPad M5 is our pick of the three new tablets; but while it’s clearly capable, we do question how many people still want a tablet today, or feel the need to upgrade from an older one. Huawei didn’t announce prices or availability when we first saw the M5 range, so we cannot compare them against Apple’s iPad range, which remains the most popular choice for tablet buyers.

Huawei MediaPad M5 Compared To

ReMarkable tablet

Asus Transformer Pro T304

Apple iPad 9.7

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3

Dell Venue 8 7000

Nvidia Shield Tablet

Apple iPad Air 2

LG G Pad 7.0

Microsoft Surface 2

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 (8-inch)

Smart Devices SmartQ U7

Dell XPS 10

Amazon Kindle Fire

Lenovo IdeaPad K1

Acer Iconia Tab A100

ZTE debuts budget-friendly Blade V9, and its first Android Go-powered phone

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Following the Blade V8 series, ZTE is offering the next-generation of devices within the Blade family — the Blade V9 and the Blade V9 Vita. The Chinese company made the announcement on Sunday at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

In addition to the Blade V9, ZTE also introduced its first Android Go smartphone, called the Tempo Go. Here’s everything you need to know about the ZTE Blade V9 and Tempo Go.

ZTE Blade V9

The ZTE Blade V9 has a 5.7-inch Full HD+ display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, which provides a longer screen for viewing more content. The edges around the screen have been minimized for a more full-screen design, a trend every smartphone manufacturer is following.

The back of the phone is glass, giving it a more expensive feel. It’s slim, and despite its large size, it feels fairly compact. The back is incredibly minimal, with just the ZTE logo, a fingerprint sensor, and a dual-camera system.

There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack at the top, and sadly, ZTE opted for a MicroUSB charging port on the bottom. The company said since this phone is primarily meant for markets outside the U.S., there’s not much demand to see USB-Type C in an affordable smartphone.

Specifications

Under the hood, the Blade V9 is powered by the Snapdragon 450 processor, which performed well in our brief hands-on time with the phone. Apps opened quickly, and moving throughout the operating system was fluid.

Perhaps what’s more impressive, however, is how the Blade V9 does not come installed with ZTE’s MiFavor user interface. No, it runs stock Android 8.1 Oreo. Why did ZTE dump its own software? Because its customers — specifically from the Z Community forum — preferred the bloatware-free, pure version of Android. It’s a big change, and ZTE told Digital Trends it will use stock Android in all its future smartphones, including those in its higher-tier Axon range.

There’s hardly any apps pre-installed on the phone, except for a few core Google apps. The user interface is simple, but it’s likely why it’s so fast to react.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Blade V9 also packs a 3,100mAh battery, and comes in a variety of storage options. With the 2GB RAM model, you’ll get 16GB of storage; 3GB of RAM comes with 32GB; and 4GB offers 64GB. There’s a MicroSD slot for expandable storage of up to 256GB, as well.

Camera

Dual lens cameras aren’t new on ZTE phones, but we’re impressed at the speed and quality from the Blade V9’s camera. A 16-megapixel camera is accompanied with a 5-megapixel one, and the two are capable of taking portrait mode-like selfies. The camera results, in our brief tests, looked good, with solid color accuracy, no blur, and good detail. We’re excited to see how the camera reacts in all sorts of environments, especially because ZTE has improved its low-light image processing with the V9.

As for the front-facing camera, it comes in at 8-megapixels, but 13-megapixels interpolated. That means pixels are added to the image by estimating the new color and intensity. So, even though you’re taking a photo with an 8-megapixel camera, the camera’s software will make it look as though it was taken with 13-megapixels instead. This may not necessarily mean the photo will look better since it’s essentially simulating the higher-resolution.

Price and availability

The ZTE Blade V9 will be available in Spain, Germany, Russia, and Mexico. The Blade Vita is a similar device with slightly different specifications, and it will launch in China with the company’s MiFavor UI instead of stock Android.

As for color options, the Blade V9 comes in four different variants — black, gold, blue, and grey. We likely won’t see the V9 here in the U.S., but ZTE usually works with smaller carriers like MetroPCS and Boost Mobile to bring different versions of the Blade V-series phones. Expect the same for the V9.

Tempo Go

The Tempo Go is an even more budget smartphone with a simple design. It includes a 5-inch display, and comes in at 854 x 480 pixels. At the bottom, you’ll find both a 3.5mm headphone jack and a MicroUSB charging port.

What’s unique about this device is that it runs Google’s new Android Go platform, which is a much smaller size version of Android meant for lower-end phones. It’s capable of running on phones with just 512MB of RAM. Android Go comes with lightweight Google apps that are smaller than 10MB in size, like Gmail Go.

Specs

The Tempo Go is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 210 chipset, with a battery capacity of 2,200mAh. The phone comes with 8GB of storage, which is expandable to 32GB thanks to a MicroSD card slot, and it only has 1GB of RAM. On the back, there’s a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.

The phone has a custom version of the Google Play Store integrated, allowing users to download either the lite or full version of apps, depending on their preference. Android Go also includes Google Assistant Go, allowing users to interact with Google’s artificially-intelligent assistant.

Price and availability

The Tempo Go will be sold unlocked on GSM, UMTS, and LTE networks in the U.S. It’ll cost you $80, and will be available for purchase on ZTE’s site. As far as color variants, the Tempo Go only comes in the grey model.

Editors’ Recommendations

• ‘Smart’ sunglasses from Vuzix work with Android and iOS, will debut at CES
• Vuzix serves up new ways to get your hands on its cool Blade smartglasses
• All phones in Alcatel’s 2018 budget lineup feature an 18:9 display
• Shadow is a cloud gaming service that wants to make your gaming PC obsolete
• Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra vs. Moto X4: 2018’s new midrange challenger

HMD’s Nokia 8 Sirocco is another breath of fresh air that runs Android One

HMD Global made a huge splash at Mobile World Congress 2018, launching not one, but five new Nokia-branded phones. The Nokia 8 Sirocco, the flagship of this year’s line up, is a gorgeous phone with strong specifications.

If you’re unaware, HMD Global is a company that launched last year, with the branding license to create new mobile phones under the Nokia brand name. It has to follow certain guidelines from Nokia, to make sure the phones are up to standard. Here’s everything you need to know about the Nokia 8 Sirocco.

