If you own a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, its Link To Windows feature is a really great way to get more work done at home during the COVID-19 crisis!
In this guide, we will show you how to set-up Link To Windows, and use it to make your work-from-home life a LOT easier! 😀
Samsung Link To Windows : What Is It?
Link To Windows is a Microsoft feature that allows Samsung Galaxy smartphones to be directly linked to a Windows 10 computer – whether it’s a desktop or laptop.
Once you link your Samsung Galaxy smartphone, you can directly access its data on your Windows 10 computer :
access up to 2,000 of the most recent photos,
view notifications,
send and receive text messages,
make calls from your computer,
copy and paste text and images, and
control your phone using your mouse!
Link To Windows is one of the features Samsung is promoting as part of their Stay Apart By Stay Together With Galaxy campaign to help users tackle the COVID-19 crisis.
Samsung Link To Windows : What Do You Need?
Samsung Link To Windows only requires you to have a Windows 10 computer, and one of these Samsung Galaxy smartphone models
Your Windows 10 computer should already have the Microsoft Your Phone app installed as part of the October 2018 Update. But on the off-chance you can’t find it, you can download it for FREE.
On Your Windows 10 PC
Open the Your Phone app (type Your Phone in the taskbar search box, and select it)
Select Android, and click Continue.
Click Sign in with Microsoft, and log in using your Microsoft account. You will be asked to provide your smartphone number, so Microsoft can send a text message to authenticate it.
Once you are done, you will see a screen saying “Please open Your Phone Companion – Link to Windows“.
On Your Samsung Galaxy Smartphone
Swipe downwards from the top of the display to reveal the Quick Panel.
Alternatively, go to Settings > Connections or Advanced features
If you can’t find it, you can download and install Your Phone Companion app from Google Play.
Tap Link to Windows.
In the welcome screen, tap the Sign in with Microsoft button.
Accept the app permissions.
When you see the screen “Set up the Your Phone app on your PC”, tap My PC is ready.
You will see the Link to Windows settings open up on your Galaxy smartphone.
Congratulations! Your Samsung Galaxy smartphone is now connected to your Windows 10 PC!
Samsung Link To Windows : How To Use
Reading + Sending Messages
Click on the Messages tab
You will see all of the text messages on your phone
Select a recipient to send your text message to
Type your message, and hit Send
Making Calls
You must first pair your PC and phone using Bluetooth
Turn on Bluetooth on your Samsung Galaxy smartphone (if it’s not already enabled)
In Windows 10, go to Settings > Bluetooth and other devices
Click Add Bluetooth or other device.
Select your Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Click on the Calls tab
You will see a log of your recent calls, as well as a bar to search your phone’s contacts
Select a contact to make your call
Using Phone Screen
Click on the Phone screen tab
You will be prompted to make sure your Galaxy smartphone and Windows 10 PC are on the same Wi-Fi network, if they are not already.
Once connected, you will be able to see your phone’s screen on your PC display and interact with it using your mouse or touchpad.
Copy + Paste
In Windows 10, go to Settings > Cross-device copy and paste
Make sure the toggle is On for Allow this app to access and transfer content I copy and paste between my phone and PC
You can now use the same shortcuts you normally use to copy and paste on both your Galaxy smartphone, and your Windows 10 PC.
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If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Ever since Samsung unveiled the Samsung Galaxy S7 edgesmartphone, their flagship S and Note smartphones have all been IP68-certified to be dust- and water-resistant.
Let’s take a look at the engineering behind the Samsung’s IP68 rating, and clarify its limitations, so you can enjoy your Samsung smartphones for many years to come!
What Samsung introduced in their flagship smartphones from the Galaxy S7 edge onwards was IP68 dust- and water-resistance without prior preparation.
Unlike prior water-resistant smartphones, you don’t need to prepare it in any way before you dunk it into water. There is no need to cap the earphone and USB ports. It is dust- and water-resistant 24/7.
To achieve this feat, Samsung introduced a number of engineering improvements :
An unspecified “new type of water resistance technology” was used to seal the unit internally against the ingress of water,
An “exclusive type of water protective tape” was added to the back of the front and rear glass, as well as other internal parts,
Rubber linings were used on parts like the USB port, the earphone port, and the SIM card tray to prevent the ingress of water
Anti-corrosive materials like nickel and platinum and corrosive-resistant coating were used for all external metal parts and connectors like the earphone and USB ports,
The USB port has a short circuit sensor to cut-off power when it detects a short circuit due to water contact
Portable electronic vents were used to ensure a good flow of air and outflow of water and humidity
As you can see, a lot of engineering went into ensuring that Samsung smartphones are dust- and water-resistant, while remaining ultra-slim.
Teardowns by iFixit also showed considerable use of adhesive in subsequent models, all the way to the latest Samsung Galaxy Note 10+, to maintain this IP68-rated dust and water-resistance.
Is The Samsung S Pen IP68 Rated Too?
The S Pen of IP68-rated Galaxy Note devices are also IP68-rated against dust and water. However, the S Pen requires slightly different techniques to achieve such water-resistance :
its printed circuit board (PCB) is covered with a special epoxy material
rubber seals are used to seal off vulnerable passageways
important components like the pen pressure switch are also covered by rubber seals
This allows the pen tip to move as needed, while preventing the ingress of water that will damage the internal components of the S Pen.
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Samsung IP68 Rating Clarified
All Samsung smartphones that are IP68-rated can withstand complete immersion in water up to 1.5 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes.
This means you can take it for jogs in the rain, or reading in the bathtub. However, we must point out that IP68 is a rating for water immersion.
IP68-rated devices are NOT designed to withstand water pressure. We therefore do not recommend you take it into the shower or while you swim.
The IP68 certification is based on a specific set of test conditions :
Temperature Range : 15-35 °C
Pressure Range : 86-106 kPa
Maximum Water Depth : 1.5 metre
Maximum Time of Immersion : 30 minutes
If you exceed those conditions, Samsung’s IP68 measures may not prevent the ingress of water.
In fact, if you check your User Guide, you will see that Samsung warns against exposing their IP68 smartphones to “water moving with force“.
This means you should not place them under running water from a tap or a waterfall. Even ocean waves may exert enough force to drive water into their chassis.
Summary : IP68 = Water-Resistance, NOT Waterproofing
The takeaway message is this – Samsung IP68 smartphones are water-resistant, not waterproof. You need to be gentle with them when they are exposed to water.
The biggest problem is water pressure, not depth. You can leave it at the bottom of a swimming pool without worry, but the force of water from a tap can exceed the IP68 pressure rating.
Do NOT do this!!! Never pour water on your device, because it exerts pressure!
Let’s consider a real-world scenario – taking photos and videos while snorkelling.
You won’t reach a depth of 1.5 m when you snorkel. But swinging your device underwater could literally force water into the chassis!
That doesn’t mean you cannot use your device underwater. You can, but you must make sure not to exert too much force. Take it in and out of the water gently, and if you have to move, do so gently.
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One of the least talked-about features of the Samsung Galaxy Note9 is its augmented reality Live Translation capability. It is a very useful feature, actually the most useful Bixby feature in our opinion.
So we created this guide to show you how use it to quickly translate foreign languages during your travels or in the kitchen!
What Is Samsung Live Translation?
Live Translation is a key feature of Bixby Vision in flagship Samsung smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Note9. It identifies and translates 54 languages, and overlays the translated text over the original text.
The first-generation Samsung Bixby Vision was already capable of live translation, so a more accurate description of this new feature is AR (augmented reality) Translation.
In the original Bixby, the translation appears as a separate card. But in the Samsung Galaxy Note9, the translation appears as part of the image. Hence, our opinion that it should have been called AR Translation.
Samsung Live Translation In Action!
In this video, we tested Live Translation on the Samsung Galaxy Note9 smartphone.
Please note that before using Live Translation, you need to first create and log into your Samsung Account. You also need to have Internet connectivity.
Step 1 : Launch the Samsung Camera app
Step 2 : If the Camera app is not in Auto mode, switch to the Auto mode.
Step 3 : Tap on the Bixby Vision icon on the lower left corner of the screen
Step 4 : Point the camera at the text you want to translate.
Step 5 : Live Translation will automatically convert the text to your preferred language.
Step 6 : You can also tap on the Text icon to select a specific area to translate.
Note : The default automatic language detection only works for 33 languages. The remaining 21 languages require manual selection to work.
Languages Supported By Live Translation
Live Translation will visually recognise the following 54 languages
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Both the Samsung Galaxy Note9 and the Apple iPhone XS claim to have the world’s best cameras. While both take great photos in good light, how do they perform in low-light conditions?
Let’s find out in our photo and video comparison of the Apple iPhone XS and the Samsung Galaxy Note9. See for yourself which smartphone has the best low-light camera performance!
Updated @ 2018-12-25 :Minor updates of the article, with some additional information.
First posted @ 2018-12-18
iPhone XS vs Galaxy Note9 – Low Light Camera Performance!
The iPhone XS maintained the same dual-lens camera module from last year’s iPhone X, with software improvements like Smart HDR and better tone mapping. The only hardware upgrade we could tell was the ability to record stereo sound for its videos.
What this means is the iPhone XS has very similar photographic capabilities to the Samsung Galaxy Note9. They both use 12 MP image sensors with 1.0 µm pixels, paired with f/2.4 lens that offer 2X optical zoom with optical image stabilisation. Where they really differ in is their wide-angle cameras.
