BLU C5L Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S9: A Clash of Titans (and Budgets)
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S9 unequivocally wins this comparison. While the BLU C5L Max offers affordability, the S9's superior performance, camera, display, and overall build quality make it the clear victor, despite its age. It's a testament to flagship engineering versus budget compromises.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | BLU C5L Max | Samsung Galaxy S9 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only) |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - Global, USA |
| 4G bands | 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 17, 28, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat18 1200/200 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, December. Released 2021, December | 2018, February 25. Released 2018, March 09 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159.5 x 76.5 x 10.5 mm (6.28 x 3.01 x 0.41 in) | 147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5 mm (5.81 x 2.70 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 174 g (6.14 oz) | 163 g (5.75 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 480 x 960 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~188 ppi density) | 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~570 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.7 inches, 83.8 cm2 (~68.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.8 inches, 84.8 cm2 (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Super AMOLED, HDR10 |
| - | 3D Touch (home button only) Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53 | Octa-core (4x2.7 GHz Mongoose M3 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55) - EMEAOcta-core (4x2.8 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) - USA/LATAM, China |
| Chipset | Unisoc SC9832 (28 nm) | Exynos 9810 (10 nm) - EMEAQualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) - USA/LATAM, China |
| GPU | Mali-T820 MP1 | Mali-G72 MP18 - EMEAAdreno 630 - USA/LATAM, China |
| OS | Android 11 (Go edition) | Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 10, One UI 2.5 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 16GB 1GB RAM, 32GB 2GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM |
| eMMC 5.1 | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 5 MP | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Video | 720p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS (30fps) |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 8 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.22µm, AF 2 MP (dedicated iris scanner camera) |
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 2 MP | - |
| Video | 720p@30fps | 1440p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio | FM radio (USA & Canada only) |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Accelerometer | Iris scanner, fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 |
| - | ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | - | 15W wired, QC2 Wireless (Qi) (market dependent) |
| Type | Li-Po 2000 mAh, removable | Li-Ion 3000 mAh, non-removable (11.55 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Gray, Blue, Red, Green, Bronze | Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Titanium Gray, Lilac Purple, Burgundy Red, Sunrise Gold, Ice Blue |
| Models | - | SM-G960F, SM-G960, SM-G960F, SM-G960U, SM-G960W, SM-G9600, SM-G960U1, SM-G960N, SCV38, SM-G960X, SC-02K |
| Price | - | About 110 EUR |
| SAR | - | 0.63 W/kg (head) 0.96 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.36 W/kg (head) 1.18 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -93.4dB / Crosstalk -93.9dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 78h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 4.630 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | - | Voice 68dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 81dB |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 250156 (v7) GeekBench: 8830 (v4.4) GFXBench: 14fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
BLU C5L Max
- Extremely affordable
- Basic functionality
- Compact size (likely)
- Weak performance
- Low-quality display
- Basic camera
- Limited storage
- Outdated chipset
Samsung Galaxy S9
- Excellent display
- Powerful performance
- Great camera
- Premium build quality
- Wireless charging (market dependent)
- Older model
- Battery life may degrade over time
- Software updates discontinued
- Price (relative to newer phones)
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S9 boasts a significantly superior display. Its AMOLED panel delivers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent viewing angles. The BLU C5L Max likely has a lower resolution LCD screen with less impressive color accuracy and brightness. The S9's contrast ratio is also vastly better.
Camera Comparison
The Galaxy S9's camera is a major advantage. It captures detailed photos with accurate colors and offers excellent low-light performance. The BLU C5L Max's camera is likely to be basic, producing less detailed images with limited dynamic range.
Performance
The Galaxy S9's Exynos 9810 or Snapdragon 845 chipset (depending on region) is a world apart from the Unisoc SC9832 in the BLU C5L Max. The S9 offers significantly faster processing speeds, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance. The C5L Max will struggle with demanding apps and games.
Battery Life
While both phones are reported to have endurance ratings of 78h, this is likely a theoretical maximum. In real-world usage, the Galaxy S9's more efficient chipset and optimized software will likely provide better battery life, especially when performing demanding tasks. The C5L Max's smaller battery capacity might struggle under heavier load.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the BLU C5L Max? Those on an extremely tight budget who prioritize basic functionality like calls, texts, and light social media use. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S9? Anyone seeking a reliable, capable phone with a great camera and display, especially if they can find it at a discounted price on the used market.