Ultimate Guide to Managing Photos on Samsung Galaxy S9/S20
Samsung Galaxy S9/S20 is one of the most advanced smartphones of the recent times and is packed with tons of new-age features. With a high-end camera, it makes it easier for us to capture timeless photos. Though, when we move from one device to another or upgrade our device, we often end up messing up our photos. Therefore, it is important to know how to manage photos on S9/S20. From transferring your photos between your computer and S9/S20 to taking their backup, it is of utmost importance to manage photos on S9/S20 and S9/S20 Edge. In this comprehensive guide, we will let you know how to do it in different ways.
Part 1: How to move photos into a folder/album?
Too many times, our smartphone photo gallery can get a little cluttered due to the presence of so many photos. Even though Android automatically creates dedicated albums for camera, social media, WhatsApp, downloads, and so on, chances are that you might find it hard to manage photos on S9/S20. The most straight-forward solution is to create new albums (folders) on S9/S20 gallery and move or copy your photos there. In this way, you can manage your photos easily by making different folders for every occasion. You can manually move your photos to a new folder and manage photos on S9/S20 by following these steps.
To start with, unlock your device and go to Samsung S9/S20 Gallery app.
This will display all the existing albums. Simply enter the album from where you wish to move photos.
Tap on the Add folder icon to create a new album on S9/S20. In some versions, you can go to more options and choose to create a new folder.
Give the folder a name and choose to create it.
Great! Once the folder is created, you can manually select the photos that you wish to move into albums on S9/S20. If you want, you can also select the photos, go to its options and copy/move them.
If you drag the photos to a folder, you will get an option to either copy or move the photos. Simply tap on the option of your choice.
That’s it! This will automatically move your selected photos to a new folder. You can visit the album from the Gallery and add other photos to it as well.
Part 2: How to save S9/S20 photos to SD card?
One of the best things about Android devices is the inclusion of an SD card slot. Galaxy S9/S20 also supports an expandable memory of up to 400 GB as users can simply add an external SD card to their device. This lets them manage photos on S9/S20, move it to another system, or take its backup easily. All you need to do is follow these steps to save your photos from S9/S20 memory to an SD card.
Move photos from phone storage to SD card
If you wish to copy your photos from the phone storage to SD card, then go to the Gallery app and manually select the photos you wish to copy. You can also select all photos at once as well.
Go to its option and choose to either copy or move your selected photos.
Now, go to the destination folder (in this case, the SD card) and paste your photos. In some versions, you can also directly send your photos to the SD card.
Save photos on SD card
You can also make your SD card as the default storage location for your photos as well. In this way, you don’t need to manually copy your photos every now and then. To do this, simply go to the Camera Settings on your device. Under the “Storage” option, you can set the SD card as the default location.
This will generate a warning message as your action will alter the default camera storage. Tap on the “Change” button to confirm your choice. This will automatically save photos taken from the S9/S20 camera on the SD card by default. In this way, you can easily manage photos on S9/S20.
Part 3: How to manage S9/S20 photos on computer?
As you can see, both of the above-mentioned techniques are a bit tedious and time-consuming. Therefore, to make the most of your time, you can use a third-party solution like Dr.Fone. Phone Manager (Android). It is a complete Android device manager that will let you import, export, delete, and manage your data seamlessly. You can easily manage photos on S9/S20 and other kinds of data as well such as contacts, messages, videos, music, etc. Since it has a user-friendly interface, no prior technical knowledge is needed to use it. You can simply connect your S9/S20 to your system, launch Dr.Fone. Phone Manager (Android) and manage photos on S9/S20 seamlessly.
Dr.Fone. Phone Manager (Android)
Manage S9/S20 Photos, Videos, Contacts, Messages on Computer.
- Transfer files between Android and computer, including contacts, photos, music, SMS, and more.
- Manage, export/import your music, photos, videos, contacts, SMS, Apps etc.