Design

The Nokia 8 Sirocco is a departure from the other Nokia phones announced by HMD Global at MWC.  A sleek Gorilla Glass 5 case wraps around a stainless steel frame. On the front you’ll find a nearly bezel-less, 5.5-inch P-OLED screen with a 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution, that curves around the edges ever so gracefully. At these edges, the phone is just 2mm thin, but at its thickest it’s 7.5mm.

Flip the phone over and there’s a dual-camera setup with a flash unit sitting top center of the case. The fingerprint sensor falls right below the camera, which should make it easy to locate quickly. Missing, unfortunately, is a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

Long-time Nokia devotees may recall the company has used the Sirocco name — which refers to a desert wind or breeze — before, differentiating an expensive special edition Nokia 8800 phone with it around 2006.

Specifications

The Nokia 8 Sirocco looks stunning, and no improvement is needed for the specification either. A Snapdragon 835 processor along with 6GB of RAM provides the power, and there’s 128GB of onboard storage which should be enough for most. Be warned there’s no MicroSD slot for additional storage. There’s an ample 3,260mAh battery that supports both quick and wireless charging, and the phone is also IP67 water-resistant.

It is worth noting the Snapdragon 835 is about to be succeeded by the Snapdragon 845, and will therefore not be the “fastest” Qualcomm chip available. However, it will provide more than enough power for almost everyone for several years to come, so don’t be put off buying it.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

In terms of cameras on the Nokia 8 Sirocco, there are two lenses on the back of the phone featuring a main 12-megapixel, wide-angle camera, along with a secondary 13-megapixel telephoto lens. Nokia continues its partnership with Zeiss lenses on the Nokia 8 Sirocco. For selfie use, a 5 megapixel, wide-angle camera sits above the screen.

Nokia has added a new Pro Mode where you can make adjustments to the ISO, shutter speed, and other settings to improve the final look of your photos in the camera app. It’s a common feature on most high-end smartphones, but rarely included with camera apps on Android One devices.

Software

Speaking of software, the Nokia 8 Sirocco is indeed a part of the Android One lineup, meaning it runs a stock version of Google’s Android 8.0 Oreo. We’ve more often seen Android One used on low- to middle-end devices such as the Xiaomi  Mi A1, and the HTC U11 Life; but the Nokia 8 Sirocco is considerably higher spec than these phones. Having Android One is a good thing, as it receives timely operating system and security updates, unlike phones with a manufacturer user interface, and there’s no bloatware.

Price and availability

HMD said the Nokia 8 Sirocco will set you back a pricey 750 euros, and it launches in April 2018. There’s no word yet about a U.S. release.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Here are all the Nokia phones HMD Global unveiled at MWC 2018
• HMD announces an all new Nokia 6 for 2018 at Mobile World Congress
• Big-screen Nokia 7 Plus featuring Android One announced at Mobile World Congress
• Nokia 9 rumors suggest a strong 2018 for the reinvigorated company
• Everything you need to know about the budget-friendly Nokia 2 smartphone

Slide to hang up your calls on HMD’s nostalgic Nokia 8110 4G

HMD Global, the company behind Nokia-branded phones, brought us a wave of nostalgia last year when it announced new version of the Nokia 3310 that could connect to 3G networks. Get ready for another blast to the past, because its next feature phone is the Nokia 8110, which as its name suggests includes support for 4G networks.

The Nokia 8110 was originally released back in 1996, and it was among the first of its kind to introduce the ‘slider’ — a cover you can open by pressing a button to access the keypad or to answer a call. With the 4G 2018 model, you’ll be able to slide open the phone to answer calls, and close it to hang up. It’s not as satisfying as hanging up a call on a flip phone, but we’re getting closer than ever.

In comparison to the original model, the new Nokia 8110 4G has a more curved design, with a 2.4-inch rounded display and an improved keypad. On the back is a 2-megapixel rear-facing camera. Inside, it’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 205 chipset, a 1,500mAh that offers standby time of 25 days, and 4GB of internal storage.

While the Nokia 8110 was considered a high-end device back in the ’90s, its new model is more of a companion device for those days you want to disconnect — but not completely. You’ll be surprised to learn that HMD worked closely with Google to integrate apps like Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Facebook. You’ll also be able to import your contacts and sync your calendar from Gmail and Outlook.

There will be an app store included on the Nokia 8110, but it isn’t tied to the Google Play Store or App Store for iOS. This is where you’ll download the specific apps you’d like to add to the phone, but we aren’t exactly sure what type of apps to expect yet. The device will come with pre-loaded games along with downloadable ones as well — including the redesigned Snake game.

With a long-lasting battery life, access to 4G networks, as well as Google Maps, the Nokia 8110 4G could be great for camping or traveling. You’ll have the option of choosing between Traditional Black or Banana Yellow — which actually resembles the fruit, in case you’ve ever wanted a working Banana phone.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Here are all the Nokia phones HMD Global unveiled at MWC 2018
• Everything you need to know about the budget-friendly Nokia 2 smartphone
• A 4G-capable Nokia 3310 smartphone may be showcased at MWC 2018
• Big-screen Nokia 7 Plus featuring Android One announced at Mobile World Congress
• 10 of the worst Android Wear problems, and how to fix them

Samsung Galaxy S9 hands-on review

Research Center:
Samsung Galaxy S9

Put the Samsung Galaxy S9 next to the Galaxy S8, and you’ll struggle to find an immediate difference between the two. Samsung’s latest flagship, announced at Mobile World Congress 2018, boasts quality of smartphone life improvements: Minor changes to the Galaxy S8’s design make for a much better smartphone experience. In particular, it addresses one of the biggest disappointments of the S8 — how similar its camera was to the Galaxy S7. With the Galaxy S9 and especially the Galaxy S9 Plus, the camera has been “reimagined,” with features we’ve never seen before on a phone. It’s exciting, but also a little perplexing. Let’s take a closer look.

Refined design

Ever taken a look at the Galaxy S8’s Iris Scanner and think it sticks out like a sore thumb? Do you hate the placement of the fingerprint sensor on the S8 Plus? These are the sort of things the design-savvy among us fret about, and items Samsung has pondered and refined on the S9 and S9 Plus.