The iPhone X’s wide-angle camera uses a 12 MP image sensor with 1.22 µm pixels, paired with f/1.8 lens that support optical image stabilisation.
The Galaxy Note9, on the other hand, uses a 12 MP image sensor with larger 1.4 µm pixels, paired with a Dual Aperture lens that can switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4. It also supports optical image stabilisation.
Here is a table comparing the key features of their main cameras.
Main Camera Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Note9
Apple iPhone XS / XS Max
Type
Dual Camera System with wide and telephoto lens
Dual Camera System with wide and telephoto lens
Main Camera Features
- 12 MP Dual Pixel sensor
- 1.4 µm pixel size
- can switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures
- optical image stabilisation (OIS)
4K video : up to 60 fps
1080p video : up to 60 fps
720p video : Up to 960 fps
4K video : up to 60 fps
1080p video : up to 240 fps
720p video : 30 fps
Camera Switching While Recording Video
Yes
No
Live Focus Capability
Yes
No
Dual Capture Capability
Yes
No
As you can see, there are other differences between the two camera systems :
You can switch between the two cameras while recording a video in the Samsung Galaxy Note9, but not with the Apple iPhone XS (US | UK | Shopee | Lazada).
It is not just about the brightness. Thanks to its quad-lens flash, the iPhone XS has better control of the light. But it lacks contrast compared to the Galaxy Note9.
Here is an example of a night dancing session at the Curve. The singers are on a well-lit platform, but the dancers are not lit by street lights. The Samsung Galaxy Note9 was not mounted on any gimbal.
Despite the changing brightness of the scene, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 did a great job of instantly adjusting the brightness of the subjects. This is not an easy feat when we switched focus to the dancers, because the background is much brighter.
What we ended up with is a happy balance of reasonably bright subjects without overly bright backgrounds. In fact, you can see right into the restaurant behind the dancers!
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iPhone XS vs Galaxy Note9 – Low Light Photo Shootout
Let’s start with a dimly-lit shot. Here we have four toys with some indirect lighting.
Dimly-Lit Scene
When you try to take a poorly-lit scene, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | UK | Shopee | Lazada) automatically switches to the wide f/1.5 aperture. The depth-of-field was much shallower, so you need to be careful about framing the shot, or focusing on the subject, or it will be out-of-focus.
But look at how well the colours turn out. Even in the low light, the colours appear vivid, especially the red lightsaber and Mario’s red shirt. You can also make out that his jeans is blue in colour.
The photo taken by the Apple iPhone XS (US | UK | Shopee | Lazada) was darker, so the colours are noticeably muted. And Mario’s jeans now appears to be black, instead of blue. Its f/1.8 aperture is definitely no match for the Galaxy Note9’s wider f/1.5 aperture.
Extremely Low Light
We turned off the background light, and it’s almost completely dark. Yet, we can make out all four toys, including Darth Minion, using the Samsung Galaxy Note9.
Unfortunately, it was so dark with the iPhone XS, we can barely frame the shot. You can just about see a little of the baby leopard’s head, but that’s about it.
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Bright Night Scenes
These two photo comparisons will look at street scenes that are lit up by street lights.
When we first posted our Galaxy Note9 vs iPhone X comparison, some iPhone fans criticised us for not using the newer iPhone XS. Never mind the fact that they were not available when we did the test. Never mind the fact that both the iPhone X and iPhone XS have the same camera hardware.
To be fair to these Apple fans, the iPhone XS (US | UK | Shopee | Lazada) introduces some new software improvements. Squeezing a little extra out of old hardware is something Apple engineers are very good at.
But no matter how clever they are, they just cannot beat the superior optics and sensor in the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | UK | Shopee | Lazada), and by extension, the Samsung Galaxy S9+. In every test, the Samsung smartphone was superior in low light conditions.
Not only does the Galaxy Note9 have a larger and brighter f/1.5 aperture, its image sensor has 32% larger pixels – 1.4 microns vs. 1.22 microns. They both allow for significantly better low-light camera performance, whether you are taking photos or recording videos.
Whatever Apple may put on the billboards, the Galaxy Note9 and Galaxy S9+ has superior photography and videography performance. This is yet another reason why we gave it our Editor’s Choice Award!
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Samsung just announced an exclusive Samsung Galaxy Note9 Yearly Upgrade Program, followed by an incredible RM 400 instant rebate! Find out how to buy a new Samsung Galaxy Note9 smartphone for just RM 3K! This is the best time to buy!
Note :The Samsung Galaxy Note9 Yearly Upgrade Program described in this article is only for Malaysia. Other countries may have similar programs, so please check the Samsung website for your country.
Updated @ 2018-10-07 :Added the Instant Rebate for even more savings!
Updated @ 2018-09-20 :Added more details and clarification about this Galaxy Note9 upgrade program. Also added two comparison tables to summarise the great savings from this program.
Originally posted @ 2018-09-18
The Exclusive Galaxy Note9 Upgrade Program
This Yearly Upgrade Program is limited to customers in Malaysia who purchase a new Galaxy Note9 (direct from Samsung Malaysia) from 14 September until 2 December 2018. They will have the option of paying RM 100 extra for the following benefits :
automatic 10% discount on the Samsung Galaxy Note10 in 2019!
FREE 5,000 Samsung Reward Points
one month FREE instalment (if purchased with Easy Payment Plan),
OR Samsung Protection Plus worth RM 298.
Now, let us break it down for you why this exclusive Galaxy Note9 Upgrade Program is such a good deal!
Why The Galaxy Note9 Upgrade Program Is A Great Deal!
First, take a look at this infographic on what you will actually get when you pay RM 100 to join this Galaxy Note9 Upgrade Program.
Samsung Reward Points are worth RM 1 for every 40 points, so the 5,000 Samsung Reward Points are worth RM 125 – MORE than what you pay to join the upgrade program!
The one-month instalment waiver is really a 8.33% discount on your new Galaxy Note9. That is worth RM 308.25 for the 128 GB model, and RM 383.25 for the 512 GB model.
If you choose to pay in full (either in cash of 1-time credit card payment), you will receive the Samsung Protection Plus plan, which adds another year of warranty plus a display replacement at minimal service charge. That is worth RM 298.
The 10% discount on the future Samsung Galaxy Note series is worth at least RM 369.90 to RM 459.90, and that’s assuming it’s not going to cost more.
In total, you stand to gain between RM 792.90 and RM 803.15 in benefits with this program. Your net benefit after deducting the RM 100 fee – RM 692.90 (full payment in cash or 1-time credit card payment) or RM 703.15 (with EPP). For your convenience, we created this to summarise it all for you!
Benefits
Galaxy Note9
(128 GB)
Galaxy Note9
(512 GB)
5,000 Samsung Reward Points
RM 125
RM 125
One Month Instalment Waiver
or
Samsung Protection Plus
RM 308.25
or RM 298
RM 383.25
or RM 298
10% Discount on Future Note10
RM 369.90 (est.)
RM 459.90 (est.)
TOTAL
RM 803.15 or RM 792.90
RM 938.15 or RM 882.90
Deduct Program Fee
– RM 100
– RM 100
NETT
RM 703.15 or RM 692.90
RM 838.15 or RM 782.90
This is why we strongly urge you to take up the Galaxy Note9 Yearly Upgrade Program if you are purchasing a Galaxy Note9 (direct from Samsung Malaysia) between now and 2 December 2018!
We also advocate that you take up the Easy Payment Plan (EPP) which lets you repay in twelve interest-free instalments, the first of which will be waived by this program. In fact, you stand to save almost RM 950 with the EPP plan!
Benefits
Galaxy Note9
(128 GB)
Galaxy Note9
(512 GB)
5,000 Samsung Reward Points
RM 125
RM 125
One Month Instalment Waiver
RM 308.25
RM 383.25
10% Discount on Future Note10
RM 369.90 (est.)
RM 459.90 (est.)
TOTAL
RM 803.15
RM 938.15
Deduct Program Fee
– RM 100
– RM 100
Interest Saved (4.6% p.a.)
~ RM 85
~ RM 105
NETT
RM 788.15
RM 943.15
We based the interest estimates above on the average housing loan interest rate of 4.6% per annum.
How To Buy The Galaxy Note9 For RM 3K
Not happy with the ridiculous savings from the Galaxy Note9 upgrade program? Here is how you can buy the Samsung Galaxy Note9 for just RM 3,005!
All you have to do is take opportunity of the special RM 400 Galaxy Note9 rebate, and combine it with this Galaxy Note9 upgrade program. Here is what you will save!
Galaxy Note9
(128 GB)
Galaxy Note9
(512 GB)
Samsung Galaxy Note9 Retail Price
RM 3,699
RM 4,599
– One Month Instalment Waiver
– RM 308.25
– RM 383.25
+ Upgrade Program Fee
+ RM 100
+ RM 100
– RM 400 Instant Rebate
– RM 400
– RM 400
Interest Saved (4.6% p.a.)
– RM 85
– RM 105
Net Price
RM 3,005.75
RM 3,810.75
And that’s not inclusive of the other Galaxy Note9 upgrade program benefits. If we look at the TOTAL BENEFIT of combining these two great Samsung deals, you will be shocked at how much you get :
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The Samsung Galaxy Note9 is a bestseller for Samsung, breaking all expectations. But Samsung has not let up the pressure, regularly announcing promotions. In this guide, we will keep track of all Samsung Galaxy Note9 price changes, offers and promotions. Bookmark and share!
