Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review, 3 months later: The uncompromising flagship

When you offer over 20 million systems of something, you do not alter the formula. You rather attempt to make it much better by tweaking a couple of components. That’s Samsung’s method in a nutshell with the Galaxy Note 9.

The phone maintains the very same standard style visual as the Note 8, with Samsung rather concentrated on polishing the total experience, resulting in a more dynamic display screen and finely-optimized software application. However this being Samsung, we still got to see cool brand-new functions in the kind of a Bluetooth-enabled S Pen and a brand-new imaging module with variable aperture.

While we have actually discussed the Note 9 extensively over the last 3 months, it makes good sense to review the phone in a complete evaluation to see how it has actually weathered its very first quarter. Without more ado, here’s how the Note 9 is doing 3 months after its launch.

Galaxy Note 9 What’s held up

Samsung isn’t pressing the limits of style rather like Vivo or OPPO, however the Note 9 constructs on the business’s commercial style. The total visual hasn’t altered much from the Galaxy S9, and while this sounds counter-intuitive, I choose the bigger and thicker chassis of the Note 9 to the S9+. The Note 9 simply feels that bit more fine-tuned, and the included density makes it much easier to hold the gadget.

I have actually utilized the Note 9 on and off over the last 3 months, changing in between the phone and the Pixel 3 XL andHuawei Mate 20 Pro Those gadgets likewise sport terrific QHD AMOLED panels, however they’re not rather as great as the screen on the Note 9. In my use, the Note 9’s screen showed to be brighter and more dynamic than any phone I have actually utilized up until now.

The sunshine legibility in specific is exceptional. I utilized the phone in the summer season in Agra– where it increased to 37 degrees Celsius (986 Fahrenheit)– and even under the extreme heat and glare I had the ability to see the contents on the screen with no problems whatsoever.

This is the very best display screen on any phone today– Android or otherwise.

The display screen is matched by exceptional stereo speakers, and seeing HDR10 material from the similarity Netflix is a pleasure. And with a lot more makers eliminating the 3.5 mm jack this year, Samsung continues to be among the couple of business that provides the analog jack.

I have not utilized the analog jack almost as much as I made the switch to Bluetooth, and one function I especially like on Samsung’s flagships is double audio. The function debuted in 2015, and permits you to send out audio over Bluetooth to 2 gadgets at the same time. It is among those functions that you do not truly utilize a lot, once you do, you’ll never ever recognize simply how great it is. I began listening to audiobooks with my partner, and while we mainly eavesdrop the automobile, double audio permits us to do the very same when we’re out running together and both people have earphones on.

There’s no efficiency deterioration even after 3 months of usage.

I generally see a drop-off in efficiency from Samsung phones at the 2- to three-month mark, however that simply hasn’t held true this year. The Galaxy S9+ continues to be simply as fluid as it was the day I set it up, and the Note 9 is following in a comparable vein. I likewise had a great deal of issues with the positioning of the finger print sensing unit on the Galaxy Note 8, however that hasn’t held true on the Note 9. The module sits below the electronic camera assembly in its own real estate, and the small anxiety guarantees you do not miss it on the back of the gadget.

Continuing with the style of use, the Note 9 showed to be more resilient than it looks. The gadget took its share of topples in the 3 months I utilized it, and in one specific circumstances it fell from 5 feet onto a marble surface area and skidded throughout the flooring. In numerous circumstances the effect of the tumble ejected the S Pen from its enclosure. Luckily, the phone itself didn’t suffer any damage aside from a couple of damages to the metal mid-frame. Most importantly, the glass panes left intact.

The Note 9 shares the very same electronic camera hardware as the Galaxy S9+, however Samsung has actually presented a set of AI-based functions like scene optimizer and defect detection. And like the S9+, you get terrific shots despite the lighting conditions. There are a couple of cases where the gadget loses to the Pixel 3, however in many situations it has the ability to hold its own beside Google’s most current.

There are other Samsung-exclusive functions that make the Note 9 terrific. Samsung Pay continues to blaze a trail for mobile payments, and it is among the functions I miss out on the most when changing far from a Samsung phone. Samsung Pay’s capability to work over NFC along with MST provides it an unique edge, and the reality that it operates at almost all retail outlets uses it as smooth as possible.

I have not utilized the S Pen to a terrific level in previous years, however that altered with the Note 9. The stylus got a host of brand-new performance– consisting of Bluetooth LE connection– and I had a great deal of enjoyable utilizing it as a remote shutter button for the electronic camera. You can likewise personalize a great deal of actions for the single button on the stylus, consisting of releasing apps, managing discussions, and for media playback. Then there’s screen off memo, which is especially beneficial for rapidly writing things like contact number.

