Samsung galaxy a9 review in Spanish (complete analysis)

A few months ago the Samsung Galaxy A9 was put on sale, a mid-range smartphone successor to another version of 2016, which beyond its Super AMOLED screen, the Bixby virtual assistant or the 3800 mAh battery, stands out above all for having four rear cameras. A feature with which the company has wanted to breastfeed and excel over other models that seem more generic. These sensors cover various types of lenses, from one with a wide angle to another with a telephoto lens, through one whose function is to give depth by using the blur effect. Curiosity has not made you want to try it and see how well things have turned out for Samsung.

Technical characteristics Samsung Galaxy A9

Unboxing

With this Samsung Galaxy A9, the company has wanted to distance itself from the fashion of the cases with a minimalist style and has gone to the opposite extreme, the front of the case shows in its entirety a rear image of the phone, where the four cameras, which is the main claim. The rest of the box is white and it is in the back where they describe some of the main specifications of this model. By sliding the top half of the lid, we find inside:

Samsung Galaxy A9. Power adapter. MicroUSB type C charging cable. SIM tray extractor. Gel case. Quick user guide.

Design

If we were asked for a brief opinion on the design of the Samsung Galaxy A9 without knowing its internal specifications, we would think that we were dealing with a higher-end smartphone, such an appreciation shows that the design of this terminal is very well achieved, and that is that with the amount of models that Samsung brings out, it is not surprising that they are learning something, although they do not innovate either. The aluminum construction of the side edges is already an old acquaintance that continues to function, both for its appearance, with the rounded corners, and for the additional robustness it brings to the phone.

Similarly, the glass back, which can be obtained in blue, pink, black or white, is also curved, reaching towards the side edges and providing greater comfort and ergonomics when holding it. We also find the pack of the 4 sensors mounted vertically in the upper left corner, a logical place due to the space they require. Starting from the top and descending, we find the following types of cameras: Ultra panoramic 120º, Telephoto, Main and Depth. Just immediately below this last camera, the led flash is located. On the left, centered is the fingerprint sensor with a somewhat smaller size than usual. The rest of this back is clean, with the exception of the brand's silk-screened logo.

Returning to the lateral edges, in the upper one we can find both the microphone for noise cancellation and the housing for the SIM tray. On the other hand, on the left edge we only find a button to launch the Samsung Bixby assistant.

The right edge houses the typical volume buttons at the top and the power button immediately below, in a more centered position. Ultimately, at the bottom edge we find a 3.5mm Jack headphone port, a Type-C microUSB charging port, the call microphone and the multimedia speaker.

Most of the front of the Samsung Galaxy A9 is formed by its 6.3-inch 2.5D rounded glass infinity screen that occupies 81% of the surface. As this percentage indicates, we see minimum frames on the sides, unlike the upper and lower parts where the frames are kept with a thickness of less than one centimeter. While the lower frame is devoid of any sensor or logo, in the upper one there is the proximity sensor and light, the speaker for calls and the front camera. It is curious to note how Samsung has dispensed with the reviled notch, and has kept the upper frame of previous models.

Altogether, we find a fairly well-resolved terminal, except perhaps for the button to launch the Samsung assistant, which is something that in the end is barely finished using. The exact dimensions of the Samsung Galaxy A9 are 77 x 162.3 x 7.8 mm and remain within the average that we find today, a screen large enough to enjoy it but without being cumbersome in hand. The weight of 183 grams maintains the same tonic.

screen

Along with the 6.3 inches of screen extension that we discussed in the previous paragraph, we must highlight its Super AMOLED technology with FullHD + resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels, which gives a great density of 392 pixels per inch. Something far from the quality of its older brothers with QHD resolution, somewhat understandable in view of its price. The quality of the colors is really good, as the company has accustomed us, with saturated colors and a high level of black. Most of the time, the adaptive color mode will adapt the color space depending on the content of our screen, but we can always choose manually between the mode: AMOLED Cinema, AMOLED Photo, Basic and even manual. In addition, we can balance the white level towards warmer or cooler tones. Something that is good, because it is true that, by default, the screen turns something more towards the cold end.

The viewing angles are kept at a good level and no strange tinting is seen. On the other hand, brightness is one of the best sections of this screen, which can automatically reach 600 nits, more than enough to be able to read comfortably in full sun. If we opt for manual mode, the maximum nits become somewhat lower.

It is remarkable the good performance almost always of the automatic brightness adapter, which has responded quickly and accurately, without erratic behavior.

Sound

The lower speaker of the Samsung Galaxy A9 reproduces a fairly clear sound, and even powerful, although it does not stand out in this regard and remains below other models. Although the sound is not bad, we have noticed that it lacks some strength and sounds flat, with little presence of low frequencies.

