2020 has been a challenging year from the start. First, the coronavirus pandemic swept the whole world, except for Antarctica, and then the ruble fell to the 2016 low, becoming an unpleasant surprise for those who were just about to update their gadget fleet. As a result, many were forced to either abandon the purchase of a new smartphone altogether, or to rely on a less advanced, but more affordable model. In this connection, the devices of the past years of production are especially popular. But there has been a particularly strong interest in the Galaxy S9. But is it worth buying it in 2020? Let's try to figure it out.
Galaxy S9 in 2020 – no longer a cake, humble yourself and don't waste your money
I will not pull the cat by the tail and will tell you right away if you are too lazy to read on: no, you shouldn't. However, if you would like to know why I am giving this advice, you are welcome to continue.
Which is better: Galaxy S10e or Galaxy S9
Let's start with the price, because exactly how it plays a decisive role for everyone today. As of the end of April, Galaxy S9 in Russia can be purchased for no less than 31 thousand rubles. As for me, this is quite a lot for the device, which has already turned two years old this year. Its closest competitor is the Galaxy S10e, which can be purchased for about 35-36 thousand.
The difference in price between the Galaxy S9 and S10e is not significant enough to save money
Yes, last year's sub-flagship may not seem like an attractive option to you. Still, it was initially positioned by the manufacturer as a cheap, or at least affordable smartphone. However, if you look closely, you realize that the Galaxy S10e is a pretty good device, which clearly turns out to be better than the Galaxy S9.
Well, see for yourself. First, the Galaxy S10e has two cameras, not one. Secondly, the Galaxy S10e has a faster internet connection thanks to support for the 802.11ax Wi-Fi protocol. Third, the Galaxy S10e has a larger battery with a more energy efficient processor. Fourth, the Galaxy S10e is much more compact with an identical display to the Galaxy S9.
Why Galaxy S10e is better than Galaxy S9
Let's talk about updates. Since the Galaxy S9 was introduced two years ago, this year it has exhausted its right to software support. The latest version Android that was and will be available to him is Android 10. That is, all that remains for him is four security updates, which he will receive once a quarter until until the manufacturer completely forgets about it.
Galaxy S10e will receive Android 11, while Galaxy S9 will not
The Galaxy S10e, which I propose as an alternative, will be updated for another year. That is, after Android 11 comes out, he is guaranteed to receive this update. Perhaps this will happen only at the beginning of 2021, given that the release of the update will take place closer to October, but the fact remains that the S10e will remain relevant for a whole year longer than the Galaxy S9, which is about to be considered an obsolete device. .
Are updates so important in practice? It is really difficult to give an unambiguous answer to this question. On the one hand, I have never been crazy about fresh updates. But, on the other hand, even I understand that software support means constantly improving the operating system, eliminating bugs and shortcomings and, oddly enough, fixing all kinds of vulnerabilities, from which sometimes there are so many problems that it’s scary to even imagine.
Which is more powerful: Galaxy S10e or Galaxy S9
The third reason I don't recommend buying a Galaxy S9 in 2020 is for hardware. Oddly enough, but now the year before last Samsung's flagship is no longer a top-end device. The Exynos 9810 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of onboard storage are anything but a surprise. The same Galaxy S10e has 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, not to mention the more powerful Exynos 9820 chip.
Galaxy S10e is corny more powerful than S9, and this is important
Perhaps, in numbers, the increase does not look so significant. Still, the difference in processing power between devices of two different generations is usually quite small. However, it seems so only at first, when there are no tasks that can load the most powerful hardware. Now, comparing the real performance of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S10e, you are guaranteed to give your preference not in favor of the old man, simply because you will understand that he is far from ideal.
Moreover, the difference will be noticeable not only in games or some kind of heavy applications, but also when performing completely ordinary tasks. This can be scrolling through the interface that the Galaxy S10e will perform smoother and faster, the speed of launching Google Play and other regular software, or even calling up the keyboard or the Share menu. In all cases, the Galaxy S10e will perform better than the Galaxy S9. Well, if the difference in price between them is only 5 thousand rubles, then the choice, in my opinion, is obvious.