The Galaxy Note family has a special place among other Samsung smartphones. After all, it was the models of this line that have always set the tradition of quality and technical capabilities. In each new smartphone in the series, the South Korean brand introduced new technologies, experimented with form and content, so that each new product necessarily became the very best in some respect.
The next flagship Samsung Galaxy Note 9, sales of which started in Russia in the summer of 2018, stands out somewhat from its predecessors. There is no clear emphasis on a particular technology. Samsung did it simpler - it combined all its most advanced developments and innovations in one model, raising the bar for technical performance to truly unattainable heights.
In our review, we will look at the main technical characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and compare it with the brand’s previous top flagships to find out why this model is called the ideal smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 equipment
The top flagship and its owner must be fully equipped. Therefore, the manufacturer did not skimp on the contents of the smartphone packaging. In addition to the gadget, in a stylish cardboard box we find:
- S-Pen stylus;
- instructions for the smartphone;
- SIM card tray clip;
- USB-USB Type-C cable;
- USB-USB Type-C adapter;
- microUSB-USB Type-C adapter;
- headset with two pairs of ear pads.
The care for the user is immediately visible - he does not have to buy additional small accessories, everything is already collected in one box.
Design and ergonomics
The flagship from Samsung in a glass and aluminum body goes on sale in three colors: copper, black and indigo. Moreover, each color has its own stylus color: yellow for indigo, bronze for copper and black for a black case.
The appearance of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is very similar to the appearance of the February flagship Galaxy S9. And such a decision is completely justified - why change something that already looks “excellent”.
Perhaps the most noticeable difference in design is the location of the main cameras and fingerprint scanner. The photomodules were placed horizontally and surrounded by a small frame, with a scanner located just below. As a result, it has become more convenient to unlock the screen blindly, since your finger instantly finds the desired module, almost without touching the camera.
The form factor of the smartphone is a rectangular candy bar with slightly rounded corners. Yes, the ergonomics have become a little worse than that of the same streamlined Samsung Galaxy S8. But the hefty Galaxy Note 9 with impressive dimensions of 161.9 x 76.4 x 8.8 mm and a weight of 201 g lies more securely in the hand, while the S8 was often complained about being too slippery.
At the ends there are the usual buttons for volume control, power on and calling the Bixby voice assistant. It's nice that the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, being a true smartphone of the 21st century, remembers the classics. Despite users' concerns, the good old 3.5 mm headphone jack is still provided here, and the screen does without the fashionable, but still a little annoying, “bangs”.
Top gadget and top protection. The display is protected by durable Gorilla Glass 5, and the smartphone itself is built according to the IP68 standard - Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is not afraid of dust and immersion to a depth of 1 meter for at least half an hour.
Picture and sound
The flagship Samsung Galaxy Note 9 received the largest display among its predecessors. The 6.4-inch screen diagonal, 2960 x 1440 pixel resolution and 18.5:9 aspect ratio provide an extremely high image density of 516 ppi and excellent viewing angles. Of course, the Galaxy S9's record of 529 ppi has not been broken, but the difference is not at all noticeable, especially since the S9's display was two-tenths of an inch smaller.
Every description of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 regarding image quality is accompanied by a unanimous verdict - you will not find a clearer, richer and more colorful picture on any modern smartphone. Proprietary Super AMOLED technology allows you to display ideal, accurate and contrasting colors even in directional lighting, including through automatic brightness adjustment. Moreover, such a screen consumes significantly less energy than common IPS displays.
Another distinctive feature of the Galaxy Note 9 display is its versatility. With one click you can change the screen resolution to HD+, FHD+ or WQHD+, and also switch the settings to game mode or for watching videos.
The sound quality of the Galaxy Note 9 is also excellent. The smartphone is equipped with three microphones with noise reduction function, and two speakers on the top and bottom provide clear stereo sound without the slightest interference.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 performance and software
The smartphone received a powerful 8-core Samsung Exynos 9810 chipset at 2.9 GHz with 6 GB of RAM. With such characteristics, the gadget has truly limitless possibilities.
The chipset allows you to use software based on machine learning. It is thanks to this technology that the facial recognition function works. The smart sensor is complemented by infrared illumination that reads the iris of the eye, providing more reliable protection of user data. And the more often you use face unlock, the faster it works.
Exynos 9810 includes a third-generation processor with optimized cache memory. This provides 40% more processing power than the Galaxy S9. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 does an excellent job of running heavy applications at the same time.
The latest ARM Mali-G72 GPU delivers more realistic graphics than its predecessor while consuming less power. A video chip with real-time optimization function allows the smartphone to literally adapt to any game. Therefore, the highest quality graphics are ensured both in conventional 3D games and in virtual reality mode.
You are unlikely to fill up the internal storage quickly - after all, there is 128 GB of memory. However, if this is not enough and you decide to download several filmographies in HD quality, you can increase the capacity of your smartphone up to 512 GB using a memory card.
