Forget The Note 8, The Samsung Galaxy S9 Is The Handset To Get For Those Looking For A Real Upgrade

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has arrived, and it did not make as many waves as initially expected. With specs that are virtually identical to the Galaxy S8+, it did not take long before the internet began tearing the new, more expensive flagship phablet apart. Many even slammed Samsung for playing it far too safe with the Note 8. Fortunately, it seems like those that would like to move past the Note 8 do have other options, as Samsung’s next flagship, the rumored Galaxy S9, is expected to be equipped with most of the features that the Note 8 never had.

Samsung follows a particularly unique flagship release cycle, unveiling the S-series early in the year and releasing the phablet-class Note line roughly half a year later. Considering the reputation of the Note line, power users have mostly held out on the Galaxy S-series in order to wait for a device with more power, more battery, and far more features. This, however, did not happen with the Galaxy Note 8.

When the Note 8 was released, the device was so similar to the Galaxy S8+ in power and features; very few reviewers gave the device a favorable rating. Even Android Authority, which has a pretty consistent reputation of giving the Note line high marks in the past, was mostly underwhelmed with the new flagship phablet. According to the publication, buyers who are looking for the best Samsung phone are better off buying the Galaxy S8+, since it has virtually identical specs with the Note 8 at a much more reasonable price.

If a recent research note from iconic analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is any indication, however, those on the hunt for the ultimate Android device (and who have opted to pass on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+) might be better off holding out a bit longer. After all, if rumors are anything to go by, it seems like Samsung is placing most of its planned upgrades and refinements on the upcoming Galaxy S9, according to a 9to5Google report.

Rumors about the Galaxy S9 are still sketchy at this point, though speculations are pointing to a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC, around 6GB-8GB of RAM, and a bigger, safer battery. Unfortunately, rumors also state that the Galaxy S9 would be carrying over the S8 and Note 8’s notorious rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. If these rumors do pan out, the Galaxy S9 would definitely be an improvement over the S8, S8+ and the Note 8, save for its fingerprint reader, of course.

The release date for the Samsung Galaxy S9 remains unknown, though speculations point to an unveiling sometime around the first quarter of 2018.

[Featured Image by Drew Angerer/Getty Images]