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!

 

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.

• Samsung Galaxy Note9 with 128 GB storage : RM 3,699 (Web | App)
• Samsung Galaxy Note9 with 512 GB storage : RM 4,599 (Web | App)

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

 

Unboxing The Samsung Galaxy Note9

The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App) comes in a premium black box, which is virtually the same used for the Galaxy Note8 (Price Check).

Once you fully unbox it, you will find the following items :

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• One Samsung Galaxy Note9 smartphone
• One clear TPU bumper case
• One set of Samsung Galaxy Note9 documents
• One 15 W Samsung adaptive quick charger
• One USB Type A to USB Type C data and power cable
• One micro-USB to USB-C adaptor
• One USB Type A to USB T Type C adaptor
• One pair of AKG earphones with spare earbuds
• One S Pen nib extractor with spare nibs
• One SIM tray extractor pin

Next Page > Samsung Galaxy Note9 Up Close + Key Features

 

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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!

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!

For more secret features of the new Galaxy Note9 S Pen, read The 7 Secret Galaxy Note9 S Pen Features You Never Knew!

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4,000 mAh Battery

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…

Next Page > Samsung Galaxy Note9 Camera Features

 

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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!

Next Page > More Samsung Galaxy Note9 Features

 

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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 :

• 512 GB PNY Elite microSDXC Card : $349.99
• 400 GB SanDisk Ultra microSDXC Card : $152.53

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New Fingerprint Sensor

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.

Next Page > Samsung Galaxy Note9 Durability, Ergonomics, Setup, Available Memory + Storage

 

 

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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.

In other words, this is not a waterproof phone like the Oukitel K10000 Pro or the Kenxinda ruggerdised smartphones. It is IP68 water-resistant, so you need to be gentle with it. You can read more about this in our article – The Samsung IP68 Engineering Explained.

 

The Ergonomics

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!

Next Page > Samsung Galaxy Note9 Camera Performance – Photos

 

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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.

This time, we took it to Taipei, where we got a bunch of awesome Samsung Galaxy Note9 photo samples. Check it out!

Next Page > Samsung Galaxy Note9 Camera Performance – Video Recording

 

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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

We created a separate article looking at the Samsung Galaxy Note9’s camera performance in low-light conditions. Check it out!

Next Page > Samsung Galaxy Note9 Performance, Battery Life  + Recharging Speed

 

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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.

Work 2.0	Honor 10	Samsung Galaxy Note8	Samsung Galaxy S9+	Samsung Galaxy Note9
Performance Score (Average)	7106	5617	5590	5557
Web Browsing	7295	5433	6037	5763
Video Editing	5159	4872	5332	5410
Writing	6732	5696	4713	5421
Photo Editing	12910	8563	6847	5898
Data Manipulation	5524	4329	5253	5316
	Review Price Check	Review Price Check	Review Price Check	Price Check

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.

Ice Storm Unlimited	Samsung Galaxy Note9	Samsung Galaxy S9+	Samsung Galaxy Note8	Honor 10
Gaming Score	42598	42489	32584	30560
Graphics	51199	49852	36927	34801
Physics	26825	28009	23083	21423
Graphics Test 1	330.2 fps	308.6 fps	185.5 fps	206.2 fps
Graphics Test 2	167.9 fps	167.0 fps	141.5 fps	119.5 fps
Physics Test	85.2 fps	88.9 fps	73.3 fps	68.0 fps
	Price Check	Review Price Check	Review Price Check	Review Price Check

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%.

Work 2.0	Samsung Galaxy Note9	Samsung Galaxy S9+	Honor 10	Samsung Galaxy Note8
Battery Life	10 hours 15 mins	9 hours 5 mins	8 hours 56 mins	8 hours 50 mins
 	Price Check	Review Price Check	Review Price Check	Review Price Check

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 Galaxy Note9 lasted 70 minutes longer than the Samsung Galaxy S9+ (Price Check), and 85 minutes longer than the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check)!

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Battery Recharging Performance

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%.

Next Page > Samsung Galaxy Note9 Verdict & Award, Price, Availability + Specifications

 

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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.

