Samsung Galaxy Note 9

interface that launches automatically when you connect it to an external monitor. Chuck in a wireless keyboard and mouse, and you’ve got yourself a full blown desktop setup that lets you run Android apps (including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint) in the more traditional windowed environment.

But you don’t need to connect it to an external monitor to run more than one app simultaneously. The Note 9 lets you take full advantage of the large screen with its multiwindow feature, which enables you to ‘snap’ certain parts of supported app to the top of the screen (such as a YouTube video), run two apps simultaneously, and even run apps in windows.

The Note is also well known for the bundled S Pen, which is a stylus that’s stored neatly in the phone when not in use. This, too, has received an upgrade in the form of built-in Bluetooth, which can be used to remotely control certain applications such as the camera, music player ,and PowerPoint. The S Pen can also perform plenty of software tricks like marking up the screen, translating text in real-time, and letting the Note 9 double as a notepad when it’s in standby mode.

Rounding off the Note 9’s boatload of functionality is a standard headphone jack (an increasing rarity on flagship devices), and dual SIM functionality (if you purchase it from a retailer).

There’s little you can’t do on the Note 9, and while its camera is the weakest of the smartphones on test, this is more to do with the fact that its rivals have really exceeded themselves rather than any shortcoming on Samsung’s part. However, the battery life is a let-down. While it has a capacious 4,000mAh battery, the vibrant screen and fast processor take a toll, with overall run-time struggling to reach a full 24 hours. It doesn’t charge as quickly as the other devices, either, taking 1 hour and 40 minutes to fully recharge from zero. SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 9 CRITICAL SPECS