A look back at one of 2018’s best phones.
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Ferris Bueller said it best back in 1986, and that sentiment applies perfectly to the Android landscape. It feels like new phones are coming out every single day, meaning your current phone is probably a lot older than you may think.
The Galaxy Note 9 was released back in August 2018, meaning it’s quickly approaching its second birthday. In regards to smartphones, that’s basically a lifetime. The Note 9 is no longer a hip and modern phone we actively recommend people buy, but if you still have the device yourself or are simply interested in learning more about it, that’s what this article is for. Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about the Galaxy Note 9 in 2020.
- Looking back at the Note 9
- Read and watch our reviews
- One UI 2 is now available
- Check out these tips and tricks
- Need accessories? Look here
- The Note 10 is the current hotness
- And the Note 20 is coming soon
New Note
Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
$1100 at Amazon
From $1100 at Samsung
The best and most powerful Note you can buy
Shopping for a Galaxy Note handset in 2020? The Galaxy Note 10+ is what should be on your radar. Assuming you can stomach its price, the phone delivers a gorgeous 6.8-inch AMOLED display, fast performance, and reliable cameras.
A brief look back at the Galaxy Note 9
Samsung launched the Galaxy Note 9 on August 24, 2018, as a direct successor to the Note 8 before it. The Note 9 wasn’t a massive upgrade compared to the Note 8, but the refinements and tweaks Samsung made allowed it to be one of the most well-rounded Android handsets of its time.
The Note 9 shared a lot of the same specs with the Galaxy S9 Samsung launched a few months prior, meaning it was built on an incredibly strong foundation. In typical Note fashion, the Note 9 took that S9 formula and added a larger display, battery, and S Pen, and called it a day. Call it lazy if you want, but it was an excellent recipe for success.
Looking back on the Note 9, we can see it was the last time Samsung released just one Note handset for the year. 2019 saw the simultaneous release of the Note 10, Note 10+, and Note 10+ 5G, with 2020 expecting the launch of a Note 20 and Note 20+.
Should you buy a Galaxy Note 9 in 2020?
Our written and video reviews for the phone
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While the Galaxy Note 9 may not be a phone we’re actively recommending these days (unless you can find a really good deal on it), that certainly wasn’t the case when the phone first launched. In fact, back in 2018, it was the Android flagship to get.
We gave the Note 9 a 4.5-star rating and our Android Central Best Award in our initial review — praising the phone for its outstanding display, long battery life, great cameras, and top-notch design. It also retained the headphone jack and expandable storage, continuing the Note’s legacy of being the do-it-all smartphone that offered every feature imaginable.
We revisited the Note 9 a few months after its release, and it proved to be every bit as good then as it was from Day One. The phone was slow to get off of Android Oreo and onto newer Android versions, but that’s something Samsung has gotten a lot better at in recent months.
Perhaps one of the biggest downsides to the Note 9 was its 15W wired charging speeds, but that’s something Samsung remedied a year later with the Note 10.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review: Welcome to the one comma club
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review, 3 months later: The uncompromising flagship
It’s now running One UI 2.0
Samsung shipped the Galaxy Note 9 with Android 8.1 Oreo and its aging Samsung Experience interface. Here in 2020, the Note 9 is now running One UI 2.0 based on Android 10.
The Note 9’s software wasn’t awful at launch, but the update to One UI is one we were certainly glad to see. One UI gets rid of a lot of the clutter and bloat that hampered down the Samsung Experience, and while it still isn’t perfect, it makes the Note 9 feel better than ever.
We’re hoping Samsung updates the Galaxy Note 9 to Android 11 when it’s released later this year, but as of right now, the company hasn’t made any sort of commitment to doing so.
Samsung One UI and Android 10 update: Everything you need to know
Tips and tricks you should know
The Galaxy Note 9 is a very powerful and capable phone, but with so many available features, we don’t blame you if it can feel a little overwhelming at times.
