Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Review Roundup

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is here, at long last! What are people saying about Samsung’s newest phablet? Is it a huge overhaul and true iPhone killer that Samsung has been dying to bring to market? Or is it a big, clunky and lame addition to an overplayed and outdated line of Android phones?

Truth be told, it’s neither of those things. What it is, instead, is a solid phablet. If you like Android phones, and big ones at that, you’re going to love this phone. If you already weren’t sold on Android, this phone isn’t going to change your mind. Let’s get into the roundup!

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Review Roundup

Photo Credit: Tech Republic

The Obvious Stuff

The most notable feature of this behemoth is just how damn big it is. Seriously, if you hate big phones, this one doubles down on being massive. It benefits from its size by having a big, gorgeous 6.4-inch AMOLED screen, which makes it every bit as pretty as the iPhone X. It makes a slight jab at Apple by sporting a traditional headphone jack, which is somehow refreshing and quaint simultaneously. It sports IP68 waterproofing, which is pretty much industry standard at this point for flagship phones.

Processor

As for the insides of the phone, it’s got a great processor under the hood. The Snapdragon 845 churning away at 2.8 GHz is a beast and can handle nearly anything you throw at it. If you need proof, throw the phone into the desktop-style DeX mode and attach an HDMI converter to it. Then, throw the image up on the screen and give a PowerPoint-style slideshow. All of that from a tiny little processor!

That all being said, it’s worth noting that it still doesn’t quite reach the high bar set by the A11 Bionic processor in the iPhone X. That’s not surprising, considering how cutting-edge the A11 is. However, it is still a knock on a phone that also costs $1,000 to not meet the competition in terms of raw power.

The S Pen

The Note 9 has the S Pen, which allows you to take precise notes or draw on the screen. It’s bigger and much more responsive than previous iterations and is one of the best smartphone styluses out there. If you often take notes or doodle on your phone, this is a good option for you.

Bottom Line

This is a fine Android phone, and likely the very best phone for productivity. If you want tablet-like functions on a smartphone and don’t mind the phone’s massive size, you’ll love it. However, for most users, the combination of huge price tag and huge dimensions will be more off-putting than exciting. For the same $1,000 price tag, you can snag the much smaller and more pocketable iPhone X.

The Note 9 does have one distinct advantage over the iPhone X, though: it has no screen notch. So, if you’re a notch-hater, this is the phone for you!