The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 smartphone is the world’s first smartphone with four rear cameras, but are its four cameras really a game-changer?
Do 4X cameras really give you 4X the fun?
Read our in-depth review and find out if the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) truly has a winning formula in its four cameras!
Updated @ 2019-02-02 : Updated with additional photos and information, as well as a new battery recharging speed comparison.
Updated @ 2019-01-19 : Upgraded to an in-depth review, with 3 additional pages and 5 new videos.
Updated @ 2018-11-26 : Upgraded to a preview of the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018, with three videos.
Originally posted @ 2018-09-21
The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 Revealed!
The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) is the world’s first smartphone to feature FOUR cameras in the rear. They are arranged in the same vertical line, matching the triple cameras of the Samsung Galaxy A7 2018.
As their designer, Sang Il Park, recently revealed, the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) is targeted at Millennials with a new minimalistic yet expressive design language.
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 Colour Options
Samsung is offering the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) in three colour options – Lemonade Blue, Bubblegum Pink, and Caviar Black. Here is a video comparing the three colour options:
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 Price + Availability
Although Samsung revealed the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) at the Galaxy UNPACKED KL 2018, it was only available for sale in November 2018. Here in Malaysia, sales kicked off on 23 November 2018.
Its launch price was €599 in Europe, and £549 in the United Kingdom. That works out to around US$ 699 in the United States, and RM 2,885 in Malaysia.
However, Malaysians are SUPER LUCKY because Samsung is only selling the Galaxy A9 2018 at RM 1,999 / ~US$ 477 / ~£372!
[adrotate group=”2″]Here are some direct purchase links (accurate as of 1 February 2019) :
- Malaysia (All 3 Colours) : RM 1,999
- US (Caviar Black) : $454.99
- US (Lemonade Blue) : $450
- US (Bubblegum Pink) : $443.90
- UK (Caviar Black) : £449.99
- UK (Bubblegum Pink) : £546.98
- UK (Lemonade Blue) : £449.99
The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 Up Close!
The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) has a very large 6.3-inch AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2220 pixels. This is an Infinity Display, which means it has very thin bezels, allowing it to deliver a more immersive viewing experience in a smaller package.
The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 octa-core processor with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal flash storage.
The Snapdragon 660 is a mid-range SoC from mid-2017. It pairs four high-performance Kryo 260 Gold cores with four low-power Kyro 260 Silver cores, and comes with a fast Adreno 512 GPU.
Its key selling point though are its photography capabilities. Specifically, it boasts a very high-resolution 24 MP front camera, and FOUR rear cameras. We will take an in-depth look later in this preview.
All those capabilities are powered by a 3,800 mAh battery, ensconced in a chassis that is only 7.8 mm thick, and weighs only 183 grams. Unlike the Galaxy A7 2018, the Galaxy A9 2018 comes with the bi-directional USB Type C port.
Next Page > The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 Key Features
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Qualcomm Snapdragon 660
Launched in May 2017, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 is a powerful mid-range mobile SoC.
It combines eight Qualcomm Kryo 260 processor cores, with an Adreno 512 GPU, a Snapdragon X12 modem, a Spectra 160 camera ISP and a Hexagon 680 DSP.
It has two processor clusters – a high-performance cluster of four Kryo 260 Gold cores running at 2.2 GHz, and a low-power cluster of four Kryo 260 Silver cores running at 1.84 GHz.
The Kryo 260 Gold is a semi-custom version of the Cortex-A73, while the Kryo 260 Silver is a semi-custom version of the Cortex A53.
Performance-wise, the Snapdragon 660 is up to 20% faster in processor performance than the previous year’s Snapdragon 653, and up to 30% faster in graphics performance.
Rear Fingerprint Sensor
Unlike the Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 which uses a side fingerprint sensor, Samsung uses a rear fingerprint sensor in the Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK).
The rear fingerprint sensor offers a familiar log-in option for many users, but it is not be possible to use while the Galaxy A9 2018 is attached to a car mount.
But more importantly, this is a new swipe-type fingerprint sensor that is much faster and accurate to use. We were impressed with how fast it took to register our fingerprints using this fingerprint sensor.
