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Samsung Galaxy Note 9 specs: A noteworthy leap in performance?

The Galaxy Note 9 is finally official, so what kind of specs should you expect from the stylus-toting phablet?
By
August 9, 2018

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is finally official, and the spec rumors were pretty much on point. At first glance, the Galaxy Note 9 seems like a Galaxy S9 Plus with a few extra bells and whistles, but is this really the case? We take a look at the Galaxy Note 9 specs sheet.

You can find the list of Samsung Galaxy Note 9 specs in the table below:

Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Display
6.4-inch Super AMOLED
2,960 x 1,440 resolution (Quad HD+)
516ppi
18.5:9 screen ratio
SoC
Global: 10nm, 64-bit, octa-core Samsung Exynos 9810 (2.8 GHz quad + 1.7 GHz quad)

U.S.: 10nm, 64-bit, octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
GPU
ARM Mali-G72 MP18 (Exynos)
Adreno 630 (Snapdragon)
RAM
6 or 8GB RAM
LPDDR4
Storage
128 or 512GB
microSD expansion up to 512GB
Cameras
Rear: Dual camera with dual OIS
Wide-angle: Super Speed Dual Pixel 12MP AF sensor with OIS, f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures
Telephoto: 12MP AF sensor, f/2.4 aperture, 2x zoom

Front: 8MP AF sensor, f/1.7 aperture
Audio
Stereo speakers tuned by AKG, surround sound with Dolby Atmos technology

Audio formats: MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, DSF, DFF, APE
Video
MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM
Battery
4,000mAh battery
Non-removable
Fast wired charging compatible with QC 2.0
Fast wireless charging compatible with WPC and PMA
IP rating
IP68
Sensors
Iris
Pressure
Accelerometer
Barometer
Fingerprint
Gyro
Geomagnetic
Hall
HR
Proximity
RGB Light
Network
Enhanced 4X4 MIMO/CA, LAA, LTE Cat. 18
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz)
VHT80 MU-MIMO
1024QAM
Bluetooth v5.0 (LE up to 2 Mbps)
ANT+
USB Type-C
NFC
Location: GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou
SIM
Single nano-SIM
Authentication
Lock type: pattern, PIN, password

Biometric lock type: iris scanner, fingerprint scanner, face recognition, Intelligent Scan
Software
Android 8.1 with Samsung Experience
Dimensions and weight
161.9 x 76.4 x 8.8mm
201g
Colors
lavender purple, ocean blue, midnight black, metallic copper

The Galaxy Note range’s biggest selling point is the S Pen stylus, and it’s undergone its biggest change in years. The stylus is now Bluetooth-enabled, giving you more features at your disposal, such as remote controls in presentations and apps. Being a Bluetooth device, it also requires a charge every now and again, but Samsung says a 40-second charge should yield 30 minutes of standby time or 200 button clicks.

In the horsepower department, things are largely the same as the earlier Plus-sized flagship. So that means a Snapdragon 845 chipset in the U.S. (or an Exynos 9810 for the global version), and a negligibly larger 6.4-inch Super AMOLED screen with a 2,960 x 1,440 resolution and 18.5:9 screen ratio.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9.

Samsung is also offering two variants this time, differing in the RAM and storage departments. The entry-level option dishes out 6GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage, while the top-end model offers 8GB of RAM and 512GB of expandable storage.

Endurance is one the Galaxy Note 9's biggest selling points.

Endurance is one the Galaxy Note 9’s biggest selling points, offering a 4,000mAh battery that’s 700mAh bigger than the Note 8‘s pack. In fact, it’s also 500mAh bigger than the S9 Plus battery, which should translate to noticeably longer endurance.

One aspect that hasn’t changed much compared to the S9 Plus is the camera experience — at least when looking at the spec sheet. You’ve still got dual 12MP cameras, each packing optical image stabilization. The main camera packs a dual aperture setup (quickly switch between two apertures for better low-light snaps), while the secondary camera handles 2x optical zoom. Toss in an 8MP selfie shooter and you’ve got a similar base experience as the Galaxy S9 Plus.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9.

The Galaxy Note 9 specs sheet doesn’t tell the whole story though, as Samsung has delivered HUAWEI-style scene recognition, automatically adjusting settings based on one of 20 detected scenes. The Korean firm is going further too, offering automatic detection of image flaws like closed eyes and blurriness.

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Much like its previous flagships, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 sports IP68 dust and water resistance. So if you intend to take photos by the poolside, it’ll survive a few dunks just fine. Toss in support for wireless charging and a headphone jack, and you’ve got a typically well-rounded Samsung design.

In term of security, the Note 9 specs include a rear fingerprint scanner, iris scanner and the S9’s Intelligent Scan feature. Don’t expect 3D facial recognition or an in-display fingerprint scanner on a Samsung flagship just yet.

What do you think of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 specs? Is it missing anything? Fire away in the comments section.