Learn Is Hulu the Right Streaming Service for Your Household?

Is Hulu the Right Streaming Service for Your Household?

Last Updated: August 9, 2019

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When trying to pick the right streaming service for your household, options abound. If you are a movie buff, Netflix remains a great choice. In addition to movies, the service also produces its own content, like Orange is the New Black and Stranger Things.

On the other hand, Hulu offers network TV shows, but also provides movies and other content. While some network episodes are available after a delay, a Hulu Live TV subscription is also available.

The Hulu Logo. Copyright Hulu.

Majority-owned by Disney, the company recently announced a bundle including Hulu and ESPN+ with the upcoming Disney+ streaming service. The monthly price for all three is $12.99.

Needless to say, that’s a bundle worthy of your interest when available. For now, let’s dive into the Hulu’s details to see if subscribing makes sense for your family.

Hulu Subscription Plans Vary Greatly in Price

The basic Hulu plan costs only $5.99. You gain access to their full library of on-demand content with limited ads. These include full seasons of network series, movies, original shows, and children’s programming. You are also able to watch shows on a TV, computer, tablet, or smartphone no matter your location.

Add-ons to the basic plan include premium movie channels, like HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, and Starz. Additionally, the No Ads option removes commercials from your content.

The Hulu + Live TV plan competes with PlayStation Vue, Sling, and other cable or satellite service replacements. As such, it’s priced accordingly at $44.99 per month. It includes a typical array of popular news, sports, entertainment, and cooking channels. Local channels are also available in select locations.

This premium Hulu plan also gives you access to their full library of on-demand content. The package includes a Cloud-based DVR with 50 hours of recording. This adds value compared to other similar streaming services.

Like the basic service, Hulu Live TV’s add-ons include premium movie channels. A 200 hour Cloud DVR, and entertainment and Spanish channel packages are also available. Finally, the unlimited screens option lets you watch content on an unlimited number of devices at home. Three simultaneous screens are available when traveling. Without this add-on, you are limited to two devices at once.

How Much Internet Speed Do I Need to Stream Hulu?

At a bare minimum, you need an Internet speed of at least 5 Mbps to stream HD content from Hulu. This assumes only one device at a time accessing your Internet service. About half that speed is required for SD resolution.

Hulu does provide some 4K content on a limited number of devices. In this scenario, a download speed of at least 25 Mbps ensures streaming without buffering. Of course, faster speeds improve performance, especially with more than one device accessing the Internet.

Check out our article on optimizing home Internet speed for additional tips on improving streaming performance. Installing a mesh network or range extender also helps with devices located a good distance from your wireless router. It’s a smart approach for getting the most from your Hulu subscription.

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5G Networks Expand Their Footprint Across the Country

Last Updated: July 19, 2019

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5G networks continue to go online across the United States. The largest telecom providers in the business hope to compete for customers wanting faster speeds and low latency. Not surprisingly, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile remain the biggest players in this fierce competition.

Photo copyright 3GPP.

So, let’s take a look at the progress on these initial networks. What about their Internet speed tests? Are speeds rivaling fiber-optic broadband the norm? When are usable 5G smartphones hitting the market? Here’s our overview.

5G in America is Still a Work in Progress

The Wall Street Journal recently took a deep dive into the current status of 5G in America. Unfortunately, their findings reveal slow progress across the country.

Notably, reporter Joanna Stern found her Samsung Galaxy S10 5G smartphone has a tendency to overheat. This makes running 5G speed tests a difficult process, considering the current summer heat wave. For now, cooling it down helps the phone’s 5G antenna stay online.

In a perfect environment, Stern found speeds well above a gigabit on AT&T and Verizon’s network. However, Sprint and T-Mobile’s networks averaged closer to 300 Mbps. In all cases, speeds are significantly faster than older 4G technology.

Where is 5G Service Available?

Stern conducted the tests using nascent 5G networks in Denver, New York City, Chicago, and Atlanta. Other than Sprint, the network installations in these cities use high-band millimeter wave technology, limiting their range. As such, a 5G signal is only available in a small area.