Dedicated Bixby Button
Unlike the Samsung Galaxy A7 2018, the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) supports Samsung Bixby. It even has a dedicated Bixby button.
If you are concerned about accidentally triggering the Bixby button, we are glad to report that Samsung fixed that by swapping the position of the Bixby button with the Power button.
This means the Bixby button will be the sole button on the left side, while the Volume Control and Power buttons are on the right side. This should eliminate the chance of accidentally pressing the Bixby button while trying to change the volume.
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Triple Card Tray
The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) has Dual SIM, Dual Standby capability, with support for LTE Cat12 downloads and LTE Cat13 uploads. The good news is – it comes with a triple card tray. In addition to the two nano SIM cards, it has a dedicated slot for a microSD card.
Now, it comes with 128 GB of internal storage, which should be plenty for most users. Even so, the microSD card slot allows you to add more storage – up to 512 GB. That would give you more storage than many laptops!
The microSD card is also useful for another reason. The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) is not water-resistant, so storing your recorded photos and videos on the microSD card protects them, in case you accidentally drop your phone into water… or let a car run over it.
Next Page > 4X Cameras, 4X Fun?
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24 MP Front Camera
In the front, the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) has a 24 MP camera built around the Sony IMX576 sensor, and f/2.0 lens.
The Sony IMX576 is the world’s highest-resolution image sensor, and is usually used only in flagship devices like the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro.
The wide f/2.0 aperture will help ensure that low-light selfies are possible, even without flash.
4X Cameras In The Back!
The marquee feature of the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) is its quad-camera module in the back. It is, after all, the world’s first smartphone to feature four rear cameras.
Supported by a single LED flash, the quad camera module is made up of :
- a 24 MP primary camera with f/1.7 lens and OIS (optical image stabilisation)
- an 8 MP wide-angle camera with f/2.4 lens and 120º FOV
- a 10 MP telephoto camera
- a 5 MP depth sensor with f/2.2 lens
Even though there are four cameras, only three of them actually take pictures or videos. The depth sensor is not an imaging camera, and is only used for better depth perception, and subject separation (from the background).
[adrotate group=”1″]The wide angle camera boasts the same 120° viewing angle as the human eye, while the telephoto camera gives you extra reach. Here are some photos to show you the differences between the three cameras :
The 5 MP depth sensor is slaved to the main camera, allowing to deliver Live Focus and more accurate software bokeh capabilities. That said, we have to question why it is even necessary.
After all, the telephoto camera could have done a better job, as the Samsung Galaxy S9+ and Samsung Galaxy Note9 have proven. Using the telephoto camera would also have enabled Dual Capture.
Next Page > IP68? Ergonomics, How To Setup, Available Memory + Storage
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No IP68 Water Resistance
Last year’s Galaxy A7 2017 was the first Samsung Galaxy A series smartphone to boast IP68 dust- and water-resistance.
That means it was capable of withstanding complete immersion in water up to 1.5 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes.
Unfortunately, Samsung dropped this capability in the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK). This is a real shame, because the IP68 dust- and water-resistance is a major KSP (key selling point) for Samsung. It is one of the ways they are able to differentiate their A series smartphones from the competition.
Ergonomics
The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) has a very large 6.3-inch AMOLED display. But because it’s an Infinity Display – basically it has thin bezels, it is still comfortable to hold. It is about the same size as a 5.7-inch smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy Note FE (Price Check).
Of course, this is still a two-handed device, because of its height. If you prefer to use only one hand, you can turn on the One-handed mode option.
The Super AMOLED display is beautiful as always. However, the Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2220 pixels results in a non-standard 18.5:9 display ratio. Watching movies will result in some pillarboxing – a black bar on each side of the movie.
The gradated colour scheme at the back is beautiful, and surprisingly smudge-resistant. And from what we understand, the front and back are protected by Gorilla Glass 5. Even so, we recommend using the bundled clear TPU bumper case – it protects the glass panels, while still showcasing the beautiful back.
Setting Up The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) runs on Android 8.0 Oreo, with Samsung Experience 9.0. It is very easy to set-up, and should take only about 5-7 minutes to complete.
