Just minutes after getting my hands on Samsung's latest flagship S Series smartphone, one fact was abundantly clear - if you weren't fond of the Galaxy S8 and S8+, then you're going to have similar feelings about the S9 and S9+.

Super Slow-mo mode is great (when it works; One of the best Android cameras out there; Build quality is superb

Looks the same as the S8/S8; Glossy body isn't for everyone; AR Emoji are lacklustre

It's a sad fact, but the only chance the Samsung Galaxy S9 had to stand out in an ocean of equally competent Android smartphones in 2018 was if its camera was the very, very best – better than all the rest. And, to a certain extent, Samsung has pulled that off with the Galaxy S9.

While it's not perfect, the Galaxy S9 is a fantastic device. It's got a brilliant display, great camera, brilliant performance all-round, and in a body that's easily one of the most elegant ever released. Its stereo sound makes such a difference to media consumption too.

Brilliant display; Stereo sound is surprisingly powerful; Curved glass and metal is very attractive; Comfortable to use; Super speedy and fluid performance

Battery isn't great; Camera over-exposes highlights regularly; AR Emoji and Bixby need a lot of improving; Expensive

Chances are, you already know all about the Samsung Galaxy S9. Leaks, rumours and educated guesses have been rampant, and there were certainly no gasps of surprise when the Galaxy S9 was finally, officially revealed at MWC 2018 .

Excellent low-light camera; The fastest Android smartphone yet

Slightly worse battery life; More expensive than Galaxy S8

We're going to have to wait for big jumps in technology, but although the Galaxy S9 only brings a disappointingly small bunch of minor improvements it's still an amazing smartphone that will be hard to beat in 2018.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 forces us to question upgrades for their own sake. On the one hand, there's our desire as consumers to have the very latest tech gadget, even if we don't even use the phone we have now to its full extent.

Galaxy S8's excellent design gets even better; Screen; performance & battery all solid; Camera capable of impressive low-light performance; Price is competitive

Intelligent Scan trades security for convenience; Super Slow-mo is 720p only and needs bright lighting; Bixby still feels gimmicky

Let's not beat around the bush, the exterior of the Samsung Galaxy S9 is essentially a carbon copy of the S8 . Yet, even with all that sameness, Samsung's balanced no-notch design seems more considered than before. It doesn't feel needy like a lot of the new iPhone X copycat handsets I saw at MWC.

Way better performance; battery life; and low-light photos AR Emojis aren't all they are cracked up to be

AR Emojis aren't all they are cracked up to be

A little over a week ago, Samsung ushered in their new line of Galaxy S devices in the form of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus. The S range has long been the pinnacle of the Android OS ecosystem but saw their lead at the top slowly eroding in recent years until the S8 overturned any of the loses in...

So, should you consider buying the Galaxy S9

Smart camera tech; Premium everyday experience; Superb performance

Last year, the Galaxy S8 set the bar for the rest of the Android phone world - and now Samsung has raised that bar even further. If not by very much. The S9 fixes old annoyances like the awkwardly-placed fingerprint sensor, adds more power, and streamlines Samsung's already excellent take on Android. The dual aperture camera upgrade gives a welcome low-light boost, too, even if it can't make it the outright best phone for snapping pics with. Does all that make the S9 a particularly exciting upgrade? No, not really - but then it didn't need to be. There are phones with better battery life, phones with a higher screen resolution, and phones that are cheaper - but nothing else truly competes with this as the best all-round handset. Even with the same design, same screen, and a near-identical feature set to the Galaxy S8, it's the phone to buy if you want the best of Android.

Refined, stylish design with gorgeous curved screen; Improved low-light camera, excellent slo-mo video; All the features you'd want in a flagship;

Improved camera still can't quite beat the best; Hard to tell the S9 apart from the S8; Fingerprint sensor still a bit close to the camera;