The Iris Scanner is now darker so it blends in with the edges around the screen. These edges or bezels are also slightly smaller, giving you even more screen real estate than before. Other than these two minor improvements, the front of these two new smartphones looks undeniably similar to that of its predecessors. That’s a good thing, because the Galaxy S9 continues to look stellar — super sleek and ultra-modern.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Perhaps more important, Samsung has placed the fingerprint sensor in a new position on the back of the S9 and S9 Plus, directly underneath the camera. The old placement made the sensor difficult to reach; it’s certainly much improved now. And this is largely a part of the biggest and most noticeable design difference between the S9 and the S8 devices, The sensor is lower, the flash is on the right side of the camera, and specifically on the Galaxy S9 Plus, you’ll find a dual-camera system. It’s the first time the Galaxy S-series features dual cameras — the first Galaxy device to utilize them is the Note 8.

The back of the phone doesn’t mention the device’s name, it just has Samsung’s logo in the center, a minor change over last year. There’s still the curved edges (also on the front), along with the all-glass back for fast wireless charging.

We’re still mesmerized by the Infinity Display.

The right edge of the phone is where you’ll find the power button; the left edge holds a volume rocker and the famed Bixby button below it. On the bottom edge is a bottom-firing speaker next to a USB Type-C charging port, and you may be surprised to hear there still is a headphone jack. The speaker, for the first time, works in tandem with the earpiece at the top of the phone, offering stereo sound tuned by AKG that’s 1.4 times louder than the Galaxy S8. Best of all, the speakers utilize Dolby Atmos technology, which helps make it room-filling and immersive. We’re impressed with the sound quality and how loud the speakers got from the brief music we heard. Still, it’s a bummer Samsung didn’t use dual front-facing speakers.

Both phones still manage to feel compact, while maintaining a large screen. The Galaxy S9 has the same 5.8-inch screen, and the S9 Plus comes in at 6.2 inches.

We love the design of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus, and we’re still mesmerized by the Infinity Display, even if it’s not much different from the screen on the Galaxy S8. The changes do improve the user experience, and we’re happy to see them. Better yet, there are a few beautiful colors coming to the U.S. we’re excited about — lilac purple, coral blue, and midnight black.

A mechanical camera, and super slow motion

Before diving into the specifications, let’s check out Samsung’s biggest selling point for the S9 and S9 Plus. The company’s heavily pushing the idea of a reimagined camera, and it’s right in saying so, because the S9’s camera has something we’ve never seen before on a phone — a mechanical aperture.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

An aperture is the hole in a camera that takes in light. The bigger the hole, the more light the camera can use, which is notably important for low-light photography. An aperture is measured by F-stops, and the lower the number, the bigger the hole. (For more info, read our guide to camera settings and controls.) The Galaxy S9’s 12-megapixel camera has an f/1.5 aperture, the lowest ever yet on a smartphone, as well as an f/2.4 aperture.

We’ll have to do more testing to see the benefits of having a mechanical aperture system.

It’s a mechanical lens, which means if you look at the back of the camera, you can see it switch between apertures. Samsung said the camera uses the f/2.4 aperture during the day, when the camera doesn’t need to take in as much light, while it automatically opts for the f/1.5 aperture at night to absorb as much as possible.

The switch occurs automatically, but you can change it yourself in manual mode. Yes, it’s fast, but we’re not sure quite yet why we need to switch between two apertures — why not just stick to a fixed f/1.5? We’ll have to do more testing to see the benefits of this mechanical system.

You’re meant to never really notice this change happening when you use the camera, so how does it fare in general use? The S9 took photos quickly, and in the limited time we had, the results looked good. We’ll be experimenting with the camera during Mobile World Congress, so we’ll add more thoughts here once we’ve spent more time with it in varying lighting conditions.

The Galaxy S9 Plus does indeed come with a second lens — a 12-megapixel, f/2.4 telephoto lens. It does the same thing as the second camera on the Galaxy Note 8. You can take Portrait Mode-like photos with the Live Focus tool, where a blur effect is added behind subjects, and you can utilize the 2× optical zoom to take close up photos of remote objects.

It’s a shame the second camera isn’t available on the regular S9, but we’re happy both get the unique mechanical aperture camera. There’s also an important improvement in the camera processing software worth mentioning — multi-frame noise reduction. Tapping the camera shutter icon on the Galaxy S9 now technically captures 12 photos, more than ever before, and this will bring a reduction in graininess or noise by 30 percent. Samsung showed us comparison shots from the S8 and the S9, and the latter had significantly less noise in darker parts of the photo. We’re excited to see how this impacts the overall low-light results from the camera.

The camera app itself has been redesigned to make it easier to swipe through modes, and it functions a lot like the iPhone camera app. If you swipe to the left from the Auto mode, you’ll be introduced to a new category on a Samsung phone: Super slow-motion. Like Sony’s Xperia devices, the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus can shoot slow-motion video at up to 960 frames per second. That’s about 32 times slower than real life. Samsung’s version can predict the part of the video you likely want to slow down, and it worked without a hitch when we tried it.

The quality is limited to 720p resolution, and the technology uses machine learning to apply a music track (from a small database) depending on the context of the video. So it can throw in a romantic song if you’re doing a slow-motion video of pouring wine, or something more upbeat if you’re popping a can of confetti. The software will automatically convert these video files into Loop, Swing, or Reverse GIFs so it’s easy to share.

AR Emojis

Yet another new addition is AR Emoji, and sadly it’s a pale imitation of the iPhone X’s Animoji. You can become an animated character, like a bunny, and the camera will loosely track your movements and facial expressions. We say loosely because it didn’t follow details such as raised eyebrows and other expressions as accurately as the iPhone’s True Depth camera. Perhaps it’s because the front camera on the S9 is the same 8-megapixel f/1.7 camera as on the S8, with no fancy 3D depth-sensing features.

A feature called Create My Emoji lets you take a selfie that generates an AR Emoji in your likeness. You can then customize it further, and then use the AR tracking feature to create fun videos as the emoji, just like you can with Animojis.

AR Emoji is sadly a pale imitation of the iPhone X’s Animoji.

The Create My Emoji will also create an animated sticker pack with the AR Emoji version of yourself, and you can use this in any messaging app as it’s all saved in the gallery, or right in the Samsung keyboard. But would you really? We found ourselves unlikely to use these in conversation as they simply don’t look fun to share. Samsung does have a partnership with Disney to add characters you can become through the AR Emoji experience, so hopefully those will look significantly better.