The synthetic tests of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 made for review are quite clear - the smartphone beats its main competitors in the sector of flagship Android smartphones.
CPU Performance Test:
Gaming performance test:
Screen brightness test:
Software
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is controlled by the proprietary Samsung Experience 9.5 shell based on Android 8.1 Oreo. It contains a core set of system utilities for customizing and personalizing your smartphone, as well as several applications designed specifically for the S-Pen stylus, such as the PENUP coloring book.
The key feature of this firmware is the redesigned and improved Knox encryption system, which provides an increased degree of protection for user data.
Features of the S-Pen stylus
One of the main features of the smartphone, which is noted in every review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, is the rethought S-Pen stylus, located at the bottom end of the smartphone. It now supports Bluetooth connectivity, which turns it into a remote control for things like your camera's shutter.
The stylus is very convenient for drawing, flipping through slides in a PowerPoint presentation, scrolling through photos in a gallery, and controlling the playback of multimedia files. In addition, the stylus is able to interact with third-party application interfaces.
The S-Pen has its own built-in battery, the charge of which lasts for about half an hour. The stylus charges directly in the smartphone in just 40 seconds. By the way, the smartphone has a special function that prevents the loss of the stylus. If the S-Pen is not in the smartphone connector for a long time, a notification appears on the screen.
Cameras Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Both cameras of the Galaxy Note 9 were inherited from its predecessor S9. The main photo module is a dual 12-megapixel camera, with the first lens having a constant aperture of f/2.4, and the other being a wide-angle with an aperture that can be changed from f/1.5 to f/2.4. The front camera resolution is 8 MP and f/1.7 aperture. Optical stabilization and zoom functions are also in place.
However, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9's camera software is clearly more sophisticated than that of the S9. This is expressed in additional shooting functions. The Note 9's photo module automatically recognizes elements in a photo, optimizing settings to capture as much detail as possible. Moreover, the system warns you of possible problems while shooting, for example, if the lens is dirty, the image is out of focus, or someone blinked in the frame.
The Pro mode of the cameras enables manual settings of aperture and light sensitivity and allows you to work out each photo in detail. The front camera has received a fashionable augmented reality add-on. You can make a funny video with an Animoji overlay and send it to your friends in a private message.
In addition, the smartphone can shoot in 4K format at speeds up to 60 fps, and also records videos in Slow-Motion and Super-Slo-Mo modes.
Battery life
When the Samsung Galaxy S9 entered the market in February 2018, all specialized publications praised its powerful 3000 mAh battery. However, the new product actively strives to become a leader in its autonomy.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 9's 4,000 mAh non-removable battery, which supports QuickCharge, easily outshines its brand brethren. When playing video in FHD+ resolution, the smartphone holds a charge for almost 20 hours. Active use of the Internet, games, working with an application and listening to music “eat up” only 75% of the battery capacity per day. So, with moderate use, the Samsung Galaxy S9 will work quietly for at least two days.
In the diagram below you can see the test result for operating time in minutes for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review. Without further comment, you can clearly see how the smartphone is ahead of its closest competitors, including Huawei P20 Pro and Apple iPhone X:
Verdict
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is the absolute leader among major league smartphones. Even in 2018, when it would seem difficult to surprise a sophisticated user with the technical characteristics of a smartphone, the Galaxy Note 9 is capable of this. It’s difficult to find an alternative to it, and is it worth it? The gadget copes with its functions perfectly and really sets the direction of development for the next generations of mobile devices.
2018 wasn't a great year for phones. Sales of Samsung's flagship Galaxy S9 have been a bit slow and it has become one of the least successful S-series devices. The Galaxy S9 is a great phone, but it doesn't have any innovation or anything particularly new.
From what I've seen, it could be a similar story with the Galaxy Note 9, which at first glance looks like a redesigned version of the 8. It has a bigger battery and some new features that debuted with the Galaxy S9, but will that be enough?
I've always liked the Note series. It's certainly for everyone, but it has features that you simply won't find anywhere else. With such a big battery, a huge amount of storage, and that gorgeous display, the Note 9 really shines. I'd like to see more. The lack of real updates to the camera is a sore point.
websitePerformance
Autonomy
pros
- Excellent performance
- Working hours
- Not a bad design
Minuses
- No significant update
- Expensive price
Total Score
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 release date
You can pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 now. It will start shipping on August 24th. There are a number of pre-incentives available and these will vary by region.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 price
In the UK, the price of the Galaxy Note 9 is as follows:
128GB – £899
512GB – £1099
If you want to buy a phone in the US, these are the prices:
128GB – $999
512 GB – $1299
In Russia, its average price is:
128GB – 70 thousand rubles
512 GB – still in question
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 – Design
If you've seen the Note 8, then you've seen the Note 9. Samsung has kept the overall design very similar, and that's not entirely a bad thing. Even though it's over a year old, the curved lines and metal bezel still feel thoroughly modern. Many phones have taken a similar look to this, but none feel high-tech and polished to perfection.