Below, you’ll find a heap of how-to guides to help you make the most of your phone. Whether you’re interested in enabling dark mode, disabling Bixby, or customizing your notification settings, you’ll find tips for doing all of that (and a lot more).
- How to enable Dark Mode on Samsung Galaxy phones: Android 10 and One UI 2
- How to change notification settings on Galaxy Phones in One UI (Android Pie)
- How to show all notifications on Galaxy S and Note lock screens running One UI (Android Pie)
- How to get the most from the navigation bar on Samsung Galaxy phones running One UI (Android Pie)
- How to fix performance problems on your Samsung Galaxy S or Note phone
- How to use split-screen multitasking on Samsung Galaxy phones running One UI (Android Pie)
- How to set up RCS Chat on Samsung phones with Samsung Messages
- How to completely disable Bixby on a Samsung Galaxy Phone
- How to remap the Bixby button on your Galaxy S or Note phone
- How to change the Side Key function on your Samsung Galaxy S or Note phone
- How to disable and delete Samsung Pay
- How to measure blood oxygen saturation levels with a Samsung phone using Samsung Health
- How to update the software on your Samsung Galaxy phone
- How to get Samsung software updates faster using Smart Switch
You have plenty of options for accessories
No phone is complete without the proper accessories, the Note 9 included.
The accessory market is always very kind to Samsung phones, and given that the Note 9 has been available for a while now, you’ll find plenty of cases and screen protectors to choose from.
We’ve rounded up a few of or favorite accessories below, so if you need a few recommendations on where to start looking, feel free to check them out.
- Best Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Cases in 2020
- Best Heavy Duty Cases for Galaxy Note 9 in 2020
- Best Thin Cases for Samsung Galaxy Note 9 in 2020
- Best Leather Cases for Samsung Galaxy Note 9 in 2020
- Best Wallet Cases for Samsung Galaxy Note 9 in 2020
- Best Galaxy Note 9 Battery Cases in 2020
Once you’ve picked up a case or two for the Note 9, there are a few other accessories we also recommend getting.
- Best Screen Protector for Galaxy Note 9 in 2020
- Best microSD Cards for Galaxy Note 9 in 2020
- Best Wired Headphones for Samsung Galaxy Note 9 in 2020
The Galaxy Note 10 is the latest S Pen flagship
If you’re shopping for a Note phone right now, the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ are currently the latest ones that Samsung offers.
Both phones were the first ones in the Note series to ditch the headphone jack, marking a big shift for Samsung as a whole. The regular Note 10 also removes the microSD slot for expandable storage, though this is a feature that’s retained on the Note 10+.
The Note 10 is an interesting pickup as it’s the first Note to be somewhat compact, which can’t be said about its other siblings. If you’ve been longing for that Note experience but hate large displays, the Note 10 is rock solid. The Note 10+ is more of the same, but it gives you that typical Note experience in an excellent package.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10: Everything you need to know!
And the Note 20 will be here before you know it
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That said, the Note 10 series will soon be overshadowed themselves. Samsung is preparing for the launch of the Note 20, and it’ll be here before you know it.
We’re anticipating another two-model release cycle, with this year seeing the launch of the Note 20 and Note 20+. Rumored specs include the Snapdragon 865 processor, at least 12GB of RAM, and a 4,500 mAh battery for the Note 20+.
Pricing and availability for the Note 20 lineup remain unclear, but you can find all of the latest news, rumors, and reports in our mega-guide below.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20: News, Leaks, Release Date, Specs, and Rumors!
New Note
Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
$1100 at Amazon
From $1100 at Samsung
The best and most powerful Note you can buy
Shopping for a Galaxy Note handset in 2020? The Galaxy Note 10+ is what should be on your radar. Assuming you can stomach its price, the phone delivers a gorgeous 6.8-inch AMOLED display, fast performance, and reliable cameras.
