Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) vs Samsung Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS)
Side by side comparison between Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S9 phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
6.9"
AMOLED
AMOLED
1440x3200
108
MP
MP
40mp
12GB
RAM
RAM
Octa-core
5000
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
vs
5.8"
AMOLED
AMOLED
1440x2960
12.2
MP
MP
8mp
4GB
RAM
RAM
Octa-core
3000
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
What's the better phone? Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS)
The phonemore's choice is much more technical than personal. Therefore, you shouldn't only consider this. Our goal is to help you, but what's important to us may not be important to you. You decide which one is the best! Comment!
21 Advantages 
8 Advantages | 30 Common items in both devices |
| Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC |
| Aluminum frame, glass front/back |
| Dynamic AMOLED / Super AMOLED |
| 16 million |
| LED flash |
| PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras / PDAF on back camera and autofocus front camera |
| OIS: Optical stabilization |
| +23 specs and more in the table below |
Check the comparison table below for more items that are not evaluated in comparison score above.
Highlight differences Clear highlight📱 Model features | ||
| Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) | Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS) | |
| Model | Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) | Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS) |
| Other model names | Galaxy S20 Ultra 4G-LTE SM-G988B/Dual-Sim (Exynos, 12GB RAM) | Galaxy S9 Duos G960F/Dual-sim (Exynos) |
| Country or region available |  (Global, International) | (Global, International) |
| Brand | Samsung | Samsung |
| Release date | 3/15/2020, Announced: 2/11/2020 | 3/9/2018, Announced: 2/25/2018 |
| Depth | 8.8 millimeters (0.35 inches) | 8.5 millimeters (0.33 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 76 x 166.9 millimeters (2.99 x 6.57 in) | 68.7 x 147.7 millimeters (2.7 x 5.81 in) |
| Weight | 220 grams (7.7 ounces) | 163 grams (5.71 ounces) |
| Build, materials | Aluminum frame, glass front/back | Aluminum frame, glass front/back Back: Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Protection against water and others | IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant | IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant |
📲 Display | ||
| Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) | Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS) | |
| Display type | Dynamic AMOLED | Super AMOLED |
| Screen size | 6.9" inches | 5.8" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~90.6% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~84.1% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 1440x3200 pixels (20:9) | 1440x2960 pixels (18.5:9) |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 509 PPI | 568 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Gorilla Glass 6 | Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 60Hz |
| Display features | HDR10+ Always-On Display 120Hz@FHD 60Hz@QHD | HDR10 Always-On Display |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) | Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS) | |
| System version | Android 10 | Android 8.0 Oreo |
| Firmware update | Android 13 | Android 11 |
| User Interface | One UI 2.5 / 3.1 / 4.1 / 5.0 | One UI 2.5 / 3.1 |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) | Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS) | |
| Chipset | 64bit: Samsung Exynos 990 (7nm) | 64bit: Samsung Exynos 9810 (10nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core, 3 processors: 2x 2.73GHz Mongoose M5 (Dual-core) 2x 2.5GHz ARM Cortex-A76 (Dual-core) 4x 2GHz ARM Cortex-A55 (Quad-core) | Octa-core, 2 processors: 4x 2.7GHz Mongoose M3 (Quad-core) 4x 1.79GHz ARM Cortex-A55 (Quad-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | ARM Mali-G77 MP11 (800MHz) | ARM Mali-G72 MP18 (572MHz) |
| Performance (benchmark) | feature not registered | AnTuTu: 242789 (v8) |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) | Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS) | |
| RAM memory | 12GB LPDDR5 | 4GB LPDDR4X |
| Internal storage | 128GB (104GB available) UFS 3.0 | 64GB (51GB available) UFS 2.1 |
| External storage | Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC (hybrid slot/shares the same SIM-2 slot) | Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC (hybrid slot/shares the same SIM-2 slot) |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) | Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS) | |
| Dual-SIM | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card (hybrid slot/shares the same microSD slot) | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card (hybrid slot/shares the same microSD slot) |
| SIM card | 2 slots (Dual-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) + e-SIM | 2 slots (Dual-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 2000/316 Mbps | 1200/150 Mbps |
| Network technology | 2G, 3G, 4G | 2G, 3G, 4G |
| Frequency, bands | Expand band details Collapse details | |
| GSM MHz band | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 2G network | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 3G network | UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 | UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | LTE Cat20 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 66) TD-LTE (38, 39, 40, 41) VoLTE | LTE Cat18 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 66) TD-LTE (38, 39, 40, 41) VoLTE |
| Primary 5G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary data network | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A |
| Secondary 2G network | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Secondary 3G network | UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 | UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 |