When using headphones, the sound sounds really good and you can get a high volume, although as always, it is not recommended to exceed high levels. The final quality improves to that given by the speaker, and a higher level of the absent bass is achieved in it. On the other hand, it is appreciated that the audio jack port is still mounted, which is still in demand by many consumers.

OS

Although the Samsung Galaxy A9 was released with Android Oreo and the Samsung Experience personalization layer, today things have changed. Currently we can have both Android 9.0 Pie and the new One UI customization layer in version 1.0. This new layer offers an almost complete redesign of the previous layer, using a much more curved and rounded style, similar to what Google has been doing in recent years with its system. Samsung also decided, that it was time with this big screen, to put many of the elements within reach of the thumb or to simplify a little many of its apps or menus.

In short, there is a much more striking interface than before, less cumbersome and intrusive. The system in general works smoothly, although it is necessary to recognize that during our testing time, on two or three occasions the system hung for a few seconds, something that may be due to this first version of the cape and which we assume will go optimizing over time.

One UI like Samsung Experience integrates a multitude of customization, movement and gesture settings. Options to configure to your liking the home screen, notifications, screen zoom or type of sources and of course, the navigation bar or the Always On system to display information with the screen on.

There are advanced functions with which to control the system through gestures, reduce animations, a game launcher with additional options or the possibility of using two messaging apps at the same time. Similarly, Samsung maintains the option of exchanging the main screen for a simpler one, which can be used by people older or less used to so many options.

We no longer find as much bloatware or annoying apps as in the past, but the multitude of apps from the company itself. Among them, and integrated into the system, we find a tool for device maintenance, which is carried out automatically once a day or manually, if desired. It performs various tasks to extend autonomy and reduce memory and storage space.

For the end we leave the Bixby wizard, which can be launched from the button on the left side edge, as we said. That Bixby is not as polished as other virtual assistants today, is something that we already know, however, from the inclusion of the Spanish language and the continuous improvements that Samsung has implemented, it seems that it is going in the right direction. Sometimes he responds well and many others he is confused, but it is a beginning. The real failure has been to include an exclusive button for this wizard, which can be disabled but not change its function to open another app or the camera. It is a point that they should keep in mind for the future.

performance

A very versatile processor and used in the last year by a multitude of mid-range terminals is the well-known SnapDragon 660 with four Kryo 260 cores at 2.2 Ghz and another four at 1.8 Ghz, accompanied by the Adreno 512 GPU. This SoC meets what he expected to move the system without much difficulty and in turn be able to enjoy most games on the market, as long as they do not require graphic quality with high settings. The AnTuTu app gave a result of 138932. In our case, and as we explained, the performance of the processor in general good for smoothly moving the Samsung Galaxy A9, however, those occasions hangs should not happen, especially if the terminal also has 6 GB of LPDDR4X RAM. Be that as it may, Samsung probably should have invested in a somewhat more modern SoC, even if we talk about a mid-range, its price is worth it.

128GB internal storage is more than enough for most users today, and we always have the option of using a microSD card of up to 512GB. It is appreciated that Samsung maintains these small details and has not relegated them.

Fingerprint recognition is one of the sections with which I have had the most conflict during the test time. Setting up the fingerprint is simple and fast, but when it comes to unlocking the terminal, I have almost always needed several attempts. Maybe the sensor is smaller than the count or maybe the finger needs to be supported in a certain way, the thing is that it has been frustrating at times. Once the finger is recognized, the unlock time falls within the average, without being particularly fast.

The other available sensor, the facial recognition sensor, disappointed me in the same way. I have tried many smartphones, and almost always recognized the face sooner or later. The sensor of this Samsung Galaxy A9 was perhaps picky about the position and other factors, because sometimes and after several attempts, it failed to unlock the terminal. Again, it was kind of frustrating for me to see something like that on a Samsung terminal

Camera

We come to the highlight of this Samsung Galaxy A9, and that is that it is not common today to find terminals with four rear cameras. We can already say, that more than quality, it is a matter of comfort, having at a stroke different types of views.

The main CMOS-type camera consists of 24 megapixels with an f / 1.7 aperture, the secondary has only 5 megapixels and 2.2 aperture and is used for depth blur. The third 10 megapixel and 2.4 focal aperture handles x2 zoom and lastly, the Ultra Wide Angle 120º, 5 megapixel, 2.4 aperture camera does what its name suggests, a snapshot that encompasses a larger environment.