Updated @ 2018-10-05 : Added details of the RM400 instant rebate.
Updated @ 2018-09-20 : Added details of the 512GB Ocean Blue pre-order promotion.
Originally posted @ 2018-09-18
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 was a smashing success, selling out the largest pre-order Samsung ever created. With good reason too. It packs a ton of new features at great price points.
6 GB + 128 GB : £899 / $999.99 / RM 3,699
8 GB + 256 GB : £999
8 GB + 512 GB : £1,099 / $1,249.99 / RM 4,599
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) is available worldwide starting 24 August 2018. In some countries (e.g. Malaysia), it will only be offered in Midnight Black and Metallic Copper with a matching S Pen, and Ocean Blue with a Yellow S Pen. There is also a Lavender Purple colour option that is available in certain countries. Samsung may eventually introduce it at a later date to the rest of the world.
Where To Buy The Samsung Galaxy Note9
Here are some direct links to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Note9 in Malaysia.
Here are some direct links to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Note9 in the US.
Samsung Galaxy Note9 (128 GB, International Unlocked) : $849
Samsung Galaxy Note9 (128 GB, US Unlocked) : $999.99
Samsung Galaxy Note9 (512 GB, International Unlocked) : $1,214
Samsung Galaxy Note9 (512 GB, US Unlocked) : $999.99
Samsung Galaxy Note9 Offer + Promotion Guide
Samsung is never one to rest their laurels, so you can expect them to introduce regular offers and promotions to keep the pressure on their competitors. Let’s start with a look at the great Galaxy Note9 pre-order offers that quickly sold out!
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 Pre-Order Offers (Ended)
Samsung Galaxy Note9 (512 GB) : FREE Gifts worth RM 1,530 (Gear Sport smartwatch, Gear Sport Strap and Wireless Charger Pad)
Those who bought the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) early got a nice surprise when they started to use Samsung Pay. They immediately received a Mystery Box containing a gift voucher or Samsung Points.
2. Free Starbucks Beverage (Ended)
Early purchasers of the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) also received a free drink from Starbucks! Although the promotion was slated to end on 30 September 2018, it probably ended early due to the overwhelming response. If you did not get your free Grande-sized Starbucks drink, there’s no harm checking your Samsung Members app, just in case it is still available…
3. No Increase From SST (Ongoing)
This is not a Galaxy Note9 promotion per se. It applies to all Samsung mobile devices – smartphones, tablets and wearables. Samsung will absorb the 5% SST (Sales and Service Tax) on the purchase of those mobile devices. Great news!
4. Samsung Galaxy Note9 Yearly Upgrade Program (Ongoing)
Validity :14 September to 2 December 2018
Samsung just announced an exclusive Samsung Galaxy Note9 Yearly Upgrade Program! This Yearly Upgrade Program is limited to those who purchase a new Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) from 14 September until 2 December 2018. They will have the option of paying RM 100 extra for the following benefits :
automatic 10% discount on the Samsung Galaxy Note10 in 2019!
FREE 5,000 Samsung Reward Points (worth RM 125)
one month FREE instalment (if purchased with Easy Payment Plan), OR Samsung Protection Plus worth RM 298.
As you can tell, this is a great offer as the 5,000 Samsung Reward Points are already worth MORE than what you pay to join the upgrade program. In fact, the whole deal gives you 7X what you pay into it!Read our detailed analysis @ Why The Galaxy Note9 Yearly Upgrade Program Is Such A Great Deal!
5. Samsung Galaxy Note9 512GB Ocean Blue Pre-Order (Ended)
Samsung just announced that the 512GB model, which was originally available only in Midnight Black will now be available in the Ocean Blue colour with its iconic Yellow S Pen! From 21 – 23 September 2018, you will be able to pre-order the 512 GB Ocean Blue model with only a RM 300 deposit at the recommended retail price of RM 4,599 (unchanged). But that’s not all. Those who pre-order the 512GB Ocean Blue model will receive a Samsung POWERstick vacuum cleaner worth RM 889 / ~US$ 219 absolutely FREE! Please note that this offer does NOT apply to the 128GB models, or the 512GB Midnight Black model. Those who pre-order the 512GB Ocean Blue model will be able to collect their devices from 5 October through 14 October 2018.
6. RM 400 Instant Rebate!
Validity :5 October to 28 October 2018
Samsung just announced an incredible RM 400 instant rebate offer!
This RM 400 instant rebate is applicable for both the 128GB and 512GB models. However, this offer is limited to purchases from Samsung Authorised Dealers, and excludes the Samsung Online Store and telcos.
All you have to do is walk into any Samsung Authorised Dealer shop, and ask to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Note9 with the RM 400 instant rebate! What an awesome deal!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Samsung just announced an incredible RM 400 Samsung Galaxy Note9 rebate offer! This is a time-limited offer, so hurry and get it NOW!
Save RM 400 With This Samsung Galaxy Note9 Rebate!
This RM 400 Galaxy Note9 rebate is applicable for both the 128GB and 512GB models. However, this offer is limited to purchases from Samsung Authorised Dealers, and excludes the Samsung Online Store and telcos.
All you have to do is walk into any Samsung Authorised Dealer shop, and ask to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Note9 with the RM 400 Galaxy Note9 rebate! What an awesome deal!
Samsung Galaxy Note9 Rebate Summarised
Offer Period :Friday, 5 October to Sunday, 28 October 2018
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One of the Samsung Galaxy Note9‘s most revolutionary features is its new Bluetooth S Pen. Everyone knows what it can do as a stylus, but here are FOURTEEN Galaxy Note9 S Pen features and tips that most people are completely oblivious to!
2018-10-04 :Upgraded to The Ultimate Galaxy Note9 S Pen Features + Tips Guide with additional tips and how-to instructions.
2018-09-03:Originally posted as The 7 Secret Galaxy Note9 S Pen Features You Never Knew!
Here are some direct links to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Note9 in the US.
Samsung Galaxy Note9 (128 GB, International Unlocked) : $849
Samsung Galaxy Note9 (128 GB, US Unlocked) : $999.99
Samsung Galaxy Note9 (512 GB, International Unlocked) : $1,214
Samsung Galaxy Note9 (512 GB, US Unlocked) : $999.99
What You Probably Know About The Note9 S Pen
Let’s run through what you probably know about the Note9 S Pen, since Samsung has been promoting them.
The Note9 S Pen Is A Bluetooth Device!
For the first time, S Pen communicates with the Samsung Galaxy Note9 via Bluetooth Low Energy. Opening it up reveals that the new S Pen uses the Dialog DA13580 Bluetooth Smart SoC.
The Note9 S Pen Is A Remote Control!
The Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity lets you use the shutter button to remotely perform a variety of tasks.
Hold the shutter button to open any app you wish. By default, it launches the Camera app.
When the camera is activated, press the shutter button once to take a picture, or twice to switch between the front and main cameras.
Press the shutter button once to go forward in an app or browser, or twice to go backwards.
You can customise this remote control feature in Settings > Advanced features > S Pen > S Pen remote.
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The Note9 S Pen Battery Life
This S Pen will last a good 30 minutes once it is ejected from its dock, or up to 200 clicks – whichever occurs first.
Your Samsung Galaxy Note9 will alert you when the S Pen’s battery is down to 15%, with more reminders as the battery level drops.
It Writes In A Signature Colour!
Like previous versions, you can pop out the S Pen to immediately jot your thoughts using the Screen Off Memo feature.
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 though introduces the ability to write in its signature colour!
The Ocean Blue S Pen will write in bright yellow, while the Midnight Black S Pen will write in silver, the Lavender Purple S Pen will write in purple, and the Metallic Copper S Pen will write in brown.
The only downside? The Samsung Notes app has not been updated with the ability to change its background to black.
If you prefer to write in the standard silver colour, go to Settings > Advanced features > S Pen > Screen Off Memoand disable Use S Pen signature colour.
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What You Don’t Know About The Note9 S Pen
The Note9 S Pen is more than just a stylus with a remote control button though. Here are some fun facts about it that most users are completely oblivious to!
It Will Work Even With Bluetooth Disabled!
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) communicates with its S Pen using Bluetooth Low Energy (formerly known as Bluetooth Smart) to keep power consumption low.
But we’ll bet you didn’t know that the S Pen will work even if you turn off the Galaxy Note9’s Bluetooth feature!
You can safely turn off your Galaxy Note9’s Bluetooth connectivity for security reasons, or to further reduce power consumption, and still have access to the S Pen’s full range of capabilities.
You Can Use It To UNLOCK Your Galaxy Note9!
To save power and protect your privacy, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) will turn off and lock its screen after a period of inactivity.
This can be annoying if you are using it to dictate notes or give a presentation… until you realise you can simply unlock the screen with your S Pen!
This does not mean anyone can use your S Pen to unlock your Samsung Galaxy Note9. This feature only works if you :
manually activate it at Settings > Advanced features > S Pen > Unlock with S Pen remote
It will not work if you pull out the S Pen while the Samsung Galaxy Note9 is locked. If you reinsert the S Pen into its dock, you will not be able to use it to unlock your Galaxy Note9.