| Secondary 4G network | LTE Cat20 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 66) TD-LTE (38, 39, 40, 41) VoLTE | LTE Cat18 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 66) TD-LTE (38, 39, 40, 41) VoLTE |
| Secondary data network | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A |
📷 Camera | ||
| Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) | Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | (quad camera) 108 megapixels 48MP periscope telephoto f/3.5103mm1/2.0"0.8µmPDAFOIS4x-optical-zoom10x-hybrid-zoom 12MP ultrawide f/2.213mm1.4µmSuper-Steady-video 0.3MP TOF 3D f/1.0 | 12.2 megapixels |
| Main camera resolution | 12000x9000 pixels | 4032x3024 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | 8K UHD (7680x4320) 24 fps | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 60 fps |
| Flash | LED flash | LED flash |
| Focal aperture | f/1.8 (aperture) | f/1.5 (aperture) |
| Focal length | 26mm lens | 26mm lens |
| Sensor size | 1/1.33" inches | 1/2.55" inches |
| Pixel size | 0.8µm pixel | 1.4µm pixel |
| Autofocus | PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras | PDAF on back camera and autofocus front camera |
| Touch focus | Supported | Supported |
| Image stabilization | OIS: Optical stabilization | OIS: Optical stabilization |
| Zoom | Digital and optical zoom | Only digital zoom |
| Face/smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection |
| BSI sensor | Supported | Supported |
| HDR | HDR photo/video on both cameras | HDR photo/video on both cameras |
| Camera extras | 4K@60fps 1080p@240fps 720p@960fps | 1080p@240fps 720p@960fps |
📸 Front camera | ||
| Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) | Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | 40 megapixels | 8 megapixels |
| Front camera resolution | 7296x5472 pixels | 3264x2448 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) | 2K UHD (2560x1440) |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | f/2.2 (aperture) | f/1.7 (aperture) |
| Focal length | 26mm lens | 25mm lens |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | 1/3.6" inches |
| Pixel size | 0.7µm pixel | 1.22µm pixel |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) | Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS) | |
| Loudspeaker | Stereo sound 32-bit/384kHz Dolby Atmos Tuned by AKG | Stereo sound 32-bit/384kHz Dolby Atmos Tuned by AKG |
| Active noise cancellation | 2 microphones or more | 2 microphones or more |
| Radio | Not supported | Not supported |
| TV | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video formats | MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, XviD, MKV | MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, DivX, XviD |
| Audio formats | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC | MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC |
🔌 Connectivity | ||
| Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) | Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS) | |
| USB | USB 3.2 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-Go | USB 3.1 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-Go |
| Audio output | Type-C reversible connector | 3.5mm jack |
| TV output | USB Type-C (reversible) | USB Type-C (reversible) |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 + A2DP/LE | 5.0 + A2DP/LE |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax [wifi6] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, hotspot | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac [wifi5] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, hotspot |
| DLNA | Supported | Supported |
| GPS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou |
| NFC | Supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) | Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor ANT+ Barometer Compass Face unlock Fingerprint sensor (under display) Gesture Gyroscope Hall effect Proximity sensor | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor ANT+ Barometer Compass Face unlock Fingerprint sensor (rear-mounted) Gyroscope Hall effect Heart rate Iris scanner Proximity sensor SpO2 |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) | Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS) | |
| Battery type | LiPo: li-ion polymer (Non removable) | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAh | 3000 mAh |
| Charger, watts | 45W Wired fast charging USB Power Delivery 3.0 | 15W (9V/1.67A) Wired fast charging Quick Charge 2 |
| Inductive / wireless charging | 15W Qi wireless charging (Qi/PMA) 9W Reverse wireless charging | Qi wireless charging (Qi/PMA) |
| Talk time autonomy | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Standby | feature not registered | feature not registered |
➕ Other features | ||
| Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) | Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS) | |
| Call control | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands |
| Messaging | SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail | SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail |
| Hands-free calling | Supported | Supported |
| Video calling | Supported | Supported |
| Ringtones | Polyphonic and customized | Polyphonic and customized |
| Web browser | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 |
| Antenna | Internal antenna | Internal antenna |
| Qwerty physical keyboard | Not supported | Not supported |
| Miscellaneous | • Colors: Cosmic Black, Cosmic Grey, Cloud White • Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor • Bixby • Samsung DeX • Samsung Pay (MST, NFC) | • Colors: Black, Silver, Blue, Gold, Orchid Gray • Samsung DeX • Samsung Gear VR • Samsung Pay |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Galaxy S20 Ultra (SM-G988B/DS) | Galaxy S9 (SM-G960F/DS) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | 0.74W/kg (head), 1.12W/kg (body) | feature not registered |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | 0.319W/kg (head), 1.557W/kg (body) | 0.362W/kg (head), 1.18W/kg (body) |