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Galaxy S9+ camera got the highest DxOMark score ever, which still means absolutely nothing

Published Mar 1st, 2018 10:06AM EST
Galaxy S9+ vs. iPhone X vs. Pixel 2
Image: Zach Epstein, BGR

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The Galaxy S9 has been announced and, naturally, the first camera reviews are coming in. That’s hardly surprising considering that Samsung wants to sell the handset as a reimagined camera above all else. The Galaxy S9 does feature some exciting camera tricks, including a variable aperture and better low-light photography, and it clearly impressed us in our hands-on Galaxy S9 preview.

DxOMark’s Galaxy S9+ camera review is out now as well, complete with the highest camera score the site has ever awarded to a phone… which is still meaningless. At 99 out of there-is-no-maximum, the Galaxy S9 scores better than the Google Pixel 2 (98), iPhone X (97), and Huawei Mate 10 Pro (97).

Unlike performance benchmarks that can have objective scores, camera reviews can’t, no matter how hard DxOMark tries to convince you that it can quantify camera performance.

That doesn’t mean the Galaxy S9 review from DxOMark should be ignored. In fact, it should definitely be on your reading list, especially if camera performance is what you’re looking for in your next phone. That’s because the staff at DxOMark do know what they’re talking about when it comes to cameras. The review contains plenty of image samples, as well as comparisons with the iPhone X and the Pixel 2, which are two of the best camera phones out there right now.

DxOMark believes that “Samsung sets the pace” for 2018, which is a much better conclusion for a camera review than combining meaningless scores of 104 in photo quality and 91 in video recording for a 99 final mark.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is a smartphone without any real weaknesses in the camera department. In both still and video modes, it performs well across the board, delivering consistently good photo and video image quality in all light and shooting situations, thus earning itself our highest DxOMark Mobile score to date. Add one of the best smartphone zooms and a capable bokeh simulation mode to the mix, and the Galaxy S9 Plus is difficult to ignore for any photo-minded smartphone user. With the Galaxy S9 Plus, Samsung is setting the pace for 2018. We’ll see if the competition can follow suit.

Check out the full review complete with photo samples at this link.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.