Sprint’s initial 5G installations use mid-band technology, providing slower speeds over a longer distance. This is the prime reason for their less than gigabit speed tests. This speed vs. range trade-off remains an issue as 5G expands across the country.

Speaking of that expansion, 5G service is either online or planned in nearly every major city in the country. The only exception lies in the Northwest. A recent update from PCMag provides more details.

Even if 5G becomes available in your city, service remains spotty unless the smartphone is located outside and close to an antenna node. Sprint’s mid-band service doesn’t suffer from these proximity or overheating issues. Of course, with a lower speed as a result.

5G Smartphone Prices Remain High

Expect to pay upwards of at least $1,000 for a 5G smartphone. In addition to the Samsung S10 5G, the LG V50 is also available. Stern liked the $600 HTC 5G hub hotspot for “home” use on the Sprint network. A 5G iPhone isn’t expected from Apple until at least 2020.

Needless to say, 5G remains in an emerging phase. Even with its recent network expansion, expect limited availability. Few smartphone options and exorbitant prices also make it difficult to recommend purchasing one.

It appears 5G is still at least one to two years away from making a big impact for the consumer. Most early adopters are likely to reside in the business world for now.

That doesn’t mean you can’t get an Internet speed boost from your local ISP. Enter your ZIP code or give us a call at 800-990-0017 to see what high-speed options are available in your area.

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Adding Individual Channels to Sling TV

Last Updated: June 29, 2018

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A major reason for the cord-cutting trend involves customers being forced to pay for channels they rarely watch. Choosing an OTT TV streaming service with a fraction of channels – and price – offers an attractive option for many. Sling TV is one such service garnering new subscribers with relatively inexpensive monthly plans — Orange and Blue — compared to satellite or cable.

The Dish Network service now takes things one step further by offering a la carte pricing. This essentially lets customers pay for individual channels as part of their subscription. News about the new Sling TV channel plan appeared late this week in Telecompetitor.

Let’s take a closer look at the details behind Sling TV’s new a la carte channel option. Is it really the Holy Grail live TV and movie fans desire? Perhaps live TV streaming makes sense for you and your family?

Sling TV Individual Channel Options are Light

Unfortunately, the individual Sling TV channel options aren’t really numerous. Maybe the number rises after the a la carte option matures? A smattering of movie, sports, and other channels are currently available. A list follows.

Showtime ($10 per month)
CuriosityStream ($6 per month)
Stingray Karaoke ($7 per month)
Dove Channel ($5 per month)
Outside TV Features ($5 per month)
UP Faith & Family ($5 per month)
Pantaya ($6 per month)
NBA League Pass ($28.99 per month)

Frankly, it’s hard to see many subscribers jumping at the chance to add those channels to their current Sling TV plan. The Showtime price is slightly cheaper than it typically costs. Most of the rest of those channels are too niche to warrant many subscriptions. Where’s the TNT, Cartoon Network, the NFL Network, or AMC?

It is reasonable to expect most NBA fans to opt for a more inexpensive season-long subscription, instead of paying monthly. Ultimately, this is a pretty disappointing list for a feature many customers desire. If more OTT services offer individual channel options, perhaps Sling TV raises the number of available channels? Adding TBS, HGTV, History, CNN, and other live sports options is possible.

Amazon Prime also getting in the A La Carte Channel Business

It needs to be noted that Amazon Prime TV also offers channels on an a la carte basis. Known as Amazon Channels, it features over 100 individual channels. The channel lineup includes many of the leaders in the business, including HBO, Showtime, STARZ, and more.

The main difference between Amazon Channels and other OTT services is the lack of bundling. This means if you subscribe to many channels you end up paying more each month. Additionally, you need to use the Amazon Video app or one of the Fire TV devices to stream the content.

