We asked, you told us: HUAWEI P20 Pro vs Galaxy S9 Plus

The HUAWEI P20 Pro launch gave us a triple camera and it was not just a gimmick in the race to do something different. The P20 Pro surprised many by delivering one of the best shooters in class.

Our extensive review of the P20 came to the conclusion that the P20 presents itself as a real S9 killer — if you’re willing to learn how to get the most out of it. While the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus offer unbeatable point-and-shoot options, the P20 can do better if you put in some effort and learn the camera software and hardware inside-out. That doesn’t suit everyone, and there’ll be a clear line in the sand between the enthusiasts and the everyday smartphone fans who want great pictures no matter what settings they use.

Read next: HUAWEI P20 Hybrid Zoom explained

That might explain the results from the recent polls we ran, asking you on Android Authority and on YouTube Community if you prefer the P20 Pro, the Galaxy S9 Plus, either, or neither:

On our site poll, the 5,000 voters handed the win to the P20 Pro, with 50 percent voting it as their choice, with the S9 Plus getting 38 percent of the vote. About 9 percent said both were great, while 6 percent said neither, which is fair enough given the flagship prices that go with the flagship specs.

When we asked our YouTube audience though, the 43,000 of you who voted went the other way. 48 percent said the Galaxy S9 Plus was their choice, with the P20 Pro getting 28 percent of the vote. 1 percent said both were great, which is a good answer too, while 13 percent said neither.

Here are some of the best comments left on the site or on YouTube:

Answered: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

I like this because it doesn’t have the ugly notch on the top like the p20 pro

If the HUAWEI P20 Pro had a headphone jack it would of been a no brainer.

Because: 1. Doesn’t have the notch, 2. Doesn’t look like a copy cat, 3. Can change aperture lens(!!!), 4. Headphone jack.

Answered: HUAWEI P20 Pro

Best value for money phone.. oled display… Stereo speakers… Water resistant .. best battery … Best performance .. best camera in low light .. best camera for zooming .. lack a bit dynamic range, which can be solved by software updates … runs on 8.1 which samsung will take at least 6 momths to push it to s9 !!! Cheaper than s9+ ..why still samsung?

Answered: I can’t decide, they’re both great!

And I can’t afford either one

I’m thinking about getting the P20 Pro or another non- Samsung, because I’m becoming jaded with the way Samsung ignores their “last year”, $800 models. I waited 7 months for the Oreo update for my S8 and about the same for my S7 the year before.

What does it mean for HUAWEI vs Samsung?

We’re not sure. The larger audience on YouTube tends to be more casual, whereas those following the website are more likely to be enthusiast consumers. That could mean HUAWEI is making ground in the enthusiast community. It could also mean that our YouTube audience is more North American based, who don’t get to have access to HUAWEI devices due to government concerns about the Chinese manufacturer.

Or maybe the video showed more of the P20 Pro capabilities, which was endorsed by Kris, who said “I’m comfortable saying this is a better buy than the latest Galaxy phone.”

Huawei’s efforts are impressive, and objectively make it a threat to Samsung, something that was hard to imagine just a few years ago. For some reference, I attended the P8 launch in London in April 2015, when HUAWEI first dropped the ‘Ascend’ branding. The tech community, including our own P8 reviewer Lanh, agreed that the P8 was a quality device at a value price, that had just a few issues. It was the first device that made Western media sit up and pay attention to a broadly-appealing HUAWEI smartphone.

Fast-forward three years, and HUAWEI’s progress has been strong, grabbing what’s close to an even-footing with the champion of the category. While Samsung is still the benchmark in Android, it’s clear who its rival is in flagships. It’s going to be a great fight in the future, and hopefully consumers stand to win the most.

No doubt we’ll run a similar poll when the Note 9 and Mate 20 emerge later this year. That will be another clash to enjoy.