Samsung released the original Galaxy A9 back in January 2016. Nearly three years later, the company has now launched another Galaxy A9. Samsung’s smartphone lineup and naming pattern have always been a convoluted mess with too many models and less-than-representative names. So, it is difficult to say if the Galaxy A9 (2018) is a successor to the original Galaxy A9 in any way other than the name itself.
A quick comparison of the specifications of these models does show some interesting similarities. Both these devices are meant to be big phablets with large batteries and priced above other midrange options. Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy A9 (2018) is better specced and more powerful than the three-year-old predecessor. The original Galaxy A9, however, has a bigger battery, which makes the combination of a bigger screen and a smaller battery on the new A9 a “theoretical” downgrade.
Galaxy A9 vs. Galaxy A9 (2016): Specs comparison
If you were a fan and/or owner of the Galaxy A9 (2016), the newer model with all its bells and whistles should come across as a worthy upgrade. Of course, if Samsung prices the new model too close to the flagships as the specs indicate, then the choice may not be so simple.
| Galaxy A9 | Galaxy A9 (2016) | |
| Display | 6.3-inch Full HD+ (2220×1080) Super AMOLED Infinity | 6.0-inch Full HD (1920×1080) Super AMOLED |
| Processor | Snapdragon 660 Octa Core, 2.2GHz quad-core + 1.8GHz quad-core, Adreno 512 GPU | Snapdragon 652 octa-core, 1.8GHz quad-core & 1.4GHz quad-core, Adreno 510 GPU |
| RAM | 6/8GB | 3GB |
| Rear Camera | Quad Camera, 24MP AF (f1.7), Telephoto 2X optical zoom, 10MP AF (f2.4), Ultra-Wide 120° 8MP (f2.4) and Depth sensor 5MP (f2.2) | 13 MP, F1.9, optical image stabilization |
| Front camera | 24-megapixel, f/2.0 aperture | 8 MP, F1.9 |
| Storage | 128GB internal, microSD slot (up to 512GB) | 32GB internal, microSD slot (up to 128GB) |
| Software | Android 8.0 Oreo, upgradeable to Android 9.0 Pie | Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop), upgradable to Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow |
| Battery | 3,800 mAh, fast wired charging | 4,000 mAh, fast wired charging |
| Connectivity | LTE, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC, USB Type-C | Dual-SIM, LTE, FM Radio, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth v4.1, GPS, NFC, micro USB 2.0 |
| Security | Rear fingerprint sensor, facial recognition | Front-facing fingerprint sensor |
| Other features | Samsung Pay (NFC), Dolby Atmos (wired audio), Always On Display, Bixby Voice | S Voice |
| Dimensions | 162.5 x 77.0 x 7.8 mm, 183g | 161.7 x 80.9 x 7.4mm, 200g |