The main camera results in well-lit environments with highly detailed photos, although when enlarging the image we can notice a slight layer of noise, on the other hand, it has realistic colors while maintaining good contrast. Sometimes with high-contrast images, it is necessary to use the HDR function if we want to obtain a better contrast-compensated photograph.

With HDR

In poorly lit interior scenes or at night, the grain is still present and the photos sin of less definition. However, the colors manage to show good saturation and the exposure achieved is good.

The telephoto camera that gives us an amplified image, we have been able to see that at the expense of losing some quality and definition, a small improvement in global lighting is achieved. One of the advantages that this camera gives us is the possibility of increasing the focused area by simply pressing its icon in the app, otherwise, it will also be activated if we expand with our fingers from the main camera.

The angular camera allows us to capture a wide image of the environment while obtaining the typical distorted effect of this type of lens. It is appreciated that Samsung thought of them and had a correction settings.

The bokeh or blur effect is very well achieved with both people and inanimate objects thanks to the selective focus added by Samsung technology. It really does a good job with people, and can even change the degree of blur. With inanimate objects, the effect is still very good but sometimes not perfect.

The Samsung Galaxy A9 can play 1080p video up to 120fps and 4K up to 30fps. Stabilization is only available for Full HD recording and not 4K. The videos made in 4K have a fairly good level of detail, although we are not talking about a result to shoot rockets. The same is true in 1080p where the level of detail is good and not much grain is seen. The colors are seen correctly and slightly vivid, as well as a contrast that stands out for its good work.

With this model, recording also enjoys wide-angle and telephoto sensors. With the first we have verified the good performance of the zoom, which manages to maintain a good level of detail, on the other hand, the wide angle is very good for those recordings in which we want to cover a large area. In this case, the level of detail is not as good as the other sensors, but it is enough for what you can expect from it.

The front selfie camera has 24 megapixels and a focal length of 2.0. This camera already seen in other models, results in images with sharpness and a good degree of detail, while it also has rather reliable colors and a bit vivid but not saturated, which is appreciated. Instead, a better contrast is missing in some captures.

The portrait mode, despite having only one sensor, performs quite well and results in a fairly well-achieved blur effect, although with its small flaws, which is enough for what is expected of it.

The camera app is adapted to add the different shortcuts to the different sensors, except for the depth one that is automatically activated when using portrait mode. We found the possibility of using the Augmented Reality Emojis or the photography assistant: Bixby Vision, which is sometimes useful in identifying the pointed object, but most of the time the detection is not as accurate as we would like. Something better works out in poster translation.

Battery

The first news after knowing that the Samsung Galaxy A9 would have 3800 mAh of battery was a great surprise, so it already came with good feelings. However, in the end that dream was broken into small pieces. After making normal use of the smartphone with social networks, web browsing and multimedia playback, the maximum autonomy we have achieved has been close to a day and a half, with about six and a half hours of screen. This gives us a good amount of screen hours, but even with that, that autonomy becomes insufficient. With a little more use it is likely to come right at the end of the day, and it is a somewhat poor amount.

Fast charging, on the other hand, continues to do its job and manages to charge half the battery in about 40 minutes, while for 100% it takes around an hour more. Yes, wireless charging is left out of this model, something we already expected and it is a pity.

Connectivity

Except for wireless charging, we find in the Samsung Galaxy A9 most of the usual smartphone connections: Bluetooth 5.0, A-GPS, Beidou, Galileo, GLONASS, GPS, FM Radio, ANT +, NFC and Wi-Fi.

Conclusion and final words of the Samsung Galaxy A9

The Samsung Galaxy A9 is a terminal that at first glance is quite surprising and gives the feeling of a top-end terminal, especially for its successful design and the number of its cameras, this can lead to misunderstandings and, despite everything, a mid-range always has its limitations. We can start with its functional processor, which gives the size but from which a more recent model could be expected. Cameras, on the other hand, are surprising for their quantity and comfort when using the interface, but when it comes down to it, the quality of the photos is not as good as it would obviously be for a high-end, sometimes it seems like an obvious phrase But it is what many people want to believe. Third, the battery is quite disappointing, with that amount of milliamps the autonomy could be further optimized.

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However, the Samsung Galaxy A9 leaves us with good things, such as its Super AMOLED screen with high good brightness, the operating system remodeled and updated to Android Pie or the 128 GB of storage. At this point that its price has been reduced to € 360 is when the quality / price ratio is equated and it is easier to reconsider your purchase.

For those who are looking for a brand terminal but are not willing or do not need a high-end, it may be a good time to get hold of it.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ Screen with great brightness.	- Autonomy can be improved.
+ OS with Android Pie.	- Something old processor.
+ Great storage.	- The quality of the cameras can be better.