- Create photo albums, delete photos, import and export photos on S9/S20.
- Manage your Android device on computer.
- Fully compatible with Android 8.0.
Import photos to S9/S20
By using Dr.Fone. Phone Manager (Android), you can easily add photos to S9/S20 from your computer. To do this, connect S9/S20 to your system, launch Dr.Fone. Phone Manager (Android) and go to its Photos tab.
Go to the Import icon and choose to add files or an entire folder.
This will launch a file explorer from where you can choose to import your photos. In no time, your photos will be added to your device.
Export photos from S9/S20
You can also choose to transfer your photos from your Android device to computer as well. On the welcome screen of Dr.Fone. Phone Manager (Android), you can click on the shortcut “Transfer device photos to PC”. This will automatically transfer the photo from your S9/S20 to the computer in one go.
If you want to selectively export photos from S9/S20 to computer, then go to the Photos tab and select the pictures you wish to transfer. Now, go to the Export icon and choose to export the selected photos to either your computer or another connected device.
If you choose to export photos to PC, then a pop-up browser will open. From here, you can select the destination folder where you wish to save your photos.
Create albums on Galaxy S9/S20
As you can see, Dr.Fone. Phone Manager (Android) already segregates your device photos into different folders. You can simply go to any album from its left panel in order to manage photos on S9/S20. If you wish to create a new album, then select the respective category (for instance, Camera). Right-click it and choose New Album to create a new folder. Later, you can simply drag and drop photos from any other source to the newly created album.
Delete Photos on S9/S20
In order to manage photos on S9/S20, chances are that you would have to get rid of some unwanted pictures as well. To do this, simply go to the photo album of your choice and select the photos that you wish to get rid of. Afterward, click on the “Delete” icon on the toolbar.
This will generate a pop-up warning. Just confirm your choice and choose to delete the selected photos from your device.
As you can see, with Dr.Fone. Phone Manager (Android), you can easily manage photos on S9/S20. It is a highly secure and advanced tool that will let you import, export, delete, and manage your photos easily. You can add photos from your computer to S9/S20, create albums, move photos from one album to another, take the backup of your photos, and do so much more. This will certainly save your time and resources and make it easier for you to manage photos on S9/S20 for sure.
Manage Photos on Samsung Galaxy S9/S9 Edge: How to Export, Import, Delete Photos on S9
Keisha Alice
Android Transfer
May 26, 2023
This is a post focusing on techniques through which you can manage photos on your Samsung Galaxy S9/S9 Edge, and other phone models are also supported, like Samsung Galaxy S23/S22, etc. You don’t have to go anywhere else, I believe all the S9 photo managing tips and tricks you want to know are included here.
Part 1: Where to Find Photos on Your Samsung Galaxy S9?
All the photos and video files you take or receive or download on your Samsung Galaxy S9 are saved in the Gallery app.
Part 2: How to View Images on Your Samsung Galaxy S9 Phone?
The 6.2” Super AMOLED display of your Samsung Galaxy S9 is a great way to enjoy your photos and share them with other people, such as your friends and families. You can view images and photos on your S9 one at a time or as a slideshow, just according to your own preference.
To see one image at a time: Just find the image you want to view, tap it. When you click on the image, it allows you to zoom in and out.
If you have a Samsung, you HAVE to try this! #Shorts
To see a series of images as a slideshow: Tapping Slideshow on the top of the image you are viewing, you will be popped up with the next image in chronological order, every few seconds.
Part 3: How to Move Photos into A Folder/Album on S9?
With more and more photos are saved on your S9, your phone gallery would become more and more cluttered, which makes it difficult to manage photos on Samsung S9. The most direct way to solve the problem is creating new albums or folders on your phone and categorize your photos into different albums. You can follow the steps below to move photos to different folders manually.
Open your S9 and go to the Gallery app. When you are in the Gallery app, you will see all the existing albums are displayed.
