The Note gets better
Samsung Galaxy Note9 is a refinement of what’s already a fantastic device, writes Izwan Ismail
THE Note series device from Samsung needs no introduction as it is the only smartphone in the market that has an effective stylus usage since it was first released in 2011. In fact, no other manufacturer has managed to come out with a smartphone that comes close to the Note devices when it comes to stylus usage.
While last year’s Galaxy Note8 is a wonderful device for productivity and photography, this year’s Note9 saw the South Korean tech giant presenting new ideas that will make phone usage even more exciting.
The Note9 has the same 6.4-inch display size of its predecessor, a perfect size that users would want to scribble on with the stylus or the S Pen in this case. A bigger device is unwieldy and a smaller one may result in a lack of space for writing.
FIRST LOOK
It’s a beautiful device to look at and to hold.
The one sent for our review comes in an Ocean Blue shade and is one of the best tones for this series, in my opinion. It comes with a bright yellow S Pen. The shiny, slim device will surely be a head turner.
However, the beautiful and shiny look comes with a drawback — you have to constantly keep wiping off your fingerprints.
IS IT A BETTER NOTE?
Technically, Note9 is an improved device compared with last year’s edition. Samsung has listened to users and has improved the storage capacity department especially. It has increased the built-in storage capacity up to 512GB with an option to boost it to 1TB, making it the first smartphone in the industry to have this storage capacity with the use of a MicroSD card.
Another option is to get the 128GB capacity at RM900 cheaper.
Despite its size, at 6.4-inch, the Note9 has a sleek and streamlined look with a 18:5:9 screen aspect ratio. The phone is slim, making it easy to hold, but the shiny surface may be slippery.
A slim transparent protective cover is a must if you don’t want this beauty to slip from your hand.
Samsung has made another improvement — the capability of the S Pen — in the Note9.
People who buy the Samsung Note because of the S Pen now have another reason to get this version — it has connectivity added to it.
Now with Bluetooth Low-Energy support, the new S Pen delivers an entirely new way to use the Note. With just a click, it’s now possible to take selfies and group pictures, present slides, pause and play video, and more. Developers can even integrate the S Pen’s new, advanced BLE functionalities into their apps later this year.
I tried the “remote control” function on the S Pen for taking photos and it worked fine. What began as a tool for writing and drawing is now putting more power and control in users’ hands.
The S Pen can also be used to play and pause music, start and stop a recording and
CAMERA
Most consumers look out for the camera when purchasing a device. Samsung has set the standard for smartphone cameras and with the Galaxy Note9, it presents the most powerful smartphone camera yet.
The Galaxy Note9 builds on Samsung’s industryleading camera technologies with new capabilities that take the work out of getting the perfect picture.
The Note9 has the same cameras in Galaxy S9 Plus — a 12-megapixel camera with a variable aperture (f/1.5 + f/2.4) with 2x optical zoom and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera for selfies and wefies.
So what’s the difference between the one in the Note9 and S9 Plus? Samsung has added an artificial intelligence engine to the camera, giving it an extra edge by being able to identify the scene you are about to shoot and adjust the camera setting to the optimum ones for the subject. These include flower, night scene, landscape, food, people ...the list goes up to 20 scenes, including snowflakes.
This AI feature may come in handy if you don’t have that much knowledge about photography, but want photos that look professional.
This only works in the auto mode, and for the more experienced photogtapher, here is a pro mode, where you can adjust all the settings like aperture, white balance, shutter, etc. to your liking.
The cameras of the Note9 do not disappoint, as the photos generally have much detail.
I took it on my recent vacation and it gave what I expected from it. Photos are sharp, focused and bright. The camera also performed well in low light. To ensure good pictures, Samsung has added a small feature that can detect flaws in photos, such as when the subject blinks or is not looking at the camera or the photo is too bright. A message will appear on the screen suggesting you snap another photo.
But Samsung may want to make some adjustments to the rectangle shape of the Note camera. I feel that the design is outdated.
BATTERY
Another area that has been improved on is battery life. The Note9 comes with a big 4,000.
This is the area that I give a thumbs up to Samsung as the power of the Note9 power is amazing. The battery lasts for more than a full day’s use and the standby hour can last for days.
DISPLAY
The Infinity Display is the cornerstone of Samsung’s design heritage, and Galaxy Note9 has the largest edge-to-edge display ever on a Note.
The 6.4-inch Super AMOLED Infinity Display provides a truly immersive multimedia experience. Galaxy Note9’s Infinity Display is complemented with stereo speakers tuned by AKG and the ability to deliver Dolby Atmos immersive audio for a lifelike experience.
Mobile videos have never looked or sounded better than on Galaxy Note9. YouTube named Galaxy Note9 as a Signature Device able to deliver a best-in-class YouTube experience.
The Galaxy Note9 also delivers a PClike experience with Samsung DeX. Users can work on presentations, edit photos and watch their favourite show all powered by their phone. Experience Samsung DeX with easy-to-carry HDMI adapters. When connected to a monitor, Galaxy Note9 can power a virtualised desktop and even serve as a fully-functional second screen.
Take notes with the S Pen while watching a video, or use Galaxy Note9 as a trackpad, to right-click, drag and drop, and use multiple windows on a monitor. It’s never been easier to be more productive.
HANDY FEATURES
The phone comes with fast wireless charging, IP68 water and dust resistance and Samsung services such as Samsung Health and Samsung Pay.
The Galaxy Note9 features Samsung’s trusted, defence-grade Knox security platform and biometric security options including fingerprint scanning, iris scanning and facial recognition capabilities to keep information safe.
The phone also opens up a world of possibilities — it’s a portal to the full Samsung ecosystem of devices and services. For instance, use Galaxy Note9 and SmartThings to control connected devices, or get more done with Bixby, a personalised, intelligent assistant.
With the launch of Galaxy Note9, it is easier to enjoy music with Samsung’s new long-term partner, Spotify. The partnership makes Spotify easily accessible to seamlessly sync and transfer music, playlists and podcasts across Galaxy Note9, Galaxy Watch and Smart TV products.
In Malaysia, the phone comes in Midnight Black and Metallic Copper with matching S Pen.
The 128GB version will retail at RM3,699 while the 512GB, which is only available in Midnight Black, will cost RM4,599. Verdict: 4.5/5