In fact, it should take less time than usual, because the fingerprint swipe sensor is very fast and accurate. You only need about three swipes to register a fingerprint!
Available Memory & Storage
The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) comes with 6 GB of LPDDR4 memory. There is relatively little bloat, with 3.9 GB (65%) of memory available for use. This is plenty enough to run several apps simultaneously, even memory-guzzling games.
It comes with 128 GB of internal flash storage, of which just under 109 GB is freeto use. That is enough space to store about 15,500 photos, 14 hours of 1080p videos, or 5 hours of 4K videos. If that’s not enough for you, you can top it up with a microSD card of up to 512 GB in capacity!
Next Page > Camera Performance – Photo + Video Samples
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Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 Camera Performance – Photo Samples
The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) uses the superb 24 MP Sony IMX576 in its primary camera, with a really bright and fast f/1.7 aperture. It is supported by an 5 MP depth sensorwith f/2.2 aperture.
The maximum 24 MP resolution is attained with the 4:3 aspect ratio, with 5664 x 4248 pixels, and a file size of between 6 MB and 7 MB.
Here are six high-resolution unedited samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos, which you can also download to examine.
The resolution and detail in the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018’s photos are incredible. You can see the intricate detail of the flower petals, the individual buds of the broccoli florets, and the texture of the pepper seeds.
It also did a great job of bringing out the colour of the subject matter. Every colour is accurately rendered and automatically “amped up” by AI algorithms. If you do not like the increased vividness though, you can turn off the Scene Optimiser feature.
The f/1.7 aperture naturally creates a very narrow depth of field, with a nicer bokeh effect. But you have to be more careful in framing the shot, because the subject may end up out-of-focus.
The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) has a Live Focus feature, but it’s not the same as the Live Focus capability in Samsung Galaxy Note9, even though it has a telephoto camera. Instead, it uses the depth sensor to separate the subject from the background, before applying a software bokeh effect to the background.
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Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 Camera Performance – Video Samples
Even though Samsung used the Sony IMX576 sensor in both front and rear main cameras, they limited the front camera to 1080p video recording.
They enabled 4K video recording for the rear cameras, but with electronic image stabilisation disabled. Image stabilisation is only enabled for 1080p or lower resolution videos.
Video Recording Test #1 : Piano Performance (1080p)
At 1080p, the electronic image stabilisation is pretty good. However, the Galaxy A9 2018 appears to have trouble controlling the brightness – the pianist, Mr. Yang, appears too dark while the bright background is overly bright.
Its noise cancellation wasn’t very good, but on the upside – the audio range is wide and rich.
Video Recording Test #2 : Piano Performance (4K)
When we increased the resolution to 4K, the video was noticeably more jerky although it was better than we expected it to be.
Note the 5-7 seconds after we switch to the telephoto camera (and back). For a few seconds, the camera has trouble focusing, and there is a sudden jerk as it finds its focus.
Video Recording Test #3 : CNY Showcase (1080p)
The image stabilisation is good, but we noticed that the camera has some trouble focusing on a new scene as we walked up and down the showcase.
Video Recording Test #4 : CNY Showcase (4K)
Even without image stabilisation, the jerkiness was less obvious than we expected. Again, there was a slight delay before the camera focused correctly. Note how the lanterns look blur as we reach the top of the showcase, before the camera focused on them properly.
Next Page > Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 – Work, Gaming, Battery Performance
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Work Performance – PCMark
We tested the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018’s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
| Work 2.0 | Honor Play | OPPO R17 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 | Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 |
| Performance Score | 7361 | 6475 | 5867 | 5379 |
| Web Browsing | 7695 | 6572 | 5966 | 5278 |
| Video Editing | 5499 | 5387 | 5195 | 4413 |
| Writing | 6649 | 5617 | 5324 | 5056 |
| Photo Editing | 13326 | 10740 | 8445 | 7427 |
| Data Manipulation | 5764 | 5331 | 4987 | 5147 |
| Review Links | Honor Play Review | OPPO R17 Pro Review | Galaxy A7 2018 Review | |
| Price Check | MY | US | UK | MY | US | MY | US | UK | MY | US | UK |
Even though the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 is a rather dated mid-range SoC, it held up admirably against the newer mobile SoCs. In fact, it was 9% faster than the Samsung Exynos 7885 used in the Galaxy A7 2018, and just 9% slower than the next-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 used in the OPPO R17 Pro.