Enter the album from where you want to move photos.
Click on the Add folder icon to create a new album on your Samsung S9. The methods of creating new albums may differ with different phone models.
Give a name to the new folder and choose to create it.
After the new folder is created, you can select the photos you want to move into the new album and copy them manually.
You can also choose the photos, go to its options to move them. If you choose to drag the photos to the new folder, you will be received a dialog, which asks you whether you want to copy or move the pictures from the original album, just tap Move.
Part 4: How to Save S9/S9 Edge Photos to SD Card
Sometimes you may find the phone memory is insufficient because you have stored so much large photos and videos and apps on your Samsung Galaxy S9. Thank god, Android device has an SD card slot and allows users to expand the memory up to 400GB. Then, how to save your photos from S9 memory to an SD card?
Move existing photos on your S9 to SD card: To transfer photos from your S9 phone storage to SD card, you just go to the Gallery app and select the photos you want to move. You can click on “Select All” to choose all the photos at once. After that, you should go to its option and choose Move or Copy your selected photos. Go the SD card (DCIM folder) and paste the selected photos here.
Save photos to SD card acquiescently: If you do not want to copy photos to SD manually, you can set the SD card as the default storage location for photos, so that newly got photos will be saved to SD card automatically.
Part 5: How to Manage/add/delete/backup S9 photos on computer
Coolmuster Android Assistant is able to help you manage Samsung Galaxy S9/S9 Edge photos on computer effortlessly. With it, you can import, export and delete S9 photos and pictures on your computer. It can also transfer files between Samsung Galaxy S9 and computer, including contacts, SMS, call logs, music, videos and more. Below are the detailed methods on how to use Android Assistant to manage, backup and delete S9 photos on PC or Mac.
Android Assistant is fully compatible with Android OS and computer system. Now, it also provides you with trial version to have a free try.
Preparation: Install Android Assistant on your computer
Click the download buttons above to get it installed on your computer. After the installation, you can launch the program, connect your Samsung S9 to the computer via a USB cord. The program will detect your S9 phone and you may be required to enable USB debugging on your phone at first. After
Start to Manage Photos on Samsung Galaxy S9/S9 Edge:
After the program detects and displays your S9 on its screen, you can go to left side bar to choose “Photos” category so that you can enter the photo managing window. Now, you can start the photo management:
Transfer photos from computer to your S9: Click “Add” button from the top menu, browse from the pop-up file browsing window to choose the photos you want to transfer from your computer to S9 and click “OK”.
Export photos from S9 to your computer: Mark the checkbox in front of the photos you want to transfer to computer, and then click “Export” button from the top menu. Choose a location on your computer to save the exported photos.
Delete photos from S9: Select the photos you don’t want any more and click “Delete” button from the top menu.
Part 6: Transfer Photos from Old Phone to S9/S9 Edge
The last section of this article will tell you how to transfer photos from an old phone to your new Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Edge. The best tool to perform the transfer is Phone to Phone Transfer. It can transfer every type of data from old Android phone or iPhone to the new S9/S9 Edge, including contacts, text messages, call logs, apps, photos, videos, music, etc. It is fully compatible with Apple, Samsung, HTC, LG, Sony, Google, Huawei, Motorola, ZTE, Nokia and more mobile phones and tablets.
With 3 simple steps, you can transfer photos from old phone to Samsung S9/S9. First of all, you should download the Phone to Phone Transfer on your computer and then follow the steps below to transfer photos from old Android phone or old iPhone to new Samsung Galaxy S9/S9 Plus.
Step 1: Run Phone to Phone Transfer on your computer
After you have installed the Phone to Phone Transfer, launch it on the computer and you will see its primary interface as follows. Just choose “Phone to Phone Transfer” mode to go to the next step.
Step 2: Connect two phones to the computer
Connect your old phone and new Galaxy S9 to the computer via two USB cables. With the both devices connected, Phone to Phone Transfer will detect the two phones and show all the transferable content in the middle.
