Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus vs. Galaxy S9 Plus: Should you upgrade?

Samsung Galaxy S20+

The Galaxy S20+ has all the upgrades you can ask for, and then some. There's a stunning 120Hz AMOLED display that changes how you use a phone, the latest internal hardware, 25W fast charging, and 5G connectivity. But the most exciting change is the rear cameras, including a 64MP lens that offers 30x hybrid zoom.

Samsung Galaxy S9+

The Galaxy S9+ is two generations old, but it has aged very well. The QHD+ display is still fantastic in 2020, and the hardware has plenty to offer. The industrial design also looks modern, and there's even a 3.5mm jack. But the cameras are starting to show their age, and the phone is not going to receive further Android updates.

Samsung introduced the Infinity Display aesthetic with the Galaxy S8 series, and it has refined the design over the last three years. With every new generation it trimmed the bezels and increased the screen-to-body ratio, trying out new ways to integrate the front camera sensor. With the S20+ it is offering a centered cutout that debuted on the Note 10, but the biggest change is the cameras at the back. Samsung has overhauled its cameras for the first time in four years, and that means a lot of exciting new features.

The Galaxy S9+ is still great, but the S20+ has exciting upgrades

It's hard to believe that the Galaxy S9+ is two years old at this point. To its credit, the phone has aged remarkably well. The hardware still has a lot to offer, the design doesn't look dated, and overall the phone holds up very well in 2020.

But if you've been using the S9+ for two years and are looking to make the switch, the S20+ is the obvious choice. The phone offers a laundry list of new features, including a few standout additions like a 120Hz AMOLED display. The high refresh rate makes a huge difference in day-to-day use, and everything from scrolling social media posts to browsing and playing games feels that much more instantaneous.

But the marquee feature on the S20+ is the camera array at the back: Samsung is offering four cameras in a square housing, with a primary 12MP camera joined by a 64MP zoom lens, 12MP wide-angle sensor, and a ToF module. The wide-angle lens alone makes the camera much more versatile than the S9+, but the real highlight here is the 12MP sensor. Samsung is offering a brand new lens with the S20+, and it takes fantastic photos in any lighting condition.

Samsung has been playing second fiddle to the likes of Google and Huawei over the last two years, but with the S20+ it is finally delivering a camera that can hold its own in this area. There's also the fact that the 64MP module has 3x optical zoom and 30x hybrid zoom, giving you that much more flexibility when taking photos.

Then there's the hardware: the S20+ comes with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 865 chipset, and has 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM as standard along with 128GB of base storage. You also get 5G connectivity, and the 4500mah battery should easily deliver ovr a day's worth of use.

Another reason for switching to the S20+ is software updates. the Galaxy S9+ has received two platform updates, and it will not pick up any further updates. It will still get security patches for one more year, but it won't be updated beyond Android 10. So if you want to take a look at what Google has to offer later this year with Android 11, you should pick up the S20+.

Get the Galaxy S20+ if you want a better camera and 120Hz display

There's no need to upgrade from the Galaxy S9+ just yet: the phone has aged astonishingly well, and in day-to-day use it is still going strong. But if you're looking to upgrade, the S20+ is the obvious choice.

The Galaxy S20+ has an incredible 120Hz display that is a delight to use. The AMOLED panel has vibrant colors and excellent contrast levels, and is in a league of its own. The S9+ is also packing a great AMOLED screen, but two years of refinement have allowed Samsung to deliver more vibrancy and brightness on the S20+. And once you start using the 120Hz panel, you would not want to go back to a regular 60Hz phone.

But the main reason for switching to the S20+ is the cameras: the 12MP sensor takes fantastic photos in any lighting condition, and Samsung has finally rolled out a camera that goes toe-to-toe with the best that Google has to offer. The 64MP zoom lens is also exciting, offering 3x optical zoom and 30x hybrid zoom. The ultra-wide lens and ToF sensor make the S20+ that much more versatile in this area.

Then there's 5G connectivity. Sure, 5G coverage is limited to a few dozen cities right now, but it will be going mainstream in the near future, and the hardware on offer here means the S20+ should easily last a few years without any issues.