Gaming Performance – 3DMark
Next, we tested the Galaxy A9 2018’s gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Unlimited test.
| Ice Storm Unlimited | Honor Play | Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 | OPPO R17 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 |
| Gaming Score | 31622 | 26082 | 15354 | 15354 |
| Graphics | 37351 | 29129 | 15788 | 15788 |
| Physics | 20576 | 19093 | 14005 | 14005 |
| Graphics Test 1 | 208.9 fps | 162.4 fps | 136.5 fps | 136.5 fps |
| Graphics Test 2 | 132.8 fps | 103.8 fps | 45.8 fps | 45.8 fps |
| Physics Test | 65.3 fps | 60.6 fps | 44.5 fps | 44.5 fps |
| Review Links | Honor Play Review | OPPO R17 Pro Review | Galaxy A7 2018 Review | |
| Price Check | MY | US | UK | MY | US | UK | MY | US | MY | US | UK |
Despite its age, the Galaxy A9’s Snapdragon 660 has pretty good gaming performance. It is 70% faster than the OPPO R17 Pro‘s Snapdragon 710, and comes within 17.5% of the flagship-class Kirin 970 that powers the Honor Play smartphone. Not bad!
Battery Life – PCMark
We then tested the Galaxy A9 2018’s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.
| Work 2.0 | OPPO R17 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 | Honor Play | Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 |
| Battery Capacity | 3,700 mAh | 3,300 mAh | 3,750 mAh | 3,800 mAh |
| Battery Life | 11 hours 54 mins | 11 hours 25 mins | 9 hours 56 mins | 9 hours 13 mins |
| Review Links | OPPO R17 Pro Review | Galaxy A7 2018 Review | Honor Play Review | |
| Price Check | MY | US | MY | US | UK | MY | US | UK | MY | US | UK |
The problem with using an older 14 nm SoC like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 is the higher power consumption which results in a shorter battery life. Even though it has slightly more battery capacity, the Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) has a shorter battery life than the two smartphones with 10 nm processors in this comparison :
- 43 minutes (7%) shorter than the Honor Play, with its flagship-class Kirin 970; and
- 2.5 hours (22.5%) shorter than the OPPO R17 Pro with its mid-range Snapdragon 710.
That said, 9 hours plus of battery life is nothing to sneeze at. Let’s remember – that’s over 9 hours running the benchmark non-stop. Its real-world battery life will be significantly longer
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Battery Recharging Performance
The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) comes with an adaptive fast charger with a power output of 15 W. Take a look at how fast it recharged the 3,800 mAh battery.
| Recharging Speed | OPPO R17 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 | Honor Play | Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 |
| Battery Capacity | 3,700 mAh | 3,800 mAh | 3,750 mAh | 3,300 mAh |
| Charger Output | 50 Watts | 15 Watts | 18 Watts | 7.75 Watts |
| Recharging Time | 33 Minutes | 91.5 minutes | 92 mins | 115 minutes |
| Recharging Speed | 112 mAh / minute | 41.5 mAh / minute | 40.7 mAh / minute | 28.7 mAh / minute |
| Review Links | OPPO R17 Pro Review | Honor Play Review | Galaxy A7 2018 Review | |
| Price Check | MY | US | MY | US | UK | MY | US | UK | MY | US | UK |
It took the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) just under 92 minutes to recharge its battery from 20% to 100%. Its 15 watt charger actually recharges faster than the Honor Play‘s 18 watt charger.
That is a battery life : recharging ratio of 6:1 – a good ratio. A rule of thumb – for one hour of battery life, charge it for 10.5 minutes.
The fastest recharging happened up to the 85% level. This took just 56 minutes. Then the recharging speed slowed down, and it took a further 35.5 minutes to top up the remaining 15%.