This prevents strangers from using the S Pen to unlock your Galaxy Note9, while giving you the option to instantly unlock the screen if it locks up while you are using it.
Never Lose Your Note9 S Pen!
Its Bluetooth capability allows the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) to sense when you forget your S Pen and set off an alarm to warn you.
It is more of a notification with an audio alert, but this incredibly useful feature will greatly reduce, if not eliminate, the chance of losing your S Pen.
This feature is enabled by default, but if you want to make sure it’s turned on, it’s the Alarm option under the Removal section of Settings > Advanced features > S Pen.
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It Is Powered By A Supercapacitor!
This S Pen is not powered by an internal lithium-ion battery, but a Seiko K8373 supercapacitor.
This supercapacitor is not only incredibly tiny and light, it is highly durable and withstands extreme temperatures. It can be recharged hundreds of thousands of times without any loss in capacity.
It also recharges in a flash, and delivers long battery life – just 40 seconds of charging will give you 30 minutes of use! It is also simple to recharge – the S Pen recharges automatically whenever it is docked.
Note : The S Pen’s supercapacitor will start discharging once it is out of the dock. Don’t be surprised if the battery level drops even if you did not use its remote control. This is perfectly normal.
How To Check The Note9 S Pen’s Power Level
You can check the supercapacitor’s power level in your Samsung Galaxy Note9 at Settings > Advanced features > S Pen > S Pen remote.
However, this is really not necessary, because the supercapacitor recharges so quickly! All you need is pop it in its dock for 40 seconds to get it up to 100%!
The Note9 S Pen Has TWO Power Sources!
Believe it or not, this S Pen has TWO power sources.
The supercapacitor is only used to power the Bluetooth Low Energy radio for its remote control functionality.
The stylus itself is still powered electromagnetically by close proximity to the Samsung Galaxy Note9‘s display. This means its stylus functions will never run out of power.
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How To Disable The S Pen Remote Control
If you do not like using the S Pen remote control features, you can simply turn it off.
Go to Settings > Advanced features > S Pen > S Pen remote.
Tap on the On/Off toggle to disable the S Pen remote control.
To re-enable it, just tap on the On/Off toggle again.
Note : If you can’t reactivate the S Pen remote control, the S Pen is probably out of its dock. To reestablish the Bluetooth connection, it needs to be inserted into the Galaxy Note9.
How To Connect Another S Pen
If you need to connect another S Pen to your Samsung Galaxy Note9, here are the steps :
Go to Settings > Advanced features > S Pen > S Pen remote.
At the upper right corner, tap the More Options icon.
Tap t he Reset S Pen option.
Note : It may take a few minutes for the Samsung Galaxy Note9 to establish a new Bluetooth connection to your S Pen.
The Power Of S Pen Hovering
The S Pen is not just about writing or tapping. Many users are no aware of the power of hovering with the S Pen. These are not new features, but did you know that you can activate these features by merely hovering the S Pen over the screen?
Air View : Preview information, text and images by hovering the S Pen over the screen
Scrolling : Scroll up or down by hovering your S Pen over the edge of the screen
Translate : Translate words and phrases by hovering your S Pen over them
Bixby Vision : Search for products online by hovering your S Pen over their pictures
Magnify : Magnify areas of the screen by hovering your S Pen over them.
Glance : Minimise apps to a thumbnail that you can hover your S Pen over to expand.
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Picture Credit
Pictures of the internal parts of the S Pen are courtesy of the awesome folks at iFixIt!
Where To Buy The Galaxy Note9
Here are some direct links to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Note9 in Malaysia.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
We only had a short time with the Apple iPhone X, but it was good enough to get some sample shots and videos. Check out our low-light shootout between the Samsung Galaxy Note9 and the Apple iPhone X!
Galaxy Note9 vs. iPhone X – Cameras Compared
Both the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | UK | Shopee | Lazada) and the Apple iPhone X boast dual main cameras – a wide angle camera and a telephoto camera.
Interestingly, their telephoto cameras are practically identical in feature and capability. They both use 12 MP image sensors with 1.0 µm pixels, paired with f/2.4 lens that offer 2X optical zoom with optical image stabilisation. But their wide-angle cameras are quite different.
The iPhone X’s wide-angle camera uses a 12 MP image sensor with 1.22 µm pixels, paired with f/1.8 lens that support optical image stabilisation.
The Galaxy Note9, on the other hand, uses a 12 MP image sensor with larger 1.4 µm pixels, paired with a Dual Aperture lens that can switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4. It also supports optical image stabilisation.
Here is a table comparing the key features of their main cameras.
Main Camera Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Note9
Apple iPhone X
Type
Dual Camera System with wide and telephoto lens
Dual Camera System with wide and telephoto lens
Main Camera Features
- 12 MP Dual Pixel sensor
- 1.4 µm pixel size
- can switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures
- optical image stabilisation (OIS)
Now, let’s take a look at how well they both perform in low-light conditions!
Galaxy Note9 vs. iPhone X – Who Wins The Low Light Shootout?
Let’s start with a dimly-lit shot. Here we have four toys with some indirect lighting.
Dimly-Lit Scene
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | UK | Shopee | Lazada) automatically switched to the wide f/1.5 aperture. The depth-of-field was much shallower, so Mario is a little out-of-focus. But the colours are more accurately captured even in this dimly-lit scene.
When we switched to the iPhone X, its f/1.8 aperture had a deeper DOF. However, the colours are more muted and some details are lost. Look at the red-coloured heart in Darth Minion’s hand, and Mario’s left boot.
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Extremely Low Light
We turned off the background lights, and look at the difference! It’s obviously much darker now, but yet, we can make out Darth Minion, and the details of Woody’s hat, when we used the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | UK | Shopee | Lazada).
When we switched to the iPhone X though, the photo was darker and noisier. Darth Minion was hardly visible. and you cannot make out Mario’s belly!
Next, let’s take a look at how both smartphones perform with bright lights at night, and check out their video recording performance in low-light conditions!
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Bright Lights At Night
We then looked at how both cameras controlled bright lights at night.
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | UK | Shopee | Lazada) did a better job of controlling the highlights. The street lamp is more subdued. The letter R on the building is better defined, and the brightly-lit trees in the far background are clearly seen.
With the iPhone X, the street lamp has a brighter glare, and noticeably, the highlights are blown out at the top of the brightly-lit trees in the far background. The letter R on the building is also a little overblown, appearing white (instead of blue) and less well-defined.
Galaxy Note9 vs. iPhone X – Low Light Video
What about recording video in low-light conditions? Let’s look at the worst-case scenario – extremely low-light conditions from above.
As you can see, there is a HUGE difference in the low-light video quality taken by the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | UK | Shopee | Lazada), as opposed to the Apple iPhone X.
Here is an example of a night dancing session at the Curve. The singers are on a well-lit platform, but the dancers are not lit by street lights. The Samsung Galaxy Note9 was not mounted on any gimbal.
Despite the changing brightness of the scene, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 did a great job of instantly adjusting the brightness of the subjects. This is not an easy feat when we switched focus to the dancers, because the background is much brighter.
What we ended up with is a happy balance of reasonably bright subjects without overly bright backgrounds. In fact, you can see right into the restaurant behind the dancers!
Galaxy Note9 vs. iPhone X – Verdict
The verdict is pretty obvious. As far as low-light photography and videography is concerned, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | UK | Shopee | Lazada) is superior to Apple iPhone X in every aspect.
No matter whether you are taking photos or videos, in dimly-lit scenes or really low-light conditions, the Galaxy Note9 will deliver much better results than the iPhone X, without exception.
Even in brightly-lit scenes, the Galaxy Note9 does a better job of controlling the highlights. This is just as important as bringing out the details hidden in the shadows. The iPhone X shows a tendency to overflow the highlights, losing colour and detail in the process.
Whatever Apple may put on the billboards, we are sticking with the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | UK | Shopee | Lazada) for our photography and videography needs. This is yet another reason why we gave it our Editor’s Choice Award!
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One of the key features that the Samsung Galaxy Note9 brings to the table is Super Slow-mo. It automatically adds drama to even the most mundane activity, and brings out the action when it matters the most!
In this article, we will explain how the Samsung Super Slow-mo mode works, and show you some examples of how Super Slow-mo makes our videos better!
Samsung Super Slow-mo
Super Slow-mo is a new video recording capability first introduced in the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. It allows you to record 720p video at an astounding 960 frames per second!
Here is a short video we created to showcase how easy it is to use Super Slow-mo to create really interesting and fun videos to share with your family and friends!
If that is not enough, you can check out the Super Slow-mo video we created using the Samsung Galaxy S9+ (Price Check).
These Super Slow-mo videos can be instantly edited, with a random selection from preloaded choices. Or you can use your own music / songs. You can also create a GIF from the recorded video, with three style of looping – reverse, forward or swing.
There are some caveats though – Super Slow-mo is limited to 0.4 seconds of recording and 12 seconds of playback for single Super Slow-mo shots. If you opt for the multi-shot mode, each Super Slow-mo segment in that video is limited to 0.2 seconds of recording and 6 seconds of playback.
If you are interested to know how they accomplished this, read on further…
How Is Samsung Super Slow-mo Possible?