Step 3: Transfer from old phone to Samsung S9
Specify the content to transfer from your old phone to your new Galaxy S9 device. After that, you can simply click “Start Transfer” button to move them all from your old phone to your new Samsung Galaxy S9.
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Samsung Galaxy S9 Review
Andrew Hayward specializes in smartphones, wearables, Smart home tech, and video games. His work has been published by TechRadar, Macworld, and others.
Samsung Galaxy S9
One year later, the Samsung Galaxy S9 is still an excellent smartphone that’s now available for less.
Samsung Galaxy S9
We purchased the Samsung Galaxy S9 so our expert reviewer could thoroughly test and assess it. Keep reading for our full product review.
Samsung has taken many cues from Apple over the years, including its recent “tick-tock” development model for the Galaxy S line: one year (the “tick”), Samsung unveils a dramatic design overhaul and sets a fresh tone for the line, while the next year (the “tock”) typically introduces modest refinement and enhancement.
When it was released in the spring of 2017, the Galaxy S8 represented that new fresh tone with its extra-tall screen and smaller bezel. The Galaxy S9, released in 2018, is visually very similar. And that’s not a bad thing: Samsung’s top-end phone is still one of the most impressive handsets you can buy today. It’s packed with great perks that might nudge you away from its myriad rivals.
We spent more than a week testing the Galaxy S9, including its brilliant screen and considerable processing power, while comparing it to other leading smartphones of today.
Design: Sleek, but a little dated
As mentioned, the Galaxy S9 lacks the innovative flash of its immediate predecessor, and it doesn’t have any obvious design changes at first glance. In actuality, the Galaxy S9 is a tiny bit shorter and heavier than the S8, but they otherwise seem identical.
The Galaxy S9 is an incredibly refined smartphone. Every bit of the design has been polished to precision, with a subtly curved display that looks nearly edge-to-edge, an aluminum frame that tapers down on the sides to meet the glass and add some distinctive flair, and pristine backing glass in a trio of color options: Coral Blue, Lilac Purple, Sunrise Gold, and Midnight Black.
That said, there’s been a huge amount of design advancement in the smartphone market since the Galaxy S8 debuted, from the iPhone X notch to the teardrop notch to the growing wave of pinhole camera cutouts. While it’s still very premium-looking, the Galaxy S9 inevitably feels less cutting-edge than it did when it was first released. (And if you don’t like notches and cutouts, then this design throwback is actually a perk.)
The Galaxy S9 does have one functional physical advantage over the S8, however: the rear fingerprint sensor is below the camera module, rather than to the right of it. It’s still not perfect placement (you’re still likely to smudge the camera glass here and there), but it’s in a much better position than before.
An IP68 dust- and water-resistance rating help keep the Galaxy S9 protected against the elements—it can even survive submersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for a maximum of 30 minutes.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 is configured with 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB of storage, and you can also expand it using a microSD card up to 400GB in size. It’s a more cost-effective way to add a lot more space for videos, music, games, and more.
Setup Process: Straightforward
The Samsung Galaxy S9’s setup process is pretty painless. After connecting to Wi-Fi or sticking with your cellular connection, you’ll check for updates, log into your Google account, and then choose whether or not to restore a saved data backup.
From there, you can select a security option—Samsung suggests its Intelligent Scan feature, which matches both your face and iris before opening your phone. You can also choose just one of those features, use the fingerprint sensor, select a PIN code, or set a password. Facial and iris security setup only take a moment each, as do the other security options. Once that’s done, tap through a few more Google-related settings and you’ll be up and running on the home screen.
Performance: Plenty of power
For the North American models, Samsung uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor in the Galaxy S9. It’s a top-of-the-line Android flagship chip from 2018 and one of the fastest chips out there, capable of fluid multitasking and excellent gaming performance. The 4GB of RAM help keep the phone from getting bogged down as well.