Therefore, customers who own a Roku, Apple TV, or Chromecast find it difficult using Amazon’s service. Speaking of which, both Roku and Apple plan on introducing their own channel offering in the future. Ultimately, it seems like Sling TV needs to start offering more a la carte channels to go with their Sling Orange and Sling Blue bundles. Maybe adding ESPN or on-demand options from NBC, Disney, or Fox makes sense?

Stay tuned to Bandwidth Place for additional insights on the ever-changing world of OTT TV and streaming video content.

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Spectrum Apple TV 4K: What You Need to Know About Charter Apple TV

Last Updated: June 8, 2018

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We recently discussed how ISPs continue to make it easier for customers to stream TV over the Internet. Windstream partnered with DirecTV Now and AT&T, while Verizon is looking at a similar OTT offering for their new 5G service. Not to be outdone, a Charter Spectrum Apple TV app is coming later this year.

Spectrum logo. Image Copyright Spectrum.

Apple themselves announced the new partnership as part of their WWDC 2018 event earlier this week. Cupertino needs more services like this to attract users to Apple TV. News about this new Charter Spectrum Apple TV app appeared this week in Telecompetitor among other sources.

Let’s dive into the details to see if this fresh OTT offering from Charter Communications makes sense for your family. This might be the case if your household already owns a Mac, iPhone, or iPad.

Details on the Spectrum Apple TV App

When released, expect the new Spectrum app to work on the Apple TV 4K in addition to the iPhone and iPad. Make sure your Apple mobile device is compatible with the latest version of iOS. This is slated to be iOS 12 at the time of release. The same rule applies with your Apple TV box and tvOS 12.

The app supports Siri voice control providing easy operation. It also seamlessly integrates with the Apple TV iOS app. In essence, this lets Spectrum customers stream TV and movies while on the go.

In addition, tvOS 12 and the Apple TV 4K support the Dolby Atmos theater sound format. Combined with Dolby Vision, expect an immersive cinematic experience. If you own a Crestron or Control 4 home automation setup, you are able to use it to control your Apple TV.

According to Apple, tvOS 12 appears this fall. Expect the new Spectrum TV app, along with its iOS version. Count on us to cover it when it happens.

By the way, a Spectrum app for Roku devices became available in 2015. No news exists about an Android app with similar features. Check your own streaming device for additional information.

Raising the Stakes for Home Entertainment

This new Charter Spectrum Apple TV partnership provides another example of the growing battle for streaming entertainment. With more cord cutters cancelling their monthly cable TV service or satellite offering, opportunities abound something new. Extra features like support for Siri, Alexa, and home automation simply add value for the customer.

So if you are interested in this new frontier in on demand digital TV, see what your provider offers. Windstream, AT&T, Spectrum, and Verizon customers already enjoy similar OTT streaming options, or will so soon. It appears the venerable cable TV set-top box is going the way of the rotary telephone.

Stay tuned to Bandwidth Place for additional news and insights on the changing Internet world. We even help ensure you get the speed you deserve on your home WiFi network! Whether you own an Apple device, an Amazon Kindle Fire, a Roku player, or something else, trust us to help.

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Streaming Media Players are the Rage

Last Updated: June 1, 2018

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Americans continue their growing love affair with streaming media players. According to a recent study, these devices – Roku, Amazon TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, etc. – are now in almost 40 percent of all U.S. homes with broadband service. Cord-cutting consumers prefer to stream TV shows and movies instead of paying a large monthly cable bill.

Roku 3 — A Roku streaming media player. Photo copyright Roku.

News about the study on the rise of streaming media player usage appeared this week in Telecompetitor. Read further to see if you and your family need to join this bandwagon. It’s a great way to take full advantage of your home Internet service.

The Rapid Growth of Streaming Media Players

The streaming media study from Parks Associates includes a data point making the rapid growth of this market quite obvious. In 2010, six percent of U.S. homes with high-speed Internet service owned a streaming media player. As of last year, that number grew to nearly 40 percent.

