The story has been updated as the Galaxy Note 9 is launching in India this week.
It’s a bit bigger, feels a tad heavier in the hand and the buttons have been moved a bit. But again, it feels like I am holding the same old Samsung Galaxy Note 8 in my hand.
That seems to be the story of the New Galaxy Note 9. Even folks at Samsung say “Nothing has changed, yet everything has changed”. The phone launches in India this week with prices starting from Rs 67,900 for the 128GB base variant. It’s priced exactly like the Galaxy Note 8 from last year, even though the specs have been bumped up, including more storage onboard.
Other than the hardware, it’s tough to figure out whether this is a sign of the innovative ability of a company withering or is Samsung just going with the saying: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.
There’s a lot of deep digging that’s required to find out ‘what’s new in the new Note’, but for now you’ll have to just do with the first impressions of the new Galaxy Note 9.
Galaxy Note 9 Specifications
- Display: 6.4-inch QHD Super AMOLED
- Corning Gorilla Glass 5
- Processor: Eyxnos 9810 octa-core
- RAM: 6GB/8GB
- Storage: 128GB/512GB
- Rear camera: 12MP+12MP
- Front camera: 8MP
- Battery: 4,000mAh
- Price: Rs 67,900/Rs 84,900
Design & Display
If you want to know how the new Galaxy Note 9 looks like, just grab the old Note 8 and imagine it is just a tad bulkier. That’s it! There are no changes in the overall form factor and the build remains exactly the same as its predecessor. The Note 9 weighs in at 201 grams while the older Note 8 carries lesser bulk at 195 grams.
Only a Note 8 user might be able to spot the difference in the ergonomics, but again someone experiencing the new Note 9 for the very first time won’t complain.
Even the display resolution is the same, minus the display size which now stands at 6.4-inch. It’s a beautiful display so one really doesn’t need to complain.
Processor & Hardware
Finally, I can talk about something that’s new. The Galaxy Note 9 comes with a new Exynos 9810 octa-core chipset coupled with RAM options of 6GB and 8GB. Samsung has done away with the 256GB storage variant and is now offering a 512GB of internal storage, which can be expanded up to 1TB via the hybrid SIM slot. Need more?
For graphics processing, the new Note comes with an Adreno 630 GPU and a cooling system. Samsung didn’t talk about what hardware it is using for the cooling and where the vent is to let out the excess heat. More on that to follow soon.
The S-Pen definitely has more ‘Stylus’ and the wherewithal to come out as a true utility tool. What really is a game changer is the addition of Bluetooth technology inside the S-Pen.
The S-Pen now emits a low frequency Bluetooth signal (that doesn’t need the phone’s Bluetooth to be open) which can be used as a remote control to navigate certain apps in the phone.
You can click pictures, play/pause YouTube videos, change presentation slides in PowerPoint and do a whole lot more now with the S-Pen. It supports only two inputs which are a single and a double tap.
Samsung has also introduced the Dex feature in the Note 9, which transforms your smartphone into a desktop just with the help of a HDMI to USB cable. Samsung tried to work around this technology earlier but it involved an external hardware. Now all you need is the Note 9 and a screen (don’t forget the cable).
Waterproof and dust resistance too has been carried forward on the Note 9 and this one also comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack! For a change, I am happy Samsung didn’t change that aspect of the phone.
The fingerprint sensor has been moved to the bottom of the rear camera assembly, which I feel is more accessible, sensible and practical than before. Not that many people will actually use the fingerprint sensor considering the Note 9 now comes with an ‘Intelligent Scanner’ which combines the iris scanner and face ID technology to unlock the phone.
Camera & Battery
The megapixel count on the Note 9 is exactly the same as on the Samsung Galaxy S9+, but the Note 9 adds some AI (artificial intelligence) features. The phone can recognise 20 different types of scenes like food, portraits, flowers, indoor environments and the software also automatically tunes the exposure, contrast and other aspects to make the photography experience better.
Here are some Note 9 rear camera samples:
Captured on Note 9
(Photo: The Quint)
I don’t find the camera app intuitive and it’s been the same case since the Note 8. Also, something I find to be a big inconvenience on the Galaxy series is that the rear camera DOES NOT SUPPORT exposure/focus lock, which really works against people who do a lot of media work and shoot videos on their phones. I am one of them!
The battery has been bumped up to 4,000mAh now keeping the bulk to a minimum which is great. How much does the extra 1,000mAh help? Still to test that out.
Initial Verdict
The Note 9 is a hot property at Rs 67,900 and one of the best flagships you can buy in the market. It offers great utility bundled with a good camera setup and now you get even more battery juice.
The S-Pen brings some more features with its Bluetooth functionality while DeX is a great addition for the people on the go who don’t want lug a laptop with them.
I really don’t find any reason for Note 8 owners to upgrade, unless the curious cat in you really wants to try an S-Pen that works like a remote control.
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