Super Slow-mo is only made possible by a new Samsung ISOCELL image sensor, and the very fast Samsung Exynos 9810 (or Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 in the US) SoC. Hence, it is currently only available in the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App), the Samsung Galaxy S9 and the Samsung Galaxy S9+.
Samsung ISOCELL Fast Image Sensor
Samsung used the new ISOCELL Fast SAK2L3 image sensor in the Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App). First introduced in the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, it is a 12 MP sensor with large 1.4 µm pixels for excellent low-light performance.
The Fast designation means it comes with Dual Pixel and Super PD capabilities. It also boasts a 3-stack FRS (Fast Readout Sensor) that allows high-speed capture of Full HD video.
The Dual Pixel technology is an autofocus technology that uses the dual photodiodes in every pixel on the image sensor for phase-detection autofocus. This allows for faster and more accurate focusing, because it uses the entire image sensor for autofocus, instead of just a few dedicated pixels (usually less than 5% of the total).
Flagship-Class Processor
When paired with the Samsung Exynos 9810, the new ISOCELL Fast image sensor is said to be fast enough to record slow-motion 1080p video at 960 fps / 4K video at 120 fps.
However, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 is not fast enough, so Samsung limited the Super Slow-mo capability to ensure a consistent experience worldwide.
So now you know why you are limited to 720p videos at 960 fps, and only for up to 0.4 seconds. Even so, the Super Slow-mo capability adds a new creative tool that was not available in many other flagship smartphones.
Where To Buy The Galaxy Note9
Here are some direct links to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Note9 in Malaysia.
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We know just how eager everyone is to read about the new Samsung Galaxy Note9 smartphone. Is it the best Note Samsung ever made? Is it much better than the already impressive Galaxy Note8? Is it worth buying?
Here is our comprehensive review of the Samsung Galaxy Note9 smartphone.Let’s see if it’s an evolutionary upgrade, or a revolutionary device… and find out why it won our Editor’s Choice Award!
Updated @ 2018-09-10 :A major update of the review with many new photos and videos added. We also updated many aspects of the review, adding new details about the Galaxy Note9.
Originally posted @ 2018-08-24
Samsung Galaxy Note9 Colour Options
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) will come in FOUR colour options, but the Lavender Purple colour will be limited to certain countries, at least initially. The other colours are, from left to right : Midnight Black, Ocean Blue and Metallic Copper.
The Ocean Blue colour is the most interesting because it features an S Pen in a contrasting yellow colour.
Where To Buy The Galaxy Note9
Here are some direct links to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Note9 in Malaysia.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Samsung Galaxy Note9 Up Close!
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) has the largest Infinity Display ever – a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display. It is slightly wider, thicker and heavier than the Galaxy Note8 (Price Check), and comes with the dual camera system from the Galaxy S9+ (Price Check), albeit in a horizontal arrangement.
Just like in the Galaxy S9+ (Price Check), they shifted the fingerprint sensor into a central position. Otherwise, the new Galaxy Note9 looks deceptively similar to its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check).
That has led quite a few pundits to call it a minor or evolutionary upgrade, rather than a distinctive device in its own right. Are they right? Let’s find out!
New Bluetooth S Pen
The new Bluetooth S Pen looks deceptively like the S Pen from before. In fact, it features the same basic design with a 0.7 mm tip and 4,096 pressure levels as the S Pen from the Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) and the Samsung Galaxy Note FE (Price Check). But that’s where all similarity ends.
The new S Pen is a Bluetooth Low Energy device that lets you use the shutter button to remotely perform a variety of tasks. For example :
Hold the shutter button to open any app you wish. By default, it launches the Camera app.
When the camera is activated, press the shutter button once to take a picture, or twice to switch between the front and main cameras.
Press the shutter button once to go forward in an app or browser, or twice to go backwards.
Its Bluetooth capability also allows the Galaxy Note9 to sense when you forget your S Pen and warn you. This will greatly reduce, if not eliminate, the chance of losing your S Pen.
Samsung also introduced a new S Pen Signature Colour for the Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App). Every S Pen will now write in its signature colour when you are using the Screen Off Memo mode.
The only problem with the Signature Colour feature? Samsung has not updated its Samsung Notes app to include the ability to change its background to black – the colour of the Screen Off Memo mode. So currently, whatever you write in the Signature Colour will be quite hard to read in Samsung Notes. Samsung needs to address this quickly!
You don’t need to worry about powering it. Hidden inside is a tiny Seiko K8373 supercapacitor. The expensive supercapacitor is not only highly durable and withstands extreme temperatures, it recharges in a flash – just 40 seconds of charging will give you 30 minutes of use!
Photo Credit : iFixit
It is also simple to recharge – the new S Pen recharges automatically when it is docked. You can even check the power level, but you really don’t need to worry about running out because :
a) the supercapacitor only powers the remote control feature, and
b) the stylus itself is still powered electromagnetically by the Galaxy Note9, and will never run out of power!
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) comes with a 4,000 mAh battery – 21% larger than the 3,300 mAh battery of the Galaxy Note8 (Price Check. Yet the Galaxy Note9 is just 0.2 mm thicker and 6 grams heavier.
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) naturally supports fast charging in both wired and wireless (WPC and PMA) modes. It continues to use the standard 15 watt Samsung fast adaptive charger, so expect a longer charging time for its beefier battery.
Later in this review, we will examine its battery life, and battery recharging speed…
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Samsung Galaxy Note9 Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) retains the same 8 MP front camera with the Samsung S5K3H1 sensor, and f/1.7 lens from the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check). It is capable of recording 4K videos at 30 fps, and has great low-light capability. It doesn’t come with an LED flash but uses screen flash for more even lighting.
At the back, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) inherits the awesome dual camera system from the Samsung Galaxy S9+ (Price Check) smartphone. It consists of a dual aperture camera, and a telephoto camera.
Unlike other dual camera systems, it works like two separate cameras that captures images simultaneously! This allows it to create pictures with amazing adjustable bokeh through its Live Focus feature, while giving you the Dual Capture option to capture photos from both cameras simultaneously!
The dual aperture camera uses the superb Samsung ISOCELL SAK2L3 image sensor, and has a large mechanical aperture that automatically switches between :
a large f/1.5 aperture, for incredible low-light performance and bokeh, or
the f/2.4 aperture for a greater depth of field.
The f/1.5 aperture is the widest aperture so far in a smartphone, offering just over ⅓ stop more light than the f/1.7 aperture of the Samsung Galaxy S8‘s camera and twice that of most flagship smartphone cameras. This translates into better low-light photography with less noise.
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The secondary camera has a smaller 12 MP sensor (without Dual Pixel capability) paired with a telephoto f/2.4 lens. This telephoto camera does not just give you a 2X optical zoom capability, it delivers the Samsung’s signature Live Focus and Dual Capture capabilities.
Best of all, you can switch between the two cameras in the midst of recording a video! This is an incredibly useful feature that is only available in two other smartphones – the Samsung Galaxy Note8 and the Samsung Galaxy S9+.
And because both the wide and telephone cameras have OIS lenses, the video will be stabilised irrespective of which camera you choose to use at any time. This is why the
Samsung ISOCELL Fast Sensor
Samsung used the same ISOCELL Fast SAK2L3 sensor that was used in the Samsung Galaxy S9+ (Price Check). This is a 12 MP sensor with large 1.4 µm pixels for excellent low-light performance.
The Fast designation means it comes with Dual Pixel and Super PD capabilities. It also boasts a 3-stack FRS (Fast Readout Sensor) that allows high-speed captures of Full HD video.
The Dual Pixel technology is an autofocus technology that uses the dual photodiodes in every pixel on the image sensor for phase-detection autofocus. This allows for faster and more accurate focusing, because it uses many more autofocus pixels, instead of just a few dedicated pixels (usually less than 5% of the total).
Super Slow-mo
Like the Samsung Galaxy S9+ (Price Check), the Samsung Galaxy Note9 supports the Super Slow-mo feature, which allows you to record 720p video at 960 fps.
The Super Slow-mo videos can be instantly edited, with a random selection from preloaded choices. Or you can use your own music / songs. You can also create a GIF from the recorded video, with three style of looping – reverse, forward or swing.
The new ISOCELL Fast sensor, when paired with the Samsung Exynos 9810, is said to be fast enough to record slow-motion 1080p video at 960 fps / 4K video at 120 fps. However, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 is not fast enough, so Samsung limited the Super Slow-mo capability to ensure a consistent experience worldwide.
There are other caveats too – Super Slow-mo is limited to 0.4 seconds of recording and 12 seconds of playback for single Super Slow-mo shots. If you opt for the multi-shot mode, each Super Slow-mo segment in that video is limited to 0.2 seconds of recording and 6 seconds of playback.
Built-In DeX Capability
Samsung DeX is a promising effort to deliver a desktop working experience using a smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy Note9 takes that one step further with its built-in DeX capability!
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) does not require a separate DeX Station or DeX Pad accessory. All it requires is a simple USB-C to HDMI adaptor or cable! It does not even require a Samsung-branded adaptor (looking at you and your MFi bullshit, Apple!) – ANY USB-C to HDMI adaptor or cable will do.
After you use the USB-C to HDMI adaptor or cable to connect the Galaxy Note9 to a TV or monitor, you just need to link a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to use it like a PC. Best of all – you can continue to use your Galaxy Note9 while Samsung DeX is running!