• Samsung Galaxy Note9 with 128 GB storage : RM 3,699 (Web | App)
• Samsung Galaxy Note9 with 512 GB storage : RM 4,599 (Web | App)

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 Specifications Compared

In this table, we compared to the Samsung Galaxy Note9 to its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Note8 and the Samsung Galaxy Note FE.

Specifications	Samsung Galaxy Note9	Samsung Galaxy Note8	Samsung Galaxy Note FE
Display	6.4" Super AMOLED dual-edge display - 1440 x 2960 pixels (516 ppi)	6.3" Super AMOLED dual-edge display - 1440 x 2960 pixels (521 ppi)	5.7" Super AMOLED dual-edge display - 1440 x 2560 pixels (577 ppi)
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 5	Corning Gorilla Glass 5	Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Water & Dust Resistance	IP68	IP68	IP68
Operating System (At Launch)	Android 8.1 Oreo	Android 7.1.1 Nougat	Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
System Platform	Samsung Exynos 9810 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 845	Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa or Qualcomm Snapdragon 835	Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa
Memory	6 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM	6 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM	4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
Storage Options	128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB internal storage One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 512 GB	64 GB / 128 GB / 256 GB internal storage One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 256 GB	64 GB / 128 GB internal storage One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 200 GB
Front Camera	8 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens	8 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens	5 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens
Rear Camera	Dual Lens Camera with Dual OIS and dual-tone LED flash Dual-Aperture Camera 12 MP (1.4 µm) Dual Pixel sensor with f/1.5 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and f/1.5 or f/2.4 apertures Telephoto Camera (2X optical zoom) 12 MP (1.0 µm) sensor with f/2.4 lens, and optical image stabilisation (OIS)	Dual Lens Camera with Dual OIS Wide-Angle Camera 12 MP (1.4 µm) sensor with f/1.7 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash Telephoto Camera (2X optical zoom) 12 MP (1.0 µm) sensor with f/2.4 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash	12 MP Sony / Samsung (1.4 µm) sensor with f/1.7 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash
Dual SIM capability	Hybrid dual SIM (dual active capability) - SIM 2 + microSD shared slot	Hybrid dual SIM (dual standby capability) - SIM 2 + microSD shared slot	Hybrid dual SIM (dual active capability) - SIM 2 + microSD shared slot
Connectivity	Network : LTE Cat. 18 (1.2 Gbps / 200 Mbps) WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz), MIMO (2 x 2) Bluetooth : Version 5.0 LE, ANT+ Others : USB 3.1, NFC, GPS	Network : LTE Cat. 16 (1 Gbps / 150 Mbps) WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz), MIMO (2 x 2) Bluetooth : Version 5.0 LE, ANT+ Others : USB 3.1, NFC, GPS	Network : LTE Cat. 16 (1 Gbps / 150 Mbps) WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz), MIMO (2 x 2) Bluetooth : Version 5.0 LE, ANT+ Others : USB 3.1, NFC, GPS
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes, Rear Mounted	Yes, Rear Mounted	Yes, Home Button
Iris Scanner	Yes	Yes	Yes
Other Sensors	Accelerometer, Proximity, RGB Light, Geo-magnetic, Gyro, Barometer, Hall, HRM	Accelerometer, Proximity, RGB Light, Geo-magnetic, Gyro, Barometer, Hall, HRM	Accelerometer, Proximity, RGB Light, Geo-magnetic, Gyro, Barometer, Hall, HRM
Bixby	Yes	Yes	No
S Pen	Yes, Bluetooth LE	Yes	Yes
Battery	4,000 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable) - fast charging capability (wired & wireless) - wireless charging (WPC and PMA)	3,300 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable) - fast charging capability (wired & wireless) - wireless charging (WPC and PMA)	3,200 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable) - fast charging capability (wired & wireless) - wireless charging (WPC and PMA)
Dimensions	76.4 mm wide 161.9 mm tall 8.8 mm thick	74.8 mm wide 162.5 mm tall 8.6 mm thick	73.9 mm wide 153.5 mm tall 7.9 mm thick
Weight	201 g	195 g	169 g
Colour Options	Ocean Blue, Midnight Black, Metallic Copper, Lavender Purple (limited countries)	Midnight Black, Deepsea Blue, Orchid Gray, Maple Gold	Blue Coral, Silver Titanium, Gold Platinum, Black Onyx

 

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