Galaxy S9+ Unboxing: What You Get and First Impressions

Hands-On
By published

Check out our unboxing video of the Galaxy S9+ along with our first impressions of Samsung's new flagship.

The Galaxy S9+ has landed in the Tom's Guide office, which means it's time to bring you our first unboxing. We're more excited to unbox this model, because it gives you dual rear cameras and a big 6.2-inch display.

Here's a quick tour of everything that you get for your $840 (or higher, depending on the carrier).

Credit: Tom's Guide

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Galaxy S9+: What's in the Box

  • Galaxy S9+: It features a 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display, dual rear cameras, a headphone jack and a fingerprint sensor located beneath the cameras.
  • SIM Ejector tool: So you can insert your carrier SIM or swap it out with another card.
  • Quick Start Guide: You don't need this.
  • Wall/USB Charger: This offers quick charging for the Galaxy S9+.
  • USB Connector: This tiny little accessory lets you plug in a full size USB cable into the S9+.
  • Stereo headset: We dig the tangle-resistant cord. Also, the Galaxy S9+ has a real headphone jack!

MORE: Galaxy S9 Hands-On: Killer Camera, But One Drawback

First Impressions

As promised, the display on the Galaxy S9+ does seem a bit brighter than the panel on the Galaxy S8+. More important, because Samsung trimmed the bezels slightly above and below the screen on this phone, it's easier to hold this phone in one hand. 

The black version we received doesn't have the pop that the purple and blue options have, and it shows fingerprints more quickly than we'd like. However, we're glad that the fingerprint sensor is located beneath the cameras instead of two the side. It's easier to find the reader by feel, though it's still close enough to the bottom lens that you may smudge it up accidentally (at least the first few times).

The Edge panel is easily accessible by swiping in from the right part of the screen, which lets you quickly launch your favorite apps and people. Plus, like the Galaxy Note 8, you can launch two apps side by side at the same time, which is handy when you have a large 6.2-inch display.

MORE: Best Samsung Galaxy S9 Deals

One of the main benefits of the S9+ over the S9 is the second telephoto lens, which gives you a 2x optical zoom. It's easy to activate in the camera app; you just press the little sign that says x2, though it's almost too small for me.

Outlook

Overall, the Galaxy S9+ looks like a great sequel to one of the best Android phones yet. We're going to start taking photos with the S9+ to see how well the new Super Speed Dual Pixel camera performs in low light, as well as to see how compelling the Super Slow-Mo videos can be.

Is there something you want to know about the S9+? Hit us up in the comments.

Credit: Tom's Guide

Mark Spoonauer
Mark Spoonauer

Mark Spoonauer is the global editor in chief of Tom's Guide and has covered technology for over 20 years. In addition to overseeing the direction of Tom's Guide, Mark specializes in covering all things mobile, having reviewed dozens of smartphones and other gadgets. He has spoken at key industry events and appears regularly on TV to discuss the latest trends, including Cheddar, Fox Business and other outlets. Mark was previously editor in chief of Laptop Mag, and his work has appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Inc. Follow him on Twitter at @mspoonauer.