Bixby improvements

Improvements to Bixby are almost entirely limited to Bixby Vision, the camera-specific experience of Samsung’s AI assistant that the company unveiled last year for the S9. For example, image translation has improved to include instant live translation, in which the phone can overlay translated words on a subject without having to take a picture — just point the camera at a foreign phrase you want to understand. It works fairly quickly, and it uses Google Translate’s database. It also translates more languages than before, and can even convert up to 63 currencies in the same way.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Compared To

Cat S61

Asus ZenFone 4

Honor View 10

BlackBerry Motion

Huawei Mate 10 Pro

Honor 7X

Alcatel Idol 5

OnePlus 5T

Moto X4 Android One

ZTE Axon M

HTC U11 Life

Google Pixel 2

Google Pixel 2 XL

LG V30

Samsung Galaxy S8

Other new additions include a new Makeup tool, where you can browse and apply makeup from Sephora and Cover Girl on your face in real time. If you like the look, you can buy makeup directly from the camera app. You can also point the Galaxy S9 camera at food, and it will pull the estimated amount of calories, allowing you to log it directly in S Health. We didn’t get to test a working demo of this, but the makeup tool works quickly and mapped onto faces accurately. This technology is already available through certain services, including Sephora’s own app, but it’s nice to see it built into a phone.

Top-notch specifications, Android 8.0 Oreo

The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 845 processor, which should improve speed and efficiency by 30 percent, according to the chip giant. Apps opened quickly and the camera performed reliably — we’ll have to do more testing, but this phone will undoubtedly be powerful. Only the S9 Plus will come with 6GB of RAM, however, as the regular S9 packs 4GB. It’s a part of what you get for paying more for the Plus, according to Samsung, including the second camera. Both phones come with 64GB of storage, and a MicroSD card slot lets you add plenty more if you need it.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The AMOLED screen hasn’t changed, with both devices packing a Quad HD+ 2,960 × 1,440 pixel resolution; the S9 has a slightly higher pixel density at 570 pixels per inch (PPI), whereas the S9 Plus has a 529 PPI. As usual, the screen gets incredibly bright, and it’s eye-poppingly colorful. It’s sharp, and with the Infinity Display design, it’s easy to get lost staring at it.

Even the battery sizes are the same, with a 3,000mAh capacity on the smaller S9 and a 3,500mAh battery on the S9 Plus. Both phones come equipped with fast wireless charging as usual, as well as fast wired charging.

We would have liked to see more secure face scanning technology.

The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus run Android 8.0 Oreo, but it doesn’t look much different from the software experience on the Galaxy S8 thanks to Samsung’s own user interface. You’ll get access to all the Oreo features including picture-in-picture mode; read our Android 8.0 Oreo guide for all of the details. We’ll take a deeper dive to see what other improvements there are here in the software, but we’re disappointed to see there’s no major improvements to Bixby other than the newly announced camera features. Bixby is still slow to open when you press the Bixby button.

Samsung lets you unlock the phone with your iris or face, as well as with the fingerprint sensor, but it has added a new feature called Intelligent Scan. We didn’t get to test it out, but it mixes both iris and facial scanning technologies, and falls back on the latter if iris recognition doesn’t work. We would have liked to see more secure face scanning technology here that could be adopted by other services, notably banks, but it looks like the iPhone X will continue to maintain that advantage.

Both phones still have an IP68 water-resistance rating, which means you can submerge them underwater up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.

Price and availability

The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus will be available for pre-order on March 2, with official retail availability starting on March 16. Grabbing the Galaxy S9 from Samsung will set you back $719.99, or $30 a month for 24 months, while the S9 Plus will start from $839.99, or $35 a month for 24 months. If you’re looking to upgrade from an older Samsung Galaxy device, then Samsung is also offering a trade-in program that could see a maximum of $350 taken off the price of a brand new Galaxy S9 or S9 Plus.

Is there a reason to upgrade from the Galaxy S8? Not really, unless the fingerprint sensor bothers you that much, or you hate the camera. If you’re coming from a Galaxy S7, the camera will easily impress, as will everything else. We’ll need to do more testing to see how the phone fares against the current competition.

Flagship face-off: Samsung’s Galaxy S9 Plus vs. Google’s Pixel 2 XL

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Samsung opened this year’s Mobile World Congress with its new flagships, the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus. Samsung’s latest and greatest are getting a lot of attention, and for good reason: They pack some of the most impressive specs of any smartphone we’ve ever seen.

The Pixel 2 XL, on the other hand, is one of our favorite Android smartphones of all time. With the Pixel 2 XL you get a best-in-class camera, stock Android, and fast version and security updates. While the specs on the Pixel 2 XL may not be as awe-inspiring as the new  S9 Plus, Google managed to make an extremely efficient flagship that can handle just about anything you throw at it.

Suffice to say you can’t go wrong with either the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus or the Google Pixel 2 XL. Here’s how the two stack up.

Specs

Galaxy S9 Plus
Pixel 2 XL

Size
158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5 mm (6.22 x 6.84 x 0.33 inches)
157.9 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm (6.22 x 3.02 x 0.31 inches)

Weight
 189 grams  (6.66 ounces)
175 grams (6.17 ounces)

Screen
 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display
6-inch P-OLED display

Resolution
 2,960 X 1,440 (529 ppi)
2,880 x 1,440 pixels (538 ppi)

OS
 Android 8.0 Oreo
Android 8.1 Oreo

Storage
 64GB
64GB, 128GB

MicroSD card slot
Yes (up to 400GB)
No

NFC support
Yes
Yes

Processor
Snapdragon 845, with Adreno 630 (U.S.)

Exynos 9810 (International)

Snapdragon 835, with Adreno 540

RAM
6GB
4GB

Connectivity
LTE, GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, LTE, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi

Camera
 Dual 12MP with OIS rear, 8MP front
12.2MP rear, 8MP front

Video
 Up to 4K at 60 fps, 1080p at 60 fps, 720p at 960 fps
Up to 4K at 30 fps, 1080p at 120 fps, 720p at 240 fps

Bluetooth
 Yes, version 5.0
Yes, version 5.0

Fingerprint sensor
 Yes — Also has Intelligent Scan (Facial/Iris recognition)
Yes

Other sensors
Accelerometer, barometer, gyro, geomagnetic, heart rate, proximity, iris, pressure
Gyroscope, accelerometer, compass, proximity sensor, barometer

Water resistant
Yes, IP68 rated
Yes, IP67 rated

Battery
 3,500mAh

Fast-charging

Wireless Charging

3,520mAh

Fast-charging

Charging port
USB-C
USB-C

Marketplace
Google Play Store
Google Play Store

Colors
Midnight Black, Titanium Gray, Lilac Purple, Coral Blue
Just Black, Black & White

Availability
AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, Unlocked

Google Store, Verizon, Best Buy

Price
 $840
$850

DT review
Hands-on review
4 out of 5

The Samsung Galaxy S9 packs all the specs you’d expect in a flagship. It features the latest and greatest Snapdragon 845 processor and a healthy 6GB of RAM. There’s the absolutely gorgeous 6.2-inch AMOLED display as well. And, for the first time, Samsung added stereo speakers and a dual camera to the Galaxy S9 Plus.