Kristen Hanich, a research analyst for Parks, commented on the reasons behind this consumer growth. “Since their inception about a decade ago, consumers have purchased streaming media players due to their modern and friendly user-interfaces, wide app support, and low cost, making them easier to upgrade and replace than a television set,” said Hanich.

She also noted the most popular streaming players are the Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. Their ease of use and robust feature sets obviously also matter to consumers. The Google Chromecast comes in fourth place among installed households.

The Parks Associates study also noted fewer households stream using video game consoles, like the Sony PlayStation. Additionally, over 50 percent of U.S. homes own a smart TV, which also provides streaming. Half of those smart TV owners also own a streaming media player.

In short, expect this market to continue to grow for the rest of the decade and beyond. It remains one of the reasons Netflix, Hulu, Sling TV, and other streaming services are popular. Make sure you own enough HDMI cables to power your home theater!

Which Streaming Media Player makes sense for My Family?

If you are an Amazon Prime member, the Fire TV definitely makes sense. This same rule applies for the Apple TV at households with iPhones and iPads. The Roku provides a platform agnostic experience compared to those other streaming media players.

For example, some users find it difficult to search for content from other services when using an Amazon or Apple media player. So keep this in mind when shopping for your own streaming device. Support for 4K video and HDR is another factor worthy of consideration. Most higher-end players offer these features.

Also consider voice remote control features. If you are used to Alexa or Siri, consider an Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV unit. The Roku Ultra also offers voice control functionality.

More inexpensive units like the Roku Express or the Amazon Fire TV Stick provide fewer features. Ultimately, the most important thing is to perform your research!

Once again, streaming media players let you get the most out of your Internet service. They also save you money on monthly cable or satellite TV bills. Some devices even play video games! Maybe you need to put a Roku Ultra or Amazon Fire TV on your shopping list?

Stay tuned to Bandwidth Place for additional insights on broadband Internet service. We even help you test your Internet speed!

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AT&T Watch – a New TV Streaming Service

Last Updated: April 27, 2018

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AT&T plans to introduce a new TV streaming service with an attractive price of only $15 per month. The initial announcement of AT&T Watch actually happened on the witness stand. Company chief, Randall Stephenson mentioned it as part of his testimony in the federal antitrust case regarding their attempted acquisition of Time Warner.

News about the new AT&T Watch streaming service appeared on CNN among other sources. Read further to learn the details. Maybe this is the low cost digital TV option your family needs in 2018?

The Details on AT&T Watch

It looks like AT&T’s new TV streaming service is aimed at mobile users as much as those watching from home. Watch shares similarities with another streaming service owned by AT&T: DirecTV Now. One major difference with the new service is the lack of any sports channels. This likely allows AT&T to charge only a $15 monthly fee, compared to the $35 per month cost of DirecTV Now.

AT&T Watch came up during Stephenson’s testimony as an example of an inexpensive product designed to benefit consumers. In fact, the live TV streaming service looks attractive to those cord cutters currently impacting the entire industry. These “skinny cable” video streaming bundles remain popular, as evidenced by Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and others.

Stephenson cited Watch as an example of AT&T’s current innovation when it comes to streaming. A pretrial brief hinted at the product’s announcement:

“The merger will enable AT&T to transform the mobile video marketplace by combining Time Warner’s content assets with its wireless platform to develop new and more valuable services especially for mobile video devices. For example: AT&T would launch a new service with Turner and a small number of popular cable networks, which would be made available for free to AT&T’s wireless customers on unlimited plans and for a nominal price to anyone else.”

A company spokesperson mentioned AT&T Watch will be available to consumers within a few weeks. Current subscribers to AT&T’s unlimited wireless service receive Watch for free, while all other users – AT&T customers or not – pay the regular $15 price. At the time of this writing, no information on Watch appeared on the company’s website.

The Future of Live TV Streaming is Now

Whatever Randall Stephenson’s true reasons for announcing AT&T Watch, it illustrates the growing migration towards video streaming products. Consumers no longer want to pay over $100 every month for an array of live TV, sports, and movie channels. Considering ESPN charges providers the most for its channels, customers who aren’t sports fans appreciate a cheaper option without those sports offerings, also including Fox Sports Network or the NFL Network.

