Nokia 7.2 vs Samsung Galaxy S9: A Head-to-Head Showdown

The Nokia 7.2 and Samsung Galaxy S9 represent different eras of smartphone technology. The Nokia 7.2 aimed for affordability and clean Android, while the Galaxy S9 was a flagship powerhouse. Let's dive into a detailed comparison to see which phone holds up best today.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S9 wins overall, offering superior performance, a brighter display, and a more refined camera experience. While the Nokia 7.2 boasts impressive battery life and a clean software experience, the S9's hardware advantages make it the better choice for most users.

PHONES
Phone Names Nokia 7.2 Samsung Galaxy S9
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only)
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 - ROWHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - Global, USA
4G bands1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41 - ROW1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global
SpeedHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (2CA) Cat6 300/50 Mbps or LTE Cat4 150/50 MbpsHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat18 1200/200 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
 1, 3, 5, 8, 40, 41 - IN1, 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
Announced2019, September 05. Released 2019, September 232018, February 25. Released 2018, March 09
StatusDiscontinuedDiscontinued
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 3), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame
Dimensions159.9 x 75.2 x 8.3 mm (6.30 x 2.96 x 0.33 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· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight180 g (6.35 oz)163 g (5.75 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 3Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution1080 x 2280 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~400 ppi density)1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~570 ppi density)
Size6.3 inches, 99.1 cm2 (~82.4% screen-to-body ratio)5.8 inches, 84.8 cm2 (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeIPS LCD, HDR10Super AMOLED, HDR10
 -3D Touch (home button only) Always-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (4x2.2 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver)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
ChipsetQualcomm SDM660 Snapdragon 660 (14 nm)Exynos 9810 (10 nm) - EMEAQualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) - USA/LATAM, China
GPUAdreno 512Mali-G72 MP18 - EMEAAdreno 630 - USA/LATAM, China
OSAndroid 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 11, Android OneAndroid 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 10, One UI 2.5
Memory
Card slotmicroSDXC (dedicated slot)microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only
Internal64GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM
 eMMC 5.1UFS 2.1
Main Camera
FeaturesZeiss optics, LED flash, panorama, HDRLED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Single-12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
Triple48 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm Auxiliary lens-
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS)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)
FeaturesZeiss optics, HDRHDR
Single20 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/3", 0.9µm-
Video1080p@30fps1440p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack YesYes
35mm jackYesYes
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
 -32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, EDR, LE, aptX5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX
NFCYes (excl. India)Yes
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDSGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
RadioFM radioFM radio (USA & Canada only)
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 3.1
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassIris 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
Charging10W wired15W wired, QC2 Wireless (Qi) (market dependent)
TypeLi-Po 3500 mAh, non-removableLi-Ion 3000 mAh, non-removable (11.55 Wh)
Misc
ColorsCyan Green, Charcoal, IceMidnight Black, Coral Blue, Titanium Gray, Lilac Purple, Burgundy Red, Sunrise Gold, Ice Blue
ModelsTA-1193, TA-1178, TA-1196, TA-1181SM-G960F, SM-G960, SM-G960F, SM-G960U, SM-G960W, SM-G9600, SM-G960U1, SM-G960N, SCV38, SM-G960X, SC-02K
PriceAbout 240 EURAbout 110 EUR
SAR1.15 W/kg (head)     0.90 W/kg (body)0.63 W/kg (head)     0.96 W/kg (body)
SAR EU0.99 W/kg (head)     1.44 W/kg (body)0.36 W/kg (head)     1.18 W/kg (body)
Tests
Audio quality Noise -93.0dB / Crosstalk -93.4dB Noise -93.4dB / Crosstalk -93.9dB
Battery life Endurance rating 69h Endurance rating 78h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: 1342:1 (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 4.630 (sunlight)
Loudspeaker -29.6 LUFS (Average) Voice 68dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 81dB
Performance AnTuTu: 139495 (v7), 164484 (v8) GeekBench: 5440 (v4.4), 1398 (v5.1) GFXBench: 8.1fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 250156 (v7) GeekBench: 8830 (v4.4) GFXBench: 14fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Nokia 7.2

  • Clean Android experience
  • Long battery life
  • Good value for money
  • Decent camera

  • Slower performance
  • Lower brightness display
  • No wireless charging
  • Less premium build

Samsung Galaxy S9

  • Superior performance
  • Brighter and more vibrant display
  • Excellent camera
  • Wireless charging (market dependent)
  • Premium design and build

  • Older model
  • Potentially higher price (depending on availability)
  • Software updates may be limited

Display Comparison

The Galaxy S9's display is significantly brighter, reaching a measured 4630 nits in sunlight, compared to the Nokia 7.2's 585 nits. While both offer excellent contrast ratios (1342:1 for Nokia, 'Infinite' nominal for Samsung), the S9's superior brightness makes it much easier to view outdoors. The S9 also generally has better color accuracy and vibrancy.

Camera Comparison

The Galaxy S9's camera system is more versatile and generally produces better image quality. It features a variable aperture, allowing for better low-light performance and depth-of-field effects. While the Nokia 7.2's camera is decent, it lacks the S9's advanced features and overall image processing capabilities.

Performance

The Galaxy S9, with its Exynos 9810 or Snapdragon 845 chipset (depending on region), delivers considerably faster performance than the Nokia 7.2's Snapdragon 660. Apps launch quicker, multitasking is smoother, and demanding games run better on the S9. The S9's CPU and GPU are simply in a different league.

Battery Life

Both phones offer impressive endurance ratings (69h and 78h respectively). However, the Galaxy S9's slightly larger battery capacity and more efficient chipset contribute to its slightly longer real-world battery life. The S9 also supports faster charging (15W with QC2) and wireless charging (market dependent), features absent in the Nokia 7.2.

Buying Guide

The Nokia 7.2 is a good option for budget-conscious users who prioritize clean Android and long battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S9 is ideal for those seeking a premium experience with strong performance, a vibrant display, and a capable camera, especially if they can find it at a discounted price.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Nokia 7.2 still worth buying?
If you're on a tight budget and prioritize a clean Android experience and long battery life, the Nokia 7.2 can still be a decent option. However, consider newer budget phones with better performance.
❓ Can I still get software updates for the Samsung Galaxy S9?
Samsung has ended official software updates for the Galaxy S9. However, you may still receive security patches for a limited time.