Next Page > Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 – Our Verdict, Specifications, Where To Buy!
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Our Verdict
Last year, the Samsung Galaxy A7 2017 really impressed us with a great combination of features and performance. It was also the first Galaxy A series smartphone to feature IP68 dust- and water-resistance, as well as the USB Type C port.
For 2018, Samsung chose to “split” its replacement. The Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 is really a “lite” version, and the true A7 2017 replacement is this – the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018.
Samsung introduced a number of new features. The marquee feature is the world’s first quad-camera system in the rear, and a new 24 MP front camera. Together with the Galaxy A7 2018, it is also the first Galaxy A series smartphone to feature an Infinity Display, with ultra-thin bezels.
In addition, Samsung not only doubled its memory to 6 GB, they actually quadrupled its storage capacity to 128 GB. And unlike the Galaxy A7 2018, it comes with a rear fingerprint sensor, a USB Type C port, and a larger battery with a faster 15 watt charger.
The quad camera system is a bit of an oddball. With the telephoto camera in the mix, the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK) does not actually require the depth sensing camera. As Samsung Galaxy S9+ and Samsung Galaxy Note9 have proven, the telephoto camera can double as a depth sensor.
When it comes to photos, both its front and rear cameras are excellent, with its main 24 MP camera particularly great in low-light conditions, thanks to its fast and bright f/1.7 lens. The additional telephoto and ultra wide-angle cameras also proved to be useful in getting more creative shots.
Too bad its video recording capabilities was not as good as we expected. We also bemoan the lack of IP68 water-resistance. We hope Samsung will look into improving its video recording capabilities, and adding IP68 into next year’s model.
That said, we have to commend Samsung for the great design they adopted for the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (MY | US | UK). It is really a work of art. If you like a great-looking smartphone, this is definitely something to consider.
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 Specifications
| Specifications | Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.3-inch AMOLED display -1080 x 2220 pixels |
| Operating System | Android 8.1 Oreo |
| System Platform | Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 |
| Processor | 4 x Qualcomm Kyro 260 (2.2 GHz) 4 x Qualcomm Kyro 260 (1.8 GHz) |
| Graphics Processor | Qualcomm Adreno 512 |
| Memory | 6 GB |
| Storage | 128 GB microSD card (up to 512 GB) |
| Front Camera | 24 MP Sony IMX576 sensor with f/2.0 lens |
| Rear Camera | Quad Camera System - 24 MP primary camera with f/1.7 lens and OIS - 8 MP wide-angle camera with f/2.4 lens and 120º FOV - 10 MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 lens - 5 MP depth sensor with f/2.2 lens |
| Connectivity | WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band) Bluetooth : BT 5.0 USB : USB 2.0 Type C |
| Battery | 3,800 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable) |
| Fingerprint Sensor | Yes, Rear-mounted |
| Other Sensors | Accelerometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Light Sensor |
| Samsung Pay (NFC) | Yes |
| Dimensions | 77 mm wide 162.6 mm tall 7.8 mm thick |
| Weight | 183 grams |
| Colour Options | Caviar Black, Lemonade Blue, Bubblegum Pink |
Where To Buy The Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
[adrotate group=”2″]Here are some direct purchase links (accurate as of 1 February 2019) :
- Malaysia (All 3 Colours) : RM 1,999
- US (Caviar Black) : $454.99
- US (Lemonade Blue) : $450
- US (Bubblegum Pink) : $443.90
- UK (Caviar Black) : £449.99
- UK (Bubblegum Pink) : £546.98
- UK (Lemonade Blue) : £449.99
Recommended Reading
- The 4X Camera Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 (SM-A750) Review!
- The Awesome Galaxy UNPACKED 2018 For Galaxy A7 + Galaxy A9 2018!
- Samsung Galaxy Note9 Review – Quietly Revolutionary!
- The 7 Secret Galaxy Note9 S Pen Features You Never Knew!
- The Samsung Galaxy Note9 Price, Offer + Promotion Guide
- Why The Galaxy Note9 Yearly Upgrade Program Is Such A Great Deal!
- Awesome Samsung Galaxy Note9 Photo Samples From Our Taipei Trip!
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