If a customer wants a skinny bundle with HBO or Netflix, they simply pay extra for those movie channels. The same rule applies to network content, like Disney and ABC, CBS, as well as Comcast’s NBC. Other, more esoteric channels, like AMC or even the YouTube TV service simply get added as extras.

Hopefully in the long run, the consumer benefits from being to pay less each month for the channels they truly want. This concept especially applies if they need to subscribe to a high speed Internet product to get the bandwidth they need for a live TV streaming service. A quality streaming device like the Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire TV also matters.

Also you need to consider DVR storage. One option involves using a Cloud DVR service. This lets you maintain your own recorded programs online.

Stay tuned to Bandwidth Place for additional coverage of AT&T Watch when new details are announced.

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Comcast boosts its Gigabit Internet Service Footprint

Last Updated: April 20, 2018

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Not to be outdone by AT&T and Google Fiber, Comcast is expanding its gigabit Internet service across the Northeast. The company’s move follows a similar expansion in other areas of the country. The massive telecom and entertainment firm likely hopes to lessen the effects of cord cutting on its subscriber base.

comcast-business — Comcast is expanding Gigabit Internet service to businesses and homes. Image copyright Comcast.

News about the growth of Comcast’s gigabit service rollout appeared this week in DSLReports among other sources. Let’s look at the details to see if super high speed Internet is coming to your city.

Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Vermont slated for Comcast Gigabit Service

According to reports, residential customers in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Vermont are on the docket for improved Internet service from Comcast. These gigabit download speeds are now available in a few cities in Vermont, including the capital, Montpelier. Expect the majority of the state to receive it by the end of 2018. Hopefully, this includes the state’s largest city, Burlington.

Michael Parker, Senior Vice President of Comcast’s Western New England Region, commented on their efforts. “With the launch of our 1 Gigabit service, we continue to deliver an unparalleled Internet experience for our customers in terms of speed, control and reliability,” said Parker. The service uses DOCSIS 3.1 technology requiring only a compatible modem to receive one gig speeds. Use a WiFi router to let your mobile devices and other equipment access the gigabit connection.

Prices for the service start at $105 per month without a contract. A $90 monthly price requires a one-year agreement. Connecticut is also seeing similar prices. The higher competition between ISPs in the Northeast keeps the prices low compared to other regions.

Comcast recently announced gigabit service expansion in the Southeast, including cities in Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The monthly price for the same service is $140, but the same $90 promotional offering is available. Competition between Internet providers is obviously smaller in these areas.

Comcast Gigabit Business Service also Part of the Expansion

Comcast also provides a gigabit Internet service for businesses. Naturally, it is also being expanded to the same regions as their consumer product. The price for this Comcast Business offering varies based on the number of locations served and other factors.

According to the company: “the speed and cost efficiencies afforded by Comcast Business’s gig-speed network make it ideally suited for businesses across several industries such as retail, healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, education and government.”

For home consumers, explore a bundle with other Comcast XFINITY digital TV and home phone services for the best price. In service areas where broadband competition is little, this offers the best chance for cost savings and a fast Internet speed. Understand that early termination fees likely apply. In short, make sure you read the fine print of your service contract on data caps and any other “gotchas.”

Stay tuned to Bandwidth Place for additional insights as well as to check availability from the ISPs with the best Internet speed. We also help to optimize your Internet access to get the fastest speeds. Thanks for reading!

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Rural Internet Access gets a Boost from SuperTowers

Last Updated: April 6, 2018

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Expanding rural Internet access continues to be championed by many in the government and telecommunications industry. In fact, we previously talked about initiatives from Microsoft, Elon Musk, and others. Preventing the adverse impacts of digital redlining in underserved regions of America benefits the country in a myriad of ways.