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More Powerful Processor
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) will come with a faster processor – the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 in the US, and their own Exynos 9810 SoC worldwide. They are both the fastest SoCs in the world, so you should feel a noticeable bump in performance.
More Memory + Storage!
Samsung first introduced 6 GB of RAM in the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check). The Samsung Galaxy Note9 comes with that as the minimum, and offers 8 GB of LPDDR4 memory for higher capacity models. They also doubled the internal storage! Samsung offers the Galaxy Note9 in three variants :
6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage
8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage
8 GB RAM + 512 GB storage
Hybrid SIM + 512 GB microSD Card Tray
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) has Dual SIM, Dual Standby capability, and comes with a hybrid SIM tray. This gives you some flexibility – you can choose to use either a second SIM card, or a microSD card, but not both at the same time.
The microSD slot supports microSD cards of up to 512 GB in size, allowing you to obtain up to 1 TB of storage! Samsung will be announcing a new 512 GB microSD card to pair with the Galaxy Note9, but you can immediately purchase and use the following high-capacity microSD cards :
Samsung moved the fingerprint sensor to a central location right beneath the main camera at the back. This is a much better location, especially if you are left-handed. But that’s not all.
Samsung also used a new touch fingerprint sensor. It is much easier and faster to register your fingerprint with this new sensor. This addresses a major criticism of the Galaxy S8 and Note8 smartphones.
The location of the fingerprint sensor under the horizontal layout of the dual-camera system means the bumper case has a T-shaped cut-out that helps to guide your finger to the fingerprint sensor. However, its close proximity to the rear camera means you will still have to regularly clean the camera lens to avoid blurry pictures.
Intelligent Scan
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) has a “new login method” called Intelligent Scan. This is not really a new feature, but a combination of the existing facial recognition and iris scanning capabilities.
In bright conditions, Intelligent Scan uses facial recognition to login. But when it gets too dark, the iris scanner kicks in. This allows for easier and faster logins in low light or super bright conditions.
Intelligent Scan addresses the key problem with the iris scanner – it doesn’t work in bright conditions. However, it is easier to fool than a point cloud facial recognition system like Apple Face ID, and future honor smartphones,
Intelligent Scan is a great convenience, especially if you need to log into the Galaxy Note9 while it’s attached to a car mount. But security-conscious users should stick to a password if possible, or rely on the iris scanner and fingerprint sensor.
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IP68 Dust & Water Resistance
Like the Galaxy Note8, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 is IP68-rated for dust- and water-resistance. Best of all, you don’t have to prepare it in any way before you dunk it into water! For more information how how Samsung achieved this feat, take a look at The Samsung IP68 Engineering Explained.
Officially, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) can withstand complete immersion in water up to 1.5 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes. That means you can take it for jogs in the rain, or reading in the bathtub. Heck, you can even take it for a swim!
There are some caveats though. The IP68 rating applies to a specific set of test conditions : 15-35 °C, 86-106 kPa, 1.5 metre, 30 minutes. Water may enter and damage the Galaxy Note9 if it is exposed to “water moving with force“, like running water from a tap or waterfall, or ocean waves.
You would expect the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App)to be a large phablet. After all, it has a large 6.4-inch display. Yet, it is about the same size as a 5.7-inch smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy Note FE (Price Check).
That said, this is still a two-handed device, because of its height. If you prefer to use only one hand, you can turn on the One-handed mode option.
The Super AMOLED display is beautiful as always. However, the WQHD+ resolution of 1440 x 2960 results in a non-standard 18.5:9 display ratio. Watching movies will result in some pillarboxing– a black bar on each side of the movie.
The Gorilla Glass 5 back looks fabulous… at first. It is easily smudged by oily fingerprints, because it lacks the oleophobic coating of the front Gorilla Glass 5 cover protecting the display. The smudges are particularly obvious on the Ocean Blue and Midnight Black models. Perhaps that’s why Samsung threw in a clear TPU bumper case – it protects the Galaxy Note9 while keeping the shiny back smear-free.
Setting Up The Samsung Galaxy Note9
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) runs on Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box, and is very easy to set-up. If you are setting it up as a new device, it should take you only 5-7 minutes to finish the setup process.
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Available Memory & Storage
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) base model comes with 6 GB of LPDDR4 memory. Those who hated the bloat in the Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) will be glad to know that the Note9 has far less bloat.
Out of the box, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 has 3.3 GB (55%) of memory available for use – significantly more than the 2.8 GB (37.5%) free memory of the Galaxy Note8.
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) base model comes with 128 GB of internal flash storage, with 108.8 GB of free space for you to use. That is enough space to store about 24,500 photos, or 13.25 hours of 1080p videos, or 5.25 hours of 4K videos.
If that’s not enough, you can top it up with a microSD card (up to 512 GB), for a total storage capacity of 1 TB!
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Samsung Galaxy Note9 Camera Performance – Photos
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) uses the superb 12 MP Samsung ISOCELL Fast SAK2L3 sensor in the dual aperture camera. It is capable of automatically or manually switching between the f/1.5 aperture, and the f/2.4 aperture.
The maximum 12 MP resolution is attained with the 4:3 aspect ratio, with 4032 x 3024 pixels, and a file size of between 3 MB and 5 MB.
Here are 14 high-resolution unedited samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos, which you can also download to examine.
The resolution and detail in the Samsung Galaxy Note9’s photos are incredible. You can see the intricate detail of the pepper seeds, the flower pollen, even the individual buds of the broccoli florets.
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It also did a great job of bringing out the colour of the subject matter. Every colour is accurately rendered and automatically “amped up” by AI algorithms. If you do not like the increased vividness though, you can turn off the Scene Optimiser feature.
The f/1.5 aperture naturally creates a very narrow depth of field, with a nicer bokeh effect. But if that’s not enough, you can use its Live Focus feature which allows you to create really awesome bokeh for the background.
No doubt, the Live Focus bokeh is artificially created, but the dual camera design allow for precise separation of the subject from the background. Live Focus also allows you to adjust the amount of bokeh for the background.
Awesome Samsung Galaxy Note9 Photo Samples From Taipei
One of the first things we did with the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) was to take it on a photo trip.
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Samsung Galaxy Note9 Camera Performance – Video Recording
Like its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) is capable of recording 4K videos from both front and back cameras. However, Samsung still limits the 4K recording time to just 10 minutes. This was likely done to ensure that the sensor does not overheat the battery.
Video Recording Test #1 : Piano (1080p)
In this video, you can see the amount of detail the sensor captures, even at just 1080p. You can also see how well its OIS capability worked, even when we switched between the main camera and the telephoto camera.
The audio quality is still a bit bright and lacks bass, but it’s still one of the better non-Hi-Res Audio recordings we have heard.
Video Recording Test #2 : Piano (4K)
The resolution at 4K is incredible. You can clearly read the small text on the sign under the piano! Samsung also solved the seeking issue we noted when we reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S9+ (Price Check), which uses the same camera.
Video Recording Test #3 : Street Market (1080p)
The combination of OIS and EIS allowed the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) to deliver really good image stabilisation.
Video Recording Test #4 : Street Market (4K)
Its image stabilisation capabilities were not diminished with the higher resolution. Overall – very good OIS and EIS performance.
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Video Recording Test #5 : Night Dancing (1080p)
The singers on the platform are well-lit, but the dancers are not. Watch how well the Samsung Galaxy Note9 adapts to the changing lighting conditions. You wouldn’t think that this was a low-light condition.
Video Recording Test #6 : Night Dancing (4K)
The resolution is just amazing… and so was its control of the highlights. You can see right into the restaurant in the background even though it’s much brighter than the dancers in the foreground!
Samsung Galaxy Note9 Camera Performance – Low Light
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Work Performance – PCMark
We tested the Samsung Galaxy Note9’s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
This Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) is powered by the same Exynos 9810 SoC used in the Samsung Galaxy S9+ (Price Check), so Its performance in work application was no different.
Gaming Performance – 3DMark
We tested the Galaxy Note9’s gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Unlimited test.
What the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) lacked in work performance, it more than made up in gaming performance. Its ARM Mali-G72 MP18 graphics processor was 44% faster than the ARM Mali-G71 MP20 used in the Galaxy Note8 (Price Check).
The Samsung Galaxy Note9’s CPU cores also delivered 39% faster physics processing than those of the Galaxy Note8 (Price Check).
Battery Life – PCMark
We then tested the Galaxy Note9’s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.
Will you look at that! The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) delivered a battery life of over 10 hours. This is not just screen-on time. It’s running the Work 2.0 benchmark over, and over again, for over 10 hours!
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 comes with an adaptive fast charger with a power output of 15 W. Take a look at how fast it recharged the 4,000 mAh battery.
It took the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App)just under 107 minutes (1 hour 47 minutes) to recharge its battery from 20% to 100%. That is a battery life : recharging ratio of 5.8 : 1 – a good ratio. A rule of thumb – for one hour of battery life, charge it for 10.5 minutes.
The fastest recharging happened up to the 85% level. This took just 72 minutes. Then the recharging speed slowed down, and it took a further 35 minutes to top up the remaining 15%.
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Our Verdict & Award
In our review of the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check), we pointed out that it was in a class of its own. This remains true with the new Samsung Galaxy Note9. Nothing else in the world comes close to it.
