We tried for a long time Samsung Galaxy Note 9, the latest Samsung flagship phone that - thanks to its stylus - has managed to bewitch many people. If you want know how this phablet is doing, we advise you to look at ours video review than to find at the beginning of this article.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9: the technical characteristics
Let's start of course with a little review of the technical specifications of this Galaxy Note 9.
Dimensions: 161.9 x 76.4 x 8.8mm;
Weight: 201 g;
Display: 6,4 ″ Super AMOLED with Quad HD + resolution (2960 x 1440);
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 945;
RAM: 6 / 8 GB;
Memory: 128/512 GB - expandable via micro SD up to 512 GB;
Network: 4G LTE;
Connectivity: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C, NFC, GPS;
SIM: dual SIM ibrida (SIM + MicroSD oppure SIM + SIM);
Battery: 4000 mAh with fast charging and wireless charging possibility;
Rear camera: 12 MP wide-angle sensor with F / 1.5 - F2.4 aperture + 12 MP telephoto lens with F / 2.4 aperture, both with optical stabilizer and 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom;
Front Camera: 8 MP with F / 17 aperture;
Videos: 4K @60 fps;
Certification: IP68, resistant to dust and water;
Sensors: Accelerometer, barometer, fingerprint sensor, geomegnetic sensor, heart rate monitor, proximity sensor, iris scanner;
Operating system: Android 8.1 Oreo;
Not original but functional design
The design of this Samsung Galaxy Note 9 it is not particularly innovative. It differs slightly from that of Galaxy S9 by offering slightly more squared shapes and a different arrangement of the optical group.
The Super AMOLED display allows you to see the display in any light condition, even under the sun, and fortunately it does not have a notch. Samsung has long since decided not to implement the notch in its displays. An appreciable stylistic choice that demonstrates how the Korean giant does not have the enthusiasm to follow trends.
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Outstanding performance, a little less battery
As is now expected from any top-of-the-range smartphone of 2018, the performances are excellent, there are no slowdowns even with dozens and dozens of applications open in the background. Fluidity is therefore guaranteed.
La battery from 4000 mAh - which had to be the real highlight of this Samsung Galaxy Note 9 - instead limps a little. It allows you to get to end of the day with not very intense use. Too bad that the smartphone with a Samsung nib was born for the world of work so - on paper but also in reality - it should allow you to get to the end of the day with very intense use. But nothing. Sin.
S-Pen: never again without
The peculiarity is the real strength of this Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is the nib S-Pen, renewed in functionality and features. It now comes with low-energy bluetooth that allows you to use S-Pen as a remote control: so you can pause the music, take a selfie and so on, simply by pressing the button located on the body.
You will find the particularly convenient S-Pen functionality, both in normal use and in operations that require more precision such as photo editing. In short, the stylus of this Galaxy Note 9 is terribly versatile and you will end up using it always, on every occasion. Guaranteed.
Double top camera
The double camera of this Note 9 (with 12MP wide-angle sensor with F / 1.5 - F2.4 aperture + 12MP telephoto lens with F / 2.4 aperture, both with optical stabilizer and 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom) is capable of really excellent performances.
Here are some shots in optimal lighting conditions, some in the dark and others taken with the asulio of the 2x optical zoom.
Let's start immediately with the daytime shots. As you can see the camera does not suffer in the slightest and is able to capture respectable shots.
I took advantage of the butt of this rhinoceros from the Berlin Zoo to show you the performance of the 2x optical zoom.
As you can see the definition is not lost along the way and still allows you to have excellent shots.
As for the low light conditions and the photos at night, the performances are not superb but in any case worthy of note. I don't know what happened to these shrimps, the fact is that the optical stabilization in this case did not work perfectly.
As for the night shots, as you can see, the darker parts are almost totally free of noise (that annoying grain that appears in the photos in the dark). The definition is sometimes lost, however, the general yield of the shots is really excellent.
Nothing to say instead about the front camera which gives excellent definition, too bad for the subjects?
Samsung Galaxy Note 9: passed with flying colors
Although it does not bring any substantial changes, Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is a highly reliable smartphone, especially for those who intend to work with this device. Large and bright display, stylus well implemented in the functions of the smartphone and a high-performance photographic compartment.
In short, if you have an old smartphone from the Note family and you want to update this Note 9 will be for you. If, on the other hand, you have a Galaxy S9 + that still works well, keep that one because the differences between the two justify such an important expense.
Get ready to put your hand in your wallet because this Note 9 will ask for an important economic effort: 1000 euros for a smartphone is quite a lot. Think well before purchasing.