It now appears that a new group leveraging innovative technology known as SuperTowers hopes to change the game with high-speed Internet availability in rural areas. Too many rural communities in America use Internet service providers whose only option is a satellite dish with low Internet speeds. Let’s take a closer look at their efforts to see when this new mobile broadband tech becomes reality.

A Balloon with the Mobile Broadband Power of 30 Cell Towers

The technology innovation behind SuperTowers is from a Massachusetts-based company known as Altaeros. Their design leverages a type of balloon known as an aerostat capable of carrying telecommunications equipment. News about Altaeros’s efforts appeared earlier this week in the IEEE Spectrum.

altaeros-supertower — An Altaeros SuperTower in action. Photo courtesy Altaeros.

The SuperTower system relies on tethered aerostats at an altitude of 800 feet. When arrayed with the necessary receiver and transmitter equipment, one SuperTower provides mobile broadband coverage over an area of nearly 4,000 square miles. It takes around 30 cell towers to provide a similar range of service.

Needless to say, this could be a gamechanger for improving rural Internet access across the country, as long as Internet providers support the tech. The IEEE notes that bringing 4G mobile broadband to these underserved areas requires at least 37,500 new cell phone towers at a cost of nearly $12.5 billion. Altaeros hopes to accomplish a similar service level at a fraction of the price: 70 percent cheaper according to company CEO, Ben Glass.

New Mobile Internet Technology also provides Flexibility

Since SuperTowers are portable, they offer flexibility for mobile broadband Internet service, for example an event like a music festival. Altaeros enjoyed a successful test run with a prototype tower using technology from Ericsson. Automated operation is one major difference between the SuperTower and traditional aerostats requiring human operators.

If SuperTowers become widely used, providers manage an entire fleet from a remote operations center. They dispatch a ground crew whenever a problem happens with one of the towers. A restored Internet connection is the result.

While the initial prototype used 4G technology, Glass says Altaeros is ready for 5G. The technology is also more “green” than traditional cell towers, considering one SuperTower does the work of 30. “Even though we aren’t generating renewable energy, we are able to reduce the carbon footprint,” commented Glass.

Ultimately, Altaeros offers hope for Internet access to rural areas truly needing it for employment, education, and more. Are the days of sketchy satellite Internet service with costly data plans, or dial-up with a poor download speed soon to be gone? Stay tuned to Bandwidth Place for additional dispatches on fast Internet usage in the United States.

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Google Project Fi ranks as the Most Popular Wireless Network

Last Updated: March 23, 2018

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The readers of PC Magazine named Google’s Project Fi as the most popular wireless network according to the magazine’s 2018 Readers Choice Awards. Actually, the Google network tied with Consumer Cellular, who regularly ranks at the top of the PCMag survey. Bringing up the rear are some of the biggest players in the industry, including AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, and Virgin Mobile.

project-fi-image — Project Fi may be a worthy wireless option for you. Logo copyright Google.

Let’s dive into the details on the PCMag survey. Perhaps a few conclusions lurk within their carrier ratings?

The Customer matters when it comes to Wireless Service

It is important to note that both winners of the PCMag Readers Choice Award – Project Fi and Consumer Cellular – don’t actually own a wireless network. Instead, they piggyback on the networks provided by other carriers. In the case of Fi, they partner with three — Sprint, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular — ensuring great customer service no matter their location in the United States.

As such, the PC Magazine awards measure customer satisfaction as opposed to the actual speed and quality of the network. Although, those factors definitely influence consumer happiness. Project Fi’s recent introduction of their Bill Protection unlimited data plan likely contributes to this goodwill from their users.

The Details behind PCMag’s Wireless Carrier Ratings

Both Project Fi and Consumer Cellular earned customer satisfaction and “likelihood to recommend” ratings over 9.0 from PC Magazine’s readers. They are the only carriers in the survey with ratings that high. Considering Consumer Cellular focuses on elderly customers by offering an AARP discount, Fi remains the leading wireless provider among the consumers of all ages.