While it’s still very premium-looking, the Galaxy S9 inevitably feels less cutting-edge than it did when it was first released.
New 2019 smartphones are beginning to roll out with the faster Snapdragon 855, which makes both single-core and multi-core enhancements to handle tasks large and small—but as far as 2018 handsets go, the Galaxy S9 is about as capable as any Android phone available in the region.
Connectivity: Works as expected
Using Verizon’s 4G LTE network about 10 miles north of Chicago, we observed download speeds of about 37-40Mbps on average, with upload speeds in the 5-9Mbps range. Results were about as strong indoors as they were outdoors. We also experienced strong Wi-Fi performance, with the Galaxy S9 picking up both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz signals.
Display Quality: One of the best
Samsung often has the best-looking smartphone screens on the market, and that’s true again with the Galaxy S9. This Quad HD resolution (2960×1440) 5.8-inch Infinity Display is pin-sharp, packing in 570 pixels per inch to ensure incredibly clear text and images. The screen also gets very bright and stays pretty visible in direct sunlight.
Because it’s a Super AMOLED screen, the panel hits deep black levels and has excellent contrast and coloring. It’s a little more vivid-looking than some other smartphones out of the box, but you can switch to a more natural setting if you don’t like the added punch. The Galaxy S9 also has an always-on display option enabled that shows the time, date, and battery life on the otherwise-black lock screen so you can get that info at a glance without waking the phone.
That pristine display is also ideal for use with Samsung’s Gear VR headset shell, letting you strap in your phone to use it as the brains of a mobile virtual reality experience. It’s one of the best perks of Samsung’s Galaxy phones, and there are plenty of compelling VR apps and games available for download.
Sound Quality: The Atmos boost
The Galaxy S9 delivers impressive sound from its dual-speaker setup, with one at the bottom of the phone and the other up at the top by the earpiece. The result is loud, clear, and crisp audio with audible stereo separation. You won’t need to boost it to the maximum volume to play a little music in your home or office.
Samsung has also bundled in Dolby Atmos virtual surround support, with individual settings for movies, music, and boosting voice, as well as an auto setting that detects your audio content and adjusts accordingly. Listening to music with the auto setting engaged, the playback was definitely louder through the Galaxy S9’s speakers, but also a bit fuller-sounding. Your experience may vary with different types of music and content, but it provided a solid benefit in our testing.
Call quality was also strong in our testing—we heard others clearly through the earpiece, and those on the other end of the line reported the same.
Camera/Video Quality: One’s enough
Samsung resisted the urge to follow the multi-camera trend with the standard Galaxy S9, keeping only one camera on the rear. Instead, the company augmented that single camera with a unique dual-aperture setup that can adjust on the fly between f/1.5 and f/2.4 settings.
Samsung often has the best-looking smartphone screens on the market, and that’s true again with the Galaxy S9.
What does that mean? Essentially, the smaller the number, the wider the aperture—which lets in more light when taking photos. The f/1.5 setting is on by default, but if you’re in a scenario with plenty of light, it’ll automatically switch to f/2.4, which tends to produce crisper, more detailed shots. The Galaxy S9 adjusts on the fly to match the available lighting, thus delivering the best photo it can in each scenario.
In execution, it’s hard to see much of a difference in daytime shooting when you have plenty of light. Switching between the settings manually in Pro mode, the images looked almost identical to our eye. As with past Galaxy phones, the shots pack a little more punch than photos taken on competing phones—they’re a bit more vivid and are crisp without looking over-processed.
The dual-aperture benefits are more obvious in low-light scenarios, where the additional light pulled in on the f/1.5 setting produces more clarity and detail than we typically see from smartphone cameras. Even so, it’s not quite to the level of quality of the Night Sight feature seen on Google’s Pixel phones.
