vivo S12 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S9+: A Detailed Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The vivo S12 Pro boasts a significantly faster chipset and faster charging, while the Galaxy S9+ still impresses with its exceptional battery life and vibrant display. Ultimately, the S12 Pro offers better performance for the price, but the S9+ remains a compelling option for those prioritizing longevity and a refined user experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo S12 Pro | 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 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | - |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat18 1200/200 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| CDMA2000 1x | 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 22 | 2018, February 25. Released 2018, March |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, December 30 | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159.5 x 73.3 x 7.4 mm (6.28 x 2.89 x 0.29 in) | 158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5 mm (6.22 x 2.91 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 171 g (6.03 oz) | 189 g (6.67 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~401 ppi density) | 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~529 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.56 inches, 103.9 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.2 inches, 98.3 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) | Super AMOLED, HDR10 |
| - | 3D Touch (home button only) Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) | 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 | Mediatek Dimensity 1200 (6 nm) | Exynos 9810 (10 nm) - EMEAQualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) - USA/LATAM, China |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MC9 | Mali-G72 MP18 - EMEAAdreno 630 - USA/LATAM, China |
| OS | Android 11, OriginOS Ocean | Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 10, One UI 2.5 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 50 MP, f/2.0, (wide), AF 8 MP, f/2.3, 105˚ (ultrawide) | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, AF, OIS, 2x optical zoom |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 108 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.52", PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) | - |
| Video | 4K@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 | 50 MP, f/2.0, (wide), AF 8 MP, f/2.3, 105˚ (ultrawide) | 8 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.22µm, AF 2 MP (dedicated iris scanner camera) |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR | HDR |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 1440p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (USA & Canada only) |
| USB | USB Type-C, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Iris scanner, fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 |
| - | Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 44W wired | 15W wired, QC2 Wireless (Qi) (market dependent) |
| Type | 4300 mAh | Li-Ion 3500 mAh, non-removable (13.48 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Blue, Yellow | Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Titanium Gray, Lilac Purple, Burgundy Red, Sunrise Gold, Ice Blue, Polaris Blue |
| Models | V2163A | SM-G965F, SM-G965U, SM-G965W, SM-G9650, SM-G965U1, SM-G965N, SCV39, SM-G965X, SC-03K |
| Price | About 430 EUR | About 200 EUR |
| SAR | - | 0.78 W/kg (head) 0.79 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.29 W/kg (head) 1.35 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -92.6dB / Crosstalk -93.4dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 86h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 4.537 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | - | Voice 68dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 80dB |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 246660 (v7) GeekBench: 8883 (v4.4) GFXBench: 14fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
vivo S12 Pro
- Faster Processor (Dimensity 1200)
- Faster Charging (44W)
- Modern Design
- Improved Selfie Camera
- Battery Life Not as Good as S9+
- Potential Software Support Concerns (vivo)
Samsung Galaxy S9+
- Exceptional Battery Life (86h Endurance)
- Excellent Display (Super AMOLED)
- Premium Build Quality
- Mature Software (One UI)
- Older Processor (Exynos/Snapdragon)
- Slower Charging (15W)
- Limited Software Updates
Display Comparison
The Galaxy S9+ features a stunning Super AMOLED display with excellent color accuracy and contrast, achieving a nominal infinite contrast ratio and a respectable 4.537 in sunlight. The vivo S12 Pro likely has a vibrant AMOLED display as well, but details on its specific contrast ratio are less readily available. The S9+’s display remains a strong point.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems. The Galaxy S9+ was known for its excellent image quality and versatile features at launch. The vivo S12 Pro emphasizes selfie capabilities with its front-facing camera setup, likely including advanced features like portrait mode and beauty filters. A direct comparison would require detailed testing, but both are capable of producing good photos and videos.
Performance
Here, the vivo S12 Pro takes a clear lead. Its Mediatek Dimensity 1200 chipset is significantly more powerful than the Exynos 9810 (or Snapdragon 845) found in the Galaxy S9+. Expect smoother performance in demanding games and applications on the S12 Pro. The S9+ still holds up reasonably well, but it will show its age in more intensive tasks.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S9+ shines in this category. Its endurance rating of 86 hours is exceptional, even by today's standards. The vivo S12 Pro's battery capacity is likely smaller, and while its 44W charging is faster, it won't compensate for a significantly lower overall capacity. The S9+ offers superior battery longevity.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the vivo S12 Pro? Users seeking a modern phone with a powerful processor for gaming and multitasking, and who value fast charging. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S9+? Those prioritizing long battery life, a proven track record of software support (though now limited), and a premium feel, even if it's a slightly older device.