Hi guys,
I currently have the Samsung Galaxy S8 and thinking of upgrading my phone.
Given that the Google Pixel 3 just got released recently, was wondering which phone is better to upgrade to:
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
Or
Google Pixel 3 XL
Mod: Added poll below
What other aspects are those?
I may be wrong but most people buy flagship for the camera and smooth interface.
I think in terms of display tech, Samsung still has the edge. Though the Pixel 3 apparently is a huge improvement over the Pixel 2.
Samsung's own Android skin has its fans too (don't know why, or how many, but they exist).
But yeah - my pick would also be the Pixel 3 XL.
OP: A Poll would be useful here.
Fair enough. I had the S3. The Samsung bloatware made any subsequent Samsung phone a non starter for me.
@[Deactivated]: I had a…. S6 (or s5?) I think. After coming from the Google Nexus before that, yeah. Bloatware galore.
@HighAndDry: Always thought of the Samsung as a beautiful V8 biturbo in a decently sexy chassis with a boot full of concrete pavers and panels that rattle when driving over 50.
@[Deactivated]: Eh, you could say the exact same about google, I had a nexus 7 2012 so that makes any google hardware a non starter for me.
Point I'm making is Google and Samsung have changed a lot from the bad old days…
@Binchicken22: That's true. I think the smart phone market has matured significantly in the last 3 years.
Mostly aspects relating to the hardware design.
Things like:
-No notch
-Expandable storage
-Headphone jack
-Better quality screen (although I've heard the Pixel 3's screen is pretty good)
etc.
With that being said, I prioritize the software experience so the Pixel 3 is my choice.
Depends on what you want. If you want a media consumption device then the S9 Plus is best. If you use the camera a lot and wants and a clean, stock Android interface then go for the Pixel. Note however that you'll likely get much better prices on the S9 Plus because it's an older and much more common phone.
Personally I'd go for the S9 Plus. More availability with better prices, more accessories, better OLED screen with no notch, and you can get a minimalist Android experience with the LineageOS ROM. I used to have a S8 Plus and it ran great on the Renovate ICE ROM, and the only big issue is the screen protector. I highly recommend a professional installation because the screen is curved so any slight misalignment with a glass screen protector will cause air gaps, and those air gaps will soon be full of dust and other particles from your pockets. For plastic film screen protectors the curves creates air bubbles which are impossible to get rid of.
My answer would be wait for the Galaxy S10 (about 5 months away) (or even pixel 4 if you are willing to wait that long, I honestly reckon google will eventually get this phone thing right, I don't think they are quite there yet with the pixel 3 though). Going from an S8 to a S9 or even a pixel 3 won't feel like a huge upgrade and IMO you'd probably regret spending the money after a week or two and the "new phone feeling" has worn off.
I currently have the Samsung Galaxy S8 and thinking of upgrading my phone.
Have to agree with brad1601: The general rule is that when upgrading phones, moving up only one generation won't see a lot of actual improvement for the price you pay, and it's usually better to skip every other gen, so that you upgrade every second generation of devices.
Ask yourself if you want a headphone jack and a sd card for more expandable memory. If you dont really need it then pixel 3 would be your goto.
I'd go a OnePlus 5T, but that's a value for money POV
I'd also keep in mind the time that you ask this, the Pixel 3 literally just came out (or is still coming out really) so one would hope it would be fairly better then the S9. In saying that, the S10 should come out in a few months which likely may be better then the Pixel 3, and then the Pixel 4 may come out after that etc etc.
Personally I think the Pixel wins software wise, I haven't seen the hardware specs yet but I think I saw it was quite similar to the Pixel 2 sans the camera and screen, the issue I have is while Google make great phones, their hardware hasn't been as innovative as I would've liked. I typically see more innovative ideas come out of Samsung (or even Apple) so personally I'm happier going that route recently. Its unfortunate but while Google concentrates on innovation on software it kind of loses points because it ends up with Samsung just making their version or just natively installed due to same Android.
I would say you probably get better support off a google phone though.
You won't be disappointed with either one. However, just know that the camera of the pixel is good because of software. It doesn't have the features of the Samsung's camera such as an adjustable aperture. If you have a look online you can actually download the pixel 2's software on the s9. Look at some comparisions and I guaruntee you that with the software the s9's camera is as good as or better than that of the pixel. The s9's default camera is better in low light mind you. As for software it comes down to personal preference. I haven't used the pixel so I cannot comment however the beauty of android is the ability to customise things. I must say the samsung's screen is gorgeous. I noticed a visible difference in how good colour was between the s9+ and the iphone I upgraded from.
I wouldn't buy the pixel 3 at this current moment not because it is worse but because of the price. The samsung is getting older and prices are now ridiculous. I got mine from an ebay 25% off sale a few months ago for $880. For a new condition 256gb model! Ridiculous. If money is no object though I think the software is what will convince you. I
Samsung Bloat and 1 year life V Stock Android 5 year life. The answer is simple. Once you leave Apple and Samsung and go stock android it is hard to go back. I have been using Pixel, Nexus, S9 and Iphone (9). Believe it or not the 6P is my preferred daily driver and such a good phone but will move on to 3XL and have an IPhone X to compare against. The Samsung S9 is nice for the first few months but just becomes painful after a while.
OnePlus is always a worthy contender.
Thanks guys for all the great advice, will take all that information into consideration when making the decision, never imagined that there would be so many people to help out, feeling the love.
Wait for the OnePlus 6T
I'd go with the s9, but that's both because I use the headphone jack frequently and absolutely dispise that notch.
Other options to look at would be the note 9 (p3'll be around the same price), and possibly something like the ROG phone if that turns out to be as good as it looks.
Edit - Can't forget OnePlus of course! The 6T should be being announced soon. Though apparently dropping the headphone jack which is disappointing.
I think it depends mostly on personal preference.
If you want the best camera and software experience, I think the Pixel beats Samsung.
However, Samsung wins in every other aspect.