The Note 9 is the very first Samsung phone I have actually utilized that does not have any significant downsides.

Each and every single Samsung phone I have actually utilized over the last 3 years has actually had a defect that avoided me from utilizing it for more than a month at a time, however the Note 9 does not have any such downsides. The Galaxy S9+ was nearly near to excellence, however the battery life was a disappointment. The phone stopped working to last a complete day even under medium load, making it less than perfect as an everyday chauffeur. Luckily, Samsung’s choice to stick a bigger 4000 mAh battery on the Note 9 settled, and the phone had no problems providing a day’s worth of usage regularly.

Completion outcome is that the Note 9 is the most frustration-free Samsung phone I have actually utilized to date. There are definitely on problems on the hardware or use fronts, and the phone has actually simply been a pleasure to utilize. The AMOLED panel is downright beautiful, there’s no efficiency deterioration whatsoever even after almost 4 months of use, and the S Pen distinguishes the Note 9 from the remainder of the pack.

Galaxy Note 9 What hasn’t aged well

Software application updates showed to be Samsung’s Achilles heel in years past, which continues to hold true with the Note 9 also. We’re nearing completion of 2018, and the Note 9 is still runningAndroid 8.1 Oreo Although Samsung is presenting the One UI beta for the device, a steady Pie upgrade isn’t not going to get here till Q1 2019.

Updates have actually never ever been Samsung’s strong point, however it’s annoying to see the maker make little development in this location. For what it deserves, Samsung improved at providing regular monthly security updates– a minimum of on its flagships– however if you’re paying $1,000 for a phone, you ‘d anticipate prompt platform updates along with security spots.

Samsung still drags when it pertains to software application updates and quick charging.

Samsung likewise requires to revamp its quick charging requirement. There have not been any modifications in this front in the last 3 years, and Samsung continues to provide a 15 W battery charger in package. Huawei, for example, deals 40 W quick charging with the Mate 20 Pro, which has the ability to charge the phone from flat to 70% in simply 30 minutes. What that efficiently suggests is that you just require to plug in your phone for a half hour in the early morning for all-day battery life.

OPPO goes one action even more with its Super VOOC flash charge tech. The maker utilizes a bi-cell system to provide a huge 50 W charge to gadgets like the R17 Pro, which permits the battery to go from flat to 40% in simply 10 minutes, and a complete charge in under an hour. That sort of quick charging essentially changes the method you utilize your phone, and today Samsung is dragging. The Note 9 takes one hour and forty minutes to completely charge, or almost two times as long as the R17 Pro.

Lastly, there’s Bixby. Samsung’s voice assistant simply hasn’t worked– a minimum of for me– and it isn’t anywhere as great asGoogle Assistant Like the S9 series, the Note 9 has a devoted hardware button to conjure up Bixby, which was especially irritating throughout the very first month of use as I would wind up accidentally setting off Bixby whenever I pulled the gadget out of my pocket. The worst part about it was that there was no other way to disable the voice assistant, however Samsung luckily presented an upgrade to modify the concern.

Galaxy Note 9 3 months on

The Note 9 continues to be a strong option if you remain in the marketplace for a high-end phone. The electronic camera is among the very best out there, as it the AMOLED display screen. Samsung has actually done a stunning task ensuring the gadget isn’t doing not have when it pertains to functions; if anything, many users will not wind up utilizing all the things that’s on the gadget.

There aren’t a great deal of options to the Note 9. LG is attempting to replicate Samsung’s method with the V40, and while the phone plainly has a lot to provide, it isn’t rather as great a total bundle as the Note 9. The Mate 20 Pro is amazing and the greatest competitor to the Note 9 today, however the phone isn’t formally offered in the U.S.

The Pixel 3 is the most reputable competitor to the Note 9 in the U.S., providing a tidy software application experience and a great electronic camera. The Pixel 3 is the phone to beat when it pertains to the electronic camera, however it does lose out on a great deal of functions that make the Note 9 terrific. Put simply, if you desire a high-end phone that does not lose out on any functions, the Galaxy Note 9 is your default choice.

4.5
out of 5

The Note 9 provides whatever you’re searching for in a flagship. The phone integrates an elegant style with the very best display screen on any phone today, and you likewise get terrific battery life, first-class efficiency, exceptional video cameras, cordless charging, IP68 water resistance, and an earphone jack. There isn’t a high-end phone today that provides rather the very same mix of functions. The Note 9 has actually aged extremely well in its very first 3 months, and I anticipate that to continue as we head into 2019.

$999 at Best Buy

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