Introduction:
This is the Samsung Galaxy S9, a flagship phone that’s now 6 years old already and is definitely outdated.
Its original launch price was $700, but it has dropped significantly, and you will now get it refurbished for around $100. But is it still worth buying today, or will you be wasting your money? In this video,
we’re going to look at reasons to buy and reasons not to buy the Samsung Galaxy S9 in 2024. Let’s begin.
Galaxy S9 Display:Â
Reason number one that could convince you to buy this phone is its display. Now, despite being 6 years old, the display can still compete with most newer phones in 2024.
You get a 5.8-inch AMOLED display, which by today’s standards is very small, and so it could be nice for people who like compact phones, especially nowadays where most phones are 6.5-inch giants. Since it’s Super AMOLED, we should expect deep blacks, vibrant colors, and a high contrast. When it comes to resolution, it has 2K resolution, which, funny enough, is better even than today’s newest Galaxy S24.
It also has HDR 10 certification, so it supports HDR content, which provides a wider range of colors and brighter whites for a more immersive viewing experience. You even get features like always-on display.
This is something that you can only dream of finding in any other $100 phone. If you compare it to other $100 phones on the market, which usually have LCD screens that don’t look better and have thick bezels all around, it’s looking ugly. I’d say that this is a much better display.
Galaxy S9 Built quality:
Another reason to consider this phone is its build quality. With Gorilla Glass 5 on both the front and back panels, it has protection against everyday drops and scratches, and the aluminum frame adds to the durability.
Let’s not forget about the IP68 dust and water resistance rating, which ensures protection against spills and dust. This phone’s build quality is top tier, and the design is beautiful, especially when compared to current $100 phones that have cheap-looking plastic designs with no protection against most elements.
The third reason to buy this phone is the performance. Now, let’s be honest, 6 years is a really, really long time, so top-of-the-line performance is not something you should expect from this phone.
But you still get amazing performance. You may get some lag here and there, but it’s still way faster than similarly priced phones today. There were two processor versions, one with the Exynos 9810 chipset and the other with the Snapdragon 845 chipset. They’re both great processors, but the Snapdragon 845, which was the best Android processor at the time, is better than the Exynos 9810 chipset.
So, if you’re considering buying it right now, I’d advise you to buy the Snapdragon version. For everyday tasks like web browsing, social media, and multimedia consumption, it will perform extremely well, providing a smooth and efficient user experience. Even in light to moderate gaming, it will perform quite nicely. It will be able to run some PUBG and COD Mobile in lower graphic settings.
You’ll obviously suffer when it comes to extreme gaming, but I’m pretty sure that no one buys a $100 phone for extreme gaming.
It only has 4 GB RAM, though, and three storage options: 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB. Even if that storage is not enough, you can always add a microSD card, and that brings us to our next point. The phone has a microSD card slot, something many flagship phones nowadays lack, and that can still be a reason to consider buying it in 2024.
It has a maximum storage capacity of 400 GB, so if the storage from the phone is not enough for you, you can always buy a 400 GB microSD card, which tends to be more than enough for most guys.
Personally, I couldn’t care for phone companies omitting the microSD card slot because I think it’s better to buy a phone with a bigger storage space, especially due to slower read/write speeds with the cards as compared to the internal storage. But if you need more than the maximum internal storage that the phone offers, then the SD card slot will come in handy.
Galaxy S9 Camera:
Now, another reason to consider buying this phone is the camera. At the back, it has a single 12 MP main lens, and on the front, an 8 MP selfie camera with a dedicated 2 MP IR scanner.
If I’m not wrong, I think it was the last flagship Samsung phone with a single camera at the back. It’s not a good camera by today’s standards if you compare it with premium phones, but you’re dealing with its price here.
Compared to other similarly priced phones, it still beats them. The cameras are not the best in the world, obviously, but are really, really good and definitely better than newer ones of the budget $100 price style.
