We are in 2018, the era of notches and fingerprints, of a thousand cameras and gaming smartphones. In all of this, one of the few companies that still invests in devices dedicated to business seems to be Samsung , which with its Galaxy Note 9 has added remarkably interesting features if you are always at work on your phone. Let’s go and discover this jewel from Samsung.

Packaging

If you have had the opportunity to hold the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 in your hand, you will notice a strange feeling of déjà vu: the packaging is almost identical, even in the contents. Inside we find the usual power supply, USB-C cable, spare S Pen tips, AKG earphones, microUSB to USB-C adapter and USB to USB-C OTG adapter. In short, as with the previous Samsung, it immediately gives you everything you need to make the most of your device.

Design

Even in the design, the feeling of déjà vu is powerful: externally the smartphone is very similar to the Note 8, if it were not for the steps that increase the grip on the side and an external composition that is increasingly made of metal. As before we find the on / off key on the right, while on the left the two volume keys and the Bixby button. At the bottom we have the S Pen housing , the USB-C input while at the top the audio jack, now almost impossible to find in new smartphones. It maintains resistance to water and dust IP68, and avoids the notch by preferring a configuration identical to the previous model. At the rear, the two lenses and the flash are housed, while the fingerprint sensor has been moved under the camera, no longer being next to it.

Specifications

• Display : 6.4 “Super AMOLED QHD + (1,440 x 2,960 pixels, 516ppi)
• Processor : Exynos 9810 octa-core at 10 nm
• RAM : 6 / 8GB LPDDR4
• Memory : 128/512 GB, UFS 2.1, expandable (with microSD up to 512 GB)
• Rear camera : 12 MP (f / 1.5 of / 2.4) + 12 megapixel 2x optical zoom, f / 2.4, both with OIS
• Front camera : 8 megapixel, f / 1.7, autofocus
• Connectivity : hybrid dual nano SIM, LTE, dual band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, Glonass, Galileo, NFC, USB Type-C
• Battery : 4,000 mAh with fast and wireless charging
• Dimensions : 161.9 x 76.4 x 8.8mm
• Weight : 201 grams
• IP certification : IP68 (S Pen included)
• OS : Android 8.1 Oreo with Samsung Experience

Available in two versions of 128 and 512 GB , it is immediately clear how the device points to those who work with the phone, avoiding the search for aesthetic styles and focusing on performance. The two versions are respectively 6 and 8 GB of RAM , prompting you to choose the second in terms of performance. Finally, present all the possible connectivity of the case, together with GPS assisted by GLONASS and Galileo. Present the sensor for iris scanning and facial recognition, which however yields in speed compared to the 3D analysis of other devices. Notable was the addition of a liquid heat pipe for dissipation , which was a major problem in the Note 8.

Performance

We used the device by analyzing it under multiple aspects and tasks of the day. The features of the S Pen are galactic : with the various controls available via bluetooth, you can truly transform the Note 9 into a portable machine suitable for business presentations. Using a USB-C to HDMI cable, the device will enter DeX mode without the need for the DeX Station, and you can control various applications via the S Pen. It will certainly need that the app has integrated the relative functionality, but more and more companies are doing it.

In terms of gameplay instead, we tried titles like Asphalt 9 and Fortnite, and what can annoy you in everyday use, becomes a positive note precisely in terms of game: the size of the device.

Camera

The two cameras of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 are the same as the S9 +, both 12 Megapixel: the first has a variable aperture f / 1.5-2.4, while the second remains at f / 2.4 but allows x2 optical zoom. The combination performs well both day and night, thanks to the management of the lens opening. Samsung is finally competing with the greats of photography through the Note 9, giving the best photographs ever seen on their devices.

On the front we find an 8 Megapixel f / 1.7, which in addition to taking high quality selfies, makes the Note 9 capable of making videos in 4K at 60 fps both front and rear .

Display

The Note 9’s display is larger than the previous one: 6.4 inches for an 18: 9 aspect ratio . Maintains QHD + (1440 x 2960), thanks to a SuperAMOLED compatible with HDR10. Present the always on function for locked screen notifications and a Dolby setting to improve and enhance the audio, which finally becomes stereo. The display is curved on the sides, however reducing the inclination from the previous model.

Software

No Android 9 yet: The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 still sports an 8.1 Oreo . On the other hand, the operating system modified by Samsung has many features that make the wait sweet, passing from Samsung Pay finally arriving at the entire application suite of the Korean company.

Autonomy

Despite the 4000 mAh battery , the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 maintains its autonomy problem, barely lasting a day. Of course, the right use of the device, combined with the energy saving function virtually makes the smartphone capable of lasting up to 2/3 days, but it would be interesting in the future to have a Note capable of lasting even under heavy use.

Price

The 128 GB version is about € 750 now , while you will have to exceed € 1000 to get the half-gigabyte of memory . The choice can fall on the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 only if you are looking for a top of the range that sacrifices aesthetics (although it is really nice to look at) and a little autonomy in favor of thousands of functions that can be useful in many cases.