If you want a new big phone and don’t mind spending at least US$1,000, the new Samsung Galaxy Note 9 should be near the top of your list. That’s the verdict from the Galaxy Note 9 reviews now out on other tech news sites. You can now buy the Note 9 starting this weekend—but is it worth a thousand bucks or more? To help you decide quickly, here’s our roundup of Galaxy Note 9 reviews, features and prices:
Galaxy Note 9 features
The Galaxy Note 9 specs are top-tier: 6.4-inch ‘Super’ AMOLED (2,960 x 1,440) 3K “record setting” display (more on that below), IP68 waterproofing, octa-core Snapdragon 845 processor, 6GB or 8GB of RAM, 128GB or 512GB of storage, MicroSD card support, a two-day 4,000mAh battery, USB-C quick-charging, Samsung Intelligent Scan, 8MP (f/1.7) selfie-cam, 12MP wide-angle rear camera, and 12MP telephoto (f/2.4 – f/1.5) lens like on the Galaxy S9 Plus.
In the camera app, Samsung has added a new “flaw detection” (retake photo) function, as well as a “scene optimizer” function that uses AI to identify and improve on whatever you’re taking a photo of—like a person, animal, flower, or food. The Verge mostly likes the feature’s subtle photo enhancements, but CNet complains that the feature is a bit slow.
Also, the S Pen’s new Bluetooth remote controls mean you do more than just draw: you can use the S Pen to launch apps, switch camera modes, take a photo, browse photos, control PowerPoint slides, and advance songs in music apps like Spotify. If you’re an app developer, you’ll be able to use Samsung’s SDK for the S Pen and other Note 9 features starting after its developer conference this fall.
If you like the idea of connecting your phone with your computer monitor, the Note 9 makes it easier to do that with Samsung’s updated DeX feature. You can now load DeX with a standard USB-C to HDMI adapter, instead of needing a special DeX dock with this year’s Galaxy S9. You can also use your Note 9 as a trackpad for a larger screen, or draw on it and see your drawings on a connected monitor, though The Verge complains that these features don’t work so well.
Galaxy Note 9 prices, availability
You can buy the Note 9 in stores and accessories online starting this Friday, August 24. Samsung and most major retailers are selling the 6GB RAM, 128GB version for US$1,000, AU$1,500, Rs 67,900, €870-€900+, or £900, depending on your currency. The 8GB RAM, 512GB model sells for US$1,250, AU$1,800, Rs 84,900, €1,050+, or £1,100.
Galaxy Note 9 reviews highlights
And the new Galaxy Note 9 reviews? Below are highlights, scores and links. Click each rating link for the full review.
Engadget hails the Note 9 as “the best big phone out there”. Compared to the iPhone X, “you get a bigger, better screen; more storage; longer-lasting battery; a stylus; and theoretically better LTE speeds.” But if you prefer a less expensive big phone, “a strong contender is the Huawei P20 Pro. … If you live [outside the US] or don’t mind possibly poorer network speeds, you’ll like [the P20’s] excellent cameras, reliable performance and gorgeous design. You might find a suitable alternative in the G7 ThinQ, with the Snapdragon 845 but smaller display. But neither of those lasts as long as the Note 9, takes pictures that are as good or comes with a stylus.”
Engadget review + rating: 92 / 100
The Verge is one of the few reviews to complain that the Note 9 is “bloated” with several duplicate apps. They also find the Note 9 “snappy and responsive” but “not remarkably better than any other flagship phone” this year: “You can get the same level of performance from a OnePlus 6, which costs half the price.” The Verge also notes that the Note 9 is “hundreds of dollars more than what the very-similar Galaxy S9 Plus, which “has the same camera system, same processor, a nearly as-big, just as gorgeous display, and basically the same software experience. The Note 9 ups the ante with notably better battery life and the S Pen, but only one of those will be universally appreciated.”
The Verge review + rating: 8.5 / 10
Android Central declares the Note 9 as the “best phone Samsung has ever made”. They focus quite a bit on camera functions, saying that the new scene optimization feature “doesn’t particularly add to the experience”. But AC says that in general, “every photo you take is pretty good no matter [your] skill level. At the same time … if you spend time to compose, tap to focus, or even use Pro mode, you can get amazing photos.” For low-light photos in particular, AC calls the performance “phenomenal”.
Android Central review + rating: 4.5 / 5
Android Authority says that “The Note 9 offers an extremely compelling experience for consumers that want it all” and concludes: “This phone [is] probably in my top five list for the best phones of 2018 so far. But we’ve already seen S9 Plus deals dip down as far as $559 unlocked, and at almost half the price, you might be better off grabbing the [S9] with 90 percent of this phone’s functionality for 55 percent of the cost. If you’re a power user who wants a ton of storage, the best display on the market, and the S-Pen, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 might be for you.”
Android Authority review (no rating)
BGR India agrees that the Note 9 is Samsung’s best phone to date, particularly for its S Pen, display and performance: “The Galaxy Note 9 offers great graphics, there is no stuttering, and thanks to water carbon cooling, even after intense sessions, the phone barely gets warm.” The intelligent face unlock gets low marks, though: “as in case with the Galaxy S9, it is very slow and inaccurate. … [But] iris and fingerprint scanning works without any issues.”
BGR India review + rating: 4.5 / 5
BGR US also emphasizes that the Note 9 is “not a major update” over last year’s Note 8, so you shouldn’t buy it unless you really need to upgrade. You could wait a month or two: “Samsung flagship phones tend to get price cuts very quickly these days … earlier this year it took the Galaxy S9 and S9+ less than a month to get price cuts.” Or you can wait a few months until Samsung reveals the Galaxy S10 in the winter—says BGR: “the Galaxy S10 will reportedly be a massive overhaul with a better all-screen design and several exciting new features like a triple-lens camera and an in-display fingerprint sensor.” So here, patience may pay off.
BGR US review (no rating)
CNet also laments that the Note 9 doesn’t offer much new that’s compelling, saying “it feels like Samsung is holding back for next year’s Galaxy S10.” They conclude: “buy the Galaxy Note 9 if you’re upgrading from an older phone today and want the most feature-rich, super-powerful, large-screen Android phone out there. But if your current phone is in good shape and you don’t care…about the S Pen stylus, then wait. [New] iPhones and Google’s Pixel 3 are on their way in weeks, and next spring’s Galaxy S10 should help kick off a revolution with 5G.”
CNet review + rating: 9 / 10
DisplayMate only reviews displays, but its tests are extremely comprehensive. In testing the Note 9’s display against other phones, DisplayMate wrote that the Note 9 breaks records for brightness, contrast, viewing angles and color profile, which it calls “visually indistinguishable from perfect”. DisplayMate sums up its review by declaring the Note 9 the “most innovative and high performance smartphone display we have ever lab tested”.
DisplayMate review + ratings: very good to excellent
We’ll add more Galaxy Note 9 reviews here as soon as we see them!
Galaxy Note 9 vs other phones
In its Galaxy Note 9 reviews, CNet has put together a great chart that compares the Note 9 vs Galaxy S9 Plus, OnePlus 6, and last year’s iPhone X:
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Keywords in this story: Galaxy Note 9 reviews, Galaxy Note 9 features, Galaxy Note 9 prices, Galaxy Note 9 camera, Galaxy Note 9 display, Samsung, Android Authority, Android Central, BGR, CNet, Engadget, The Verge