The main lens has a variable aperture that can go from f/1.5 to f/2.4, allowing it to deal better with adjustments in low light and bright conditions. This is something you almost never see in today’s market. You’ll get decent photos with enough detail and acceptable color production, and you’ll have little complaints with the camera, especially if you only spent $100. When it comes to video recording, the rear camera can do 4K video at 30 and 60 FPS, while the selfie does 2K video.
So, it takes superb videos, making it nice for new content creators who are on a budget. Comparing this camera with new budget $100 phones, the difference is noticeable. These budget phones usually have subpar cameras with little to nothing to offer.
Another reason to buy this phone is the presence of a headphone jack. In today’s climate, many phones are removing the headphone jack in favor of Bluetooth earbuds.
But let’s be honest, there’s always latency when it comes to Bluetooth, so when you’re gaming or watching a movie with Bluetooth earbuds, you will notice lag, which is not a good feeling. Also, wireless earbuds have the problem of battery drain, which you might not anticipate, inconveniencing you.
So, this phone still allowing the traditional wired headphones is a win in my books. For those who prefer the simplicity and reliability of wired headphones, this phone will give you that.
Galaxy S9 Battery and Charging:
Now, the last reason to consider this phone is wireless charging. While it may not be a make-or-break feature for everyone, it’s a rare find in a device at such a low price point.
I mean, it’s not that important as a feature, but it adds a layer of convenience and a touch of luxury to the overall smartphone experience. Being able to simply place your phone on a charging pad without the hassle of plugging in cables can be a surprisingly satisfying experience.
It also comes in handy when, let’s say, water has accessed the charging ports, and so, when giving it time to dry up, you can charge the phone via wireless charging.
Now, while the Samsung Galaxy S9 was a good phone in its time, the battery life is a major concern in 2024 and strongly discourages anyone from buying it. This phone came with a 3,000 mAh battery, which is a very small battery size by today’s standards.
Combined with its age, it will make its life even shorter. Batteries naturally degrade over time, so a phone released in 2018 is likely to have a significantly reduced capacity compared to when it was new. You’ll have to keep charging it multiple times a day to keep up with it, and we also have to remember that the general battery life of other newer smartphones is getting better, so it will not hold up in today’s market. This phone’s battery life is just not good enough for 2024.
Still on matters related to the battery, another reason not to buy the phone is the charging speeds.
Compared to modern phones that support 65 W or even 120 W fast charging, the S9’s 15 W charging feels incredibly slow. A full charge can take over 2 hours, which is inconvenient and impractical in today’s fast-paced world.
And even when it comes to wireless charging, it only supports the standard 5 W wireless charging, further extending the charging time and making wireless charging a less appealing option.
Galaxy S9 Software:
Now, one of the strongest reasons not to buy the phone is the lack of more software updates. It launched with Android 8 and received only two major updates, ending with Android 10.
Today, we are currently at Android 14, so the phone is behind by a full four software versions. That puts it behind by a mile, and almost every software feature of this phone is outdated. It also won’t even get security patches. It would have been understandable if it were only one or two years, but 4 years is a lot.
Another reason not to buy the phone is the lack of 5G internet connectivity. We’re in an era where 5G networks have become better and more widespread globally, and so, in buying a new phone for longevity, 5G is a really important factor.
Therefore, the lack of 5G support in the Galaxy S9 is a notable limitation. I know most new budget phones still don’t have 5G, but if you want a phone to serve you well, it shouldn’t be hard to have 5G.
Conclusion:
So, for around $100, this is a solid phone, but I still wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who wants to buy it. It’s no longer worth buying for any customer in 2024.
Clearly, there are much better phones currently, and you probably shouldn’t buy it. I am not talking about new budget phones. If I had the choice to pick between the S9 and any $100 phone released in 2024, I’d pick the S9 in a heartbeat.
But we have other older flagships that are just slightly more expensive than this phone but offer a far much better experience. Examples are any phones in the Galaxy S10 series or the S20 series. I mean, you’ll spend a little bit more, but it will be more worth it.
And that’s for today, See you in the next blog…