Apple and Samsung have been butting heads for long in the smartphone world. Samsung devices offer the best Android-powered alternatives to Apple’s iOS. As the two giants fight for the title of the best smartphone, they now offer fantastic specs and performance from their respective smartphones.
Apple sports a bezel-like design on the iPhone X, which is similar to its Android rival. Samsung has shaved off even more bezel on the Galaxy S9, making the top and bottom even thinner. Apple has approached bezel in a slightly different manner and is somewhat more debatable. Its screen goes right to the edge of the device’s top frame with a ‘notch’ for the camera and sensors.
The fingerprint scanner in the Samsung sits right below the camera in the rear. Although Galaxy S9 also includes face and iris unlock, Apple’s Face ID offers a more complete solution, but of course there is no Touch ID sensor anymore.
Both devices feature a 5.8 inch OLED screen with HDR content from Netflix, but Amazon Prime and YouTube HRD support are limited only to the S9. Both the displays are fantastic and easily the best in the market today. Samsung wins for the colour vibrancy and saturation, while Apple feels more comfortable on the eyes. Apple’s True Tone Tech alters the colour temperature, making it warmer in hue, according to the surrounding environment.
Coming to the speakers, although Samsung is doing great with its speakers, they are front-facing and tuned by AKG, including a Dolby Atmos for pseudo-surround effect. Apple iPhone X is better in this aspect, because the sound is rich and doesn’t distort at high volumes.
Comparing iPhones to an Android-powered phone in terms of power is like comparing apples (Ha!) to lemons, since iPhones run on their own iOS, which is tailored to take the maximum advantage of the hardware.
In terms of RAM, iPhone X has a 3GB RAM, whereas the S9 packs a 4GB one. Both devices can be bought with either 64GB or 256GB of built-in storage. The Samsung S9 does support a microSD slot which supports up to 400GB cards, which offers a cheaper way to expand storage if you want to opt for the cheaper model with less built-in storage.
Both iPhone X and Galaxy S9 offers a 12-megapixel rear camera. But when it comes to the lenses, the iPhone X has a dual lens setup with the wider lens having an f/1.8 aperture and the telephoto lens an f/2.4 aperture. The Galaxy S9, however, has only one lens and therefore less zoom flexibility. But like the lens on a DSLR, it can open and close its diaphragm to let more or less light reach the sensor. The adjustable aperture will also have a ‘bokeh’ effect. But in terms of pure photo quality, iPhone X captures the better picture. The S9 tends to overexpose images. However, the S9 does impress in the sheer number of options and features packed into the camera app. It shoots a 960fps slow-motion video and has a full ‘pro’ mode for granular control.
The glass rear of the iPhone X makes it feel great in hand, whereas the S9 similarly is made up of premium materials. The iPhone X promises dust and water resistance, whereas the S9 is slightly more resilient with an IP68 rating which means it can survive depths of 1.5 metres for 30 minutes.
Both the devices support wireless charging. The iPhone X has no headphone jack, so you will need a lightning adapter, whereas headphone jack remains with the Galaxy S9. The iPhone X was a huge step in the right direction for Apple, and while the S9 is a minor update, it remains to be a great device.
