We're a virtual company made up of tech experts from across the globe. We live and breathe Android phones, and use every one we can to find the best ones for each person and their carrier of choice.
The Samsung Galaxy S9+ builds on years of great Samsung phones. It has a beautiful metal and glass exterior, is filled with all of the top-end specs you want in a phone today, and has a really good camera system. There are tons of extra features to be had, and the price is manageable for many people.
Our pick
Samsung Galaxy S9+
The best Android phone to use with Mint Mobile.
Choosing the Samsung Galaxy S9+ doesn't require much thought — it can do everything, and looks great doing it, with few real downsides. It's beautiful, has a fantastic screen, isn't missing any hardware features and has one of the best camera experiences available in a smartphone today.
Who should buy this phone
No matter what you need from a phone, the Galaxy S9+ is likely to fit the bill. It has a large screen, but is still manageable in one hand. It has high-end specs and every feature you could need. So long as you're willing to pay for it, the Galaxy S9+ is a great phone for just about anyone.
Is it a good time to buy this phone?
The Galaxy S9+ is several months old now, but has only partially been supplanted by the Galaxy Note 9. It's still a great modern phone that isn't due to be replaced until the Galaxy S10 in March 2019.
Reasons to buy
- Sleek and beautiful hardware
- Top-notch specs
- Waterproofing, wireless charging and more
- Excellent display
- Up to 256GB of storage available
- Great dual cameras
- Dual speakers and a headphone jack
Reasons not to buy
- Lots of unnecessary apps installed
- Software can be cumbersome to configure
- Slow software update cadence
There are so many great Android phones available, but one stands out just a little extra
Samsung does an amazing job creating phones that are appealing to a wide audience of potential buyers. That's why the Galaxy S9+ has so many great features and specs, because Samsung doesn't want to leave anything behind. The Galaxy S9+ has high-end specs from top to bottom, and you get to experience one of the best displays available in a phone today.
Samsung builds a phone that just about anyone will love.
You can also listen to its stereo speakers, or utilize the headphone jack for private listening. Up to 256GB of internal storage is available (when you buy the Galaxy S9+ from Samsung), but there's also an SD card slot for future expansion. The phone's waterproof, like so many other phones today, and you can also charge it wirelessly thanks to its glass-backed construction.
Samsung's cameras aren't the best in every situation, but when you look at what they're capable of capturing in a wide range of situations, it's an impressive feat. The telephoto rear camera enables lossless 2X zoom and portrait mode, and the main camera has a switching aperture to make sure you get the best shot in every scene.
Alternatives to the Samsung Galaxy S9+
The Galaxy S9+ has mass appeal, but it isn't for every single person out there. There are other picks out there that give you a good experience for a fraction of the cost.
Value pick
OnePlus 6
Great value for an amazing, feature-rich phone.
The OnePlus 6 is pretty much everything you expect in a high-end phone, but for $200-300 less. You don't give up much with this $529 phone — mostly screen and camera quality — and in many ways, you get a better software experience.
We don't blame you one bit for not wanting to spend the big money on a Samsung flagship. Thankfully, there are great phones like the OnePlus 6 that give you much of the same experience for hundreds of dollars less. Get the same great build quality and specs, with just a few shortcomings, and save a bunch.
For even less
Moto G6
A great budget-focused phone.
For under $250, you get a modern-looking design with an 18:9 display and shiny exterior that doesn't feel or look cheap. It also has Motorola's well-regarded simple and useful software experience, plus an above-average camera.
The Moto G series is Motorola's bread and butter, and there's no better representation of what the company does well than the Moto G6. The phone still focuses on simplicity and value for the money, but has been modernized with a larger (and better) display, glossy exterior and dual rear cameras. But you still get the same great software experience that focuses on simplicity and speed over having tons of features, and that's just how many people want their phone to work.
Bottom line
The Samsung Galaxy S9+ has the design, features and specs to appeal to most people who want a high-end phone to bring to their own carrier. It has great specs, nice design, good cameras and every hardware feature you could ask for. It's also available unlocked at a reasonable price so you can take it to Mint Mobile right away.
Update September 2018: The Galaxy S9+ is the best phone you can use with Mint Mobile, with wide-reaching appeal. But it isn't the only phone we recommend — there's also the OnePlus 6 and Moto G6, both of which offer a good experience for a fraction of the cost of Samsung's latest.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Andrew Martonik is the Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central. He has been a mobile enthusiast since the Windows Mobile days, and covering all things Android-related with a unique perspective at AC since 2012. For suggestions and updates, you can reach him at andrew.martonik@androidcentral.com or on Twitter at @andrewmartonik.
Daniel Bader is the Managing Editor of Android Central. As he's writing this, a mountain of old Android phones is about to fall on his head, but his Great Dane will protect him. He drinks way too much coffee and sleeps too little. He wonders if there's a correlation.
Jerry Hildenbrand is Mobile Nation's Senior Editor and works from a Chromebook full time. Currently he is using Google's Pixelbook but is always looking at new products and may have any Chromebook in his hands at any time. You'll find him across the Mobile Nations network and you can hit him up on Twitter if you want to say hey.
Post a Comment