If we look out for other phones in the premium segment, there are flagship phones from the likes of Apple, Samsung, and Google. At this price point and having cameras as a highlight, Huawei P20 Pro competes directly with the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus. So, which premium device will be left standing when these two conflict? Let’s find out!
Huawei P20 Pro Vs Galaxy S9+ Specifications
Physical Overview
Both the phones are designed with a glass-and-metal body that looks amazing. The Huawei P20 Pro looks gorgeous with its curves and shimmering finish at the back. Moreover, the P20 Pro has a notch design at the front, which makes it stand out from the Galaxy S9 Plus. The Galaxy S9 Plus, on the other hand, features a similar design to its predecessor S8 Plus. However, it also sports a shiny metal back with curved edges and an infinity display. They’re both resistant to water and dust, with the P20 Pro coming with an IP67 rating, while the Galaxy S9 Plus comes with a higher IP68 rating. It is not easy to decide which phone looks better when it comes to design as they both look excellent. However, with better water-resistance and a better-curved design, the Galaxy S9 Plus takes the lead in design and build quality.
Display
Both the phones sport a similar AMOLED display. The Huawei P20 Pro has a 6.1-inch display with a 2240 x 1080 pixel resolution, while the Galaxy S9 Plus comes with a 6.2-inch screen with a higher 2960 x 1440 pixel resolution and the higher resolution gives the Galaxy S9+ the edge in sharpness level. The vibrancy and colors is almost the same since both have AMOLED displays. Talking about the comparison, the Galaxy S9, here again, seems a winner because of a slight edge in display sharpness level.
Cameras
These two flagships have been touted heavily for their cameras. The Galaxy S9 Plus comes with two 12MP lenses and a variable aperture that automatically changes to adjust itself to available light. The P20 Pro has an edge here with its three lenses. The main lens on P20 Pro sports a 40MP accompanied by an 8MP telephoto lens. Below these two, there is a 20MP lens that shoots in monochrome, assisting low-light pictures. In terms of front cameras, the S9 Plus has an 8MP front-facing camera, which is dwarfed by the 24MP front shooter on Huawei P20. It’s a tie on the video front, as both the phones are able to shoot super slow-motion at 960 fps, though the S9 Plus has an edge as it can record 60fps at 2,160p.
Huawei P20 Pro Camera Samples
Overall, the P20 Pro’s triple camera looks better on paper, but it will be known to us only when we’ve spent enough time with it. So, we cannot easily say, which phone’s camera performs better until we get to review the P20’s camera for a few days.
Hardware, Storage, and Performance
The Huawei P20 Pro comes equipped with the powerful octa-core Kirin 970 chipset which also comes with the A.I.-centred NPU chip inside. We expect to see good performance from the processor. The Galaxy S9 Plus is powered by a Exynos 9810 and the SoC offers exceptional results in terms of performance. Both the phones feature 6GB RAM and come with a 128GB storage option. The storage on P20 Pro is not expandable so it is a con.
Software and Battery
The Galaxy S9 Plus comes with the Samsung Experience 9.0 and the P20 Pro runs Huawei’s EMUI 8.1. Both the phones run on Android Oreo, but the P20 Pro gets the latest Android 8.1 Oreo update. Both UIs are good, but being custom UI, we shouldn’t expect prompt updates. If we talk about the battery, the 4,000mAh battery on Huawei P20 Pro might offer a good backup. The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, on the other hand, comes with a 3,500mAh battery. Both the phones support wireless charging and fast charging as well. Here again, we can see a tie between the two, though Huawei looks a step ahead with a bigger battery.
Conclusion
The Huawei P20 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus come with nearly similar prices starting from Rs. 64,900. If we conclude the specs and features comparison, the P20 Pro is definitely a good contender in the premium segment with its features like triple camera and latest trending design. However, the S9 Plus offers a more powerful processor, and a good camera as well. So, if you’re looking for a flagship phone with strong battery life and good camera or you’re a Huawei fan, you can consider the P20 Pro for your next upgrade.