When it comes to internals, the Pixel 2 XL is starting to show its age. It houses the Snapdragon 835 processor, which is perfectly acceptable, but no where near as fast or efficient as the Snapdragon 845. It also features a paltry 4GB of RAM; while that should be enough memory for most people, it is certainly a bit on the low side in 2018.

In terms of storage, the Pixel 2 XL just can’t compare to the Galaxy S9 Plus. While the Galaxy S9 Plus only offers a 64GB storage option compared to the 64GB and 128GB options on the Pixel 2 XL, Samsung’s smartphone has a MicroSD slot that supports up to 400GB of external storage.

In our book, the Galaxy S9 Plus wins on overall hardware. The extra RAM, storage options, and current-generation processor on the Galaxy S9 Plus put it ahead of the Pixel 2 XL.

Winner: Galaxy S9 Plus

Design and display

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Take a look at the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus and Pixel 2 XL and you’ll quickly be able to tell the design aesthetic of the two smartphones is quite different. While Google went for a more utilitarian design on the Pixel 2 XL, the Galaxy S9 follows in the sleek and sophisticated footsteps of its predecessor.

Composed of a shatter-resistant Gorilla Glass surrounding an aluminum frame, the Galaxy S9 is a beautiful and somewhat-durable flagship. Its 6.2-inch edge-to-edge display has slightly smaller bezels than the Galaxy S8 Plus.

Flip the Galaxy S9 Plus over and you’ll quickly spot the differences between it and the S8 Plus. This year’s Samsung flagship features a dual camera array for the first time. You’ll also find a more conveniently place fingerprint sensor.

The Pixel 2 XL, on the other hand, features a 6-inch POLED display with some pretty chunky bezels. Instead of glass, Google opted for an aluminum frame on the Pixel 2 XL. While it’s durable, it definitely doesn’t look as refined as the competition.

On the back of the Pixel 2 XL you’ll find a single camera lens and a well-placed fingerprint sensor. While it may seem, at first glance, that a single camera lens is a disappointment, Google has proven you can take excellent photos with such a setup.

On the bottom of both the Galaxy S9 Plus and Pixel 2 XL you’ll find a USB-C charging port. On the Samsung Galaxy S9, however, you’ll see an additional port that’s becoming quite a rarity: One for a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Galaxy S9 Plus is IP68 rated to withstand up to 5 feet of water for 30 minutes, and the Pixel 2 XL is IP67 rated for up to 3 1/2 feet.

While design may be subjective, the Galaxy S9 still wins this category for its curved display, 3.5mm headphone jack, and higher IP rating.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Camera

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

This year, Samsung finally joined the dual-camera bandwagon on the Galaxy S9 Plus. The phone features two 12MP lenses. The primary lens has autofocus, optical image stabilization (OIS), electronic image stabilization (EIS), and a dynamic aperture. The secondary lens has many of the same specs, but with a stationary F2.4 aperture.

While a dual-camera array is not overly impressive on its own, Samsung definitely managed to delight us with its first-of-its-kind dual aperture. Instead of relying on software fixes for poor exposure like other smartphones, Samsung created a lens that can mechanically adjust aperture from f/1.5 to f/2.4. In theory at least, this means much better low-light shots.

To be quite honest, the front-facing camera on the Galaxy S9 Plus doesn’t seem much different than last year’s model. It features an 8MP camera with auto focus and an f/1.7 aperture, which should allow you to get pretty good shots, even in low light.

In addition to hardware upgrades, you’ll find some pretty significant software improvements on the Galaxy S9 Plus. Samsung’s answer to Apple’s Animoji, called AR Emoji, makes its debut on the Galaxy S9 Plus. The feature uses the front-facing camera to capture your emotions and transpose them on different emojis, Disney characters, and even Bitmoji-esque avatars that you can customize to better match your own features. While it’s a pretty cool addition, it doesn’t quite compare to Apple’s Animoji.

Google took a different approach to its camera on the Pixel 2 XL. Rather than adding dual lenses, the company chose to create ingenious software solutions to improve images in any lighting condition. It also added Pixel Visual Core, a separate imaging sensor that can dramatically improve photos from third-party apps.

On the Pixel 2 XL, you’ll find a 12.2MP camera with an f/1.9 aperture. Optical image stabilization and electronic image stabilization are included to counteract jerky hand movements, as well as dual-pixel phase-detection and laser autofocus. There’s an 8MP HD front-facing camera on the Pixel XL 2 that takes pretty impressive selfies.

Both the Galaxy S9 Plus and the Pixel 2 XL feature an AI camera assistant. You’ll find Bixby Camera on the Samsung, while Google Lens is on the Pixel 2 XL. Although both assistants can provide contextual information on objects and locations, Google Lens is definitely more robust and provides a significantly superior user experience.

When it comes to video, Samsung has made some pretty impressive strides with the Galaxy S9 Plus. One of the most impressive new features on the Galaxy S9 Plus is Super Slow-mo, which allows you to shoot video at an astonishing 960 fps in 1080. There’s also slow motion at 240 fps at 1080p, and you can shoot 4K video at 60 fps.

Video specs on the Pixel 2 XL aren’t as impressive as you’ll find on the Galaxy S9 Plus. Google’s flagship supports shooting in 4K at 30 frames per second, while you can shoot in 1080p at 120 fps.

In terms of overall image quality, Google appears to have found the sweet spot between hardware and software on the Pixel 2 XL. It snagged a DxOMark rating of 94 last year, the highest ever for a smartphone. The Galaxy S9 Plus, however, packs a number of new features and innovations you’re not going to find anywhere else while still managing to grab a great shot.

Since we haven’t managed to run the Galaxy S9 Plus through its full paces, its tough to declare a winner in this category.  Although the Pixel 2 XL is a proven champion, Samsung has never fallen far behind and the additions to this year’s Galaxy S9 Plus may just push it over the top.