The Galaxy S9 also shoots exceptional video at up to 4K resolution and 60 frames per second. The colors are rich and detail is clear. It even does a neat trick with Super Slow-mo at 960 frames per second, which adds some extra smoothness during playback. However, this shooting mode is limited to 720p resolution. You’ll get a bit more detail in 1080p, but can only shoot Slow-Mo at 240fps with that option.
Battery: Solid uptime
The 3,000mAh battery pack is about average for a high-end smartphone of this size, and is rated for 14 hours of Wi-Fi internet usage and 17 hours of video playback. In mixed usage, the Galaxy S9 performed pretty well in our testing. During everyday use, we finished an average day with about 20-30 percent battery life left from a full charge. Playing a bunch of glossy games or streaming media might push you to the edge, but on a typical day, we didn’t get low enough to worry about a top-up.
Samsung Galaxy S9 / S9: How to Select Multiple Photos and Delete Them All at Once
The Galaxy S9 supports fast wireless charging, so you can pop it on a Qi-compatible charging pad to add a bit more juice with ease, along with even faster wired charging using the included power adapter.
Software: Mostly good
The Galaxy S9 currently uses Android Oreo with Samsung’s own visual flourishes on top, and it’s an attractive tweak to a very functional and fluid operating system without bogging down or overcomplicating the experience. It’s easy to get around and access apps and settings, plus Android is a very customizable OS. You can even use a different launcher if you don’t like the look and feel of the built-in one.
Google’s Play Store offers a wealth of apps and games to download and install, and while Apple’s iOS Apple Store sometimes has it beat in terms of exclusive software and earlier releases, the Android store still offers the vast majority of major mobile apps.
If you’re in the market for a high-end Android phone that can fit comfortably in one hand, the Samsung Galaxy S9 is definitely one of the best you can buy today.
By default, the Galaxy S9 uses Samsung’s Bixby voice assistant, and there’s even a dedicated launcher button on the left side of the phone beneath the volume controls. Bixby is a solid alternative to the Google Assistant, and certainly more capable than the much-derided original version that debuted on the Galaxy S8—but you can also switch to the Google Assistant via the official Google app if you prefer.
The biggest misfire in the Galaxy S9’s software is the AR Emoji feature. It’s Samsung’s answer to Apple’s Animoji and Memoji, but these cartoon avatars have a creepy, off-putting look and don’t do a very good job of replicating your likeness. This is definitely not a feature we plan to use much.
Price: Very appealing
The Samsung Galaxy S9 originally launched at 720, which is a significant amount of money for a smartphone but still much less than the rival Apple iPhone X at 999. However, now that the Galaxy S10 is out, Samsung has dropped the unlocked Galaxy S9 price to 599, and it’s possible to find it for even less if you’re willing to shop around.
The Galaxy S10 is newer and much sleeker, but last year’s Galaxy S9 is still a very powerful and capable handset. If you don’t mind something that’s not right on the cutting edge, the Galaxy S9 is a great deal for 599 or less.
Samsung Galaxy S9 vs. Google Pixel 3
The Galaxy S9 and Google’s Pixel 3 are two of the highest-profile Android phones today, and both provide a premium, high-end experience with a price tag to match. Both have a powerful Snapdragon 845 chip and impressive single-camera rear setups, but there are some key differences between them.
Samsung’s phone has some notable hardware advantages, including a higher-resolution screen and microSD support for expandable storage. The Pixel 3, on the other hand, has the latest Android version with a nice, clean interface. Given the Pixel 3’s 799 price tag and the ability to find the Galaxy S9 for much less than the original 720 asking price, we think Samsung has the clear edge here.
Interested in reading more reviews? Check out our list of the best smartphones available today.
A high-end Android phone that can comfortably fit in one hand.It’s loaded with cutting-edge tech, including an incredible screen, a super-speedy processor, and wireless charging, along with fun perks like Gear VR support. Even if the design is a bit dated, this is an immensely polished and powerful phone that might give you a lot more perks and functionality than a newer, lower-end option.