So the question really isn’t whether the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) is the best Note ever, but whether it is an evolutionary upgrade, or a revolutionary device in its own right. The answer – it is both. Let us summarise why.
Evolutionary Improvements
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Faster CPU and GPU
Doubling of storage capacity
Improved fingerprint sensor
Larger battery capacity
Revolutionary Features
Dual Aperture Camera
Bluetooth S Pen with remote control
Supercapacitor in the S Pen
Built-in Samsung DeX capability
Many pundits predicted an evolutionary device. Yet Samsung continued to push the envelope, delivering several revolutionary features. Perhaps there is much to be said for their strategy of focusing on making their core features better, Instead of resorting to gimmicks like display notches and pop-up cameras,
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) is, without doubt, a magnificent piece of smartphone technology. It’s unbelievable how much technology Samsung packed into such a compact device. We would like to congratulate Samsung for a work well done, and award the Galaxy Note9 our Editor’s Choice Award!
Samsung Galaxy Note9 Price + Availability
Here are the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) prices in the UK and Malaysia. Note that the UK price includes the VAT of 20%.
6 GB + 128 GB : £899 / $999.99 / RM 3,699
8 GB + 256 GB : £999
8 GB + 512 GB : £1,099 / $1,249.99 / RM 4,599
The Galaxy Note9 is available worldwide starting 24 August 2018. In Malaysia, it will only be offered in Midnight Black and Metallic Copper with a matching S Pen, and Ocean Blue with a Yellow S Pen.
Where To Buy The Galaxy Note9
Here are some direct links to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Note9 in Malaysia.
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We were one of the fortunate few in the world to receive the new Samsung Galaxy Note9 smartphone right after its big reveal. One of the first things we did – take it out for a trip to Taipei! Enjoy our Samsung Galaxy Note9 photo samples from Taipei, and see for yourselves just how awesome both its front and main cameras are!
Samsung Galaxy Note9 Photo Samples (Day 1)
Day 1 : Preflight
We flew to Taipei in the morning of 16 August, taking a quick selfie before boarding our flight. There was no preparation, just a quick shot. Joshua at the back didn’t even realise we were taking a selfie!
The Samsung Galaxy Note9‘s front camera has an 8 MP sensor and f/1.7 lens. Unsurprisingly, it did a great job of making sure everyone’s faces were well-exposed. No filters and no DSLR were required to take this instantly-Instagrammable Note9 photo.
Day 1 : Tamsui River
After we landed in Taipei, we took a bus over the New Taipei Bridge. While the bus was rumbling over it, I took this quick snapshot of the Tamsui River.
If you peek closely, you can see some reflections off the window, but otherwise, a nice scenic shot to kickstart our Taipei sojourn.
Day 1 : Stewed Pork Rice
The first thing we did in Taipei? EAT!
This is a traditional Taiwanese comfort food of stewed pork on rice, with assorted side dishes – soy-stewed eggs, tofu, and vegetables.
No filters were applied. Despite the yellowish lighting, the colour balance of this Galaxy Note9 photo was still quite good – the white rice was white, not yellowish.
Here is a close-up of the bowl of rice with minced stewed pork on top, with a slice of what is probably pickled radish. The stewed pork was so sinfully soft, and the sauce… utterly heavenly!
The minced stewed pork was not enough, so we ordered slices of stewed pork belly. It was EXQUISITE! The meat was so soft, it literally melted in our mouths!
Look at the detail captured by the Samsung Galaxy Note9‘s Dual Aperture camera. Remember – it only has a 12 MP sensor, but it’s an AWESOME sensor with large pixels. That’s why it takes such great detail with so little noise under less than ideal lighting.
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Day 1 : Ximenting
Ximenting is arguably the most popular tourist’s area for night shopping. Every night, and more so on weekends, it’s packed with people.
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) has a new Dual Aperture camera with an incredibly wide f/1.5 aperture. This gives it ⅓ stop more light than f/1.7 of its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Note8, and ⅔ stop more light than f/2.0 used in many flagship smartphones.
Hence, taking instant shots like this, without a tripod, is not a problem. Note the lack of motion blur in this Note9 photo, both from my hands and of the people walking past.
Why Rebrand when you can Debrand?
Not only was this brand name interesting, you can see the lack of motion blur from the car on the left and the motorcycle on the right. Thanks to its wide f/1.5 aperture, the Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) can take such photos at high shutter speeds in low-light conditions.
This is the Red House at night. It’s a stark contrast – dark exterior with a very bright interior. Yet the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) has no problem bringing out the best of both.
This is thanks to its built-in Auto HDR feature. It’s enabled by default, and kicks in when it detects a big difference in brightness. It basically takes three photos with different exposures in quick succession and merges them into one photo.
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Samsung Galaxy Note9 Photo Samples (Day 2 Part 1)
Day 2 : Ximenting
Good FREAKING HOT morning, Taipei! 😅😅
This Samsung Galaxy Note9 photo is a great example of its Auto HDR capability. I took this picture “blindly” because the sun was so bright, I could not even look at it.
Yet the Note9 photo turned out much better than anyone had any right to expect. Thanks to its Auto HDR feature, it managed to reduce the incredible intensity of the sunlight, and yet preserve the details in the shadows.
You can actually see both the sun AND people hidden in the shadow of the MRT station! Heck, even the blue sky and wispy clouds are clearly visible in such an intensely bright sky.
Day 2 : Marshal Zen Garden
The Marshal Zen Garden in Taipei is a really picturesque location. The following Samsung Galaxy Note9 photo samples were unedited (other than being cropped in Instagram) and had no filters applied.
The zen path to inner peace…
The detail the 12 MP Samsung ISOCell sensor captured is readily apparent, even in this reduced sized photo. In the original, you can make out the detail of the tiny leaves.
In such bright conditions, the Samsung Galaxy Note9‘s Dual Aperture camera switches to the f/2.4 aperture.
Again, this was a very hot day, with a scorching hot sun. Because it’s so bright, the Dual Aperture camera automatically switched to the f/2.4 aperture. This ensured that the mountains and buildings in the background would not be blurred out.
The Auto HDR feature also kicked in, keeping the highlights in full control, while preserving the details in the shadows. You can actually see the blue sky and white clouds in this Note9 photo. Yet you can also make out the details of the leaves and even the roof tiles in the shadows.
The stairway to zen…
If you want a dramatic photo to show your friends just how freaking hot it is, you need to turn off Auto HDR. Otherwise, you will end up with a nice well-lit HDR photo like this. 😁
Without Auto HDR, the rooftop would be brightly-lit, but you won’t be able to see the white dog at the bottom of the stairway, much less the large pot behind him.
Thanks to Auto HDR, you can see deep into the shadows at the bottom of the stairway. Heck, you can even see the tiny figurines hidden in the shadows of an alcove under the roof!
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These are two owl dolls at the Marshal Zen Garden. In the original Note9 photo, you can make out the fine details of their faux feathers.
Here is a close-up Note9 photo of another owl pair, this time in direct sunlight. It was VERY BRIGHT, yet the owls were perfectly exposed. There was very good control of the highlights, and you can see the intricate detail of these owl dolls.
Later in the evening, it started raining at the Marshal Zen Garden, which gave me the opportunity to capture this shot. Completely unedited (except for cropping), and certainly no filters were applied.
The Auto HDR feature kicked in this shot, and preserved both the bright floor lamps and the details of the floor planks and the rocks in the dark areas on the right side.
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Samsung Galaxy Note9 Photo Samples (Day 2 Part 2)
Day 2 : Marshal Zen Garden Fine Dining
The Marshal Zen Garden has a fine dining restaurant. However, the restaurant has VERY DIM lighting. We didn’t expect very good photos, but the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) surprised us.
Note : These Samsung Galaxy Note9 photo samples were taken without flash or additional lighting support. Only some exposure adjustments were made, if necessary, but no filters were applied.
This is King Grouper jelly. In real life, it was so dark, you can barely identify the vegetables at the bottom!
Handmade tofu with Japanese dressing.
Look at how much detail the Samsung Galaxy Note9 managed to capture in such dim lighting!
In real life, you can barely make out that there is even a colour difference between the two mushroom slices.
This is Fried Shrimp Cake and Watermelon with Citrus Sauce.
The depth of field is appreciably narrow at f/1.5, so you need to be careful at what you want to focus on, especially in close-up shots.
The shrimp cakes were rectangular in shape, and arranged standing vertically on a watermelon cube. Focusing on them meant that the bottom of the plate, and the citrus sauce, looked slightly out-of-focus.
Steamed King Grouper and Truffle with Seaweed Sauce
Again, the narrow depth of field means you have to be careful in what you focus on, but I think this Note9 photo turned out pretty well, especially considering the really dim lighting…
You can make out the detail of the vegetable stalk with fried shallots on top, and the rolled fish slice.
This is a plate of three pieces of Shaoxing chicken arranged on a rectangular plate.
The f/1.5 lens’ narrow depth of field is readily apparent – only the first piece is in focus. But it gives us a great opportunity to check out the bokeh quality of the background.
Remember – this is not software bokeh, but actual optical bokeh from the very large f/1.5 aperture of the Samsung Galaxy Note9‘s Dual Aperture camera.
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Normally, soups are not really exciting subjects to shoot. But this Green Papaya Chicken Soup came in a cute little clay pot, and hey, it turned out pretty nice!