Winner: Tie  

Battery life and charging

The Samsung Galaxy S9 has a 3,500mAh battery, which is ever-so-slightly smaller than the Pixel 2 XL’s 3,520mAh battery. Since the difference is so minimal between the two batteries, and the Galaxy S9 Plus packs a more efficient processor, we don’t think you’ll notice much of a difference in battery life. You can expect both phones to last about a day with moderate use.

While both phones support fast charging, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus has a leg up on the Pixel 2 XL. Google’s smartphone relies on USB Power Delivery to provide up to seven hours charge in 15 minutes. The Galaxy S9 Plus, on the other hand, continues to use generations-old Quick Charge 2 technology. While both will give you a quick power boost, the Pixel is a little speedier.

The Galaxy S9 Plus also has wireless charging, a feature the Pixel 2 XL unfortunately lacks. It’s a feature we’re coming to expect on flagship phones, and we hope Google steps up to the plate with the next-generation Pixel.

While it’s a close call for this category, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus wins. Though both offer similar battery capacities, the Galaxy S9 pulls ahead with wireless charging and a more efficient processor.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Software

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Both the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus and the Pixel 2 XL ship with Android 8.0 Oreo. The Galaxy S9 Plus, however, comes with the Samsung Experience theme while the Pixel 2 XL runs stock Android. While Samsung Experience has improved significantly, the stock Android experience is much preferred.

In addition to Samsung Experience, the new Galaxy S9 packs a lot of interesting software. You’ll find an updated version of Samsung’s artificially intelligent assistant, Bixby, as well as Bixby Camera. There’s also Samsung’s take on Animojis, called AR Emoji, on the Galaxy S9. And we definitely can’t forget about Intelligent Scan, Samsung’s new authentication method that uses iris and facial recognition to open your phone.

The Pixel 2 XL, on the other hand, offers its own AI assistant called Google Lens. You’ll also find AR stickers in the camera app featuring characters from Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Stranger Things. And we’d definitely be remiss if we didn’t mention Active Edge, which allows you to squeeze the phone’s frame to activate Google Assistant or other selected apps.

For this category its just too close to call. While we definitely prefer stock Android and Google Lens on the Pixel 2 XL, the addition of AR Emoji and improved Intelligent Scan on the Galaxy S9 Plus makes this category a draw.

Winner: Tie

Price and availability

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

In terms of pricing, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is more expensive than its predecessor, coming in at $840 unlocked, or $35 a month for 24 months. While the price is steep, Samsung packed a lot of new features into its flagship smartphone. If the price for entry is a little too high, not to worry: Most U.S. carriers will offer monthly financing and lease options.

For the price, there’s a lot of value in the Pixel 2 XL. Google’s flagship smartphone ships in 64GB and 128GB storage configurations for $850 and $950, respectively. You can also finance the phone on Google’s website with the 64GB model coming in at $35 a month, and the 128GB model at just $5 more.

Pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus begin March 2. The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus will ship and be available in stores beginning March 16.

In terms of availability, its much easier to get your hands on the Galaxy S9 Plus compared to the Pixel 2 XL.  You can find the Galaxy S9 on every major carrier in the U.S., including AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. The Pixel 2 XL, on the other hand, is exclusive to Verizon, the Google Store, and a handful of brick-and-mortar retailers.

Although the Galaxy S9 Plus is more expensive than the Pixel 2 XL, it packs better specs. It’s also much easier to find one, and you’ll have more financing options through your carrier. For these reasons we have to hand this round to the Galaxy S9 Plus.

Winner: Galaxy S9 Plus

Overall winner: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

There’s no denying the Pixel 2 XL is one of the best Android smartphones ever made, but the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus bests it in several categories. With better specs, more charging options, and an arguably better camera, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is the smartphone to beat in 2018.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The Samsung Galaxy S9 is finally here: Here’s everything you need to know
• Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra vs. Moto X4: 2018’s new midrange challenger
• Here’s how to buy the brand-new Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus
• Insert Stormtroopers into your life with Google’s new AR stickers for Pixel
• Sony Xperia XA2 vs. HTC U11 Life: Can Sony rule the midrange market?

Samsung Galaxy S9 vs. Apple iPhone X: Heavyweight smartphone clash

Samsung’s latest flagship has sailed onto the scene boasting an impressive new camera, a refined curved body, and a few other improvements over last year’s Galaxy S8. It’s an attractive smartphone that’s sure to tempt many, but in order to claim the title, it will have to knock out Apple’s reigning champion — the iPhone X. We decided to compare the two in various categories to see which comes out on top.

Specs and performance

Galaxy S9
iPhone X

Size
147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5 mm (5.81 x 2.7 x 0.33 inches)
143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm (5.65 x 2.79 x 0.30 inches)

Weight
163 grams (5.74 ounces)
174 grams (6.14 ounces)

Screen
5.8-inch Super AMOLED
5.8-inch Super Retina AMOLED display

Resolution
2,960 x 1,440 (529 ppi)
2,436 x 1,125 pixels (458 ppi)

OS
Android 8.0 Oreo
iOS 11

Storage
64GB
64GB, 256GB

MicroSD card slot
Yes
No

NFC support
Yes
Yes (Apple Pay only)

Processor
Snapdragon 845 with Adreno 630
A11 Bionic with 64-bit architecture, M11 motion co-processor

RAM
4GB
3GB

Connectivity
4G LTE, GSM, CDMA, HSPA+, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
4G LTE, GSM, CDMA, HSPA+, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi

Camera
Super Speed Dual Pixel 12-megapixel rear, 8-megapixel front
Dual 12 MP rear, 7MP FaceTime HD front

Video
Up to 4K at 30 fps, 720p at 960 fps
Up to 4K at 60 fps, 1080p at 240 fps

Bluetooth
Yes, version 5.0
Yes, version 5.0

Biometric authentication
Iris, fingerprint, face unlock, Intelligent Scan
Face ID

Other sensors
Accelerometer, barometer, gyro, geomagnetic, proximity, iris
Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer

Water resistant
Yes, IP68 rated
Yes, IP67 rated

Battery
3,000mAh Fast charging (Quick Charge 2.0), wireless charging (Qi and PMA)
2,716mAh 21 hours of talk time, 13 hours of internet, 14 hours of video playback, and up to 60 hours of audio playback Fast charging – 50 percent charge in 30 minutes, wireless charging (Qi standard)

Charging port
USB-C
Lightning

Marketplace
Google Play Store
Apple App Store

Colors
Lilac Purple, Midnight Black, Coral Blue
Space Gray, Silver

Availability
March 16

AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Apple

Price
$720
$999

DT review
Hands-on review
4.5 out of 5 stars

The Samsung Galaxy S9 comes with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 845 processor, which is faster and less power-hungry than last year’s Snapdragon 835. It’s backed up by an ample 4GB of RAM. Expect a phone that’s capable of handling the latest and greatest games and switching between apps with seamless ease. We’ll need to take it for a longer spin to really put it through its paces, but this challenger is certainly no slouch in the performance department. For all its power, the Galaxy S9 is up against a behemoth in the speed stakes. Apple’s iPhone X is packing the company’s A11 Bionic chip and it’s lightning fast, blowing away all comers in benchmark testing.