Samsung Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S7 edge: Should you upgrade?
The Galaxy S8 changed a lot about Samsung’s design language, but looking back on it, it wasn’t as fundamental a change over the Galaxy S7 as it initially appeared to be. The Galaxy S7 series — and especially its curved edge variant — was the culmination of many years of maturation on Samsung’s design, engineering, and software teams, and proved to be among the best smartphones released in 2016.
Now that the GS9 is out, it’s worth deciding whether the Galaxy S7 — specifically, the Galaxy S7 edge — is worth swapping out for this year’s model. We’re going to be comparing apples to apples as much as possible in this piece, so we’re going to FOCUS on the larger GS9, but many of the arguments apply to both the smaller and larger variants.
What a difference two years makes
The Galaxy S7 edge, while certainly not Samsung’s first foray into curved glass displays, showed Samsung settling into a nice groove of differentiation. By then, after the tech demo that was the Galaxy Note Edge and the quiet success of the Galaxy S6 edge (and later that year, the strange and superfluous Galaxy S6 edge), Samsung seemed to understand its audience, and applied its FOCUS to blending aesthetics with functionality.
The Galaxy S7 series re-introduced many fan-favorite features that the S6 lost, like waterproofing, expandable storage, and a sufficiently sized battery, while further refining the software experience that alienated far fewer people than in years past.
| Android 8.0 | Android 7.0 Nougat |
| 6.2-inch AMOLED2960x1440 (18.5:9) | 5.5-inch 2560x1440AMOLEDDual edge screen |
| Snapdragon 845or Samsung Exynos 9810 | Snapdragon 820or Samsung Exynos 8 |
| 64GB | 32GB |
| microSD up to 400GB | microSD up to 200GB |
| 6GB | 4GB |
| 12MP Super Speed Dual PixelOIS, f/1.5 or f/2.4 | 12MP f/1.71.4-micron pixelsOIS |
| 12MP, f/2.4 | N/A |
| 8MP, f/1.7, auto FOCUS | 5MP f/1.7 |
| Wi-Fi 802.11ac MIMO1.2 Gbps (Cat-18) LTE, Bluetooth 5.0 LEANT, NFC, GPS, Glonass | Wi-Fi 802.11 ac MIMOBluetooth v4.2 LEANT, USB 2.0, NFC |
| Stereo speakersDolby Atmos3.5mm headphone | Mono bottom speaker3.5mm headphone |
| USB-CFast Wireless Charging | Micro-USBFast wireless charging |
| 3500 mAh | 3600 mAh |
| IP68 rating | IP68 rating |
| Fingerprint sensorIris scanningFace unlockSamsung KNOX | One-touch fingerprint sensorSamsung KNOX |
| 158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5 mm | 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm |
| 189g | 157g |
But when you look at the Galaxy S7 edge today it shows its age, largely thanks to the bezels atop and bottom the 16:9 Super AMOLED display and the physical home button that was such a mainstay of Samsung phones until 2017. I still have a fondness for Samsung’s mechanical mastery, especially since it didn’t preclude unlocking the phone as it lay on a table, but it’s difficult to argue that the company made the wrong decision moving the fingerprint sensor to the back in exchange for additional screen real estate. The Galaxy S7 edge also forced users to accept Samsung’s traditional navigation button scheme, which placed the back button to the right of the home, and given their permanent status, could sometimes pose a problem when accidentally tapped in landscape mode.
The Galaxy S7 edge was also the final year of the Micro-USB port. Even though USB-C was around in 2016 when the GS7 series was launched, in retrospect, given the unreliability of the standard at the time, Samsung made the right decision holding onto the reliable-but-ungainly legacy port another year.
The 2016 flagship is also significantly smaller than this year’s equivalent: at 5.5 inches, the usable real estate pales next to the S9’s 6.2-inch surface, though the difference is entirely vertical; the two phones are practically the same width. Still, the S9 is a much taller phone, which makes it more difficult to use in one hand, something that I’ve partially solved by using a case (which, unfortunately, increases the phone’s overall volume and weight even further).