Glass is still a magnet, and I'm constantly worried about giving up such a large device, but I'm inclined to forgive these shortcomings for such a well-designed phone.
The biggest design difference is that the fingerprint sensor is now located below the camera instead of next to it. This small change makes a difference: I no longer mess up the camera every time I want to unlock my phone.
Samsung rarely changes the colors of its products, but with the Note 9 things are a little different. There's a vibrant blue finish that contrasts with the sharp yellow S-Pen. I love it and feel like it's a real step forward for a device that was once known for being too businesslike.
I'm also a big fan of the fact that you can buy S-Pens separately for the first time, allowing you to experiment with different combinations. The Note 9 will also come in standard black, the same lavender purple as the S9, and copper and gold - although unfortunately these won't be available everywhere.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 – Specifications and Features
- Screen 6.4-inch, quad-core HD AMOLED, HDR
- Snapdragon 845 / Exynos 9810 performance
- RAM 6GB/8GB
- Storage 64GB / 128GB / 256GB / 512GB + microSD
- Rear camera 2 x 12MP (f/1.7 – f/1.5 – f/2.4 – main), OIS, 4K video, Dual Pixel
- Front camera 8MP, f/1.7
- 4000 mAh battery, fast charging, wireless charging
- S-Pen Yes (with Bluetooth)
There was a time in the earlier generations of the Note where it was superior to the S-series when it came to performance. Now it just matches its smaller sibling. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is powered by a Snapdragon 845 in the US and an Exynos 9810 elsewhere (same as the S9 and S9 Plus). It contains the same 6GB/8GB RAM as the S9 Plus and a Quad-HD HDR AMOLED display.
The display is slightly larger than the S9, but only by 0.2 inches. This is an absolutely stunning display that delivers an unforgettable experience. There's also improved AKG-tuned speakers so your media will look and sound great.
The biggest differences in specifications come down to battery and memory sizes. If you want to store everything on your phone, then the 512GB (now 128GB is the starting base) Note 9 is for you. You can even expand this thing up to 1TB with the addition of a microSD card. The battery is also huge: 4000 mAh.
During the release of the Note 9 version, Samsung also unveiled a partnership with developers Epic for Fortnite. Samsung will be the first device to debut Fortnite, with other Android phones coming later.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 – S Pen
The S-Pen remains the Note's biggest selling point. The Wacom-supported stylus gives the Note a feature that may seem like an unnecessary thing, but that's far from true. Adding Bluetooth seems out of place: will I ever use this to control the camera or flip through presentations? Probably no.
When using the S Pen, everything is as good as before - it's fluid, smooth and uber-responsive. I've never been able to use the S-Pen for long, but considering how many Note fans use them, the S-Pen remains a positive addition.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 – Camera
There's a new camera on the back of the Note 9. The 12MP variable aperture (f/1.5 + f/2.4) camera has been taken straight from the S9 and S9 Plus. Next to it is another 12MP camera, this time with a longer focal length for 2x zoom.
The setup appears to be unchanged from the Galaxy S9 Plus, which may be a disappointment for those hoping the Note 9 will compete with the Pixel 2 or Huawei P20 Pro for the best phone camera. I took a few quick shots with the Note 9 during my demo, and they looked very similar to the S9: colors were very vibrant, but details were a bit washed out. I like having control over the aperture, especially since f/1.5 is good for blurring backgrounds and enhancing low-light shots.
In the camera app, Samsung has taken a note from the Huawei P20 series and added automatic scene detection. Samsung says there are 20 scenes it can detect, which will change the image depending on your environment. There is also a mode that can notice shortcomings and offer to correct them.
This is not to say that the wait was tedious or long, but by the time of the official presentation of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, it felt like the phone had been gathering dust on store shelves for a couple of months already. Or at least in warehouses. There were so many leaks about the smartphone that there were virtually no blank spots left in the characteristics.
Key Features of Galaxy Note 9
Since there was no particular intrigue regarding the specifications, we will briefly list the key characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Then we will begin a detailed conversation about various nuances, which, if you are only interested in information about prices, you can safely skip. Prices for Galaxy Note 9 are at the end of the material.
Key characteristics of Samsung Galaxy Note 9:
- Processor Snapdragon 845 or Exynos 9810.
- Battery 4000 mAh.
- Memory configurations: 6/128 GB and 8/512 GB.
- Dual rear camera 12 MP + 12 MP, OIS, variable aperture of the main module.
- Front camera with 8 megapixel resolution.
- Super Amoled screen with a diagonal of 6.4 inches. Resolution: 1440 by 2960 pixels. No bangs.
Galaxy Note 9 design
Basically, if you've held a Galaxy Note 8 in your hands, you have a general idea of the design concept of the Note 9. Only the position of the rear camera and fingerprint scanner has changed. The camera is now located above the fingerprint sensor, rather than at the same level. Plus, they added a new color - now the Galaxy Note 9 can be purchased in the original brown color. Ask in city stores.
The front panel was not redesigned. There are still small frames above and below the screen, and there is still no notch on the display itself. Note that the rumors regarding the fingerprint sensor built into the screen (which even the phone has) did not come true. But the Koreans continue to work on this and promise to present their first screen scanner in six months, in .
Samsung Galaxy Note 9: hardware specifications
In fact, the hardware specifications of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 smartphone were known immediately after the release of the Galaxy S9/S9+. According to established tradition, the Korean company does not change horses midway and updates its flagship hardware once a year - in the spring, when the next Galactic is launched.
Accordingly, one could bet all the money on the fact that the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 will be presented in two versions, but no one accepted such bets. The EMEA region (Africa, Middle East, Europe), as usual, receives a flagship on the Exynos 9810. China, South Korea and the USA - on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor. Which of these options is better?
GeekBench 4.1 (multi-core)
GeekBench 4.1 (single-core)
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 in AnTuTu 7
If you focus on the results of the Galaxy Note 9 in GeekBench, as well as the scores of the Galaxy S9+ in key benchmarks (you can safely extrapolate these results to the Samsung Galaxy Note 9), then there is no fundamental difference. Both chipsets deliver incredible speed; their potential will last the average user for another two to three years. But there are still some nuances: the Galaxy S9+ and Galaxy Note 9 on Exynos 9810 are faster in CPU tests, especially in single-core mode. S9+ on Snapdragon 845 is faster in Antutu and graphics benchmarks. For this reason, gamers often choose Galaxy on Dragon.
For a long time, there remained intrigue regarding the configurations of the Galaxy Note 9. Ultimately, it turned out that the buyer will be able to choose from two options: 6/128 GB of memory or 8/512 GB. Of course, the most pumped-up flagship costs more, the difference is about two hundred euros, but the prices for the Galaxy Note 9 are discussed below in the text.
Battery and wireless charging
After the conservative (not very powerful) battery in the Galaxy Note 8, Korean engineers decided to play for all their money and put a really powerful battery in the Galaxy Note 9. Battery capacity - 4000 mAh, and this information was officially confirmed long before the presentation.
Of course, the phone supports fast wired charging, but that's not the most interesting thing. Much more interesting were the rumors that, together with the Galaxy Note 9, the Korean company would introduce a new wireless charging adapter, the power of which is 65% higher than that of its predecessor.
Introduced. The new “plate” for wireless charging of the Galaxy Note 9 is called EP-N6100. The current characteristics are as follows: 12 watts, 2.1 amperes. After simple mathematical calculations we get a little more 25 watt output power. For comparison, last year's EP-N5100 adapter only clocked up to 15 watts (9 volts, 1.67 amps).
It turns out that the EP-N6100 wireless adapter is even more powerful than a conventional wired fast charging charger. But not all watts will be available to charge your phone. The device allows you to simultaneously charge a smart watch and a smartphone, and only in such a situation does it turn on at full power.
Galaxy Note 9: screen
Everything about the screen is so prosaic that there’s not much to talk about. Is it possible to recall that the diagonal of the spring flagships S9/S9+ is 5.8 and 6.2 inches, respectively, and last year’s Galaxy Note 8 came out with a 6.3-inch screen.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9, as predicted, has an Infinity Display with a diagonal 6.4 inches and QHD+ resolution. It turns out that the Galaxy Note 9, in a sense, is breaking records, although it is far from some of the “giants”. The screen, like the back cover, is covered with Gorilla Glass 5.
What interesting things can you say about the screen? Never mind. Permission 1440 by 2960 pixels, form factor 18.5:9 . All this is familiar from the Galaxy S9. Matrix Super AMOLED, but how could it be otherwise? As the diagonal increased but the resolution remained the same, the pixel density dropped to 514 ppi, but the “fall” can hardly be called critical. There are still no bangs at the top; in this matter, the Koreans keep their standards and do not follow fashion trends.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9: camera
The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 camera is a topic for a separate post, and one that will definitely appear on Five-Inches as soon as the phone breaks into the top five (or top ten). Few doubt that he will be in high positions in the popular, albeit not entirely unambiguous, rating. And it will certainly beat the Galaxy S9+, which is tied for the current date.
Here, many may notice that the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has exactly the same camera as the Samsung Galaxy S9+. If so, what will lead to qualitative improvements? First of all, due to the software, which has a tremendous impact on the images. Over six months, the post-processing algorithms for frames have definitely been improved, which will make the Galaxy Note 9 one of the leaders in the camera phone ratings.
But let's return to the camera characteristics of the Galaxy Note 9, which not everyone knows by heart. So, the dual camera has the following passport data:
- Main 12 MP. Variable aperture: F/1.5-2.4. Sensor size 1/2.55″. Focal length - 26 millimeters. There is optical stabilization. Autofocus is implemented using dual pixel technology.
- Telephoto: color sensor with resolution 12 MP. Aperture fixed: F/2.4. Sensor size 1/3.6 inches. Equivalent focal length - 52 mm. There is OIS.
What should you pay attention to? Perhaps, the optical stabilization of both lenses and variable aperture, which is currently only present in Samsung flagship series smartphones. As for the size of the sensor and its resolution, everything is standard; today you can put cooler photo matrices in your phone.
A few words should be said about the front camera: 8 megapixel resolution, F/1.7 aperture. Despite the modest resolution, the camera is not bad: with a sensor size of 1/3.6 inches, we get a single pixel size of 1.22 microns. Auto HDR function supported.
If you love recording home videos, the Galaxy Note 9 offers the full package: 4K recording at 60fps, as well as super slow motion video recording (960fps) at 720p. True, the duration of the super slow-motion video is still very short.
Galaxy Note 9: other details
As befits a Note series smartphone, the Galaxy Note 9 comes with an S-Pen stylus, which many users (reviews on the World Wide Web, not our subjective opinion) consider an absolutely useless thing. But their opinion may change, since the new S-Pen has received expanded functionality. Now this is not just a stylus, but a universal smartphone remote control, with which you can take photos from the front camera, pause a video, or flip through photos in the gallery. The range is 10 meters. Communication is carried out via Bluetooth, three pressing options are supported - short click, long click, double click.
What else will be useful to many are the AKG headphones, which seem to have been put in the box with the phone. It is not specified which AKGs are included in the kit, but one of the American retailers is giving away a pair worth 300 bucks upon pre-order. Apparently, complete ones are cheaper. Audio jack 3.5 mm yes, so there will be no problems connecting the headset.
Starting with the Galaxy S7, all Samsung flagships are protected from dust and water according to the class IP68, the new product was no exception. Of course has NFC with support for contactless payments Samsung Pay, certified by Visa and MasterCard. Wired connector - USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5 and Wi-Fi 802.11ac are supported.
You will find all the characteristics of the Galaxy Note 9 in the table, immediately below which there is information about the release date and prices.
| Samsung Galaxy Note 9 | |
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| Iron |
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| Screen |
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| Battery |
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| Camera |
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| Frontal |
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| Frame |
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| Other |
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| Dimensions, weight |
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| Colors |
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Galaxy Note 9: price, release date
It’s a little frustrating that flagships continue to slowly rise in price (slowly?). Galaxy Note 9 sets either a record or an anti-record: in the basic configuration they are asking for the phone 999 euros(price in Germany). In our opinion, there are no objective prerequisites for such a high price for a phone with 6/128 GB of memory. An S-Pen remote stylus, IP68 water protection, a cool camera, AKG headphones included or a 4000 mAh battery - all this is a weak excuse for going beyond the conditional limit of 1000 euros.
In stores in the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Belarus, the new product will most likely cost even more. According to preliminary data, the price of Galaxy Note 9 in Russia will be:
- 69,990 rubles for the 6/128 GB configuration.
- 89,990 rubles for the 8/512 GB configuration.
There is reliable information on prices for the Galaxy Note 9 in the USA: for the basic package they ask for $999, for the 8/256 GB version you will have to pay 1250 bucks.
All that remains to be said is the release date. Galaxy Note 9 goes on sale 24 August. The phone will be available in black, blue, lilac and brown (Metallic Copper) colors. The last solution seems very original. Curious to see if the new color will become popular.
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| Frame | Glass, aluminum |
| Colors | Indigo, black, copper |
| Display | 6.4 inches, Full HD+ (1,440 × 2,960 pixels), Super AMOLED |
| Platform | Exynos 9810 processor, Mali-G72 MP18 video processor |
| RAM | 6/8 GB |
| Built-in memory | 128/512 GB + slot for microSD cards up to 512 GB |
| Cameras | Main - 12 MP, front - 8 MP |
| Shooting video | Main camera - 4K with 60 FPS, Full HD with 240 FPS, HD with 960 FPS; front camera - Quad HD with 30 FPS |
| Degree of protection | IP68 |
| SIM card | Two slots for nanoSIM (one hybrid) |
| Wireless interfaces | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM, Bluetooth 5.0, ANT+, NFC, GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou |
| Connectors | USB Type-C, 3.5 mm audio jack |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope, geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, heart rate sensors, proximity sensor, RGB lighting sensor, pressure sensor, fingerprint sensor, iris scanner, face scanner |
| Unlock | PIN code, fingerprint, iris, facial features, smart identification (iris + face) |
| operating system | Android 8.1 Oreo, Samsung Experience 9.5 |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh (non-removable), fast charging, wireless charging |
| Dimensions | 161.9 × 76.4 × 8.8 mm |
| Weight | 201 g |
Equipment
In the box: a smartphone with a stylus, a folder with documentation and a clip for removing the cradle, a USB to USB Type-C cable, an AKG headset with additional ear pads of different sizes, a USB to USB Type-C adapter and a microUSB to USB Type-C adapter.
Design and ergonomics
Note 9 is sold in three colors: indigo, black and copper. Depending on the color, the design of the stylus also differs: the indigo version is yellow, the black version is black, and the copper version is bronze. In my opinion, we got the cutest option - indigo with a dark blue body and a gold S Pen.
The Note 9 is not a frameless smartphone, but due to the rounded edges on the sides, it feels like the screen almost fills the front panel. In this case, no accidental clicks or swipes occur. Beautiful and comfortable. Some users complain about a strange glow along the edges of the smartphone, but this is definitely in vain - it’s just a reflection inside the screen that occurs due to the rounded shape of the display.
The frame on top is dedicated to sensors, front camera and earpiece. On the edge there is a hole for one of the microphones and a “cradle” for a SIM and microSD card. On the left are the volume and call assistant buttons, on the right is the power and lock button. Below is another microphone, speaker, audio jack, USB Type-C input and stylus clicker.
The rear panel houses the cameras, flash and fingerprint sensor. Hell of a perfectionist - the main camera is located a couple of millimeters to the left than necessary.
The smartphone is made of smooth-touch glass and an aluminum frame. It is very thin, but feels nice in the hand. The back panel is quite dirty, but it’s hard to call this a serious drawback when almost everyone makes smartphones with a glass body.
The Note 9 seems reliable and durable - at least, if it falls on the aluminum frame, it's unlikely that anything will happen to it. And it is not at all afraid of dust and almost not afraid of moisture: the degree of protection is IP68. This means that it can be submerged to a depth of more than a meter for longer than half an hour.
You can still find fault with the ergonomics of the Note 9. Due to the fact that the case is thin, the thickness of the buttons is barely a couple of millimeters - it is not very pleasant to press them. Plus, the eternal problem of phablets is that in order to use the fingerprint scanner or press the side buttons, your palms have to “move” up and down every now and then. It’s good that the weight is distributed correctly and the Note 9 can be used with one hand without fear of being dropped.
Screen
Diagonal - 6.4 inches. The screen is really large, and it's convenient - especially if you use the mode with two applications on one screen. This can be useful if you need, for example, to simultaneously work in Google Docs and comment on a document in the messenger.
The screen resolution is 1,440 × 2,960 pixels, the aspect ratio is not even 2: 1, but 18.5: 9 - and this again makes it more convenient to work in two applications simultaneously.
Screen - Super AMOLED from Samsung. The characteristics are the same as the manufacturer’s previous models: excellent calibration, high brightness, support for the Always On Display function, which saves battery power when the screen is locked. It’s impossible to find fault with the screen - the colors look natural, you can look at it from any angle, and it’s difficult to use the smartphone only in very bright sunlight.
Sound
The sound, as usual, is loud and clear - you can't expect anything more from small smartphone speakers. There are two speakers here, and they support panorama. This means that with the smartphone positioned horizontally, you can comfortably watch, for example, videos on YouTube.
Note 9 also supports Bluetooth 5.0 - you can connect two wireless headphones or two speakers. And even configure them so that the sound goes to the devices not synchronously, but from different applications. You can play music from a streaming service on a speaker in the office, and watch videos on YouTube using headphones.
Interesting fact. Not that anyone cares about ringtones in 2018, but Samsung still distinguished itself - some of the official ringtones were recorded by famous blogger and musician Andrew Huang.
Headphones
Includes AKG headset. Despite the fact that this is a brand with a reputation, which has a large number of excellent headphones, the sound is not even a compromise. Overall mediocre sound. Ergonomics and tactile sensations are the same as those of most in-ear headphones - not for everyone.
Camera
Note 9 fulfills the title of flagship and has a 12-megapixel dual camera. It allows you to get excellent photos comparable to those you can take on the iPhone X or Google Pixel 2 XL. In terms of hardware, everything is excellent here: there is a double optical zoom and even a mechanical aperture with two values: ƒ/1.5 and ƒ/2.4. The aperture adjusts automatically depending on the lighting. The second lens is used for bokeh when creating portraits.
The main camera can take pictures with a resolution of 4,032 × 3,024 pixels and shoot videos with a resolution of up to 3,840 × 2,160 pixels at 60 FPS. There is also a super slow-motion video mode with an absolutely insane frame rate - 960 FPS. But this doesn’t fundamentally change the situation - for most people this is a feature that can be played with several times, and besides, to create slo-mo video, the camera must first find an object to shoot. By the time this happens, the moment may already be lost.
All this high-resolution stuff takes up a lot of space, and in this regard, the Note 9 breaks all records. If you take a modification with 512 GB of memory on board, and then insert a flash drive with the same capacity into your smartphone, you will get a terabyte. Terabytes of space for your photos and videos.
There's not much to say about the front camera. Resolution - 8 megapixels, aperture - ƒ/1.7. You can take great selfies, create selfiemojis, and take selfie panoramas.
It is worth understanding that when comparing flagship cameras, we often talk about their software work - in terms of hardware, they are all approximately the same. And the results of this comparison often depend on preference. Example: we looked at how portrait modes work on Note 9 and iPhone X, the pictures turned out very different.
The iPhone X stands out for its sharpness and color saturation, while the Note 9's picture is more faded, pale, hazy. The next nuance is clipping. On the iPhone X it is sharper and more contrasty. And similar differences can be found in any shooting mode. What is better is for everyone to decide for themselves.
The standard camera application seems slightly overloaded, which is often the case with Android smartphones. There are not only manual modes and panorama modes, there are also masks, selfiemojis and much more. Fortunately, it’s quite easy to figure this out, and there’s no need - features and add-ons quickly get boring, and classic photos are almost always perfectly processed by automation. The application itself selects the required mode for shooting (for example, macro or night) and even tells you when the photo was unsuccessful.
For those who like to tinker with the settings, there is a manual mode where you can calibrate ISO, white balance, aperture (optical), focus and even the type of exposure metering.
Stylus
The stylus has changed from the previous version of the Galaxy Note: it now has its own battery and works with a smartphone via Bluetooth - it can be used as a remote control. The charging station is located inside the smartphone, the charge is replenished in less than a minute.
The presence of a stylus can hardly be called a plus, especially considering that electronic pencils have long been considered additional devices for artists and designers. In normal scenarios, it's easy to do without a stylus - it's quite possible that many Galaxy Note owners simply forget about its existence. But the fact is that it’s just a pleasure to use. The dynamic “feather” takes pressure into account, and you can easily spend several minutes just stupidly drawing in notes. The clicker on the end is pleasant to click - a real anti-stress toy.
If we talk about functions, here's what you can do with the stylus:
- create quick graphic notes on the locked screen;
- edit screenshots;
- control the camera and take pictures with your participation without a timer;
- control video playback when connecting a smartphone to a monitor or projector;
- draw with thin lines in;
- send animated drawings in messages;
- highlight and translate texts.
The stylus is an excellent solution for those who are used to constantly creating sketches, noting and recording something. It can also be useful for those who work with text - highlighting, copying and translating into other languages.
Safety
There are several ways to unlock your smartphone: using a PIN code, fingerprint, face or iris. You can customize each of them and use the one that is more convenient at the moment.
For me, as the owner of an iPhone X, smart unlocking seemed most familiar. This is a mode that combines face and iris identification. The smartphone chooses the preferred method itself, and the system learns to recognize the owner faster and adapt to changes in his appearance. Smart unlocking works confidently and correctly, but is somewhat slower in the speed of fingerprint identification. But you still have to reach the fingerprint scanner. And it’s easy to accidentally stain the camera.
Performance
The modification that is sold in Russia has an eight-core Exynos 9810 processor, working with four cores at 2.7 GHz and four more at 1.8 GHz. Video card - Mali-G72 MP18. The result, as befits a flagship, is excellent. There’s nothing to complain about - everything flies and doesn’t lag at maximum speed. Test results in Geekbench 4:
And here are the “parrots” in AnTuTu:
Autonomy
Note 9 battery capacity is 4,000 mAh. According to the developers, this is enough for 11 hours of video viewing on a single charge. It is quite possible - after three hours of active work with the smartphone and running the Note 9 on benchmarks, the charge dropped by only 15%. It’s more convenient to measure battery life in days - and the Note 9 will definitely last one, even an extremely active day.
With fast charging, the battery is fully charged in just over two hours. Qi and PMA wireless charging are supported.
Interface, control and software
Note 9 runs on Android 8.1 Oreo with the classic Samsung add-on. There are no complaints - you can get used to everything, everything works quickly and even looks logical. There are many Samsung, Google and Microsoft services pre-installed - some of them are useful and do not need to be removed. The worst thing is Bixby - the assistant that you have to constantly bump into with the Note 9: it opens by swiping to the left on the main screen, it even has an entire button on the body. You can reassign it, but for me, an adherent of the Jobs sect, this is a real event and dancing with a tambourine. Minus Note 9.
A swipe on the right brings up the quick access panel to applications and contacts, and a swipe on the top opens the control center. The panel that appears when working with the stylus is also convenient - it’s immediately clear how it can be used. In general, the interface can be called intuitive. You can simply turn on your smartphone and use it.
Differences from Note 8
Samsung again did not show any special changes or bold experiments. Here is a list of innovations:
- the screen diagonal has become a couple of millimeters larger;
- the smartphone has become thinner and heavier, but not so much that it can be easily noticed;
- increased memory capacity;
- battery capacity increased;
- The operating system is Android 8.1;
- iron has become a little more productive;
- The location of the rear camera and fingerprint sensor has changed;
- The stylus began to work as a remote control.
Results
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is an excellent smartphone and a strong flagship that is pleasant to use, which has its own features and character. Again - for those who love to draw and constantly sketch, but do not want to carry a tablet with them everywhere, there are simply no alternatives. For those who don't like to draw, but like to choose the best, Note 9 is one of the good options.
But the advisability of purchasing Note 9 for owners of the previous phablet in the series is a moot point. The changes are hardly grandiose, and the price, even with participation in the trade-in program, is decent.
The price of Note 9 is 69,990 rubles for the version with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of physical memory; 89,990 rubles for modification with 8 and 512 GB, respectively. Sales start in stores tomorrow (August 31), and today you can still pre-order and receive a wireless docking station as a gift.
The official release of Galaxy Note 9 has taken place. In a nutshell, it turned out to be a cool flagship with a very capacious battery, an upgraded S Pen stylus, a top-end processor under the hood combined with 8 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB of internal memory, plus everything here has the usual 3.5 mm headphone jack and a camera with artificial intelligence. And all this is wrapped in a beautiful wrapper with thin frames around the front and without a top cutout like the . Sounds tempting! It's time to start a detailed review of the new product and analyze all its technical characteristics.
Galaxy Note 9 review
The new generation flagship continues the Note line and has clear similarities with its predecessor. Most of the leaks have been confirmed, so for those of you who have carefully followed the news feed and a series of rumors on the Internet, there will already be a lot of familiar information. Let's start with the design. 
Design
The smartphone, as always, turned out to be elegant, slightly curved display, beautiful glass body. Four different colors will be available to the user. The style is very similar to . The case is waterproof, there are minimal frames on the front, no cutouts in the style of the iPhone X. At first glance, it may seem impossible to distinguish Note 9 from Note 8, but the former’s frames have become a little thinner. 
If you look at the new product from the back, the differences are more noticeable. The first thing that catches your eye is the new location of the fingerprint scanner - it is now located under the camera, and not next to it. The flash and sensors are now positioned horizontally.
Specifications
- Super AMOLED Quad HD+ display with a resolution of 2960 x 1440 pixels and a density of 516 ppi. Diagonal 6.4 inches.
- Battery 4000 mAh.
- Snapdragon 845.
- Main camera dual: 12MP (wide-angle lens), f/1.5-2.4 + 12MP Telephoto (2X), f/2.4
- Front camera – 8MP AF, f/1.7.
- Optical image stabilization on both cameras.
- RAM - 6 GB/8 GB.
- Built-in memory – 128 GB, 512 GB. Expansion via microSD.
- OS – Android 8.1 Oreo
- Water protection IP68
- Wireless charger
- Iris recognition scanner, face recognition function.
New S Pen stylus
The S Pen is one of the distinctive features of the smartphone, which is why users prefer the Note line. The stylus is a wireless device that can control your smartphone via Bluetooth LE. In other words, this is a mini remote control. In real life, you can find several scenarios for using it, for example, using a button press to pause a YouTube video. Or double tapping will switch you to the next video. You can also use the stylus to control things like playing music, scrolling through your photo gallery, or activating the shutter of the main or selfie camera. You can generally customize the functionality of this button as you wish.
All functions are performed provided that the accessory is located no further than 10 meters from the phone. By the way, Samsung has provided the opportunity for application developers to also use the new functionality for their creations. Another interesting fact is that you can charge the stylus in just 40 seconds, giving you 30 minutes of use.
Price, start of sales
Buying the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is definitely not going to happen cheaply. You need to understand that this is another “beast” in the mobile arena, for which you will have to pay a hefty amount of money. According to official data, in the US the price of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 for the basic version will start at $999 (6 GB RAM / 128 GB). The older version with 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB of internal storage will cost users $1,249.
Pre-orders begin on August 10. The new product will be available on the market in all markets in about a couple of weeks - August 24.
Bottom line
When comparing the Note 9 to the Note 8, there are a few clear differences. The display of the new product has a slightly larger diagonal (6.4 versus 6.3 inches), the density has decreased slightly. But at the same time it is still the same bright screen with rich colors.
The Note 9's camera is very similar to what we saw on the Galaxy S9+, but here it has a horizontal layout. From a technical point of view, it can automatically recognize about 20 different scenes and adjust the final picture. In other smartphones, similar capabilities are usually called artificial intelligence. In addition, the camera is capable of detecting spots on the lens, blurred images, etc.
The new chip will allow for a twofold increase in performance compared to the Note 8. Gamers may be pleased with the news of the implementation of an innovative water cooling solution. As for the amount of internal memory, the Galaxy Note 9 is far from the first phone with 512 GB of memory on board. This was first done by Huawei's Mate RS. The fact that even the most basic version of the Note 9 comes with double the amount of memory is also good news. Remember, Note 8 had a minimum memory capacity of 64 GB, Note 9 had 128 GB. This amount of memory gives you more freedom to shoot video and video without having to worry about running out of space.
The Galaxy Note 9's battery is 21% larger than the Note 8's. It remains to be tested in practice how much this will affect. The increased battery capacity will allow the phone to easily last throughout the day without the need to additionally recharge the device.
First hand video
To better evaluate the new flagship, of course, you need to test the device in everyday life. For now, we can note that there are improvements compared to its predecessor, and they are quite solid. Below you can see an infographic from Samsung that compares the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy Note 9 in detail.
Comparison of Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy Note 9
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