The iPhone X only has 3GB of RAM, but iOS handles memory management differently than Android, so it doesn’t translate to inferior multitasking performance. Both phones come with 64GB of onboard storage, but there’s also a 256GB version of the iPhone X, though it does cost an extra $150. The Galaxy S9 offers a MicroSD card slot for easy, and potentially cheap, memory expansion of up to 400GB. It’s arguable whether you really need the extra processing power, but there’s no doubt that the iPhone X is faster, so it has to take this round.

Winner: iPhone X

Design and display

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The design of the Galaxy S9 is a slight refinement on the Galaxy S8, but you could easily mistake the two phones for each other. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, because the S8 is one of the best looking phones ever released. Samsung has refined the design, smartly responding to feedback by moving the fingerprint sensor underneath the camera module, where it really should have been from the start. Samsung’s stunning 5.8-inch, curved, Super AMOLED, Infinity Display is gorgeous, sporting an 18.5:9 aspect ratio at a razor sharp 529 pixels-per-inch (ppi). The sloping glass sides and incredibly slim bezels have enabled Samsung to fit a relatively big screen in a phone that’s easy to manage one-handed.

Apple’s iPhone X is a very different design, with a glass back that houses the dual camera module in the top left corner. There’s no fingerprint sensor to be found, because Apple opted for FaceID instead, which employs the dual front-facing camera setup on the front. The iPhone X has an almost all-screen bezel-less front, but the front-facing camera and a few other bits and pieces have been packed into a notch that digs into the top of the display. The Super Retina AMOLED in the iPhone X is also 5.8 inches, but it has a more traditional aspect ratio, and isn’t quite as sharp as the S9 at 458 ppi. It’s still a very good-looking display indeed.

Side by side, you will be hard pressed to pick the better display. The designs are so different that it really comes down to personal preference, though the lack of a fingerprint sensor on the iPhone X can be annoying at times. We’re going to give the S9 a narrow win here.

Winner: Galaxy S9

Camera

The headline feature for the Galaxy S9 is the camera. Samsung has packed in what it’s calling a Super Speed Dual Pixel camera, which is rated at 12-megapixels. It’s capable of switching between an f/1.5 aperture and an f/2.4 aperture, which means it can adjust for low light situations to take in more light with a larger aperture. It also takes shots with 30 percent less noise than the S8, by employing a multi-frame system that snaps 12 shots and combines them for best results. As for the front-facing camera, it’s rated at 8-megapixels and sports a fairly large f/1.7 aperture. Samsung’s Galaxy S9 Plus actually has a better, dual camera setup which allows for telephoto zoom and a more pronounced bokeh effect.

Apple also put a lot of effort into the iPhone X camera with dual 12-megapixel lenses with f/1.7 and f/2.4 apertures. It’s capable of 2x optical zoom and can produce a great bokeh effect. Apple’s front-facing camera is rated at 7-megapixels and has an infrared counterpart that enables it to detect faces, even when it’s dark. We can’t call this one without a proper hands-on test of the Galaxy S9 camera in the wild. There’s no doubt that the iPhone X camera is superb, but we expect great things from the S9 camera. Only an in-depth head-to-head can produce a winner, so we’re calling this a tie for now.

Winner: Tie

Battery life and charging

You’ll find a 3,000mAh battery in the Galaxy S9, which should see you through an average day with change. That’s the same size battery that’s in the Galaxy S8 and it’s just about right. Because the Snapdragon 845 is more power efficient, and Samsung doesn’t seem to have added anything that would be an obvious battery drain, the S9 may offer a slight improvement over its predecessor. We’ll find out for sure when we test it more extensively. The iPhone X battery is rated at 2,716mAh. We’ve lived with it for quite a while now and find that it offers average day-long performance, almost always making it to the end of the day with a little left in the tank.

Both phones support wireless charging, which is handy. They also both support fast charging, though Samsung has chosen to limit the S9 to Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0, even though the Snapdragon 845 would in theory allow for QC 4. Although the iPhone X can also be charged up quickly, Apple neglects to include a fast charger in the box with it, which is annoying considering the price of the phone. There isn’t enough to separate these phones, so we’ll call this a tie pending further testing with the S9.

Winner: Tie

Software

The Galaxy S9 comes running Android 8 Oreo with Samsung’s user interface on top. It’s a solid combo that runs smoothly and does everything you might want it to. Samsung has done some good work to improve and streamline its UI, but it’s still a far cry from stock Android. Apple’s iPhone X runs iOS 11, which is tailor made for the device and silky smooth to navigate. We’re not going to get into Android vs. iOS again here, suffice to say both are great and your preference will probably be based on what you’re used to. Samsung has surprised no one by throwing AR Emoji onto the S9, allowing you to create an emoji that reflects your facial expressions, just like Apple’s Animoji. The big software extra for Samsung’s S9 is Bixby, which has a range of AI tricks up its sleeve, enabling you to identify objects around you and translate in real-time. A lot of the same things can be done with Google Assistant and other Google apps, so we’re not entirely convinced that Bixby is essential. The iPhone X also boasts FaceID, Apple’s sophisticated face unlock security, which is certainly a bit faster and easier to use than Samsung’s Iris scanner, though possibly not as secure. We can’t pick a clear winner here. Winner: Tie

Pricing and availability

Pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S9 open on March 2, and it rolls out on March 16, so you don’t have long to wait to get your hands on one. It’s available from all the major carriers in the U.S. and you can buy it unlocked from Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and a few others retailers. It costs $720 unlocked, which is far cheaper than Apple’s iPhone X, which starts at $1,000. It’s an easy win for the Galaxy S9.