One interesting artifact from the survey is Consumer Cellular received the highest ratings for the fewest dropped phone calls, data usage speed, and network reliability. These all rank higher than the carriers – AT&T and T-Mobile – Consumer Cellular uses for network access. Project Fi enjoyed the highest rating for overall cost, while Verizon and AT&T ranked at the bottom in that metric.

Project Fi topped the rankings when it comes to local coverage. In fact, the only flaw the survey respondents found with Fi is the relative lack of smartphone choice. The service’s sim card naturally supports Google Pixel XL smartphones as well as one model from Motorola, the Moto X4. Interested iPhone users simply need to choose a phone plan from a different wireless carrier.

When it comes to the four largest American wireless carriers, T-Mobile garners the highest overall satisfaction rating at 8.4. As noted earlier, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint rank at the bottom of the list. PC Magazine also notes that T-Mobile’s ratings continue to trend upwards.

If you are interested in exploring a different wireless carrier, be sure to explore the PCMag ratings in more detail. Stay tuned to Bandwidth Place for additional insights on how to get the most out of your Internet service – wired, wi-fi, or mobile.

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The Differences between the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus

Last Updated: March 21, 2018

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Samsung recently introduced its new flagship Galaxy S9 and the S9+ to the world, with high-end tech consumers already starting the comparisons. Does the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus deserve its moniker and hefty price tag, or is the S9 good enough for government work? Let’s take a look.

Pretty Samsung Galaxy Smartphones

The S9 and the S9 Plus definitely turned heads because of their refined design features. Both iterations boast Samsung’s signature curve, with the front and back panels set apart by a gorgeous aluminum frame. The S9 and the S9+ are also smaller than the S8, giving the ninth generation of the Galaxy phone series a more streamlined and chic appeal. Both are slightly heavier than their predecessors, adding to their gravitas.

galaxy-s9 — The Samsung Galaxy S9 highlighted Mobile World Congress 2018. Photo copyright Samsung.

Samsung Galaxy Durability Reviews are Mixed

Unfortunately, the new Samsung phones share a regrettable characteristic of many posh accoutrements: they are incredibly fragile. They scuff easily, and the Gorilla Glass 5 top layer will wear away rather quickly, especially if you are the type to keep your phone in a tight pants pocket.

They are, however, water and dust resistant, and rated as such by the IP68 standard. This means that your Samsung will be able to come up breathing after dropping it in no more than 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to half an hour.

The Quad HD Infinity Display

Samsung is known for its unique way of creating deep, engaging color schemes in all of its displays, and the S9/S9 Plus are no different. You get a great look from a wider variety of angles, and the Infinity Display provides even deeper immersion. Although your image no longer bleeds all the way to the edge of the curved glass, you actually gain a bit of functionality from this. The Infinity Display was criticized for the accidental palm presses that it created when the image bleed was maximized to the edge.

The first major difference between the Samsung Galaxy S9 and the S9 Plus is the slightly larger screen size of the Plus (6.2 in compare to 5.8 in). You get a striking 18.5:9 aspect ratio for both phones. The max resolution is also striking – 2960 x 1440 Quad HD+ with downscale capacity for slightly more battery life.

The Galaxy S9 Plus boasts Superior Performance

The S9+ offers more RAM than the S9 (6 MB to 4 MB). The added boost of power seemed to take the S9 to another level of performance when running multiple apps. The S9 had a bit of lag in some places, while the Plus had none.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 powers the S9/S9+. You get 64 GB of onboard storage with both phones, with the ability to expand out to 400 GB using microSD cards.

Samsung wisely decided to keep the headphone jack on the S9/S9+ as well.

Checking your mobile Internet speed on a mobile device is a good idea – to make sure your hardware isn’t lagging your connection. You can get this done easily and accurately at bandwidthplace.com. Do it before you throw away that warranty paperwork.

The Bottom Line

Samsung did a lot of great work with its eighth generation Galaxy – the S9 is no slouch. The Plus adds a bit of bang for the buck, and is certainly worth the extra money for heavy Internet/business users.