And while the S9 is a bit more monolithic in design, featuring a sparser front and symmetrical body due to its also-curved back, in picking up the 2016 flagship it’s clear the two phones are of the same engineering lineage. In other words, the S7 edge is still a beautiful, functional piece of hardware, even by today’s standards.
The more things change, the more they stay the same
Given the two years between them, you’d expect the Galaxy S9 to trounce the S7 edge in terms of specs, and you’d be right. There are two generations of improvements to system-on-a-chip speed and efficiency, and the Snapdragon 845 handily beats the S7’s Snapdragon 820 in both aspects. The S7 edge features 4GB of RAM to the S9’s 6GB, and the latter also comes with 64GB of storage standard compared to 32GB, a nice bump in out-of-box usability. Both devices sport fast wireless charging, IP68 water and dust resistance, headphone jacks, and expandable storage, but the S7 edge lacks the facial biometrics (that are of questionable utility) of its younger sibling.
There’s also a decided lack of Bixby anywhere to be seen on the Galaxy S7 edge, which is more of a feature than a bug, in my opinion.
Lest we forget, the S7 edge’s 3600mAh battery is actually larger than the S9’s 3500mAh cell, though the additional efficiency of the Snapdragon 845/Exynos 9810 means battery life should be better on the newer model. And then there are the stereo speakers on the Galaxy S9, which are nice-to-haves but certainly not essential.
Galaxy S9 (left) | Galaxy S7 edge (right)
The main difference between the two phones, however, is in the rear cameras. While the S7 edge introduced Samsung’s 12MP sensor and f/1.7 lens combo that it maintained in the Galaxy S8, the S9 takes things to another level by introducing a second sensor with a telephoto lens and a brighter f/1.5 lens on the main 12MP sensor. While the brighter lens mainly helps in low light situations, Samsung has learned a thing or two over the years, and I find the S9 to take better photos in almost every situation, regardless of condition. If you’re serious about mobile photography, the camera improvements alone are worth the upgrade to the Galaxy S9.
At the same time, you can tell by the shots above that in ideal conditions, both indoors and out, the two phones are largely a wash, with white balance and HDR the only differentiating factors. Not bad for a two-year-old phone.
On the software side, the Galaxy S7 edge is still running Samsung version of Android 7.0 Nougat, which we just left behind on the GS8 and GS9. The differences between the two are minor, but if you want the latest and greatest Android version (for now) you’re going to want a newer device. Samsung has said that it will bring Oreo to the Galaxy S7 series, but we’ll likely be waiting until the summer for it.
Should you upgrade? Probably
The obvious answer is yes, of course you should upgrade to the Galaxy S9 if you’re still using a Galaxy S7 edge. That is, if you’re looking to upgrade at all.
See, the Galaxy S7 edge is still a heck of a phone. Despite its aging design, there are still reasons to love its front-facing home button and fingerprint combo, and the software and camera experience is nothing to sneeze at. It may lack Bixby (hah!) and a few niceties like face scanning and stereo speakers, but unless you absolutely need to upgrade your phone right now, I’d be tempted to wait until we see what Samsung unveils later this year with the Note 9, or even until 2019 with the next-gen Galaxy S (if it’s called that at all).
The Galaxy S7 edge has a bit of life left in it, and that speaks to Samsung’s achievements in design, manufacturing, software and, of course, camera. If you can’t wait, and don’t want to spend so much on a new phone, the Galaxy S8 gives you most of the newest generation at just over half the cost.
What do you think? If you’re using a Galaxy S7 edge, are you planning to upgrade to the Galaxy S9? Let us know in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев!
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Daniel Bader was a former Android Central Editor-in-Chief and Executive Editor for i and Windows Central.
