If you had asked me if I was going to like the new Samsung Galaxy Note9 two weeks ago, I would’ve have answered with indifference. After all, I was never one for a phablet, and a 6.4-inch one at that. It is not to say that I’m not used to big devices either – I mean, I am using an Apple iPhone 8 Plus.
Taking a photo of the Samsung Galaxy Note9 taking a photo of the yummy waffles at @foretblanc 😋 🙈 . . . #samsung #samsungmalaysia #samsunggalaxynote9 #galaxynote9 #getnoted #gottahaveit #cafehopkl #dietwhatdiet #yourcafestory
14 Likes, 1 Comments – PC.com Malaysia (Official) (@liveatpcdotcom) on Instagram: “Taking a photo of the Samsung Galaxy Note9 taking a photo of the yummy waffles at @foretblanc 😋 🙈 ….”
When I got my hands on the Galaxy Note9, I was fairly surprised at how lightweight and comfortable it felt in hand. That said, my immediate reaction was: “Huh, it doesn’t look that different from the Note8.”
Now, while that is aesthetically true, the Galaxy Note9 houses several features that I can get with. One of them being the fingerprint sensor placement. It was as if my – and probably all those with short, stubby fingers like mine – prayers were answered! Reaching my index finger to the sensor now doesn’t feel like I’m trying to step over a big ravine. One wrong move, and you’ll, in this case, the phone, will fall.
More Than a Stylus
Secondly, the S Pen. I could probably wax lyrical about how the pen is mightier than the sword, yaddaa yaddaa, but I won’t. This is probably one of the greater improvements the Galaxy Note9 has seen thus far. It does feel heavier in hand, compared to the Note8’s stylus. It is a welcomed weight though – I find it to be less flimsy than before.
By incorporating the Bluetooth Low-Energy capability into its newly improved S Pen, it opens up a wide range of applications – going beyond just using it as a creative and productivity tool. I personally found it very useful when I’m taking selfies. Like seriously, how many times has your phablets been dropped – or threatened to – while you attempt to take that perfect selfie? This is no longer the case thanks to the S Pen. Just click using the side button of the S Pen, and viola, you get to take the perfect selfie and wefie.
Another feature that stands out is the whole entertainment ecosystem the Galaxy Note9 has created. Its 6.4-inch AMOLED Infinity Display is the perfect medium to consume high-def videos and graphic-heavy games.
It also provides a smooth canvas for your fingers and S Pen to glide on. The highly responsive screen makes drawing with the S Pen that much better! I definitely had loads of fun doodling over photos I’ve taken with the phablet. It just made my Instastories a whole lot more interesting as well.
Goodbye Powerbanks
In terms of other capabilities, the Galaxy Note9 does boast of a bigger battery capacity of 4,000 mAH. Samsung says that the battery can probably last you the whole day. This is perhaps only true if you aren’t a power user.
I personally find that if I use the device exclusively (and now switch back and forth between my main smartphone), the battery last decently well. Enough for me to get home at 6pm and have about 25% battery life to spare.
So far, I have not experienced any excessive heating from the device, especially when I’m just using it with my day-to-day app diet of Facebook, Instagram, Gmail and maaaaybe, Spotify and Waze while I’m driving.
This may change if you’re gaming on it for long hours. I did try Fortnite on the Galaxy Note9. This n00b got her butt kicked so hard, but I did enjoy the overall smoothness of the graphics and crispness of the display.
I know this is meant to be my first impressions of the Galaxy Note9, so I will stop my ramblings and save the nitty gritty for the full-on review. I hope this had given you some idea about the device.
Do let us know in the comments if you have any burning questions regarding the phablet – we’ll try our best to answer them. Also, in case you missed it, here’s a short video of my 24-hour experience with the Galaxy Note9:
