The Samsung Galaxy Note9 is Samsung's latest attempt to grab your attention, and after going through the spec sheet, there is a fair bit here worth talking about. Announced in 2018, August 09. Released 2018, August 24, it arrives at a time when the competition is as tight as ever.
Design & Display
On the front you get a 6.4 inches, 103.2 cm 2 (~83.4% screen-to-body ratio) panel, pushing a resolution of 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~516 ppi density). Colours look punchy and text stays clean, so you will not have much to complain about here. In terms of design, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 keeps things modern and comfortable to hold. You can pick it up in a few finishes, including Metallic Copper.
Performance & Software
At the heart of it sits the Exynos 9810 (10 nm) - EMEA Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) - USA/LATAM, China, paired with 6GB of RAM, which means smooth scrolling, quick app switching and no real hiccups in normal use. It runs Android 8.1 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 10, One UI 2.5 out of the box, so the software experience feels current.
Camera
On the camera side, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 is led by a 12 MP main sensor (12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (te…). It is not a pro camera rig, but for everyday memories it gets the job done nicely.
Battery
There is a Li-Ion 4000 mAh, non-removable battery inside. With moderate use you can expect to end the day with charge to spare.
Our Opinion
So, what do we actually make of the Samsung Galaxy Note9? What you are getting is a device that quietly covers the fundamentals rather than shouting about them. It gets the basics right, offering a dependable main camera, a crisp display, which is exactly what most buyers are really after. In day-to-day use it feels like the kind of device you can rely on, whether you are replying to messages, scrolling through social media, watching videos or taking the odd photo. Is it perfect? No phone is, and you will always find a sharper camera or a faster chip somewhere else for a little more money. But taken as a whole, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 is a sensible, well-judged choice that should keep most users happy for a good while. If you have used this device or are planning to pick one up, do let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