Winner: Galaxy S9

Overall winner: Apple iPhone X

This is a really tough contest to pick a winner for — yes, the Galaxy S9 is cheaper, but it all still comes down to how the camera and battery perform. We love the display and the design of the Galaxy S9 and Samsung has eliminated the biggest gripe we had with the S8 design by moving the fingerprint sensor. The S9 is a beautiful device and it feels great in the hand.

There’s no doubt that the iPhone X is also an attractive device with a stunning display and it’s also faster in the performance stakes. We can’t call the camera and battery sections without further testing, so if the S9 impresses us enough in those categories, it could overturn this decision, but for now the iPhone X scores a narrow win and remains our current pick for best smartphone.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Samsung Galaxy S9 hands-on review
• Samsung’s awesome 2018 Galaxy A8 even has a dual-lens camera on the front
• Flagship face-off: Samsung’s Galaxy S9 Plus vs. Google’s Pixel 2 XL
• Here is everything we know about the Xiaomi Mi 7
• Apple iPhone 8 review

Everything we know about the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Xiaomi is one of those companies that isn’t particularly well known in the West, despite being one of the largest phone brands in the world. The reason for that is, unlike Huawei, which has decisively broken into Western markets, Xiaomi either has little interest in selling outside of China, or it simply hasn’t found the phone that could bust into this wildly competitive space.

That could change with the device known as the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S. Here’s everything we know about Xiaomi’s latest phone.

Design

Xiaomi is known for pushing out ground-breaking designs, and the Mi Mix 2S is expected to be no different. Renders from GSMArena and Tech Updates show a gorgeous bezel-free phone that’s almost all screen, with a front-facing camera asymmetrically placed in the top-right corner. Interestingly, there’s no visible fingerprint sensor on the front or back of the device — with some sources claiming that the phone will come with facial-recognition tech like the iPhone X, or an under-display fingerprint sensor — but there’s no real evidence of either of those yet. Only a select few phones have managed to include an under-display fingerprint sensor, and some of the largest names in the mobile world have tried and failed, so don’t hold your breath for that feature. But facial recognition does seem more likely given that various Android phones have been using that technology for years.

The screen size is a hefty 5.99 inches, which shouldn’t come as a surprise given how bezel-free the design is. Dimensions are not confirmed, but it’s probably likely to be around the same size as the Galaxy S8, maybe a little larger.

Specs

Xiaomi’s latest phone is very likely to be exceptionally powerful, even for a flagship phone. The Mi Mix 2S will be running Android 8.0 Oreo, and powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 845, and come with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage, as announced by Xiaomi itself on Chinese news site Weibo. The inclusion of the Snapdragon 845c puts the Mi Mix 2S on an even footing with most of 2018’s premium flagship smartphones, including the upcoming Galaxy S9, and assumed LG G7, while 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage is pure overkill on Xiaomi’s part.

The poster above, from Xiaomi’s Weibo post, is currently something of a mystery, though GSMArena claims that “273,741” is the AnTuTu benchmark software score for the device. To put that number into context, the mighty Samsung Galaxy Note 8 scored 167,946 on the same test, the LG V30 171,669, and even the iPhone’s A11 Bionic processor only scored 222,462 on the AnTuTu test. If this is indeed a benchmark score, then it reveals the Mi Mix 2S to be exceptionally powerful.

All of the powerful specs above are backed up by a sizable 3,400mAh battery. That might sound large, but it will be powering a lot of powerful hardware, as well as that massive screen. While we’d expect it to last a day, don’t expect it to last as long as some of the more impressive battery lives out there.

Camera

There are few details on what to expect from the camera. We can see from the images of the phone itself that the rear-mounted cameras will be vertically stacked and arranged into the middle of the device, not unlike the way a Nokia device would be set up. Details on the camera itself are scarce, but there have been mentions of two 12-megapixel cameras, one of which with an optical zoom. As noted before, the front-facing camera is found in the upper-right of the phone’s screen, but there are no details on that camera save that.

Release

The Mi Mix 2S will be launching March 27, but it’s worth noting that this is likely to be a China-only phone, which is a real shame for a phone this potentially powerful and attractive.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Here is everything we know about the Xiaomi Mi 7
• Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 review
• Xiaomi Mi A1 review
• Meet the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, the power behind next-gen phones
• Alcatel Idol 5 vs. Lenovo Moto G5S Plus: Clash of the budget smartphones

Apple’s AirPower wireless charging mat may finally ship in March

Apple

When Apple unveiled the iPhone X, the company finally dipped its toes into the world of wireless charging, announcing support for the wireless standard Qi. And at last, Apple has acclimated enough to the temperature to prepare for a head-first plunge: According to the Japanese blog MacOtakara, Apple’s wireless charging pad is almost ready for release.

Devices supporting Apple products have existed since the September release of the iPhone X; we tested three popular models from Mophie, Belkin, and RavPower in late October (spoiler alert: the RavPower Alpha Series Fast Charger blew away the competition). But Apple’s AirPower promises unique features unavailable in other products, thanks to a proprietary specification built around the Wireless Power Consortium’s (WPC) Qi specification. (Curious about how wireless charging works? Here’s everything you need to know.)

AirPower, Apple’s wireless charging standard, allows you to charge multiple devices at one time, meaning  a 2017 or newer iPhone, an Apple Watch, and even AirPods, thanks to a promised wireless charging case. Powering several devices at once seems like a simple matter, but it’s not. Different device requires different amounts of power, and the pad needs a method to detect which device is where — and then to supply the correct amount of power only to devices sitting in that specific location. According to MacOtakara, the AirPower will use a special radio signal to detect where each device sits.

Oh, and those AirPods? We assume a special case will enable any existing AirPods to charge, but that remains to be seen. According to a footnote on Apple’s iPhone X page, it may not be the case: “AirPods with wireless charging capabilities coming in 2018.” Does that mean wireless capabilities are coming, or new AirPods are coming? We’ll see.

Proprietary specifications and special radio transmitters in an Apple branded device? Expect it to cost more than existing chargers, which range from $40 to $60 or so, when it ships, possibly in March. VentureBeat speculated that the device could sell for as much as $199, citing a placeholder entry on a Polish website. We expect it to be more reasonable, but still higher than comparable devices from the competition.

Meanwhile, take a gander at Plux, which purports to be the first the world’s first Qi-compatible, multidevice wireless charging pad for your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods.

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