Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X – Can Samsung’s Phone Beat Apple’s Flagship?

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A major Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X battle is imminent, with the Samsung flagship due to compete with the premium Apple phone. And it seems that the Korean offering will ship with some major new technology in an attempt to compete with the well-received handset from the Californian corporation.

Snapdragon 845

First on the list of improvements to the Galaxy S9 will be the inclusion of the Snapdragon 845 processor. Qualcomm’s 10nm will add a great deal of performance and power to an already impressive smartphone series, ensuring that the Galaxy S9 outperforms its Galaxy S8 predecessor.

There have even been reports that Samsung has signed an exclusivity deal with Qualcomm, meaning that the processor will only feature in the Galaxy S9 over the next few months. This would certainly up the ante in the Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X war.

Exynos series

In other territories, the Galaxy S9 will benefit from the ninth generation of the Exynos CPU, which will be 15 percent more efficient than the system included in the Galaxy S8. This will contribute to the power-saving functionality also delivered by the Android operating system, meaning that the battery life of the Galaxy S9 will be stronger and longer than previous editions.

This will be particularly valuable for Samsung, as the Apple iPhone range has been criticized for many years for delivering what is considered to be a rather paltry quantity of battery life cycle. Indeed, surveys conducted recently indicate that 90 percent of smartphone users are concerned about the amount of battery life delivered by contemporary units.

“The Exynos 9 Series 9810 is Samsung’s latest flagship processor, with 3rd-generation custom CPU cores, upgraded GPU, and gigabit LTE modem with industry-first 6CA support,” Samsung confirmed in a press release about its achievements at the CES 2018 Innovation Awards.

Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X
Image Source: Apple.com (screenshot)

Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X – Design

However, it doesn’t seem as if design will be a major component of the Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X comparison. Reports from Korea have indicated that the Galaxy S9 is said to be rather similar to the previous version in the series. The S9 will instead be an iterative update of what is already a successful smartphone, with Samsung deeming it inappropriate to redesign the Galaxy S9 at this juncture.

This differs, of course, from the iPhone X, which represented a revolution in the design of the Apple smartphone. With its wraparound approach and larger OLED screen, the Cupertino-based manufacturer essentially rebooted the iPhone series in 2017. This led to a stronger critical and commercial response, meaning that the Galaxy S9 has its work cut out to establish itself as the world’s top mobile.

Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X – Fingerprint sensor

However, one big change with the Galaxy S9 will be the relocation of the fingerprint sensor to the rear of the device. Samsung has listened to the concerns of consumers in this department, and this simple change could have a big impact on the way consumers perceive the Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X war.

Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X – Face ID response

Reports are also surfacing that the Galaxy S9 will benefit from an improved facial recognition system. This could be considered essential, after the iPhone X introduced the Face ID system which will be central in the future of Apple security. Apple executives have already indicated that they view Face ID as the epicenter of recognition in the iPhone range, despite the fact that Touch ID continues to be supported.

Thus, this can be considered a key front in the Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X battle, as Samsung attempts to improve on what is considered to be a relative inaccuracy with mere fingerprint recognition. Apple has boasted about the improved security offered by facial recognition, and this is not something that Samsung can allow without response.

Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X – Dual-camera

Photography will obviously be a key element of the Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X comparison, and it seems that the Samsung device will benefit from a dual-camera for the first time. Previous releases in the Galaxy S series have been based on single-lens technology, but Samsung is ready to push the boat out with the Galaxy S9 and include its first ever dual-camera in its flagship device.

It has also been suggested in some quarters that Samsung will choose to increase the megapixel rating of the Galaxy S9 camera as well. This could lead to an outstanding snapper, and one that could set new standards in the smartphone niche.

Samsung has also made reference in official documents to the new Isocell SLIM 2X7 image sensor, which offers “high-resolution image sensors in small chip packages, delivering detailed pictures in low-light environments without a camera bump”. This will be another interesting aspect of technology which will contribute to the imminent Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X war.

According to Samsung, “the small 0.9μm pixel size enables a 24Mp image sensor to be fitted in a thinner camera module, allowing premium smartphones to offer high-resolution cameras in a very slim and elegant design.”

This does suggest that although the Galaxy S9 will be rather similar in design to previous releases, it could be slimmed down somewhat at least.

Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X – Specs leak

Meanwhile, a major specs leak gives us further clues as to how the Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X battle may shape up. A Samsung smartphone with the model number SM-G960F has appeared on the Geekbench platform, providing those insight into how the Galaxy S9 may turn out. Scoring 2680 on the single-core Geekbench 4 test and a 7787 on the multi-core test, this device would fail to reach the standard of the iPhone X, which delivered a single-core score of 4197 and multi-core score of 10051.

Samsung clearly has some work to do if they Galaxy S9 is to dethrone the iPhone X at the head of the smartphone marketplace.

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