I focused on the soup, so you can clearly see the oil micelles floating on top of the clear broth. In real life, I could only make out the piece of chicken, but in this Note9 photo sample, we can also make out the piece of radish at the bottom of the pot.
This is a plate of seasonal vegetables with red carrot sauce.
I’m impressed by the detail that we can make out in this Note9 photo – the criss-cross pattern on the cracker, the striations on the surface of the mushroom stalks, and even the tiny patterns on the slice of cucumber.
Finally, dessert – Orange Cheese Pie with Dragon Fruit.
Look at the detail and colour of the dragon fruit. It is really hard to get both right in the dim YELLOW lighting. The flesh of the dragon fruit is the perfect tone of white, and you can make out the individual seeds. Amazing!
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Samsung Galaxy Note9 Photo Samples (Day 2 Part 3)
Day 2 : Taiwanese Hot Pot
Late at night, we went for another Taiwanese favourite – the hot pot. It’s basically steamboat with a variety of soup options. Here, we have Mala (chilli oil) soup on the left half of the pot, and herbal soup on the right half.
Note how well the colour turned out. The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) uses built-in AI algorithms (Scene Optimiser) to automatically identify the subject and apply the best colour correction to make sure the colours are correct and “pop”.
In the second hot pot, we had pickled vegetable soup in the left half… and scallop soup in the right half.
Look at the detail captured by the Samsung Galaxy Note9‘s Dual Aperture camera. You can see the striations of the muscle tissue in the foreground.
In this Samsung Galaxy Note9 photo sample, you can see the wisps of the evaporating dry ice, and the marbling of the meat.
This is the seafood platter. Look at how the colours “pop”, and how they accurately reflect real life colour. The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) accurately identified this as “food”, and made the right colour corrections.
This platter has assorted beef innards. Completely different colour from the seafood platter but the Galaxy Note9‘s Scene Optimiser algorithms correctly identified them as food too.
Assorted meatballs on ice.
Note that these are quick shots, as we were all ravenous. A second or two to frame the shot, and that’s it.
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Quick shot of our hungry party! Notice the lack of motion blur. It’s not magic – the fast f/1.5 lens allows for faster shutter speeds.
Look at this slice of meat! It’s bigger than the iPhone 6 Plus!
Again, another quick shot without preparation. The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) did a great job of bringing out the colour of the meat, while giving the background a nice bokeh.
This is ice-blended lychee vinegar in a unique metal cup… Delicious!
The f/1.5 lens is great for low-light conditions, but has a narrow depth of field. So you must make sure you focus on what matters, and live with a bokeh effect for the rest. Either that, or switch to the f/2.4 aperture.
Here is a selfie with the front 8 MP camera with f/1.7 lens. It did a great job of making sure everyone’s face was well-lit. But you will note that it’s not as wide as many selfie-focused front cameras.
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Samsung Galaxy Note9 Photo Samples (Day 3)
Day 3 : Oyster Mee Sua
It’s another hot morning in Taipei, and it’s time for the Taiwanese breakfast of champions – oyster mee sua! Mee sua is a very fine salted wheat noodles, with a starchy consistency.
Look at the detail of the mee sua in the foreground, and the nicely blurred background of the guy serving another bowl of mee sua.
One thing about the Taiwanese… they’re so organised.
There is a bucket for leftovers; a tray for the cardboard bowls and a garbage can for everything else.
Cheers? Slurping oyster mee sua in the morning.
This was taken with Vyncent and Huang Jo (both in black t-shirts) in the shadows. But the Auto HDR feature of the Samsung Galaxy Note9 made sure their faces were clearly exposed.
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Our Galaxy Note9 Photo Samples Summarised
It is obvious by now that the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) is our favourite smartphone for mobile photography. It boasts the same excellent Dual Aperture camera as the Samsung Galaxy S9+ (Price Check), with the ability to switch between the f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures.
The f/1.5 lens is incredibly useful – making low-light photography a breeze. Its narrow depth of field can get tricky, so you have to make sure you focus right in close-up shots. Otherwise, it’s smart enough to adjust the focus, shutter speed and aperture to make sure you get the perfect shot, even if it was a quick shot off-the-cuff.
The new Samsung Galaxy Note9 has an advantage over the already excellent Galaxy S9+ though. It boasts the new Scene Optimiser feature, which uses AI algorithms to identify elements of a photo. It then optimises the saturation, white balance, brightness and contrast.
Without a doubt – the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) delivers the best mobile photography experience we have seen so far, out-of-the-box. No tweaks needed. The default Auto HDR and Scene Optimiser settings will take care of everything for you.
We hoped you enjoyed our Samsung Galaxy Note9 photo samples from Taipei, and they would prove to be useful in helping you decide on upgrading to theSamsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check)!
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Samsung really went all out in their exclusive, invitation-only Samsung Galaxy Note9 launch event at Arena Axiata in Bukit Jalil. 2,000 lucky guests witnessed the largest and most spectacular launch of any Samsung smartphone yet.
But don’t fret – we recorded EVERYTHING at the Samsung Galaxy Note9 launch. So check out the photos and videos it will be as if you were there yourself today!
Samsung Galaxy Note9 Launch Presentation
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 launch event kicked off with Samsung Malaysia President Yoonson Kim arriving in a McLaren supercar, escorted by nine super bikes and nine drones.
All Day Battery: The Galaxy Note9’s 4,000mAh battery, the largest ever on a flagship Galaxy phone for long-lasting power to use all-dayto talk, text, play games and watch movies from morning to night.
Store More, Delete Less: The Galaxy Note9 is available with two internal storage options – choose from 128GB or 512GB. And with the ability to insert a microSD card, the device is 1TB-ready, allowing users to have peace of mind, knowing there will always be enough room for favourite photos, videos, and apps.
Speed and Power: The Galaxy Note9 is a super powerful smartphone with a cutting-edge 10nm processor and support for the fastest network speeds available in the market (up to 1.2 gigabits per second) to stream and download without slowing down. The device also includes an industry-leading and Samsung developed Water Carbon Cooling system and an on-device AI-based performance adjusting algorithm to deliver powerful yet stable performances.
All-Star Endorsement of the Samsung Galaxy Note9!
Samsung invited an all-star cast of celebrities to share their experience using the new Galaxy Note9, and their trip to New York for the Samsung Galaxy Note9 Unpacked event! They include Jinnyboy, Reuben Kang, Limzy, Josephine Yap and Tian Chad.
The Samsung Galaxy Note9’s camera and new Bluetooth S Pen proved to be very useful to them :
New S Pen – With Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) support, it’s now possible to take selfies and group pictures, present slides, pause and play videos, with just one click of the S Pen!
Scene Optimizer : The Galaxy Note9’s camera is Samsung’s smartest yet. It uses intelligence to identify elements of a photo, such as the scene and subject, to automatically classify it into one of 20 categories and be instantly optimized. The result is a stunning, lifelike image with bold colours and dynamic definition.
Flaw Detection : The first shot doesn’t always come out right, but the Galaxy Note9 lets users know if there’s something wrong so they can take another picture without losing the moment. An immediate notification will appear if the image is blurry, the subject blinked, there is a smudge on the lens, or there’s backlight impacting the quality of the image.
Premium Camera : With the unique combination of advanced intelligence features and leading premium hardware, the Galaxy Note9’s camera is the best on the market. It comes with advanced noise reduction technology and a Dual Aperture lens, which adjusts to light just like the human eye. No matter the lighting conditions, Galaxy Note9’s top-tier camera delivers a crystal-clear shot.
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BONUS : K-Tigers LIVE!
The guests were also treated to an electrifying performance by the K-Tigers – the world’s leading Taekwondo demo team from South Korea!
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 launch then ended with a team dance. Then guests were invited to try out Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone!
Galaxy And Beyond!
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 comes with these premium Galaxy technologies – fast wireless charging, IP68 water and dust resistance and Samsung services such as Samsung Health and Samsung Pay.
Additionally, it features Samsung’s trusted, defense-grade Knox security platform and biometric security options including fingerprint scanning, iris scanning, and facial recognition capabilities to keep important information safe.
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Samsung just unveiled the new Samsung Galaxy Note9 smartphone, announcing that they will be available globally on 24 August 2018. They have also announced a Galaxy Note9 pre-order campaign with exclusive gifts! Get the full details below!
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 Pre-Order Period
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 pre-order will kick off at 12 PM sharp, on 10 August 2018, and end at midnight, 19 August 2018.
FREE Gifts worth RM 1,531 : Gear Sport smartwatch +Gear Sport Strap + Wireless Charger Pad
Samsung Galaxy Note9 (128 GB)
FREE Gear Sport smartwatch worth RM 1,219
The Samsung Gear Sport smartwatch, Gear Sport Strap and Wireless Charger Pad will be offered only in the Black colour.
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 Collection
Samsung Galaxy Note9 pre-order customers will get to collect their devices two days prior to global availability, from 10 AM onwards on 22 August 2018.
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You don’t have to rush to collect from Galaxy Note9 devices t hough. You have until 2nd September 2018 to collect your pre-ordered devices.
You will have the option of :
self-collecting your pre-ordered Samsung Galaxy Note9 smartphone at selected Samsung Experience Stores, with a RM 300 deposit *, or
have your pre-order unit delivered (free of charge) to your doorstep with a full payment to their online store.
* Please note that the RM 300 deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable.
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